Olham

It is hard to ask a quiz question in a forum like this, with so many experts. All I expected from you would have been "Caudron G.3". Hasse Wind was the first one to say that. But now we have the case, that happens often in historical research; that old data or comments under photos or in notes from the time say something vague, non-precise; or sometimes even wrong. JFM as well as Lou revealed, what they have about the photo, and I couldn't say who's more correct. All I can add here is a photo of an English built Caudron G.3 with a 100 hp Anzani engine. This plane has wingstruts more like in the Albert Ball photo. If "derivative" would mean a mixture of parts of various aircraft, that might be the answer. I guess you experts will do some more digging now? Or perhaps it cannot be nailed down more exactly, because of the rather small part we can only see?

Here is a quiz question for our aviation cracks - the prize: another hearty handshake! This picture of Albert Ball is probably the most famous of him. Now my question: In front of which aircraft type is Ball standing here?

Here is a vertical insight into the Fee's nacelle. .

Javito? Short story?? How does this sometimes happen, that I overlook posts? That is a very melancholic, heart-touching story, Sir!

Hey, Wayfarer, that is another beautiful piece of poetry here! Even classic somehow!

A tether??? You wimp! Guys like us are not made anymore! We used to fly hands free! We won the war single handedly!!! How old are you now? Fiftythree? Huh - at your age I was already sixty, son! A tether - tch!! (Photo courtesy of THE VINTAGE AVIATOR / GHOSTS CALENDARS)

When I fly in formation, I often fly higher than the others - sort of high cover. When I rejoin them then, I come down with much more speed/energy. When I tend to overshoot, I not only reduce throttle but also pull the stick back. That way you can reduce speed. Of course you climb a little again, but not so much, due to the reduced throttle.

Military engineering always came up with new ideas and designs, which might sometimes appear a bit bizarre. Here is one of these projects, the "Goblin" mini-fighter, which was meant to be transported by big bombers. http://youtu.be/EHHF3z2UH8c http://youtu.be/zg3zf5HPeTc

In most airshows, the Fokker Triplane (and maybe all other aircraft) are often flown rather carefully, like they were raw eggs; and you rarely ever see, what they might have looked like in combat. The pilot in this video demonstrates at least a little bit more, and I was asthonished to see, how fast the Triplane could get in a dive! And watch the take off - it goes up almost vertically!

Do you understand any German, or was it just for the authenticy, Capitaine? I watched "L'Instinct de l'Ange" in French. It was often impossible for me to follow the fast and naturally spoken French, with my poor school knowledge. But it felt much more realistic, and I guess I got enough to follow it. The film is based vaguely on Guynemer; but it has a very odd end. What I liked about it was to see the Morane monoplanes in action (although "action" mustn't be valued with Hollywood measures here). Not a must-see film.

Hihihi - that reads totally different to your avatar name, Capitaine Vengeur - and only human.

... ... Women's balloon corps? ... Can I think about it again???

Although I'm usually flying fighters in OFF, I could imagine to have become an observer, who was actually the leader and higher rank in the two-seaters. I would habe photographed the enemy positions and dumps and airfields (if they'd had me). From there, I might still have moved to the fighters - you know, I like the Albatros, and in it I don't have that feeling of canvas & wood fragility.

Update 8 Septembery 2011 - 19:22 h Berlin summer time (= GMT + 2) CaptOReiley, England, squeezed in somehow. The maps are in post 1 of this thread

I ditto that from von Paulus! Gents, I already liked the DH-2 and thought of another carrer, flying one. But with your new kites - look at the wood and brass and the gauges in the cockpit! - you will get me lured into their cockpits more than definitely!

Before anybody misses this: These pictures are resized to 71 % - that means you can click at them to see the amazing details close on. I just did that and was stunned by the nacelle and engine details of these aircraft! Great stuff, Winder, Pol and Sandbagger - just wonderfull!

You know you did not find the medal, Lou, don't you? The medal found you. Congrats again, old chap!

I guess it is never simply a black & white picture, CapitaineVengeur - thanks for those details. I had actually never heard of Albert Goering and his deeds - thanks for that, Hasse Wind.

Here is a website to the memory of the 12.000 fallen German Jewish soldiers of WW1: http://www.germanjewishsoldiers.com/memorial.php

PS: I looked it up; and here is an excerpt from "The Jew with the Blue Max" (about Wilhelm Frankl): "The other Jewish member of Jasta 26, was Jakob Wolf. ( ... ) Wolf also scored some victories, and even after the war, he proved that he was a faithful comrade, when his former Jasta leader came to him requesting help. As most of these officers did not like to work, Wolf made him chief of one of the many cigar shops, which he owned. And Loerzer was glad to have found this job. It is not widely known, but Loerzer was later engaged to the daughter of the Jewish owner of a lead- ing departement store in Berlin. He also obtained money from these people. After 1933, Loerzer forgot all of his Jewish friends who had helped him and also his friend Goering."

Nazis are "low-profile" people. They are not all stupid, but mostly ignorant, and they want to be the better people, although they recrute their followers among the losers of the society; and they recruit their soldiers among the most pig-ignorant and the brutal and stupidest. In WW1 the jews were still rather integrated in the German society. But it was their almost general will, to be people of a certain value and class; they educated their children better, they cared more for their carreers; they would be found in professions like scientists and doktors and engineers and businessmen. Not all of them of course, but a much higher percentage than among other Germans. In that they succeeded so much better in doing that generally, they became objects of envy and hatred for many. The loser always searches for someone, who is even below him. Believe it or not: I have once witnessed two American coloured men walking on Berlins Ku'damm (a shopping street), and they pointed at three other coloured men in long colourful caftans and with fez-like hats; and they said: "Look at 'em African niggers." I couldn't believe it, but it is a good example for what I mean. I don't think, that normal single people could have done very much, once the Nazis had established their power. But what I find really sad is, that Jasta comrades of Jewish WW1 pilots later often denied the comradeship, and let their Jewish comrades alone in the brutal machinery. I read about a German ace pilot, an officer who couldn't find him "decent" work after the war (was it Loerzer?); and he asked a Jewish comrade. The Jew helped him and made contact to another jew, and the German officer got a job through the, Later, when Goering "collected" him for the Nazis, he denied the Jewish comrades; he forgot about the help. That is something I find just lousy - lousy and chicken-livered.

Our north-eastern Bundesland Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has the lowest population of all German states. It is mainly agricultural, and rather financially poor. The NPD (Nationalsozialistische Partei Deutschlands) had sent many Nazis there after Germany's re-unification, to infiltrate the politics there. They failed fortunately. The Ministerpräsident Sellerin was elected again, They succeeded in building more work places there, and their overall politics was general very well accepted. The NPD had losses at this last election.

I know from all their comments, that they are absolutely determined to get it as realistic as any possible. So, whatever necessary to achieve that - they will struggle towards it. In that I trust.

Hasse Wind, I am almost certain, that Pol (or Winder?) wrote exactly that will be in P4. According to history, the squadrons will have more than one plane type.

It is difficult, or even impossible for us sophisticated post-WW2 people. I guess, his energy fascinated a population, who was feeling very, very low - without them believing in every word he said. But everything is only just attempts to relive a time and the common attitudes and the Zeitgeist of a time we haven't lived in. And hopefully never will.