RAF_Louvert

. I know a lot of folks find the 'letter slot' windscreen on the Nieup 17 to be a real pain, but I have to say that I got used to it quite early on and do just as well with it as I do with the other nimble fighters in OFF. Well, all except for the Camel, as it is in a class all by itself. With that kite I can fly rings around everything else. .

. I saw it Widowmaker, but then I'm a hologram too. So, two holograms walking down the street, having a conversation. H1: "My, but you're looking particularly three-dimensional today. Have you been working out?" H2: "Oh yeah, right. So what is it you want? You know I can see right through you when you start that." H1: "Really? Am I that transparent?" . .

. I also recall having this same discussion quite some time back. Well, all except for the part about the gramophone, don't seem to remember that bit. I'll have to mimeograph a copy of that other thread and see how the two compare. .

. I agree completely. OFF is clearly a labor of love. .

. Very nice, and very reminiscent of Bob Pearson's work. Love the bomb loadout on that Fee!

. Widowmaker, I wish you all the best in your move to the rural life. I was born and raised in the country myself and after living for 15 years in various cities I moved back to my roots. I love everything about being away from the hustle and bustle of metropolitan areas, except for the gawd aweful cell phone and internet coverage out here in the hinterlands. But I can put up with that when I weigh it against all the advantages. .

. Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Your shoddy products laced with lead and PCB, Your invasive species; mussels, carp and more, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the gilded door! (it used to be a golden door but with the price of gold these days…well, you understand) .

. It's getting more dangerous here in the states too, what with the invasion of the Asian Silver Carp in our inland rivers. .

. This weekend I garnered a newfound respect and sympathy for the Poor Bloody Infantry in WWI. I had to repair a leak in the water line running from our well to the house, and since my family and I live in Minnesota, said waterline is located about six-and-a-half feet below ground, (to avoid the deep winter frosts we get in this region). With the help of my daughter’s boyfriend on Saturday, we dug down at the spot where I knew the leak to be, (and I knew this due to a damp spot in the middle of the yard that had been coming and going all summer). Once we were within a foot or so of the pipe we had water standing in the hole so I went in search of a portable pump while my helper took off, leaving me to fend for myself, (he had other plans for the remainder of the weekend). After returning with the pump it was getting rather late in the day so I decided I would wait until Sunday to finish up the job and hoped that perhaps the pit would be relatively drained by then all on it’s own. It was not. Even with the water shut off the line pressure had continued to pump water into the hole. I further discovered that the portable pump I had secured proved nearly worthless, as it could not keep up with the water streaming from the ruptured pipe: Nothing for it but to climb down into the pit and work in 20” of icy cold water. I cleared the last few inches of mud and clay from around the pipe and easily found the leak, which turned out to be no larger than a pencil tip, caused be corrosion from a rock that had been sitting against the pipe for the last 30-some years, (keep in mind I learned all this strictly by ‘feel’ since it was impossible to see through the thick brown water). Back up out of the trench and into my shop I went, to grab a chunk of urethane boat repair tape, a slice of thin rubber matting, and three stainless steel hose clamps, then back down into the muck. Again, working strictly by feel, I pushed the urethane into the rupture, wrapped the rubber around it, then proceeded to place and tighten the hose clamps. And the stream of water stopped. With the heart of the job done my mind was now free to wander. I noticed just how cold the water was that I had been squatting and working in, realizing I could no longer feel my feet or my hands; I studied the damp, ragged, clay walls that surrounded me and watched as the occasional chunk would lose its grip and plop into the slurry below; I looked up at the pile of dirt that bordered along three sides of the pit opening, causing it to feel even deeper than it already was; I saw the sun slanting into the hole, barely making it two feet down even at midday, and offering no warmth whatsoever. I suddenly noted I could hear shotgun fire coming from the sportsman's club two miles from town, (no doubt local hunters getting ready for the upcoming pheasant opener). “My God,” I thought to myself. “This must have been what it was like in Flanders in the trenches in the wet months…only a thousand times worse!” What those men must have endured simply staggers the imagination. I crawled out of my ‘trench’ and went into the mudroom of my nice cozy home, stripped out of my wet filthy gear, and took a long hot shower, after which I put on warm dry clothes, wrapped up in a blanket, and had a hot cup of coffee as the feeling returned to my extremities. I am so very lucky. .

