On this Day (WWI aviation news), Vol. 3

[PJ Fisher]

Wasps of War
Anyone know of any real incidents where a pilot used 'smoke balls' to 'imitate an octopus'?
(from the Perth Daily News, 20 October 1915):

[PJ Fisher]

Dangerous Deperdussin
I'll always love this well-known early-war press photo pondering what was expected to be the future of aerial combat. 
(from the Illustrated War News, 22 October 1914):

[PJ Fisher]

Oopsies, Part 2
Paired with our recent friendly-fire headline of an aeroplane accidentally bombing their fellow troops below (https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=14363.195), here's an equally unfortunate episode with gunners on the ground downing an allied airman.
(from the Daily Telegraph, 22 October 1915):

[PJ Fisher]

Manuevering over Mudros
This grainy but interesting image looks to depict a Nieuport VI.H, which was used operationally by British and French air services. 
(from the Mirror of Australia, 23 October 1915):

[PJ Fisher]

Two to the Death
Several recent articles have reported on accidental shootings or have carried themes of man vs. machine, or vs. nature.  Today's news recounts a short but savage straight-up combat between American observer Paul O'Donnell of the 96th Aero Squadron and a German assailant during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.  The former being mortally wounded before summoning his last life force to shoot his aerial adversary through the head with a tracer bullet.  Both would be dead before returning to earth.  Though the two-seater is not identified, it was almost certainly a Breguet 14B.2, which likely was part of a formation of six bombers that was reportedly set upon by ten Fokkers and Pfalz scouts. This was a bloody day over the Western Front... at least 26 airplanes were shot out of the sky... including six felled by Rene Fonck alone!
(from the Chattanooga News, 24 October 1918):


(images vie findagrave.com)

Here's a look back at forum member andonio64's 1/48 Breguet 14B.2 by Hi-Tech: https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=8779.msg160821#msg160821

[PJ Fisher]

Boelcke's 38th
The second of two victories claimed on the same day by this legendary airman was a Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12 (serial #6694) flown by 2nd Lt. W.T.W. Wilcox, No. 21 Squadron RFC.  The incident occurred southwest of Bapaume.  From a post over at the aerodrome.com: "Next it would seem Js 2 stalked a 4 strong B flight OP of 21 Sqn. These were aware of upwards of 10 HA scouts flying above them in two groups. Unfortunately 2Lt Wilcox seems to have paid no heed as he broke formation to attack two 2-seaters (Boelcke identified them as LVG's). These fired white lights and two HA came down on the BE12 of Wilcox. The two HA drove him down and he crashed in a shell hole near Warlencourt - resulting in him being thrown from the machine - whereupon he was taken pow. Even though two HA were clearly involved Boelcke took full credit.  The point being that despite clearly having numbers on their side, and fighting over their own side, there was no attempt by the Js 2 pilots, on their vastly superior Albatros D's, to engage the RFC formations in a proper dog fight - but rather to pick off isolated machines."

Boelcke, who was then the leading ace of the war, would only score two more victories before his demise in action.  Also mentioned in today's news is fellow Pour le Merite recipient Wilhelm Frankl, who scored his 15th victory on 22 October.
(from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 25 October 1916):

[PJ Fisher]

Casualties of War
This German-language American newspaper from the state of Iowa offers their spin as to the Deutsche Luftstreitkrafte's mid-war capabilities with a tally of allied airplane types that were shot down the previous month over the Western Front.  You might recall reading a similar article back on the 17th.  This report includes the same dig at British Prime Minister H. H. Asquith, whose party had become increasingly out of favor for failed Dardanelles campaign.  Winston Churchill had already resigned his position as First Lord of the Admiralty and Asquith would be forced out two months hence.  Ironically, the Luxemburger Gazetter would also soon become a casualty of war as its opinions in support of Germany and criticisms of President Woodrow Wilson became too controversial after the U.S. joined the war in April 1917.  Its final issue went to press only two months later.  Loosely translated:

