BuckeyeBob, I’m with you. The stories in this thread are excellent. Can’t wait to see what will happen when the Germans finally get their Doppeldeckers. Will the Entente sink or swim? Scout, flying with a wonky arm won’t be fun. And the Aviatiks strike again! I think this period should be renamed to Aviatik scourge, not Fokker. Lederhosen, that Caudron wasn’t confirmed because it landed safely. It’s just a little banged up. MFair, I’m afraid Gaston took the lion share of the confirmed kill allocations for the nearest future. There are only so many claims to go around. Congrats on the promotion.
30 April, 1916 05:05 morning mission Senard, Verdun Sector Escadrille N37 Capitaine Gaston A. Voscadeaux 23 confirmed kills
All Gaston’s claims had been confirmed except one. The first Fokker to be shot down while taking off from Sivry aerodrome yesterday remained unconfirmed. The morning mission consisted of artillery spotting over enemy front lines north of Verdun. The sun shone in Gaston’s face as it peered out from behind large clouds. Flak kept them company throughout the entire patrol route above the trenches. As they were leaving the area after completing their patrol Voscadeaux noticed a pair of stinkin' Aviatiks bombing the French lines. They gave chase immediately and caught up as the last of the bombs were leaving the bombers. Gaston gave sign to attack and positioned his Nieuport behind one of them. He opened fire and pummelled it until smoke started to spew from the exhaust stack. The two-seater slowed down to a crawl from all the damage and Voscadeaux’s machine came very close to colliding with his target. Too close and he was rewarded for it by return fire. The little French scout flew above the lumbering two-seater and turned around for another pass. Gaston watched Adjutant Delbee carry out his attack. He also was getting too close. The French Ace thought to himself: “- Don’t do it. Don't be greedy.” He watched, as if in slow motion, as his wingman rammed into the wings of the Boche. “-No!” They were both plummeting down to their deaths. Gaston couldn't believe it. His wingman was gone. He watched in a blank stare as the pieces of debris from both planes floated down following the burning wrecks of the machines they broke away from. Voscadeaux gathered the reminder of the ‘B’ flight and guided them back home. The atmosphere at the aerodrome stayed muted for the rest of the day.
30 April, 1916 13:30 afternoon mission Senard, Verdun Sector Escadrille N37 Capitaine Gaston A. Voscadeaux 23 confirmed kills
In the afternoon, they were ordered to patrol friendly front lines west of Varennes-en-Argonne. Voscadeaux knew this was a milk run, designed to keep the squadron’s morale up after losing one of the pilots. They didn’t want to risk losing another one on the same day. Gaston brought the formation as far as the Front and no further. The old girl came down with another failure. He left the ‘B’ flight to their own devices and turned for home. It only took a few more kilometers before the engine ceased and Gaston had to make an emergency landing on the road between Valmy and St. Menehould. The landing was rough. Good thing only the sheep by the side of the road would judge his landing attempt. The rest of the flight managed to find some Aviatiks to tackle. Adjutant Barnay claimed one, but was himself wounded in the process. Caporal Garrigou expended all of his ammunition but came back home empty-handed.
"Take the cylinder out of my kidneys, The connecting rod out of my brain, my brain, From out of my arse take the camshaft, And assemble the engine again."