RAF_Louvert

. I thought the German love of water sports had been common knowledge for quite some time now: .

. OH, I have sooooooo been there, Javito. And it seems as if we have another candidate for the BOC. Apply today, my barmy lad. The Barmy OFFers Club .

. Oh yes TaillyHo, I will most certainly be using Bletchley's early war mods. And I could use a bit of quiet for a while, actually looking forward to the Quirk and a bit of trench mapping, gun ranging, and recce work. .

. Thank you all. It was a nasty shock and I shall dearly miss old Kooksy. C'est la vie. I hear the BE2 of 4 Squadron calling from January 1915, "Prove your worth lad, come fly a B/R bus and show your true mettle!" .

. OK, now THAT was outstanding, Hellshade. You have a true calling in the narration of film Sir. .

. A sad day at the virtual 54 Squadron. Afternoon patrol found Major Jeffrey Alberts leading his flight through a blue spring sky across the mud east of their latest aerodrome assignment at Flez. Shortly after crossing over to the Hun side five Albatros D.IIIs, sporting wide black and white bands on their fuselages, dove on the four Pups of 'A' Flight. Kooksy flew and fought with great skill and grit as he drove his first attacker down, then turned to brush another from the tail of one of the new lads. Just as he placed a burst into the cockpit of the Alb in front of him, he was hit by two streams of lead from another Boche that had slipped onto his tail. Kooksy instinctively twisted hard to starboard as he brought the nose of his kite up and over the top of his following assailant. But a split second later flames burst out from the Pup's cowl, causing the Major to dive for the earth as he switched off the fuel and magnetos. But it was not to be. Kooksy burned all the way to the muddy ground below, crashing next to an Allied balloon position. His body was recovered from the wreck and was buried in a little cemetery near Flez in the presence of the entire 54 Squadron contingent. So, stand to your glasses steady, This world is a world of lies, Here's a drink to the dead already. Hurrah for the next man to die. ...I'm gutted... Lou .

. That Sir is a Bristol Jupiter powered Handley Page Hinaidi, which first flew in March of 1927. They built 45 of these beasts. Wonderful stories here Gentlemen, and they run the whole gamut of emotions, IMHO. My father was born in 1918, and like so many young American men went down immediately following December 7, 1941 and attempted to enlist in any branch of the service that would have him. He unfortunately suffered from very poor circulation in his legs which caused painful bloody sores to contastly open up just above his ankles. He was classifed 4-F because of it and was never allowed to serve in the military. I believe it honestly crushed his spirit back then, and he always felt guilty about his classification right up until the day he died in 1974. I took his name as my moniker when I joined the online RB3D 209 Squadron, so that I might honour a man who desperately wanted to serve his country in an active fighting role during it's time of need but was denied the opportunity. .

. Slarti and Lou, they met in the bar To talk of poems and prose. And as they drank they argued both Til they stood there nose to nose. “Tis classic form”, Lou did expound, “That t’was ever fit to write. And if you think free verse is fine Then you’re looking for a fight!” “Classic form…bah!” Slarti quipped. “What of classic form. It’s staid and predictable and rigid and is stuck in the 19th century. Free verse is the true expression of art” And that was that, the brawl began, And blows the two did trade. Black eyes, loose teeth, and bruise’d fists Til on the floor they laid. “Alright,” said Slart, “I see your point. You’ve argued your case strong. I accept the classic’s also art, And I perhaps was wrong.” “I have also been enlightened,” Lou claimed, “and free verse is art as well... let me buy you a pinta’ on this one my friend” .

. WM, I have been a lot of places and done a lot of things, and I can say without reservation that parenthood is THE most thrilling journey of all. And like you, I started later on that journey as well, (34 for me), and I believe it gave an advantage in that I had experienced a bit more of life and came with a different mindset when I took on the role of parent; perhaps a bit more prepared, as much as anyone can be prepared for it. And you Sir have the teen years to look forward to: Hold on tight, it's gonna be a bumpy ride. .

. Three of them WM, all adults now and on their own, and when they were growing up I was allowed some of those same summer moments with them. Now Jane and I have a six-year-old granddaughter who visits every week, so once more I have the pleasure of seeing time slow down and watching the world through a child's eyes, (and it's hard to beat that view of the world). And you Sir, do you have kids? .

. My pleasure Javito. Here is a view of the book shelves in my flying room: And the view from the book shelves: .

. Widowmaker, if you were to add to your list, "riding our bikes to the local general store to buy sodas, candy bars, and comic books with the money we earned collecting bottles", you would be describing my summers at that age as well. Time is a tricky thing, now summers go by in the blink of an eye. .

. Oh very nice Gents, very nice. .

. It does indeed take time Olham, but if you like the idea of getting close to how our RL WWI examples did it it's well worth the time, IMHO. That is one of the great things about this sim, you can really fly it the way you wish because it has so many options. .

