Nungesser from over the Ocean
or All Over in a Trice!
It took me a while before I managed to aquire a Nieuport 17 “Nungesser” at a sensible price. When I did, it had to make its' way right across the world, from “Down Under” (my thanks to the Aussies who seem to be able to use a postal system that is more efficient than that from Europe and still do it relatively cheaply!) Or is it just me experiencing problems from places like Italy (five weeks and counting – don't think they are going to deliver this order do you?) Anyway, I was very pleased indeed to receive my Olive Green Nieuport 17 and was determined to give it an outing at the earliest opportunity. Given Grandad duties, funerals and trips to the north country fair (which was cold and wet), to witness Two Gentlemen of Verona, in the open, in the rain (well done brother dear , the opportunity was long in arriving. But when it did, was it worth it? Perhaps not? Oh dear!!!!
It occurred to me, whilst sitting by the coast, not very far from where I live, that the British sector in World War I would have been fairly close to the coast, from way up there with the Gods! At least one author, whose work I have read, admits to having been tempted to fly home briefly, to see his mother, after seeing that coastline and the short distance across the Channel, to Blighty.
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So that is where we begin our brief encounter! Two Nieuport 17s making their way back to the barn, having crossed over the lines into hun territory, with the coast of France off to their Starboard side, feeling the sun on their backs in the early morning light and the pilots able to see a very long way indeed. However, their thoughts were about to be interrupted, as over in the west, approaching from a similar foray in the opposite direction, came a couple of “Albatri”, their Black and White crosses marking them as having rather sinister intentions! Not that the intentions of our Nieuport pilots were any less sinister, but they were on our side (if you happen to be a Brit like me , so we are slightly biased are we not?
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Representing the Allies, here we have, on the right, Monsieur Charles Nungesser no less, with 43 officially confirmed claims to his illustrious and much decorated name (later to disappear so mysteriously in 1923 whilst attempting a Paris to New York flight). And on the left we have Frenchman (via his mother and most life experiences) or possibly American (via his chocolate factory working father and military experiences) Gervais Raoul Lufbury (Later officially credited with 17 victories, although unconfirmed claims by fellow pilots and friends put this somewhere between 25 and 60. He will also be given the credit for being the first pilot to want to regulate landing procedures properly – clever chap!)
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Meanwhile, approaching from the west with the sun in their eyes and as yet unaware of the presence of their erstwhile opponents, are that very excellent of gentleman pilot and “Father of Air Fighting Tactics”, Oswald Boelcke, author of a “Dicta” (described as “a distillation of his successful tactics”) and the first to share his ideas on the creation of a “fighter arm”; accompanied by his Hungarian fellow pilot, Oberleutnant Rudolf Szepessy-Sokoll Freiherr von Negyes et Reno, whose main claim to fame was being on the first strategic bombing mission in history, against Milan, Italy (he would die, somewhere in Italy, in 1917, as an Ace with 5 victories to his name).
Was this, therefore, to be a fight of epic and heroic proportions, like that between Achilles and Hector (the latter of whom thought that was the Pitts!)? Would it be remembered in the anals of history? I think not!
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Two minutes or so into the mission and like a Spaghetti Western it was all bang bang you're dead; boom, splat! All over! Down went my prize acquisition on the first exchange! I ask you (hands on hips and head shaking from side to side)!!! At least I didn't have to throw to see if Nungesser survived. With a few crashes under his belt and numerous serious injuries, bad enough to necessitate his having to be carried to his plane on at least one occasion, we know he survived, at least until after the war. Out of interest, I give you a quote from Wikipedia (I hope I'm not breaking any rules by doing so) concerning the injuries he is known to have sustained: By the end of the war, a succinct summary of Nungesser's wounds and injuries read: "Skull fracture, brain concussion, internal injuries (multiple), five fractures of the upper jaw, two fractures of lower jaw, piece of anti-aircraft shrapnel imbedded [sic] in right arm, dislocation of knees (left and right), re-dislocation of left knee, bullet wound in mouth, bullet wound in ear, atrophy of tendons in left leg, atrophy of muscles in calf, dislocated clavicle, dislocated wrist, dislocated right ankle, loss of teeth, contusions too numerous to mention." So you see, going down to Boelcke in a cloud of cotton wool would hardly make a difference to him – but it hurt my pride!
Monsieur Lufbury did rather better, I'm pleased to say.
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Two rapid exchanges of machine gun fire with friend Rudolf and honours are even! At least Lufbury managed to set his enemy's plane on fire. Some restoration of gaming pride at least! After which the voice of command informed me that dinner was about to be served (yes, we take it in turns), so I decided to call it a day, take the necessary mug shots that follow and accept that it had not gone well for my latest purchase – but I am so glad to have her in the stable so to speak
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Finally, I must add how lucky I feel to live so close to such a beautiful coastline. I'm just glad too, that I have never had to be one to try to attack or defend it. Those guys were awsome!
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Thanks
The End
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