Hauksbee

Just got back from chasing a pair of Brisfits with a Dr.I...in the rain. Did WWI pilots ever wear some sort of face-shield when flying in the rain? I recall from days on a motorcycle, rain drops hitting one's face at 60mph were painful. It could only get worse at 120mph/10,000 ft./ +wind chill.

It gets worse! Large parts of "Jaws" were filmed just down the road from me in New Bedford. Mostly dockside scenes. It was supposed to be on the island of Nantucket...just a bit further down the road, plus a hefty stone's throw out into the Atlantic.

It seems that no matter how many accounts you read about the D.VII, nobody had a bad word to say about it.

Is that a huge radiator I see directly in front of the pilot? Is the view forward as bad as it appers?

In my favorite 'retirement story', we do know his name: Stanley Rifkin. He was a California computer specialist [the big mainframe types] in the '70's. He was part of a contract to install a new computer at Security Pacific bank in San Diego. This takes some time, and by the time the computer was ready to go on-line, everybody was used to seeing Stanley's face around the office. Thus, when he turned up on the first day of operation, no one raised an eyebrow. He checked in with the guy running the system. "Any problems? Any glitches?" Of course there were. Always are. So Stanley tells the guy to go get lunch and he, Stanley, will have it fixed by the time lunch is over. He then transfers $18 million to a prepared account in Switzerland. Knowing that a tranaction of this size must be confirmed by the Bank Manager, and knowing that the manager always took lunch at the same time each day, Stanley slips into the guy's office, takes the call from Accounting, and confirms his own transfer. So far, so good. A clean get-away. Alas, no happy ending. With all this done, Stanley goes to the Soviet Mineral Export Trade Bureau in Switzerland and converts most of his cash to diamonds. Then, back home. [How he brought the diamonds in is never disclosed] Now, he starts to sell off the diamonds. Somebody rats him out to the FBI, who, in turn, calls Security Pacific Bank and tells them, "We have reason to believe that you're missing approx. $18 million. Would you run a check?" The bank does, and replies, "No, everything is fine." The FBI insists that their source is reliable and says, "Will you check closer?". The bank does, and it all unravels.

Could y' nick a pound from Supply and send it north?

At last! Some truth in advertising.

Five figures? Damn! There's a whole unsuspected world out there. Who buys them? Is there a Flint-Knappers 'art scene'? Are shows held? Contests? There's got to be a monthly magazine? A Knappers 'Olympics'?

That's some very nice flint-knapping in the pictures.

Close. It's a '93.

Just between thee and me, [and I would not want this generally known] but there's more Krumpets in there than I'm admitting to.

...and a kiss for Marianne!

I feel quite provincial posting these pics of such humble surroundings. They can't hold a candle, of course, to some other offerings posted by our more urbane, sophisticated pilots, but I figure if the Wright Brothers could fly out of a cow pasture, it's good enough for me. The lack of neon is offset by copious amounts of lobster [the Atlantic Ocean is just a mile down the road.] and the beer is first-rate; a micro-brewery is just a mile down the road. (but in the other direction.) I'll have to admit, there is some suburban sprawl about a half-mile out of the camera frame, but if you know the right roads, most of it can be avoided.

Busted! (here's hoping I don't have to put it to the test.)

Uh-huh! If you're THAT telepathic, I never want to see you on my six!

There's a VERY tight corner! Did you get back down on the ground? Alive?

These hastily shot this morning...

My TrackIR seemed indifferent to the clip. Am having much better results with the Track Clip Pro. I tried to make a hat with reflectors. Used stiff white plastic strips bent at 90 deg., and had chrome Mylar reflectors. Didn't work at all. I think all three reflectors HAVE TO BE in the same plane. The concept is delightfully simple, but noit easy to replicate.

Probably just saw his first Sopwith Tripe!

I've got one for you. 'Glad to pass it on. PM an address.

Let the good times roll. And dive, loop, bank...all standard in OFF. You'll be wanting a good supply of 'butt bandages' and a place to store it when the Boche hands it to you, a good .303 Plucker to get the slugs out, and a water pistol for the still-steaming tracer. I've one foot out the door this morning, but before I'm back, I'm sure all questions will be answered.

You're right. I got a bit careless sliding Photoshop layers around. There was a page and a half over-written. This should do it.

The Barvarian crest! Cool. I want one.

It's where I got mine. I have always regreted, when "Blackadder" was over, that Rowan Atkinson's humor reverted back to 'Mr. Bean' types instead of the dry sarcasms of Edmund.

Lift, and climbing, were the strengths of the Dr.1