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Has anybody ever looked into another potential explanation for the lack of German confirmation for Bishop's raid: the possibility that he was lost and mistakenly attacked some French SPAD VIIs on the Allied side of the lines? He reported attacking Albatros DI/DII types, whose wings are similar to the SPAD when viewed from above.
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Hmmmm, hmph! Well now there's an interesting hypothesis that I haven't seen before. Everyone focusses on the issues assuming that he did find German aerodromes (which German aerodrome was it, the Germans didn't record it, how could they possibly ignore it, etc.). Could he have flown in the wrong direction? Certainly the personal accounts of WWI British fliers are replete with accounts of trying to fly in clouds via dead-reckoning(?) and either getting it bang on or being woefully lost.
The front in that area (Arras to Cambrai) runs due N and S so Bishop would have had to fly SSE towards French positions. He did mention that he killed his engine and drifted over the front so as not to arouse suspicion. Even if he was lost and confused, no one would mistake the front for anything else. Of course he could have passed over it in cloud, descended and repassed over it towards the French side thinking he was heading into Germany.
An interesting hypothesis, but it would be very difficult to show this. Are there any reported French losses S of Arras that day? Has anyone ever checked?
Miles