Sitting in a pub near Souilly Aerodrome - Remicourt, Gilbert reflects on the past three months with gratitude, as they have been truly transformative. Despite his initial hopes of being back home before the beginning of 1917, he now realizes that it might be years before he can return. The seemingly endless and bleak war shows no signs of nearing its conclusion, just as it did four months ago.
He will embark on his initial flights of the year tomorrow. Eager to return to the skies, he cannot shake off the sense of unease. Despite longing for home, he must focus and avoid any distractions, as they could have serious consequences for him. Gilbert starts 1917 with the following; 2 Experience points | Fatigue rating of 6 | Prestige of 2
Jan 2, 1917 - Offensive Patrol
Gilbert departs from Remicourt under the beautiful morning sky. Upon scanning the horizon, he notices an enemy 2-seater aircraft, an LVG CV, a formidable opponent. Gilbert quickly dons his goggles and advances the throttle to engage. The encounter commences with a head-to-head approach. Utilizing his reflexes, Gilbert fires first, landing 2 hits. While one hit merely grazes the canvas, the second burst disables the rear guns of the 2-seater, a significant victory for the young pilot.
Executing skillful maneuvers, Gilbert gains the upper hand in the battle. Sensing an opportunity, he decides to unleash an extended burst, capitalizing on the enemy's weakened state. Despite scoring 3 initial hits and adding 2 more with the extended burst, Gilbert faces disappointment as his forward guns jam, indicated by a frustrating click.
Following two shots at the canvas and another hit on the rear guns, the 2-seater sustains damage to its landing gear and controls. While the enemy aircraft is clearly in trouble, Gilbert's inability to swiftly repair his guns jeopardizes the chance of capturing the 2-seater. Both planes turn towards each other in a head-to-head pursuit. Despite Gilbert's efforts to fix his guns, he struggles to do so effectively. The 2-seater executes a split S maneuver, evading Gilbert and escaping into the vast blue sky. As he watches the enemy aircraft disappear, Gilbert slams his fists in frustration, realizing that he has let the 2-seater slip away. Gilbert reverses the course of his plane due to his jammed guns, eager to land. On his way back home, he is tailed by an Albatross DIII, posing a threat. Gilbert adopts a defensive flying style, attempting to evade the pursuing scout. Despite the scout landing 4 hits, Gilbert's skillful maneuvering prevents all but one hit from causing any damage, hitting only the canvas harmlessly. Thanks to Gilbert's expertise and the scout's inexperience, he manages to gain the upper hand. Sensing an opportunity to disengage, Gilbert successfully returns to base without any further incidents. Although the mission was not entirely successful, it could have taken a turn for the worse if the scout had been more seasoned. Luck was on Gilbert's side on that particular day. Gilbert ends this sortie unsuccessfully with the following; 2 Experience points | Fatigue rating of 7 | Prestige of 2 Jan 8, 1917 - Balloon Busting Mission
The sun shone brightly as our pilot eagerly prepared for the day ahead. Following a previous unsuccessful mission, he was eager to return to the skies. Initially savoring his flight over the valley near the Aerodrome, Gilbert knew that soon the landscape would transform into a desolate scene of war. His expression turned serious as he focused on his duty.
Approaching No Man's Land, he observed the smoke rising from the battlefield and spotted an Albatross DIII to his left. Swiftly maneuvering to gain the upper hand, he fired a quick burst, scoring two hits. While one hit merely grazed the canvas, the other damaged the enemy's engine. As they engaged in aerial combat above the desolate expanse, Gilbert seized another opportunity to outmaneuver his foe. Reacting swiftly, he unleashed a torrent of fire. Witnessing the Albatross veer sharply to the left before erupting in flames, Gilbert saw it plummet to the ground in a ball of fire. With this victory, Gilbert notched his 7th kill.
Gilbert was now able to concentrate on his primary goal of Balloon Busting, facing strong AA fire that caused damage to his port and starboard struts. Maneuvering skillfully, he targeted the balloon from behind, hitting it multiple times until it ignited and plummeted from the sky. First balloon down!
The journey back was uneventful, and Gilbert landed smoothly. It had been a rewarding day! With two victories under his belt, he remained unscathed, and his aircraft was in good condition.
Completing a successful mission, Gilbert took down 1 scout and 1 balloon, feeling that he had contributed effectively to the French cause on that day.
Gilbert ends this sortie successfully with the following; 2 Experience points | Fatigue rating of 8 | Prestige of 2 | One scout Killed | One Balloon Destroyed
Jan 14, 1917 - Escort Mission
Today, Gilbert had a straightforward task of guiding a group of two-seater aircraft to the front line. The mission went smoothly without any unexpected incidents, allowing the bombers to successfully complete their assigned task. The most memorable part of the mission was the landing, which took place in challenging weather conditions at a foggy airfield in Remicourt. Despite feeling a bit tired, Gilbert managed to land the aircraft safely. Although it wasn't his smoothest landing, he was relieved that he and the mission were both safe and successful. Gilbert ends this sortie successfully with the following; 2 Experience points | Fatigue rating of 9 | Prestige of 2 Jan 21, 1917 - Bomber Escort Bombing escort missions pose a constant challenge, involving long flights with German attempts to hinder the French Bombers. As Gilbert flew, the desolation of no man's land came into view, evoking a mix of emotions. He sympathized with his French comrades, unable to fathom their experiences.
Suddenly faced with an Albatross DIII, Gilbert swiftly engaged in combat, sustaining damage to his aircraft. Despite losing control and his machine guns, he managed to evade the enemy. After a tense aerial battle, luck turned in Gilbert's favor when the enemy's guns malfunctioned. Both pilots disengaged, allowing Gilbert to return home safely, relieved to have survived a perilous mission that almost cost him his life. Gilbert ends this sortie successfully with the following; 2 Experience points | Fatigue rating of 10 | Prestige of 2
Jan 25, 1917 - Offensive Patrol Gilbert departed with a sense of hopefulness. While he relished the act of flying, he detested the circumstances that necessitated it. At times, he grappled with feelings of self-indulgence for his love of being airborne. During takeoff, we rolled for potential encounters and luck was on our side with a roll of 12, granting us a new skill for the mission. Opting to utilize the Gunnery skill, Gilbert approached the enemy lines and faced a German Albatross DIII. Seizing the advantage, Gilbert swiftly landed 4 hits on his opponent, targeting the strut, engine, and tail of the Albatross. Gilbert stayed advantaged and despite launching an extended burst that could have resulted in 6 hits, the Albatross pilot skillfully evaded all damage, concluding the skirmish. Returning to Remicourt, Gilbert couldn't shake off a tinge of disappointment, feeling that he had the upper hand and should have secured his 9th victory. This successful mission marked Gilbert's 4th, earning him 1 Experience point.
Gilbert ends this sortie successfully with the following; 3 Experience points | Fatigue rating of 11 | Prestige of 2 That marked the final flight for our French pilot in January 1917. Gilbert achieved 2 victories and earned valuable experience. However, he also experienced fatigue, indicating the necessity for a rest in the near future.
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