Duce Lewis 3 Posted November 8, 2009 A short while back Olham posted some nice screenies of Jasta 34 Dr1's and Albatross They had a white tail with blue fusalage bands ...real sweet lookin Thought I must try that squad out, but in my beloved DVII of course Got my chance, Jasta 34 was posted in Flanders, June 1918 ...even better I was getting a steady diet of Camels, Se5's, and Spad's, and the Biffs hadn't shown up yet Everything was jolly good til I landed and got a special pop-up a few days ago It was a one liner some I thought a special citation maybe??? But no, OFF had something in store for me ...Jasta 34 is transitioning to Albatross DVa200's I'm a Fokker guy and have no clue how to fight in an Albatross!!! So this is my call for help What are her strengths/weaknesses? What should I what out for in opponents? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted November 8, 2009 What should I what out for in opponents? Anything that has a Roundal...or the word 'UK_Widowmaker' on it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted November 8, 2009 Duce, avoid steep diving or hard pulling out of a dive - the lower wings are fragile there, although they have added a little stabilizer on the D V a and the 200 PS versions. The 200 has good power. She's a rugged plane with good ammo - 1.100 rounds! Make good use of that. Your shooting should be more precise after the D VII, cause the Albatros is not so "nervous" on the stick. Your easiest (fighter meat" should be the SPAD XIII. When they dive, don't follow too steep - they'll come again, so fly to that point, when you see them climbing again. The second easiest should be Nieuport 17. Don't turn with them tight - go to and fro, and shredder them. They break like butterflies. Nastier is the S.E.5a. A hell of a fast fighter, and turns good. But I always managed to turn with them long enough to damage them. That is a tactic I would use anyway on all opponents: damage them early on. The more craft you have hit early, the less high quality opposes you. Then get them, one after the other. The most difficult opponent is the Camel - a fast craft with great turnability. Attack ONLY after full Dicta Boelcke (that's for the S.E.5 as well). You can't outrun them, nor outdive them, nor outclimb them - you can only hit and destroy them, before they get any chance to act. As you never know, if they are flown by aces, I would only fight them, when your advantage is very good, like: you're higher and outnumber them 2:1 or at least 3:2. Hope it will help. Do some test flying with intentional attempts to break the wings - so you will know, where to stop. It may happen still sometimes, though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duce Lewis 3 Posted November 8, 2009 Hope it will help. Do some test flying with intentional attempts to break the wings - so you will know, where to stop. It may happen still sometimes, though. It is kaput! I took her up in Freeflight 10 min ago I warped initially and she climbed over enemy lines Turning for home I thought I'd attempt a barrel roll She only got about 1/4 way up then I had to add a lot of rudder to coax her around Nose dropped, but as I completed the manuever, both lower wings snapped off ...Much too easily I thought Alas, Franz Blucher will survive the war in captivity He was a good pilot 5 1/2 hours and a 38% shooter Thanks for the input! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wels 2 Posted November 8, 2009 (edited) . oops, i posted a lengthy text, but it's all gone grrr. Sorry It should be able to perform barrel rolls without problems, it wasn't THAT bad. Breaking lower wings did not happen due to too excessive g loads, but due to very high speeds in a dive, when the surface of the lower wing would start to "wobble" due to harmonic vibrations, around the point where the lower V-strut was attached to the wing. Maybe you received a monday production piece ? I never come as far as to sometimes get the D.Va, i usually die months earlier in a D.III lol Greetings, Catfish Edited November 8, 2009 by Wels Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted November 8, 2009 Duce, for test flying, you need to create a special test pilot, not to loose your campaign pilot. Mine is called "Flieger Test Dummy", so I can't use him wrongly. Sorry for yours. Yes, I still find that the wings break too easily on the Albatros. She can't have been that bad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted November 8, 2009 I must fly a little bit cautiously then..I have never snapped an Alb Wing (yet) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duce Lewis 3 Posted November 8, 2009 It should be able to perform barrel rolls without problems, it wasn't THAT bad. She rolled about as fast as a walrus rolling to sun her other side I got her round but not anything I'd try in combat I'm starting to suspect my install One of the BH&H Segments wouldn't install when I 1st purchased The Devs sent me the missing parts but I've seen weird things happen For Example my greatest killer is friendly Ack-Ack This pilot got hit too ...but he survived Can't remeber being hit by enemy Ack-Ack No wonder, as I watch the angry bursts, they seem to lag behind and below their intended target ...usually where I'm chasing him Maybe time to do a complete re-install Duce, for test flying, you need to create a special test pilot, not to loose your campaign pilot. Yeah, that thought crossed my mind just after take-off But I thought it's only a test flight I hardly ever do any QC IIRC there's a "QC Pilot never Dies" option there too Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted November 9, 2009 . Olham wrote: Duce, for test flying, you need to create a special test pilot, not to loose your campaign pilot.Mine is called "Flieger Test Dummy", so I can't use him wrongly. Mine is called "Testy McTesterson". Seriously. . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bullethead 12 Posted November 9, 2009 Mine is called "Testy McTesterson". Seriously. Not "McTestosterone"? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted November 9, 2009 . BH, isn't "McTestosterone" that new steroid-enhanced chicken sandwich at McDonald's? . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bullethead 12 Posted November 9, 2009 BH, isn't "McTestosterone" that new steroid-enhanced chicken sandwich at McDonald's? Maybe in Europe, but in the US, you'll never find anything testosterone-inducing, let alone testosteron-containing, in any Micky D's product. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch_P47M 9 Posted November 9, 2009 (edited) Sounds like complete OT inhere but during my Holiday couple of weeks ago, I read the book "Black Fokker leader" by P. Kilduff. Carl Degelow selected the Pfalz DIII for him and not the Albatros DVa because of the tendency to break under stress. from this book: "The defect was eventually corrected by encasing the spar in a metal sleeve, but pilots were instructed to avoid going into a very stressfull dive". According to "Albatros Aces" Fritz von Roth had installed an extra small strut on his Albatros lower wing. BTW Bullethead, no testosterone or fast grower pills in EC-meat, the law here is very strict on this. Edited November 9, 2009 by Dutch_P47M Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
