Having recently missed an opportunity to see the SPAD of Georges Guynemer in person (Disneyland Paris was voted for instead duh ) I decided I needed to get my fly on. Not with the SPAD yet, but...soon! Henri Patois, having served in 1916 as a two seater pilot, has transferred over to No. 23 Escadrille. He is currently assigned a Nieuport 23...


Henri Patois
Verdun
April 3, 1917
Escadrille3 No. 23

My second flight in the new scout brought action! We went up over the lines where we encountered a flight of German Roland two-seaters. I dove with one and fired on him until his engine burst into flames! The observer must have been a spiteful fellow, as he continued to fire on me even as he was burning alive! In fact, he so shot up my engine that I needed to retreat from the front, lest it failed me. On the way back, I was horrified to see the scout of the Marquis de Monferato spinning down out of control. The rest of our flight watched breathlessly as he spiraled down ten thousand feet to smash into a thousand fragments on the trenches! Fortunately he was only lightly injured. I guess royalty has its perks...

I had to land, which was a shame as there were many other targets that needed the attention of my Vickers. Another day, perhaps. They tell me it is a two day repair job to patch up my engine. For now, I will kick up my feet with some sherry and fill out the form for my CII claim...



The older I get, the more I realize I don't need to be Han, Luke or Leia. I'm just happy to be rebel scum...