Summary: June 15th, 1918
Mission: Mission card #6 (Recon Air)
Success! 4 targets photographed (#16, #17, #18, #20) (attached)
Victory claims:
Flint (#3) and RMC (#6) claim #15 (split)
Vasconcells (#19) claims #13
Casualties:
Fuches (#8): killed in flying accident, aircraft destroyed (Spad XIII)
Dawson (#12): killed in action, aircraft destroyed (Nieuport 24)
Royce (#20): crashed on landing, aircraft damaged/destroyed (Nieuport 11)
Combat reports:
27th Aero:
Flint (#3):
Flew my spad out of base after several minute delay. Seems all of our spad were having mechincal trouble this day. Flew a long patrol with #5 Ish who had just shown up as a replacement and we plugged him right into service. Saw nothing on our patrol of the lines.
Now the engine trouble really flared up around 21:50 and after several false starts I finally managed to get her running enough to stay airborne. I lifted off at about 22:20 and soon picked up one of our recon planes #20 flying low below me in C2-8. I decided to cover him after taking a careful look about to make sure he wasn't running from huns.
We headed out over the lines when I caught sight of #6 spad. I signaled him to follow and we both chased our recon plane east over the lines. I watched Royce climb to photo the hun drome #20. At about 22:35 I noticed a hun plane flying low over the drome.
Fearing it was a scout attempting to intercept our recon plane, I signaled
#6 and we both dove in for the attack. To my shock I watched Royce turn on
the hun plane and begin to fire on it. I guessed right away it must be a hun
2-seater after watching this. Now I could only watch and pray I could make
it down there before our glory hound 2-seater pilot stole a kill from us
hotshot spads We made it down very quickly and #6 and I took turns pummeling the poor
Hun(#15) 2 -seater. Finally as I put in one last burst into him he cracked
up his plane as he tried to land it in a open field.
6 and I headed back to base and ended the day there.
Kills- Claim a share of Hun #15 with RMC#6
NAME: Ishmael
Went on lone patrol of enemy territory. Met with enemy scout (#2) at end
of patrol. Exchanged fire, both of us damaged - I retreated with fuel
leak.
Landed in friendly territory just our side of the trench line.
Sorry all. I could not stay on the server for longer than 2 minutes. After
being timed out ~12 times I decided to call it a night and have a talk with
my mechanic.
Had trouble getting the Spad started but finally it coughed to life and soon
#3 Flint and I were on patrol. Unfortunately Flint had engine trouble and
had to leave. Scout patrol took me from our bridge IP to the N boundry of
the map. Bounced #15 Hun recon aircraft heading to the allied side of NML
and shot him down at 10:26 EST. Flew South and again formed withe #3. We
bounced another Hun, a different #15 and together we shot him down. I was
out of ammo. #3 escorted me to our home base and I landed without incident.
My first combat has an issue to consider. The Hun aircraft was spoted
below me with my N key. Sorry, it is such a habit. I may have seen him
anyway. I expect no confirmation on the first combat.
I left my drome after much lag and circled to catch up to my wings. After
the disorientation process was almost sorted out, I was commanded by our
number 5 to catch up or return to base. Misunderstanding the command, I
started to return to base, then turned around. At that point, I had severe
mechanical problem to which I did have to return to base. I proceeded to
run to the preassigned rendezvous without any problems, the wind in my hair,
the bugs in my teeth. Circling the rendezvous point waiting for anyone, I
thought this is beautiful, my first flight and I am lost or at least away
from my squad. I then proceeded on to the squad's assignment of patrol,
hoping to catch a glimpse of a spad in the air...or the dreaded hun below or
above. No such luck on either account. Palms sweating for fear of finding
the hun, or worse getting a scathing reprimand from my commander, I finished
the south leg of my patrol. Returning north, I spotted, or rather heard the
roar of engines. Scanning around I see two dots heading perpendicular away
from me. I fly closer to find that they are a allied squad. The racing of
my heart slows as I proceed on my northward leg of patrol. To my distress,
I see no hun and start my approach to my drome. As I power down, mere feet
from touching safe mother earth, I hear the guns of a plane. I quickly scan
the horizon, behind me, to my side, look up. Nothing. I panic and double
check again, forgeting my relationship to the ground I look behind me. I
hear the sickening crack of wood and the tear of clothe...Looking down from
my heavenly assent, I see my plane toppeling nose over tail ten feet away
from the runway proper. I also see a plane on the runway. My etheral hand
goes to my forehead as I realize, that that plane was probably shooting at
me, thinking I was a hun coming in for the kill. Ah, hindsight is always
good to have on your way to the pearly gates.
Rowland (#14):
Took of after having many delays,at least one pilot could not start his motor.
He left game and came back in a number of times.
Vascon,Dawson and I met up with our recon patrol and headed of on our mision.
On the way to their target I was dropped from the game. (lots of netting!)
I restarted and tried to find the recon patrol.After 10 mins I headed to the
base to wait for the patrol to return.Within a few mins the recon patrol landed.
As we were on the runway we spottted EA and I exited the game for the night.
It was about 10:15 when I left the game.
Vasconcells (#19):
Combat Report, Vasconcells. After the usual delays, Dawson, Rowland
and I took off and rendevouzed with the recon boys, as planned. We flew
into Hun territory, and eventually the recon guys went off and left me,
I must have been having engine trouble or something. Anyway, looking
around, I spotted a speck behind Daw, and turned back for a closer look.
It turned out to be Austrian #13, and he and I and Daw went round and
round for a while, and I hit him pretty hard a couple of times, but
couldn't get a real good shot Eventually he dove for mother earth, and
since we were deep in enemy land, I decided to leave him for another
day. In the melee I lost Daw, and decided to head north in the hope of
catching Hart and Rob on their way back home.
