Observer Training mission?

I keep seeing the interior of one of the planes after it had been a stormy night.  The sun has broken through and the clouds that are in sky have the big angry blue look to them.  Everything smells great and looks crisp and clean after the rain.  You can see vapor rising from the ground.  I can't tell whether it is fog or steam.  The surrounding area has many low hills and are covered with thick vegetation.  This seems to be earlier in the war.  Perhaps pre-Boelcke or at the time of flying with Jasta 2.

I look into the cock pit and the seat is wet along with the wooden floor boards.  Everything is damp.  I don't really want to sit into the wet plane.  I know my wool uniform will smell funny for hours and and will be damp.  Thank God for silk underwear.  Perhaps my mother is owed thanks as well.  The plane looks like a two seater.  There is someone else.  I am not sure if I am the pilot or passenger.  Perhaps I am an observer.  I get flashes of paperwork in my hands and I am reading through it quickly.  Can't tell whether this is a flying lesson or perhaps getting ready for an observer mission.  I just know that the damn plane is wet and I am not thrilled about it.  I think I am the observer.  The pilot just looks at me funny and he is all suited up like it's gonna be freezing out there.  This makes me uncomfortable.

I know I need to finish reading the paperwork and tuck it into my coat where the wind will not get it.  I also have to stuff my hat into my coat as well and button it up real far.  The flying helmet and goggles feel weird.  I am having a hard time getting used to them.  I wish I could make the glass clearer for I feel like it impairs my ability to see effectively through the lenses.  The pilot gets the plane going and I can feel the vibrations throughout the whole machine.  There is a feeling of apprehension again.  The sun has dodged back behind the angry clouds, and the wet seat is now finally soaked into my trousers and I can feel the dampness all underneath my thighs and bottom.  Lovely feeling. (Hear the sarcasm in my words.)

The plane starts to move and I can feel the cool air all around me.  I am in the back seat.  I watch the ground zoom past and we gain speed and the grass turns into a blurr of greens and browns.  It is bumpy and then all goes smooth as the vibrating monster takes to the air.  It's exciting and frightening all at the same time.  I love it and hate it.  As we gain altitude I can feel the moisture in the air hit my face lightly and the goggles get misted.  The pilot turns his head and shouts something back at me.  I have no idea what he said.  I think I asked him, "WHAT?!"  And he grins back at me and says it again.  He just told me that the flight might be bumby because of the storm clouds.  Whoopee. (more sarcasm on my part.) Despite my feelings I look over the edge of the plane and marvel at how beautiful and wondrous the world looks.  There is something familiar about flying to me.  I feel as though I should have been a great bird taking to the sky circling over the land watching for prey below.  The ride does get bumpy and my focus is brought back to reality.  The pilot yells hold on and something about that I had better have my seat belt on tight.  I double check the seat belt as instructed.

I tighten the belt a bit forcing myself to endure the cold wet that I feel throughout my lower extremities.  Next time I am getting a towel and wiping out the seat!!  He circles about and then  left and I look on that side.  I am looking for something.  I think I am looking for a building.  I tell the pilot I found the first item on the list.  The structure has a red tile roof and appears to be in tack.  He nods his head appreciatively and he swings our bird to the right and goes higher.  We are now looking for something else.  We fly over some small mountains or large hills that are covered with forest and seem to be heading westward.  I can hear the change in the sound of the engine as the pilot makes the plane climb and we pop into some low clouds and all turns white.  I actually feel freaked out at first.  I can't see anything!  And it is really damp.  Then as suddenly as we were made blind we regained our vision.  We're on the other side of the low mountains and can see a large wide flatland that has all kinds of farms scattered about.  I am looking for a river.  I see one, but I am not certain if it is the correct river.

I ask the pilot and he shakes his head.  He  says it's too small.  He says this little one pours into the one we are looking for.  As I look towards the area it appears the storm clouds are higher up and not so likely to rain and the sun is breaking through more areas.   This area really opens up and I think I am looking for for railway tracks.  More specifically, a railway bridge that crosses over a river.  I can see that we are approaching the target and I look down and it appears to be in tact as well along with another bridge that is smaller and crossing over a canal and it has a truck parked on the bridge, which I thought was curious.  I point that out to the pilot and he nods appreciatively.

I also see other planes in the sky in the distance towards the southwest.  I point these out to the pilot.  It takes him a few minutes to see what I am pointing at in the sky.  After a few minutes, he turns the plane around and we head back to the airbase.