I started my first campaign mission in Rise of Flight picking an earlier battle and ending up with a Royal Flying Corps squadron equipped mostly with the Nieuport 17.C1 GBR.

The mission started well with an easy takeoff as a formation of three headed to rendezvous with some F.E.2b’s on a bombing mission. It took a while to overtake the bombers but we did eventually. I then settled into a nice formation above and slightly ahead of them, all the while keeping a lookout for enemy fighters.

We crossed the frontlines at about 2000 meters and the bombers turned onto their target. That’s when the Fokker D.IIs arrived and my flight made a valiant effort to put themselves between the enemy scouts and our bomber aircraft.

The Nieuport 17 is a wonderful little fighter with enough engine power and agility to be competitive against the Fokker D.II and after several turns and some overhead yo-yo’s I was able to put myself directly on his six for several sustained bursts of gunfire.

My gun jammed at least 3 times in the fight but it finally worked long enough to land a damaging blow.

Finding a second Fokker flying at low altitude engaged with my wingman, I was able to easily find his six and shoot him down (with much less fanfare) fairly quickly.

Climbing back up to about 1500 meters I spotted our bombers already having completed their mission and on the way back across the frontlines. I crossed the warzone beneath me and headed back for base.

At this point I am taking stock of the mission. No bombers were shot down and they returned to base successfully. Two Fokker D.IIs were dispatched by me personally and a third by one of my wingmates. This was a great mission!

Approaching the base I spotted the landing strip and proceeded to turn and slow down for an appropriate landing. All was well when my wing stalled slightly (apparently I don’t know the stall speed for a Nieuport very well) and I spun into the ground.

My virtual pilot died instantly.

And that, as they say, was that. My first campaign mission ended with a successful mission and an absolutely terrible landing resulting in my virtual death.

Oops!