Pilot strafing

[tcrean7828]

I wounder who straffed the most pilots from both sides of the wire. We already have votes concerning Werner Voss (4 times), but how many other pilots out their, from both sides of the line, did the exact same thing????

Merly a point to ponder?????

cul

tcrean7828

tom

[Barrett]

If Mannock didn't, Ginger would!

[tcrean7828]

Perhaps I should have phrased it a little different?

There is stafing aircraft on the ground, after a crash, troops going to battle, troops in battle, a push, troops resting zones, etc.

cul

tcrean7828

tom

[Roadhog]

Dear Tom, By strafing do you mean shooting at a pilot and observer of a downed enemy aircraft or merely engaging in strafing of enemy troops and vehicles. Which do want us to opine on? Please advise. Scott

[tcrean7828]

Originally Posted by Roadhog

Dear Tom, By strafing do you mean shooting at a pilot and observer of a downed enemy aircraft or merely engaging in strafing of enemy troops and vehicles. Which do want us to opine on? Please advise. Scott

Roadhog;

Let us start with shooting at a pilot and observer of a downed enemy aircraft, just for starters and go on from there???? ok!!!

Now remember this is from both sides of the wire, not just the Germans.

cul

tcrean7828

tom

[JG1Schorner]

Strafing enemy personnel when they are on their own side of the lines is understandable. They might be the one who puts a bullet into yourself or your comrade the next day. Not gentlemanly, but IMHO the urge to be gentlemanly fades after you have seen a few dozen men leap from burning aircraft without a parachute.

Strafing pilots on your side of the lines is akin to killing POWs. It happens, but it is not a good thing.

[Ginger.]

Recall that our very own Captain Ball strafed downed Huns on their and our side of the lines on a couple of occasions. In one letter home he wrote cheerfully along the lines of swoping down on the wreck and using both it and the crew for 'a bit of target practice'.
Can't fault the lad, in my 'umble opinion, any bugger as starts a world war deserves all they get!

[tcrean7828]

Ginger,

You are one of a kind! If the Huns do it, it is bad but if the Tommies do it its a good thing.

Always glad to hear retorts for someone of your stature.

cul

tcrean7828

tom

[Richard_Schrader]

I knocked over 5 port-a-pottys with my rotorblades, does that count?

[rammjaeger]

I saw a number of interesting and justified but also the common silly answer to the topic here.

One thing should know everybody who is dealing with the topic. Airmen forced to land on the enemy side of the lines are trying to either burn/destroy the airplane or to fix it (if possible) and to restart. I have seen many reports showing that Allied airmen did burn their airplanes if German troops were not fast enough to capture it. As well there were also some cases with enemy airmen who did quick repairs on German-hold area and re-started and escaped.

So Germans aviators expected that enemy airmen did leave their airplane immediately after an emergency landing and did keep some distance to the airplane. As well they should show their surrender (waving etc.) in some way - otherwise MG fire ahead of or into the grounded enemy airplane was seen as justfied to prevent the afore mentioned destruction or tries to re-start!
Adolf Ritter von Tutschek reported one or two time he forced enemy pilots out of their planes with MG fire and prevented the destruction of these airplanes by their pilots.
This approach becomes problematic if the enemy aircrew or pilot is severly wounded and unable to leave the airplane without help. Nevertheless the victorious attacker can evaluate this kind of situation.

Finally we have to consider that the group of "haters" among the aviators - on both sides - was also willing to kill helpless enemy aviators.