Red-Dog 3 Posted March 15, 2009 Some of you might find this a good site. http://albertball.homestead.com/Aircraftflown.html Enjoy.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flyby PC 23 Posted March 16, 2009 I liked it Red Dog. Funny, but I always 'kinda' thought pilots would have favourite aircraft, and others they were glad to see the back of. I lost count after 30 different aircraft, so I doubt there was time to get over attached to any one in particular. Seems like your plane was just another piece of equipment and not something you got too fond of. Quite a contrast with all the personalised aircraft flown by the Germans. (Or maybe I'm reading too much into it. Planes would be getting damaged all the time too...) Imagine jumping into the same cockpit where someone had already been killed or injured. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGCSG1 0 Posted March 16, 2009 World War 1 aces...were they patriots? Or psychotic killers? I'm reminded of the story of Anthony Fokker's invention of the 'shoot thru the propeller' setup and how the Germans wanted him to test it. He got a plane in his sights and couldn't pull the trigger. They had to get Boelke (sp?) to test Fokkers invention. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red-Dog 3 Posted March 16, 2009 I liked it Red Dog. Funny, but I always 'kinda' thought pilots would have favourite aircraft, and others they were glad to see the back of. I lost count after 30 different aircraft, so I doubt there was time to get over attached to any one in particular. Seems like your plane was just another piece of equipment and not something you got too fond of. Quite a contrast with all the personalised aircraft flown by the Germans. (Or maybe I'm reading too much into it. Planes would be getting damaged all the time too...) Imagine jumping into the same cockpit where someone had already been killed or injured. I've done quite alot of reading up on ball since i was a kid, i only live about a mile away from where he was born so he was my hero. I know from what i've read that he loved his nieuport and was none to happy when he was posted to 56sqd with the SE5. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dej 17 Posted March 16, 2009 I've done quite alot of reading up on ball since i was a kid, i only live about a mile away from where he was born so he was my hero.I know from what i've read that he loved his nieuport and was none to happy when he was posted to 56sqd with the SE5. Heh, I don't think anyone was happy at first with the monstrosity the Royal Aircraft Factory initially designed. Those RAF 'aircraft designers' came up with some of the worst aircraft ever to see the light of day (RE8 for example) and made every effort to stall the efforts of Sopwith, Bristol and De Havilland. Ball was particularly outspoken: "The SE5 has turned out a dud. It's speed is only about half Nieuport speed and it is not so fast in getting up. It is a great shame, for everybody thinks they are so good and expects a lot from them. Well, I am making the best of a bad job. I am taking one gun off in order to take off weight. Also I am lowering the windscreen in order to take off resistance. A great many things I am taking off in the hopes that I shall get a little better control and speed. But it is a rotten machine..." Ball was wrong in the end of course but he wasn't the only one who disliked it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
