Dogfights first developed around observation aircraft, sent into enemy airspace to spot artillery or track troop movements. Smaller aircraft, called scouts, were designed to attack these reconnaissance planes. Essential to these missions was the use of forward firing machine guns. For the first time pilots are able to use their planes as a plane form from which they can fire, which is far more actuate that firing to the side or behind.
Republic Ace Herder Frost is a master of this new form of air combat racking, up forty eight kills. Flying a new prototype Fokker Dr. I triplane, Frost flies over the No Pony's Land North of the Foal Mountains. Fifteen miles to the Southwest, a flight of six Solar S.E.5a's patrols the skies over the front. Soon they will meet Herder Frost in battle. He will pit his Fokker triplane against the best of Solar Flying Corp.
The six Solar S.E.5's are B-flight of 12th Squadron. They are led by Captain Cuddly, Solar's Ace of Aces. B-flight descends through a thick layer of clouds at 9000 feet. Below the clouds, unseasonably warm air whips through the pilots cockpits. They are looking for enemy fighter aircraft or observation airplanes. Flak bursts menacing around them. The first anti-aircraft guns are no more that artillery pieces modified to shot straight up.
Cuddly spots a lone Republic Zeppelin Staakin RV1 bomber at his eleven o'clock low. Cuddly pitches down into a dive to make a lightning quick attack run. At fifty yards, he opens up with is Lou machine gun mounted on the top wing. The steam of bullets flies straight through the middle of the plane, killing the pilot. The Zeppelin noses down and drops out of the sky. But as B-flight pulls us, Cuddly sees something in the distance: an S.E.5 half spinning down closely pursed by a Republic triplane. The S.E's tormentor is Republic Ace Herder Frost. Frost fires a burst into the Solar plane. Meanwile B-flight looks on as the S.E.5 trails black smoke, as Frost engages a second S.E.5. Effortlessly, the triplane pitches up, loops over and drops onto the S.E.5's tail. Seconds later, the S.E.5 is trailing black smoke, and going down. With 12th squadron looking one, the triplane has made quick work of two S.E.5's.
B-flight is now above and behind Frost, in perfect attack position. Cuddly and Grease Revits will lead the attack, their wingponys, K. Muscrat and V.P. Corona will follow. The remaining two planes will stay up top as top cover. Cuddly signals his attack by rocking his wings, and dives down. Cuddly, diving at high speeds goes to the right, with Grease to the left. Confident of an easy kill, Cuddly and Grease open up, but Frost is anything but an easy target. He's been trained in the first codified dogfight tactics. Rule Five says you should always turn into your enemy's attack, and put him on the defensive.
Frost boots hard right rudder, and spin his machine around 180 degrees. The bizarre maneuver takes the advance of the triplane's stunning maneuverability. The triplane's three wings gave it an exceptional amount of lift to it. This allowed it to do what is called a half flat spin, or an uncontrolled turn.
The S.E.5's face a torrent of tracers. Cuddly and Grease pull into a steep climb, called zooming. But Corona's S.E.5 is sluggish, and drops below Frost, his engine sputtering. Frost reverses and attacks Corona. Corona's sputtering engine coughs to life. He now turns directly into Frost, and opens fire at 300 feet. Frost breaks his attack, but he's not running away, even if it is four against one. Corona decides to stay in the fight, to stay ahead of Frost, and to act as a distraction. Corona and Frost, repeated go into head ons with each other. Corona ducking underneath with Frost drove at or into him.
Above the fight, Cuddly circles, looking for an opening. Cuddly waits for Frost to expose his six o'clock, then pitches over and dives down. Cuddly opens up with his Vic machine gun. But in a blink of an eye, Frost reverses and returns fire with is twin Spands. Cuddly hurdles passed, then zoom climbs. Frost maneuvers bravely, despite the odds. In a group fight like this, one against four, the best place to be is in the middle. They are circling around you trying to maneuver while they have to be careful not to shoot or crash into each other. But, Cuddly is determined, he again noses. No soon than Cuddly's guns spark to life, that Frost brings his nose up to bear. Hot Republic lead tears through Cuddly's S.E.5, shredding fabric and wooden wing spars. Frost seems invincible at the controls of his triplane.
