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Rick Rawlings

What? A Rick Rawlings Challenge?

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3 minutes ago, Rick Rawlings said:

Nice work! I actually feel a little disappointed that I didn't get to run and escort missions in my short career! I actually don't think I have done any since playing BH&HII

It's a first time for me, but I like the mixed bag of missions the sim throws at us; patrols, intercepts, strafing runs, and escorts.  So far I'm finding the escort missions tend to bring the enemy up more often than not, although that second run at Loos was crazy with two separate enemy units trying to keep RFC 40 away.  Heaviest losses so far.  As an aside, maybe it's the time period and weather conditions but I've actually had a couple of pucker moments lol. I must say that this iteration of the sim is fantastic and you can really feel the fine effort of the dev team and testers.    

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Great reports on your last four missions Baldric. :smile: Enough to bring a sneer from Blackadder so job done. Knocking that wing off the Pfalz is nice! And is that another bleedin' gong you've got!? You are coming along very nicely.

BTW, there's nothing so puckering as a bloody hun on your tail .... I've had some moments.

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1 hour ago, catch said:

Great reports on your last four missions Baldric. :smile: Enough to bring a sneer from Blackadder so job done. Knocking that wing off the Pfalz is nice! And is that another bleedin' gong you've got!? You are coming along very nicely.

BTW, there's nothing so puckering as a bloody hun on your tail .... I've had some moments.

A sneer, a cuff upside the head and a large turnip hanging around my neck...lol  The wing coming off whizzed by me on the right, while the rest of the craft whizzed by on the left.  I'd slammed the throttle so hard and started an aileron roll to the right just in the nick.

Just one gong so far, military cross thingy.  I'll send it to my other mum in the London Zoo...

Cheers m8y, keep Spiv alive 

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Fawlty RFC

Week 2 Report

7 missions flown, 0 victories. Had a fun fur ball early in the week, and we popped another balloon. Other than that, very quiet skies. Survived another week! 

Monty sat across the table from Mannock.

"Your actual name is Edward, correct?"

"Yes, that's correct"

"Edward... you don't mind if I call you Edward?"

"No, not at all".

"Only it does worry some people - I don't know why...but they are a little sensitive so I take the precaution of asking on these occasions."

"No, no that's fine"

"Yes, silly little point but it does seem to matter. Still - less said the better. Uh...Ted...when you first started in...you don't mind if I call you Ted?"

"No, no, everyone calls me Ted"

"Well then, Eddie-baby, how do you think our missions went yesterday, eh?

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but I don't like being called 'Eddie-baby'.

"Did I call you Eddie-baby?"

"Yes you did! Now get on with it..."

"I didn't really call you Eddie-baby, did I, sweetie?"

"Don't call me sweetie!!"

"Can I call you sugar plum?"

 

http://youtu.be/qLNa7b7Pt3M

http://youtu.be/EAqFt2EpA5E

http://youtu.be/OJvlDGAhP6U

 

mp2.thumb.png.6b128760d2845a331cb7609b0ad03e8e.png

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17 hours ago, Rick Rawlings said:

Hang in there catch!

484f293c-bb70-4add-a6bc-3383cef05281_tex

 

5 hours ago, Baldric said:

Cheers m8y, keep Spiv alive 

That's torn it! The hex has been put upon me by two persons! I have no hope now lol ....

I have survived only by immense skill and intolerable bravery whilst filming these heroic exploits on a hand cranked Parvo cinecamera [read: lotta luck and cowardice .... and I lied about the camera too]

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There is a third who could really put the hex on you, catch.  

full-31324-116720-woff_medal_fairy.jpg

 

Apologies again all for my absence in this wonderful comp.  RL continues to deprive me the time for all things WOFF.  Still, I live in hope of actually getting in a few sorties here.

 

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Oh no! Get thee behind me Devil's Triumvirate!

No need to apologise Lou. I hope everything's okay. I know from personal experience that life throws some difficult curved balls as one gets older. And I'm still coming to terms with certain things and dealing with them as best as I can. Thank goodness for WOFF, the talented community members and other quality flight simulators ...

But to the business at hand ....

06-Dec-17

1118 Hours

Spiv gets it on and bangs a gong! :smile:

 

 

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HarryH: That's too nice a paint scheme for the limited amount of action you have seen! Still, it is keeping you alive! Hang in there!

Lou, we will definitely be ready for some new blood whenever you are able to jump in!

