Server not set for EDT came up right at 9pm EDT. DTDed twice as soon as I got to field. Third try headed to #20 with #16, heard sirens, then one con high west of field. Saw tracers low and spotted EA passing low over field. Trying to climb to #16 who instead of joining with me engaged enemy. Fired a burst at one Spad who headed west, turned to check my wing who had the other Spad on him, cut throttle and slip-S to get on Spad's 6 when upper wing and half of lower wing parted company. Remaining wing portion parted from fuselage when ground was impacted.

After kicking my heels in the interior (supposedly for training which never materialized) I showed up at my old squadron and had them roll out my old crate. I noticed it had been repainted but that didn't worry me too much. There weren't any other pilots about. If fact, there were very few people around. Even the ground crew seemed sparse. HQ had ordered that all planes were to take off immediately and rendezvous. So, I took off alone and circled the base to gain height. I grew tired of this and continued towards the rendezvousing squad to see if I could meet up with them. I had no luck. I flew to the southern edge of our patrol area when I spotted a plane far beneath me heading southeast. I turned towards it but could not gain. Soon it passed another plane that appeared to be on fire. It was nothing but cinders by the time I got to the area so I could not tell whether it was friend or foe. The first plane was soon identified for me by the activity of our gunners at the surrounding installations. I watched him bomb several targets but he always kept heading towards Asiago and I assume he crossed the lines back into Italian territory there. There was simply no way for me to catch him. I don't know if he ever saw me but I expect he did as he certainly did not linger around any of his targets.

It was now about half way through the patrol so I landed at a friendly base to refuel. There were no personnel there. I had to fill the cans and transfer the petrol to my plane myself. I dilly-dallied for a while waiting for anybody to show up. Eventually I decided to resume my lone patrol so I took off and headed North. It was a long flight. When I was almost to the coast I spotted a plane far behind and above me. I watched it intently but it took no hostile moves. Eventually it got close enough to see that it was Uhlan's Albatros. I thought this was odd because I was sure that he was no longer with the squad. Whoever the pilot was he shadowed me staying far above. None-the-less, I was glad for the company. This was the first Austrian I had seen since returning from Vienna. However, he stayed so far above and behind me that I frequently lost sight of him. At one time I thought he changed course so I turned to follow him. Soon, though he was again above and behind me. I reversed again and continued on a southerly course. I lost him again and thought he must have landed since the timing on our patrol was drawing to a close. I came in for a smooth landing and as I cut my engine I heard the air raid sirens going off. Not wanting to be caught outnumbered and just taking off I retired to my quarters. There were still no other pilots present.

No sooner had I gotten out of my flying suit then there was an irate phone call from Spatz, the CO of my squad. He had been the lone Albatros pilot and he wanted to know why I had taken off in his assigned plane! Furthermore, why had I disregarded his gestures when he signaled enemy in sight? Though I had assumed he was already on the ground by the time I landed, in actuality he was still far above and behind me. He had been forced down by the same EA who had set off the warning sirens! All I could stammer was that time spent in the interior had dulled my senses. I'm sure I would be sacked if the Empire was not so short of pilots.

On Leave

On Leave

I was late taking off (2113hrs) due to poor visibility in the area.

Once able to take off and seeing there was no one here to join in Flik_105’s daring run, unescorted, into the jaws of certain death I took off. I wanted to go where I thought there would be little enemy scout activity. I decided that would mean going deep into their air space so I headed for Railroad yard at B2-4. During the long flight I scanned the sky frequently and was relieved to see nothing around me at each turn of the head. Once over the target I made four passes, all misses apparently. (no damaged observed). I retraced my successful flight path and once over our lines I headed for airdrome #14. Once I landed (2200hrs), and able to regain my composure, (2205hrs) I took off again. This time I headed for Factory at B3-9. I thought a bigger target would improve my success ratio. I made one pass over target and it appeared I was lucky. (Observed damage, burning). No sooner than I collected myself and my plane, I was pounced on by an enemy fighter (EA #3). We played tag all the way back to the front line until I lost consciousness.

Respectfully Yours

Helmut Krumweide DECEASED

KIA

Wounded

Well started my patrol and found 2 planes over our #17 aero. they immediately ran away from me so I assumed they were enemy twoseaters. they circled around thumbing their noses at me and lead me on a long chase all over the front. Another plane join them at this time, it was enemy spad #5, now i knew they were the enemy. #5 did not engage me. he shadowed me, thumbed his nose at me and they all flew ahead to their target.

I knew their target was the depot/rr by #17 aero....they knew it too and they knew i could not catch them. After a few minutes of swearing I finally arrive to see the bombing the RRs Well i got close enough to fire a few sporatic shots at twoseater #17, I could count them on one hand. then I rolled over and fired half my load at short rang into #14(two-seater), I heard him yelp(he was wounded). Then #5 engaged me I circled and he ran...knowing it was pointless to shoot at him(ive never seen a spad take any real damage) I just chased him firing single shots to make him think i was interested. To my surprise #14 circled back and tried to shoot me! Well...what the hell I must have looked pretty frikin pathetic...unable to do anything. I rolled over and gave him the rest of my ammunition to no effect..cept a slightly crumpled wing. Well #5 was on my ass again and I rounded on him to find him running again...good. Then i proceeded to land...the base was half a MIN AWAY! #5 rounded back and shot at me as i was landing. Then everything went in slow motion(2fps) after I was stoped everything went suddenly black. (I was shot in the head on the ground , I tried to read the rules to see if i was dead for good but adobe gives about 1" of space to read on the airwar page for the rules. It's just unreadable)

P.S I was the only scout pilot in the game. I can't fault the rest for not showing up, it's an exercise in frustration. Fast allied planes + EM2 = indestructable.

Dead or not my excitement for the campaign is lost, I think we have it much worse than the allies did last campaign and if us being the targets this time round is supposed to make up for it, I disagree. I may play if i'm having a slow wed/sun night...but put me down as a casual player for the rest of it.

Pen

I spent the better part of 30 minutes with my mechanic trying to start my engine. I had severe difficulty in keeping it running. Once we got it started I started on my take-off roll and the elevator cables pulled free from their connections. Returning to the hanger the engine stalled.

10 minutes later I looked at my orders and I had the wrong map. I ran back to HQ to get a new one, and upon returning I noticed a fuel leak and nearly all my aviation fuel had spilt on the ground. I got a spare plane out of the hanger and it wouldn’t start either. After 10 more minutes the mechanic found that one of the cylinders had been damaged by a bullet. I guess nobody checks these things.

Parts are hard to come by. Eventually after spending more that 45 minutes trying to get off the ground I retreated back to the barracks disgusted.

onleave

Feldwebel Ahrens, Pilot Hugo Nagel, and gunner Joseph von Stuch were killed in action above rail-yard at c3-7. It appeared that Nagel was having trouble finding an effective line of attack or drop altitude, when two Hanriots attacked the bomber. The big ship crashed into the rail-yard without effect. Recon photos the next day indicate that the Italians have mounted the fuselage of the GIII vertically on a rail turntable and are displaying it as a trophy of war. Crew is presumed KIA.