[Sailor Steve]

August 31, 1918

Idflieg bi-monthly report on German fighters operating at the front at the end of April 1918:

Albatros:
D.III--52
D.V----20
D.Va--307

Fokker:
Dr.I---65
D.VI---27
D.VII-828
E.V----80

Halberstadt:
CL.II--175
CL.IV-=136

Hannover:
CL.II----31
CL.III--233
CL.IIIa--29

LFG Roland:
D.VIa----58
D.VIb----12

Pfalz:
D.III----3
D.IIIa-166
D.VIII--19
D.XII--168


Air War:

The first DH.9as go to France with 110 Sqdn. After the failure of the underpowered DH.9 the plane was rebuilt using the American Liberty engine. The dramatic increase in horsepower made for a much more successful fighter-bomber.

1430 Australian AFC pilot PaulMcGuinnes and observer Wilmot Fysh, flying Bristol F.2b C4623, shoot down two LVG two-seaters. Victories 5 and 6 for McGuinnes; 3 and 4 for Fysh.

1450 English RAF pilot Guy Wareing, in SE.5a C1133, shoots down an LVG two-seater for victory number 3.

1625 Canadian RAF pilot William Jenkins, in Sopwith Camel E4407, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 4.

1710 South African RAF pilot Ian Stead and English ace observer Dennis Waight, in Bristol F.2b F4820, shoot down a Fokker D.VII. Victory number 4 for Stead; number 11 for Waight.

1840 German ace Walter Blume, with Jasta 9, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 21.

1841 Walter Blume scores his second kill of the day, shooting down another SPAD for number 22.

1945 German ace Erich von Wedel, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down Sopwith Dolphin D3687 for victory number 10. 2nd Lt C.H.A. Bridge, 23 Sqdn RAF, is wounded and captured, later dying from his wounds.

German ace Werner Preuss, with Jasta 66, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 12.