. I use about the same system as you do Olham to signal the other flyers in my flight, with the exception of the 'help' command. I don't recall ever reading about a WWI pilot having a way to signal for help to his companions, so I only use the 'attack' and 'regroup' commands. And like you Olham, I don't use TAC, or indeed any of the in-sim aids including the map, (as mentioned before, I use my own 'cockpit' maps). .

. Good one WM, but what is this 'summer' you speak of? hee hee hee .

. Quite evocative Slarti, glad you keep your notebook handy. Well done Sir, and a fan of free verse I see. We'll have to tip a few in the club bar and discuss free verse v classic forms, (there's one that's led to fisticuffs on more than one ocassion). Lewie, I apologize for missing that snippet you posted quite some time ago here. Very good Sir, I want to read that WWI pilot's fiction piece when you've completed it. .

. Officers in the British and French services were required to purchase their own uniforms and accessories. In fact, in the French air service, pilot cadets also had to purchase their own uniforms, which is why benefactors such as the Vanderbilts played such a large part in the lives of the American volunteers as they supplied them the money for uniforms and other needed items, as well as an allowance while the cadets were in training. .

. AAAAAAAAH HAAAA HAAAA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!! And no, my name is not Lederhosen, but then my German is atrocious so I probably just misread that bit. .

. I have not seen that film RC, but now I want to! Thanks for sharing the link Sir. .

. Was ist der Sinn des Lebens? .

