Major Immelmann hid within the clouds, watching the battle below with satisfaction as his First Flying Squadron ruthlessly attacked the unsuspecting French planes. He knew these French aircraft were part of Joffre's new squadron. Charles' aircraft—the Avros—were the real threat, requiring "careful attention." These, on the other hand, were mere target practice.
To Immelmann's surprise, one French Nieuport 10 managed to break formation and counterattack, successfully downing a German plane. Intrigued, Immelmann murmured in approval before diving his own plane down towards the resilient Nieuport.
Note: The tactic of hiding in cloud cover and launching surprise dives on enemy planes was a method pioneered by Immelmann during World War I. Ironically, it would eventually lead to his own demise when British planes turned the tactic against him.
Immelmann quickly realized there was something different about this Nieuport 10. It executed agile maneuvers, swaying unpredictably left and right in a way that even he struggled to follow. The French pilot was a skilled opponent, Immelmann noted—a potential danger in the future.
What Immelmann didn't realize was that his target, Major Godfrey, was paralyzed with terror. He had exhausted every trick he knew yet couldn't shake the German fighter from his tail.
Suddenly, gunfire erupted from the plane behind him.
Bullets narrowly missed Godfrey's head, with several shots striking the fuselage and tail, sending wooden splinters flying back at him. Fortunately, no vital part of the plane was hit, and Godfrey was still able to maintain control.
Thanks to years of experience, Godfrey could sense the slightest changes in the aircraft's movement. With just a tremor in the wings, he could tell what was damaged and what was still under his command.
Knowing his plane was still flight-worthy, Godfrey considered fleeing. But he quickly realized that the German pilot wouldn't relent, and that this pursuit would only end one way: his death.
Unless, of course, the "tail" ran out of bullets—an unlikely scenario.
Then, a flash of inspiration struck Godfrey. He decelerated slightly, making his plane wobble as if it were losing control and beginning to plummet.
This maneuver was a trick he often used in air shows to startle audiences below. Just as it seemed his plane would crash, he'd miraculously pull up, much to the crowd's delight. It had won him countless rounds of applause and plenty of francs from spectators eager to see the thrilling stunt.
Desperate, Godfrey decided to gamble his life on this move, knowing that slowing down left him vulnerable. If the German pilot ignored the ruse and continued firing, Godfrey was as good as dead.
Luckily, his pursuer took the bait, breaking off to pursue other targets.
Relieved, Godfrey accelerated, pulled up sharply, and fled the battlefield.
Immelmann, noticing the Frenchman's maneuver, muttered in frustration, "Coward, using tricks like that to escape. That's no soldier—that's a deserter!"
Godfrey wasn't concerned with his opponent's opinion. He only cared about staying alive and escaping this nightmare for good.
In the end, only three of the 29 French planes returned to base, each of them riddled with bullet holes. One pilot was hit in the shoulder, his arm drenched in blood; even if he survived, his career as a pilot was over.
And yet, Colonel Iger naively asked Godfrey, "Where are the others? Did you lose track of them?"
The German Air Force, having bared its fangs, launched relentless assaults against the French squadrons. They seemed to know French operations inside and out, raiding three airfields near the front within a single day.
As Charles had warned, these airfields were dangerously close to the front line—some as close as seven kilometers. The French pilots had no time to react to the sudden German onslaught. Wave after wave of French aircraft were destroyed before they could even take off.
One airfield's fuel depot took a direct hit, igniting a fire that blazed through the night, consuming planes that hadn't even left the ground.
The spectacle incensed the French public, who turned their anger on Joffre:
"We should hand our planes over to those who know how to command them."
"This is what happens when the army controls the air force. It's a waste of aircraft—and of pilots' lives!"
"The truth is, Joffre was wrong. Shouldn't he take responsibility for this disaster?"
But the newspapers owned by French industrialists continued to defend Joffre:
"Perhaps the Germans are outpacing us in training their pilots, or they've simply devised more effective tactics."
"Another factor could be the superiority of the new German 'Albatros B' fighters, which may outperform even Charles' Avros."
The implication was clear: although Joffre had suffered a setback, the French had faced new German planes and tactics. Charles' squadron, they suggested, might not fare any better. Therefore, Joffre was not to blame.
Upon reading these articles, Gallieni decided the time was ripe. Smiling, he looked over at Charles and asked, "Ready?"
"Ready for what?" Charles asked, raising an eyebrow. "To send the First Squadron against those German pilots? No, I have a better plan, General. After all, they're just planes."
At dawn the following day, Charles' Caproni bomber squadron took off from Paris.
The squadron consisted of 20 bombers, divided into two groups of ten. Each group set its course for one of two German airfields: Schumersen and Erkler. These airfields had been exposed in the recent skirmishes with Joffre's planes. Most of the German aircraft and pilots were stationed there, and Schumersen even housed a newly established flight school with over 200 students, instructors, and trainers.
Charles ordered the bombers to fly openly to their targets—in broad daylight, without attempting any stealth.
He knew that in this era, people didn't understand the destructive potential of bombers. They viewed bombers as primitive, their small hand-thrown bombs scarcely capable of damaging strategic targets.
From a distance, the Germans spotted ten Capronis approaching. They likely assumed the planes were lumbering transport aircraft.
What they didn't realize was that these "transports" were indeed carrying something—only, instead of supplies, they were delivering bombs.
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