Olham

After such achievements it's alright to be sad for a while. But don't let it go long, Red Dog, and climb another cockpit. Your country relies on you! Did you collide with another craft, or was it strong wind? I have a pilot now with 3 confirmed kills, and 11 waiting claims. Each sortie, I'm glad when we are at least back over our lines. But I had never before thought of take off accidents. Really dangerous altogether, a pilot's life back then...

Had a look at that adress - they really make you such a uniform! But I like most the "Ausgeh-Uniform" (uniform for representation). Here's a pic from the great movie "Der Blaue Max". There is that badge again, and I think, it might be just the Flieger-Abzeichen (aviator's badge) then, when it doesn't have that additional sign in the center?

Could it be this one - it's a "Beobachter-Abzeichen" (Observer's badge)? Difficult to recognise.

So you're just refuelling his spirits. That's good - keep him alive as long as possible; or perhaps retire him early enough. My best pilot right now has made 8 or 9 sorties with some 4 hours only; but he is a real SPAD killer. 3 confirmed, and 11 claims still waiting. Hope, they get confirmed. I can't put him on your board though, as he sometimes used target cone. But I'm getting better and better. The next pilot will try all your DiD standards. Have fun!

Sorry for you, OvS, but also comforting to hear, that even an "old bone" like you has such things happening. Flak is my nemesis - lost three good pilots to it. But it's become milder on "normal" settings, at least in early 1917.

Welcome in the skies above Flanders, Jochem!

Try the SPAD VII, if you want to turn better. Much more agile - but then only one gun. The Camel is for my oppinion very tame here in BHaH. It is THE British fighter, and so everyone wants to use it. But I don't think I would get to grips with her as easily as it was in my first sorties. Wonderful flying that was - am I such a good pilot already?

Instead of painting it black, you could just browse for a skin with black underside, copy that out and place it in your skin.

Am I always reading different posts, or could it be, that Siggi is absent since some time? Anyone heard or knows anything?

Hey, that's a very good and believeable design, Rickitycrate! (Could you still move the writing? Further up or down, away from the exhaust pipe?) Now, if don't fly it so much with your dog in mind, you might even be able to avoid the trees... Damned, Widow, that Black Hawk Fokker is pretty close to an idea I had for that plane - but now you beat me. The Nupe is also very nice and believeable for it's time. Great stuff altogether!

