Olham

Great reports, Siggi - nice to read, that all is pretty much the same emotions on you crumpets. Perhaps, after the war is over, it might be nice to meet, over a pint...

Hey, that's cool - a mechanic working on a Nupe! And one of those rookie pilots, who all seem to need to do the same striktly forbidden thing: to fly on a sheer insane low level over them. The mech pretends to be cool - but he surely thinks of something nasty for the pilot; like neighing a dead hering in to the seat cushion...

Today I did a real "Siggi's DiD standards" flight with my three wingmen, in our white Albatros from Jasta 9. It was so much fun to look around, constantly on the watch for enemies, but undisturbed by Labels, Instruments or TAC. Okay, I did the trimming only after takeoff, as I first hadn't planned this. But since I lost so many pilots recently, I suddenly felt a lot easier about all my struggling so far. I thought, why not try this? And really - I was so much more aware for the world around me! I saw the two SPADs, long before they decided to attack us. They were 3000 feet higher up, and they flew further away first, and I thought, let them go, there will be others. Then they entered a huge white cloud, but I found them, when they came out the other end. They look threatening when they attack. Falling from the sky like hawks with incredible speed. But I know that, and I know, that this speed makes it impossible for them to get behind me, when I turn into their attack. I mostly manage to get behind THEM, quicker than they imagined. Fortunately, the second attacked my wingmen. So I could brush off the first, and then go over there. I was very carefull with my Albatros (Pol's order), and it remained in one piece. The SPADs didn't. After 4 minutes, the show was over; the SPADs killed, and we flew home. I had two rounds left - these SPADs can really take some hits. Flying home was calming me down a lot. So golden the sunlight and the hilly landscape. A flight of seven or eight planes passed overhead; through my binoculars, I saw D VIIs escorting Hannovers. I will repeat that with this pilot - it's so much more realistic. Try it!

I wouldn't need it so much for the hunting and killing; but for the feel, the overall view, for enjoying the landscapes and cloud formations, the wingmen dancing behind you... TrackIR makes the most of all this!

Pol: ...just spent half an hour doing (ZZZZzzz) stress tests on the Albatros craft and they are fine Oldham .... Diving is risky, but basically anything around 150 mph or more pull back a little more gently than full whack or stress will occur (stress of the wings, and stress of you ;)) I told you, I haven't been flying any more aggressive than before, and I never used to have breaking wings. But now, gentle times for you SPADs, I will carefully spiral my way down, to follow you, as I shouldn't get under stress - doctor's order. What's the "ZZZZzzz" mean - are you sleeping in the crate on your sorties, pilot Pol? Edit: did you test it in "Campaign" ?

Stewardesses? Pillows?? Sounds like you had a lot of fun (and also like you were too drunk to make more of it - Lol!!).

Well, Trevor, don't let this pilot talk let you get daunted. And I must say this about your eyes: a man who finds such a little detail (you're the first one who noticed this, I'm pretty sure), must be a good hunter in the skies above Flanders. Welcome - as a wingmate; or as an opponent!

My god, Test Pilot and Bullet - I was in a sombre mood earlier on, but you two made me laugh really loud. Thanks for that, mates!

Jasta 9, Vauxcerre, July 20th 1918 Oberleutnant Juergen Mahlo Leutnant Stemmler, Leutnant Gottschling and I are sitting together with our youngsters, Leutnant von Heisenberg and Feldwebel Knapp. We are drinking French beer from bottles. It makes me homesick; this beer is not like any beer at home. And it's too warm, too. The new pilots are deeply impressed by their 'old leader' - half an hour ago they witnessed, how I shot down two SPAD XIII from Esc.83, within 4 minutes. They are hanging at my lips, but I don't want to talk much. I looked right into the cockpit of the second SPADfrom above, from less than 50 meters. From my angle, I could see his legs in sand trousers, his arms, his hands in brown gloves, desperately pulling the stick - in vain. I saw the impact of my burst, violently ripping holes into the sand trousers, the leather jacket and the brown gloves, the pilot's cap - and I saw him looking up, right at me, a pale face, perhaps 19 years old, and then the impacts in it... If my pilots could see the chicken skin on my arms, if they could feel the cold shudder down my back spine... But they don't notice it, and I don't show... Stemmler makes a joke, that isn't funny really, and no one finds it funny, but we all laugh a sandpaper kind of laughter, and then we wash the joke and the laughter down with lukewarm French beer. Looking into the golden afternoon sun, I cannot feel any warmth from her. She doesn't care, if she bathed even slaughter in her golden light. "Excuse me now, gentlemen, I have some paperwork to do!" My voice sounds like through a tin can; I'm standing up; hope, it didn't sound weak; I see their disappointed looks, but all I want is to get to my room and close the door behind me. Only to lie on my bed, smoking, and wondering, what I am doing here in the Marne valley; what I have become...

