Klaiber Posted June 15 Author Report Posted June 15 The Daily Telegraph London, Saturday, 16 June 1917 Price One Penny HARD TRIAL IN THE SKIES ABOVE YPRES Entente Airmen Face Fierce Resistance as Hun Forces Gain the Upper Hand From Our Special Correspondent With the Royal Flying Corps Ypres, Friday – The skies above the Ypres Salient roared with fury once more as both Allied and German aviators clashed in what has become an increasingly bitter contest for aerial superiority. In a grim turn of fortunes, our gallant Blue Squadron met with heavy resistance from the enemy’s airmen, who executed their operations with a renewed, though desperate, vigour. The final outcome of this latest engagement finds the German Red Team narrowly ahead, securing seven points to the Entente’s three. While our forces performed with courage and skill under relentless fire, the enemy pressed hard with calculated strikes that disrupted critical supply lines and encampments. Among the Hun’s more damaging successes was the destruction of a forward supply convoy, believed to be bearing rations and mechanical components to our engineers near Bailleul. The attack was swift and decisive, leaving behind charred wagons and shattered rails. Compounding the loss, a coordinated strike upon one of our rail supply trains west of the Menin Road further strained our provisioning efforts, resulting in delays to critical material reinforcements. Additionally, enemy scouts launched an assault on one of our mobile encampments, achieving an estimated 25 percent casualty and equipment disruption before being driven off. Reports from the front indicate the attack was well-planned but not without cost to the enemy fliers. Yet even amidst these setbacks, the indomitable spirit of our aviators remained unbroken. A daring operation deep into occupied territory saw the successful extraction of a captured Entente intelligence agent, believed to possess key information regarding the disposition of German anti-aircraft emplacements. The pilot involved, a Flight Sub-Lieutenant, of No. 8 Squadron, returned with his observer safely, their Sopwith Strutter pocked with bullet holes but triumphant. In addition, a strike upon an enemy munitions factory near Tournai yielded some measure of success. Though limited to partial damage—estimated at 25 percent of the facility’s capacity—observers noted secondary explosions that hint at deeper structural effects. Though the day belongs to the foe in points, it is in spirit and resolve that we claim our enduring strength. The brave men of the Royal Flying Corps have shown time and again that no adversity shall dampen their courage, and no tally of points will alter the justice of our cause. High Command reminds the public that these contests are but one part of a greater whole. The road to victory is long, but each trial in the air steels our resolve upon the earth. Let the Hun boast of numbers—for we know that it is not in scores, but in steadfastness, that empires are won. God Save the King. “AERIAL WARFARE: THE NEW FRONTIER OF DUTY” – see Editorial, p. 3 Casualty Lists – p. 6 War Industry & Homefront Efforts – p. 8 Flyboy 1
Klaiber Posted June 15 Author Report Posted June 15 The New York Herald Wednesday, June 20, 1917 Price: Two Cents FLYING TITANS CLASH OVER YPRES—RED TEAM CLAIM TOURNAMENT VICTORY Four-Month Sky Duel Ends with Red Team Leading 35 to 24 — Blue Team Fights Gallantly to the End From Our European Bureau – Special Cable Dispatch from the Front Ypres Salient, June 18 — A thunderous contest in the heavens has drawn to its conclusion over the battered trenches of Belgium. For four months, the sky above the Ypres Salient has served as both battlefield and crucible, as daring aviators of the Allied and Central Powers vied for supremacy in a test of nerves, skill, and ingenuity unlike any before it. Known to participants simply as "FiF," this series of staged but deadly serious combat missions culminated in the German Red Team securing overall victory, earning 35 points to the Entente Blue Team's 24. Though each side fought with steely resolve and honor befitting their cause, the final tally leaves the Red airmen in possession of both strategic momentum and bragging rights for now. The tournament commenced in early February, amid freezing fogs and artillery fire, with the opening mission setting the tone for all that followed. The Blue Team struck early with valor, achieving 9 points through strategic interdictions and a daring rescue behind enemy lines. The Red Team, however, narrowly outscored them with 10 points, executing counterattacks