Olham

THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE ENGAGED ME All alone on one of the occasional "lone wolf" balloon busting missions, I just had reached the lines southeast of Arras, when I noticed heavy German Flak. Four big two-seaters just came over the mud, heading for Douai. The were only a little higher than me, and descending. I identified them as Bristol F2B Fighters - an unpleasant, dangerous foe. So I thought I'd better prodeed on my way to my balloon. But they wouldn't let me go! They all came down to Tango! One approached me and fired, first from his forward MG, then from the observer's twin machine guns. My Albatros got hit - Tac! Tac! Then the British pilot tried to dive away from me in a wide left descending turn. But now I fired after him in my rage - and the tank burst into flames! What a lucky, instant hit! Well, for me it was - the Tommies found themselves in a real hellfire and jumped from the dying craft. Only drawback - all my paused changing of angles and views made OFF crash - and so I got no claims report! Dammit!

Lothar, I must say: Hats off to you, Sir! Although I love and prefer to make up my own personalia and stories, this must be a great addition for all flyers, who don't find it easy to "fill the OFF background with life". Now, if you could even manage to sort out the photos, it would be brilliant. What I mean is, that "Feldwebel Horst Graeber" in the bottom right pic is wearing a German Marine (Navy) uniform. Do you think you could make it possible, that Marine uniforms only appear for Marine flyers (Seefrosta, MFJ 1 - MFJ 4)? Or also, that RNAS flyers on the British side get only RNAS dressed gentlemen? Maybe impossible or too much though - I don't know what can be programmed. Anyway - great stuff!

SANKE was a photographer studio in Berlin (AFAIK), so I guess they are all German flyers. But I have never yet seen through all the other photos on this site.

At "The Aerodrome" website I found this photo of the Jasta 19 duty board. I made a translation of it, cause I found it an interesting detail to share.

Didn't think of the leap year. Good points, JFM. And more info would be great.

The first D.III arrived at the front in January 1917 (AFAIK). According to OFF / Shredward's historical data Jasta 19 was fully equipped with the D.III on 11 March 1917. So, our photo might be from 28 - 29 February.

Hauksbee, I first thought the same. But it must be the camera attachment. Duke, this Albatros seems to be painted like that of Jasta 17 pilot Alfred Schreder. You will find it among the OFF skins. There were several skins with lightnings. The Jasta 5 skin was von Hippel's (black lighting on grey fuselage), and it had a green tail. So your memory is not bad at all. (But you're right - it sometimes sucks to get older...) .

Good point, Creaghorn. The guy looks quite tall. Does anyone know who he is?

Offset or not - a gauge of that size, so close to your eyes, could hide a whole attacking fighter, until it is very close. Of course, he could move his head left and right often enough to check. But why should I do that? Why should altitude be so important?

It must be - even I can fly it quite well! Here is the video of "Vintage Aviator"'s first build with the original Mercedes engine. A beauty with the sleek design of a shark, isn't she?

Yes, of course - I also would prefer to have an altimeter. My point is: why should I block my forward vision with a gauge? Only answer I could think of: when it is important to keep a constant watch at it. Now an altimeter is not that important that you must have it in your sight. An RPM gauge might be - when you dive after an enemy plane.

Well, here are the words from my last passage in post #1 again: Now don't worry, my friends - I do not mean to say, that I must leave and move over to the new official forum. All I want to say is, that it might be the perfect time to show some loyalty. Not by leaving this forum behind. Simply by showing up and posting in the new official forum too.

An altimeter? But why should anyone block his forward view with an altimeter? You'd only do that, if you needed to keep an eye on the gauge. In those days it wasn't so very important, at which altitude you just were. Except, if he went into clouds often. Maybe they did exactly that?

Aaaahhh - the beautiful Roland D.VI ! A wonderful photo, JFM! Look at the cables for the ailerons! Even the Roland sticker is recognisable. What instrument is so important, that he put it in his sight? The RPM gauge? Is that an ammo counter behind the guns?

Well, good recovery, more like, I guess, Sandbagger - I bet you lost some of the "speed". But the good things take time. I wish you a good recovery, Sir!

No idea how it may feel to have the name Goering or Goebbels. Not good, I guess. You don't find these names anymore here - no Hitlers, Goerings or Goebbels. I don't know if they emigrated, or changed some letters...

