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Gotcha by Stan Stokes. World War I was the first major conflict in which the airplane became a practical instrument of war. However, because of the slow speeds, small armaments, limited fuel capacities and light weights of these aircraft many pilots survived being shot down many times. These were the glory days for early aviators with pilots from both sides having tremendous status amongst both their peers and their adversaries. In Gotcha, Stan Stokes has captured the camaraderie and good sportsmanship shown by the military pilots of the time. In a beautiful scene Stokes shows the downed German aviator dripping from the unscheduled bath just inflicted upon him, as a Spad piloted by Eddie Rickenbacker, Americas top ranking ace, passes overhead for a last look. Steam is rising from the engine of the downed Fokker D VII, which was arguably one of the finest fighter planes of World War I. About 700 Fokker D VIIs were produced during the War, and the aircraft was capable of speeds of 125 MPH with a range of 134 Miles. The D VII was constructed with welded tubing and was fabric covered. Most variants were armed with two 7.9 mm machine guns. Rickenbacker, as a very young man, was involved in automobile racing and engineering, and in 1914 he set a worlds speed record of 134 MPH in a Blitzen-Benz racer. Rickenbacker was in England when WW I began, and while there he became interested in Britains progress in aviation. Returning to the States Rickenbacker figured that his expertise in driving race cars should make him a great pilot, but the best he could do was get himself assigned as General Pershings personal chauffeur. In August 1917 Rickenbacker finally got his wish and was transferred to the Army Air Corp, and by 1918 he was assigned to combat duty. Although bothered by an ear infection which led to his hospitalization in Paris for two months in 1918, Rickenbackers achievements were impressive. In the month of October 1918 alone, he was credited with ten kills, Rickenbacker is pictured by Stokes flying a Spad S.13 which was the best French-built fighter of the War. The S.13 was produced in large numbers (8,472) and was capable of 138 MPH with a range of 250 miles. The Spad S.13 was armed with twin 0.303 inch machine guns. Rickenbackers squadron was nicknamed the Hat in the Ring gang. After the War Rickenbacker had a very successful business career, and he served as Chairman of Eastern Airlines. |
Ivan the Terrible by Stan Stokes. Hitlers Operation Barbarossa was designed to destroy the Red Army utilizing huge battles of annihilation along a wide front. The plan failed for several reasons, one of which is the fact that they never gained complete air superiority over the Red Army, which showed an amazing ability to produce huge numbers of aircraft despite the destruction of many production plants. Generally speaking, public awareness and information regarding the air war in Russia during WW II is negligible in America. One of Mother Russias greatest pilots was Ivan Kozhedub, and one of its most effective aircraft was the La-7 fighter. S.A Lavochkin teamed with V.P. Gorbunov in 1938 to design and develop a new Soviet fighter. The specification called for a simple, easy-to-build aircraft, which could be built quickly in very large numbers. The design was required to utilized no alloys which might be scarce in a wartime economy. Late in 1940 the La GG-1 prototype was delivered. Although a bit slower than its Mig and Yak rivals, the Lavochkin design had decent maneuverability, and was capable of sustaining a lot of combat damage. By 1942 the La-5FN variant had evolved. The La-5FN had improved performance, handling, and pilot visibility. Utilized in the Battle of Stalingrad the Russians nicknamed the aircraft the Wooden Saver of Stalingrad. The La-5FN was powered by a Shvetson 14 cylinder radial engine capable of 1,700 HP. With a wingspan of only 32 feet the La-5 was one of the smallest and lightest fighters of WW II. This gave the aircraft some unique advantages in dogfighting situations. Lavochkin was awarded a Stalin Prize and his design and production bureau received upgraded status. In 1943 production switched to the La-7, a noticeably more attractive aircraft with a redesigned wing, a relocated oil cooler and supercharger, and heavier armament. The La-7 utilized some light alloys for the first time, and approximately 6,000 aircraft were produced. Capable of speeds of 423 MPH at 10,000 feet. Many believe that the La-7 may have been the top dogfighting fighter of WW II. In total more than 30,000 Lavochkin fighters were produced. As depicted in Stan Stokes painting entitled Ivan the Terrible, Ivan Kozhedub is piloting his Lavochkin La-7 in a dogfight with a German Fw-190. Ivan Kozhedub, with 62 aerial victories, was the top scoring Allied fighter pilot of WW II. Ivan was assigned to the front in 1943 in time for the Great Battle of Kursk. He was assigned to one of the first units to fly the new Lavochkin La-5 fighters. In July of 1943 Ivan notched his first victory, a Junkers-87. By the end of the Battle of Kursk, Kozhedub had been promoted to Eskadrill Commander, and had been awarded the Order of the Red Banner. In 1944 Ivan was assigned to a crack unit of the 176th Guards IAP. This unit was moved from place to place where they could do the most good, and as a result Kozhedub saw plenty of action. Ivan attained 45 confirmed victories while piloting the La-5, and then 17 additional ones while piloting the La-7, including one over an Me-262 Swallow jet fighter. His last two victories (long-nosed Fw-190s) came near wars end over Berlin. Kozhedub was awarded three Hero of the Soviet Union awards and the Order of Lenin. |
Sink the Bismarck by Stan Stokes. Commissioned on August 24, 1940, the German battleship Bismarck was the epitome of naval power. The great ship was 823 feet in length, had a beam of 118 feet, and a displacement of 50,000 tons. After nine months of sea trials the Bismarck embarked on its first mission accompanied by the cruiser Prinz Eugen on May 19, 1941. The Bismarcks mission was to destroy and disrupt convoys carrying war relief supplies to Britain from North America. On May 20th the Bismarck was spotted and reported to British intelligence as it passed through the narrow straits between Denmark and Sweden. The British presumed correctly that the Bismarck was headed for the North Atlantic, but by which route? Dividing its naval forces in an attempt to intercept the mighty German battleship, four ships were sent to patrol the Denmark strait, including the newly commissioned battleship Prince of Wales, and the H.M.S. Hood, a heavily armed battle cruiser, pride of the British fleet. On may 23rd the Bismarck was spotted by the H.M.S. Norfolk and the H.M.S. Suffolk. The Bismarck opened fire on the Norfolk, which was out gunned by the German ship, but fortunately was able to elude the Bismarck because of heavy fog and mist. With its position identified British Naval authorities ordered several other ships to the area including the H.M.S. Ark Royal, one of two aircraft carriers dispatched. On May 24th the Bismarck was engaged again. The H.M.S. Hood took a direct hit and exploded with the loss of all but three of its large crew. The Bismarck took two hits from the Prince of Wales during this battle, one of which had the effect of reducing the huge ships effective fuel capacity, and hence range. Later that evening a torpedo plane attack was launched at the German battleship, which sustained one hit with little damage. On May 25th the Bismarck separated from the Prinz Eugen, and set a course for the French coast in hopes of making repairs. On May 26th the Bismarck was located again by a British reconnaissance aircraft. In an attempt to prevent the ship from reaching the safety of Luftwaffe air cover, a second torpedo plane attack was launched from the Ark Royal. Utilizing Fairy Swordfish bi-plane torpedo bombers, two hits were achieved. The first was amidships and caused virtually no damage. The second hit was astern, and resulted in the jamming of the Bismarcks rudder. Unable to maneuver, the great German battleship had little choice that to continue steaming for the French coast. Four more British warships lay in its path including the H.M.S. Rodney, the H.M.S. King George V, the H.M.S. Dorsetshire, and the H.M.S. Norfolk. On the morning of May 27th an enormous sea battle took place, with the unmaneuverable Bismarck taking more than 1,000 direct hits. After losing its fire control system, the Bismarck became a defenseless target. At approximately 10:00 AM Bismarcks Captain gave the orders to scuttle the enormous ship, and about 40 minutes later the great vessel slipped quietly beneath the surface of the Atlantic. |