and crippling a critical Troop Encampment. The second mission, fought in March, saw the Red Team gain ground. Red Team airmen executed a brutal series of raids, earning 10 points with a combination of supply destruction, encampment attacks, and a successful spy rescue. The Blue Team fought fiercely but managed only 6 points, despite a high-risk strike on an enemy Encampment and the successful recovery of a captured agent. April’s third engagement found both sides bloodied, but the Red Team flyers once again held the upper hand. Red Team scored 8 points through precision strikes and intelligence extractions, while the Blue Team tallied 6, including a bold attack on a supply train and another successful espionage rescue. The final battle, held under heavy June skies, proved the most lopsided of the campaign. Despite heroic efforts from Blue Team pilots, the Red Team swept the skies with deadly accuracy, scoring 7 points to the Allies’ 3. One Blue Team convoy was lost, and a planned bombing run on the Red Encampment was broken up before it reached its target. By battle’s end, the scoreboard stood: Red Team, 35. Blue Team, 24. Summary of Missions: ➤ Mission 1 (Feb): Red 10 – Blue 9 ➤ Mission 2 (Mar): Red 10 – Blue 6 ➤ Mission 3 (Apr): Red 8 – Blue 6 ➤ Mission 4 (Jun): Red 7 – Blue 3 Despite the numerical result, the courage and resilience shown by both teams cannot be overstated. American observers attached to Entente squadrons report a growing admiration for the ingenuity and mettle of the Allied flyers, many of whom now regard aerial warfare as the crucible in which the future of modern conflict will be forged. “These men fight not just for ground or glory,” said Major Carlton D. Hart, an American aviation officer posted near Arras. “They fight for the future — for mastery of the very sky.” With America's own entry into the war now fully under way, interest in aviation and its practitioners is soaring stateside. The exploits of these brave men above Ypres will no doubt serve as both instruction and inspiration for a new generation of American airmen preparing to take their place in the firmament of war. “Aviation Is the Arm of Tomorrow” – See Editorial, Page 2 Battle Sketches from the Front – Page 4 “Profiles in Courage: Faces of the Tournament” – Sunday Magazine Feature God bless our boys in khaki — and may the winds favor Liberty. — With files from Associated Press and the Herald’s War Desk in London Flyboy 1
Klaiber Posted June 15 Author Report Posted June 15 Thank You for Flying FIF 2025! On behalf of the entire organizing team, we want to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who participated in Flanders In Flames 2025. We hope you had an enjoyable experience, and we’re already looking forward to the next chapter in this ever-evolving event series. Your continued support means a great deal to us. As FIF continues to grow and adapt, community feedback is more important than ever. We invite you to share your thoughts and impressions in the bug-reports or discussions channels on the FIF Discord. Your insights help us shape a better experience for all. Special Acknowledgments A heartfelt thank you goes to @Kliegmann for conceptualizing FIF 2025 and for his impressive mission-building work. We are also deeply grateful to @Vonrd and @Moxy for their behind-the-scenes coordination, easing the burden on the rest of the team. We also want to recognize our esteemed "mission builder emeritus," @Butzzell, whose legacy continues to guide and inspire the event. To our RED and BLUE Team Commanders: your leadership each week—developing strategies, issuing orders, and ensuring a fun and competitive environment—has not gone unnoticed. Thank you for your dedication. We’re immensely grateful to @-IRFC-Tunes, Eccho, and the entire Ad Astra team. Their server support and the ever-reliable stats page were essential to the success of this campaign. Special thanks also go to @JGr2-J5_Baeumer for his ongoing encouragement. The example set by Flugpark continues to remind us of what a united community can achieve. If we’ve inadvertently missed anyone, please accept our apologies—the oversight is entirely unintentional. We deeply value the contributions of every individual in the Flying Circus community. Full results can be viewed here: FIF Session Results Campaign Ribbon A new campaign ribbon has been created to commemorate the conclusion of FIF 2025. We hope you'll wear it with pride— it's well earned. Cheers, santé, prost, —The FIF 2025 Team Butzzell, Labroisse, Flyboy and 1 other 3 1
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