I can only agree to every word of what Lou said, Erik - all the best; and don't worry - just read the last passage of my post No. 1 again. I would never desert this great place. SimHQ may be the HQ - but this is my home drome. No problem to visit both.

Flyby, there is indeed a strong feeling of guilt in many people here in Germany. Unfortunately mostly people, who would not sympathize with the Nazis. Göring had for example a brother, who was in obvious opposition to the Nazis. Aalbert, the "good Goering", helped many Jews, and he was arrested several times. http://www.spiegel.d...g-a-830893.html I have just returned from my hometown Norden. The last day there, I visited the old Jewish cemetary there. It had been violated like all other Jewish cemetaries in Germany, during the "Reichskristallnacht" or after. But it was restored, with money from the City of Norden, and from Jewish relatives, who now live in Israel or America. A memorial was payed by Norden, built of unsealed, rusting iron. It is a quiet place, with about 100 gravestones; overshadowed by pines and beeches. Beech = Buche. Buchenwald came to my mind. Some of the stones showed German dates instead of those from the Jewish calendar. So I could figure out, that several people there had not grown very old. Thirtysix. Fourtytwo. Fourtynine. Thirtyeight. All these shorter lives had ended 1937 or 1938. The "Kristallnacht" (Night of broken Glass) had been in late 1938. I was wondering. Had some of these people commited suicide? Had they been killed? The gravestones did not tell. I was all alone on the small, dark cemetary. The weeds were growing over the graves. No one came to care for them. No Jews anymore in Norden? All I heard were the birds, and the wind in the trees. Then I found an additional plate of white marbel, attached by descendants from Norder Jews, who now live in Israel - the Jacobi family had been there 2011, to see the place, where they originated from, and from where they were driven away. I read many of the stones, which were not in Hebrew. Then it began to rain. It seemed to fit perfectly. The shadow will remain, for a long time - it cannot be any other way.

Just fought down a typical winter low by putting this graphic together - the aerodromes at Bertangles, according to the booklet "In the Footsteps of the Red Baron". This is the aerodrome Major Lanoe Hawker started from, when he flew his last mission and met the German ace Manfred von Richthofen. And this was the aerodrome von Richthofen's aircraft was brought to, when he was shot down. Enjoy!

Yes, I had posted it somewhere round here. Perhaps you want to answer a tad quicker next time? This was from April. My memory doesn't often last that long.

Gee, the new Tripe, the cockpit, the metal hood, all the detail - Shredder, you and Pol can be quite sadist at times! Raaaaaaahhhhhh!!!! Me nerves!!!!! (Voice of Psychiatrist: "Two weeks (pant, pant!) - two weeks, calm down, only two more weeks - breathe into this paper bag...)

Great pics, Lou and JFM! And - compared to many other posts here lately - not at all "OT". Thank you guys!

Opening the windows of my sleeping room, which is also my OFF Base/Headquarter, I just thought how peaceful my place really is. In spring and summer, "my" backyard is an isle of flourishing green, which contrasts nicely with the cream walls. In autumn, it all turns into yellow, orange, rusty-red and burgundy colours, and it feels like a little "Backyard Paradise" to me, when I return from the noisy city. While my living room shows to the little street, my sleeping room is perfectly quiet. Of course it is not "my" backyard - it belongs to the many birds, which are sometimes chanting so loud, that you better put your CD player off and enjoy their concerts. I had to take a photo of it, and then I thought: why not make a thread, where everyone can post a picture of a part of his own paradies? It could be your house or garden, your flat or your balcony, or just your own OFF Base in your own HQ corner. It could even be a special place near where you live, where you go quite often; which it feels good to come back to. What do you say? Come up with your pics, please! Here's mine:

We should have proceeded to an airfield defense at Lagnicourt, but then I saw the train passing nearby. I have rarely ever seen them, cause usually you have other things to do and don't look out for them. But today I couldn't resist, and took the risk to get a slating from the CO. Here are my pictures:

Guys, I'll go on leave in less than 2 hours. Visiting my little hometown, my mum and sister will be nice, and to see my little town of childhood days again is always touching. The salty sea breezes will blow the dust out of my olde brain and clear the lungs, and fresh fish will be my favourite food food (I love alliterations!). You all will have to post a little more than usual to fill the gaps I'm tearing , and please behave well, gentlemen. I feel it already - 14 days without OFF and all you lot will be hard. Very hard. Here are 2 pics (instead of postcards) from my favourite fishermen's harbour Greetsiel, not far from my town Norden.