The Pencil Eraser by Stan Stokes. In 1941 the advancing German forces had obliterated the Soviet Air Force. During the first week of fighting the Luftwaffe had destroyed more than 4000 Soviet aircraft. Huge numbers of aircraft were destroyed hopelessly on the ground, and those that took to the sky were often outclassed by superior equipment flown by more experienced pilots. The decimation of the Soviet Air Force during the fighting in 1941 was shocking, but even more remarkable is the story of the comeback of the Soviet Air Force. The Soviets had been blessed during their history with many excellent aviation designers and engineers. Zhukovsky, Sikorsky, Tupolev, Polikarpov, Mikoyan, Lavochkin, and Gurevich to name but a few. The Germans smashed the pride the nation had in its Air Forces, but the Soviets fought back. Most of the Soviet fighters at the start of the War were obsolete Polikarpov I-153s or I-16s. Some Mig 3s were available, but the Mig 3 was a poor performer at low altitudes, and was too unstable and too lightly armed to tangle with German fighters. The Lavotchkin LA-7 and the Yakovlev Yak-3 were two excellent new fighter designs that gave the Soviets some competitive edge, and an important ground support aircraft was the Il-2 Sturmovik. It is a miracle that the Soviets were able to produce these aircraft in large volumes. Production factories had to be moved east out of the range of German bombers, and the Soviets imported a large number of foreign made aircraft including the Bell P-39 Airacobra. In November of 1943 one of the fiercest aerial combat battles of all time took place. During a battle near the Kuban River, Russian and German aircraft clashed by the hundreds. For the first time since the German invasion in 1941, the Red Air Force prevailed. For the first time the Soviets took the initiative, sending wave after wave of modern new aircraft into combat against the Luftwaffe. In the air the Soviets earned their first victory over the Germans... a sign of things to come. During the Battle of Kursk in mid-1943, the Luftwaffe amassed nearly 2000 aircraft, however the Soviets had more than twice that number. This numerical superiority paid off during the fighting, In Stan Stokes painting a Mig-3 targets a Dornier Flying Pencil. More than 3000 Mig-3s were produced, but the aircraft was effective only in the role of high altitude interceptor or reconnaissance aircraft. At lower altitudes it was outclassed. The Do-17 was a prewar design that first entered service in 1937. The aircraft was enhanced with a 215 and 217 variant. The bomber version had a crew of 4 and was capable of carrying as much as a 9,000 pound bomb loads. With a maximum speed of 320-MPH the Flying Pencil could be elusive. |
Black Devil of the Ukraine by Stan Stokes. Erich Hartmann, with an amazing 352 confirmed victories, is the all time ace of aces. Born in Weissach, Germany in 1922, Hartmann was the son of a doctor, and the Hartmann family had lived in Shangai, China for several years. In 1929 the Hartmann family returned to Germany. Mrs. Hartmann learned to fly, and took her two young sons flying on many occasions. In 1933, when Hitler came to power, many flying clubs were organized throughout Germany, and Erich learned to fly gliders. When Hartmann had graduated from high school in 1940, he immediately applied to join the Luftwaffe. During his training Hartmann was arrested for an unauthorized aerobatic display. After earning his wings, he was posted to JG 52 on the Russian front. Hartmann reported to a Luftwaffe supply depot in Poland hoping to pick-up a new Bf-109 for his flight to the front. When no 109s were available, he offered to fly a Stuka Ju-87 to the front. Inexperienced with the 87, Harmanns debut was not very impressive as he managed to crash the aircraft into a wooden building prior to taking off. Hartmann did not attain his first victory until November 5, 1942. He missed the opening phase of Operation Barbarossa, when many Luftwaffe pilots ran up amazing victory totals against an ill-equipped and relatively inexperienced Red Air Force. In the month of August 1943 Hartmann shot down 49 aircraft. After scoring his 148th victory, he was awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross on October 29, 1943. Four months later when his tally had reached 200, he was awarded the coveted Oak Leaves. In August of 1944 upon attainment of his 301st victory, Hartmann was awarded Germanys highest decoration, the Diamonds to his Knights Cross. Only ten Luftwaffe pilots received this decoration. Hartmann was shot down twice, and on fourteen occasions had to crash land his aircraft. Erich flew the Bf-109, which was very recognizable with its distinctively painted black tulip design on its nose. The Soviets nicknamed Hartmann, The Black Devil of the Ukraine. A price of 10,000 Rubles was placed on his head. At Wars end Hartmann was captured by the Soviets, who imprisoned him for ten years. He was released in 1956, and rejoined the Luftwaffe with his former rank of Major. He learned to fly jet aircraft at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. Hartmann served in the Luftwaffe until his retirement. He passed away in 1994 at the age of seventy-two. It is highly unlikely, modern warfare being what it is, that any pilot will ever match the score of Erich Hartmann, the ace of all aces. |
Early Night Raiders by Stan Stokes. One of the strategies utilized by the German military in WW I was the terror bombing of civilian targets in hopes of swaying popular opinion to permit favorable peace terms to be exacted. While this strategy was flawed, the principal instrument utilized in its implementation early in the War was the dirigible. While dirigibles had the range to hit targets in Britain, they became increasingly vulnerable to attack as fighter aircraft and ammunitions performance improved. One of the most successful developers and builders of these dirigibles was Count von Zeppelin. Zeppelin was a visionary in airship and aircraft design, and by the time WW I had begun his interest had largely shifted from lighter-than-air airships to more conventional aircraft designs. Zeppelin was well aware that his giant dirigibles had severe limitations in a military role, including their large size, slow speed, small payload capacity, and most important their high flammability. What was needed was a conventional aircraft capable of flying round-trip to strategic military targets that could carry a meaningful payload. Such aircraft would have to be fast enough and have sufficient defensive armament to evade or fend off enemy pursuit aircraft to complete their missions. The most impressive and successful aircraft in this class were built by the Zeppelin-Werke Staaken, a company formed by Zeppelin in Berlin with Robert Bosch as his partner. The company's