This moving story of fight and bravery is an excerpt from Peter Kilduff's book "The Red Baron", which I hereby recommend [ ISBN 0-304-35207-1 ] (Thanks again, Rickitycrate) Geschwader-Kommandeur von Richthofenled the second mission.The triplane he had used in the morning, Fokker Dr.I 127/17, was replaced for the afternoon patrol by Dr.I 477/17, an aircraft which bore his brick- red colour on all upper surfaces and was all the more conspicuous from most of the other triplanes, which were painted in the standard brown and green streaked finish with a few individual adornments barely visi- ble from a distance. The whole point was for everyone - friend and foe - to be able to recognize Germany's now legendary air combat leader. Once JG I returned to the Albert area, however, it was one of von Richthofen's newer hawks who scored the afternoon's first triumph. Southwest of the city the Richthofen group saw a triplane from another unit in a heated battle with an Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8, a slow but steady two-seat general purpose aircraft know as the "Big Ack". The two-seater had just sent the lone triplane into an spin, apparently out of control, when JG I's fighters dived on it. One after another they roared past the F.K.8 and fired into it. The 'Big Ack's' observer hit one of the triplanes, which appeared to catch fire and fall away. Ltn. Hans Kirschstein of Jasta 6 came down firing and then pulled up, turned and raked the two-seater's underside with machine-gun fire. The British observer, although wounded, shot at another triplane and reported, that it exploded. Meanwhile, Kirschstein climbed above what now proved to be a formidable oppo- nent and shot up the F.K.8 from front to back, again wounding the observer and this time setting the fuel tank afire. One other triplane opened fire, wounding the pilot and adding to the observer's injuries. The remaining triplanes milled about, not interfering to avoid hitting Kirschstein, as he jinked back and forth, deciding wether to deliver a fatal shot to the flaming Armstrong Whitworth. Kirschstein had the opportunity to kill the observer, who struggled out of his burning cockpit and climbed on to the F.K.8's bottom wing, grasping the Scarf ring gun mounting to keep from falling to his death. But the German did not fire; his mission was to destroy enemy aeroplanes, and he knew that in this instance he had succeeded. Then the F.K.8's pilot climbed out on the wing and held on to the control column in the hope, somehow, of landing the burning two-seater. Hans Kirschstein, a 21-year-old Rhinelander who had fought in the ground campaigns in Poland and Galicia, and had survived a two-seater crash on the Western front, did not need to administer a 'coup de grace' to the Armstrong Whitworth. It was finished and would be recorded as his second victory. He pulled away and let some of the newer pilots - called 'Häschen' (young hares) - follow the crippled aircraft down. Moments later, Kirschstein shot down a Sopwith Camel, his third victory. [...] As the Armstrong Whitworth headed down, a pursuing Fokker triplanegot too close and was hit by a burst of fire from the observer. Finally free of it's pursuers, the F.K.8 made a crash landing between the trenches. 2/Lt. Alan A. McLeod, the pilot, scrambled out and pulled his observer, Lt. A. W. Hammond, MC, from the flaming wreckage. McLeod was wounded again, as he crawled with Hammond on his back toward the safety of British lines. Both men survived the ordeal. On 4 September 1918 Alan McLeod went to the Buckingham Palace, where King George V presented him with Britain's highest award for bravery, the Victoria Cross. The 19-year-old Canadian was the First World War's youngest air VC recipient.

Oh no - a new DM for QC - now Hauksbee will never come out of that QC !

Hmmm! Pie reminds me of my first trip to England, on my brand new Yamaha 125, way, way back in 1973. We had bought Pork Pie one day, but we could hardly eat it! We called it "Dead Birds Pie". Perhaps we should have warmed it up ? (Lol!!!) Butm Shepherds Pie must be something more special ?

Thank you for the info; I'll look in there right the next day, before flying. I'd like to fly after a good map.

Yes, that's a very good acount! What type did you fly?

Hauksbee, you got to do something about that - rudder is most important in WW1 air combat craft! I am also still flying such a stick (will change over to SAITEK rudder pedals again this week), but mine gives a really good rudder. It's a Thrustmaster T. Flight stick X - it's not expensive (34,- Euro), and if you don't want to fly real peddals, go to the next computer game store and get this stick, or any other good stick with rudder integrated. And when shall we see you coming out of that QC habit - man, the real thing is a Campaign - you build up a pilot, and do your best to keep him alive; you fly in good cooperation with your wingmen; you help them, and they help you; and after a fierce fighting, you land back home on your field. You don't know, what you're missing - it gives the whole flying a very different, much more intense feel. Believe me!

Jasta 11, Brayelles, February 14th, 1917 Leutnant Detlev Mahlo On this morning's patrol, we came across a flight of four BE2c from RFC-4, north of Lens. I attacked them from underneath, and shot all four planes down within 6 minutes. On our way back to Brayelles, I spotted 3 more BE2c, following the road from Douai to Arras. Having less than 100 rounds left, I ordered my flight to attack them. I also fired the last rounds into the last plane, but couldn't destroy it. My flight attacked in several waves, and could bring one craft down. They were just about to down the second two-seater, when we were taken under ground fire. In my hunting fever, I had not realised, how deep we had gone into enemy terrain already. Also, the BE2c crew had lured us over one of their airfields. We had to break off and return zig zagging to our lines - fortunately no one got hit by the fierce Flak fire. [The last picture shows the lucky BE2c crew, that escaped our hunt. I like the idea, it was Bullethead...]

