Dej

It's sad to hear so much bad news, especially at this time of year. I pray that 2011 is better than all expectations of it, for everyone here. Si, it's said that everyone has a novel in them... I hope you find yours. If J.K. Rowling can do it - with the initial writing skills of a twelve-year old - then I'm damn sure you can, given what you've posted in these fora. The key is finding the right story and getting the lucky break and I wish you the best with those two, too. It's tragically and painfully ironic that the IT contractor market is quite healthy... IF you've good data skills and can stomach, morally, working in the financial or insurance sectors, helping the guilty to look as if they're paying attention to Basel or Solvency compliance. Not sure I could, and thankfully I don't have to. Mind you, I bet there's a whistle-blowing novel in there somewhere. But if it were a choice between that or losing our home.... I'd have to consider whether to starve on integrity, swallow my pride or make the kind of radical change that you've envisaged. I actually envy you the chance to try writing for a living but I fervently wish it had come about in other circumstances. Best of luck to everyone.

Ah, my bad, I thought you were looking for the B&W ones. Do you mean this one?

The only two B&W ones I created from that image are these:

Cheers Pol. Those new shots are as awesome as the others. Btw, does the restriction on OFF Manager/Menu screens extend to the medal pages? I know uncleal regards it as unnecessary eye-candy but I'd love to see how Paarma's work has progressed since the fabulous examples he posted a long time ago.

Thirded! And here's hoping he aims a machine gun better than he aims a champagne bottle. The fellow's going to miss those glasses entirely!

Nice one, Lou. Difficult to have a Christmas Truce and a game of footie (soccer) in NML when you're an airman, but exchanging salutes instead of bullets is as good I guess. Compliments of the Season everyone. May you and your loved ones enjoy a happy holiday.

He often does, pay no mind and above all don't take it personally... that's just Uncleal. He has 'For-ettes' (that's the online version of Tourette's, btw) - heart of gold, though.

The .pdfs are undergoing some revision. I expect British_eh will be reposting shortly.

Sixthded! All round top bloke... glad to have made his acquaintance even in this small manner.

No. 11 IS indeed easy, googled my way to it in one hit

As accurate a description as any of a culture that is laughably referred to as 'British' Anyway, back on topic, here's another favourite 'The Coventry Carol'. Genuinely mediaeval, 15th century, as opposed to the 'traditional' ones which are mostly 18th and 19th century. I've selected this version because it's supposed to be sung by women. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUFQoNW7NPs

I believe the Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Danes, Normans, Hugenots etc etc etc brought theirs with them and added it to the melting pot

Well, No. 6 is my new home town (as in barely three months) of Sudbury, Suffolk - ancient market town and birthplace of this chap of whom you may have heard and much frequented by John Constable, whose name may also be familiar! If this thread were running in the summer that rowing boat on the Stour would be joined by loads of canoes for the annual 'Sudbury to the Sea' event. Any US OFFers hailing from the Boston or Salem area may well have ancestors who came from Sudbury. There is another US link for any whose parents or grandparents were members of 834th Squadron (H), 486th Bomb Group (H), 8th Air Force which was based at RAF Sudbury during WWII. Rather small, yes, but not insignificant

I suspect WM's referring to the easy availabilty of cocaine and heroin, which I believe, early in the War, one could buy in high class stores in 'gift packs' for The Front. I think I've read also that the production of cocaine in industrial quantites during the War lead to a surplus when it ended, thus fuelling the roaring twenties... the latter may be an urban myth, however. But, to get back on topic, a warm welcome to OFF and I'll have a pint of Wytchwoods 'Dog's Bollocks' if you please.

Hmmm... seasoned veterans eh? Sounds like Merkel and Halbig were seasoned enough to let Paul do most of the work. He'd best keep an eye on those two. Great writing as usual, Lou. More of the same ASAP if you please.

Again, not a true carol but these days my Christmas doesn't properly start until I hear 'Es ist ein Ros' Entsprungen' on Classic FM. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDVpHZZAzZo But if we were to stick to true carols then 'God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen' is probably my favourite, although 'Past Three O'Clock', 'In Dulci Jubilo' and 'I saw Three Ships' are very close runners.

