Pfalz pilots

[carrick58 23]

After taking a Halbt D-3 uP in jasta 8, I have formed a few conclusions. The a/c isnt good for a lot of things It drives like a truck and has a poor rate of climb. It can drive but not that great. The saving grace is that it carries a lot of ammo. The best that can be said is that it is a good training a/c for a Pfalz D-3 pilot because that one also drives like a truck. I had a flight of three Pfalz s attacking a 5 aircraft N-11 Bebe s and was hard put to knock them down. The saveing grace of course was more ammo and engine power. ( Fighting the Frenchies on the deck cancelled out the dive advantage)

[Olham 164]

You must have flown that in Quick Combat, Carrick?

The Pfalz DIII and the Nieuport 11 would have never met in reality, cause the Nupe11 was in

1916, and the Pfalz I think, came late 1917 or even in 1918.

 

It is generally so, that the German craft are heavier and less agile, but carry more guns and ammo;

while the Nieuport and Sopwith craft are very nimble, but also quite fragile.

 

If you fly Campaign, you get a better relationship. You shouldn't compare the craft from 1915 or 1916

to those from 17 or 18. In those four years of war, aviation technology made a giant step.

Better, you only compare them to the other craft of the same time.

[ArisFuser 2]

I´m just curious, how do you face combat against a Nieup.11 with a Halberstadt? There is hardly a chance to get a victory due to lack of agility in the Halb, but its climb capability it´s not great either, so what would be the correct procedure?

[Olham 164]

The climb in the Halberstadt is not bad actually. I had three or four fights against Nupes in her.

Best is, you only attack them, when you are higher. Then attack a single craft, You can even turn

half a turn with it, but not much more: then use your dive speed to climb up again.

I shot three Nupes down that way, and wasn't shot down myself by one.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Olham, correct me if I'm wrong, but the Halb also responds well to rudder input, (as do most of these planes). I seem to recall I could take it up into a relatively steep climb, give it a lot of starboard rudder, and it would just about tip over on itself coming back down. It's been a while since I fought the Halb, but I believe this is one of the tricks the AI uses in it as well.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Olham 164]

You mean the 'original Immelmann' turn (which I used to call 'high turn' wrongly) ?

I have only used that a lot in SPADs, but you're right, it should work well.

As I have a Halberstadt pilot, I only need another confront with a Nupe to try.

I'll report here.

 

I think, the Halb has no tail fin; there is only a steel tube frame to hold the rudder.

That should make her react quick ob rudder, as it does on the Dr.1, I'd say.

Edited September 11, 2009 by Olham

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Hee, hee...yes Olham, I do mean the origianl Immelmann turn. See how much we're all learning.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Baldric 42]

The Halb vs N11 is a fun test. If you are a Halb pilot follow Boelcke's dictum and don't give up height advantage if you have it. I had a 'stupid moment' yesterday and lost my best pilot to a N11 flight because I let them drive me down to the deck-- Rolf was killed at about 700' altitude. With the Halb its easy to gain height in a turning climb, but I find also very easy to lose height in a tight turn. Ah well, I'll have to roll up a new pilot later when I get in from teaching. Cheers all!

[Hasse Wind 46]

I've never tried the Halb in the campaign mode. It must feel like a great improvement after the Eindecker, if one starts a career flying the monoplanes and lives long enough to get the Halb.

 

Fokker D.II would also be an interesting addition to OFF, as it's one of those early and not terribly succesful German biplane fighters meant to replace the Eindecker before the coming of the Albatros.

[Olham 164]

I can only encourage everyone to fly the Halberstadt. In it's time, it is doing quite well,

and you CAN fight Nupes in her. I will try right now, if the original Immelmann will work well

with that craft, as Lou suggested.

As you did the Eindecker campaign, it's almost your duty to create one pilot flying this craft,

Hasse Wind.

[Hasse Wind 46]

As you did the Eindecker campaign, it's almost your duty to create one pilot flying this craft,

Hasse Wind.

