Sneaky Pilots

Once again Sunday, time for more trivial questions. Today I'm wondering about a story I once read, (think the pilot was Von Schleich, but cant find my reference), in which the pilot takes up a captured enemy aircraft and flies about in formations with enemy planes, undetected, for a while...true or no?any similar episodes known by anyone?apocryphal nonsense? any allied pilots try this? anyone unsporting enough to fire at said unsuspecting enemy?...wondering. Ya know, I just love these kind of stories. Hope its true.

Jim,
I'm not sure about WW1, but in WW2 the Germans captured a B-17 and would tag along with the bomber formations to pass heading, speed, and course info to the fighter bases along the route.
VBR,
Jim

in the 1994 publication vol.3 of "aces & aircraft, there is an article about von schleich and on p.13 it says that "repeating his previous actions with the nieuport the 'black knight' mischievously painted black german crosses on the wings of a french spad which was had beed forced down on the jasta 21 airfield. on the following morning, he climbed into the allied plane and took off for the front lines. schleich sighted a formation of french spad scouts and skillfully approached them, undetected, joining their formation. none of the frenchmen paid attention to the new arrival until the french flight leader turned in his seat to check his flight and noticed a strange spad with the big black crosses. the startled leader frantically signaled his men, who quickly broke formation and headed for the lone german. only through skillful maneuvering was schleich able to escape the angry french pilots. the playful german's prank almost backfired when he flew across his own front lines. the german anti-aircraft crews recognized the silhouette of the spad, but did not see the crosses, and as a result began firing at him. some of the shells came uncomfortably close to the captured plane, but schleich reached his airfield unharmed. when his superiors learned of the escapade, they issued a severe reprimand to the jagdstaffel leader. just at the time jasta 21 was meeting with great success, it's leader was stricken with a severe case of dysentery and ordered to bed by the jasta medico. after a few days in bed with nothing but soup as a diet, eduard schleich decided he had had enough."
hope this helped.

leon

p.s. sorry about the overkill.

I am unaware of this happening on the Allied side, but in the period before the Albatros D.III came into service, the Germans actually used captured Nieuport 17s (in German markings, of course), and manufactured their own copies of the machine.

[Reinout]

Dear Leon,

Your version of the story was somewhat different than the one I have. Mine is from 1932. the major difference is that EvS downs one of the Spads, after they had attacked him.

Maybe later in the week I can elaborate on this.

Kind regards,

Reinout

can do.

leon