User blog:LB&SCR/GWM Episode 5: Rene Fonck vs. Manfred von Richtofen

WWI saw the first use of massed air warfare. There had been planes used during the Revolution/Civil War in Mexico, but those were lonely recon planes who's pilots took potshots at each other with revolvers before waving at each other. WWI saw rapid firing machine guns affixed to the aircraft and the knights of the sky were able to know duel in the air with a kind of grace. So we have some very fine examples of WWI's Knights of the Air. We have Manfred von Richtofen: The Ace-of-Aces, the highly feared Red Baron with 80 confirmed air kills. He will match his skills against the Rene Fonck, the War's second-highest scoring Air Ace, and the highest scoring ace of the Entente. We shall all watch agast as throughout the skies in a never ending dance, but only one shall receive the grace of landing freely.

Rene Fonck



 * -| Bio =

Rene Fonck was a French fighter pilot during World War 1, and he was the second-highest scoring ace to come out of the war.

When World War I broke out, Fonck was actually in training to be a combat engineer as he'd been rejected from Air Service, and it wasn't until 1915 that he'd be accepted and trained as a pilot. However, he didn't get his first claim until Early 1916... which was unable to be confirmed. However, his flying skills were confirmed when he forced a German Plane lower and lower with weird maneauvers until it was forcefully landed behind French lines, in what would be his first victory.

By 1917 he'd ammassed more than 500 hours of flight-time, which was astounding by early standards. He joined the famous Escadrille les Cigognis during Bloody April under then leading Allied Ace Georges Guynemer. He attained Ace status that May, and then later in September reportedly shot down German Ace Kurt Wisseman; and by the end of the year, he'd increased his tally to 19.

This continued into 1918. January: 2 Victories; Febuary: 5; March: 7; April: 3. Then came the 9th of May, on which he placed a bet with two Americans on who could shoot down the most planes that day. Hazy conditions prevented him from taking off until 3 that afternoon; and within three hours had shot down six German planes, all of them German reconnaissance craft. By the end of that June his score was a total of 49. He passed leading allied Ace William Bishop on October 31st with 75 victories.

Throughout the war, Fonck managed to keep an odd distance between himself and other aces. For example, he is recorded to have never been wounded. In fact, it's said that his aircraft had only been hit by a shot one time. What's also strange, is that he never captured the hearts of the French Public like other aces did for their countries. He was withdrawn; he didn't drink and socialize; meticulously ironed his uniforms, he overcompensated for his shyness by constantly mentioning his own exploits; giving off a distant, arrogant, and abrasive personality.

He became a civilian after the war, however in 1937 he returned to Military Aviation to become the Inspector of Fighter Forces. When France was occupied, his pre-WWII friendship with Hermann Goring led him to being thought of as a collaborator, but later that year he was arrested by the Gestapo and interned in Drancy. Afterwards he had to fight to prove he wasn't a Vichy collaborator, and cleared his name.

Five years later in 1953, he suffered a stroke at the age of 59.

Aircraft

 * -| Fighter =

SPAD S.XIII




 * Powerplant: 220 Horsepower Hispano-Suiza 8Be 8-cylinder vee-type.
 * Top Speed: 135 Miles Per Hour
 * Service Ceiling: 21,815 Feet
 * Rate of Climb: 384 Ft/min
 * Armament: 2 x .303 Cal Vickers Machine Guns

Manfred von Richtofen



 * -| Bio =

Manfred von Richtofen, aka The Red Baron was a German fighter pilot during World War I, and is the highest scoring ace to come out of the war.

At the war's beginning, he served as a cavalry officer in Russia, France, and Belgium; before trench warfare turned him and his compatriots into dispatch runners and telephone operators. Rather bored with this new occupation, he started looking for other jobs when orders came in to transfer to the Supply Branch. He wrote a transfer application letter so filled with patriotism that he instead to the German Air Service.

Originally flying shotgun on recon aircraft, a chance meeting with Ace Oswald Boelcke led him to sign on to Pilot Training. Again flying two-seaters, another run in with Boelcke led him to join one of Germany's first fighter squadrons, scoring his first victory in the skies over Cambrai in 1916. Unlike both his brother who was an aggressive and aerobatic pilot, Richtofen followed the Dicta Boelcke, a series of maxims and tactics to achieve success.