first goal was to develop a long-range, six-engine, bomber/transport. By late 1915 German military authorities recognized the need for such aircraft and laid down specifications for their design. Included in the specs were the unique requirements for oxygen apparatus, in-flight servicing of the engines, and for both onboard navigational and communications apparatus. Called R-planes by the military, Zeppelin produced a series of three giants, commonly all referred to as Zeppelin-Staakens. Only one of the R-planes was actually downed by opposing fighters. The R.43 was downed while flying a night bombing mission on August 10, 1918 near Abbeville, England. The R. V series was the largest of the series, but only one aircraft was produced. With a wingspan in excess of 138 feet, it was powered by five 245-HP Maybach engines. Its gross weight at takeoff of more than 28,000 pounds was 15 to 20 times that of a typical fighter aircraft. Despite its size the wing loading of the Zeppelin-Staakens compared favorably to most fighter aircraft of the era. Shown in Stan Stokes' painting is a Zeppelin-Staaken R. VI, the blunt-nosed, 4-engine, version of the German giants. This was the most widely built version of the Zeppelin-Staaken series. Preparing for a night bombing mission at dusk, the crew readies the massive aircraft for a long flight to a target in Britain. |
Double Trouble by Stan Stokes. The Bristol Beaufighter was one of the most successful twin-engine fighters utilized by the RAF during WW II. The forerunner of the Beaufighter was the Bristol Beaufort, which was the first modern torpedo bomber to enter service. The Beaufort, known officially as the Type-152 was derived from the earlier Type-150, which in turn had been influenced by the Bristol Blenheim. About the time the first Beauforts were being flight tested, the aircrafts chief designer, Leslie Frise, commenced a study to see if the Beauforts airframe could be adapted to create a twin engine fighter design. The modified design (Type-156) incorporated a narrower fuselage, a shorter nose section utilizing a single-seat cockpit, and a dorsal observers position. The prototype Beaufighter made its first flight in July of 1939. A year of flight testing and refinement followed. Only Hercules III engines were available for the first production models. This gave the first marks performance roughly comparable to a Hawker Hurricane. Most Beaus were armed with four nose-mounted canon and an additional six machine guns in the wings. This gave the Beaufighter an impressive amount of firepower. As the Battle of Britain raged priority was given to modifying existing aircraft to the night fighter role. German bombers were relatively free from RAF fighters when attacking at night. The Beaufighter represented an ideal platform for this night fighter role. It was fast enough at 360-MPH to catch German bombers, it was heavily armed, and the observers position was an ideal spot to incorporate a radar operators controls. These night fighter versions were painted a matte black. On October 25, 1940 a Beaufighter recorded its first night victory. The Beaus utilized a transmitting antenna mounted on the nose, and receiving antennas mounted on the leading section of both wings. As the War progressed the Beaufighter would also become an important ground attack and fighter/bomber for the RAF. As depicted in Stan Stokes dramatic painting entitled Double Trouble, an RAF Beaufighter piloted by Group Captain John Cunningham downs a Ju-88 bomber. Cunningham was the RAFs top night fighter ace. He, and his radar operator Jimmy Rawnsley, were credited with nineteen night victories. Cunningham also downed one enemy aircraft during daylight. He served with No. 604 Squadron, which had both a day and night fighter capability. The squadrons night fighting proficiency rose dramatically from late 1940 until mid-1941. By 1943, the Beaufighters were replaced with faster Mosquitoes. Cunningham was demobilized following the War. He joined DeHavilland Aircraft as its Chief Test Pilot following the War, and retired from British Aerospace in 1980. |
Ill Fated Convoy by Stan Stokes. In mid-1941 Germany invaded the Soviet Union opening up a second front. Despite its own wartime shortages, the UK realized a moral obligation to send supplies to the USSR. In August of 1941 the first convoy (designated PQ1) sailed from Iceland to the Arctic ports of Archangel and Murmansk. By mid-1942 12 convoys had set sail, with the loss of only merchantman out of 103 that had set sail. Admiral Raeder pressed Hitler for permission to move anti-convoy forces, including the battleship Tirpitz to northern Norway. With these forces in place, PQ16 lost five ships in May of 1942. When PQ17 assembled in Iceland in late June, an impressive force of Cruisers, Destroyers, and Corvettes was assembled under the command of Rear-Admiral Hamilton to provide close-in support. In addition, a battlefleet under the command of the Admiral of the Fleet, Sir John Tover, would shadow the convoy. The Admiralty was fearful of the Tirpitz and believed that if encountered the convoy would scatter and make a run for it. PQ17 set sail on June 27 with 35 merchantmen. On July 1 it was sighted by a Fw-200 Condor and the U-456. An attack by He-115s on July 2 sunk no ships and resulted in the loss of one He-115. Also on the second, the Tirpitz was given orders to relocate. On the 4th another attack claimed only one ship, the Christopher Newport. On the 5th a flight of 25 Ju-88s and He.111s attacked the convoy with the loss of two more ships. Fearing that the Tirpitz will soon be engaged, the British Admiralty gives the order for the convoy to scatter. Over the next few days the ships become targets of opportunity for both German U-boats and He-115 torpedo bombers. Only 12 of the 35 merchantmen make it unscathed to the Soviet Union. The Heinkel He.115 had an excellent reputation for reliability, and was capable of making takeoffs and landings in fairly high seas. The aircraft was nearly 57-feet long, and had a wingspan of 73-feet. With twin BMW engines capable of 960-HP the aircraft had a top speed of only 180-MPH. Its ceiling was 17,000-feet and its maximum range was 1,740 miles. The 115C model was produced beginning in 1940. It had a fixed 15-mm cannon mounted under its nose, and a rearward firing machine gun in the rear of each engine nacelle. The company founded by Ernst Heinkel is probably best known for it He.111 medium-bomber, but Heinkel also designed and produced a number of other notable aircraft, not the least of which was the Heinkel He.115, the biggest and most powerful seaplane to see service in WW II. Development on this seaplane started in 1935 in response to a request from the German Air Ministry for a twin-engine, floatplane, torpedo-bomber. Production aircraft came off the assembly line in 1938, but negligible initial German demand, forced Heinkel to look for orders outside of Germany. As a result a number of aircraft were purchased by Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The He.115 had a very large wing, and a very narrow fuselage. Four of the He.115s that had been purchased by Norway managed to escape to the UK when Norway was invaded. Two of these aircraft were repainted with German markings and were utilized for clandestine operations, such as flying secret agents into Norway. |
