Airco DH.5 A9344

This profile is taken from a photo in Windsock Datafile No.50 Airco DH5, of A9288 which was flown by Captain Roy C. Phillipps of 2 Sqn Australian Flying Corps. The photograph in the datafile bears the caption, "75. No.68 ( Australian) Squadron's [sic] marking was a narrow white band round the rear of the fuselage just ahead of the tailplane, here exemplified on A9288. This DH5 was returned to the AD on December 1917, and was flown back to England on February 15 1918."

Roy Phillipps was one of the class acts of the Australian Flying Corps. He joined up almost immediately on the outbreak of war and rose rapidly in the ranks of the Australian Imperial Forces's 28th Battalion. Known as one of the "Black ANZACs" who made the first charge in France, he was wounded and invalided while in the trenches in France. He transferred to the AFC and became an Adjutant with 2 Sqdn before applying for pilot training. He later was attached to 32 Sqn RFC where he was shot down by AA fire near Ypres and then went on to command "A" Flight in 2 Sqn. Phillipps was to become the second leading ace in 2 Sqn with 15 victories before being sent back to home establishment with 1 Wing AFC where he commanded a training squadron.

Phillipps victory list included 10 Destroyed ( two flamed ), 4 Captured and one Out of Control. His first victory was in the DH5 A9288 on the 22nd of November 1917. The Enemy Aircraft was a DFW which landed inside allied lines and was captured. Cutlack wrote of the combat, "Phillipps who was also out bombing and machine gunning enemy posts beyond Bourlon Wood, saw Howard's combats, and was himself attacked by an enemy scout from above. Phillipps aluded this adversary by a sharp turn, dived back upon the German, and fired 150 rounds into him. The enemy avoiding furthur fight, continued his dive to the ground and landed." Note the unusual flight letter on A9288, Gordon Branch has speculated that the flight marking appears to be a modified F.

The Combat Report for the action contained the following;

While dropping bombs near CAMBRAI, this machine dived straight down on me. I zoomed up and turned, and he passed underneath me, when I dived on him and fired 150 rounds, he sideslipped down and landed apparently "OK" on a green patch between houses on N.W. of outskirts of CAMBRAI. Later on, I climbed to 5000 ft, and saw Lt. HOWARD being attacked by D.F.W. (2 seater) over ANNEUX. I dived on him and he broke off combat and flew East climbing, leaving me. Immediately afterwards I saw Lt. HOWARD firing at E.A. and I turned round and fired a few rounds and saw machine gliding down with Lt. HOWARD still firing. 3 S.E.5's dived down and E.A. landed near 570.L.1.

Combat In The Air Report (CITAR) courtesy of Gordon Branch.