rabu 9 Posted June 22, 2009 It takes a few minutes to dl this site, (they used bmp images instead of JPG!) but well worth the wait. About 4/5 of the way down are air oriented photos, etc. I wish my French was better http://bleuhorizon.canalblog.com/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted June 22, 2009 What a great find! It takes a while to build up, but it's worth the waiting. So many detailed things - a medic's bag's content, a shock-proof watch, Uniform badges and stickers, and a German MP from late 1918 I had never seen anywhere before; and and and... Worth to return to many times. Thanks for posting, Rabu! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rabu 9 Posted June 22, 2009 Can you imagine having to wear this in cold weather? or this? No one has modeled this in any WWI sims I've seen so far.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted June 22, 2009 I have never seen such face mask before. But I once had a long motorbike ride in February, with an open jet helmet. I tell you - I can understand the guy who invented this mask! Oh, how I wish they made a really good WW1 movie; where they'd introduce such details. And now that Mayrhofer builds three Albatros, they wouldn't even have to do it all on their computers - they could have closeups with real fighter craft! One of these days, perhaps... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Check Six 2 Posted June 22, 2009 rabu, An Australian who flew for the RNAS by the name of Frederick Sidney Cotton was out tinkering with his aircraft engine when he was either taken by surprise (not paying attention to the time) or was sent on a scramble mission. I think it must have been to intercept Gothas or a Zeppelin, as his flight had to attain a great altitude before returning. He didn't have time to change into his flight gear. All other pilots on that mission suffered horribly for some time afterwatrds from the effects of flying so high with little protection. Sidney Cotton in his grease-stained overalls felt little or no effects at all. The Sidcot flying suit was invented that day. Merely impregnating the fabric with grease had remarkable effect keeping the wind and cold out. A few modifications, furry collar etc... and it was done. It was said that MvR was wearing a British Sidcot suit on his last flight, and that the suits were in high demand from pilots of both sides of the lines. Frederick Sidney Cotton later was a pioneer in many aerial photography innovations and ideas, and fought long and hard with authority all the rest of his days. A very stubborn genius indeed. He gained fame by being the last civilian aircraft to take off from Berlin's Templehoff Airport before the declaration of war in WW2. Just a short time before, he was asked by Field Marshal "Smiling Albert" Kesselring if he could fly Cotton's Lockheed Electra (I think that was the type he was in). Albert went for an aerial reconnaissance over the Ruhr Valley to check from the air his defences he had painstaking been setting up. Little did he know. When he asked Cotton what the flashing light was on the instrument panel, Cotton made up some story about a fuel system that had been playing up, but assured him all was well, just a faulty warning light. In fact, Smiling Albert was flying a spy mission over his own defences, and the light was to alert the pilot that the very cleverly hidden panel (it passed INTENSE scrutiny) in the aircraft's belly was open and taking photographs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hasse Wind 46 Posted June 22, 2009 What a great site! Too bad I'm not much of a French speaker, but fortunately good pictures need no words to describe them. Rabu, I'd stay away from animal activists when wearing that huge fur coat. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rabu 9 Posted June 23, 2009 Olham: Not only did it apparently keep him warm, it probably scared the bejebbers out of any one he encountered, giving him the upper hand! Steve: Thanks for that fascinating bit of history, really interesting stuff, please add more! HW: I'll bet at the time a pilot wearing that coat was really considered spectacular to the women. Ya, wish my French as better too.. or even comprehensible. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted June 24, 2009 Thick fur coats don't seem to be the exception in WW1. This picture shows a soldier on a watch post on the island of Norderney (see my thread about Zeppelins over Ostfriesland). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OvS 8 Posted June 24, 2009 Thick fur coats don't seem to be the exception in WW1.This picture shows a soldier on a watch post on the island of Norderney (see my thread about Zeppelins over Ostfriesland). I'd love to sneak-up behind that guy and flick him on the ear, then see if he could chase me in that thing. LOL! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted June 24, 2009 Haha - yes, would be difficult to run in that thing. But they didn't really expect a landing so far away from the front. They just where a watch out post, to prevent an English air ship raid on the 4 Zeppelin hangars in Hage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
