Tactical Notes:  gunnery and engagement techniques

Engaging Scouts

"The Fokker was intent upon the French photographing machine.  He did not pay us the compliment of even noticing our presence.  I was in exactly the right position to meet his coming and at the proper moment I pulled my machine straight up on her tail, trained my sights along the line of his dive and began firing.  My bullets cut a straight streak of fire up and down his path and as the Fokker entered this path I saw my flaming bullets rip through his machine from stem to stern.  By controlling my Spad to keep pace with the Fokker,I let go at least a hundred rounds..." ........  Eddie Rickenbacker, in an engagement with Fokker D.VIIs, Oct. 1918. Fighting the Flying Circus, p 213.

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Perfect Position?

Too Close?

Bad Angle?

Too Fast?