 

I've now created a new pilot in Jasta 2, 1916, flying the Halb. Now let's see what that old crate can do...

[carrick58 23]

Yes I did fly the Pfalz (3 A/c) in quick combat also tried it with the halberstadt D-3 (3 A/c) trying to knock the Frenchies out ( 5 N-11 s). I have been flying a halb D-2 with jasta 8 and found what Olham and Baldric said is true: Keep above the other aircraft ( N-17 or N-16) and only fight a single a/c. I dont think a 3 plane flight of Halb D-2 s or D-3s knock about with a 5 plane flight of N-17s is fair. Maybe with 3 good pilots and Pfalz D-3 s it might be fair. I also would luv te see Fokker D-IIs or D-IIIs added to the game along with any other 1915 or 16 a/c.

[Olham 164]

Great, Hasse Wind - now we are in the same Jasta, at the same time!

I'll see you in the mess!

 

Today, I shot down a Fee east of Albert (sorry, Bullet!), and fired the rest of my rounds

into a BE2c. It caught fire, but flew on and on, although the crew got their balls roasted.

After warping home, I filled it into the claim form - erroneus! It must have flown all the

way home burning! Nobody say, the Englishmen wheren't tough!

[JimAttrill 24]

It's the asbestos long-johns that help

 

Oh sorry Olham, you might not have heard of them. They were quite popular at the time, being a woolen undergarment with long legs and arms, and a flap which buttoned up to do the necessary. Why they were called 'long johns' is still a mystery, I believe. With the cold up there in flight I reckon quite a few aircrew wore them in WWI. Sounds a bit scratchy to me.

 

I'm not sure if you can even buy them nowadays, though forumeers who come from colder climates than mine will doubtless put me right.

Edited September 11, 2009 by JimAttrill

[shredward 12]

They are still de rigeur where I live, eight months of the year. Fortunately, they've evolved - no more wool, no more scratching your parts when you think noone is looking

 

Cheers,

shredward

[Hasse Wind 46]

Jim, long johns are a must in cold weather, though I've never seen those 'trap door' models except in movies and comic books.

 

 

Olham, nice to meet you in Jasta 2 - let me buy you a drink when I get back from the next patrol mission. Good thing this amateur Jasta now has some real fightin' aces in its ranks, those Boelcke and Richthofen guys we have here know nothing about flying. Let's teach them some lessons!

 

I haven't yet shot down anything with my Halb, but I'm kinda starting to like the old crate. It's no Nupe as a turn fighter, but definitely better than the Eindecker in every way. It always feels strange to fly a German scout with only one MG, though...

 

Gute Jagd, mein Kamerad!

[Olham 164]

Jim, here is what Wikipedia has about Long Johns (there's nothing they don't have - even Long John Silver

was in there - if you want to know who that was, please check yourself; can't present that here; ahem).

 

Etymology of "Long Johns"

According to Michael Quinion^[/url], "John" may be a reference to boxer John L. Sullivan,who wore a similar looking

garment in the ring. This explanation,however, is uncertain and the word's origin is ultimately unknown.

 

Hasse, thanks for the beer! Yes, let's show that Richthofen some flying - he seems to be the 'hunter type',

but could do with some aerobatic tricks. I shot down a Fee yesterday, as I wrote above; the pics qill be in

"screenshots" in some minutes.

Gute Jagd auch für Dich, Kamerad!

[Bullethead 12]

They are still de rigeur where I live, eight months of the year.

 

JAYZIS!!!! That makes all my gimpy joints ache just thinking about. I'd definite shoot myself long before the thaw, except I'd probably be too gimpy to get the barrel in my mouth.....

 

Where I live, it's the exact opposite. 8 months of the year, it's too hot and humid to wear even the short type of skivvies, unless somebody dies and you have to dress up for the funeral. And the rest of the year, even wearing enclosed shoes is optional.