homepage Forums Air Combat & Civil Aviation Wings: Over Flanders Fields The "DiD Campaign Revival" - Intro, Rules, Reports & Records Chart

Olham;

You certainly wrote an excellent report sir! I did like the censure touch. At first when reading it I wondered why the words were striken out like that but it became clear at the end. Berhard's first mission was more than one could hope for but he has set a high standard for himself now!!

Robert, I just watched your latest video, with my dinner.
It must be a real joy to fly in a Sopwith Strutter, without any Albatros around (yet).

Olham, you have got that right Sir, and I plan to get transferred before any of them do show up! I may be adventurous but I'm not stupid!

The next step, I guess, would be the Sopwith Pup, or even better: the Triplane?
Both planes a joy to fly, but the Tripe more lethal.

Me, I will be quite glad already, when I receive my own Halberstadt.
I feel like a dinosaur, when I try to catch up with them in my Eindecker...

Nice reports!

I'm waiting for my DFW C.V. They are coming later this year and when I get one, I won't have to worry about some crappy Nupe or DH.2 catching me anymore. I can just fly higher than them. Should make life a lot easier in MFFA 2!

Of course I'll still have to survive a few months longer to get those new two-seaters... and that's not going to be easy.

So Hasse, I take it you plan to stay in the two seater role!

Yes. We have enough fighter aces already.

Except the Tripe should be normally available in January and the Albatros will be there long before ! I am also a bit puzzled about what to do next, considering the Strutter can hold its own against the first DIIs if it is only one at a time...

Olham, hope you don't experience the mishaps I've been having in the EIII.
Corsaire31, it's your call. Hard to go wrong with any Sopwith. Guess it depends on whether or not you enjoy the occasional bombing missions in the strutter.

I'd go for the beautiful Sopwith Pup - if they would have me.

Great reports folks. I have noticed pilots are not dying as quick as they did. May be we are learning a bit. I know I am. When it comes to planes in the near future, there are only 3 choices for me. There is the Pup, then there is the Pup. Then finally, there is the Pup!

I am with you on this point Corsaire. I am not sure which crate I want to jump to and when. I have some research to do on availability dates, locations and squadrons choices. And then there is the lineage question as to what models follow into the future.

17 August 1916
Achille Coppens
Quatrieme Escadrille (RFC 25), Belgium
Farman F.40 Pusher (F.E.2b)

08:25 Line Patrol

Finally back in the saddle again! Our mission this morning was a line patrol in friendly territory over the Niewpoort area. Weather was awful but I won't complain. Got a few glimpses of the coast and had a chance to knock the cobwebs off. No enemy aircraft spotted. In fact the only other contacts we saw were moving towards the line from west to east in front of us, but we never got close enough to identify them.

16:10 Line Patrol

This afternoon Capt. Bouckaert and I were sent back out on our second patrol of the day along the front between Ploegsteert and Ypres. I guess our C.O. wanted us to make up for lost time! We joined three other craft in B flight with 3 more craft flying top cover in A flight.

After our climb out we lost sight of A flight and never made contact again. As we approached the line 5 dots emerged directly in front of us at co-alt. One dot dropped away and did not return, but four dots came directly at us. As they came into view they were Fokkers and looking for a fight! They passed just under us and came in behind us.

As the Fokkers approached from our rear no effort was made to engage them, but instead once again we held our patrol formation. The Fokkers closed to within firing distance on our rearmost plane and opened fire. In just an instant he exploded like a giant fireworks display. Then the Fokkers focused on the next of us in line while we maintained our formation with some sporadic fire from our gunners. The Fokkers quickly sent the next of us plummeting to earth in a death spiral with one Fokker following him down to make sure of the kill.

Now there are two of us left and at this point I'm thinking to heck with orders, so I break out of what is left of our formation with my wingmate and begin to maneuver. My wingmate breaks in the opposite direction and the three remaining Fokkers follow me! So now the chase is on. Not looking to fight three Fokkers at once I put my nose down to the west and run!

My wingman quickly dissappears from sight, but not the Fokkers. Being a good 30 miles from my home field I start to look for alternative fields but also realize if I slow down to land the Fokkers will be on me. So I maintain a gentle descent at full power towards my home field as the Fokkers appear to be slowly closing. Finally at about 10 miles from my field one Fokker breaks off the chase. Then a few miles later the second Fokker breaks off and now its an even fight! But when I turn to engage the last Fokker he suddenly decides he is no longer interested in me and turns for home. Realizing the chase could go on for another 20 miles back to the lines I turn back for home and land alone without incident. Later in the day it is reported that all three of my wingmen were shot down with the loss of all crew members and craft.

This tactic of flying in formation without combat maneuvering is doing us little good in this experiment with the Farman in the role of a scout. My alternative is to break away from the formation but then become a lone target that could be singled out as I was today. The only solution seems to be to turn and fight, as we can't outrun the enemy. Had the Fokkers pressed their pursuit another few miles I would have likely met the same fate as the rest of my flight. But would they listen to the ideas of a Sergeant? Probably not, so I'll bide my time and pray I survive long enough for my transfer to a scout squad as I refuse to call the Farman a scout!

Bucksnort, that was a nasty affair! Not one to be repeated if at all possible. I haven't flown one yet but sounds like the Farman is a bit of a slug.

Albert Addleson is back with RNAS-5 after two weeks in hospital and a daring escape through enemy lines. Happy to report he just crossed the 40 hour mark with his first return to the air.

Is the chart of results on page 1 working for the rest of you ... I am not able to see the whole thing. Then again, maybe I should be happy not to know how far behind I have fallen

Yes, I wanted to fly the F.E.2b at least once in the early war period as the Farmans were one of the most common Belgian 2-seaters in the early years of the war. But what I didn't notice was that while I enlisted as Recce/Bomber, RFC-25's primary role is Fighter at this time. So right now we are prowling the line looking for trouble with no forward firing gun other than the observer

Hi Scout,

Welcome back. No, I'm not able to read the full chart either.

Question: Are we allowed to jump in the gunner's position while flying a 2-seater if we think we might do better than the AI gunner (knowing its a trade off as the AI pilot flies the plane for you).

Thanks

Scout, I haven't placed the chart at page 1 last time - it was among the recent posts.
This evening I will make the new one, and then I'll make a link also for page 1.

Buck, yes, you may do that - after all, you share the victories anyway.
But don't complain if the AI pilot should badly fail to save you two.

Here comes the DiD Chart update, with some changes in the graphics, and the order (hours).

Congrats to your pilot's promotion to "Leutnant", MudWasp!
We are flying in the same Staffel now.

Robert, congrats again to your promotion to Squadron Commander - you have come a long way already, Sir!

Welcome again to our first Belgian pilot in the chart, Bucksnort.

A LARGER CHART IS IN POST #1 OF THIS THREAD