Olham

Ah, I knew this Albatros, but not the connection - thanks for the info, LIMA!

The violation of Belgian neutrality, how ever bad it surely was, was a logical strategic idea, which must have been thought by the British too; at least to their strategists. The Schlieffen plan was not a new design - it was in the drawers since many years. When Great Britain warned, that the violation of Belgium would make them enter the war, that was only just a warning and a reason for them to help stopping Germany - due to their own world-wide interests. They just didn't want Germany to rise to be one of the big players in Europe. All throughout history, the strong powers have never ever cared about the neutrality of any small, military weak country. Not the British, and not the French. So, their pointing on Germany with their fingers only shows the typical double standards of the politicians (then and now). But, to make that clear: the German Kaiser was politically a catastrophy for Germany and for Europe, and his inconstancy on one hand, and his aggressiveness on the other, sure fanned the flames in a catastrophic way. 'Craving for status' was a common German disease in those days, fanned by the papers. I wished there had been a diplomatic solution, to let Germany become one of Europe's leading nations (which it achieved at long last, after all - so it was a logical evolution). But too many "leaders" had too many different interests, and tried to prevent that, while Germany tried to outgun it. A horrible inability on ALL sides IMHO, to deal with the situation any better.

Added today: Gattsu - Spain, Europe All the maps are in post #1 of this thread

I have not read "The Sleepwalkers" (yet, but will read it soon), but from all I did read, I came to the conclusion, that saying, a single country made the Great War happen, would be like saying nowadays, that the Americans were guilty for the climate change. The whole constellation of powers was like a growing ammunition dump with many uncovered fuses, in which several people from different countries did smoke cigarettes despite all the warning signs. It may have been the German cigarette that ignited the powder. But if it had not, soon someone elses cigarette would have. The Germans were closely watching the Russians, the French watched the growing German industrial and military power, and the British must have watched the building of German warships, and Germany's desire for colonies. The "established" European powers feared the newcomer, and teamed up with Russia. A decision that they may have regretted later. And the second world war - most serious historians agree here - would not have happened without the harsh peace treaty conditions against Germany after the first world war.

Check it out, if you haven't been there - tons of types/pictures! http://www.earlyaeroplanes.com/archive1.htm

The workshop of Koloman Mayrhofer in Austria may be known to you from their project, building the Albatros D.III OeFFAG replica (with original engine). But their recent additions to PHOTOBUCKET seem to show: they are building several other aircraft replicas there, too. Can anyone identify, what the bigger planes are? http://s306.photobucket.com/user/kolomay/media/IMG_6520.jpg.html

Yes, the bottom pic could be a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I. The pic above it might be the Hansa-Brandenburg D.I - not many pics to be found of it.

Is this an April hoax, or is it true? I knew the Tommies have their follies, but this one's standing out! http://www.thirstyswagman.com/2015/12/09/the-beer-bombers-flying-pubs-of-ww2/

Man becomes ingenious to get to his drinks!

Mmuahahahahaaa!!!

Interesting - I hadn't heard this name before.

Jim, I bet the roll rate of the Ta 152 was bad with those sailplane wings - but one must consider, that it was never made as a fighter for dogfights. It was designed as a high altitude interceptor.

So you steered the sailplanes yourself? That is a great feeling, I know. I was once on board as a guest of a two-seat sailplane. The seats were beside each other, and the craft had a VW engine for takeoff. Once we were high enough, it got switched off and we glided, as high as 12000 feet. It was amazing! I suffer from vertigo on high buildings, but not in this small plane. The pilot let me fly some wide rounds and straight for half an hour. He disallowed a dive I wanted to perform though. He also wouldn't let me do the landing. I guess I was in an adrenalin rush! Mmuahahahahaaa!!!

Just found the real thing in action... Enjoy!

Thank you, Hauksbee - the rivers will be available as a "Mod" soon. The rivers are made up from 13 square images, Here is one example:

Haha - you don't know how stupid I can be, Hauksbee! But thank you! I will get at it, when I have done the WOFF rivers. Here is, what I have done so far (for "Summer" - the other seasons are yet to be done). I wanted rivers which are more shiny - the rivers are mirrors of the sky IMHO. And then one can find them more easily, and use them for navigation. How do you like it? (Old rivers are left; mine are right).

Yes, this is the front of the Chateau. Not sure if the attic windows will be so easy?

Yes, quite some time ago. Not sure though, if I find the password again. Right now, I am busy with changing the rivers in WOFF. I want them to be at least much brighter, so that they are well visible and can be used for navigation. Even better, if I should manage to get the same waves and shine effects as the lakes and the sea. I wrote to Pol about it. Then I will also help Robert _Wiggins with terrain tiles for a historical Roucourt. Only then, I want to try to build Roucourt castle-

Hmmm... I had hoped to find a German book, but all I found was said to be crapp. Did you ever work with the program BLENDER ? Ah, that sounds good for a start.

Great! I am also rather sluggish, when left alone with tricky stuff. Okay, will do - I'll make a search for that book too. Will you continue building the Chateau? Which one is there in Lou's field now? Just a substitute? I hope buildings will be easy to start with. Can they later get scaled down or up? Or how does one know the correct size?

This story was surely told here before, but maybe some of the pics and info is still new to some. In short (from WIKIPEDIA): On 15 July 1942, due to poor weather and limited visibility, six P-38 fighters of 94th Fighter Squadron/1st FG and two B-17 bombers of a bombardment squadron were forced to return to en route to the British Isles during. The aircraft were forced to make emergency landings on the ice field. All the crew members were subsequently rescued. However, Glacier Girl, along with the unit's five other fighters and the two B-17s, were eventually buried under 268 feet of snow and ice that had built up over the ensuing decades. Amazing Pictures of the rescue of "Glacier Girl" https://www.warhistoryonline.com/military-vehicle-news/15-p-38-glacier-girl-pictures.html The whole story of "Glacier Girl" http://p38assn.org/glaciergirl/index.htm Then... ...and now!

A funny compilation, Hauksbee! I just checked the German WIKI site "Chronologie der Luftfahrt", and was stunned, how early human attempts and successful "flights" had happened. Balloons and manned kites had already been used by the Chinese armies BEFORE Christ! The English site is less overseeable, but here is the part of flight before the 18th century: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_aviation_before_the_18th_century

This piece of Nazi propaganda was surely made to attract young men to the Luftwaffe. We can see Ernst Udet flying stunts in his American Curtiss F.11C "Goshawk". Two of these aircraft were the price, for which he sold his soul to the devil - or better: to Hermann Goering (the later 'Herr Meier'). He recieved them as a present, for joining the Nazi-Party NSDAP at last - which he had always refused before. And it was the "Goshawk" and it's very sturdy diveability, which gave him the idea for the German Sturzkampfbomber, short "Stuka".

This might be something for you, Hauksbee - Shredward from OBD is looking for modellers, who can build some scenery objects for WOFF. How are you getting on with 3D modelling? http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4231961/Landmarks#Post4231961