After an aerial tussle with British Ace Lanoe Hawker, Richtofen became absolutely convinced that he needed an extremely agile aircraft, even if it cost him speed.

The famous Triplane only entered his life in late July in 1917, and had already been commanding a squadron since January. Painting his plane red was, in his own words "For whatever reasons, one fine day I came upon the idea of having my crate painted glaring red...." However, the others in his squadron painted their planes red to avoid him being singled out.

An injury that July caused lasting damage however; a head wound causing nausea, headaches, and a changed personality. This, coupled with combat stress is thought to have caused what is believed his final lapse of judgement...

Just after 11 AM on the 21st of April 1918, Richtofen was fatally wounded while flying near the Somme. He had just enough life in him to roughly land his plane before succumbing. He was 25 years old.

Aircraft

 * -| Fighter =

Fokker Dr. I Triplane


 * Powerplant: 110 Horsepower Oberursel Ur.II 9-Cylinder rotary engine
 * Top Speed: 115 Miles Per Hour
 * Service Ceiling: 20,000 Feet
 * Rate of Climb: 1,130 ft/min
 * Armament: 2 x 7.92mm lMG 08 Machine Guns

Experience
Experience will in the end be eeked out by The Red Baron. Niether of these men started out as Air Cavalry; both of them only becoming pilots in 1915. In additon to the number of victories, the only other major factor in Richtofen's favor is a higher proportion of his victories were gained against fighter aircraft. Quite a few of Fonck's victories were achieved against Bombers and Recon craft. I'm not knocking how critical those were, but they aren't as challenging as a dogfight with a fellow fighter.

Perception
Fonck supposedly had an almost scary ability to perceive enemy aircraft. It reputedly went that Fonck could spot enemy observation planes at distances in which most pilots wouldn't see a thing. Richtofen himself wasn't a slouch either, but later during the war he was plagued by both stress and rather vicious headaches that affected his ability to perceive his surroundings. It is believed this led to his death over Allied Lines in 1918.

Tactics
Judging by how novice Tactics were during the First World War, with everyone adapting and trying out tactics for mass air warfare. I'm going to let the Voter decide on who's tactics they believe would be better as an X-Factor.

Dicta Boelcke (Richtofen)
The Dicta Boelcke was the worlds first tactical manual and system for dogfighting, installed as primary in 1916, just prior to Boelcke being killed in combat. The Allies didn't catch up until 1918 when they issued their first manuals. This system, tweaked over time, formed the basis for US & NATO flight doctrine. It's original incarnation, according to a Professor Johannes Werner (in 1932, mind), was as follows.
 * 1) Try to secure advantages before attacking. If possible, keep the sun behind you.
 * 2) Always carry through an attack when you have started it.
 * 3) Fire only at close range, and only when your opponent is properly in your sights.
 * 4) Always keep your eye on your opponent, and never let yourself be deceived by ruses.
 * 5) In any form of attack it is essential to assail your enemy from behind.
 * 6) If your opponent dives on you, do not try to evade his onslaught, but fly to meet it.
 * 7) When over the enemy's lines never forget your own line of retreat.
 * 8) For the Staffel (Squadron): Attack on principle in groups of four or six. When the fight breaks up into a series of single combats, take care that several do not go for the same opponent.

Knowledge & Deflection (Foncke)
Fonck bragged constantly about his own tactics in fights. Originally having been an engineer, Fonck used this knowlege alongside mathmatical principles to be an absolute master of the ins-and-outs of his aircraft, unsurpassed by any other pilot who flew alongside him. He also was cautious in nature and didn't take chances; stalking enemies from higher altitude until the time was ripe. Then, he'd dive in from above and after closing in use Deflection shooting (shooting at where an enemy will be, not where he is) with deadly accuracy. In fact, he achieved a low ammo-to-kill ratio; it is believed it often took five rounds or less per aircraft he downed.

However, as probably noted, Foncke abhorred dogfighting. His preferred method, as stated above, was more like setting up a merciless execution than actually fighting, and it relied heavily on surprise and killing an opponent before they could react.