Cruised pretty well with loittle to see till I got back near base, when
I spotted two of the enemy far below me. I was fairly low on fuel, so I
was leery of a set-to with two of 'em, so I stayed a few hundred feet
above 'em, even though they were clearly on their way up to give me a
kiss or two. After a while, I noticed a third speck close to one of our
dumps, and since he was well separated from the others, I decided to
give him a hug. I noticed that the MG boys were giving him a hard time.
And so did I. After a couple of bursts from my guns, he made a sharp
turn, lost first his upper wing, and then the other, and down he went to
lick the mud. It was my old friend #13, a glutton for punishment,
clearly. Well, I had nearly forgot about the other two huns, and
suddenly they were on me. We went round and round, they hit me several
times and I emptied my guns at them, but eventually I saw my tank was
nearly empty as well as my guns, so I ran for the nearest base, with the
idea of getting some help from our boys on the ground. Well, the
huns were soon gone. I though about chasing them, but didn't like the
odds.
I decided I had had enough, and went in for a long whiskey.
After some big time delays and confusion I took off with Rowland and
Vasconcells and met up with the recon guys over their base. We started
out but lost Row to a mech. Vas was high above me and I never could
quite close on him. At some point I noted an ea on my six and signaled
to the other planes. I saw no response but we seemed to outrun him.
Later, he reappeared and Vas and I had a go at him. I was able to get
some rounds into him as was Vas but he dove toward his base and I
decided not to chase him down.
At this time I lost the recon guys and Vasconcells. I spent some time
looking for them but the flak was getting serious so I headed back to
the recon base to rejoin them. I flew over the base and everything
seemed quite. I was about to turn for landing when all of a sudden I was
hearing shots. I couldn't believe it was an enemy plane as there were NO
SIRENS and no AA from the nearby base. I turned into the shooter and to
my great chagrin he crashed into me. Luck evidently was not with me as
my damage was critical and apparently his was not. As I spun to the
ground I kept wondering how this could be happening.......
Rucker (#16):
After several attempts to get the cursed beast
into air, I called it night and went to the Supply
Headquater to get that miserable clerk who inspected
and handed over the sorry stone excuse for a plane to
me >;(
Royce (#20):
Got to field #X late. As I rolled out to the strip, a number of Hun
machines were attacking the field and planes on ground. I took some
rounds to the fusilage and proceeded to get my two seater up and off the
grass.
I turned to engage an EA but had severe mechanical trouble(Meched) and
returned to field as Hun flew off.
After mechanical problems were taken care of, myself and #15 and #18
took off for unescorted recon of EA base #20 and #17.
After several minutes heading NE I turned E at approx. 1500 meters and
approacheed EA field as observer photographed field.
Just as I was turning I saw below a machine crossing over field at about
750 meters. I knew it must be a lone scout. I dived at him before he
could become aware of me. It was Hun #15. I put a few rounds into him as
we passed and then I lost him and headed west for our lines. I checked
my rear but saw no sight of him. He must have lost sight of me as well.
Apparently I clipped my left wingtip as we passed, because I had to lean
over at a 15 degree angle from the horizon just to keep her steady. I
headed for field #X at ground level. Just as I appraoched and tried to
put her down, the imbalance of the wings tip her over as I touched down.
Photo's of field #20 are attached to this report.
After severe mechanical difficulties, I took off and caught up to
Roberts and our escorts (Dawson and Vasconcells) over no man's land.
We crossed into enemy territory, where I sighted a lone E.A (#13). I
signalled to Vasconcells, who proceeded to engage the E.A. I waved
Roberts on, and we continued east. We passed over airdrome #16, and I
leaned out and took my photograph. I almost forgot to photograph my
kneeboard afterword (thus, in my kneeboard picture, I had started to
fly away from target). We then turned north toward #17, which Roberts
photographed. Unfortunately, he then experienced engine trouble. I
returned to base alone, observing Dawson and Vasconcells still engaged
with the E.A. I landed at approximately 2215, where I found Roberts,
Royce, and Rowland of the 76th awaiting my return.
After waiting for our sirens to die down, Royce, Roberts and I took
off on a second mission into Austrian territory. Royce was to
photograph #20, Roberts #17, and I #18. The flight was uneventful,
and our mission successful. Roberts and I touched down at 2300 with
two more photographs to show for our day's work.
Photographed: #16 and #18
After a long wait due to machanicle trouble we were finnally off to
photograugh target bases 16 and 17 . our escorts picked us upat 2000
feet as we headed East . We had just barly made over the mud when I
spotted an ea , being the leed plane i circled back for the escorts
aswell as our other recon bird , I told signalled to all planes that
there was an EA ahead of us. I tucked in behind Hartney and we flew
away frm the EA and let the escorts have there fun with them . Hartney
turned for his approch on his target field then gave me the signal that
he had his pics and that it was my turn so i took the leed and headed
for my target field #17 I got my pics then let Hartney now we could RTB.
We started Back when Hartney sighted a fight and warned me of EAs ,soon
after that I meched out.
Sorty #2 started slow again dew to some air raid sireins. Once they
turned off ,Myself ,hartney and Royce took off for our second sorty it
was uneventful .I did see a spad pass by us enrout but other wise nota
.Both hart and I got our pics ,I later heard that Royce got his pics
taken aswell . We had a good night
Ishmael (#5):
AIRCRAFT: Spad13
STATUS: Alive
KILLS: 0
Hudson (#10):
RMC (#6):
Fuches (#8):
76° Squadriglia:
Dawson (#12):
36° Squadriglia:
Hartney (#15):
Roberts (#18):