Frost's mastery of his machine finally catches up to Corona. His S.E.5 has taken severe damage. Corona resorts to a last ditch effort to shake Frost off his tail. He noses down and sends his plane into a spin. After a few revolutions, Corona straightens out, but Frost did not buy the trick. He comes down and strafes Corona's wing, and hits his engine.
Frost has now shot down three S.E.5's, and landed hits on any Solar pilot that has approached him. But now, three more planes of 12th squadron join the fray. A startling array of pilots now surrounds Herder Frost, all Solar Aces. Frost's ability of stick and throttle, his ability to fly in a discipline, and his ability to keep his wits about him has helped him hold his own.
Solar S.E. pilot Rich Berry now zeros in on Frost from six o'clock. Frosts brakes right to shake him off, but Berry is not thrown. A Republic Albatross D III has now stumbled into the battle, turning easily on to Berry's tail. Berry zoom climbs to shake the Albratoss. The Republic pilot gives chase. But worst, Frosts climbs and latches on himself. Flying nearby, Cuddly and Grease move in behind the Republics. The battle is now transformed into a wild, twisty tail chase.
The Albatross pitches up, zooms and then drops in behind Cuddly and Grease. Unfortunately for Grease, the Albatross unloads his guns into his airplane. The bullets shred the fabric on Grease's elevator, making it useless. At the head of the chase, Rich Berry yanks the stick, pitches up and loops around onto the Albatross' tail. He fires at point blank range into the Albatross. The wounded Albatross plummets. But it is too late, as Grease's plane noses down and goes into a death spin.
Frost is alone once again. He zooms, distancing himself from the slower climbing S.E.5's. Winging over, Frost looks down at the planes circling below. Frost dives back into the fray. He fires his Spand machine guns into the nearest S.E.5. With the engine pummeled, the Solar pilot dives out. The dogfight rages as Frost expertly flies his triplane, pumping round into each S.E.5. The triplane was still circling around in the midst of six S.E.'s, all firing as opportunity allowed.
The Solar pilots are dumbstruck at the skill and tenacity of pilot in the Fokker triplane. But the battle is about to take an odd turn. One S.E.5 had just gotten onto Frost's tail, when its engine gave out. The S.E.5 was now out of fuel. Frost pitched up and looped on the S.E.'s tail, but broke as he nearly misses crashing into the slow gliding S.E. Berry dives after Frost, firing a burst at him, but one of his guns jams. Frost breaks right, away from Berry, and latches on to another S.E.5. The pilot breaks left, but Frosts follow. Cuddly sees this and brings his plane behind Frosts, firing a burst. Frost zooms and kicks right rudder. Frost is now flying inverted directly above Cuddly. Both break off to their respective right sides. Frost engages with another S.E.5. He follows it in a wide right turn. Berry comes in from Frost's ten o'clock trying to make a pass. But Frosts shoots down the S.E.5 in front of him right before Berry comes in. As Berry comes in, Frost hits left rudder and peppers Berry's plane. Berry's engine now gives out black smoke as he goes down.
Frost has now shot down five enemy planes. He then spots Cuddly coming at him from his twelve high. Frost pitches up to meet him. Frost pulls the trigger, nothing He is out of ammunition. Cuddly is still bearing down on him, then nothing. Cuddly is also out of ammunition. They pass each other; Frost hits his rudder one more time and slides into formation next to Cuddly. With a salute and a rock of the wings, they go their separate ways.
Both pilots returned home. Herder Frost was credited for five more enemy planes, while Cuddly lost three men of his flight. Cuddly used his expiernces to help train new pilots for the Solar Empire. The Fokker Dr. I was found to have wing failure due to poor materials and construction, as well waterproofing.
The exemplary skills of both pilots combined with the advancing technologies set part of the tactics for generation.