Er ist da! It arrived! "Blue Max" returned home!

[Olham 164]

In German we have that saying: a stone fell from my heart.

That's how I felt, when the post girl (yes, we often have post GIRLS in Germany!) rang at my door

to hand a padded envelope from America to me. My neighbours may give me strange looks the next

days, cause a cheerful "Yahoooo!" might have come from my flat.

 

What can I say - it looks wonderful!

Here are some first pics of it - I ironed my best white shirt, but wasn't very good at making self-shots,

sorry. When it has a special place near my monitor, I'll send more.

 

Lou, thank you very much for an interesting competition and a wonderful prize! I will keep it in honour!

 

 

[Stiffy 1]

Now that is pretty :)

[+Paarma 0]

Thats very nice! What is useal price for the blue max replicas? I want that too!!!

[Olham 164]

I can see, that Lou bought a very good one. But please don't ask him to tell

the price for it here. Just go to Ebay and check, there are offers sometimes.

It depends on you, to pick the good ones.

 

I will get me an Ordensband (the ribbon for wearing it round the neck),

cause I saw it advertised for 9,- Euro (50 cm long).

[+Paarma 0]

I just thought there is netshop where you can buy those, but obviously there is many different quality replicas...

 

 

[Olham 164]

Yes, indeed, Paarma. Maybe Lou will tell you what to look for, to get a good one like this.

Sooner or later he will read this, I suppose.

[itifonhom 6]

I'm so happy for you Olham! It really looks great. In fact so great that maybe I'll try and get me one too!

 

itifonhom

[Olham 164]

Well, it would perhaps make many pilots fly more careful and defensive,

if you and others would take this plan:

 

Once you received a "Pour le Merite" in OFF DiD standard, you get yourself a good replica.

 

For me, that is too late now (Lol!), but I will try better now, to achieve this order in OFF DiD.

[Hasse Wind 46]

I took a quick look at those replica prices and found out most of them aren't at all expensive. Quality of the work seems to vary a lot. But if you want the Real Thing, you'll have to pay a lot for it. And that's what real collectors of medals would want, I suppose. Medals and awards of states that have ceased to be (Austria-Hungary, Imperial Russia, Imperial Germany etc.) are often very rare and so you won't get them cheaply. Try to find an original Frederick the Great era Pour le Mérite and see what it costs. Probably more than a little expensive...

[Red-Dog 3]

A real beauty Olham and well fought for like the ace you are .

[Creaghorn 10]

Seine Durchlaucht hatte die Ehre, dem Kampfflieger Detlev Mahlo aufgrund seiner zahlreichen Siege im Luftkampfe, den höchsten preussischen Orden Pour le Merite zu verleihen.

Dieser Orden erhebt den herausragenden Offizier in den Ritterstand. Sie ist immer und zu jeder Zeit gut erkenntlich zu tragen, um stets von seinen wiederholten Heldentaten zeugnis zu geben.

 

gez. Wilhelm II.

Imperator Rex

[Ras 0]

That is a great looking medal and you will have to take a photo of it when you can display it around your neck, Olham. Congratulations

 

 

But another idea. Though I wasn't flying Did when I shot down the Ace (yesterday, either Klimke or Dilthey of Jasta 27), I will print a photo of them and start adding to my scrapbook. It just doesn't seem to be right when not in Did, but am one of those that do not survive very long in full realism. I still need more practice!! And I have been at it since?? Now I can't remember. It must have been the last bullet that grazed my head.

[Check Six 2]

Congratulations, Olham. Certainly a well deserved award. I'm sure you felt the same sense of pride that recipients of a PLM felt back in WW1.

 

 

 

[Bullethead 12]

Congrats, Olham. Well-deserved.

 

And great contest idea, Lou

[appraiserfl 0]

Congrats, Olham. Well-deserved.

 

And great contest idea, Lou

 

Lol, I actually ordered one of these on ebay yesterday! I am hoping to actually get copies of medals as I earn them in the game, once I earn a medal I will try and buy one online!

