Flamer over the lines by Simon Cattlin

The painting depicts a close fought engagement between an RFC SE5a and a German Fokker Tri-plane. By spring 1918 the scout fighter had become of age and battles raged daily over the front as the Allied and German squadrons fought to maintain air supremacy above the battlefield. Many of the engagements were fought at relatively low level as much of the primary tasking was air to ground reconnaissance and tactical bombing undertaken by the emerging recce/bomber forces.

The losses suffered by both air arms was very high, much has been written about the air war during 1918 and the technical and tactical merits of these aircraft.

By this stage of the war efficient tactics had developed alongside relaively strong and manoeuverable fighters. Sadly parachutes, pilot armour and self sealing tanks were not part of the fighting reality and significant damage to the aircraft, or wounds to the pilot, were usually fatal.