Bloody April

Bloody April was the name given after the fact to the air campaign intended to support the Battle of Arras in April 1917. The British Royal Flying Corps suffered exceptionally high casualties while conducting operations over the Western Front. The losses coincided with the introduction of the German Albatros D.III fighter at the beginning of 1917, which outperformed most British aircraft in service at that time, and German pilots were also far better trained than their British counterparts. The RFC lost at least 245 aircraft and more than 400 aircrew were killed or reported missing. German losses were much lower. German air superiority proved temporary as the arrival of aircraft like the Sopwith Camel in July enabled Allied forces to regain parity in the air after the campaign was over.