RAF_Louvert

WHOO HOOO! You've got it Olham. It is the Williamson Model F aerial camera, circa 1915. The final point for this Wild Card is yours Sir. Cheers! Lou

. Sorry Rickitycrate, this is not a Kodak moment for you Sir. .

WOW! sandbagger, those are so very, very nice. Can't wait to fly 'em. Cheers! Lou

Here are the current standings after the recent you've-got-to-be-kidding-me-we'll-never-be-able-to-figure-out-this Wild Card photo: Dej, 15 points Olham, 15 points Red-Dog, 10 points Rickitycrate, 8 points Bullethead, 5 points Luftace, 5 points Duce Lewis, 3 points Burning Beard, 2 points Check Six, 2 points rhythalion, 2 points JohnGresham, 1 point Shrikehawk, 1 point TonyO, 1 point zoomzoom, 1 point Cheers! Lou

If you read that in Wikipedia I wouldn't count on it being accurate.

He, he...we're guessing sewing machines now. Olham wrote: You know, since this one is giving you all ulcers, that is exactly what I am going to do Olham. The object in the last two Wild Card photos is a rollfilm type aeroplane camera. It featured interchangeable lenses, an integrated shutter, and automatic film advance via power supplied by the propeller at the front of the box. The camera attached to the bottom of airplane and was accessed through a door in the floor of the cockpit. The observer had a sight tube fitted to the small tripod on top of the camera, and he triggered the shutter via a Bowden cable that attached to the aluminum block at the rear of the box. The advantage to this system over the glass plate cameras was the relative speed at which one could snap photos of the ground features below. It also eliminated the fumbling around when changing film plates in flight and gave the observer more time to keep an eye out for approaching enemy aircraft. Check Six, two points to you Sir for correctly identifying what the object is and how it worked. Now if anyone can come up with the company that produced this little gem, I will award you the final point for this Wild Card. In the meantime, I will be posting the next set of photos in about 45 minutes, so like a troop of good scouts, be prepared. Cheers! Lou Rickitycrate wrote: Which is why we have used guinea pigs for such things ever since.

You are going to love it HouseHobbit! Welcome to the wonderful world of BHaH. Just ask if you need assistance as you go along, it's a pretty helpful lot around this place. Cheers! Lou

A question for you Dej. You noted you were in the process of bringing the trench maps in as overlays along with the airfields. Is this for the entire Western Front, or just the area around Havrincourt, and where are you finding all the maps? Do you have the trench map collection that is available on DVD? Just curious Sir. Cheers! Lou

Welcome to the OFF skies Vicshere. Yes, you should have the latest version, but you will want to download the latest update for it. Have fun Sir, and ask if you need any help, plenty of folks here to lend a hand. Cheers! Lou

Welcome to the OFF skies Baldric. Have fun Sir and don't hesitate to ask for help as you go along. But flying for the Hun? And your name is Baldric? So the poor old ostrich died for nothing. Cheers! Lou

Check Six, it is not a Zeiss. In a few minutes when it is the top of the hour you are allowed to guess again if you like Sir. At 5:00pm GMT this Wild Card is worth 3 points and the 36-hour wait period starts all over for each of you. Get ready Gents. Cheers! Lou

Hmmm, extra points...I like that idea Red-Dog. OK, attention everyone! If no one gives the correct answer by 5:00pm GMT, (that's a little over 90 minutes from right now), the first person to post the complete and correct answer AFTER that time will receive 3 points rather than 2 for this Wild Card. Now go do some more digging and be ready. Oh, almost forgot. At that time you may all try again, no 36-hour wait period. We start fresh on this one at 5:00pm GMT. Cheers! Lou

Dej, no Sir, not a measuring or computing device of any kind. Sorry this is causing everyone such frustration. Remember I mentioned a few posts back that JimAttrill was closer than he knew with his guess. I will also tell you that the company which produced this item was based in London. Cheers! Lou

