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Thread: Macedonian Front data visualiser thing

  1. #1

    Post Macedonian Front data visualiser thing

    I made a thing. Based on a list of victories (mostly aces claims) on the Macedonian Front, it allows you to filter by aircraft type or pilot name. The idea is that it will:

    a) be of historical interest
    b) help people to create plausible or historical scenarios

    https://sites.google.com/view/ww1-ma...-front-air-war

    How to use

    Use the checkboxes to select one or more aircraft types or type a pilot name/partial name. The list will show historical actions matching your entry. Scroll down to see the entries on a map (where the location is known). The map is a bit dodgy - don't zoom or pan, it will mess up the locations...

    Data

    This is only as good as the data, and the data is (as usual) not very good. There are a number of British claims of Siemens Schuckert D.III, which almost certainly never flew in Macedonia. Likewise there were claims mentioning Friedrichshafen bombers, which probably were actually the AEGs of Kaghol 1. Locations are also difficult, since the place name have changed since the war. Gaps in the data cause problems - e.g. we know that Hanriot HD1s flew on this front in Italian 73a and 85a but I can't find any victory or loss data, so they don't show up in the list. I still have French data to add, but there is reasonable amount of German/British data.

    Background of the Macedonian Front

    The Macedonian Front had a diversity of nationalities and aircraft types not seen on any other front. A multinational force composed of French, Italian, British, Serbian and Greek troops faced off against Austro-Hungarian, German and Bulgarian forces along a 250 mile long front stretching from the Adriatic Sea in the West to the Aegean Sea in the East, traversing mountainous territory and inland lakes between.

    In terms of aircraft, the Entente started out at a distinct disadvantage, flying obsolete types against a relatively well-equipped enemy. As time went on more advanced types arrived and tipped the balance against the Central Powers.

    In the West, the Italians flew a squadron (34a) of pre-war Farmans conducting reconnaissance in the southern tip of Albania, escorted by some old Nieuports (sq 85a). They faced the Austrian Aviatik and later Albatros D.III (Oeffag) fighters of FLIK 6. Caproni Ca 3 bombers also saw some action in this sector.

    In the centre of the line French and Franco-Serbian Escadrilles flew ancient Voisin and Farman aircraft. These were gradually supported by new arrivals of Nieuport and SPAD VII fighters, as well as Dorand ARs and Breguet 14s. Italian and British squadrons also appeared in this sector later in the war, fielding Hanriot HD1, SE5a and Sopwith Camel fighters. They faced off against German Jasta 25 and 38, starting with Halberstadt D.II/III and Albatros D.IIIs to protect their DFW and LVG 2 seaters, with Albatros D.V and a small number of Fokker D.VIIs arriving later in the conflict. A squadron (Kaghol 1) of AEG bombers spent a brief period at the eastern end of this sector in 1917, raiding British and French camps and aerodromes.

    At the eastern end of the lines the British flew Farmans and B.E.2s at the start of the war. Later on B.E.12 fighters, deemed unfit for the Western Front, were sent here. The obsolete types were easy pickings for German ace Rudolf von Eschwege, who flew a Fokker E and later an Albatros D.III for FA30, supporting the two Bulgarian Aeroplane sections in this area.

    The front saw balloon busting, photographic reconnaissance, artillery spotting, bombing and dogfights, producing a number of aces on both sides.

  2. #2

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    Thank you Dom for your hard work. It is interesting to see someone won a dogfight in D.H. 2 as late as in November 17. This is great!

  3. #3

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    Yes, perhaps a bit of a lucky shot...?

    he was credited with destroying an Albatros D.III in November, while flying a DH.2. Gardiner gained this victory while repelling an attack, and even though his gun jammed on the fourth shot, infantry below belatedly confirmed the kill.

  4. #4

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    Or maybe just landed and bribed the infantry with cigarettes.

  5. #5

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    Very interesting, Dom, I wonder what those four chaps shot down if they weren't SSW D.III ?

    Sapiens qui vigilat "He is wise who watches"

  6. #6

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    Thanks Dom for bringing this part of the war to light

  7. #7

  8. #8

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    Looking through the French data. N 390 lost all their aircraft to a tornado on the 1st Jan 1917! You didn't see that on the Western Front...

  9. #9

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    Most of the French data is now added. I made a "show all" button so you can see all the engagements I have records of. The map view is quite interesting with all the data plotted - it is easy to see that the fighting in the air matched the areas where the action on the ground was - the Adriatic coast, the Cerna and Vardar valleys and the Struma estuary. Away from these areas the terrain meant that there was little scope for big offensives, and consequently the amount of air activity seems to have been lower.



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