RAF_Louvert

. Siggi, you are so lucky to have such an item. I have an original of that same volume, but you Sir are connected, because your hands hold a book held by the hands of a man you not only know but who stood at the site of MvR's last moments on this old rock. An honest, physical connection to another time and another place in history. Take care of it Sir. .

. It has been four weeks now since I initiated my 'New Lifestyle', and wanted to give you all an update. It's been going very well, both the change in eating habits and the exercising, and I've dropped over 18 pounds. My desktop wallpaper is serving as excellent inspiration for me each and every morning, and it even sports my first 'award': Tranquillo, I hope your program is going equally well, Sir. I want a run for my money you know. Onward and downdward! .

. But Olham, how can you say that when it is deeply rooted in our male genes? Just kidding Sir ... couldn't help myself. .

. If that were true Olham then I would be flying OFF regularly against 40 mile-per-hour winds out of the northwest, in a blizzard. .

. Indeed, Mon Capitaine. His plane would have looked like a phone book for the Red Light district of Paris. BTW, in that photo of Ernst and Eleanore, does anyone else think they look a bit like they could be related? Definite facial similarities, IMHO. .

. Further strangeness: I have the exact opposite condition with my set-up. My FPS will drop a bit on bright, sunny, clear days. If it's cloudy, dark, rainy or snowy weather I actually gain 5 to 6 frames-per-second. Go figure. OFF, thou art a fickle mistress. .

. Olham wrote: "Lou, it is for the flyers like you, that I never feel lonely, when I'm flying OFF - even though I'm not flying MP." Right back at you Sir. . Carrick wrote: "My Special day was today. I flew 3 different pilots in 3 different Sqns in 3 different Aircraft. I was shot down in all 3 rolls on the first flight !. What a Sim ya just never know?" Yes Sir, some days it goes that way too. Truth be told, that's the way it goes most days. It's the 'Air Ace' days that are the exception. . Hauksbee wrote: "Don't hold back, RAF_Lou, just tell us you really feel!" Well, OK. "Oh, what a grand and glorious sim is 'Over Flanders Fields'! Tis sheer joy and bliss, excitement and pain. The eternal highs and lows and ebbs and flows of life itself are played out in stark relief against it's virtual skies. To soar to the heights of Heaven, or plummet to the depths of Hell, each outcome waits patiently as we, mere mortals, throw ourselves at the unyielding will of Fate. Aaaaah, but to try and ..." ... sorry ... waxing a bit too poetic. I'll stop now. . Carrick wrote: "Yes Lou, Let it all hang out." Believe me Carrick, you do NOT want that. . Duke wrote: "Boy! I cannot wait to retire!" True Dat, Sir! It's the big #1 on my 'To Do' list. . Macklroy wrote: "Im afraid P3 has had its run. But Looming on the horizon i see it being over taken by a much better sim....why P4 ofcourse!" I don't quite agree Sir. I am still finding new things in P3. Hell, I have yet to fly a serious career in the N28, or the Tripe, or either SPAD, or the DR1, or the Pfalz, or the DVII, or the EV, or the Harry Tate, or the DFW CV! .

. "OFF course it is!" hee, hee ... you are a hoot, mein Freund. .

. I sat down this early AM after another week on the road and spent the last few hours not only catching up around here, but also flying in my trusty Camel, (as Lt. Robert Morris of 43 Squadron at Avesnes le Comte in May of 1918). The mission I just completed was a scramble that involved our flight of five Sopwiths pitted against six DR1s and five Pfalz. I've never had so much white knuckle flying in a single sortie in all my natural born days. I swear every one of those Hun flyers was an ace the way they were tossing their kites around in the sky. But despite our being jumped with no more altitude than the tops of the trees my flight and I won the day. I checked the clock after it was all over and it was nearly 20 minutes of pure adrenaline rush! And, once I had gotten safely back down on our own field and put in my claims, which I figured at three of each, I was shocked again when all six went through for approval. I have never put in for six in a single mission before...ever. Is this the best WWI combat flight sim or what? :yes: Cheers! Lou .

. I agree Olham, very classy. I must admit, I've never read that passage before. Thanks for sharing, Shredward. .

. Indeed we will remember them. I have been to Old Rhinebeck, (even got to sit in the Alb). But Hood Aerodrome is where I REEEEEEEEEEALLY want to go! .

. It will get better soon WM. Go to your happy place: Joyfully winging your way along in your Snipe on a bright sunny day, high above all the troubles. .

. Mystery solved everyone. After further research I discovered several other photos of the same bus over at the 'Wingnuts' website. The Fee in question is #4909, "Baby Mine", of 25 Squadron, flown by Lt. J R B Savage with the front office manned by 2AM T Robinson. Although mortally wounded in combat with Max Immelmann on the afternoon of 18 June, 1916 , Lt Savage managed to land his bus south of Lens. Immediately after attacking "Baby Mine" Immelmann's plane was seen to fall apart in mid-air and plunge 2000 metres to the ground, killing Germany's then leading ace. As a side note, Immelmann was not credited with the force down of #4909, but rather it was his good friend Max Mulzer who put in the successful claim, giving him his fourth victory, (information courtesy of 'Early German Aces of World War I', by Greg VanWyngarden). Also BH, I'm afraid I must disagree Sir, those are indeed small 'landing' lights on the leading edge of the top wing. I have seen them before on other photos of Fees set up for night work, though more often they are fitted to the top side of the lower wing. The pulleys you mention are a bit farther in on the wings as well as a bit farther back, and would not be seen from the angle that photo was taken. .