I had a recent PM exchange with Creaghorn on a couple of songs featured in 'Aces High'. I since found a more authentic version of the first which prompted me to collect so more for posting here. There were a series of posts over at The Aerodrome on the same subject some time ago, but I thought I'd invite contributions from you folks, particularly any French or German ones you know of. The following are all songs that are known to have been sung in RFC messes and represent basic or common versions. Each squadron would doubtless have their own variant. Who knows, if we collect enough maybe Mr. Milne could work his magic on them for P4 incidental/atmospheric music A POOR AVIATOR LAY DYING (First World War Version, trad.) Tune: The Dying Lancer/Tarpaulin Jacket/My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean/ Midi (Tune Only) The Young Aviator lay dying, And as in the hangar he lay, he lay, To the mechanics who round him were standing These last parting words he did say - (Chorus): Take the cylinders out of my kidneys, The connecting rod out of my brain, my brain, From the small of my back take the crankshaft And assemble the engine again. Then go ye and get me the school bus And bury me out on the Plain, the Plain, And get them to write on my tombstone Some formulae out of Duchesne. When the court of Enquiry assembles To find out the reason I died, I died, Then say I forgot 'twice Iota' Was the minimum angle of glide. Oh had I the wings of an Avro Then far into Holland I'd fly, I'd fly, I'd stop there until the war's over And laugh at you blighters on high. And now I suppose I'll be joining The Flying Corps up in the sky, the sky, Where they all understand 'twice Iota' And they all have got wings that will fly! Additional verses from other versions... Pull the longeron out of my backbone, The turnbuckle out of my ear (my ear). From the small of my back take the rudder- There's all of your aeroplane here. I'll be riding a cloud in the morning, With no rotary before me to cuss (to cuss). Take the lead from your feet and get busy, Here's another lad needing the bus! Oh, had I the wings of a little dove, Far a-way, far a-way would I fly, I fly, Straight to the arms of my true-love, And there would I lay me and die. Then get you two little white tombstones, Put them one at my head and my toe, my toe, And get you a penknife and scratch there, “Here lies a poor pilot below.” WE HAVEN’T GOT A HOPE IN THE MORNING (First World War Version, trad.) Tune: John Peel Midi (Tune Only) When you soar into the air on a Sopwith Scout, And you're scrapping with a Hun and your gun cuts out, Well, you stuff down your nose till your plugs fall out, 'Cos you haven't got a hope in the morning. (Chorus): For a batman woke me from my bed; I'd had a thick night and a very sore head, And I said to myself, to myself I said, "Oh, we haven't got a hope in the morning !" So I went to the sheds and examined my gun, Then, my engine I tried to run; And the revs that it gave were a thousand and one, 'Cos it hadn't got a hope in the morning. Chorus... We were escorting Twenty-two, Hadn't got a notion what to do, So we shot down a Hun and an F.E. too, 'Cos they hadn't got a hope in the morning. Chorus... We went to Cambrai, all in vain, The F.E.'s said, "we must explain; Our cameras broke--we must do it again; Oh, we haven't got a hope in the morning!" Chorus... SO EARLY IN THE MORNING (First World War Version, trad.) Tune: So Early in the Morning Midi (Tune Only) The Orderly bloke was asleep in bed, He woke up with an awful head, The telephone began to ring. More hot air from the 14th Wing! (Chorus): So early in the morning, So early in the morning, So early in the morning, Before the break of day. The Orderly Officer said, 'Who's that?' The Wing replied: "There's a Halberstadt Over Albert, they say, Go and drive the blighter away.' Chorus... So six unfortunate sleepy heads, Known as pilots left their beds. They hadn't been gone five minutes, I'm sure, When the 14th Wing rang up once more: 'It isn't a Hun: the patrol must stop, It's only an old two-seater Sop.' Chorus... Then the mists began to rise Until they filled the wintry skies. The patrol it should have been back by nine; At 11 o'clock there was no sign. Chorus... Then old John Russell began to swear, 'Chaps,' he said, "Oh dear, oh dear! What has happened, I'd like to know,' When a message came through from our C.O. Chorus... 'Archie's down by Albert way, Tommy's crashed in a field they say, As for the others, you can guess their plight, It looks as though you've lost your Flight.' Chorus... And now my story's nearly done, And as you see, there was no Hun. The moral of it's perfectly clear, We must have very much less Hot Air. Chorus... Please join in...

