Bloody April canvas eagles

The month of April 1917 was known as Bloody April by the Royal Flying Corps. The RFC suffered particularly severe losses — about three times as many as the Imperial German Army Air Service  during the spring offensive in support of the ground assaults. 

We played 5 games in four hours (with two coffee and one lunch brake in between) we tuned up the game mechanics a little as we played, the game was on a six by five table with four players and was normally over in 15 minutes although one did last less than three minutes. 

We had a good day out, the Germans however had the worse of it and this April ended up very bloody for them!  I was happy how the rules played, the key to convention rules is simplicity and speed so you can churn players through the game. A big thanks to Ryan, Boyd Ian and Greg For the great games

cheers
Matt

Leutnant Hans Kirschstein Jasta 6

off the production line this week
Leutnant Hans Kirschstein in his dazzle camo, a lovely Roden DR1 in 1/72nd scale. Hand painted stripes as I couldn't find my masking tape!

cheers

matt

Jasta 6

So I have decided to get my final build in for the year by adding another Jasta to my growing 1/72nd scale WW1 collection. I have decided to do Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 6 (who flew with Richthofen jasta 11 in Jagdgeschwader 1). The squadron would remain part of the Flying Circus for the rest of the war. In June, July, and August of 1917, the Jasta lost a commanding officer per month to enemy action. They had been credited with 196 confirmed aerial victories, at the cost of ten pilots KIA, 9 WIA, two killed in flying accidents, four Injured in flying accidents, and two pilots taken POW.

Commanding Officers
Josef Wulff: 28 August 1916 - 1 May 1917
Leutnant Fritz Otto Bernert: 1 May 1917 - 9 June 1917
Oberleutnant Eduard Ritter von Dostler: 24 June 1917 - KIA 21 August 1917
Leutnant de Reserves Hans Ritter von Adam: 22 August 1917 - KIA 15 November 1917.
Oberleutnant Wilhelm Reinhard: 16 November 1917 - 22 April 1918
Leutnant de Reserves Johannes Janzen: 28 April 1918 - POW 9 June 1918
Leutnant de Reserves Hans Kirschstein: 10 June 1918 - KIFA 16 July 1918
Leutnant de Reserves Paul Wenzel (Acting): 19 July 1918 - WIA 11 August 1918
Leutnant de Reserves Richard Wenzl (Acting): 11 August 1918 - 1 September 1918
Leutnant de Reserves Ulrich Neckel: 1 September - 11 November 1918

I will build one Fokker DR1, one DVII and one DVIII for the jasta at this stage, I will be following the images below as a guide!

Leutnant Hans Kirschstein completed

Leutnant Richard Wenzl

Leutnant Fritz Schliewen

cheers
matt

Jasta 27

Jasta 27

Jasta 27 was formed on 5 February 1917 at Ghent and mobilized a week later on 12 February. It was made part of Jagdgeschwader 3 along with Jasta 2, Jasta 26 and Jasta 36. 

The following officers had command of Jasta 27:

12 February 1917 - 15 February 1917 Lieutenant Hans von Keudell
22 February 1917 - 17 May 1917 Lieutenant Erich Wieland
17 May 1917 - 28 July 1918 Lieutenant Hermann Göring
29 July 1918 - 11 November 1918 Hermann Frommherz

another Albatross DV and a Yellow tailed DR1 will join Goring to fill out the 27th jasta!

Herman Gorings Albatross DV




Bruno Loerzer

Ltn. Rudolf Klimke

Allied aircraft

WOW Allied Aircraft

My first aircraft of the Allied airforce for 1/72nd Wings of War, these were put together by my good mate Chris who was up for the challenge of the Airfix RE8, and the Roden Se5 was a much kinder kit to build apparently. Both kits were painted with my trusty Aztek, then ink washed, then a combination of airbrush and brush highlighting and weathering, I don't know why but all allied transfers seem oversize so I have ordered some replacements for both of these aircraft, and I have some pilots (currently being sculpted, which I will put into production) on the way to fill the empty seats soon!

The trusty Aifix RE8, I ahve a second airfix kit that will be in Belgian colours

The Roden Se5, two more of these to build and paint!

cheers

Jasta 2 1917 WOW

A great many discussions have been had at the club over the last few years of moving to 1/72nd scale WW1 air combat. Mark had a head start and has been building fleets of aircraft for the last ten years mostly to play canvas eagles. Two years ago a few of the chaps started to get excited by Wings Of War and played a few club games using the rules and the aircraft available, a number of great games were had with lots of "dakka dakka" and sound effects provided by a snoopy toy plane!

Last Novemeber we all played WOW in 1/72nd scale for the first time, Mark had designed all of the decks and most of us decided to get a few kits and build some early war and late war planes, last month three of us at the club played WOW early war (see Gregs Post here).

I have decided to concentrate on late war so this is my first Jasta of my planned three Jasta's, each jasta will have around five aircraft. These two still need some wire work, and to be gloss then flat matt clear finish done. I have selected two historical colour schemes so far from Jasta 2, the other two or three will be made up I think.

Albatross DIII flown by Ltn Hermann Frommherz 1917 , I am the most happy with this Kite, all hand painted including the stripes.

Albatross DIII flown by Werner Voss, again hand painted, the cross in oakleaves should be a swastika, I will fix this before the gloss coat.

yet to do Paul Baumers Pfalz DIII

Cheers

Matt