Stay right there and he'll fall

In the fall 2000 issue of "Over The Front" (two thumbs up, by the way), there is a translation of a piece by an Oberleutnant Lampel by Jan Hayzlett. Lampel, on a visit to JG 1, has a number of conversations with MVR. In one the Baron says, "...the most important thing in flying is taking off and landing and the personal courage with which a man goes after the enemy." He goes on to say that agressively closing with the enemy "is a thousand times preferable to the elogant acrobat...." My question is this: when successful fighter pilots and squadron leaders were teaching new men, what were they saying about range. Lampel says MVR drew crosshairs in the sand--a backsight--and told those watching, "You have to stay right there and then he'll fall." From your knowledge, where was "right there" not only for MVR but also his brother aces?
DD

[Darryl]

Many, many reports talk of distances as close as ten yards. Half a cricket pitch at 100mph. Of course if you are behind, the speed is not that great, relatively speaking. Head on the best report I have ever read said that the head on attack was broken off at 20yards due to the danger of collision!!

Close meant close in those days.

regards

Darryl

[Barrett]

Concur w/Darryl. I've seen an exibit in the UK saying that Albert Ball zeroed his guns at 60 yds, which may have been a typo for 50. There's absolutely no reason to zero at 60 because the ballistic difference is irrelevant. Some pilots may have preferred a 100-yd/meter zero but again, the difference was marginal. (By comparison, many hunters zero their .30 cal. rifles at 200 which eqals maybe a 3-inch high trajectory at 100.
remember that many WW I birds were not very stable--especially rotary-powered types--and getting close helped reduce the dispersion, which could be especially important with just one gun.

Denny,

>From your knowledge, where was "right there"
>not only for MVR but also his brother aces?

This is a Report from Robert Little, A Sopwith triplane ace;

"At 7.30 I observed a formation of eight Albatros Scouts attacking a formation of DH4's. I doved on the nearest scout when I was fired on from behind. I turned sharply and got under his tail and fired about 50 rounds at a range of about 10 to 15 yeards. The HA came so near that I had to take my eyes off the sight to avoid colliding with it. The HA turned over on its side and then nose dived. I was unable to watch it any farther as my engine stopped at this moment. I glided west and was attacked by four Hostile Scouts. I dived towards our lines and, when over our side, spun down. I got my engine going again at 500 ft and climbed back, but the HA's had gone."

Another, this time by Ross Smith flying a Bristol Fighter;

"EA pulled up his nose up and his observer opened fire over his tail. My observer replied and EA turned sharply to the right and attepted to get on my tail and use his front gun. For the next 5 minutes we flew around in circles, the EA doing numerous Immelman turns, apparently with the object of getting on my tail. I kept under the EA's tail and my observer kept up a tseady stream of short bursts, but accurate shooting was difficult owing to the rate of manouvre. EA's observer returned a large volume of fire but his shooting was very wild and appeared he had several stoppages. He finally dissappeared in the cockpit altogether. EA then turned and flew straight. I pulled my nose up and fired a long burst at 1000 yards range. EA then put his nose down and started to spiral, I dived after him and got in two mor good bursts. After the last burst EA turned under my wing and I was unable to follow him due owing to my speed being about 200 mph. We next saw EA on the ground about 4 miles NW of DAMIE. He had landed on roung ground, and , byt he position of his machine, his undercarriage appeared to be damaged. I am not sure of this. We came down to 1000 ft and my observer fired 300 rounds into the machine and judging by the traces his shooting appeared to very accurate. Only one man was seen to be running from the machine."


cam
AFC - http://members.nbci.com/pointcook/

[Mac]

The planes were not stable gun platforms. A guy would have to get up close to be able to score a hit.

[Rod_Filan]

Denny, I don't think MvR was refering to range. IMO he was merely illustrating Boelcke's 3rd Dicta: Fire only at close range, and only when your opponent is properly in your sights.

It was during the first chance meeting between these two great aces that Boelcke jokingly said in response to MvR's inquiry as to what his sercret was: "I fly close to my man, aim well and then of course he falls down." This quote was surely often repeated by MvR directly or not in instructing his men in the no-nonsense, matter-of-fact art of aerial combat.

VBR
Rod