Olham

Ah - thanks for the tip; I'll try that!

As David Oldham, I joined RFC-11, Bellevue, in June 1917. Sitting in the cockpit, I found myself well placed between a strong inline engine and a rear gunner. Takeoff and flying where easy, the crate climbs very well. On our second mission, we had to attack a railyard south of Douai. Not knowing the British bomb sizes, I had attached 4 Cooper 25 lb (I think). On our way, 5 Albatros crossed our course some 2000 feet higher, but didn't notice us or had other duties. Near the target, German Flak did their best to impress us, but the sturdy solid Brisfit dives well, and so we went down from 12.000 to 1.000 feet in just one wide turn. My approach to the train went very well, but when I pressed the button for "drop ordonance" nothing happened, and I had to check "contolls" again to change button commands. Have forgotten again - was it "jettison selected weapon"? Anyway, when I tried this, my bombs fell, but near a farmer's house (oops!). Okay then, dive attack with machine gun now. Here I wished, a big strong craft like the Brisfit should have had a 3 cm forward gun (don't know if that size existed already?). I peppered the waggons and train with little effect. Pulling out and up was exiting! Woooohooo!!! What a climb (30° or more!). On my next strafing, I saw that my fellow fighters had known the right buttons - vans were destroyed and soldiers lay dead on the platform. I fired into the train again, but it wouldn't get wrecked. Instead, my engine was hit. I knew that click-clack sound from my Albatros' inline engine - a valve was shot up. Better turn home, I thought, and off we went. My wingmen continued their attack. Still very low, to escape the machine gun fire, I now made a big mistake! I tried to change from the pilot's seat to the gunner position. Don't do that at treetop level. For a split second, the craft nosed down, and when it had "accepted" the new pilot, it was too late - we crashed into trees. But that wasn't my last flight with that crate - a great craft, easy to fly, and I'm looking forward for my first air combat in her. The Bristol Scout was also very easy to fly. Only found it hard to keep up with my comrades, as I was only the last wing. We flew very high (at 15.000 feet), and didn't encounter enemies. So, to check the gun, which is installed at your left side, pointing away from your Scout just to avoid hitting the propellor, I fired at my leader's craft a bit, fortunately without hitting him. Air combat would be much trickier in the Scout than any other craft, I suppose. Landing was a bit bumpy; I should have stopped the engine, I think. But the crate has hoop guards below the wingtips, which where very helpful, cause otherwise I would have broken a tip.

What a coincidence - I was just wondering, how to create an Esc. signs board from the skins section, but found it a too long process. Thanks, Steve!

Nothing wrong with it, I suppose. And you have the missus to show you, where the bed was. Lol! We have a beer from Denmark here, called Elephant beer. And the name suggests it: you could tranquilise an Elephant with it. But that has only 7,5 %.

Hey, stumpjumper, are you sure it's a beer? 25 % is double the amount of alcohol a good red wine would have. I'd call that a "tranqiliser".

Well, UncleAl, even when you are not trying to be inflammatory, degrading, and abrasive, you are often just like a hard*ss in a thistlefield, you know? I can live with that, and Bub will hopefully get used to it, seeing, it's coming from you. For you, we often make an exception here.

Broadside, don't get too upset about Unc; he always was like that, and I think he is the only one who could get away with it for so long. If he'd suddenly follow that book, no one would recognise him any- more, something would be missing. You'll get used to it, as you know who it comes from. You are not flying this sim since long, so I would recommend to you: switch things on 'easier' as you want to make it enjoyable. I have suffered through the first 6 - 8 weeks all on 110 %, and only since June I have become good enough to enjoy it really deep. And now, I wouldn't want it any other way but the whole authentic claims proceedure. Does that make sense to you?

That bicycle is still in there? Do you really get it in QC?

I wonder if "Yuengling" is just the transposed German word or name "Juengling" (by the heard name rather than the written), which would mean "young person". Do you know, if that oldest Amercian brewerey was perhaps built by Germans, Jarhead? Name changes happened a lot, when people from Germany spelled their names to the immigration officials, who where English speaking and writing of course. So the Bavarian name Rietenauer became Ritenour, and Krugschenk* became Kruigshank. (* one who serves wine or beer from a big jar) Shredward, I never knew, the Belgians could make a drinkable beer, cause the general stores all seem to have undrinkable brews like Heineken (argh!). But it looks as if it tastes good. Bullethead, you always manage to asthonish me again. Brewing his own beer - that's great! How long does it need until it's drinkable?