Sorry, catch, you posted while I was typing. Great balloon bust!

Speaking of balloons, do they seem lower in BHAHII? Also does anybody remember which game actually had them reel the balloons down as you attacked? Was that Red Baron II?

Edited by Rick Rawlings
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Nicely done fellas! Well done on the silverware Catch.

 

As to balloon winching...I'm thinking an early iteration of 'Rise of Flight' lowered the balloons but I could easily be misremembering lol.  

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30 November 1917 In which my luck runs out

It is with great sadness that I must report that Stephen Edwards V collided with a squadron mate while forming up.  Stephen could not recover and crashed within a mile of the airfield.

RR_ChallengePilot.thumb.PNG.d34f30177c2d39d624c46d67cae08c83.PNG

 

I've really enjoyed this, flying the SE5a, and I'll continue to follow everyone's adventures here.  I might use the new WOFF feature where your new pilot can act as the replacement your previous one.

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Lofty C ended the week getting even for lost mates - we had a mission the sent two flights over the lines to wave the Union Jack.  Thing is, with these big groups, I would have expected The huns to just avoid us, or if some did show up, that there were so many of us that we be in each other's way, so I doubted that I'd get any.  Turns, out, I got 2!  Actually, I got a third, but I think he was landing or something, so I don't think it's be cricket to claim him.  Good enough for there to be one less hun, eh Mick?

Later, the C.O gave me a few extra days off, on account of my 5th bag, and since it was over the New Year, what a lovely time in Paris.  and that's all I'll say about those two days...

When I got back, I went up with Mick and Old Naps for a balloon that's been a thorn for the lads up front.  All three of us were firing when it blew, so we opted to just get each other a beverage and skip the claim.  I guess that the PBI get a bit of a lift to see one of those blow, but is it really worth the risk, given that there's a replacement back up in a day or two?

 

 

and now on to week 3, and I see that Lt. Edwards went west today.  Bloody shame, this waste.....

Rick, I did a triple take on that "crash'"  what the hey?!?!  If it was me, I'd be crying and swearing, mainly at the broken monitor that I would have just punched......

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mandrews_2: NOOOOO! Another good pilot lost to collision! He made a good run and yes, the SE5a is a peach, isn't she?

lofty_c: If it was a personal campaign where I was trying to survive the war, I would have just re-flown it, as it was more of a "sim-thing" than a "real-world-likely-to-happen" thing, so it's ok, no broken monitors!

 

*edit: also, I have 250 posts, I thought I should be able to go back and edit my old posts now, but I can't. Was I wrong about that?

Edited by Rick Rawlings

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week 3 started with results beyond my hopes:

mission 15, patrol enemy front lines.  We had 7 of us, and we went down by Arras before looking to head North up the lines.  I guess the Huns didn't like our previous big stunt, because there they ere with their own 12 Albatrosses, the blue-bodided ones.  Oh boy, was that confusing!  For a while it was just a question of quick shots and checking my six, until one of them that I got behind was nice enough to break away from the crowd, so I con focus more on him and not worry about a collision.  I ran out of Lewis, but rather than take the time to reload, I kept on him with just the Vickers, which proved enough... 

So, I was going to get back into the fray, but where was everybody?  I'm still amazed at how 19 planes can just suddenly not be in sight.  I did manage to see two others circling, so I pointed that way, when to answer my question of 'where was everyone?' you know there was hun right behind me!  Cheeky bastard.  Don't know if he was new or injured, but he pulled up in a slow turn in front of me, and I let fly with both guns.  He went down, maybe because of just the extra weight of all that lead he caught!  

Now, I was figuring out which but to push to get a picture of two smoking heaps that were right by each other, when here comes a 3rd head on!  Criminey, get that lewis reloaded, and in a bit I got my 3rd kill on the mission.  I didn't think I was shot up at all, but there weren't any friends to be seen, and I didn't feel like tempting fate, so I headed home.

 

Afterwards, it turns out that not only did no one else get one, but three of our boys were banged up badly (all healthy, at least).  I asked Tud to sign as witness for me, and all 3 were confirmed!.  That was enough for a night in the club, so imagine what happened when the C.O informed me that I got another ribbon:

Capture.thumb.JPG.135e027fa7c8a9159d543b9a6c506e8c.JPG

 

 

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Well done Lofty!

Bad luck mandrews... you were having a good run. It just shows you, as in real life, people are there one minute and are gone the next.  

