Younger Hess Barely Survives!

Brits win over Big Fokkers!

 September 23, 1918 (4/23/99, Skinners house) - The morning began dull and gray with low clouds at 4500'. Ltn. Wolfgang Weese (4/2, Alice) was warned about the insubordinate Vz. Arthur Hess (3/1, Bud) the younger brother of the triple ace, Aaron Hess. Weese would keep an eye on him knowing the repercussions that could occur if anything happened to him. It was Weese, Hess and Ltn. Christel Hecht (2/0, Scott C.) in 185 hp DVIIs heading for Allied lines at 9300 ft. They spotted 3 Camels above them and Hess pulled up to attack Sir Gulliver Dexter (4/1, Dory) followed by Hecht. But it turned into a route when 2Lt. Purvis Leiter (21/10, Stephen) glued himself to the tail of Weese and Lt. Michael Nelson (8/0, Graham) fell in behind Hess with guns blazing. Hess felt a sting in his left arm and knew he was hit he immediately dove from the fight. Nelson then shifted his fire to Weese and, with Leiter, pounded him hard before Weese shook his attackers. Hecht was now being shot at by all 3 Camels and took two criticals. Both he and Weese were forced to escape.

BLOOMENTRITT PASSES OUT

Xavier wins claim!

 May, 1918 (4/23/99, Skinners house)-Over allied lines today a small patrol of an Albatros D-Va and Fokker Dr-I attacked two French SPAD-XIII's flown by Lt. Edmund Piave (1/0, Stephen) and S/Lt. Victor Xavier (2/1, Bud). The Dr-I, Stefan Vogel (3/3,  Scott C.) dove down on Piave's tail firing while the Albatros, Bindt Bloomentritt (3/0, Alice), was fired on by Xavier. Piave tried to shake the Dr-I but it was to tight a turn to do so and Vogel stayed on target, lead pouring into the SPAD as Piave went nose up on Bloomentritt. This caused the SPAD's right wing to lose fabric and become weak. Piave let gravity pull the nose down and the heavy SPAD zoomed down out of the fight leaving the featherweight Fokker up with Bloomentritt and Xavier. At the same moment, Xavier firing on Bloomentritt saw his tracers hit near the cockpit and Bloomentritt felt a sharp pain in his left leg. Bloomentritt's adrenaline flowed and the wound wasn't even noticed when he turned inside of Xavier, twin Spandau's blazing. Just as Vogel was coming to the aid of Bloomentritt, Xavier pushed the nose of his SPAD forward leaving the fight also.  Bloomentritt suddenly realized they were very far behind enemy lines and he turned to head home feeling light headed.  Vogel reported after several minutes while they were climbing to gain altitude that Bloomentritt's plane lost lift and snapped into a spin falling 8000' and slamming into a wooded area around Neavaux.  When the two Frenchmen arrived at base Piave was called over by the squadron adjudant saying an Albatros had gone down in the area.  The two flyers cut for the kill and Xavier was given credit.  Vogel filed a claim with air headquarters who accepted it and gave him credit for Piave. ISD

Noddings, Lowe Paste Indy Vets; Pilot Hits Get Stephen, Terry

Al Lowe of Chicago and John Noddings of St. Louis have made quick work of Indy veterans Terry Phillips and Stephen Skinner in the worlds first official web game. Flying Belgian Camels, Stephen and Terry at first had a difficult time engaging the Roland DVIb and Pfalz DXII of Noddings and Lowe, who skirted around the edge of the fight waiting for initiative. It never came, and eventually Stephen had to leave himself open for a long distance shot in order to kick start the fight. Noddings filled Skinners Camel with lead two turns in a row, forcing Stephen to reconsider an escape. His last shot hit Lt. Edmund Gerreaux in the head and killed him instantly. Terry fared little better, getting a critical leg wound from Al moments later. Terry was unable to keep his pilot awake for a landing attempt and was killed. 

The next game, a balloon mission on the Italian front, has already begun. Terry, Stephen, Al and John return for this mission, joined by Scott Campbell and Mike Vice for a 6 player mission. ISD Online editor Brian Halberstadt is running the game. ISD