A great one passes on to higher heights...

[JGr2/J5_Baeumer]

It is with heavy hearts that the pilots of Jagdstaffel 5 inform the community that Chunko has fought his last fight here.  Having won many fights over Flanders with so many of you whom he considered worthy opponents, and having won his fight with cancer a handful of years ago, and untold other fights that life brings that only he knew, he has flown his last flight here.

Yesterday I received word from another community member who knew him in person and had attended various flight shows with him (and also flew with him before J5) that he passed away last week from a "chest infection".   Although we are not sure, it appears from what we know that either he had a adverse reaction to his vaccination just a handful of days prior to his feeling ill or that he had unknowingly contracted COVID prior to receiving his shot and before it could protect him from this scourge, which takes a few weeks after getting it.

Chunko had been a long-time pilot with Jasta 5 since 2012 in the days of RoF and had become respected in the WWI community as one of the best pilots in the air and on the ground. He was instrumental in the training of several cohorts of Greentails at Boistrancourt over the years and he had continued that role in Flying Circus (once we all convinced him to come over to it!).  He was always willing to share what he knew with other pilots and he was one of the deadliest shots over the front.  He had recently earned his Pour le Merite and shortly thereafter, his Bavarian Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class for 40 scores in a single virtual life. He will be missed by all who knew him.

Those who knew and flew with Chunko understood that to fly with him meant soaring to great heights above everyone else, to gain the edge of altitude and surprise.   Now unconstrained by material and gravity, he is free to soar to the greatest heights ever possible to receive his final reward that is not earned and only given above...

 

Those who would like to attend a missing wingman formation flown by Jasta 5 in his memory are welcome to do so this Saturday at 1700 GMT (convert to your local time) on a server titled Chunko Memorial.

 

 

Below are a few video tributes from fellow pilots of Jasta 5:

Mueller Tribute using music from the band he played in:

 

Daedallus Tribute:

 

 

Memorial Flight...
 

 

Edited March 9, 2021 by J5_Baeumer
video tributes added

[NO.20_W_M_Thomson]

Oh no, so sorry to hear this. Heart breaking to hear.

[J2_Drookasi]

My heart is heavy like a stone since I heard of Chunko's demise. I could not believe how a man who just recently made it to more than 40 PvP kills, to 104 air kills total, could pass away so suddenly...

 

J5_Chunko had been one of those players that were a model of the pilot I wanted to become when in my early days in Rise of Flight. Tactical mind, capable leader and a deadly shooter, I was always glad when we were flying on the same side and worried when I was flying against him. I still remember my self-satisfaction when I finally managed to shot him down for the first time, many years ago. And when flying in events like Bloody April, he had always been among my first choices when I was looking for flight leaders.

 

Chunko, you will be missed. Sincere condolences to his squad mates and to his family.

[JGr2/S27b_Loppnow]

Chunko will be greatly missed but never forgotten.  He was a tremendous soul and an honour to have known him.  I am a religious man and look forward to meeting him in person.

 

o7 J5_Chunko, until we meet again.

 

 

Edited March 3, 2021 by J5_Loppnow-Sch27b

[J2_Bidu]

Deeply sorry to hear this. Chunko was a reference from my very first days of ROF multiplayer, a truly excellent fighter. He was always very cordial, and when I heard a few years ago that he was ill the news came with that feeling that there's no justice in Nature's ways. Ever since, when I saw him connecting to the game, I had this refreshing feeling that he had won his fight and he was well enough to come and have fun with us. To hear about his loss now to this dreadful new disease is disturbing.

 

My feelings go to his friends, and particularly his brothers in Jasta 5.

[J2_raker]

Very sorry to hear of his passing.

[SeaW0lf]

I'm very sorry to hear this. He was one of the best. I wish he is well above us now in his journey. I will try my best to attend Saturday's memorial in his memory.

RIP, Chunko.

[J37_Josef_Tabone]

Dear Chunko 

 

Sadly missed never forgotten 

 

Josef

[J2_Trupobaw]

Words fail me. Blue skies, Chunko!

 

[1PL-Lucas-1Esk]

Very sad to hear this. Whenever a WW1 community member passes away it is a big loss for all of us. Chunko was a great pilot with exceptional skills. We will be missing him.

I know how it is to loose a squadron mate

Condolences to all the Greentails! S!

[SYN_Mugue]

My condolences.

