RIP Ron Baker

[saltysplash 0]

My OFF experience so far has been played with the intention of using one pilot at a time in a career/campaign and remaining with the same Squadron throughout the war.

 

Sgt Ron Baker joined 3 Sqd RFC on 1 Jan 1915 flying a Bristol Scout.

 

He was in the air from day 1 flying 2 missions each day which were generally troop spotting trips over the front in the Ypres area.

 

Despite his keenness to "have a go at the hun" he didnt come across any enemy aircraft in his 15 days with the Squadron.

 

Sadly, after logging almost 30 hrs flying time in his trusty Scout and just following him being awarded his commission, he was killed when returning to his airfield from his last war patrol.

 

Although the weather had been fine and clear all day on 15th January strong winds were gusting across the fields. Observers watching 2nd Lt Baker come into land state they saw his kite crabbing sideways as it dropped down towards the field and couldnt understand why he didnt change his approach into the gusting wind, maybe he was having engine problems, as his wheels touched the ground it appeared that he tried to bring the tail round to run straight and as he did so, his left wing was suddenly hit by a strong gust which flipped it up, burying the right wing into the ground and casuing the nose of the Scout to vere sharply up and right and then back into the ground flipping the plane onto its back.

 

When ground staff reached Lt bakers plane he was already dead

 

 

 

His replacement Sgt Andrew Petrie, a Scot from Stirling has just arrived. Its now 19 March 1915

 

 

[tone12 0]

stirlings my home town, im sure the lad will do very well!

[JimAttrill 24]

You don't have to use a new name for your new pilot. I am on my sixth Fred Bloggs in 4sqn 1915

[Olham 164]

Sorry for your first man to loose, Salty, but 30 hours is far more than the most of us ever

achieve here. Will the replacement guy fly on from that very date?

Cause, then it may still take some time, until you meet enemy craft.

If you want more action, start in late summer 1916, near Douai.

[saltysplash 0]

He will certainly be paying more attention to wind direction when he comes into land and not get all flustered coz the baby just woke up and wanted feeding

[JimAttrill 24]

remember the P key. It's handy when you want one

[saltysplash 0]

Sorry for your first man to loose, Salty, but 30 hours is far more than the most of us ever

achieve here. Will the replacement guy fly on from that very date?

Cause, then it may still take some time, until you meet enemy craft.

If you want more action, start in late summer 1916, near Douai.

 

He will be starting from 19 march 1915

 

Its no problem not meeting the enemy. Archie is letting the pilots know that the enemy are there.

 

I fly in real time with no warp in a kind of attempt at total immersion. The idea is that if one pilot dies then his replacement comes along and we continue with the Sqd from there. gradually time and the war progresses

[Olham 164]

I see. So it's a long way to go. Better not get used to the relative peace in the air though.

One day you WILL meet fighters.

[saltysplash 0]

I see. So it's a long way to go. Better not get used to the relative peace in the air though.

One day you WILL meet fighters.

 

Theres no rush, these young whipper snappers need to learn some self discipline before they go off chasing the first black speck they see on the horizon.

 

Btw does anyone else find it really frustrating when you see that little speck in the distance, then spend ages trying to gain some height and catch up with it and it never gets any closer, then you realise its a bit of dirt on your screen

[Hasse Wind 46]

The later the date you are flying is, the harder it is to keep your pilot alive dozens of hours. In 1915 and even most of 1916 there's so little air activity (and we're also lacking most of the planes in use during those early days of the first air war) that meeting large groups of dangerous enemies is rare compared to 1917 and especially 1918. The last few months of the war are simply awful for a pilot's chances of survival, particulary so for the Germans who must go up against increasingly superior Entente forces. Of course there are still some more peaceful sectors left in 1918 (Alsace), but they are few compared to earlier years.