Very nice indeed, Lou. A collection to be envied by anyone with an interest in the subject. I see you're quite meticulous in acquiring first editions mainly, must have taken you a while. I haven't the patience, I'm afraid. If want it, haven't read it, can afford it and it's not falling apart I'll have it

Referring back to 'The Only, Only Way', it's probably my favourite and I'd love to hear it in OFF 'cept I'd never known how the first verse was supposed to sound. But, I managed to track down a midi (yes, I hate them too) of the song on which it is based, "If by some delightful chance at a dinner or a dance some delicious girl you meet..." (Tonight's the Night - 1914) and here it is. So, now, if anyone's a bit musical, and can play it proper like, we can have a jolly old sing-song.

Well, with full DiD setting and himself on 'Ace' experience (naturally), it took a while and, ahem, a couple of pilots, but at last... 'Hawker Avenged'

Ought to be in the 'Show Us Your Desktop' thread really, I suppose... but it ain't. May both these gentlemen rest in peace.

1) Buy P3. You won't regret it. 2) If it's a proper career you want, OFF delivers in spades (commonly the kind used to bury your many dead pilots!) 3) Check out the feature link on the main OFF website, but these are the flyable planes 'out of the box' (without the HiTR add-on) Bristol F2B Bristol Scout DH2 DH2 Late Nieuport N11 "Bebe" Nieuport N16 Nieuport N17 Royal Aircraft Factory Se5a - Hipsano engine Royal Aircraft Factory Se5a - Viper engine Sopwith Pup Sopwith Triplane Sopwith Triplane Twin Guns Sopwith Camel Spad VII Spad XIII Allied 2 Seaters or Bombers: Bristol F2B (bomber/reccy role) Sopwith 1&1/2 Strutter 2 seater Sopwith 1&1/2 Strutter single seater fighter/bomber variant Royal Aircraft Factory FE2b Royal Aircraft Factory RE8 Royal Aircraft Factory BE2C German Single seaters: Albatros DII Albatros DIII early Albatros DIII Albatros DV early Albatros DV Albatros DVa Albatros DVa 200 PS Fokker DR1 Fokker DVII Fokker DVII OAW Fokker DVIIF Fokker EIII Halberstadt DII Pfalz DIIIa German 2 seaters or bombers: DFW CV Hannover CL IIIa Roland CII Walfisch 4) No, it's better than ROF (IMHO) 5) Check out the screen shots thread

That song was certainly sung in the mess of No. 46 Sqn. Here's a version (there are many, of course, with differing degrees of profanity ) WHEN THIS ROTTEN WAR IS OVER Tune: What a Friend we have in Jesus When this rotten war is over No more soldiering for me. When I get my civvy clothes on, Oh how happy I shall be. No more church parades on Sunday, No more begging for a pass; You can tell the sergeant-major To stick his passes up his arse. When this rotten war is over No more soldiering for me. When I get my civvy clothes on, Oh how happy I shall be. No more NCOs to curse me, No more rotten army stew; You can tell the old cook-sergeant To stick his stew right up his flue. When this rotten war is over No more soldiering for me. When I get my civvy clothes on, Oh how happy I shall be. No more sergeant-majors bawling 'Pick it up' and 'Put it down'; If I meet the ugly bastard I'll kick his arse all over town.

Heh, wish I could claim to have thought of that symbolism! Simple truth is, they were placed thus to accomodate my desktop icon placement. I take on board the constructive input, for which thanks. A revised version incorporating said input is in the gallery HERE... me having used up my attachment quota! Thanks folks.

A kind offer, Olham. I'm sure someone will use it. My avatar is a memorial space for pilots of the RNAS... haven't run out yet but wish I had more photos available.