Could you fight Bebes in the kite successfully, Jim?

My, what have I missed here? What will you do with that French bomber, Stump? Can it be added into the sim, so I could shoot it down, pleeeeeeze?

Pils was my favourite in Germany, Launchbury, but in England I had a good "Director's Bitter" in Cornwall, but I forgot the brewery. The bartender thought, I was a German bank director - no one else ordered it, it was more expensive, but it was the best!

Right, 77Scout: thank you, RexHannover! Today, I flew through a clean white smaller cloud, and it worked. In future, I will use that to hide in them and come out elsewhere. I wonder, if that will confuse the AI? If so, this would have been an immense and amazing step forward!

My questions: 1. can it be changed back, if I wouldn't like it (and how)? 2. does it alter the endurance of craft (do they last longer or shorter)?

Hmm - maybe one should start an Eindecker campaignas early as possible, when there where only Bristol Scouts and maybe DH2 - before the Nupes.

Hawaiian beer? That's funny for Germans, as there was an old evergreen called "Es gibt kein Bier auf Hawaii" (There ain't no beer in Hawaii); that's why the singer won't go there. Lol! My favourite beers used to be: Warsteiner Premium Pils and Veltins Pilsener.

I assume, the more names you fill in and the more of those men really return, the better your chances. But even with 7 names I don't seem to get more than: Pending: 68 And I always get a lot rejected.

Hmm - I knew, someone would spoil my joy!

Well, try this map of Jastas andSquadrons: http://patriot.net/~townsend/WW1AirMap2/ Before you go there, you should perhaps choose a region via Google Satelite maps. Then in the WW1 airmap, you can unclick the national emblems you don't want to see (reacts a bit slow), then left window, you can choose your way of choice. Now go over the dots with your cursor and read, who was there for how long. I saw, for example, that Jasta 79 was very long at Villeselve in 1918 - should be nice there. Enjoy!

Gee, this was big fun - thanks for the inspiration, Fliegenhund (and Rickitycrate earlier). Sitting in the open Eindecker in May 1916, in the sunny wheather was great fun, and looking around with TrackIR - I could have flown to Paris! Our attack on three FE2b went well too; I took one out, and my wings shreddered another. The third escaped - lucky blighter! As it all felt so wonderful, I decided to do the whole landing proceedure and joined in behind my wings. And what do you say - the landing went pefectly fine; they hopped over the last trees, touched down and happily rolled out in line, without touching each other. Touched was I, and had to make a picture for you. If you find your other campaigns too busy, have a rest in an Eindecker, or a Bristol Scout. Times where much quieter back in early '16. Enjoy!

Haha, a Weissbier expert - didn't know there was such supply to the front; we never got it here. I will write a complaint to HQ.

Barkhorn, that sounds like there are two damages: the damage on the model (wing missing), and the damage shown on the skin (bulletholes). See my "texture info" settings further back, and check, if you have them like that. I assume, that some of the aircraft skin things need to be on "managed".

Just had a QC: EIII vs Bristol Scout And really - I managed to fight the scout down (a hell of squirming though). I should try a campaign with it - was much more fun than I had expected. Can you see, how many Bristol Scouts you downed, Fliegenhund?

Wow, what an achievement - more than 17 hours on the Eindecker?!?!? Can you tell more? What did you have to fight, and how often? Bertincourt can't have been a quiet area? Don't erase/retire this one - I have also kept my so far best pilot.

Have just checked the trench maps, and those from 1918 show the field at the right, that's true, Dej. I tried to find maps from 1917 (Jasta 12 moved to Roucourt on July 28th, 1917), but couldn't. It must be assumed, the field was always at the right side of the forrest, until a proof is found, that it had earlier been on the left. Strange, that Schobinger should have got that wrong - pilots are usually very good with maps.