A DIFFERENT 2 SEATER

[carrick58 23]

Took my german pilot up in FA45B 13 apr 1971 Left Roucourt during an Afternoon hop to the Tommies side of the lines. Figured it would be like Flying the BE2C s High and Quiet. Wrong ! got up to 6000ft and was jumped by 56 sqn RFC A flight of 3 SE5 s flashed across our formation of 9 DFW C V s. peppering the right end a/c. Then when they circled to come back the flights 9 rear guns opened up peppering Two of the three SE 5 s. All was quiet for awhile lost the Se s Nearing the lines we avioded another flight of 5 SE 5s as our escort Albatross D-3 s joined 2 Flights 4 a/c and a lower flight of 3. Nearing the lines the escort peeled off and attacked e/a ( 5 SE5 s) . We in turn got hit by 4 SE 5 s again everyone got hits My pilot Hugo Von Zepplin got 2 in the wing the tail gunners opened up putting holes in the 4 e/c I broke away from the formation heading to wards the target (Rail Road) Off to the right, saw a N-17 catch fire while being chased by D-3 who in turn was being fired on by 2 SE 5s. Nearing the bomb drop, a lone SE 5 closed for a high side run firing a long burst the DFW took 3 more hits in the wing. The rear gunner fired three bursts and got one hit in Albert Balls 56 sqn a/c.

Ditching the bombs, Kicking the rudder, and pointing the nose down I sped for the german side of the lines. For what ever reasons, Albert Ball ( out of ammo? Guns jamed?) did not reattack my retreating DFW. Total Score. One N17 down 2 Albatross D-3 down Everyone else had holes everywhere. (Gotta due better ) Carrick58

[Olham 164]

Been in some parallel universe, where they where still fighting in 1971 (Lol!)

 

Hey, this mission sounds like a real lot of action, Carrick!

And to be escorted by DIIIs must always be an honour. So you met Albert Ball?

I once shot him down, but that was early on, before the patches.

Wonder, how it would go now?

[carrick58 23]

Sorry ment, 1917 sometimes I type backwards. Seems like this big DFW a/c slows down the frame rate ? Went up a second time never made the bomb run. Avoided a flight of 3 Sopwith Pups by flying low. In the distance, they went into a fur ball with Albatrosses D-2 S or D-3s ? Saw a pup trailing smoke. Nearing the lines avioded another flight of pups (5) a/c . Started the run into target and my flight of 3 DFW s got jumped by 5 sopwith pups The last bus in line puffed out black smoke and crashed. My tail gunner got off a few bursts (no hits) My kite got peppered 5 hits in the wing 3 in the tail My gunner got off another burst (no hits) then a pup came from dead ahead a short burst 2 hits in my bus s engine Clack Clack The rear gunner fired 3 bursts got 1 hit ( an Ace name stockard ) Put my kites nose down a kicked the rudder ditched the 3 bombs and slowly got up to 100 mph from 2000ft. Making the lines, I put the kite down with a crump. ( hard landing destroyed) Total: All 3 DFW s 2 pups

[Olham 164]

Carrick, would you please list, what Squad., airfield and date you are flying? That sounds so much like

action, that I may try there too.

That ace, Stockard, could be from RNAS - I shot him down two times (but the basterd keeps coming back!).

[Duce Lewis 3]

carrick, that sounds like a lotta fun!

Are you able to make any evasive manuevers, sideslips, climb/descend?

...or does the formation justb come apart with any turning?

 

I've gotta try that Roland career

[Bullethead 12]

Sorry, but what with all this DFW talk, I can't resist showing this off even though it ain't finished. This is for Marinekorps Flandern.

 

BTW, the DFW is the only 2-seater with a working bombsight for level bombing. Hit F7 to use it, then F6 to get out of it.

[carrick58 23]

I only have 1.32 hours on a DFW and they are kickin my %$#@#$#. Been flying Hugo Von Zepplin FA 45 B Roucort airdrome in Flanders 13 Apr 1917. No kiddin this crate has a bomb site seems too slugglish to fly high but more fun then a Roland Ony evasive manuevers, I used on this old bus was to kick the rudder around and run The formation seems to stay together when attacked. Thanks to all for tips and advice. Olham there seems to be a lot of tommie aces in this area but 56 sgn seems to be the roughest bunch they are a handful.

[Olham 164]

Bullet, this is a beauty of a German Bomber you "skinned" there - I want one, when it's ready!

And thanks for the info on the bombing sight.

[OlPaint01 0]

Hello Bullet

 

Great skin for the DFW.

 

BTW there is a lot of undiscovered power in the F keys commands that allow movement around the various a/c stations. But the M$ CFS3 key board commands list is hard to learn since there appears to be no set pattern with them.

 

I have reprogrammed the F Key commands by adding the CTRL modifier to each so I can quickly jump from Pilot to Gunner to Bombadier stations with out having to think about it. CTRL + F8 goes to Gunner Seat, CTRL + F6 goes back to Pilot Seat, CTRL + F7 goes to Bombadier Seat. and so forth. CTRL + F9 goes to Weapon View. In the FE2b pressing CTRL + F8 cycles between forward facing and rear facing Lewis Guns, in the Bristol F2b pressing CTRL + F6 cycles between virtual cockpit, ironsights, and Aldis sight.

 

I have followed Uncleal's advice to move the commonly used multikey strokes to the unused Key Commands in OFF. I use V Key for Virtual Cockpit, Y for Float View, U for Chase View, and G for Player/Target View (I have left the seldom used CTRL + SHFT + F4 for toggle Play/Target to set up Target View.) I can cycle the TAC range quickly with the C Key. I can toggle Labels with L and I can toggle the TAC with F. I toggle HUD with F5. I toggle the Info Display for FPS with Z. I can kill the engine with B, I can set Full Rich Mixture with N, and I can increment or decrement Mixture with PERIOD or COMMA Keys to max out the RPM at Altitude. Very Powerful command set when you understand it.

 

OlPaint01