Herman's Comet by Stan Stokes. Hermann W. Goering was born in Rosenheim, a small town near Munich, in 1893. He received an appointment to a military school, and became a flyer during WW I. He attained an excellent combat and leadership record, and was the last individual to command the famed Richtofen Flying Circus. Following the War he studied history, married, but was drifting aimlessly until he met Adolf Hitler. When Hitler came to power Goering was made economic czar, and authorized to implement a four year plan which would prepare the German economy for war. Goerings greatest personal interest was in the Luftwaffe, and ultimately Field Marshal Goering was made Chief of the Luftwaffe. The Luftwaffe performed admirably in the blitzkrieg attacks on Poland and the Benelux countries. However, Goering feared Britains entry into the War, and personally worked diplomatic channels to keep Britain out of the conflict. The Luftwaffes first defeat was in the Battle of Britain, where it was unable to wrest control of the sky from the Royal Air Force. As the War progressed, Goering supported Hitler, even though it appears he felt that the War was lost. In 1943 and 1944 Germany was devastated by massive Allied bombing attacks. Not enough resources were committed to the defense of Germanys cities, as Hitler became preoccupied with the struggle against the Soviet Union, and his desire to develop terror weapons to defeat Britain. Despite its strategic errors, the Luftwaffe developed some of the most advanced aircraft of the War including the Me-262 jet and the tail-less, rocket-powered Me-163 Comet, probably the most technically advanced aircraft of the War. Out of necessity, German aircraft designers compressed decades of development time into years or often months. Although it did not play a significant role in combat, the 163 represented a radical departure from conventional aircraft design. With a length of only 19 feet, the diminutive 163 was powered by a liquid fuel rocket engine. The production models of the Comet were fueled with a mixture of C-Stoff (a mixture of 57% methyl alcohol, 13% hydrazine hydrate, and 13% water) and T-Stoff which was 80% hydrogen peroxide. Almost 5000 pounds of fuel were carried, but the Comets engine had a burn time of only a few minutes. Many technological breakthroughs were required for the Comet program to succeed. Because space and weight were so critical, use of a conventional landing gear was not possible. Instead the 163 utilized a simple dolly consisting of an axle and two wheels which was jettisoned upon takeoff. For landing the 163 utilized a sturdy retractable skid with hydraulic shock absorbers. The Comet was also not particularly effective in combat despite its 596-MPH top speed and twin canon. The aircraft had only about 150 seconds of power once it reached altitude. Thereafter it became a very fast glider. Allied pilots learned to exploit the 163s vulnerability during landing. Rudolf Opitz, the Chief Test Pilot on the 163, was a central figure in the development and testing of the 163. Rudy met Herman Goering once at a special airshow for high ranking military and government officials. The few remaining 163s to survive the War are due to the efforts of Rudy to preserve this unique aircraft for aviation posterity. |
The Kaisers Battle by Stan Stokes. By the spring of 1918 WW I was fast approaching its climax. In the East, Russia had collapsed, allowing Germany to amass a force of 3.5 million troops in 194 divisions on the all-important Western Front. The German strategy was to end the War before the full brunt of American involvement could swing the balance irretrievably in favor of the Allies. In an offensive of titanic proportions, later known as the Kaisers Battle, German forces strove to break the three-and-a-half year stalemate in trench warfare. This massive offensive would combine the use of sturmtruppen trained to infiltrate Allied positions, massed artillery attacks, and finally schlachtstasffein which were formations of specialized ground attack aircraft. These units, while lacking the publicity of the fighter squadrons, played a more offensive role than any other aircraft of WW I. As part of German industrys Amerika Programm, begun in mid-1917 to counter the anticipated arrival of an American air armada, the Imperial German Air Force called for the development of a new light, compact, highly maneuverable, two-seat aircraft to be known as the CL class. These new aircraft were to be offensive machines to be used to escort bombers and strafe trenches. One of the most successful of the new class of aircraft was the Hannover CL IIIa. The Hannover, as a single-engined aircraft, was unique in having a biplane tail. Its purpose was to reduce the tailplane span, thereby affording a wider field of fire for the observer/gunner. For a two seat aircraft the CL IIIa was a smallish (38 foot wingspan) and compact aircraft, and was often mistaken by Allied scouts as a single seater, whereupon they were speedily disabused of their illusion by a hail of fire from the observers Parabellum machine-gun. The small size of this aircraft imparted great maneuverability and an excellent field of view for its pilot. Powered by an Argus As III engine, the Hannover also utilized a plywood fuselage, giving the aircraft great strength and the ability to withstand a lot of punishment. These characteristics made the CL IIIa an ideal ground attack aircraft. More than one thousand of these airplanes were built, and they entered service in late 1917. The Hannoveranas, as they were called by the RFC, were without doubt, formidable opponents. Major James McCudden, V.C., the RFCs fourth ranking ace with 57 victories, was to write: These machines are very deceptive and pilots are apt to mistake them for Albatros scouts until they get to close range, when up pops the Hun gunner from inside his office. Johann Baur, who later became the personal pilot of Adolf Hitler, flew Hannovers and claimed nine victories. In Stan Stokes dramatic depiction, a CL IIIa strafes counter-attacking British Mk IV tanks in a shell pocked landscape during the Spring offensive of 1918, Germanys supreme bid for victory in the West. |
Magnificent Courage by Stan Stokes. On April 6, 1916 the RFC formed several new squadrons, including the No. 56 Squadron - Scouts. In March of 1917 the unit received the first of its new SE5s. The aircraft was disappointing to the pilots, being slower than expected, and its new Vickers machine gun with interrupter gear was next to useless. Many modifications ensued in the field, and many SE5s were fitted with Lewis guns located atop the upper wing, and in some cases an additional Lewis was installed which could be fired downward through the cockpit. In early April of 1917 No. 56 was ready to see its first combat action, and the unit headed off to France. About nine months earlier the pendulum of air superiority had swung back to the Germans. The Fokker scourge of 1915 had previously been negated by the deployment of DH2 and FE8 aircraft, but the newer German Albatros and Halberstadt fighters had regained the upper hand. The RFC was once again suffering unsustainable casualties. No. 56 Squadron was immediately pressed into service upon its deployment in France, and over the next several months gave a good account of itself. The Squadrons first victory came on April 22, and went to Albert Ball who would become a high scoring ace. On September 23, 1917 many of No. 56 Squadrons pilots would become engaged in what would be considered as one of the epic battles of early aerial warfare. At about 5:00 PM in the evening eleven SE5s took off for a routine patrol. There were heavy clouds at 9,000 feet, effectively limiting the ceiling. Several engagements took place prior to James McCudden noticing a lone SE5 from No. 60 Squadron under attack by a German triplane. Unknown to McCudden was the fact that the triplane was piloted by Werner Voss, a top German ace with 48 confirmed victories. During the next several minutes 7 SE5s focused their efforts on attacking Voss triplane. Voss had several opportunities to make a dash for the German lines, but chose to stay and fight. Demonstrating beautiful flying and determination, Voss held the massed SE5s