I now have 40 hours.....

[JimAttrill 24]

But there doesn't seem to be any EA around in early 1915. But on the other hand I am learning to fly a bit. I try to avoid the warp, because then I could have even more hours. But I do circle my starting aerodrome until I get to at least 4000 ft before setting out for the lines. From what I have read, this was a good idea, too high for the machine guns and a bit too low for the AA. This last time I crossed the lines at 9500 and the Archie was getting very close. But no enemy fighters at all. So I went home for tea. :yes:

 

I must add that I am flying a Be2c, so I quite like it when the enemy aircraft fail to show up. This can't last....

 

Maybe I can hit the world record for the longest living BE2c pilot. Last I heard it was 20 minutes

Edited July 16, 2009 by JimAttrill

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Very good Jim! So, what unit are you flying with, and what area of the front? While the entire OFF front is relatively quiet through most of 1915 some areas are more quiet than others. As I have flown 1915 I have tended to run into two-seaters more often, (when I find EA at all), and they are usually well above me in alt, which would be more-or-less in keeping with that period. Primarily recons and gun-ranging being done with the available aeroplanes at that time, with the scouts being developed and utilized to try and prevent just such activities as the war went on.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Olham 164]

Enjoy it, Jim! When you change to 1916 (second half) it will get uncomfortable.

If you want to fly two seaters there, I recommend the Bristol fighter - really a two seat FIGHTER.

That's what I would pick.

[JimAttrill 24]

Lou, if you look at my sig you will see the squadron I fly with! I am doing that for old times sake because I served with 4 sqn RAF from 1968-1972 when they first started with Harriers (AV8A's to you Americans). This was a bunch with the most amazing esprit de corps. My favourite pilot ended up in charge of the Harrier wing later on. We ground crew worked amazingly to prove we were better than the other two squadrons there, nos 20 and 3. I have never worked so hard in my life or drank so much beer either!

 

To answer your question, Lou, I am very close to St. Omer. I have met Fokker DIIIs and shot one down a while back, but they don't seem to be around much now.

 

To Olham, well I am trying to fly the whole war as a pilot with 'fantastic fearless fighting four' as we called the squadron, and I believe that they eventually get the RE8 (wow!) in 1918. But that does not stop me enrolling other pilots in other squadrons and aircraft. I have a DH2 pilot in 1915 (terrible aircraft) and also an F2B pilot in 1918, but I think he is deceased. Interestingly you can't sign on with no 48 sqn with a Bristol Fighter, though they were the first.

 

I insist on flying pretty realistically in Campaign mode, so I have a lot of dead pilots in my computer

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Well again, small world getting smaller Jim. I served in the US Air Force from 1974-78 in England, primarily as a radio intercept operator for the now-defunct USAF Security Service, (I was a Cold War warrior). In 1975 in Bremgarten, Germany during the Royal Flush XVIII recce competition I seem to recall monitoring some of the flights of No. 4 RAF. And more serendipitous still, it was No. 4 RFC that my WW1 aviator persona was first "assigned" to in the character bio I wrote for my RAF 209 Squadron pilot page, which you can read here if you like:

 

Louvert S. Albertson Pilot Page and Bio

 

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[JimAttrill 24]

Amazing! Sgt Majpr Albertson's story is almost too good to be true. I never cease to be astounded at how brave some of these airmen/soldiers were. And he was a very intelligent person as well, if you read between the lines. Why was he not commissioned I wonder. So what happened to him after 1 April 1918?

Edited July 28, 2009 by JimAttrill