The RFC just managed to squeeze in a narrow tactical victory over the German Imperial Air Service in the Dawn Patrol game of Knights of the Sky. Despite putting up a courageous fight the Germans suffered the loss of five aircraft, mostly due to structural wing failure and tail damage, while the RFC managed to get away with the loss of only two of their own machines.

The Pfalz DIII continued to live down to it’s reputation for structural strength but the new Hannover CIII proved to be a war winning machine, with great promise for future use into 1918. Despite tricky handling characteristics the Sopwith Camels did very well, while the good old Brisfit proved its worth time and again, thanks to some fancy shooting by the rear gunner. A good game!

Next Tuesday, 5th December,  there’s a late 1917 game of Knights of the Sky, the club WW1 aerial dogfighting multiplayer game. This will be a dawn patrol over the trenches in December 1917, with a free for all dogfight between the French, British, Belgian and German pilots. If you have a flight stand and suitable model plane (late 1917) then bring them along. If not, there will be a number available on a first come first served basis.

Tally Ho!

The Royal Air Force won a decisive victory against the outnumbered German Imperial Air Service in the club 1918 Knights of the Sky game this week. Despite an aggressive and effective defence by the pilots of Jasta 5, the Allied British and Belgian aircraft managed to knock out four out of five ground targets, with a Croix de Guerre being awarded to the lone Belgian pilot in his Hanriot HD-1 for exceptional trench strafing skill.

In the end, the arrival of RAF reinforcements meant that most of the Fokker DVII’s had been shot down by the end of the game, although several RAF machines had also been brought down in flames to crash in No Man’s Land. The ground attack rules seemed to work well but will be beefed up a bit for the next game to make damage from AA fire a lot more likely when aircraft are attacking ground targets (yellow specific dice rather than white general dice for damage will make it a bit less comfortable for the RFC!)

Thanks to everyone who took part. There will be another game in the run up to Xmas, which will be a seasonal scenario set in late 1917, setting the Royal Flying Corps and Aviation Militaire against the Luftstreitkräfte over the trenches of the Cambrai salient. The Germans will be counter attacking and will get the chance to do some trench strafing of their own this time round. More details will be posted closer to the event but you have plenty of time to glue together an Airfix, Esci or Revell model plane for the game!

I say old chap, on the 17th October there will be a multiplayer WW1 aerial game using the excellent club house rules Knights of the Sky.

The date is set for October 17th 1918, in the closing weeks of the war on the Western Front. The British, Americans and French are about to launch an offensive on the River Selle against the German front line.

In support of this assault, the RAF will be flying a ground attack mission by Sopwith Camels, with top cover from Se5a’s. The Germans in their Fokker DVII’s and Albatros DVa’s will be tasked with interception of the ground attack aircraft and disruption of the covering RAF scout machines. The odd Belgian may also be stooging around looking for a chance to settle some scores.

There are ten players signed up for the game but one place still remains for any aviators who want to Bag a Hun or Down a Tommy before the war ends. All aircraft models, rules and record sheets wil be provided but, if you have your own flight stands, then they would be very handy.

Tally Ho!