at bay, and managed to inflict damage on each and every one. With maneuvers made so quickly and so unpredictably, none of the SE5 pilots could keep Voss in their gunsights long enough to fire a meaningful burst. Voss managed to damage two of the SE5s enough that they withdrew from the fight, and a red-nosed German Albatros joined in the fray for a short time. At one point in the battle McCudden indicated that the triplane was in the cone of tracer bullets from at least five machines simultaneously. Voss could out climb and outmaneuver all the RFC craft. Minutes later at about 2,000 feet the SE5 piloted by Arthur Rhys Davids managed to catch the German ace in a straight flat dive, and approached to within feet of the triplanes tail, firing a solid burst before pulling out of his dive. Moments later the triplane hit the ground and disintegrated. Later that evening the pilots of 56 Squadron recounted the epic battle speculating as to who might have been the pilot of the German triplane. The next morning General Trenchard sent an aide to 56 Squdron to elicit details of the battle. In this report James McCudden paid the following tribute to Voss, As long as I live I shall never forget that German pilot who single-handedly fought seven of us for ten minutes, and who put some bullets through all our machines. His flying was wonderful, his courage magnificent, and in my opinion he is the bravest German airman whom it has been my privilege to see fight. |
Moonlight Renegade by Stan Stokes. On July 2, 1900 Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin piloted his first rigid-framed, lighter-than-air ship over Lake Constance in Germany. Seventeen years later, on June 16, 1917, Zepellins latest creation, the L-48, was readied at Nordholz, Germany for its first combat mission. The huge L-48 was one of the newest and most technically advanced German airships. Powered by five 250 HP Maybach engines, the great airship could carry 6,000 pounds in bombs, and was manned by a crew of nineteen. For this maiden mission the commodore of the North Sea Airship Division, Victor Schutze, would be joining the L-48s skipper Kapitain-lieutenant Franz George Eichler. Early in the afternoon the L-48 commenced its mission along with several other airships from the Nordholz base. The great Zeppelin would cruise at 60 MPH at 5,000 to 10,000 feet and would ascend to approximately 20,000 feet when approaching its target. This altitude would provide an effective defense against both anti-aircraft or British fighters. RAF Captain Robert Saundby, had returned from the front, to be put in charge of a very small RFC squadron at Oxford Ness. June 16 was a cloudless night, perfect for a Zeppelin attack., and at 11:15 PM Saundby launched his two active aircraft equipped with incendiary machine gun bullets. As he gazed up at the stars at 1:00 AM Saundby was startled to see a huge zeppelin outlined by searchlights only a few miles away. Awakening two of his mechanics, Saundby instructed them to fire up his single-seat DH2 fighter. Although obsolete and not equipped for night fighting, Saundby, who had never flown at night, got the little pusher-propeller fighter in the air, and began a long ascent. After fifteen minutes of flying Saundby spotted the L-48, which was by now attracting anti-aircraft fire which was exploding several thousand feet below the great airships altitude. For an hour or so, Saundby tried to coax every bit of altitude out of his little DH2, but he could not get in range. At around 3:00AM the L-48 completed its bombing runs, and the Captain set a due north course. With dawn only an hour away, Captain Eichler was anxious to get out of British airspace. A report from an observation airship which had accompanied the strike force that evening indicated favorable winds at 13,000 feet. Captain Eichler gave the orders to descend. Meanwhile, Captain Saundby who had fought the cold and wind while tailing the L-48 for nearly three hours, was startled to see the great airship descending. Pushing his DH2 to the limit, Saundby emptied 8 canisters of incendiaries at the L-48. Recognizing the attack the L-48 dumped ballast, and immediately began to ascend. Saundbys last few round met their target and the L-48 erupted. Saundby felt the surge of heat and light, and struggled to keep his little craft under control. Within minutes the L-48s maiden mission was over, as Saundby circled the 750 foot long fireball which had come down at Westford. Amazingly, two of the L-48s crewmembers survived, the only people to ever survive a zeppelin which had been ignited. One of these survivors, Kapitanlieuntenant Meith wrote a letter describing the L-48s fateful misssion, providing much of the historical basis for this incident. |
Long Nose Trouble by Stan Stokes. The Focke-Wulf 190 development project began in 1937. Conceived as a hedge against total dependence on the Messerchmitt 109, the 190 was designed by Kurt Tank utilizing a radial engine. This was against generally accepted design criteria in Germany, and many historians believe that the decision to produce a radial engine fighter was largely due to the limited manufacturing capacity for in-line, water-cooled engines which were widely used on all other Luftwaffe aircraft. Despite these concerns, Tanks design was brilliant, and the 190 would become one of the top fighter aircraft of WW II. The first prototype flew in mid-1939. The aircraft had excellent flying characteristics, a wonderful rate of acceleration, and was heavily armed. By late 1940 the new fighter was ordered into production. Nicknamed the butcher bird, by Luftwaffe pilots, early 190s were quite successful in the bomber interceptor role, but at this stage of the War many Allied bombing raids lacked fighter escort. As the War dragged on, Allied bombers were increasingly accompanied by fighters, including the very effective P-51 Mustang. The Allies learned from experience that the 190s performance fell off sharply at altitudes above 20,000 feet. As a result, most Allied bombing missions were shifted to higher altitudes when fighter opposition was likely. Kurt Tank had recognized this shortcoming and began working on a high-altitude version of the 190 utilizing an in-line, water-cooled engine. Utilizing a Jumo 12-cylinder engine rated at 1770-HP, and capable of 2,240-HP for short bursts with its methanol injection system, the 190D, or Long Nose or Dora as it was called, had a top speed of 426-MPH at 22,000 feet. Armament was improved with two fuselage and two wing mounted 20mm cannon. To accommodate the changes in power plants the Dora had a longer, more streamlined fuselage, with 24 inches added to the nose, and an additional 19 inches added aft of the cockpit to compensate for the altered center of gravity. By mid 1944 the Dora began to reach fighter squadrons in quantity. Although the aircraft had all the right attributes to serve admirably in the high altitude interceptor role, it was not generally focused on such missions. Instead many 190Ds were assigned to protect airfields where Me-262 jet fighters were based. This was due to the latter aircrafts extreme vulnerability to Allied attack during takeoff and landing. The 190Ds also played a major role in Operation Bodenplatte, the New Years Day raid in 1945 which destroyed approximately 500 Allied aircraft on the ground. The High Command was impressed with the 190Ds record on this raid, and ordered most future production of the Doras to be equipped as fighter-bombers. In retrospect this was a strategic error, and this capable aircraft was not fully utilized in the role for which it was intended. |
