Olham

I'm just re-reading Kilduff's book "THE RED BARON - Beyond the Legend", and I came across a telegram, which made me curious. When Jasta 11 scored their 200th victory, Manfred von Richthofen ordered a bottle of Champaign in the evening, and all Staffelführer to his room in the Chateau at Marckebeke, to wait for the congratulation telegrams to come in. The first one was from KoGenLuft General von Hoeppner. It read: "After seven months in action, Jasta 11 today annihilated its 200th opponent. In so doing they captured (a total of) 121 aeroplanes and 196 machine guns." Now my question: does this mean, that from the 200 victories 121 aircraft have been brought down more or less intact? I had always thought, that the "Richthofen Staffel" had really made the most "kills". But if I interprete this cable right, then they did not kill the majority of their opponents to this date?

Jeeze, "Isaac" DOES look frightening...

Thanks, elephant, but in this case I don't care. I wanted blue rib tape and some colour for this design, and I'm flying it for fun, not for historical accuracy.

Damn, that sounds bad and thrilling at the same time. On one hand, I feel sad for each falling tree. On the other, I like it when we get startled and stirred up from our day-to-day by nature. Please give us some signs of life, when you can.

...and shot down an S.E.5a in it - what irony of war and history.

I'm still searching for a pilot to fly a longer campaign with, and today I started another with Jasta 37, flying in April 1918. Ernst Udet is still their Staffelführer, and all aircraft are raven-black. They carry large white numbers, and since I've seen the numbers 1 - 12 being used by historical pilots, I picked number 13. First victim of "Black 13" was this Nieuport.

Thanks, Rugbyfan, but I guess JFM knows (if it is known at all); he did a lot of research on MvR. I only hadn't put the question clear enough.

I was more interested in the British pilots - not the bloody planes. What I meant to ask was: how many pilots has Jasta 11 brought down alive?

Bullet, I wish you a near miss. Miss, because that's better for your house and health. Near, because I know you like being in the thick of it. Good luck with Isaac!

Von Paulus, that Chevrolet truck in your picture is from the British "Long Range Desert Group"; also called "the Desert Rats". AFAIK the truck was sand colour, not pink. http://anzacsteel.hobbyvista.com/othervehicles/lrdgchevyph_1.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Range_Desert_Group But the "Pink Panthers" of the LRDG - Landrovers with lots of weapons - were really painted pink.

Yes, that's correct - the Siemens-Schuckert D.I looked almost identical. Well, in love and at war... Here is an interesting photo of the "Flugzeug-Fertigmacherei"* in the Trafowerk** Nürnberg. (* Aircraft Finishing Workshop; **transformer factory)

Wow, how sometimes circles close, Lou! Lucian Bernhard made a typeface I really like. And then it was exactly him, who made the superb poster for the big aviation show in Berlin-Johannisthal 1909! Thanks for the hint!

JFM, I'd like to hear your info about my question, as you have done quite a lot of research on MvR. Capitaine, I cannot imagine, that German flyers would have flown aircraft with French markings. I bet it was rather so that returning pilots reported: "He looked absolutely like a French Nieuport!" Which indeed was the fact. British and American fighters had at least one such incident over the Channel, because one type (Hawker Tempest?) looked like German Focke Wulf 190 A types. The new American Mustang pilots attacked them and really shot after them. So much for the identification of National Markings.

Great screenshots and a fine new camo you made there, Lou! That emblem of your pilot looks familiar to me somehow, but I can't grab the memory?

"THE PURPLE ALMOND" This milk drink will supply you with some good energy without carbohydrates. You need: 2 cups of blackberries 2 cups of grained almonds 1 banana 2 - 4 tablespoons of honey (fluid) 1 litre of milk additional alternative: some vanilla icecream Throw the berries and the banana into your mixer and crush them; then you add the grained almonds. (Maybe possible to use whole almonds in a good mixer). When this is all crushed, add the milk and the honey (and maybe the icecream) and give it some slower turns. Ready!

I have found out, that it is even better with a ripe banana (and then less honey); and it must be great on hot days, if you add vanilla icecream. So I changed my recepy above. Enjoy!

Well, you could even drink a bacon sandwich, if you put it into a mixer and add milk to it. But I don't think you'd like it. Try my recepy.

Hauksbee, I had almost added a "Porco Rosso" video link. Here it is:

As a boy, I drew and painted all the APOLLO mission logos - they had different ones for each flight. It was the greatest event for all mankind in those days, I'm pretty sure. "We" were on the Moon. A real Challenger has gone to travel the Stars - Salute, Neil Armstrong!

Italian front? Here is a classic beauty to fire your appetite for the Italian front:

And I had you and your slimming in mind, when I invented this...

Well, you just need to use another victory in a Dr.1 against a Camel, iti, and all is fine. That looks really very good and authentic - not only the look but the feeling also.

Looks very good, Bullet! Your colours feel very believeable to me. Here is a website with some models with Austrian hexcamo - but they all seem too colourful to me. http://aviatik-berg-berg-di.airplane-gallery.com/