Volume 33, Number 4
Published May 12, 2021

BLAZE OF GLORY
​Skinner Bros. Sweep RBF XXXII

Bob Meister said it best after Stephen Dale and Ethan "The Python" Skinner became Red Baron Fight co-champions with just 59 points each. "The Indy Squadron has reached a new low." 

Indeed, 59 points is the lowest winning score in the 32-year history of Indy's spring classic, easily undercutting Rick Lacy's 73-point victory in 2013. Ethan became only the third Albatros pilot in history to win RBF and the first since Graham Shepfer in 2003. Research may eventually show that Stephen Dale is the only flyer to have ever won the Silver Goblet after being shot down. And the Skinner brothers are just the second co-champions in the game's history and the first since the epic showdown between Scott Jones and Terry Phillips in 1995. 

All this, plus the Silver Military Medal and Military Cross were awarded in the aftermath of the fight. The intriguing and record-setting match-up started like this: 

Volume 33, Number 3

History is Yours, Own Part of a Le Rhone Engine

Summary: You can buy a leather men's wrist band that features a valve guide from an original Le Rhone engine built in World War I from Stephen for $60, with delivery expected in May. 

Well, this certainly wasn't anticipated. I managed to find some parts from an original 80 hp Le Rhone rotary engine built in July 1918, and I'm offering them to my Dawn Patrol friends first. If nobody wants them that's okay. I know lots of WWI collectors and engine enthusiasts who will scoop them up. 

Authentic World War I fighter airplanes - that is, real originals - are incredibly rare. And believe it or not, the original engines that powered them are even more rare. There are perhaps a few dozen complete, original Le Rhone Type C 80 hp rotary engines remaining on planet earth. As most Dawn Patrol players know, these engines powered the Nieuport 11, Sopwith Pup, Morane Saulnier N and most of the Standard E-1's and Thomas Morse Scouts that the American aces flew in training.  CLICK "READ MORE" below...

Volume 33, Number 2 

Volume 33, Number 1 

​Covid-19 vs Dawn Patrol – Who Will Win and Why
Stephen Skinner
​
An email was recently sent to Fits Society members regarding the 2021 Spring Mini Con. The discussion quickly degenerated into demands that unvaccinated players be barred from participation. Alternative ideas were ridiculed (so much for diversity) and players rejecting vaccination were sarcastically ​told they would be "sorely missed" (so much for inclusion). But the exchange offered real insight into the vast chasm that separates us from the men whose exploits we recreate in Dawn Patrol. 

Many Dawn Patrol gamers feign respect for the great flyers of World War I but in reality despise the values, culture, religion, loyalties and love of liberty commonly held by those men.

Few Fits players would have lasted five minutes in 1918. If they were to run their mouths as loudly and loosely on an actual World War I airfield as they do at the gaming table, they would soon get their teeth knocked out. The pilots of the early 20th century would not tolerate the arrogance of a know-it-all Dawn Patrol player whose six-Mountain-Dews-per day physique would not stand a snowball's chance in an honest fist fight against an angry flight lieutenant.

​Volume 32, Number 8

DOUBLE ISSUE
Volume 32, Number 6-7

10th Indy Title for Stephen

For the first five turns, the Indy Squadron's 2020 Armistice Day Fits Tournament appeared to be just another well-matched title game. The contest was held on Saturday afternoon, November 7th at the home of Nelson and Sharon Skinner in Lewisville, Indiana. A fresh, hot lunch of brats, hot dogs, chips and dip, soft drinks and snacks was served as the first turn was getting underway. 

