"Crimson Skies" not total phantasy

[Olham]

Used to play "Crimson Skies" where air pirates controlled huge airships.

You could fly out of hangars built in, and dock on to a hook on return.

 

Now I found this picture: XF9C 1 aircraft hooking onto USS Akron, May 1932

 

 

 

Does anyone know, if they did that only in test versions, or regularly?

[DWCAce]

It was done regularly with several of the USN's airships.

 

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/ac-usn22/f-types/f9c-d.htm

 

Recently I saw pics of the USS Macon wreck (can't remember with magazine it was), most of the fighters were relatively preserved.

[Olham]

Wow! I'm speechless!

Thanks for the name of the airship - that way I could find more in Google.

Here's a Curtiss Sparrowhawk, docking on, and today in it's wet grave.

[UK_Widowmaker]

God!..Crimson Skies!...I havent played that in years!!!! (might dig it out)

[Olham]

You'd be disappointed, Widow.

I did that, and it looked - well, very old.

I think it would be a great idea to make a second Edition of it, on the basis of

modern 3dtechnology and vid cards.

It could be a most impressive game - a mix of roll play and flight sim, adventure

and racing. And it may come one day.

 

If you type in U.S.S. Macon in Google picture search, you get more impressive pics.

[Wels]

Hello,

 

this was also done during some tests with naval airship L 35, and an Albatros plane that started from this Zepppelin in flight - did not find a photo so quickly, but there are some on the net. There was also a wire-guided torpedo glider fastened with the Albatros to the airship, but all was only done during tests, never in real combat.

 

From Flight Global:

 

LETTERS

Dear Uncle Rarger,

Just read your piece on Sky Hook, a British-invented device enabling every small rowing-boat to launch and retrieve its own Harriers.

You say we Amurricans can buy it without any feelings of NIH*. OK, our 1932-1935 airship USS Macon had a trapeze which we called Sky Hook. It

successfully launched and retrieved Curtiss Sparrowhawk pursoote planes. But we didn't invent it.

The German Zeppelin L35 dropped a piloted Albatros fighter on January 26, 1918; the British airship R23 dropped a piloted Sopwith Camel on November 6, 1918;

and the British airship R33 dropped and retrieved piloted D.H. 53s in 1925. You guys in Europe invent something and we Amurricans develop it. As I see it, Harrier Sky Hook is

NDTt. JASPER J. ONEWAY III, Jr

Washington, D.C.

 

 

The problem with the german design was - apart from that it did work - that the pilot had to be sitting in the Albatros right from the start,

no way of climbing into the cockpit during flight; and as well the Alb's engine had to be running all the time since there was no way to get it started/cranked

at higher altitudes, or so i read. The latter is probably not true, because the pilot would have been able to release the plane, increase speed during glide

and fire up the engine then driven by wind pressure - as well there were those starter magnetoes, at least in german planes (or only some of them?)

 

 

Greetings,

Catfish

Edited September 22, 2009 by Wels

[Flyby PC]

Going in the other direction, but this seemed equally unfeasible to me, but quite impressive really. I'm sure you've all seen it already.

 

 

v=h1MUo2QbfNM

 

 

Hmmm. Why doesn't Youtube embed option work???

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1MUo2QbfNM

Edited September 22, 2009 by Flyby PC

[Snoopy syndrome]

At least one Camel was used for british experiment to be carried by an airship and then improved her attack range or defend the airship from attacking enemy aircrafts. I can remember of a photograph of the Camel hanging under the airship but don't think she was able to return on the airship after she was launch like the Sparow Hawk did.

 

This is a really strange idea if you ask to me : airships are far too vulnerable for such use.

(but, like Olham, i spent happy hours with Crimson Skies anyway )

 

EDIT: Sorry ,Wels already mentioned it: "the British airship R23 dropped a piloted Sopwith Camel on November 6, 1918"...

Edited September 23, 2009 by Snoopy syndrome

[rabu]

I could never get it to run well under XP, loved the game originally and was disappointed that it hadn't been updated to current OS requirements, oh well.

[Snoopy syndrome]

I could never get it to run well under XP, loved the game originally and was disappointed that it hadn't been updated to current OS requirements, oh well.

 

ever tried the 1.02 patch? http://www.microsoft.com/games/crimsonskies/downloads.aspx

 

It works fine with XP on my computer since i install his patch.