Serial No. 62
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SUMMARY OF AIR INTELLIGENCE.
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CONTENTS.
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1. |
Identifications. – Transfers to battle front and new formations. |
2. |
Aerodromes. |
3. |
Enemy's strength south of the Somme. |
4. |
Army aircraft parks. |
5. |
Replacement and quality of material. |
6. |
German aeroplanes. |
7. |
German airmen. |
8. |
Effect on German moral (sic) of the enemy's air policy. |
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1. IDENTIFICATIONS. |
The following identifications
have been established:– |
Southern battle
front. |
24th Pursuit Flight... |
Champien aerodrome |
12th April... |
Prisoner's statement. (Normal). |
44th Pursuit Flight... |
Champien aerodrome |
12th April... |
Prisoner's statement. (Normal). |
50th Pursuit Flight... |
.................................... |
10th April ... |
Document. (Normal). |
60th Pursuit Flight... |
.................................... |
10th April ... |
Document. Last identified in Italy, Dec., 1917. |
61st Pursuit Flight... |
(New formation)... |
10th April ... |
Document. Not previously identified. |
69th Pursuit Flight... |
(New formation)...
Collezy aerodrome |
12th April ... |
Machine shot down. Not previously identified. |
39th Reconn. Flight... |
.................................... |
10th April ... |
Document. Last identified in Italy, beginning of 1918. |
201st "A" Flight... |
.................................... |
10th April ... |
Document. (Normal). |
208th "A" Flight... |
.................................... |
10th April ... |
Document. Last identified as having left Flanders for Riga, 19-9-17. |
209th "A" Flight... |
.................................... |
10th April ... |
Document. (Normal). |
222nd "A" Flight... |
..................................... |
10th April ... |
Document. (Normal). |
234th "A" Flight... |
..................................... |
10th April ... |
Document. (Normal). |
249th "A" Flight... |
..................................... |
10th April .... |
Document. (Normal). |
254th "A" Flight... |
..................................... |
10th April ... |
Document. Last identified at Stenay (Verdun sector) Nov., 1917. |
255th "A" Flight... |
..................................... |
10th April ... |
Document. (Normal). |
277th "A" Flight... |
..................................... |
10th April ... |
Document. Last identified in the Le Cateau area, 23-2-18. |
285th "A" Flight... |
..................................... |
10th April ... |
Document. (Normal). |
295th (Bav.) "A" Flight |
..................................... |
10th April ... |
Document. (Normal). |
296th (Bav.) "A" Flight |
..................................... |
10th April ... |
Document. (Normal). |
22nd Protective Flight |
..................................... |
19thApril ... |
Machine shot down near Rouvrel (west of Moreuil). Last identified
at Froidmont (Laon sector), 10-7-17. |
Note.–The former boundary between the St.
Quentin and Laon sectors has been produced along the valley of the
river Oise to its junction with the Ailette. A complete list of
the units known to be available in the new St. Quentin sector will
be published in to-morrow's Summary.
2. AERODROMES.
(a) New aerodromes:–
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Laon
sector. |
Sheds. |
Hangars. |
Photograph. |
No. 219.– Matigny. – 66d, D.27.d. .................... |
... |
7 ... |
French. 11-4-18. |
No. 221. – Biarre.– 66d, N.12.c.d. .................... |
... |
4 ... |
French. 11-4-18. |
No. 216. – Champien. –
66d,
N.14.d.15.c.20.c.26.a.b.
Note. – The sheds are
of the Bessoneau type. |
18 ... |
23 ... |
French. 7-4-18 and 12-4-18. |
No. 217. – Moyencourt. – 66d, D.4.c. ................ |
... |
11 ... |
11-4-18. |
No. 218. – Ramecourt.– 66d, O.18.c. ................ |
... |
7 ... |
French. 11-4-18. |
No. 220. – Ercheu, E.– 66d, O.28.b.d. .............. |
... |
13 ... |
French. 11-4-18. |
No. 222. – Brouchy. – 66d, Q.22.b.d. ................ |
... |
11 ... |
French. 1-4-18. |
(b) Changes in accommodation.
Laon
sector. |
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No. 194. – Golancourt ...................................... |
...
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+2 ... |
French. 11-4-18. |
No. 196. – Berlancourt...................................... |
...
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+1 ... |
French. 1-4-18. |
No. 210. – Freniches......................................... |
...
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-6 ... |
French. 11-4-18. |
3.
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ENEMY'S STRENGTH SOUTH OF THE SOMME.
A list (dated 10-4-18) of units on the southern battle
front was found on an observer captured by the French on the 15th
April (see para. 1 – Identifications). These flights
are probably in the Ham area, as several of the units given in the
list had lately been identified in that district.
The identifications given in
para. 1 represent an increase of the enemy's strength in aircraft
units on the Somme battle front of 3 pursuit flights (2 new formation,
1 from Italy, and 3 reconnaissance and "A" flights (1
from Italy, 1 from Russia and 1 from Verdun).
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4. |
ARMY AIRCRAFT PARKS.
A recently captured mechanic states that army aircraft
parks generally detach an advanced stores depot (Parkstaffel)
where spare propellers, a certain amount of rigging material, and
engine spares are kept.
In the case of the Eighteenth
Army, the Parkstaffel, when the Park was at Berlaimont,
was located at Guise; on the latter moving to Guise, the advanced
depot went forward to Ham.
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5. |
REPLACEMENT AND QUALITY OF MATERIAL.
The same prisoner states that machines are often unserviceable
for a week, owing to the lack of spare parts; propellers especially
are difficult to procure, and the prisoner states that his flight
having applied to the stores depot for 10 propellers, had to wait
4 days, when eventually 3 were issued.
The quality of material, especially
as regards engines, he states, leaves much to be desired.
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6. |
GERMAN AEROPLANES.
Fokker biplane. (See Summary of Air Intelligence,
Serial No. 51).
Information has been received
from the French that this machine is fitted with 3 machine guns,
two of which fire through the propeller.
Halberstadt two-seater.
It is reported by a prisoner
that this machine has a slight backward stagger.
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7. |
GERMAN AIRMEN.
Lieut. Hess, who was credited with 17 air victories, was
killed in January last. (German Press).
Lieut. Geigel, reputed to have shot down 15 machines, has been killed.
(German Press).
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8. |
EFFECT ON GERMAN MORAL (sic) OF
THE ENEMY'S AIR POLICY.
On the 17th April, an officer Stellvertreter of
the 4th Ersatz Division (captured on the 18th), attended a conference
at the Regimental H.Q. of the 201st Res. Inf. Regt. to discuss the
question of co-operation between infantry and aeroplanes. Numerous
complaints were brought forward by the infantry that aeroplanes
never appeared to be on the spot when they were wanted, and that
the German artillery were consequently unable to locate the enemy.
The Regimental Commander of
the 201st Res. Inf. Regt. stated that they would have saved 1,000
casualties, at least, in the attack on Locon, if they had only had
an aeroplane.
Note.–From the
above, it would appear that owing to the absence of aeroplanes,
the German gunners have been causing heavy casualties to their own
infantry.
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LATE NEWS.
Rittmeister Freiherr M. von Richthofen was shot
down and killed behind the British lines near Corby to-day.
General Staff (Intelligence),
Headquarters, Royal Air Force.
21st April, 1918.
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