homepage Forums Air Combat & Civil Aviation Wings: Over Flanders Fields DiD Centenary Challenge

Dadgummit, I still haven't seen a single one of them.

Try Fokker hunting in north Flanders. Marine KEK aka MFJ I has had them since September 1st.

Ken and I are posted to the same airfield, I guess it is just luck of the draw. I'm sure I'll see them soon enough. I am getting a little bored with shooting down the old Aviatik BIs.

I've run into them from between Bethune and Arras north - right now, as Mudwasp said, the only squadron to be fully outfitted with them in mid-late September is MFJ 1. Supposedly some other squadrons have them, but only one or two for escort duty on two-seaters - dunno, since all I've seen are the naval flyers in E1s - sometimes alone, sometimes in pairs.

They seem to be based at Nieuwmunster, about 7 miles NE of Ghistelles (a regular destination for us happy RNAS pilots), and I've often thought of going over there and kicking the hornet's nest. But I'd like to have Alvin survive to get into a N10, so I'll probably just take them as they come.

Banjoman, this works out perfect for me. I'm also leaving on the 26th with my wife and returning on the 4th.

Sgt Cadwallader has flown 14 missions now (note to self: update survey), and only seen 1 Fokker. Oddly, though, that was the only EA at all that he's seen. Based at Bailleul, he's around Wipers/Armentiiereirdieiries, or whatever it is, but there haven't been any Huns around. are the rest of you guys leaving any?

Also, now we know that the guns we've heard all last week were for the big battle down in Loos, so now we'll break through and the war will over by Christmas.

FA(A) 206 received two pilots and can now resume operations.
All Aviatik BI have been retired.
Udet our lone Aviatik CI pilot has transferred out along with all Aviatik CI aircraft.

We now only fly Aviatik BIIs and have four pilots and observers along with two spare aircraft. No aircraft in repair status.

Last I knew MFJ 1 goes from EIs to EIIIs around the end of the year.

Fokker EIIs will be the rare bird to bag. There seem to be just a few for a short period of time in a few select squads of two seaters.

(Sorry, Banjoman, was looking forward to having Arthur's big brother with Ambrose for a while, but it wasn't to be...)

That's OK because now I have a reason for Arthur to hate the Germans.

Finally get some time to fly..and finally the German high command has released newer aircraft.

Basil von Borster and his new Bus!







unfortunately my wingman landed first and put in for both... the cheek of it... but both were rejected..hahaha Boom Boom!

Thats a good angle of attack shown in that first pic, lederhosen. Sucks that your wingman is a victory hog, but at least he fights the enemy.

Good to read of Ambrose and his action packed missions. Watch out for bad engines and green Fokkers. The green ones should give him a better fight.

Dolf flew a mission and witnessed two of the new guys go down with bad engines. One survived and should be back soon. Good supply of Aviatik BIIs, but on the edge for pilots.

Actually it was Alvin's letter (which I've fixed) - had Ambrose on my mind, since he's just moved from FE to Bristol Fighter and I'm finding the switch from two-seater to scout jarring (after four months in two-seaters - actually closer to 7-8 since I was running a Strutter campaign and then a Briff campaign before the challenge started).

I am liking the Bristol Fighter, though - even with the whack gun placement. Since I have to fly to the side of the German planes to get a shot at them, I'm finding it's better to fire at the pilot area than the engine. The angle is good for that, and when I take out the pilot, down they go. Not as spectacularly as when the gunner on a Morane or FE blows up an engine, but a kill is a kill.

Hopefully when the green Fokkers get tired of Verdun and Alsace, they'll come on up to Flanders.

Alvin should run into some scrappier prey soon. Let me know if you bag a Fokker EII.
That Bristol is a great plane for this time despite the odd gun angle.

Sgt. Cadwallader read in the papers that after all the hoopla at Loos and Champagne last week, French casualties were about 200,000, british 50,000, and germans 150,000. And the line didn't move. Almost got him wondering if there was something about all this that he was missing?

But his is not to wonder why - off he went, bombed Hauberdin and back, all without seeing a single Hun.

What's all this about an "Fe" or "Bristol?" Nothing against his gunner, but maybe a new plane will brighten him up.

Yikes....N10C-1s are in the skies now !

Dive and run!


Oh No... more down low




The Nupe crashed and Dolf managed to land on a road. His two squadmates died. He spent 8 days in the hospital and several more waiting for replacements to bring the squad up to 3 pilots so that they could fly again.

Hope he gets a plane with a gun soon!

MudWasp, Niupes were available since the beginning of September. Looks like you were lucky so far. Hope you'll get to fly something that can shoot back soon. This is almost torture.

Dolf can fly on the 16th and might get an Aviatik CI about a week later.
Looks like Udet might rejoin the squad then too.

Here is the updated status report, thanks for being patient.