Interesting article on the RE8

[33LIMA]

Saw a link to this in a post on the 777 RoF forum (the RE8 being the next aircraft being added to that sim). Very interesting reading; if anything, it tends to suggest that it's best to be careful about 'accepted wisdoms' about this or that plane being useless, inferior, dangerous etc:

 

http://www.ww1aero.o...RE8Cont2001.pdf

 

I think I'll start an OFF RE8 campaign and give the old girl a try for myself!

 

'Dear Capt Johns

 

Having now put in a good many hours on the RE8 in OFF, I feel I really must add a letter of my own to your file of correspondence on the performance of this particular aeroplane....'

Edited October 7, 2011 by 33LIMA

[+Olham]

Thanks for the link, LIMA.

 

I hardly ever fly two-seats, but as opponents the R.E.8 bombers are always doing very well.

They can hold their liquour , so to say. They most often fly in V-formations, and they protect

each other - my Albatros got damaged by R.E.8s as often as by Brisfits. Dangerous lot!

Edited October 7, 2011 by Olham

[Wodin]

Wow...love all thos eletetrs to the Editor from WW1 pilots...excellent reading...the old pilots are the best source developers have...

[+Hasse Wind]

The guys who actually flew those crates and worked on them every day were the ones who knew them best. Their opinions should always be taken into account when creating flight models. The RE is not a bad crate in OFF P3, though I think it somewhat lacks that nasty stall characteristic.

[+RAF_Louvert]

.

 

LIMA, that is one of many excellent papers over at the Australian Society of WWI Aero Historians website. I read this particular one quite a long time ago, and appreciate you posting the link to it here as I can now revisit it, (and save it to my own files).

 

Also, you wrote: "I think I'll start an OFF RE8 campaign and give the old girl a try for myself!

 

'Dear Capt Johns

Having now put in a good many hours on the RE8 in OFF, I feel I really must add a letter of my own to your file of correspondence on the performance of this particular aeroplane... "

 

That made me chuckle as it reminded me of this one I wrote in the 'Survival In The Air Series - Discussion Board' thread, concerning the Quirk:

 

Letter to Major Willy Coppitt

 

 

 

.

[Wayfarer]

LIMA, very pleased you posted this link. It's really fascinating and , for me, very timely. I have just come to the point where RFC2 replaced their BE2s with FK8s, so I've 'transferred' to RFC5 who are equipped with RE8s.

I have only flown one 'training flight' (Quick Combat free flight) and one campaign mission so far. I wouldn't know how faithful the flight model is, but I noticed the torque effect and actually did spin it at one point, although it recovered quickly.

I also enjoyed the turn of phrase employed by some of the correspondents and the undramatic way they described what must have been some pretty hairy moments!

[Hauksbee]

A quick perusal of these letters seems to indicate that, again, "low and slow kills pilots". They get near, or at, stall speed about 70 feet from the ground and the spin develops.