Mechanical problems plagued X at mission start. Fear that Wlhelm and my inexperience led to some confusion regarding orders and order of flight. Leutnant Pendragon first assigned us xxxxxxxxxxxx, but soon recognized that target was out of range. Concluded that we should fly individual missions to photograph xxxxxxxxxxxxxx targets on recommended course. Takeoff was uneventful and we soon made contact with scout from f41j. Airplane handling well with good power. Decided to test high resolution long lens by climbing to xxxxxxxxxxx. Lost contact with scout and X by the time we crossed no mans land.
Anxious to test new Baush and Lomb multiplate camera. Flew south of xxxxxxxxx at xxxxxxx m, and north xxxxxxxxxx. New camera made multiple exposures possible. Hope that Headquarters finds one that is valuable to the cause. xxxxxxxxx. Falk was heavy at xxxxxxxxxx. Wilhelm suggested zig zags and rapid climb. Reached xxxxxx m on flight xxxxxx towards xxxxxxxx.
With plates secured, chose to vary course on personal initiative. Reconed and photographed xxxxxxxxx and xxxxxxxxx. As we bore west for xxxxxxxxx, mechs nearly brought us down. Used all altitude in long slow dive to xxxxxxxxxx. Flushed fuel system and took off to return to last target.
At xxxxxxxxx intercepted two scouts from Flik61j. Scouts signaled for turn to xxxxxxx. Assumming error signaled for RTB. Without negativer response, assummed error and continued to land at xxxxxxx. Learned that scout pilot was the most excellent Haupcaptan Uhlan. Apologies offered. Long live the Emporer.
Entered 2100est-Exit2300est, Ping 178
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx landed 2150.
2nd sortie xxxxxxxxxxxxlanded safely at 2235
No ea sighted. I presume they were frightened of my escort. Photo's attached.
I had severe difficulty with my PC to start. Jerry [Uhlan] helped a lot, then I forgot to recalibrate my joystick after rebooting my PC and it caused me to ground loop on takeoff. I never got airborne. After calibrating and re-joining all was well.
My squad leader (Pendragon) gave me the order to photograph xxxxxxxxxx. I followed that order with great success. I saw only one enemy plane in the distance at location xxxxxxxx but it didn't pursue me. I then arrived at xxxxxxx and photographed xxxxxxxxx as ordered. I returned to my home base xxxxxxx without incident. I landed at 10:30pm. Since I was flying alone and did not know where the remaining members of my squad where, and did not see anyone in the area after a brief search, I joined as an observer for the remainder of the game.
I consider my mission a great success. Attached are my photo's.
After my late night with that boxom Swedish nurse from the red cross, and my late start in this new Italian campaign HQ has REWARDED me with milk runs! Well it seems they are short on experienced men to lead no matter how much debachery they commit.
Hohoho, Imagine my glee as I issed recon orders to my men while Inga ( the nurse), loaded me up with a care package of FOOD and DRINK. Then we(#7 and I) raced off and in a relatively short time. I ate my bratwurst while Hans(my observer) readied his camera. Then I lined up the xxxxxxxx real nice for Hans and he got a gorgeous pic of the swarthy Italians xxxxxxxxxx.
Attached to my report is the photo. And my kneeboard flight plot.(dont mind the bier stain)
The flight home was uneventful and relaxing, why I may live long enough even, to get sick and tired of Inga! The most difficult part was landing as by that time I could see two Aerodromes. None-the-less I am alive.
Yawn! We flew around. We observed a number of enemy planes on the ground but they were apparently afraid of us. I was grounded once by a sudden thunderstorm. When I came back out to the airfield Feldwebel Helmut was in his plane. But he looked so pale and ill I thought he would have given up flying his mission by now. Nonetheless, he refused to get out of the plane, even when he was retching over the side. Tiring of watching this sad spectacle I flew alone to our rendezvous point just in time to watch our fighters escort one of our reconnaissance planes in.
Spent much of the morning going over the crates while waiting for the the 2-seater planes to show up. One did. Waited a bit longer, then decided to try and work with what we had. Feldwebel Gräser #14 was up to the task so vonSchtupp, Kugelfang, and I Escorted the HBC2 over to visit the enemy. Arrived over the target without event, 2-seater did his job and we headed for home.
Back at field, we found feldwebel Helmut tinkering with a troublesome engine. Gräser got another camera, we were all checked and fueled, grabbed some wine, bread, and bratwurst, and headed into the sky again. Helmut was obviously having engine troubles and eventually had to turn back.
I spotted an aeroplane very low over NML coming from enemy territory and we turned to investigate. Sent Kugelfang off with the 2-seater while vonSchtupp and I would investigate this interloper, but vonSchtupp didn't see my signal and followed Kugelfang. I trailed the unknown aircraft for a time but lost sight of him and turned to join the flight. I spotted them headed the wrong way and flew across behind them, then towards them until they spotted me and came to see what I was. We then took a direct route to the target to meet our 2-seater.
Near the target we could see at least two aircraft sitting on an aerodrome below us, but I was more concerned with finding our charge than straffing aerodromes. I spotted an aircraft leaving the area of the target that colored like our 2-seater, so I turned to flight to intercept him over NML. A sudden squall came upon us and when we were clear of it there was no sign of Kugelfang.
Over NML we encountered one of our 2-seater outbound and pursued it to direct it to the remaining target. After some time got his attention and directed him to follow. A bit later I ordered a course change and once on the new heading check my flight to find the 2-seater headed in exactly the opposite direction! We followed him back where I inquired of his pigeon like sence of direction, and reminded him of the many ranks below Feldwebel and the type of tasks they are assigned.