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Guys
I pointed this out before - but the Germans were not particularly out-numbered over the Ypres salint The odds were roughly 3 to 2 in Allied favour, but as the Germans fought on defensive they were the ones who could engineer the advantage of numbers in air battles over their own side. And their sound tactics increasingly involved avoiding dog-fights, preferring instead dive and zooming on stragglers and lone ducks retreating to Allid lines. The likes of Bulow, Dostler, Bongartz & Loerzer all did well (Schleich was on French sector) but in truth the Ypres Salient was a grave yard for many a German ace and a reality check for most of the rest with many of them making forced landings and / or being wounded.
No I take my hat off to the likes of McCudden. Rhys-David, Mayberry, Bowman, Hoidge, Fullard, Hazell, Jenkins, etc, etc who routinely had to fly through the gauntlet of Flak to do battle with the Germans over their own side - there they - the British pilots - had little chance to refuse battle or spin away when things got bad.
Cheers Russ.
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Our hearts so stout has got us fame
For soon 'tis known from where we came
Where'er we go they fear the name
Of Garryowen in glory.
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