Olham 164 Posted April 5, 2009 "In nature, there are neither rewards nor punishments - there are consquences" (R. G. Ingersoll) But in BHaH, there are punishments, and rewards. After Interlocuter and Siggi had convinced me to "fly without crutches", I have just absolved my first flight as a real veteran pilot, and caring flight leader. We were sent out to destroy a ballon in the Marne bend region. All unrealistic help devices switched off, we approached waypoint 2, right at the lines. I had climbed to 6.000 feet, and so still had to check the skies above us. Even worse: all the space below us. You wouldn't see a SPAD in camouflage climb towards you! Heavy thunderheads around - a tense athmosphere. Suddenly, I thought, I had seen a short kind of blink, in front of a slate grey cloud tower. There it was again! And a second dot! They moved left, so I changed direction about 20° to the right, climbing. We flew a wide curve, to get behind them. I sharpened my view, but there were no more specs. When we had an advantage of some 1.000 feet, they suddenly pulled round and dived our direction. They must have seen us all the time. From the dive, they pulled up with incredible speed, growing fast! I ordered split, and attack! And managed to get a half turn to end right behind one. He was hit so devastating, and so often, he seemed to sink away. I let him go. Were are my men; and how are they doing? The three of them were buzzing around the second SPAD, but couldn't seem to get into position. Coming down on it like an eagle, I was careful enough with my wings. He tried to pull up, out of my dive, but got the first burst. I rushed through a cloud of splinters and ripped fabric. Pulling up after him, I lay almost headover, when I fired a second burst. Now he drove downwards, but with no elegance. And he got it right into the cockpit. Pulling up again, I shot into his fuselage from so close, that in pulling away, my right wing touched his rudder. He screamed terribly, and nosed down, down, until the crash. Re-assembling now. I flew two, three circles, until everyone was there. Relief - no one missing! Just when I was about to go on towards the ballon, I saw 4 - 6 fine points moving to the right, away from us. I went on, but kept them in my sight, until they had disappeared. Now I was in a bit of a trouble. If they were SPADs, too, they would be a real danger for my flight. But I still had some 800 - 850 rounds left, and the order was, to down that ballon. So, I went on with my flight. Arriving, we got heavily shelled from lots of AA. I zigzagged towards the ballon, but it got more and more hazardous. Reaching it, I shot it up quickly and pulled away hard. Zigzagging back, we were hidden in black puffs. And then came the one with my name on - Boof!! - and part of my right wing flew away! I tumbled down and made a nasty crash. I must admit, I would have thought, I was dead. But no! I got the claim report, and then a notice, that I had been captured, but escaped after 20 days! That's the reward! Sometimes - but only sometimes - BHaH can be so good to you... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hellshade 110 Posted April 5, 2009 Olham, I just got taken down by bosche groundfire myself. Seems I was too low over the german side of the front after my last scrap with your comrades when the machine gunners decided to have a go at me. Engine aflame I ditched into a line of trees pretty hard from 200 feet up without any control. Not only didn't I die. I wasn't injured or captured and I was allowed to fill out my claim forms. The Colonel didn't even have the courtesy to yell at me for ruining one of his planes. Methinks something may be amiss in the Dead is Dead crash outcome setting. I did get 4 more of your friends though (two were really just me assisting or finishing off what my squadron mates had already started) and had it not been for the ground machine gun fire I would have made it home again more or less in one peice. I need to add a new "Don't" to my list though. Don't drop down too low over the front for any reason! Even to finish off wounded prey. I'll have to test and see what altitude machine gun fire decides to have a go with aircraft at and stay above that. Hellshade aka Sgt. David Ian Darks Royal Air Force Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted April 5, 2009 Sometimes, there is a wink of the eye of fate. Or the "Winding Lord"... (Shouldn't it be: Sgt. David Ian Darks - Royal Flying Corps ?) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hellshade 110 Posted April 5, 2009 It should be Royal Flying Corps. Clearly my head was bumped during the last crash. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