A Pistol Whipping by Stan Stokes. There were tens of thousands of aerial combat encounters during World War II. One of the most unusual was a dogfight that took place between Captain Arthur C. Fiedler, Jr. and an unidentified German Bf-109 pilot on June 28, 1944. Fiedler was an Illinois native who received his wings in July 1943. He was assigned as a flight instructor in Dover, Delaware, but in May 1944 he was assigned to the 317th Fighter Squadron of the 325th Fighter Group. Flying P-51B Mustangs the 317th was based in Lesina, Italy. Fiedler named his Mustang after his wife Helen. On a combat mission on June 24th Fiedler claimed a probable. Four days later the eventual ace was flying near Polesti, Rumania when a Bf-109 crossed directly in front of his aircraft. Slamming his P-51 into a near vertical bank he trailed the 109 for a few seconds attaining several hits before his guns jammed. As Fiedler rolled out of his bank he found himself flying in formation parallel to the 109, and headed towards Russia. Fiedler was not willing to make himself a target for the 109, and with his Mustang low on fuel and with jammed guns, Fiedler reactively drew his service revolver. As he drew his .45 pistol, the German pilot unexpectedly jettisoned his canopy and bailed out. Fiedler was given the nickname Svengali for this incident. Fiedler continued his combat tour into 1945, and by January he had attained 8 confirmed aerial victories. Fiedler remained in the Air Force following the War. Flying in both Korea and Vietnam, he was promoted to Colonel in 1969, and retired from the Air Force in 1975. The P-51 Mustang and the Messerschmitt Bf-109 were two of the most important aircraft of WW II. More than 15,000 P-51s were produced, the most of any American-built fighter, while the Bf-109 was the most produced fighter aircraft of the war with 35,000 produced. The P-51 was designed by Raymond Rice and Edgar Schmued of North American Aviation, because the President of the company thought he could do better than merely produce Curtiss P-40s under license for the RAF. Initially introduced with an Allison liquid-cooled V-12, the P-51 performed poorly despite its superior airframe. As early Mustangs arrived the British were anxious to see how this aircraft would perform with the powerful Rolls Royce Merlin engine. The aircraft was about 13 percent faster and could climb to combat altitude in 45 percent less time than the Allison-equipped aircraft. Going into production as the P-51B the Brits received about 1000 aircraft while the USAAF took an additional 1000. The first P-51B models were in service with the Eighth Air Force in December 1943. The excellent performance of these aircraft and their excellent range when equipped with external wing tanks, made the P-51 a tremendous asset when accompanying American daylight bombers on their raids into Germany. The 109 was arguably the most advanced fighter aircraft from 1935 until 1940. The 109 was designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Walter Rethel with the goal of packing the most powerful engine available into the smallest possible aircraft structure. During the Spanish Civil War the 109 proved its superiority. Despite numerous technical enhancements as the war progressed, by the end of the War the 109 was both outclassed and outnumbered by its rivals. |
A Novel Concept by Stan Stokes. The grandfather of todays cruise missiles, the Mistel was the piggyback aircraft of the Luftwaffe during WW II. This combination aircraft arose out of research conducted to find a better means for towing gliders into combat. About two hundred of these combinations were ultimately built. The British had experimented with a piggyback combination of a commercial transport on the back of a flying boat in the late 1930s. The Mistel project in Germany had its share of skeptics. As the program evolved and Germanys strategic position in the War eroded, the Mistel project became focused on using unmanned obsolete Ju-88 bombers loaded to the gills with explosives as a very large guided bomb. The top aircraft in the combination, either a Bf-109 or Fw-190, would be piloted into the proximity of the target. A rudimentary guidance system would then be locked on the target, and the unmanned Ju-88 would fly itself into the target. Some Mistel combinations utilized normal looking Ju-88s, whereas others were fitted with a sinister-looking warhead in place of the cockpit. In the fall of 1944 the Luftwaffe laid plans for utilizing Mistels for attacks on Soviet targets like power plants and armament factories. Because the Ju-88 component only went one-way on these missions, the Mistels would have superior range and bomb capacity when compared to manned bombers. With Germanys forces in retreat at this point, the distances from the strategic Russian targets became even too great for the Mistel. Instead Mistels were targeted at key bridges, the destruction of which was designed to slow the advancing Red Army. The Last Mistel attack of the War took place in April of 1945. Four Mistel aircraft, with a hollow charge warhead instead of the normal Ju-88 cockpit, coupled to a top-mounted Fw-190 fighter were prepared at the Pennemunde airbase. The target for the operation would be the bridge over the river Oder at Tantow. One of the four aircraft encountered technical problems and had to jettison the Ju-88. The remaining three piloted by Lt. Dittman OFw Braun and Uffz Seitz proceeded to the target. They acquired an unexpected escort in the form of eight Bf-109s, but the fighters engaged Russian fighters along the route and the Mistels proceeded to their target alone. The Mistel piloted by Ofw Braun was hit by anti-aircraft fire and the Ju-88 was jettisoned prematurely. The Mistel piloted by Uffz Seitz was apparently shot down. Lt. Dittman, however, was able to lock the guidance system of his Ju-88 on the target, and flew his 190 safely to an alternate base. |
Hurricane on my Tail by Stan Stokes. With Europe occupied by Nazi forces, Great Britain was the last obstacle in Hitlers plan to rule Europe. Hitlers invasion plan called for his Luftwaffe to gain control of the air over Britain in the first few weeks of attack, which would be followed by pulverizing bombing attacks on the British coastline, and finally by a blitzkrieg style invasion spearheaded by Panzer Divisions supported by fighters and dive bombers. The Germans had assembled over 100 well-equipped divisions by the Summer of 1940 for its invasion of Britain, and on August 8 the Luftwaffe attacks commenced. The Germans had underestimated the capability of the British air defense and both the will and skill of its pilots. In the first ten days of German attacks RAF Hurricanes and Spitfires shot down 697 German aircraft, while losing only 153 aircraft and 93 flight personnel of their own. By months end the German strategists shifted to all out attacks on British airfields, aircraft plants, and munitions factories. Effectively utilizing radar to pinpoint incoming strikes, and by widely dispersing their own aircraft so few could be destroyed during any single attack, the RAF fought back. During this second phase of attack the Germans lost an additional 562 aircraft compared to only 219 for the Brits. However, every German plane shot down resulted in the death or capture of its trained flight crews, but in more than half of the RAF losses the experienced pilot was saved. Forced to react to ever increasing losses, the Germans shifted their strategy to strategic night bombing raids on London and several other major cities. A year after The Battle Of Britain commenced Germany was forced to abandon major air operations directed at Britain marking this conflict the first major battle in the history of warfare fought solely by aircraft, as not a single Nazi soldier voluntarily set foot on British soil. The Hawker Hurricane while less glamorized than the Supermarine Spitfire, was the fighter most widely used by the RAF during the first two years of the War. The Hurricane was the first British fighter to exceed 300 MPH, and the first to carry eight machine guns. In excess of 14,000 Hurricanes were produced through 1944. The Heinkel He. 111 medium bomber pictured in Stan Stokes painting, Hurricane on My Tail!, was widely used by the Luftwaffe (7,300 produced) during the Battle of Britain. The 111 could carry a 5,500 pound bomb load and had a maximum speed of 252 MPH. In total the Germans lost 2,375 aircraft during the Battle of Britain. The inspiration and determination of the RAFs Hurricane and Spitfire pilots during this conflict lead to Winston Churchills often quoted remark, Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. |
