20 hours in a BE2c!

[JimAttrill 24]

I have now been enlisted since the 23rd March 1915 and it is now the 20th April 1915. I have done 18 missions in the BE2c of 4 squadron. I have spent most of this time learning how to fly and I must say it is a good training aircraft. Not much action, though I was attacked once and shot down a Fokker Eindekker (confirmed). Now promoted to Captain from the original Sgt.

 

One question - the aircraft seems tail-heavy and wants to go left. Is this how the original aircraft flew?

 

Now I have a LCD monitor I must say it is easier to spot other aircraft.

 

I am running at a realism level of 90 at the moment.

 

One point of note and thanks to the OFF team - it is nice to be shown dates in the dd/mm/ccyy format for a change! If I sign up for an American squadron will it change to mm/dd/ccyy? (Only joking folks :yes: ).

[Hasse Wind 46]

Well done, Jim!

 

When you're done with the learning period, join a Quirk squadron in early 1917, for example. Then there'll be something else coming after you than the useless Eindeckers. As an Albatros pilot, Quirks are my best friends on the way to getting my Pour le Merite.

[JimAttrill 24]

I am going to try to fly all the way though to Nov 11th 1918 and see how many pilots I need 4 squadron changed to RE8's later on in the war but I believe that it was not a lot better than the BE2c.

 

Once I am a better flyer I will start with fighters as well with either 24 or 56.

 

I must say that I really like this game, getting more 'immersed' all the time. I can see how players go into mourning when their favourite pilot gets killed.

[OvS 8]

I am going to try to fly all the way though to Nov 11th 1918 and see how many pilots I need 4 squadron changed to RE8's later on in the war but I believe that it was not a lot better than the BE2c.

 

Once I am a better flyer I will start with fighters as well with either 24 or 56.

 

I must say that I really like this game, getting more 'immersed' all the time. I can see how players go into mourning when their favourite pilot gets killed.

 

I think it's great that you jumped into a 2-seater campaign. We'd like to hear what you think of it.

[themightysrc 5]

OvS,

 

I'd say that it's a tough old life in a BE2c, but it might be a tad less tough if that bloke sat in front actually had a machine gun to train onto the hordes of Bosche.

[Olham 164]

Jim, if you really want to live all the way through until the end of this war, I highly recommend

to change to a Bristol F2b two seat fighter. It's the only twoseat, that can cause me headache

or better: "engine outs" (my mechanics HATE them).

[Dej 17]

... 4 squadron changed to RE8's later on in the war but I believe that it was not a lot better than the BE2c.

 

Hear Hear! There's the evidence pointing at one of the RFC's most insidious enemies... namely, the R. A. F. and its team of non-innovative designers with their motto "If it doesn't work, build a different model with worse faults"

[Olham 164]

Harsh words - was it really so bad? I thought, the S.E.5a and the Camel where good fighters?

The Pup I also liked (the flying - not the firepower). And what about the Tripe - a hell of a crate!

[JimAttrill 24]

Harsh words - was it really so bad? I thought, the S.E.5a and the Camel where good fighters?

The Pup I also liked (the flying - not the firepower). And what about the Tripe - a hell of a crate!

 

They (ie the Royal Aircraft Factory) deserve 'harsh words' for designing aeroplanes that were a German scout pilots dream. If you want a good laugh look at the FE2d where the gunner had to stand on his seat to fire backwards. Brave men flew them and got killed. Remember that Sopwith was a private venture company and if it hadn't been for the RNAS the RAF would have had no good fighters until the advent of the SE5.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but the R101 was designed by them with ridiculous underpowered engines. They refused to admit they were wrong, and 48 people were killed. The private venture R100, designed (amongst others) by Neville Shute Norway, flew to Canada and back. As an historical aside, some of the R101 alloy structure was bought by the Zeppelin company and used to make the Hindenburg.

 

ps. I now have 23 hours on the BE2c, though very little combat at all. Am now a major, so must be the squadron commander

[Olham 164]

Wait, 'till you enter April 1917, Jim - it will be "bloody", and you will wish you had a Brisfit.

So, in case you get killed - think about that craft. It was superb!

[JimAttrill 24]

I think I will recruit another pilot to 48Sqn which were the first to use the F2B Bristol Fighter. I tried another early squadron, no 24 with DH2s but I can't seem to fly it well. A moderate bank turns into a more than 90 deg bank and then I spin in. The first time I was lucky to be wounded but the second time ended up dead. It also seems very slow and unable to catch anything at all. Lanoe Hawker seems to be able to fly them, but then he isn't a beginner.

 

All the same, I shall keep plugging on with the BE just to see if I can make it to Major General before I get shot down

Edited June 29, 2009 by JimAttrill