homepage Forums Air Combat & Civil Aviation Wings: Over Flanders Fields Deep Immersion DiD campaign -- Player Instructions (UPDATED 28 Nov 2018)

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Carrick - I see Cecil has gone to his happy place. Cheers! And just out of curiosity, where exactly is this pub? I've a feeling Freddy and his men may like to pay a visit, given what it has to offer.

Albert - Sigmund just keeps right on raising his score. Gongs are coming soon I do believe. Great screenies, my fav is the camp shot with the planes and men out in the rain.

Fullofit - An outstanding dogfight video! That final shot of the two smoke trails curling down is pure, unadulterated Hollywood.

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22 August 1918
43 Squadron R.A.F.
Fienvillers, France

It was Major Frederick Abbott's fourth day as CO, and with each one that passed he felt more confident about his newfound responsibilities. The officers and men under him were all first-rate and eager to do their bit to bring a final end to this gawdawful war. The most recent counter-offensives had knocked the Germans back on their heels, kicked off by the British 4th Army's massive tank attack a fortnight ago near Amiens. And the last two days had seen the French 10th Army capture the Aisne Heights, while the British 3rd Army had launched its own offensive south of Arras in concert with the British 4th resuming its push in the Somme. After the Hun's frightening advance in March the tide was at last turning back firmly in favour of the Entente, aided in no small part by the influx of American troops. Nearly a million of them were now doing their part along the Western Front, with thousands more arriving every day. Perhaps this was the year that peace would be restored.

And to that end, Freddy tagged along this morning with the lads on a combined OP of the lines southeast of Amiens. Every available Camel was sent out, in two flights of eight planes each. B Flight, led by Captain Charles 'Sandy' Banks, took the lower position to act as bait; while A flight, led by Captain Augustus 'Orly' Orlebar, served as lookout and top cover. The Major went with the latter, his Camel now dressed with his signature blue wheel spats and tail plane. It was a wonderful day for flying in terms of weather, however the massive white billowy clouds were offering far more hiding places for the air Hun than Abbott would have liked. And it was from one such hiding place east of Amiens that a gaggle of D.VIIs suddenly pounced on B Flight. However, in their haste to kill, two of the Fokkers collided. One of the D.VIIs lost its entire lower wing and fell like a stone, while the other, which was covered in black-and-white stripes and likely the leader of the crew, carved up and away, leaving half its undercarriage behind. Chaos among the Kaiser's remaining flyers ensued, which resulted in the superior number of Camels devastating their would-be attackers. Freddy tore after the striped Hun as the fellow quite literally cut right in front of him. Despite damage, the Boche pilot still had control of his mount and attempted to evade Freddy, but it was too late. The Vickers of the Camel quickly found their mark and the top right wing of the D.VII broke away. Abbott watched briefly as the gaudy kite tumbled earthward before he himself swung round to rejoin the battle. But the bruhaha was already wrapping up and there were no more targets to chase. A quiet remainder of the patrol and return to camp thereafter. Along the way they passed over the Major's old digs at Bertangles and he realized upon seeing it that it seemed ages ago since he'd last been there, though it was really little more than three months. Time is a tricky thing, especially when one is living it sixty seconds to the minutes in such life-or-death circumstances.

Upon landing back at Fienvillers, the lads of 43 turned in claims for no less than six of the Fokkers, all without loss or damage to any of their own. It had been a fine flip for the Major and his men.


The Camels of 43 Squadron heading out on morning patrol. It was a wonderful day for flying.



Approaching Amiens, B Flight took the lower position of the formation to act as bait. Massive white billowy clouds were offering some fine hiding places for the air Hun.



A gaggle of D.VIIs suddenly pounced on B Flight, but in their haste to kill two of the Fokkers collide.



Freddy tore after the striped Hun as the fellow quite literally cut right in front of him.



Despite damage, the Boche pilot still had control of his mount and attempted to evade Freddy, but it was too late.



The Vickers of the Camel quickly found their mark and the top right wing of the D.VII broke away.



Abbott watched briefly as the gaudy kite tumbled earthward before he himself swung round to rejoin the battle.



On the return to camp they passed over the Major's old digs at Bertangles.



Upon landing back at Fienvillers, the lads of 43 turned in claims for no less than six of the Fokkers. A fine flip.


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