[OvS 8]

In German we have that saying: a stone fell from my heart.

That's how I felt, when the post girl (yes, we often have post GIRLS in Germany!) rang at my door

to hand a padded envelope from America to me. My neighbours may give me strange looks the next

days, cause a cheerful "Yahoooo!" might have come from my flat.

 

What can I say - it looks wonderful!

Here are some first pics of it - I ironed my best white shirt, but wasn't very good at making self-shots,

sorry. When it has a special place near my monitor, I'll send more.

 

Lou, thank you very much for an interesting competition and a wonderful prize! I will keep it in honour!

 

 

 

 

Wow, very nice! Wear that one with pride! Great job, but I'll admit to it... from the start... I had my money on you! LOL!

[Baldric 42]

Very very nice, Olham! Congratulations on winning that wonderful prize. Splendid contest indeed. I shall toast you and your medal this evening with a little French Brandy

[Olham 164]

Thank you, Red Dog!

Is that original, or well written, Creaghorn? Thanks!

Thank you, Ras, and good idea.

Thank you, Check Six - oh yes, I'll wear it with pride, and see, that one of my

pilot really gets it now.

Thanks, Bullet!

Thank you, OvS - hope you won quite some money!

Thanks, Balders, and have one for me too, as an absent friend.

You all are such a great community!

[Rickitycrate 10]

To the victor goes the prize. Very good. Like OvS I had my money on you too, haha. Maybe next time I'll catch you. Enjoy the medal in good health. By the way it looks very much like the one I bought ten years ago.

[Olham 164]

Thank you, Rickity - yeah, next time you'll catch it. If Red Dog, Dej and Zoomzoom let you! Lol!

 

My alter ego, the "Bordeauxred Baron", sent this "anti-thank-you-card".

Seems he's afraid about fraternisation.

Or maybe he just can't show how touched he really is, the old Iron Fart.

 

 

Edited October 8, 2009 by Olham

[Stiffy 1]

You know I think you should spend some money on this site... that way you can really show it off!

 

http://www.schipperfabrik.com/ger_uniforms.html

 

or is that taking OFF too far?

[Bullethead 12]

My alter ego, the "Bordeauxred Baron", sent this "anti-thank-you-card".

 

He seems to be my brother by another mother. My moustache is of equal length but goes straight down the sides of my mouth and and inch or 2 below by jawline, in the best Texas gambler-gunfighter style. And while I prefer a good chaw of Days-O-Work or a 4-finger dip of Copenhagen, I still smoke cheroots now and again. Apart from these minor differences, we look very similar.

 

I've shared water and rations (when my unit hadn't enough of either) with Iraqis who a few minutes before were shooting at me. I've gotten drunk with Palestinian friends to the memories of their cousins whom I killed in Desert Storm. I've had lunch with an Iranian who, as a young student, came over the wall of the US embassy back in the 70s.

 

All us cannonfodder types know that the reasons for us killing each other are beyond our control and we all have to do our jobs. C'est la vie, c'est la guerre, and not THAT many hard feelings. So on the day of battle, I might happily gut-shoot them all, but the day after, those of us who survive can drink to the shades of friends not present on both sides.

[Olham 164]

Stiffy, those uniforms are not made of the right cloth/fabric, and the whole

seemwork is done too cheaply. A German Ulan uniform would have looked far better,

for example. A well made copy would certainly cost 400,- - 500,- Euro, if not more.

For that, I'd rather upgrade to the best possible rig for BHaH.

[Rickitycrate 10]

Funny guy that Bordeaux Red Baron. He's a regular curmudgeon. He'ld make a good uncle for some kid. Thanks for the card.

[carrick58 23]

I say, hes a fine lookin chap. You did well Con grats on the Blue Max. I am sure you earned it. On the upside we have post girls over here too. On the down side most of them look like someones brother. Since I do my own ironing too, I buy a lot of wash and wear or permament press. ( it gives more time for OFF) ENJOY