. BH wrote: Well, you're in some pretty fine company with that distinction. Great story BTW Bullethead. If you aren't already doing so, you really should be writing your memoirs, and I am dead serious about that. .

. Thanks for your concern and the warning for next time Bullethead. I was told pretty much the same thing by my neighbor when he stopped by yesterday. He is one of our First Reponders, and when he looked at the pit he said, "You didn't really sit down in there and work did you?" I said I did. Then he said, "At least tell me you had your cell phone with you." I had not. He just shook his head and told me I'm lucky I wasn't now a statistic. You would think that by age 56 I would have gotten smarter about such things, but I honestly didn't even give it a thought as the earth the hole was dug in was all clay and seemed very stable. I have now been told by two people who know far better than I that what I did was dumb-ass stupid. This proves yet again that we don't actually learn from our mistakes, we just find better and more creative ways of making them. .

. Thanks for the link Pips, I've been looking for a copy. Harris and Pearson's book sold out shortly after it was released last year, (at least it did around here). As Slarti noted, it's a very nice one-stop quick reference source, and Bob's profiles are always outstanding. Now, as to those prices at Amazon? Perhaps some uptown gallery has decided the book is très nouveau and is selling it as high art. .

. That is a good one WM, however this is still my personal fav: .

. Olham, in the region I winter camped the local tribe is the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa (Ojibwe). In their native language they are called 'Zagaakwaandagowininiwag', which translates to "Men of the Thick Fir Woods". They believe, as do many of the bands in our area, that an animal which is seen four or more times in your dreams is your personal spirit guide. Widowmaker, we most definitely distance ourselves from nature, and I believe that is one of the things that will lead to our ultimate undoing. Creaghorn, I agree completely. Solitude, real solitude, allows you to connect to the universe, God, the astral plane, whatevere you choose to call it. Once a person has honestly made that connection they are changed forever, IMHO. .

. I was a very avid camper and backpacker in my younger days. The winter before I joined the US Air Force I did a two-week remote trek into the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area, which straddles the Minnesota-Canada border. I snow-shoed in by myself with a pack and a small tent and did not see another person for the entire fourteen days. Deer and wolves, and even a moose and a cougar, but no other people. There is nothing more soul-stirring than sitting on the edge of a frozen lake at night, miles from nowhere; in front of a small campfire; back against an ancient pine forest; full moon hanging in a crystalline star-filled sky above, with the northern lights practically dancing on the tree tops; and the only sounds are the crackling of the camp fire and the howl of a wolf. After that experience, there was honestly nothing the service could throw at me that I could not handle. .

. Outstanding write-up Soppy, well done Sir! You've outlined a journey many of us here have taken, I am sure. Quite nostalgic to see all those old flight sims, and of the lot RB3d was the one that really did it for me. Here's to the combat flight sim: Those in general, and ours in particular! .

. Oh you say that now Olham, but just wait a few more years when the circulation in your nether regions drops to about a lap every minute or so. THEN you’ll be whining about not going for your free Great War Snuggy. Oh yes, then you’ll be the sissy. Hasse Wind, I'll be getting my Snuggy in khaki with a British roundel, also in 'Field Marshal' size, (extra room for freedom of movement when the P4 dogfights get particularly intense). .

. Due to possible copyright infringements OBD is only allowed to offer the Snuggy, not the Snuggie. .