I have recently lost 5 or 6 Albatros DVa to breaking up in mid air. But Pol says, they should be rather more stabile than in Phase 2 (were I never broke one). I just don't know what this is. I even fly with Hardcore DM, so the plane should be even more solid. I'll give her more tries though, as she is my favourite plane - I'll be more careful now. The last one broke up, when I followed a Nupe 17 in a soft 15-20° dive, and then followed her, when she pulled up again. That annoied me so much, that I switched the "aircraft stress" yesterday. But I don't feel good with that either...

You may change to the gunner's position yourself then, Bullet (F8, I think) ?

Well said, UncleAl!

Hah!!! Pol, Winder - I said, that the wings break too easily!

Hoghead - there was never only a nine-view system in Phase 2. You could also use glide view or panning view; don't know how it's called. Seeing, you got TrackIR on your list, we'll speak again, when you have it. I'm certain, you will talk different with that device.

In German Amazon, I had done the same thing - a customer's review about CFS3, with the obvious hint for BHaH. I had read from OvS, that he had seen such (BirdDog's) review, and found it a great idea. So did I, and placed this. http://www.amazon.de/rondomedia-Combat-Fli...9971&sr=1-1 But it may really take some time, until many people realise, how good this sim is.

Not believing in destiny, I think a lot depends on just luck. MvR was hit by a bullet, that didn't go into his head. Lanoe Hawker got hit right into the head. A difference of an inch sometimes. The same about the many holes, MvR found in his uniform and boots - he must have been ALMOST shot several times. But with plenty of "lucky inches", you can carry on growing your kill tally. And then, on one April morning, he didn't know, that the last "lucky inch" had been used up in a previous fight...

I only flew SPAD XIII in QC, but I found, you can do a great combination of diving attacks and pulling out up after that. You need to be patient, cause you won't always place svere hits. But you need to keep up that tactics. Go away, up, until you can do another dive attack. With that tactic, only D VIIs are dangerous to you, as they can do pretty much the same. PS: when climbing out of an attack, you got to check your six of course still, as some opponent may have just gained speed/energy, and then he can follow you a bit.

Great shot, Rickity. Do I understand right - these tracers are now already coming with 1.30c?

Do you guys ever care for your families? Great job done, despite all the drinking (Lol!!)

Had an incredible fight yesterday; our 4 Albatros DIII against 5 brandnew S.E.5a. I managed not only, to stay alive (with a few holes in my plane), but downed 3 of them. My wings killed the other two, but got all killed in action. Now, I came home, but didn't get a claim report - of course not; I had no witnesses... That' life, Siggi. (But I KNOW, I'm a heroe - Lol!!!)

Hardcore Damage Model is meant to make ALL aircraft more stable. You cannot destroy them so easily anymore; but enemy can't destroy your plane so easy either.

Siggi: I was around five years old when my mother built and painted the old Airfix Dogfight-Double kit, Dr1 & Brisfit, and hung them from the bedroom ceiling. Boy - some people can have great parents... A choice of aircraft is difficult, cause I haven't been flying all, even as a simmer only. But from the ones I know: Albatros DIII (in it's time, when it was brand new) Supermarine Spitfire Mk2 (for it's beauty) Focke Wulf 190 D9 (for a great, but late fighter)

Now, that's what I call a funny report. Excellent addition to my breakfast, Bullet; great! Test Pilot, I just checked for the climb of the SPAD, and it should be almost as good as the Fokker DVII F Höhenjäger (in other words: excellent!) So, you have a great dive (you should be able to dive almost vertically) and a great climb - use them, and you should have a great boom- and-zoom fighter.

Really good already, RedDog. But wouldn't they have made the wings in polygon camo as well? I know, you were searching for sources of info about that; and I did a little too, but haven't found anything. But to me a polygon test skin would only make sense, when it was overall.

The range of the TAC is like a ball around your plane as the center. When your TAC range is set on less than 8 miles, high flying two-seaters will not appear, or only, when they enter the very pole of that ball, only to leave it soon again. So, unless you fly very high yourself, you may not even spot them per TAC.