Boom Boom Billy by Stan Stokes. William Avery Bishop, the top scoring RFC ace of WW I, was born in Ontario Canada on February 8, 1894. He entered the Royal Military College in 1911 and after War broke out in Europe he was assigned to the 14th Battalion of the Canadian Mounted Rifles. Bishop applied for a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps in 1915. Following a few months of training he was made an observer and was sent to France to fly with No. 21 squadron. He was hospitalized for frostbite and later from injuries sustained in a bad landing. In late 1916 he began pilot training and in March of 1917 Bishop was posted to No. 60 squadron flying Nieuport Scouts. On March 25 he experienced his first air combat, downing an Albatros single-seater. Bishop scored thirteen victories during Bloody April, and another seven-and-a-half in May. He was awarded the DSO at this point. In early June Bishop attacked a German airfield at dawn, and shot down three Albatros aircraft taking off to challenge him. For this fete he received the Victoria Cross. In constant combat during the summer months, Bishops score rose to 45 by mid-August. He was the first to exceed the record of the famous British Ace, Albert Ball. During this period Bishop often flew as many as seven-eight hours each day. He was aggressive in the air and obviously possessed excellent flying instincts and marksmanship skills. Eleven of these 45 victories were achieved in the SE-5 with which No. 60 squadron had been re-equipped. Promoted to Major, Bishop returned to Canada for a recruiting tour. In 1918 he returned to England, first as the Chief Instructor at Aerial Gunnery School, and later as the Commander of No. 85 squadron. Once again Bishop was at his best in the air. Flying SE-5s, Bishop claimed 27 more victories during this final combat tour, including four Pfalz D.IIIs. Bishop received the DFC, and returned to the Air Ministry in England for a short time before returning to Canada in August of 1918. There he played an important role in the formation of the new Canadian Air Force. Bishops official victory total of 72, the highest for any RFC flyer in WW I, approached the official total of von Richtofen who had 80. Some historians have disputed Bishops score, indicating that he received credit for a number of victories when he was flying alone. Following the War, Bishop formed a commercial aviation company with another ace W.G. Barker. He later served with the RCAF during WW II as an Air Marshal responsible for training. Billy Bishop passed away in 1956 at the age of seventy. In Stan Stokes nostalgic painting the top RFC ace is depicted early in his career flying his Nieuport against a German Albatros. |
Lightning Strikes 7 Times by Stan Stokes. The Lockheed P-38 Lightning, called the Fork-Tailed Devil by Luftwaffe pilots in Africa, was one of the largest fighter aircraft to see service during WW II. Flight-testing of the YP-38 prototype was completed in 1941. The first P-38s put into service were dedicated to the defense of the West Coast following the attack on Pearl Harbor. In the spring of 1942 plans were laid to deploy P-38s in Europe. By adding drop tanks the maximum range of the Lightnings were increased to a whopping 2200 miles, making ferry trips to Europe possible. All three P-38-equipped fighter groups in Europe (82nd FG, 1st FG, and 14th FG) were transferred to North Africa in late 1942. These P-38 fighter groups were soon seeing serious combat action in the Mediterranean & North African theaters. The experienced Luftwaffe pilots learned that the P-38s should be attacked at altitudes below 15,000 feet, where they had difficulty maneuvering with the Bf-109s they frequently encountered. Despite these limitations the P-38s had tremendous climbing capabilities and were very effective gun platforms against German and Italian bombers. The Allison engines on the early P-38s were somewhat temperamental and actually caused more difficulties and aircraft losses than enemy action. Most problems related to an inadequate engine cooling system and the lack of cowl flaps. At altitude, gas problems could cause the Allison engines to burn out their valves, backfire through the intercooler ducts, and throw rods. Such problems could often result in the loss of the aircraft. Another problem was compressibility that was encountered during high-speed dives. During this problem the controls might seize up causing the aircraft to go into an uncontrolled dive. As a result P-38 pilots early in the War would often choose not to pursue Axis fighters into a high-speed dive. Both the engine cooler and compressibility problems were eventually solved by the time the P-38J variant was introduced. The large size of the P-38 was both an asset and a liability in combat. The large size made the aircraft easier to spot at distance, but provided a more effective gun platform for downing bombers. Col. William Leverette was a P-38 ace with the 14th FG, attaining 11 confirmed aerial victories. Leverette was born in Florida in 1913, and earned an engineering degree from Clemson University in 1934. He joined the U.S. Army in 1934, and was accepted for aviation cadet training in 1939. Earning his wings in 1940 he was initially based at Selfridge Field in Michigan with the 31st Pursuit Squadron. When War came to America, Leverette was sent to North Africa with the 337th FS of the 14th FG. Flying the P-38, Leverette broke into the scoring column in a most spectacular manner when he managed to splash seven Ju-87s on a single mission on October 9, 1943. Leverettes flight of six aircraft rushed to the defense of a British Cruiser and several destroyers that were under attack by a large group of enemy Ju-87s and Ju-88s. In an exciting 15-minute air battle, the P-38s managed to down sixteen Stukas and one Ju-88. Leverette received credit for seven. Later during his combat tour he would down two Bf-109s and two Me-110s. Leverette remained with the Air Force after the War, rising to the rank of Colonel prior to his retirement to Florida in 1965. Col. Leverette passed away in April 2003 at the age of 89. |
