After action report and victory claim
Hauptman von Baur
Jasta Boelcke
12. Januar. 1917

I was leading a flight of five on a scramble mission. I identified two enemy two-seaters with seven Nieuports flying escort high above our airfield. While climbing to the enemy formation the Nieuports attacked us. One came after me but I was able to outmaneuver and get behind him. After several bursts he nosed over and crashed about one kilometer west of Pronville airfield.

After dispatching the first aircraft I went looking for the rest of the kette. I saw two Albatrosses chasing a Nieuport south, low over the lines and looked to see if there were any enemy aircraft in position to attack them. I saw a Nieuport flying north, above and to the west, so I gave chase. He must have been a good flyer because it took some effort for me to finally get an advantage on him and I had to fire quite a few bursts from my machine guns at him. But eventually he caught fire and crashed just over enemy lines about six kilometers south of the observation balloon west of Pronville airfield.

After the second action I decided to head for home. I was just touching down on Pronville airfield when I noticed anti-aircraft bursts to the south. My engine hadn't stopped so I pushed my throttle forward and my crate back into the sky. The flak seemed to be trailing the first airplane I saw (which turned out to be von Richtofen) so I focused on it and soon was able to make out a Nieuport chasing him. He must have been very focused on von Richtofen because I was able to get behind him rather easily. I fired a burst at him and he immediately broke off his attack. We then maneuvered for what felt like several minutes until I was able to get in a telling blow. He nosed over and crashed onto the northeast corner of Pronville airfield.

At this point I felt I'd pushed my luck as far as (and probably further than) I should and set up to land. Suddenly my aircraft was struck by several bullets, some very close to the cockpit. Fortunately I had some altitude still and I pushed the stick forward and kicked the rudder pedal hard to the right. This threw my attacker off and when I pulled out of my maneuver I could see him above me and circling. My machine had taken some damage and wasn't responding as quickly as normal, so I struggled to get back into the fight while the enemy aircraft danced almost effortlessly above me, me unable to climb to his altitude and him unable to get sufficiently behind me to get a good shot. In desperation I broke away from the right turn we'd been in and put all my energy into an attempt to gain altitude. The Nieuport turned and started to dive on me, but I turned back into him and went below him causing him to overshoot his dive and he ended up below me. Finally I had an advantage and I made good use of it. At first he tried to run, as our airfield is very near the front at this time, but I easily caught up to him and hit him with a burst from my machine guns. He turned back, trying to outmaneuver me, but I refused to relinquish my advantage. A few more bursts and he nosed over, briefly recovered, and then crashed less than a kilometer east of Pronville airfield.


SALUTE TO ALL!