First dogfight

[Raider4]

Hmmm, Sgt Miles Willingden ended a promising start to his RFC career this afternoon. No fun trying to handle enemy aircraft  that can substantially out-climb yours. Score two-nil to Germany today.

"Sgt" ? Did they let the riff-raff fly then? I'd always assumed it was 'hofficers only.

[Ithoriel]

I believe only the Americans insisted on pilots being officers though I seem to remember that less than 5% of RFC pilots were NCOs and less than 10% of those were actually flying in the front line.

[d_Guy]

Bill Mauldin's comment on that very thing

[FierceKitty]

SPAD tailing a Halberstadt (missed twice; third burst saw a gun jam and the other cause one miserable hit), and being shot up by the escorting DR I, which also had gun problems; Frenchman was wounded, however, and died in a crash landing. Game was a draw; it turned out that nothing the two-seater photographed was any use, and there were heated words on the subject of wasting military resources on selfies!

Aircraft all Red Eagle, though I've got quite a few from Shapeways now, and wish I'd known about them when I started. Stands are all adorned with Pendraken bunnies, showing the front, since the 'planes are inclined to pivot about a bit when bumped.

[Terry37]

Actually, although most American pilots were officers, we did have Sgt. pilots as well. I've known a few who flew with my father in WW2. There were more Sgt Pilots in WWI than later. The reason being that hte AAF determined that the pilot was in command of the aircraft, so therefore should be an officer.

Terry