Immelmann the Eagle of Lille (Vintage Aviation Series) by Frantz Immelmann

Author:Frantz Immelmann [Immelmann, Frantz]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Casemate / Greenhill
Published: 2009-07-30T04:00:00+00:00

THE FIRST SCOUTING FLIGHT

AND THE FIRST VICTORY

“Douai, August 3rd, 1915.

I have already written to you about the visit paid to us by Fokker, the director of the Fokker Works, which supply so many one-seater fighters to the army. At that time I had a great desire to learn to fly one of those fast light monoplanes, but I should have had to be posted to his flying school at Schwerin, and I did not want that. Well, when he went away, he left a school machine, i.e. one without a machine gun, here.

On Friday, the 30th, I asked Boelcke to take me up in this bus, so that I could see how he handled the controls. After watching him, I asked him to step out, and then I made five solo landings—all of them quite perfect. All the men watching were surprised at the good landings, because the difference between an L.V.G. biplane and a Fokker monoplane is as great as that between summer and winter. The next day I had a trial in one of the two war machines; I whizzed about in the air for 20 minutes and fired off 30 shots at a ground target, but unfortunately only hit it twice. Altogether I felt very happy in that little bird.

On August 1st I was down to do a reconnaissance with my observer. The car was to come for us at 4 a.m., but it was called off because the weather was bad. So we were able to go on sleeping.

At 4.45 a.m. by French time (5.45 a.m. by German time) I was woken up by a terrible row. I hurried to the window, and then I saw the fun. About ten enemy machines were cruising over our aerodrome at 2,500–3,200 metres and dropping bombs all the time. With the anti-aircraft guns firing as well, there was a row bigger than any I had heard for a long time.

So the weather must be all right for flying. I tell someone to telephone for a car at once, dress and go to the mess for breakfast. On the way I meet Boelcke, who is off on his motor bike, because he means to go up in his monoplane and chase the enemy away. Ten minutes later I too start for the aerodrome. My observer says he considers it useless to go up, because the visibility is too bad. That riles me; as I am out there, I want at least to take off.

There were at least ten enemy machines in the air. In the distance we saw Boelcke in pursuit of another monoplane. Since I am not a lazy man, I got the other Fokker out of its shed and buzzed off. When I had climbed up to 2,000 metres, two of the enemy flew over me, at about 2,600. They were heading in the direction of Arras, and I in the opposite one. I was glad they didn’t attack me, because I should have been defenceless against them when flying 600 metres lower.

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