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4 players, Western Front, SE 5a's vs.
Albatrosses
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| Manfred von Richthofen |
A test pilot's life would have been better, but its not the
one he had chosen.
Lt. Donald A. D. I. MacGregor of RFC 41 squadron had served
as a test pilot for the Vickers armament factory before turning down a chance to sit out the war as a flying instructor in
Canada. Instead, he requested active duty in France and found himself diving on a pair of red Albatros scouts just west
of Bourlon Wood along with his wingman, Captain L. James MacLean, MC. In a few seconds he would be face to face
with the best fighter pilot Germany would produce in the entire war.
MacLean went after one Alb; MacGregor the other. Captain MacLean closed to less
than 100 feet before the guns on his SE 5a spoke. His opponent went into a spin and crashed hard 2,000 feet below. MacLean
turned to help MacGregor only to find that his wingman was already on the red Albatros' tail. MacLean was attacking head on;
MacGregor shot from the rear. All three airplanes fired at once... and all three missed. MacGregor stood his SE on its
tail and tried to zoom away, but the German scout nosed up, fired, and pierced MacGregor's fuel tank. MacLean turned his airplane
around just in time to watch MacGregor's SE fall to the ground in flames. There was no hope of survival, and Lt. Donald
MacGregor's body was never found.
The red Albatros scampered back across the north edge of Bourlon Wood in the direction
of German lines. He had had a close call and he knew it, but luck was on his side that day. Manfred von Richthofen had scored his 63rd kill.
- November 30, 1917, 1:30 pm
- 10 squares in German lines
- clouds 3,300-3,500 feet
- wind random
- 2 Albatros DV's at 2,000 feet
- 2 SE 5a's at 2,300 feet
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