In support of our ground offensive, a fighter sweep deep into enemy territory was ordered, both to tie down German air strength and take some of the pressure off our French allies to the south. This would be a baptism of fire for the new SE5 and Bristol F2a fighters fresh off the production lines. As our pilots left the trenches behind them, the Germans rose to the occasion with their customary aggressiveness and put up both two seaters and Albatross scouts to challenge our formation. A cloud bank just beyond the Hun front lines caused our airmen some confusion, with one SE5 colliding with and fatally damaging the tail of another, while turbulence in the clouds forced an F2a wildly off course.
A whirling dogfight ensued when our aircraft came to grips with the Hun over enemy territory, but skillful maneuvering by our pilots meant that only one SE5 was shot down; another closed on a German two seater and mortally wounded it's gunner, although the pilot managed to take evasive action and avoid disaster. A third SE5 was hit and last seen on fire, heading deeper behind enemy lines: as yet the pilot has not been accounted for. No other victories or losses were reported.
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