I have to admit, in all the combat sims I have played, in campaign I always play dead is dead, and I have never reached the logical end to any of them... (apart from getting dead of course)

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@lofty_c congratulations on making ace and the DFC.  Sounds well deserved.

@Trooper117.  While I don't fly the DiD cockpit configuration, I do kill my pilots off (a bit too frequently I'm afraid).  It just adds to the realism of what happened during the war.  I just hate it when it's my fault they die.

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Lot's of young men died in flying accidents let alone enemy action mate...

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5 hours ago, lofty_c said:

I'm still amazed at how 19 planes can just suddenly not be in sight.

This happens to me all the time.:haha:  I'm in formation, look away for a moment, and then they do the Houdini. In combat it's even more befuddling. I don't know if it's my eyesight, my tiny yet faithful old 22" screen or I'm just mimicking many an anecdote that said the sky was full of planes and then suddenly empty. :stars:

Criminey! Lofty you're an ace now lad. Well done.

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11-Dec-17

0746 Hours

Mission 13

Four days of foul weather temporarily halt the war for Spiv. He takes the opportunity to acquire french letters, cigarettes and booze other than military standard. However, despite the continuing inclemency, the brass-hats are anxious to move things along. And thus, RE8's are ordered up on a photographic recon mission. It is arranged for B flight to escort and protect them. Weather is still dirty. Like a French peasant girl on the vino. The Harry's slowly cross the lines and head deep into Hunland. B flight follow at 11,000 feet, above and behind, alert for enemy attacks. The recon machines circle their designated objective and eventually head back across the lines.  Spiv shivers with relief. Piece of cake. Then the bloody things turn back toward enemy territory. And again circle the same area. The weather worsens and they disappear into thick cloud, reappearing at intervals as Spiv squints through his goggles, his head on a swivel scanning the skies for hostile aircraft. 

After what seems an age, the Harry Tate's emerge from the misty mountains and proceed in the direction of friendly territory. The weather brightens along with Spiv's mood as B flight follows them across the lines. A final scan reveals no huns about and the dissolving tension is invigorating to body and soul. Well at least for Spiv.

 And then, inexplicably it seems, the Harry's circle back toward their objective. For the third time. Back across the lines!  Archie barks and Spiv jumps. And curses the war with piercing screams of every expletive he learnt in the Melbourne slums. With a few extras thrown in. No-one can hear you scream up there they say. And it is true .... B flight trundles on, unmoved and resolute, intent only on their mission and oblivious of all else. The Tate's continue into Hunland. 

A flare arcs into the sky signaling successful photographs have finally been taken. The RE8's swing westward, noses down, tails up. B flight follows. It is only when they have crossed the lines that Spiv can relax and breathe again. He can't believe there were no huns about. But the threat was always there. And never knowing when. Perhaps that's worse.

B flight lands at Bruay without casualty after over one and a half hours in the air. It is reported that members of 40 RFC scored victories against huns threatening the photo recon chaps. A flight? If that is so, Spiv never saw them. It is a big sky after all. Nervous exhaustion sets in, he closes his eyes and drifts off ....

 

 

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17 minutes ago, catch said:

Weather is still dirty. Like a French peasant girl on the vino. 

Hey, that's my Ysabel your talking about!

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Hi Guys, 

Playing a bit of catch up here. 
Glad there are still some flyboys up there slugging it out.
Sorry to report that Reed will be one of those lost in action.

Mission 11 - No video
This was a scramble from the airfield - while we got up to altitude to find some two seaters, just a we were getting close, they disappeared into some clouds and our flight leader just took us back home

Mission 12 
This was a recon mission just across the lines.
We never did find the flight we were supposed to escort and our flight leader took us home again.
I spotted some two seaters up high, started heading east and climbing.
I lost the first set of EA, but then spotted another. 
When I got close I saw there were five of them.
Was not real keen about taking on five by myself, followed them for a bit, then spotted another behind me to the west.
This was a lone straggler  - perfect - I swung around and attack, shooting off an upper wing.
Was awarded the DFC and a victory

 

Mission 13
Another recon - lousy weather never spotted any EA.
This was in full winter with some weather video.

Mission 14.
An escort mission behind enemy lines.
Weather was a better - managed to link up with two seaters.
We were jumped by a lot of DVa's .
Managed to get on one and shot him up,  but then others shot me up.
Wounded I dove and headed west with the EA taking pot shots here and there.
Got close to the lines but was loosing blood fast and had to set her down quickly.
Which Reed did, but being in the middle of no mans land, help was unable to arrive quickly enough.