A question to all the British flyers: I would like to get some info about - which Squadrons were the best three - what planes did they fly when - where were they based when - which aces were there when Myself, I have already met some good ones. I think, RNAS 3 and RFC 65 (or was it 56 ?) were pretty good or even elite? Thank you in advance!

My dad was a "spark" - he was a wireless operator at Norddeich-Radio, when it still existed. They were the contact for all German but also other ships, to their homes, to their shipping companies, to the sailors' wifes (especially over Christmas they made telephone contacts - could be heard in every radio, and was often very touching); to medical helicopter service and the sea rescue service; and more. My dad died in 1991. In our days, all this is done via satelite - the old radio station lies deserted; most of the metal masts have been destructed; the buildings are now home for a call center. It was another time, so far away it seems - almost in black-and-white; you know what I mean? And all I ever learned about morse code is . . . _ _ _ . . .

Here's a rare shot of "Olham's 5-Pack" - mostly I have to make do with 2 or 3 wingmen. And my everyday prey - SPAD XIII. Must be able to kill them in my sleep by now...

Thank you for your profund knowledge contribution, Shredward. So the Germans were at least with this weapon technology not ahead of their time then. (It just made me giggle to imagine how that Albatros' wings began to burn - yes, who plays with fire...) Unfortunately for the English people, that became different in the next World War. A friend of mine from London showed me pictures from impacts of V2 rockets in south-west London. It must have been a terrible threat, as it couldn't be heard at it's supersonic approach. A ring of white smoke at re-entry was all you might notice - but who could look at the sky all day? A shame of a warfare...

This is Jasta 9, Vauxcere, July, 27th, 1918. The eagle clutches and breaks a SPAD XIII - and I am the Kaiser's SPAD killer. I am so specialised on the SPAD XIII now, that I would even take on 4 of them alone (not without sweating, though). I would really appreciate to be served some Nupe 17, S.E.5a or Camels, but they treat me like a predator, giving me the same prey every day.

Well, one shouldn't give too much about what people say - I am killing two SPAD XIII per mission with my Albatros D Va and now the D Va 200. As for Nupe 17s, do as ZoomZoom says, Hauksbee. It would perhaps look from above like you flying triangles, the angles of them going outside the circle of the Nupe. Climbing, it is impossible for you to get into their turn. Also, it is very useful to be good at deflection shooting. I mostly damage them from further away, before I shoot them finally down. And try to be the highest flyer, when the fighting begins; work your way down through them

This afternoon's flight showed me, how well "Olham's Pack" work together. First we fought 4 SPADs, with no problems - all my men survived, undamaged. Then we appeared over the front line, were we had to protect one of our fields. My flight did the high cover, while Leutnant Walter Blume in his black and white Albatros, together with two wingmen, attacked ground troops. All went very well. My wings were a joy to watch - they rejoined, when I called them, and when my engine ran dry (no hit leakage - I must have put in too little!) at an altitude of 5.000 feet, they circled around me as if they tried to help somehow. I sailplaned over the protected field first, but was afraid, it might be run over by those ground troops any moment. So I turned my nose towards our territory - but there were many trees. I had to sail quite some distance, before there came an artillery-devastated area, were I could land. The Albatros D Va 200, that we got yesterday, is gliding as if she was made for it! A picture shows, how my wings came down to check, what the matter was with me. I was really touched at the heart by their care!

That brings a memory from the holiday trips back, my girlfriend and I made in the eighties. We found an open field way in the Normandy, were the fishermen drove down to the beach. So we did that too, and our car stood on the beach, with it's German number plates. I saw several smaller bunkers in the dunes, some of them had already fallen half over. When I studied one closer, a French fisherman came towards me. He sais: "When will you come back here, to clear our dunes, and remove your concrete stuff, hm?" Although I hadn't even been born, when they were built there - I felt ashamed somehow...