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Gilbear Du Bussy
Sous Lieutenant
2 Section Flt Leader
Esc 81
La Noblette Ferme,
Verdun, France.


Jul 5, 1917.


Ran into two V strutters while on Offensive Patrol, a little bit of a scuffle amid rain clouds. One dropped on my tail and I couldnt shake him off. I did a reversal and my wing man Leps got him. The other got lost in the clouds.

x
Gilbear Du Bussy
Sous Lieutenant DECEASED DECEASED
KIA KIA KIA KIA
Esc 81
La Noblette Ferme,
Verdun, France.






Bad Luck today. Got into a boxing match with 5 albatros scouts which passed under us ( 4 Spads) as we chased a different flight of 3 scouts. Got suckered into a scissors fight as his wing man dropped in on my 6 and got in a Head-shot KIA just broke 30 hrs too.

Sorry to hear it carrick58 ....great writing and visuals! Hope to see more from you soon

Regards,

Jeff

Carrick, My condolences to Gilbear's family and squadron members!

thanks guys, I will start another pilot today.

Oh, bad news about your old pilot. I'll look forward to the new one, though.

Helmut von Hammer
FA 33
Menen, France.


July 7, 1917.


I arrived last night and was posted to an Orientation Fligh.t and after noon Arty Recon. Upon landing spotted a smoke column raising up from a crashed plane. A frequent sign these days.

Carrick;

Don't you love the immersive moments like that crashed plane? I sometimes find them around my home field when coming back from a mission, and often fly over to see if I can tell if it is one of ours or theirs.

Carrick, sorry about Gilbear. Good luck with Helmut!

Yes sir, the immersion ( and the support ) is why I brought the game and what keeps me playing all these years. On a mission someone gets French fried or turns back or lands short of the field ( Crashed)

Helmut von Hammer
FA 33
Menen, France.

8 July 1917.


Up 2 times today. the 1st was a bust just got to height and lost power. Compression ? so had to land. The second flight was a bombing raid. Our 4 a/c escorted by 5 Albatross Scouts from Mfj. Most fell wide but at least 1 hit the trenches.

Albert Earl Godfrey

10 Mar 1917 @ 08h12 Poor weather with heavy snowfall - all flights cancelled

11 Mar 1917 @ 15h13 Patrol our lines east of Loos, West of Lens

Uneventful patrol – no enemy craft spotted

12 Mar 1917 @ 08h28 Patrol to our lines near Havrincourt Wood

We were advised during briefing to expect heavy cloud cover, wind and rain
Cloud cover expected to extend from 7000 to 15000 ft.

Caldwell led “B” flight composed of Godfrey, Pidcock, Hervey and young. “A” flight was tasked to provide top cover and was composed of Molesworth, Chespigny and Hall.

The flights formed up north of the field as usual, attaining an altitude of 10,800 ft at 08h53 and set out directly for Arras. Along the way, Caldwell turned back with engine problems and Godfrey took lead of “B” flight.
At 08h57 the flights arrived over the lines at 12,300 ft. Godfrey led the flight due SSE in a straight line, crossing the bow in our lines into enemy territory and then directly back across our lines just north of Havrincourt Wood. No enemy craft were spotted. During the course of circling Havrincourt Wood, Godfrey’s N17 began to chug and spurt oil. The engine quickly began to grind and Godfrey shut her down to eliminate the possibility of fire.
He signaled he was leaving the flight with Pidcock in charge, and began to circle down looking for a road that might offer some possible safe landing while heading in the direction of Bapaume. After what seemed an eternity he spotted the Bapaume – Cambrai road which he knew would lead him to the nearest airfield of Bapaume. He made it there with 2000 ft to spare and set his N17 down safely. The rest of the flight came in later with no damage or losses.

Helmut von Hammer
FA 33
Menen, France.




July 9, 1917.


I was post to 2 flights ,but Rained out.

Here is the status report for last week's activities.

Helmut von Hammer
FA 33
Menen, France.


July 10, 1917.

Our 3 a/c got jumped by sopwiths on the second flight of the day. The score was even 1 Pup for one Dfw.

Thanks for the stats, Banjoman!

Jasta 18
12 March, 1917 Halluin

The weather cleared up enough to put a patrol flight up. Aldi, not unlike everyone else on the Flugplatz, was suffering from a bad case of going stir crazy. Lt. Paul Strähle has also completed his punishment and Aldi couldn't be happier about it. Ever since Oberleutnant Grieffenhagen had him clean the latrines, the smell of the outhouse was always around Paul whenever he came back after finishing his chores.
It was still raining, but not hard enough to cancel the patrol behind friendly lines. Aldi led everyone to the designated area over the airfield, but while still gaining altitude he noticed the sure sign of nearby enemy. The Flak was having a hissy fit around enemy Rumpf airplanes out in the distance on Aldi's port side. He set new course with his entire Kette in tow. There were two of them and five Albatrosen. Aldi knew it's going to get very tight soon with machines flying left and right jockeying for position. He promised himself to keep enough distance away from everyone else as not to trip over each other. His greatest concern right now he thought, as they were racing toward the two juicy targets, is that the observers in both of the crates are already training their gun sights on him. He will attract all the attention and be shot to pieces while everyone behind him will get the clear shot without much harassment. Aldi decided to do something different this time. He continued to close the distance with the bombers. Made some long-range shots and just as the gunners were about to open up on him, he flipped his plane upside down and flew by them without catching a single bullet.



By the time the rear-gunners realized what happened he was already passing them and banking to make another run. His flight was all over the two Britishers by the time Aldi was able to make another pass. He aimed for the lower airplane and made an attack with a precise burst, which set the enemy plane on fire.






He watched as the rest of the Schwarm finished the unfortunate aviator off. He was glad he didn't have to watch them burn alive. He has spent many a night laying awake after having nightmares of exactly such a demise. Aldi turned towards the other victim and timed his attack as not to get in the way of the other members of his flight, who were buzzing around the bomber like a hive of angry wasps.




The British pilot defended himself by side-slipping and spoiling his attackers' aim. Little by little, however, he was being damaged and it was evident he had difficulty keeping his machine level. Aldi took aim and sent a short burst. The bomber stood on its wing and began a spiral of death towards the ground.



He followed the erratic flight of his victim with his eyes while other members, still unconvinced of the bomber's condition, kept firing into the falling wreck. Aldi was just about to continue with his patrol when all of a sudden his engine stopped apparently dry of any fuel, which must have escaped unnoticed when an unlucky bullet found the fuel line and severed it. Luckily Wynghene airfield was nearby and he was able to glide his stricken craft towards it. His two friends followed and landed after he made the emergency landing from the wrong side. There wasn't enough altitude to circle the field from the other end. He knew he will get a ribbing from his friends for landing the wrong way, but he knew any landing is a good one, no matter how improper.

Fullofit,

What a tremendous collection of action photos here! Did Aldi get the credit? Great tale.

Thanks Raine. Sorry if that was too much. Couldn't decide which ones to throw away. Looking forward to Demian's next adventure!

Edit: Forgot to add, Aldi was credited with the second machine, the one with the missing wing.

I was completely enthralled by the pic collection. Each one is a money shot. Good work.

Helmut von Hammer
FA 33
Menen, France.


July 11, 1917.


Bad day but got the jobs done. Photo mapping : Had to avoid 2 flights of 3/ac . Arty Spot: Finished, but we were then chased by pups holes in both machines. No kills.