Hauksbee

I'd certainly be interested in the new FM for Dr.I if it comes in a form that's manageable. Which is to say, I'm real nervous about opening folders in the sub-basement of the program and pasting in new lines of code.

How about something really slow, weak and fragile? Like a Voison with chronic engine problems; something an E.III can actually catch. And while we're on the subject of "kudos-for-the-design-team", allow me to say that I am, at the moment, living in a very nice, but very small town on the south coast of Massachusetts. Not much to do here. Less so since I am taking care of my mother who is 95 and cannot be left alone. Cabin fever is an occupational hazard. It is truly great to be able to be able to step out of the house and into the sky over France several times a day...and to have a Forum filled with people who enjoy yakking about the very things that get me stoked. [another deficit of Westport]

There's a propellar mounted on the leading edge of the left wing. What did that drive?

Still...I don't think I'll be swimming in those waters.

Good on y'. We look forward to the day. Here's a composite of the coffee cups available. ps: The names on the photo will not be on the mug itself

Since it's a true story, allow me to congratulate you on some fine shooting. But the wingman who cut you off [near the beginning] and stole the kill [so it appeared] needs to get slapped upside the head.

That's some righteous draughtsmanship!

After poking about at length yesterday through photo collections, I found these two Triplanes from Sopwith. After being familar only with the graceful RNAS Triplanes, these were a shock. The 'Rhino' I presume was a ground attack plane. They didn't specify. In the lower pic., the gunner sat in the nacelle on the top wing. Odd, since the design philosophy of Sopwith was to pack pilot, engine and fuel as close together as possible around the Center of gravity. I wonder what a 190lb. gunner would do to the handling characteristics?

Just spent a happy, if frustrating, session in a D.VII chasing 6 SPADS in QC. They were some of the most creative AI pilots I've seen yet. They were diving, twisting and jinking about, and I was staying on them, never more than 300 meters off their 6...but I couldn't hit anything. I could hardly squeeze a puff of smoke out of one. I felt like Voss during his last fifteen minutes. Ah well... But are there any stories of actual pilots having bad shooting days?

Good. I don't feel quite so bad.

What should Step#1 be?

The Forum is going to get tired of me telling this story, but in the 48 hrs. after installing the 1.28 Patch, I racked up 4 DFC's and a VC. In QC. And I think someone else reported the same, but I don't recall which thread. The similarity of the incidents make me wonder if there is not a glitch that periodically spews awards.

I'd have to agree with Olham. This is the time to show off white-knuckle flying, high drama, totally real aircraft, weather...[Jaysus! The 'total immersion' thing is kicking in again!] EDIT: On the other hand, maybe this is the kind of people we want to attract.

A workable solution, for sure. But, as you say, the iron-on decals don't last more than two or three washings before they start to break up. In the meantime, I think I'll get a few up on CafePress. I spent a some time perusing photos on the URL below. Great stuff. I'll see about adapting a few for shirt designs. I noted Pol's reply. They won't be OFF shirts to start with, but that can be changed. http://www.earlyaviator.com/archive1.htm

Interested? Indeed, but the stumbling block is time. It takes time to acquire enough really good clips to put together a watchable movie. What if we set up some basic requirements, like 'D.VII's vs. SPADS/Summer/Morning/15,000 and collect clips from members. Editing them together would be a fairly simple task, plus a little music..and then go conquer the sim world.

Dinosaurs? The sculpted ones or the drawings? In any event, thank you for the kind words. As for T-Shirts...it's not something that I've do a lot of, but, in my semi-retired state, I'm open to most any proposition. I doubt, however, that I could get shirts printed any cheaper here than you could at home. And we have to mail to pilots all over the world. But a good OFF T-Shirt should be done. Let me suggest the following: we do T-Shirt designs, post them here, and our guys can sign up for the shirt of their choice. When there's a minimum order [say, one or two dozen] they could be printed. We'd need to figure how to cut the OFF Team a good royalty. Or: the OFF Team could open an account with CafePress. They will take designs for T-Shirts, coffee cups, hats, etc., [at no cost] and print the items as they are ordered, and send you your share. This could be the way to go. OFF pilots could generate shirts, etc., as often as they design skins. If they don't sell, nothing lost. If they do, the cash goes directly to the Dev's. It would be our way of standing the lads to a pint of bitter in the Mess. Panzers? No, they weren't done for games. They were doine for the hell-of-it in my 3D modeling apps. I've used a few these last couple of years, and each time I try a new one, I have to build a tank. Building is easy, animating the tracks, while not inherently difficult, is tedious. If there's 30 track plates, that means that each plate has to move to 30 differents positions X 30 plates= 900 operations. Takes time. But it's rewarding when I render the final animation.

It was 'Meier', but 'Grossmaul' works for me.

...or we could just buy a few more copies. Give them as gifts.

Just finished wringing out a Sopwith Pup chasing a gaggle of D.II's. Frequently, well...constantly, I had warnings on screen about exceeding design limits. But the bad news never came to pass. I've had similar with DH-2's and E.III's. I've read of many wing failures by others [i assume they're flying real missions] but I've yet to experience it. Is it just a matter of time or am I safe in QC?

Well...there you have it: 'God on our side...' and all that sort of thing.

I'm in!

Wow!...Thank you very much. I never had a desire to have one, but a friend [who is an inveterate blogger] insisted and set one up for me. I found it so much easier to post to, as opposed to a website, that I just started putting new developments there. Glad you like.

...and keep a sharp eye. There really are Huns in the sun.

After tea.

Stout lads, the lot of you! Build it and we will come!