. Thanks Gents, I am a bit of a fool for old books. Shiloh, I don't believe I have ever been disappointed by any of the writings I've purchased over the years, and I am sure your recommendation is sound. Also, I can appreciate living on the frugal side, I've been doing it most of my life. Now then, since you mentioned my WWI book collection, after these latest acquisitions it is looking like this: Personal Narratives and Biographies: "A Flying Fighter", E.M. Roberts, (1918 1st Edition) "Airmen O' War", Boyd Cable, (1918 1st Edition) "An Airman Marches", Harold Balfour, (Vintage Aviation Library Edition) "An Airman's Outings", Alan 'Contact' Bott, (1917 1st Edition) "An Aviator's Field-Book", Oswald Bolcke, English Translation, (1917 1st Edition) "A Poet Of The Air", Jack Morris Wright, (1918 1st Edition) "A Rattle Of Pebbles: The First World War Diaries Of Two Canadian Airmen", Brereton Greenhous, (1987 1st Edition) "Beyond the Tumult", Barry Winchester, (1971 1st Edition) "Cavalry of the Clouds", Alan 'Contact' Bott, (1918 1st Edition) "Cloud Country", Jimmie Mattern, (1936 Pure Oil 1st Edition) 3-volume set "Days on the Wing", Willy Coppens, English Translation, (1931 1st Edition) "Death in the Air", William Heinemann, (1933 Edition) (famous faked aerial photos) "Double-Decker C.666", Haupt Heydemarck, English Translation, (1931 1st Edition) "En L'air!", Bert Hall, (1918 1st Edition) "Fighting the Flying Circus", Edward Rickenbacker, (1919 1st Edition) "Five Years in the Royal Flying Corps", James McCudden, (1918 1st Edition) "Flying for France", James McConnell, (1917 1st Edition) "Go Get 'Em!", William Wellman, (1918 1st Edition) "Guynemer, Knight of the Air", Henry Bordeaux, English Translation, (1918 1st Edition) "Heaven High, Hell Deep", Norman Archibald, (1935 Signed 1st Edition) "High Adventure", James Norman Hall, (1918 1st Edition) "Horses Don’t Fly: A Memoir of World War I", Frederick Libby, (2000 1st US printing) "Immelmann: The Eagle of Lille", Franz Immelmann, English Translation, (1930 1st Edition) "In The Clouds Above Bagdad", J.E. Tennant, (1920 1st Edition) "Kitchener's Mob", James Norman Hall, (1916 1st Edition) "Letters From a Flying Officer", Rothsay Stuart Wortlrey, (1928 1st Edition) "Memories of World War 1", William Mitchell, (1960 Edition) "My Experiences in the World War", John J. Pershing, (1931 1st Edition) 2-volume set "Night Bombing with the Bedouins", Robert Reece, (Battery Press Edition) "Nocturne Militaire", Elliot White Springs, (1934 Edition) "No Parachute", Arthur Gould Lee, (1970 1st US printing) "Open Cockpit: A Pilot of the Royal Flying Corps", Arthur Gould Lee, (1969 1st Edition) "Rovers of the Night Sky", W.J. 'Night-Hawk' Harvey, (Vintage Aviation Library Edition) "Sagittarius Rising", Cecil Lewis, (1936 Edition, 1st US printing) "Stepchild Pilot", Joseph Doerflinger, (1959 1st Edition) "The Flying Poilu", Marcel Nadaud, English Translation (1918 1st Edition) "The Red Knight of Germany", Floyd Gibbons, (1927 1st Edition) "The Way of the Eagle", Charles Biddle, (1919 1st Edition) "Up And At 'Em", Harold Hartney, (1940 1st Edition) "War Birds; Diary of an Unknown Aviator", Elliot White Springs, (1926 1st Edition) "Whom The Gods Love", Lewis C. Merrill, (1953 1st Edition) "Wind in the Wires", Duncan Grinnell-Milne, (1918 1st Edition) "Winged Warfare", William Bishop, (1918 1st Edition) "Winged Peace", William Bishop, (1940 1st Edition) "With the Earth Beneath", A.R. Kingsford, (1936 1st Edition) "With the Flying Squadron", Harold Rosher, (1916 1st Edition) History, Reference, and General Interest Books: "A World Undone: The Story of the Great War 1914 to 1918", G.J. Meyer, (2006 Edition) "Air Aces of the 1914-1918 War", Bruce Robertson, (1964 Edition) "Aircraft of Today", Charles Turner, (1917 1st Edition) "Aviation in Canada 1917-18", Alan Sullivan, (1919 1st Edition) "Capronis, Farmans, and Sias: U.S. Army Aviation Training and Combat in Italy With Fiorello LaGuardia 1917-1918 ", Jack B. Hilliard, (2006 1st Edition) "Colliers New Photographic History of the World War", (1917 Edition) "Decisive Air Battles of the First World War", Arch Whitehouse, (1963 1st Edition) "Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War", W.M. Lamberton, (1964 Edition) "Flying The Old Planes", Frank Tallman, (1973 Edition) "Fragments From France", Bruce Bairnsfather, (1917 1st Edition) (Great War cartoons by the master of the genre) "Heros of Aviation", Laurence La Tourette Driggs, (1919 1st Edition) "High in the Empty Blue", Alex Revell, (1995 1st Edition with author's signature card) "Historic Airships", Rupert Holland, (1928 1st Edition) "History and Rhymes of the Lost Battalion", L.C. McCollum, (1929 Edition) "History of the World War", Francis March, (1918 1st Edition) "History of the Great World War", Rolt-Wheeler and Drinker, (1919 1st Edition) "Land and Water" Magazine, (entire April through September 1917 series, hard bound, ex-library copy) "Ludendorff's Own Story", Erich Ludendorff, (1919 1st Edition) "National Geographic" Magazine, (entire 1918 series, hard bound, ex-library copy) "Reconnaissance & Bomber Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War", W.M. Lamberton, (1962 Edition) "Rhymes of a Red Cross Man", Robert W. Service, (1916 1st Edition) "Source Records of the Great War", (1923 1st Edition) 7-volume set "The First War Planes", William Barrett, (1960 Edition) (the one that started it all for me) "The Great Air War", Aaron Norman, (1968 Edition) "The Great War", George H. Allen, (1919 1st Edition) 5-volume set "The Great War in the Air", Edgar Middleton, (1920 1st Edition) 4-volume set "The Imperial Russian Air Service, Famous Pilots and Aircraft of World War One", Alan Durkota, (1996 1st Edition) "The Lafayette Flying Corps", by James Hall and Charles Nordhoff, (1964 Kennikat Press limited edition two-volume set) "The People's War Book and Atlas", (1920 1st Edition, signed by Lt. Col. William A. Bishop) "The United States in the Great War", Willis Abbot, (1919 1st Edition) "The U.S. Air Service in World War I", Maurer Maurer, (1978 1st Edition) 4-volume set "The War in the Air", Raleigh and Jones, (1st Edition) 9-volume set with map cases, (originally in the military library at Whitehall; my personal Jewel of the Crown) "The Western Front from the Air", Nicholas C. Watkis, (1999 1st Edition) "Time-Life Epic of Flight", 23-volume set, (not old and not strictly WWI but still a lot of good info and photos) "True Stories of the Great War", (1918 1st Edition) 6-volume set "U.S. Official Pictures of the World War", Moore and Russell, (1924 1st Edition) 4-volume set "1920 World Book Encyclopedia", (entire set with addendums, great for cross-referencing in a contemporary context) Instructional Books: "Aeroplane Construction and Operation", John Rathbun, (1918 1st Edition) "English-French War Guide for Americans in France", Eugene Maloubier, (1918 Edition) "Learning to Fly in the U.S. Army", E.N. Fales, (1917 1st Edition) "Lewis Machine Gun 'Airplane Type' Service and Operation Manual", (1918 Edition) "Manual Of Rigging Notes Technical Data", (1918, possible reprint) "Practical Flying", W.G. Minnies, (1918 1st Edition) "The Art of Reconnaissance", David Henderson, (1916 1st Edition) "Science of Pre-Flight Aeronautics", (1942 Edition) "Self-Help for the Citizen Soldier", Moss and Stewart, (1915 1st Edition) .

. OK Parky, now THAT'S funny. .