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ChrisRawlins — Wulstan Tempset
#raf #tempest #wulstan #airship #airships #dogfight #ww1 #zeppelin #zeppelins #ww1worldwar
Published: 2016-11-04 15:03:48 +0000 UTC; Views: 3754; Favourites: 88; Downloads: 38
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Description
On the night of 1 October, a Super Zeppelin L31 was headed towards London. When caught in searchlights the Captain abandoned the raid and dropped most of his bombs to lighten the airship and increase height.At about 11.45pm, Wulstan J Tempest spotted and attacked the Zeppelin. At a height of about 14,500 feet. His machine gun fired a long burst along its length. Flames began to erupt from the L31 and it began to fall, finally hitting the ground at Potters Bar. All the crew were killed. This he accomplished despite having a broken fuel pump that required him to hand prime his engine at the same time as flying his aircraft and shooting.
Tempest was awarded the DSO and soon promoted to Major. Tempest Avenue in Potters Bar was named after him as was a private road, Wulstan Park. The latter is close to where the L31 fell.
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Tempest closed with the airship and dived at it, firing a burst from his machine-gun as he approached, and another burst into the underside of the L31 as he passed below. His gun was loaded with a mixture of tracer, incendiary and ordinary ammunition, so he could see that he was hitting his target, but nothing happened. Tempest got unto position under the tail of the ship and fired a long burst as he flew along its length. He saw the envelope begin to glow from the inside like "a giant chinese-lantern" and then flames began to spurt out of the forward end and almost at once, it seemed, the Zeppelin began to fall.
The spectacle of the Zeppelin caught so dramatically in the searchlight beams had attracted tens of thousands of people over a wide area. Because of the height involved, the people were able to see it from many miles away. As the tiny jet of flame spread to engulf the ship, an enormous, exultant roar burst forth from the throats of the watchers.
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In the middle of 2016 Zeppelin raids to Britain had become really dangerous and exciting for the germans.
The british planes could now reach the attitude of the Zeppelin easily and were equipped with special icendiary ammunition that was developed to shoot down Zeppelin.
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A Zeppelin is about to die! An amazing depiction!
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Amazing lighting and an awesome wingman's perspective on this really makes you feel as if you are there experiencing this!
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A true, brave story, so well depicted with masterful light and successful muted color. Such a shame that something as beautiful as a zeppelin would become an instrument of death...
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