shredward

I have Michael Schmeelke's 'Das Kriegstagebuch der Jagdstaffel 12', and it is excellent. I expect no less from his new work. Cheers, the shredder

Thanks Lou, We will bring him out of the shadows and he will once again fly Over Flanders Fields. Joseph Doerflinger

Yes, I have it. It is/was one of the source books from the GoGS used in building Over Flanders Fields - one of several 'bibles'. There is of course, much more to it than just a list of a/c losses, and while it does not cover every incident, it certainly helps paint the picture and colour in many of the details of the war in the air. Trevor has for years been threatening us with a follow-up edition - if it ever appears, I will be in the front row to grab a copy. Cheers, shredward

If anyone has seen any sign of Conrad, I would love to know about it - any of you Michigan/Wisconsin guys on a phone call basis? shredward

Lou, When it arrives, please let me know if there is a photo of him! Cheers, shred

http://www.fototime.com/C7E3A5344B888F5/standard.jpg SNIPE SNIPE SNIPE SNIPE SNIPE SNIPE

How We Hunt Snipe I just paddle along with my Snipe Decoys blowing my Snipe Whistle "skreech skreech skreech". http://www.fototime.com/D64227D38C7DC0F/standard.jpg Then when they get close, I send Blaze out. No gun needed. http://www.fototime.com/09DD9FB2C44FC6A/standard.jpg But she actually has a distaste for Snipe, so after catching them she just flicks them on her back and retrieves them that way. Smart Dog! It is all true I tell you. That is how I hunt Snipe. A guy from Texas would never tell a Tall Tale like that.

Ahem!!! -that's with my official forage cap on...

Hallo Waldemar, I am going to have to take exception to one little niggle in your post - you having to send Strutter crews to their doom in the French sector in 1918. Unfortunately, that was the reality - there are no Strutter units Over Champagne Fields in 1918 that weren't there in reality, nor are there any there past their expiry date. In fact, we don't have all of the units present. That being said, I hope that one day we will be able to bookend the Strutters with their actual predecessors and antecedents. That being said, we are still in deep developement of P4. We'll just have to wait and see. Cheers, shred

As far as I know, it wasn't anything he did here that got him sent to NoMansLand. He must have offended someone over at the Pub - I've looked and I can't see how he got himself into the doghouse, but he must have somehow. dunno. shredward

Great Stuff Bob! And welcome back - you've been missed! shredward

Anyone seen any sign of ConradB anywhere? shred

Hint: note the uniforms! shred

Thanks Lou! And you caught the trick question:salute: I think that loadout is what we had modelled, but it's always nice to get verifiication from a priceless resource like that clip! Cheers, shredward

I noted with interest the armourer's assistant handed the observer 4 drums - 3 stowed and one on the Lewis gun. I'm not knowledgeable enought to discern whether they were 47 drums or 94's. Anyone able to tell for sure? shred

Hi Al, I confess I am a bit startled at your choice of colour. I rather expected that you would be sporting cockades, and the markings of No 60 RFC:scratch: Welcome aboard, shredward

Hint: look at the uniforms...

http://i98.photobuck...ppelins2010.jpg

That's eerie - to see a piece of terrain so familiar to my eyes, and to see it as it was 70 years ago. Makes the hair rise on the back of my neck! shred

Thanks Rabu! I'd lost that link, and now it's found. Cheers, shredward

Great photos, thanks for showing. With any luck, one day perhaps we'll see them in the air, Over Flanders Fields! Cheers, shredward

Hi Ryan, The war in the air got even busier as time went on. The 'Last 100 Days' saw the fiercest fighting, and the most casualties, of the entire war. Cheers, shredward

Snow last night, today, calling for more tomorrow! Cheers, shredward

Pilots with drag sometimes did hang on to favourite machines, long after the rest of the unit had received newer types. Jacobs loved and flew his Halb DII for as long as he could, and in 1918, awarded a case of champagne to anyone who could bring him a salvage LeRhone so he could keep his beloved black DrI in the air. Albert Ball hated the SE5, and flew his Noop on his lone wolf patrols with 56. There were several big time French aces who continued to fly Noops after their Escadrille had received Spuds. Later, many of those same pilots continued to fly the VII, long after junior members were flying the XIII. Note that in every instance I've cited, the preferred a/c by certain aces was the more manoeuvrable machine. Cheers, shredward

The Wahlfisch was used as an escort fighter, particularly by the Schustas. I have seen reports by British pilots who, on attacking a pair, or a formation of two-seaters, were surprised by a Roland turning to fight while the other a/c made good their escape. And when the Wahlfisch was first put into service, it was very fast compared to most of its Allied opponents - a very formidable machine. Cheers, shredward