Baldric, it was in fact a production item, built from 1915 to 1921 and used in a variety of aircraft. It is not a meteorological device of any kind, nor an air odometer. The propeller is not there to measure anything but rather to drive something, by means of the mechanical power produced by it spinning in the wind as the plane moved through the air. Don't despair Rickitycrate, the truth is out there. Keep trying folks. Cheers! Lou

Hoo boy, Creaghorn, are you NOT making friends in high places. I see a lovely winter getaway to Stanislau in your future Sir. Cheers! Lou

LOL! Jim, you're closer to the answer than you know Sir. Cheers! Lou

Sorry I'm a bit late, I had to reset my modem and router. Jim and Red-Dog, still more interesting and thoughtful guesses, but no to both I'm afraid. As promised, I am posting a second Wild Card photo of this object. The side of the box is now open and two accessories have been fitted to the item as well. Again, you will need to correctly identify the object, name who the manufacturer was, and tell what purpose the small propeller served, and you must be correct with all three to claim the two points. Here you go folks: Good Luck.

Folks, since this particular Wild Card photo is proving to be more of a challenge than I imagined it would, I am going to do something a bit different. If the correct answer is not posted by Friday, September 4, at 10:00am GMT, (about seven hours from now), I will post a second photo showing a bit more to the inner workings of this item, and at that point we will start fresh and all can try to give the correct answer, (no 36 hour wait from your previous answer on the first photo for this item). So be ready, and remember you will need to correctly identify the object shown, name who the manufacturer was, and what purpose the small propeller served, (if you only give part of this needed info in your answer you will not be awarded the points). Cheers! Lou

Outstanding plane and skins OvS! Can't wait to get them in the sim, even if they are Hun. Cheers! Lou

Outstanding article Jim. Thanks for sharing Sir. Cheers! Lou

No, sorry Duce, not that either. But another believable guess, given what the thing looks like. Cheers! Lou

I've seen it too Widowmaker, and I'm not crazy either. Paranoid schizophrenic maybe....."Oh shut up, you are not!"....."Yes I am, and who asked you?"....."Oh, what, and I suppose you're trying to be funny now?"....."Phhhey, what would you know from humor, you great dull git!"....."Be quiet, you're making a scene, and now they're all looking at you!"....."No they're not, they're looking at you!"....."They are? Oh God they are, aren't they. What do we do now?"....."Shhhh, hide. Be quiet. Maybe they'll go away.".....

If I won the lottery tomorrow I would buy that on Saturday. Also, I am surprised by the price as well. You would think a plane as rare as that would fetch more on the market. Cheers! Lou

Greetings All, I just returned from my day's business trip and have read through everyone's guesses here, and let me compliment you all on some wonderful guesses at that. Let's review: zoomzoom, it is not an anemometer nor is it the first unsuccessful wooden torpedo, or the second, third, or any number in the series of unsuccessful wooden torpedos. Red-Dog, it is not an alternator or generator for a wireless set, though it does have a certain "je nerator sais quois" about it. Olham, it is not a box for wireless morse code radio communication despite what appears to be a code key on top of the box. Rickitycrate, also no to it being a communications radio between pilot and observer, or an onboard coffee grinder, much as I would like it to be an onboard coffee grinder as I would have a real use for that option. Baldric, not a power generator for the searchlight attached to the Spad XI nightfighter, but a very knowledgeable guess in terms of that Spad. And Dej, sorry you had to spend all your free time today sifting through information on WW1 wireless telegraphy, as this item has nothing what-so-ever to do with radio or wireless communicatins of any kind, (but look how much more you now know on THAT subject). I will suggest that you direct your collective attention to a certain little item on the top of that box, and that's all I am going to say at this point as I have also just given you the tip that it is not radio related. Keep trying everyone. Cheers! Lou

Over 12 hours since I posted this one and no takers so far. I must have picked a toughie. I'll check back this evening when I get home from my work trip. Have fun all. Cheers! Lou