I enjoyed many good sparring matches with him over the years. In most which he usually got the better of me. Good times.

Salute!

[J2_Oelmann]

Deepest condolence to all friends and family-members of chunko.

Sad to hear about the loss.

[=IRFC=Tunes]

Sending my deepest condolences to all of J5. Godspeed, sir.

[SYN_Jedders]

So sad to hear this news. We flew against him many times over the years and always enjoyed the company of J5.

 

A huge loss to the community.

 

S! J5_Chunko

 

SYN_Jedders and all in SYNDICATE Sqn

[SYN_Ricky]

Very sad to read that, sincere condolences to his family and all of you that were his squadmates.

[No.23_Gaylion]

What a wonderful post. He will be missed.

 

You were always one we would look out for.

 

Fair winds and following seas, @J5_Chunko

[BMA_Hellbender]

I had the pleasure and the privilege to fly with him as part of J5. He was a great chap. 

 

 

But that is not how I will remember him.

 

Back in RoF, in my old days driving Captain Darling around in the Bristol, we came upon this one Albatros flying by himself. Honestly, we both thought it was going to be routine — this was no Dr.I or D.VIIF — we wouldn't even have to try very hard. A few moments into the fight, it was clear that we had made a terrible miscalculation. I'm not sure what he did, exactly, but I remember thinking that I'd never ever seen someone fly an Albatros like that. I also clearly remember we lost our wings and took quite a dent to our ego. That was Chunko.

 

 

I don't want to appear tone-deaf in the face of such a tragic loss, and my sincerest condolences are with his family and J5, but if he somehow gets to meet Boelcke and von Richthofen, then this is how I picture the encounter will go:

 

Spoiler

 

[Zooropa_Fly]

[SYN_Vorlander]

Salute Chunko! you were a great friend and inspiration to me! I will never forget your voice and the knowledge you shared with us at Jagdstaffel 5. 

 

Deepest condolence to all friends and family-members.

 

I am sadden by the news

 

RIP brother! 

 

J5_Vorlander

[J15_Gontermann]

Sorry to hear the news, Chunko was truly the pinnacle of virtual fighter pilots, my deepest condolences to his family and friends.
 

Ich hatt’ einen Kameraden,
Einen bessern findst du nit...

[No.23_Triggers]

Shocking and awful news. 

Chunko has been nothing less than a class act, and was an absolute pleasure to fly both alongside and against. He has always been a pilot that I aspired to be like, since my earliest days in RoF. 

My sincere condolences to his family and to Jasta 5.  



 

[Guest deleted@83466]

........I don't even know what to say.  Maybe I'll write more more later when it sinks in.

 

I woke up this morning, made my usual rounds of flight sim forums, and reading this is just devastating.  Out of nowhere.

 

I can say he was my primary flight sim mentor.  Or that he was the very best virtual pilot I've ever encountered.  Absolutely with no doubt, he was.  I remember how much his compliments meant, whether in the air, or doing things like working with him to paint a new version of his personal skin.  In practice dogfights, he was so good, he would leave me feeling like a fool, but was always so humble.  Genuinely humble.  And if I could get a lucky shot in and shoot him down once out of twenty, his compliments put me on cloud nine.  He was just a fundamentally decent man, and anyone who ever interacted with him could see that in the first minute.

 

But when I hear this, it doesn't really have anything to do with flight sim, that was just the media that I met him through.  I genuinely liked the man.  If I had ever made it across the pond, he would have been the guy I would have wanted to meet in person, sit in a pub and talk about life over a few pints.  He would have been the first person I would have looked up.

 

About a month ago, Klugermann had sent me a PM to the effect of "we're getting the gang back together".  I've been on hiatus from flight sim since around Christmas, so didn't get it in time, and never followed up.  I don't know if Chunko was there, but if he was, I certainly wish I would have gotten the chance to fly with him one last time.

 

I'm not religious, but I wish I was at times like these.  All of I have to offer are my deepest sympathies, and it feels so inadequate.  The world just became a lot emptier with out a man like him in it.  To say "Salute" is an understatement.

[Winkelmann]

Last monday's evening I read the first message by Hauptmann J5_Bäumer about the sudden passing of J5_Chunko. I was flabbergasted. This was the man who still ranks number two in the present stats. The man who flew against me in many training sessions of Jasta 5 and managed to shoot me down every time. I did not matter if he flew an inferior aircraft, he still outflew me every time.

