Wings of Glory WWI - Aces of the Russian Empire - Orlov -Act 4 Mission 1: Among the Storks!

Описание: Game time March 5th, 2026 at 7 pm est

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Aces of the Russian Empire - Orlov
Act 4 Mission 1
Among the Storks!

24 January 1917

Northern France – Fresnoy Sector near Roye (Somme Front)

By late 1916, Russian aviation leaders recognized that the war in the air had evolved faster on the Western Front than anywhere else. French and German fighter units had developed disciplined formations, specialized tactics, and advanced aircraft that outclassed many machines operating in the East.
In response, a small group of experienced Russian pilots were sent abroad to study the newest fighter doctrine firsthand. Among them was Podporuchik Ivan Orlov, commander of the 7th Aviation Otryad Istrebiteley.
After a long journey through Murmansk and across wartime shipping lanes, Orlov arrived in France in late 1916 and was attached to Escadrille N.3, the famous “Storks” squadron. The unit had already produced some of the most celebrated French aces of the war, including Georges Guynemer, whose aggressive tactics and disciplined attack methods had become the model for modern fighter operations.
The Russians were initially restricted to patrol and escort flights while they learned French procedures. The Storks emphasized altitude advantage, coordinated attacks, and strict discipline during engagement. The lessons were very different from the improvisational air fighting common on the Eastern Front.
On the morning of 24 January 1917, Orlov joined a patrol over the Somme sector flying a SPAD VII fighter. During the patrol the formation encountered German aircraft operating near Fresnoy. A short but violent engagement followed in which Orlov forced one of the enemy aircraft down near the village of Roye.
Though brief, the encounter left a deep impression on the Russian officer. The methods used by the Storks, attacking from above, striking quickly, and disengaging before the enemy could counter would later form the basis of Orlov’s famous tactical pamphlet “Techniques of Air Combat.”
This mission recreates the patrol in which Orlov first experienced Western Front fighter doctrine in action.



Next Mission: Wings of Glory WWI - Aces of the Russian Empire March 11th 2026

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