It's Time To Play, "Who's Paint Is This" !

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Greetings All,

 

What say you to a new contest? I think it’s high time, as it’s been well over a year-and-a-half since the last one I hosted. Plus, it would be a fun diversion whilest we all wait patiently for the release of P4. Based on comments that have filtered in over the last few months, the popular idea looks to be one that requires the identification of a specific OFF paint scheme, and with over 4000 to choose from the fields are rich for such a contest. Therefore, I am beginning just such a new scramble for you all.

 

Now then, as last time, I will post a picture with related questions and you will be required to answer those questions correctly to score. Points for each round can either go to a single player who answers all questions correctly, or they can be shared amongst several players who each give one or more right answers. Further, if you answer and are either incorrect or only answered a portion of the questions, you may try again on the same set 36 hours after the time stamp of your last answer, provided someone else hasn't already correctly answered the remaining questions in that group. There will also be occasional ‘Wild Card” postings just to keep things interesting. Over the next couple of months I will run a total of 50 pictures with their related questions, (not counting Wild Cards), and will post a tote board as well so that everyone can keep track of the standings as things progress.

 

And the prize?

 

 

Apart from garnering bragging rights, the winning player will also receive a nice ex libris copy of the 1968 Doubleday Press hard cover printing of Captain Duncan Grinnell-Milne’s classic, “Wind in the Wires”. This is a wonderful autobiography by a Great War ace who not only scored his first victory while flying in a BE2, but was also a POW for over two years before escaping and making his way back into the skies, where he scored his remaining kills while flying SE5a's with 56 Squadron.

 

 

So then, to get you all up to speed, let’s have a test run, (no points for this one). Here is the first OFF paint scheme to identify:

 

 

And here are the questions that relate to the above picture:

 

1. Who was the pilot that flew in this paint scheme?

2. What Jasta did he fly for while in this paint scheme, and what was the time period?

3. What plane type is this?

 

There you have it. Once the correct answers for the test run are given, we can get started with the contest itself. Have fun folks, ask for clarification on anything if you need to, and good luck to all!

 

Lou

 

 

 

 

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Edited May 1, 2011 by RAF_Louvert

[Dej 17]

1) Vfw. Josef Mai

2) Jasta 5, late 1917

3) Albatros DV D.5284/17 according to Albatros Aces of WW1, listed in OFF skin folders under Albatros DV Later and Albatros DVa.

 

Might be an idea to give an indication of how much detail in needed, Lou.

 

Cheers for strating this up, your competitions are great.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Outstanding Dej! You've given not only the correct answers but also ideal examples of the kind of information that should be included in said answers. You've noted Mai's rank at the time he flew this kite, as well as it's ID number. And you've shown your sources. (Word of advice to all those competing: When in doubt it is always better to give more information rather than less.) Well done Dej, if this one had counted you would have been awarded three points for your efforts.

 

I will give others some more time to read through everything here thus far and get familiar with the contest before posting the first of many pictures to come.

 

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[Olham 164]

Damn, Lou, now you posted this great Albatros design, and Dej answered it all correct, I am afraid that this might have been the only one I could have done right!

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Oh I seriously doubt that Olham. I'm betting you will do just fine.

 

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[UK_Widowmaker 571]

May i wish the contestants all the best...I'm bloody hopeless at quizzes, so I'll take a back seat...but it will be fun to spectate

[Dej 17]

Damn, Lou, now you posted this great Albatros design, and Dej answered it all correct, I am afraid that this might have been the only one I could have done right!

 

Ritter von Mahlo, holder of the last competition PLM... tirez l'autre, il y a des cloches! You're not fooling me Olham. I'll bet you'll fight this as keenly as you did the last

Edited May 1, 2011 by Dej

[Olham 164]

Not, if it's for a PLM, Dej - as I own one already. But if it would be any other order - I'd do my best.

 

But don't panik - Lou is well aware of time zones, and did post the last ones at very different times.

Come on, Simon - arhm - Widowmaker - you know your skins, don't you?

If you skinners here would miss, it wouldn't be right.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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I'm afraid my budget is quite a bit thinner these days, so the prize will be the book I mentioned in the original post. I hope that will be something folks would want to compete for. I know it isn't a WWI order or medal, but still...

 

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[Dej 17]

No worries, Lou. It's bloody well worth competing for. Free absolute classic WW1 autobiography vs. paying £30+ for it... go figure

 

Roll up, Roll up, everyone, every throw is free.

 

Btw, I actually do have a luvverly bunch of coconuts

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Well Dej, I'll post the first picture at 11:00 a.m. GMT tomorrow, and see who shows up. If it turns out you're the lone player, then the book's a lock for your collection, Sir.

 

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[Olham 164]

Don't get me wrong, Lou - I didn't say I wasn't playing! I don't have the book!

 

I only wished, that at least all other skinners here would join the party -

BurningBeard, Widowmaker, Bullethead, Gous and Beanie (long time not seen), Pawgy and others

 

Come out of your winter sleep, guys.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Alrighty then, here we go Gents. It's time to play, "Who's Paint Is This" !

 

Here is the first picture:

 

 

 

1. Who was the pilot that flew this paint scheme?

2. Which squadron did he fly for in this paint scheme and during what time period?

3. What is historically significant about this pilot, and how did he come by his nickname?

 

Remember the rules, have fun, and best of luck to all!

 

Lou

 

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[Olham 164]

Lou, I suppose, from the European point of view, you started one day too early.

My time of your announcement for the first question reads:

 

Posted today 02:18:16 AM

 

So Dej will possibly only expect it tomorrow at 11:00 h ?