 

And what a great teacher he was. With his unmistakable Cockney accent he advised me on what to do and what not to do to become a better pilot.

 

I lost a virtual friend and it hurts. I send my deepest condolences to all who were dear to him. 

 

RIP Herr Oberleutnant J5_Chunko,

 

Old pilots never die, they just fly higher.

 

J5_Winkelmann.

 

[J99_Sizzlorr]

Rest in Peace J5_Chunko. Words fail me as well. Sincere condolences to family, friends and Jasta 5. You will be missed in the virtual skies.

[J5_Rumey]

[JGr2/J5_Klugermann]

Just logged on, never expected to see this. Simply devastated...at a loss for words as we spoke only a week and a half ago at practice. He said he felt lousy but attributed it to his first round of the Moderna vac.  Just a great guy all around as well as a phenomenal virtual pilot and mentor. I consider myself fortunate to have made his acquaintance.

 

Rest well my friend.

[1PL-Shoki-2Esk]

 

My condolences.

Blue skies, Chunko!

[J2_Seya]

My condolences,

I wish your family the best.

[JGr2/J5_Hotlead]

Wow. I certainly didn’t expect to see this. Absolutely heartbreaking! 
 

He was a fantastic pilot and a worthy opponent. Whenever I saw him on a server, I felt safer... if he was on my side. If not... I knew I had to watch my six! 
 

While he wasn’t as active on these forums, he was the sort of gentleman whose contributions to the community were felt rather than seen. I can see his effects on the pilots of Jasta 5, past and present, making them a unit of formidable foes in the air. 
 

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and his squadmates. Fair winds and blue skies, Chunko! You will be sorely missed.

[=WBR=J99*SpitFire]

Very sorry, no words.

[J5_HellCat_]

Sick to my stomach right now ..... Pleasure to wing with him .... RIP

 

 

[JG1_Vonrd]

Heartbreaking news. Even more so that he had just been vaccinated and it seems that this horrid scourge of Covid caused his death. As with all of us, my sincere condolences to his loved ones (which I'm sure includes all of J5).

 

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” 

[Stab/JG1_Klaiber]

I'm very sorry to hear this.  My heartfelt condolences to Chunko's family, his friends, and of course to Jasta 5.  CAVU, Sir!

[GenMarkof007]

S! Salute Chunko...

 

It is a very sad day when our small community loose a great pilot like him!
I want to wish my sincere condolences to his squad mates, his friends and to his family.

 

May we remember him and may the rest of the (ROF, BOX) community stay safe in these times!

 

Cheers mate... may you fly where you now wants!
JG1_GenMarkof

Edited March 3, 2021 by JG1_GenMarkof

[JG1_Rotermann]

Sad Sad news God Bless

[506CR_Ave_Fenix]

My sincere condolences to his family , friends, and brothers in the sky..

[1PL-Sahaj-1Esk]

... this just sounds so unreal, sorry to hear ?

 

I will remember him as a skilled pilot, good chap and a very honorable WWI community member.

 

R.I.P. and S!

 

 

[JG5_Thijs]

Hello all,

 

J5 guys and all the others who commented on this post, thank you for your kind messages.

I received a phone call from Chunko/Roger’s wife on Monday. I’m still in shock about the news. I know him from about 2002 and had been friends with him ever since. Chunko played the original IL2 with his squad JMFT and later with us in JG5, only to move over to J5 to fly World War One planes. I met him about a dozen times in real life, mainly at Flying Legends at Duxford, but also on other occasions which was always a lot of fun.

I will remember him as a great friend with a great sense of humor and also a good online pilot for whom I flew wing for a long time.

My condolences for everyone who knew him in the real world as Roger and online as Chunko.

 

Cheers,

 

Thijs

Edited March 3, 2021 by JG5_Thijs

[CubanCoveRunner]

What a hell of a blow to all.  Cheers to you Chunko and farewell my friend.

 

 

 

"When you soar into the air on a Sopwith Scout,

And you're scrapping with a Hun and your gun cuts out,

Well, you stuff down your nose 'til your plugs fall out,

'Cos you haven't got a hope in the morning."

 

-excerpt from No Parachute by Arthur Gould Lee

 

 

 

Edited March 4, 2021 by CubanCoveRunner

[1PL-KJ-1Esk]

My Condolences 

RiP Chunko

S!