It was difficult balancing a seven-player game, so the scenario offered evenly-matched airplanes and a pot luck dice roll as to who would get the odd player. The only concession made to even the scenario was that rookie player Taylor Morgan (who did not, in fact, end up playing like a rookie) would be on the side with a numerical advantage. The sides stacked up like this: 

Volume 32, Number 5 

Armistice Day Championship Preview 

This one is for all the marbles! The Indy Squadron's most prestigious event will be held for the 32nd consecutive year on the first Saturday in November. The winner receives a very special edition of the squadron's most coveted prize, the Victory Medal. Every Victory Medal is a gold medal hung on a red ribbon, and this year's version is a re-purposed award from a rifle shooting competition in 1947. There will only ever be one such award and it goes to the 2020 Indy Squadron champion! 

We will return to our Lewisville, Indiana venue for this year's Indy Squadron Armistice Day Fits Championship. A short warm-up game will begin at 11:00 am on Saturday, November 7, 2020. Please expect an early end to this game. It is merely a warm-up. We would like to have dice rolling for the first turn of the tournament by 1:00-1:30 pm. Here is the full data: 

Indy Squadron's Armistice Day Fits Tournament 2020
Saturday, November 7, 2020 
11:00 am 
108 S Market Street 
Lewisville IN 

Please note that Google maps consistently gets the address as being north of US 40. This address is south of US 40, regardless of what your digital map claims. 
​

Volume 32, Number 4 

​New Venue for Indy Gaming, October 10 Gaming Report 

The Indy Squadron has a wonderful new venue for gaming at a private residence in Lewisville, Indiana. The town represents a nice halfway point between the players in the Indianapolis area and those in the eastern part of the state. The venue is an open, double garage with climate control, refrigerator and a table that can easily accommodate 10 or more players. There is also a secondary room attached with recliners and a pool table nearby for those who inadvertently exit the game early. 

The Indy Squadron held five games on October 10, 2020 in Lewisville with five players present (Stephen, Rick, Ethan, Dory, Michael). Nearly every player scored a victory at some point in the day. Missions included North Sea assignments as well as SE 5a's, SPAD VII's, Fokker Triplanes, a rare balloon victory by a SPAD XI crew, another balloon victory to Ethan's SPAD pilot and an appearance by Italian ace Sgt. Melchoire Giovanni (Stephen, 20/12). 

It was great to see Michael return to the gaming table, and for Dory to be able to spend an entire gaming day with the squadron. A photo journal of the day is below courtesy of Nelson Skinner photography.

Volume 32, Number 3 ​

Skinners Sweep Red Baron Fight XXXI 

Experience was not the deciding factor in the 31st annual Indy Squadron Red Baron Fight, held at the Meister's home outside of Thorntown, Indiana on May 25th. It was the gun jams of his opponents and a dash of luck at just the right moment gave Stephen Skinner his 10th Silver Goblet. 

The sides on this year's six-player event were as follows: 

Germans
A. J. Meister                     Fokker DrI              (Edmund Meister, 4/0) 
Ethan Skinner                  Fokker DrI (red)      (UNT Ludwig Vogal, 2/0)
Rick Lacy                         Fokker DrI               (VZFW Sasha Diederich, 6/1) 

British
Stephen Dale Skinner      Camel 150              (LT James Sadler, 10/2)
Bob Meister                      Camel 150              (2LT Jonny Wilson, 10/0) 
Stephen Daniel Skinner   Camel 150              (2LT Demetrius Hall, 7/4) 

April 25 Game Report 

The Indy Squadron gathered at the Meister's new gaming center for the first time on April 25, 2020 to replicate four World War I aerial battles in the Dawn Patrol board game. Six players attended and a full tour of the Meister's beautiful new property preceded the games. As always, Donna Meister went above and beyond the call to provide everyone a delicious menu throughout the day. 

Game 1

The first game featured three Clerget-powered British Camels (Stephen Dale, Ethan and Stephen) against a trio of Fokker DVII's with high compression 160 horsepower engines (Bob, Rick and A.J.). Ethan and Stephen Dale were particularly effective and although the Brits failed to score any confirmed victories, they held a slight advantage over the Germans for most of the game. All pilots on both sides returned from the mission safely.