. Bullethead, would you make it out: "To Lou, The greatest Camel pilot ever, and one swell guy." .

. hee, hee ... it appears one of our trusty forum moderators decided my post was "not OT at all". .

. Greetings All, I posted the photo below over in the Great War Forum to see if anyone has run across it before and if so what information they might have about it. I received a CD this last weekend with about 2500 photos from various old German albums of the War and this was one of the items on the CD. It appears to be a captured FE2b of RFC 25, but beyond that I know nothing about it. An outstandingly clear, crisp, large photo showing a lot of detail. I hope someone will have more information on this kite and where the picture was taken. Cheers! Lou .

. Actually Olham, I did mean it is more effective, (as well as more realistic). Not in terms of range of rudder movement as that will be the same by twisiting the stick or pushing on the pedals, but in terms of being able to effectively use that entire range. Unlike WW2 and modern aircraft, the WWI kites not only respond well to a lot of rudder but require it in some maneuvers. It is very awkward, if not nearly impossible, to get full rudder when you need it and as smoothly as you need it by twisiting the stick because you tend to upset the other two axes in the process, (i.e. pitch and roll). I thought for years that the twist stick gave the same ability of control as pedals, but I was very wrong. Fly a plane like the Camel with a twist stick, then fly it with rudder pedals. You will be surprised how much more precisely you can finesse it to it's limits with the latter. .

. Dej, I have definitely been so lost in the OFF skies that I needed a globe to figure out which continent I was over. von Baur, my better half actually has faith in me when it comes to such things. She usually says, "It's so nice that you know how to do such things." Usually. Burning Beard, I did indeed use overlayed plywood. An outstanding material for such projects as this. Carrick, thanks for the kudos Sir. .

. It has a certain 1960's 'Pop Art' quality to it Olham. Quite neat, Sir. .

. Hauksbee, rudder pedals makes OFF into a whole new sim. Next to TrackIR they will affect the greatest positive change to your current flying experience. I wish I would have gotten them many years earlier than I did. .

. Thanks von Baur, glad you approve of my efforts. I just looked at the photos you posted in the earlier thread showing your set-up and I applaud you on your creativity Sir, particularly the dual curtain rod plug in idea. Very clever way around the problem of having one computer that has to serve multiple purposes. I have always been a big fan of the home brew approach. Olham, I missed your questions earlier Sir. The Saitek AV8R-01 is a nice JS for about $28 US dollars, so 'No', not an expensive class item. As to the rock: not trim ballast, only part of my mineral collection. It is actually a beautiful conglomerate that is bound together by hundreds of large amethyst and quartz crystals. A fantastic chunk really and a garage sale bargain for a fiver. .

. As I mentioned in my 'Flying Desk Redux' post, I have been on the road a crazy amount since the holidays. I leave again tomorrow for Elkhart, Indiana for two days, then up to Duluth, Minnesota on Thursday and not home until Saturday night. I wish it would settle down a tad, but then I remember I am one of the lucky ones who still has a full-time job. Besides, all that driving gives me time to come up with scads of great ideas. .

. My nicest present was having all the kids and the granddaughter home for Christmas. It was wonderful. .

. Slarti, I know what you mean about having a single computer that has to handle everything. That's how I flew RB3D for a long time. It's a treat to have a dedicated set-up just for my own purposes. Hauksbee, as Olham noted, keeping the stick offset to your favored side is much nicer in terms of in-sim control and minimizing fatigue. With the new set-up I've just built the stick is at the perfect height and location for me. My arm rests comfortably on the arm of the chair and when I am in the 'flying' position with my feet on the pedals my right hand falls naturally onto the JS. Very nice. Olham, I am VERY happy with the new cockpit. I just finished a mission in my Camel and it was sheer bliss! .

. Greetings All, Work has had me traveling A LOT lately, and so my flying time has been nearly nil, (as has my visiting time here on the forums). Add to that my old Logitech Extreme Pro 3D finally bit the dust which had me searching for a new JS as well. However, after a bit of shopping around and vast amounts of windshield time to come up with all sorts of ideas concerning OFF and how to tweak my flying desk even further towards enjoying said sim, I got home Friday with a Saitek AV8R-01 stick and a grand plan. After a wonderful evening catching up with Jane and things around home I got a good night sleep and arose early Saturday AM and immediately sequestered myself in the shop and got busy building. After an outstandingly successful day's efforts I now have "Lou's Flying Desk 2012" well along the way: Here is the right-hand side of the new insert with the drop down for the joystick and the extended rest for the mouse and note pad, (I have a new TrackBall mouse coming in the mail to replace the old one shown in the photos). Here is the pièce de résistance of the project thus far: my new throttle and mixture controls properly located on the left side of the "cockpit": I actually cut out the section at the rear of the Saitek that holds these controls and build a new housing with a nice vintage look to it. I also cut off the stock handles and built new ones that I patterned after the ones you see when you look down in the OFF Camel cockpit. I then extended the wiring to the potentiometers and Bob's your uncle, it all worked like a charm. I will now build a cover to go over the void left at the back of the stick base. I have the scale markings to add yet along the slots in the new housing, but other than that this part of the project is done. I am also planning to relocate the front switch plate on the Saitek so that it resides to the right of the new throttle and mixture levers and above the keyboard, as these are my controls for the mags, battery, and engine crank. But right now I am just going to fly a mission or two over the virtual front and enjoy the fruits of my labor. Cheers! Lou .