. New from OBD, the people who brought you Over Flanders Fields P1, P2, P3, BHaH and HitR: It’s OFF P4! Not simply an update, but a whole new WWI combat flight simulation! What would you expect to pay for these features? Fully updated graphics, models, and scenery Newly overhauled Manager System AI completely upgraded and enhanced Campaign system totally redone Don’t answer yet, because OFF P4 also comes with: Real outcomes Expanded operations Expanded realism and immersion Extensive list of new craft But wait, there’s more! Offered exclusively to everyone who buys P4: additional future aeroplane packs and phases! Now what would you pay? One hundred dollars? Two hundred dollars? Well, if you act right away, you can order P4 now for the amazing low price of only $49.95. That’s right, just $49.95! And, to the first 200 who order we’ll also include our limited edition Great War Snuggy. Stay warm and cuddly in this soft, luxurious Snuggy, resplendent with your choice of British, French or American roundels, or German Maltese Cross. Available in small, medium, large, extra large, and Field Marshal sizes; and in British Khaki, French Blue, German Gray, or US Olive Drab. Don’t delay, act now! OFF P4 makes the perfect Christmas gift! .

. Greetings All, While the last week or so has left me little time for my OFF passion it has offered me opportunities to add another four superb books to my WWI collection. They are as follows: "The Spider Web: The Romance of a Flying-Boat War Flight", by T.D. (PIX) Hallam, (1979 Edition) "German Air Power in World War 1", by John H. Morrow, Jr., (1982 1st Edition) "The Story of a North Sea Air Station: being some account of the early days of the Royal Flying Corps (Naval wing) and of the part played thereafter by the air station at Great Yarmouth and its opponents during the war, 1914-1918", (now that's a book title), by C.F. Snowden Gamble, (1967 1st Edition with supplementary notes) "Flying Corps Headquarters 1914-1918", by Maurice Baring, (1968 1st Edition with supplementary notes) All of these are hard cover editions in fine to near-fine condition, each in their original dust jacket. Prices were cheap to the point of being silly, at slightly more than $60 for all four, (I have seen Morrow's outstanding work alone go for that, provided you can even find a copy). While I have already read Hallam's book I will gladly do so again. The rest of these wonderful volumes are sure to be very enlightening and will be worth far more in sheer enjoyment than the paltry sum I paid will ever reflect. Me so happy! .

. Remember that the St. Mihiel Offensive was launched just a month after Amiens, and that little four-day-long event saw nearly 1,500 Allied aircraft going up against some 500 German planes. It was the largest coordinated massing of aeroplanes for a single attack that had ever been seen up to that point, and the lessons learned at St. Mihiel changed the face of aerial offensives forever. Also, when talking about the ultimate defeat of the German Army in 1918 do not downplay what was going on in Germany itself by then. Home support for the war had completely broken down and the resources to continue to actually wage war were all but gone. It is high testimony to the tenacity of the German troops that they were able to do as well as they did for as long as they did, given what they had to work with by early 1918. .

. Nope HW, found most of them on eBay. Of course, they could be old grannies I suppose. Old grannies who know how to sell on the internet but don't bother to research the market before pricing their items. .

. Thanks vonOben. And if you are searching for some WWI aviation reading don't overlook the numerous book downloads in the OFF 'Scenery and Ground Objects' section. Several of the titles mentioned are there. Also, yesterday I added yet another volume to my collection: "The Sky on Fire: The First Battle of Britain 1917-1918 and the Birth of the Royal Air Force", by Raymond H. Fredette. This is an excellent accounting of the strategic bombing of England done by the Germans during the Great War. The price was ridiculous for this hardbound 1966 first edition in a mint dust jacket; a whopping $4.99! Even more ridiculous when you consider that the new paperback reprints of Fredette's work are currently being sold at Amazon for $22.00. .

. Thanks for the kudos Hasse Wind, Widowmaker, and Olham. Glad you Gents enjoyed my poetic rewrite. But Si, I don't know what you are on about. Our little group self-congratulatory? Bah. We just enjoy each others company. Well done everyone on enjoying each others company! You're all the best and everything each of us does is beyond compare, really. Full marks all around! .

. Thanks for the pics HW! The Dawn Patrol Fly-in is a must for anyone interested in WWI aviation, (I haven't been for several years now myself and really need to get to the next one). While most of the Great War planes are experimentals of some sort, they are still none-the-less a blast to see. And the USAF Museum there at Dayton is well worth the trip all on it's own. .