[Olham 164]

Lou, I posted you the answers, but want to give Dej and others the chance, too.

As they couldn't know, you'd post them today. So, this one may end in a tie?

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Ah yes Herr Olham, I should have noted the time AND date for the posting to eliminate just such confusion. So, on this one, I will award points to anyone who gives the correct answers between now and 12:00 noon GMT, May 3rd, 2011 of the Gregorian calender.

 

Consider this one a freebie to all those competing. However, I will not indicate if anyone's posted answers are correct or incorrect until the time I noted above.

 

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[Olham 164]

Okay then, here they are:

 

 

1. Who was the pilot that flew this paint scheme? Canadian Wilfred R 'Wop' May

 

2. Which squadron did he fly for in this paint scheme and during what time period? RNAS-9 (Early 1918)

 

3. What is historically significant about this pilot, and how did he come by his nickname?

"Wop" got his nickname in 1903 when a young cousin had difficulty pronouncing his given name.

 

"On 21 April 1918, May could have almost become the 81st victim of Manfred von Richthofen.

The Red Baron pursued May's Sopwith Camel along the Somme Canal through an undefended section

of no-man's-land. As they passed over the village of Vaux-sur-Somme, Roy Brown intervened with a burst

of Vickers machine gun fire.

Seeing Richthofen's triplane make a sharp downward turn to the right and confident that May was now out

of danger, Brown flew to the aid of Lt. Francis Mellersh who was under attack by two Fokker triplanes.

About a minute later the Red Baron's Fokker DR.I crashed to the ground as Mellersh, now safe and followed

by Brown, flew by on his way home." (source: The Aerodrome)

[Dej 17]

My version...

 

1)      Lt. Wilfred Reid ‘Wop’ May

 

2)      209 Sqn. RAF. Formerly Naval 9, RNAS, it became 209 Sqn, RAF upon formation of the Royal Air Force on  1st April 1918, May transferred to 209 Sqn. on 9th April and remained with the squadron until the end of the war.

 

3)      On 21st April 1918, May was indeed the pilot that Manfred von Richthofen was pursuing when he was himself shot down and killed. One version of the story is that the inexperienced May, having been told to avoid combat, was circling above a dogfight that developed between 209 Sqn. and a group of Fokker Triplanes when he noticed a Triplane doing the same thing. He charged at it firing wildly until his guns jammed. His intended victim was Wolfram von Richthofen, Manfred’s cousin. MvR noticed and went after May, Roy Brown, a former school friend of May noticed this and went after Richthofen. The rest is history. May went on to become a leading light in Canadian aviation, opening Canada’s first aerodrome; pioneering the use of aircraft for detective work and medical emergencies and, later, effectively creating the first Canadian search and rescue service

[Dej 17]

Nearly forgot. May's cousin Mary Lumsdon gave him his nickname

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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There you go Olham and Dej! And, while technically May never flew for 9 Naval Squadron, I will allow the answer as OFF lists him in that unit. For whatever reason the sim does not show the RAF squadrons after the April 1, 1918 merger of the RFC and RNAS. You both gave excellent answers with good additional information.

 

The standings after the first round:

 

Dej.............3 points

Olham........3 points

 

Next picture will be posted at 7:00 p.m. GMT, May 3, (that's in little less than 7 hours from now).

 

C'mon folks, join in. This should be more than a two-horse race! All you need is to look through the skins to find the bulk of the answers for this contest.

 

Lou

 

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[Olham 164]

Indeed, come on, guys!

 

To check the skins easily, I recommend "IRFANVIEW", a free download.

 

To check the pilots, you can go to "The Aerodrome - Aces" here: http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/index.php

 

Are there only more and more lurkers? So little activity here recently, it's a shame.

[Hasse Wind 46]

I'm terrible at recognizing skins. But most importantly, I already own a cheap paperback copy of the book. It's great reading, so this competition has a very nice award.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Work has me away for the rest of the day, so I will instead post the next picture at 7:00 p.m. GMT, May 4, (that's about 25 hours from now). That gives you all a bit more time to brush up on your OFF paint ID skills.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

 

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[Dej 17]

I'm terrible at recognizing skins. But most importantly, I already own a cheap paperback copy of the book. It's great reading, so this competition has a very nice award.

 

 

Ditto HW. So wouldn't you too like a nice hardback copy instead? As for recognising skins, at worst you only need recognise the a/c type then browse the appropriate folder in the OFF skins directory until you find a skin with the necessary features. Thereafter your own WW1 library or Wikipaedia will do the rest. Go on. Have a go.

Edited May 3, 2011 by Dej

[Hasse Wind 46]

Ditto HW. So wouldn't you too like a nice hardback copy instead? As for recognising skins, at worst you only need recognise the a/c type then browse the appropriate folder in the OFF skins directory until you find a skin with the necessary features. Thereafter your own WW1 library or Wikipaedia will do the rest. Go on. Have a go.

 

As I already own the book, although not in such a nice hardback format, I have no need for another copy. I think it's best that somebody who has never read it is given the opportunity to earn the prize. I got my paperback copy for a mere £9 a couple of years ago from AbeBooks. For a paperback printed in 1966, it's in surprisingly good condition, especially for that price.

 

But I'll keep an eye on this competition. It'll be fun to watch who the winner is going to be.

 

And Lou, I think a book is much better than any medal as a prize for this kind of competition. Medals are just coloured pieces of ribbon, but books are treasure troves of knowledge that have so many stories to tell us.

 

PS. If you change the prize to Willy Coppens' Days on the Wing, first English edition (1932), hardback in good condition with a jacket, I'm in.