The Fokker Scourge by Stan Stokes. Anthony Herman Gerard Fokker was born in the Dutch East Indies in 1890. When his father retired the Fokker family returned to Holland, where Anthony attended school. He dropped out of college, and being deemed unfit for military service, worked at a number of odd jobs. Fokkers father persuaded his son to attend an automobile mechanics school in Germany, but Anthony was disappointed and convinced his father to enroll him in a school near Mainz which offered courses in aircraft construction and flying. This endeavor was not particularly successful, and Anthony decided to build his own flying machine. He found a partner in Oberlieutenant Von Daum, a fifty-year-old officer in the German military. The aircraft was completed in 1910, and Fokker flew it successfully on a number of flights. Von Daum, unfortunately, destroyed the machine on his first attempt at flying it. The two partners then teamed with a boat-builder to construct a second aircraft. In early 1912 Anthony had organized Fokker Aviatik GmbH with money advanced from his father. Fokker won his first contract for military aircraft in July 1913. Fokker became interested in the design of the Moraine-Saulnier, which exhibited flying characteristics far superior to the early Fokker designs. The Fokker M.5 (Eindecker I) emerged from the reengineering of a damaged Moraine-Sualnier. With the outbreak of WW I, the German military ordered large numbers of this aircraft for use as a scout. These Fokker scouts were good machines and well-liked by the pilots that flew them. Early in 1915 the French equipped their scouts with forward firing machine guns, and German losses in aerial combat increased sharply. The French system was simplistic and utilized shields on the propeller to deflect soft copper shells. Anthony Fokkers company was the first to introduce a workable machine gun synchronizer which would allow steel bullets to be used. The German military ordered the new Fokker fighter in large numbers, and by late 1915 the tide had shifted dramatically in favor of the Germans. The British press coined the term Fokker Scourge to describe this new menace which was increasing casualties to unprecedented numbers. Oswald Boelcke, and Max Immelmann were two German pilot aces who became very popular. Immelmann is depicted in Stan Stokes painting executing the aerial maneuver which took his name. Immelman received the Blue Max (Pour le Merite) to add to his Iron Cross following his eighth victory on January 12, 1916. He would officially be credited with fifteen victories prior to his death in June of 1916. The Germans maintained that a defective gun synchronizer caused Immelmann to shoot off his own propeller. |
The Brothers Richthofen by Stan Stokes. Arguably the best brother team of two fighter aces was Manfred and Lothar von Richtofen, with 120 WW I aerial victories between them. Manfred, who became known as The Red Baron, was the top ace of WW I and his reputation is still alive and well today thanks to movies and books. The Richtofen family was minor nobility, and Manfred painted the aircraft he flew in the squadron he commanded bright red - hence the name Red Baron. Manfred was born in Poland in 1892, and was sent to military school at age eleven. When WW I commenced Manfred, commissioned as a lieutenant, initially served in the cavalry. He became enthralled with aircraft while watching planes perform aerial reconnaissance missions. In 1915 he attended flying school, and was first assigned as an observer to a bombing squadron. Inspired by the exploits of the famous ace Oswald Boelcke Manfred put in for pilot training. He passed the pilots test on his third try. He was fortunate to fly with Boelcke in Jasta 2, a unit of promising young pilots. In October of 1916 Manfred witnessed the death of Boelcke when the great ace collided in midair with one of his squadron mates. Richtofen carried Boelckes medals at the funeral, a symbolic portending of his future greatness. Richtofen began flying an Albatros D.1 with red stripes and had good success including the downing of Lanoe Hawker the first British ace of the War. By early 1917 Manfred had sixteen victories and was awarded the Blue Max. At the same time he was given command of his own unit, Jasta 11. As an incredible leader Manfred trained his pilots well in both aerial tactics and strategies. He insisted on formation flying principles and his pilots were not permitted to fly recklessly or attack without assistance. They were taught to look for situations of relative advantage whether in terms of altitude, position of the sun, or relative strength. This scientific approach made Jasta 11 one of the most successful units. It became a squadron of aces, including Ernst Udet, Werner Voss and Lothar Richtofen, Manfreds younger brother. JG 1, a group of four Jastas, was organized in June of 1917 with Manfred as its Commander. With all the planes painted bright colors for identification, this unit became known as Richtofens Flying Circus. This crack unit was moved around the front as needed, and it concentrated on intercepting and destroying enemy aircraft. Very little reconnaissance or escort missions were flown. The unit attained between June 1917 and November 1918 an incredible 644 aerial victories compared to the loss of only 52 of its own aircraft. The Fokker Dr. 1 triplane was deployed with JG 1 in 1917. This diminutive aircraft was too slow to be effective with pilots of ordinary skill, but in the hands of the skilled pilots of JG 1 its advantages of climbing rate and maneuverability were put to great use. Manfred attained his last 20 victories in the triplane. Manfred was downed in April of 1918 behind enemy lines. He received a full military funeral by the British. Lothar would attain 40 victories - equaling Boelckes total and making him the 10th highest scoring German ace of the Great War. Lothar downed Albert Ball (the leading British ace at the time with 44 victories) in May of 1917. |
The First Battle of Britain by Stan Stokes. By the Spring of 1917 the Western Front had been stalemated for more than two years with the armies of Germany and the Allies deadlocked in static trench warfare. At sea, the fleets of both Germany and Great Britain were also at a strategic impasse following the inconclusive Battle of Jutland in 1916. The unrestricted U-Boat campaign in the Atlantic had resulted in Americas entry into the War, and Germany turned to its fledgling air force to help break the deadlock. Night raids by Zeppelins in 1915 and 1916 had proven ineffectual as the great airships had proven vulnerable to the unpredictable weather and to increasingly effective defenses. A new strategic weapon would therefore be utilized - the heavy bomber. With a fleet of such airoplanes, the very heart of London could be attacked. In March of 1917 a new unit was formed in Flanders, soon to be known as the England Geschwader. Lead by Hauptman Ernst Brandenburg, Kaghol 3 (the units official designation,) was equipped with the Gotha G. IV. With a crew of three, and a wingspan of nearly seventy-eight feet, the G. IV was an impressive flying machine. Powered by twin 260-HP Mercedes six cylinder, in-line, water-cooled engines, the Gotha had a top speed of 88-MPH. Its service ceiling was more than 21,000 feet, and its range was 305 miles. The maximum bomb load was 1,100 pounds, but on the first daylight raid on London, each aircraft would carry six 110-lb bombs. For defensive purposes the Gothas were armed with two 7.92mm machine guns. An interesting feature of the G. IV was the ability of the rear gunner to fire not only rearwards and upwards, but could also fire downwards through a specially designed tunnel in the fuselage. On June 13, 1917 Brandenburg led his unit in his red-tailed Gotha on the first daylight bombing raid to London. Twenty G. Ivs departed on this historic mission, but two soon turned back, and another four bombed other targets due to mechanical problems. A total of 128 bombs were dropped on the mission with devastating effects. All told, 162 people were killed in the raid, and another 432 were injured. It was a portent of the future of aerial warfare. Although 94 defensive sorties were flown against the raiders, only a few British fighters made contact with the Gothas before they reached their targets. One fighter which did intercept was a Bristol F2B piloted by Capt. C. W. E. Cole-Hamilton of No. 35 Training Sqaudron. The observer, Capt. C. H. Keevil was killed during the battle. After the safe return of all the Gothas, Brandenburg was personally decorated with the Pour le Merite. Unfortunately, he was seriously injured in a flying accident only six days later. By then the first battle of Britain was well underway. |
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