Richthofens Eleven - Jasta 11

The beginning of the Allied offensive was expected any day. Escorted by fighters, German reconnaissance planes were busy chasing, over the front, from dawn to dusk. The situation on the 1st of August 1918 wasn't any different. In the opinions of meteorologists, the new month was going to be a scorcher. As well as the morning ones, the afternoon patrols of Albatroses and Fokkers were unable to Find any­thing not worthy in their sectors. Skirmishes between Jasta 11 machines and American SPADs from 27* Aero Squadron seemed all to he unde­cided. At about 1pm the silence over the hot air vibrating over the Puisieux airfield, was broken by the roar of BMW engines. Sitting in the cock­pits, the German pilots were revving them up and tightening seat belts at the same time. Im­mediately after Finishing the pre-start drill, a whole trifecta of Fokker D.VII taxied for takeoff - running diagonally through the bright line of the strip, and then climbing steeply in a south­westerly direction.
There wasn't any time to circle for Lothar von Richthofen and two of his companions, climbing straight on the combat course. Cutting through higher and higher airflows was cooling them clown nicely. It quickly became quite frosty, but the pilots didn't feel a thing. Ap­proaching, marked with explosions, the front line was as hypnotizing as ever. Among the senses the sight now took the priority. Its alert­ness decided whether the pilot would become the hunter or the hunted in an inevitable meet­ing with the enemy.