Gallwitz Returns!

Overwhelmed by British sorties and heavily outnumbered, Jasta 12 calls in their old pilot Hauptmann Gallwitz, (leading ace from their days of Arras last April) who recently joined Jasta 2.

Gallwitz climbs to intercept the British photo reconnaisance mission: Two Bristol Fighters escorting a RE8. One of the Bristol Fighters has begun very high indeed, but has scorned the chance to dive on Gallwitz's Albatross III.

The other Bristol Fighter pilot takes a more measured approach, staying level and gunning at the Albatross at extreme range to attempt to put Gallwitz off.



Gallwitz is not to be disuaded and with a calm eye, taking full account of the RE8 speed and deflection puts several bursts into the British two-seater, as well as shooting up the Bristol Fighter as the RE8 zooms by. One of his shots kills the observer in the RE8, and as Lieutenant Barker passes over the recon target he realises that the mission is a bust.



He speeds up and turns away into a dive, attempting to get away from Gallwitz, but he need not fear. Gallwitz has completed his mission and steals away himself.

The Fokker meets its match

27th November 1917

With minor repairs, Loffler heads out once more in his Fokker Dr.I; coming across two Bristol Fighters, he is unsure of the wisdom of engaging, but when one of the British surges ahead of his wingman, Loffler decides to take his chance.



Despite inflicting heavy damage on Lieutenant Milne's Bristol Fighter (which has jammed its forward gun) Loffler finds himself being shot up by overlapping fields of fire. The Fokker is quite fragile all things considered. He decides to turn for home.



With his wing struts making alarming noises, Loffler pushes the Fokker into a dive, safe from Lieutenant Olly's guns. A speculative shot from Milne's rear gunner sends the German pilot to his doom.



Good old Bristol Figher! Manouevrable and with a sting in the tail...

Classic Duel

Sopwith Camel vs. Fokker DrI
27th November 1917

Lieutenant Light is out testing his new Sopwith Camel, when he spots a German plane below him in the distance.



Leutnant Loffler climbs up towards his enemy in the new Fokker DrI.



As Loffler rolls through Light's initial attack and climbs up behind him, Light curses the lack of a rear gunner in the nimble single-seater Sopwith.



From above the small and nimble shape of the Fokker Drei-Decker is apparent.



Light attempts to scuttle back to safety over his own lines, but the Fokker's twin machine-guns take him down.



Does a new Fokker scourge menace the Royal Flying Corps?

Afternoon Revenge

Afternoon Revenge
25th November 1917

Lieutenants Pratt and Light take up their Bristol Fighters and they find two German Albatross IIIs at a disadvantage, one of them being at very low altitude indeed. All four aircraft pass each other with some gunfire but with no great effect.



"Don't worry" says Hautpmann von Tutscheck, "no one of any note has ever been shot down by a rear gunner"

As Plange climbs up at best speed, his wingman Papenmeyer takes fire from both Pratt and Light's fighters. Trying to stay in the fight despite the four guns trained on him he takes a glancing shot from Pratt's rear gunner.



The shot clips "old Pape" on the head and his Albatross spins out of control and into the French countryside. Plange is alone.



Plange seeks to break contact with the British pair, but they work well together denying him an escape route and threatening shots at every opportunity.



With the advantage of altitude over his opponent, Light does some serious damage to Plange's aircraft, enough to force him to turn back towards British lines towards temporary safety.



Plange jumps at the opportunity to get on Pratt's tail, keeping within the thin shadow of protection afforded by the Bristol Fighters tail rudder. Pratt begins to take damage along his fuselage.



Lining up for another shot, which should take care of the British pilot, Plange is surprised when the twin-seater executes a perfect diving half-loop to aim his guns directly at the amazed German. Both pilots depress their triggers at the same instant, but only Pratt survives the exchange.



The British have recovered their honour from Bloody April, but the Germans will no doubt be back for more...

Morning Patrol

Over Cambrai
The massive British offensive at Cambrai in 1917 uses tanks en-masse for the first time. The Royal Flying Corps goes on the offensive to scout and to harass the Germans in support of what surely will be the decisive breakthrough...
Will the British avenge their stunning defeat of April? Or will the Hun be too cunning for them again!?

Morning Patrol
25th November 1917

Captain Luxmore-Curtis of 48 Squadron takes his Bristol Fighter up on morning patrol. Below him and climbing is a German Albatross III from Jasta 12. These two formations have crossed swords before, over Arras sixth months earlier.
His speed is too great though, allowing the German aircraft to bank behind him as it climbs.



Ober Leutnant Plange slots in behind the Englishman, who allows himself to be tailed far too easily. Even with the Bristol Fighter's rear gun threatening, he does not require a second invitation.



The German sticks to his tail, coasting in very close and doing terrible damage to the sturdy British aircraft.



As Luxmore-Curtis tries diving for the lines, another burst from the Albatross destroys the airframe, sending him to a fiery death.



Squadron 48 immediately sends up another section to take back control of the skies from the Germans...

First Sortie

June 12th 1917

Captain Napier, in an RE8 takes off to photograph a German strongpoint in the reserve lines. He is escorted by Lieutenant Drummond in a Bristol Fighter.



Out on early patrol is Ober Leutnant Gallwitz in his Albatross D-III.


Gallwitz quickly approches the Bristol Fighter, and they exchange fire at medium range. Drummond comes off slightly worse and he peels off the attack and dives.



Gallwitz turns away from the British fighter, and towards the RE8 which is nearing it's target. His initial attack is successful despite the deflection, and the RE8 takes moderate damage. Unknown to Gallwitz bullets from his double-Spandau hit the observer, making the photography mission impossible to continue and rendering the RE8 defenseless.



Gallwitz follows the RE8 as it dives to gain speed and this time his attack clips the RE8's tail rudder. Now in a perfect position to attack, and with the RE8's turn insufficient to bring it out of danger, Gallwitz's last burst causes the British aircraft to break apart.



Drummond returns home unscathed, but with no witnesses to his cowardice!