[Sailor Steve]

February 2, 1918

Air War:

Following the success of Jagdgeschwader I, the Luftstreitkräfte forms JG II, commanded by Adolf Ritter von Tutschek and consisting of Jastas 12, 13, 15 and 19; and JG III, with Jastas Boelcke (2), 26, 27 and 36, headed by Bruno Loerzer.

1050 Canadian RFC ace William Barker, flying Sopwith Camel B6313 over the Italian Front, shoots down a Phönix D.I and a two-seater for victories 11 and 12.

1050 Canadian RFC pilot Clifford McEwen, in Sopwith Camel B2461 on the Italian Front, shoots down 2 two-seaters for victories 2 and 3.

1130 Four RNAS Sopwith Camel pilots share a victory over a German two-seater:
Robert Compston, England, B6340, victory number 21.
Sub-Lt W.F. Crundall, nationality unknown, B6356, victory number unknown.
Harold Day, Wales, B6371, victory number 9.
Reginald Johns, England, aircraft number unknown, victory number 3.

1210 French pilot Michel Coiffard, in a SPAD VII, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 3.
(per The French Air Service War Chronology. The Aerodrome says his victim was a Pfalz D.III.)

1215 Robert Compston, W.F. Crundall, Harold Day and Reginald Johns bring down a second two-seater. Victory 22 for Compston, unknown for Crundall, 10 for Day and 4 for Johns.

1245 English RNAS pilot Miles Day, in Sopwith Camel N6363, shoots down a Rumpler two-seater for victory number 4.

1330 Irish RFC ace George McElroy, in SE.5a B598, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 5.

1335 German pilot Otto Esswein, flying Fokker Dr.I 426/17, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 2.

1430 English RFC pilot Roy Chappell, in SE.5a B663, is credited with shooting down two Albatros D.Vs for victories number 3 and 4.

1540 German pilot Max Kühn, with Jasta 10 (uncertain, but likely a Pfalz D.III), shoots down SE.5a B8273 for victory number 3. Maj F.J. Powell is wounded. Kühn is listed as having 2 prior victories, but dates and locations are unknown. This is Kühn's last victory. His later life is uncertain, but former Jasta 10 pilot Friedrich Rüdenberg (no victories) said in his memoires that while working in Turkey in 1934 he was visited by his old friend Max Kühn, at that time Director General of the State Electric Company of Saxony. It seems fairly certain that this is the same man.

1720 German pilot Werner Steinhäuser, with Jasta 11 (probably an Albatros), shoots down an RE.8 for victory number 3.

1750 German pilot Erik Thomas, with Jasta 9, destroys an observation balloon for victory number 3.

German pilot Konrad Bieler, flying a Fokker Dr.I, shoots down a Bréguet 14 for victory number 3. This is possibly Adj Robert Ragaz and MdL Duffrène, bot killed at about this time.

German pilot Günther Keitsch, in an Albatros D.III over the Italian Front, shoots down Sopwith Camel B2607 for victory number 1. Lt F.D.C. Gore is taken prisoner.

French pilot Lionel De Marmier, in a SPAD, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 1.