"On the Air War: The successes of the air campaign in September, the First World War agency reported on the 17th. The German military authorities have compiled a detailed list of all the aircraft that were either shot down or otherwise fell into German hands during the month of September. The total is 74, including 21 French and 58 British.  The French included nine Caudron aircraft, eleven Nieuports and one Morane, and the British included one Nieuport, one Bristol, three Avros, seven Vickers, seven Martinsydes and one Sopwith, as well as eleven aircraft from the B.E. (Bleriot Experimental), eleven from the F.E. (Farman Experimental), two Farmans and one aircraft of unknown origin. "This list," the report adds, "is indicative of the value of Prime Minister Asquith's recent statement in the House of Commons that British aircraft had achieved complete dominion over the skies."
(from the Luxemburger Gazetter, 26 October 1916)



For an example of what the Germans were flying to victory in September 1916, here's a look a forum member coyotemagic's Albatros D.I 390/16, flown by Otto Hohne, of Jasta 2. The future ace scored his first two combat victories in this debut design that month.  One was an F.E.2b (serial #6999), the other a B.E.12... both must be included in this very list from today's news!: https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=7577.msg139251#msg139251

[PJ Fisher]

Drachen Dare
Here's an amazing observer's account of the strategic importance assigned to taking down enemy surveillance balloons.  This particular exploit involved four attack attempts, skating through sea clouds, falling out of an airplane, and enduring a gauntlet of enemy aircraft and groundfire.
(from the Cambria Daily Leader, 27 October 1915):

[PJ Fisher]

Drag Bombers?
Hard to believe that in this later stage of the Great War such fanciful ideas were still making front-page news. This pictorial underscores America's lingering naivete when it came to the rapidly evolving techniques and engineering around aerial combat.
(from the World's News, 27 October 1917):

[PJ Fisher]

St. Paul's Survives
The Great War was mere months old when this pictorial was published.  I initially intended to share this article because I've admittedly become a bit ordnance obsessed lately in regards to scale modeling, but then I noticed the secondary theme of the story. Today's montage depicts a German bomb droppers venturing 'into the heart of London' and unwittingly suggests that St. Paul's Cathedral would make an 'admirable' target.  While this foreshadows the air raid soon to come, the author could never have predicted the scale of the attacks on the heart of London again during the next conflict.  Many of you will recognize this famously real image from that war: "'St Paul's Survives' is a photograph taken in London during the night air raid of 29-30 December 1940, the 114th night of the Blitz of World War II show in St Paul's Cathedral, illuminated by fires and surrounded by the smoke of burning buildings. It was taken by photographer Herbert Mason." (via wikipedia)
(from the Day Book, 29 October 1914):



(image via wikipedia)

[PJ Fisher]

Boelcke Dead
As hinted back on the 26th, Oswald Boelcke's career as the war's leading ace has come to end.  A massive service in his honor was held at Cambrai cathedral (depicted in the Sanke card below).
(from the Daily Gate City and Constitution, 30 October 1916):



Boelcke's burial was also noted here last November: https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=13750.msg260323#msg260323

[PJ Fisher]

Aero Ancestor
This mid-war spotlight depicts a pre-war Bleriot XI in action over Adelaide, Australia. I'm not 100% certain but I believe this very aircraft exists today in the Powerhouse Collection.  Can anyone confirm? Details here: https://collection.powerhouse.com.au/object/288461
(from The Critic, 31 October 1916):

[PJ Fisher]

'Death Dealers'
For Handley Page fans, here's an American article on these 'bomb-dropping' 'night birds' and 'how they work'.
(from Popular Science Monthly, November 1918):

[PJ Fisher]

Dashed in a Deperdussin
A double dose of death is recounted in today's pre-war article on a failed flight over Oxford.  Full story here: https://the-lothians.blogspot.com/2012/03/captain-patrick-hamilton-of-royal.html
(respectively from the Adelaide Register, 2 November 1912; and the Daily Mirror, 7 September 1912)):


(image via the-lothians.blogspot.com)

[PJ Fisher]

Aeroplane Shortage
(from the Singleton Argus, 3 November 1917):