Carry on the good fight!

 

 

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Also playing catch up, spent last evening and this morning/early afternoon flying almost non-stop lol.  Anyway here goes...

 

(Private journal/log)

27November 1917 Mission 9-- A pre-dawn briefing then cold scrambled eggs, toast and bully beef.  Tuds found a shovel, cleaned it off, dumped our plates on the shovel and set it in the stove over the coals...said it was a traditional British Rail 'fry-up'.  Whatever it's called with a bit of HP brown sauce it was damn good.  Any way we then took off to rendezvous with RE8's of AFC3 and headed for FF6226.  We mostly arrived over the sector when the enemy sent up some Pfalz's whom we engaged around 6000 feet.  I managed to get one, so did Tuds, and one of the new boys got 2!.  All of us got back, including the RE8's.

271117Mission9a.jpg.813178e27d5c2573c0b277250dc68594.jpg

271117Mission9b.jpg.819236bf378c0e89d307b480254b63cf.jpg

271117Mission9c.jpg.5a283a3a056586b58e924b2b48c50e22.jpg

 

28November 1917 Mission 10-- Not as early, which was good.  My hangover was bad.  I guess I had fired my Webley several times as I ran around the aerodrome in a state "unbefitting an Officer".  It's a good pistol, served my dad well enough in the Boer War, and I take it up with me in case I'm set alight.  Our patrol over our lines today was a bad one.  We were bounced by Albatrosses...?Jasta 18? My machine was shot up but luckily I wasn't.

281117Mission10a.jpg.e41d6c0117b1ca3226dc709a54836475.jpg

 

29November 1917 Mission 11- My punishment for letting off steam the other evening is an assignment as Mess Officer for a week.  Good thing today's patrol was a bust.  I've got inventory to count yet. Ugh.

 

30 November 1917 Mission 12-- No one liked my special cappucino with extra frothing so I've been pulled off Mess Officer duty and the hats warned me "no more indiscretions."  I might go tobogganing later if Naps is up for it.  Our sortie today was an attack on the enemy field at Haubardin.  We were met with Ack-Ack all the way after crossing German lines.  No enemy air though.  The searchlights were annoying.  We managed to wreck some tents.

301117Mission12a.jpg.17df97cb1e33981512120bb8c353fb9d.jpg

01December 1917 Mission 13- A balloon attack was ordered by the rear chappies.  Apparently they are thinking the German successes in Cambrai are due to the observer balloons spying on our troop movements and they caught the muddies in the middle of a unit change.  It didn't matter much in the end as we couldn't locate the balloon we were supposed to attack.  Only resistance where we were was some anaemic Ack-ack and some ground fire.  I didn't even see a winch truck.

 

02 December 1917 Mission 14-  I think I met my future wife last evening.  We'd gone to visit Sanders in the field hospital nearby Bruay.  Two nursing sisters were on duty, Abigail, whom all the fellows seemed to fall in love with immediately, and Dorothy.  I don't think I've been more captivated.  Bright smile, intelligent, pretty.  When we left the ward she had said "Next leave, take me to London and we'll go dancing.  Oh and since you forgot to ask, it's Lieutenant Stowell, Dorothy Stowell."  I think I'll go see Sanders this evening, I'm sure he'll need cheering up.  We intercepted a gaggle of DFW C.V's this morning in the clear skies.  No escort!  We caught them at the perfect time, the observers handling and manning large cameras over the side rather than their usual parabellums.  I almost collided with one.  Must not be so brazen.  Kill confirmed later in the afternoon by a line unit's FOO.  So that makes 4 confirmed.  Screw this evening, I'm headed for the field hospital as soon as I wash up.

021117Mission14a.jpg.b3235b0429fa3acc348a2fa6619e7679.jpg

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021117Mission14b.jpg.bf921500c3d3b72cb4249db70a068dc5.jpg

 

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Well done Balders...  good show!

Stache... Sorry Reed had to go west... seems that this week the casualties are mounting  :dntknw:

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That's awfully bad luck Stache. No mans land is no place to land when critically wounded.

Another good read Baldric. I heard about the Webley incident. Jolly good show. Mess duty, not so good. I wish you the best of luck with Dorothy. She's a cracker.

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