Wayfarer

I set the Ground Object Density to High for the first time today. Then, also for the first time, got surrounded by a swarm of Fokkers and ended up at about 150 feet over a forest. At this point, the frame rate dropped really low and the the game really started to stutter, so I need to adjust some settings. Is it possible to do this in the middle of a flight? When the stutters were really bad I couldn't judge the behaviour of my aircraft and nearly flew it into the trees. I really wanted to be able to pause and alter the graphics, because I didn't want that to be the cause of killing my pilot, but I couldn't think if there was any way to do it.

Thanks Uncleal. I've altered my sliders a little so I'll see how I get on.

It was Fokker EIIIs. One thing I may have done was spend a bit too long shooting at several that drifted in front of me. That was due to me trying to work out where the bullets actually went rather than any claim hunting. I thought that the gun on the BE was offset to avoid the propeller but it seemed to shoot straighter than I imagined. I was trying to work out somewhere to sight through. I did actually hit a couple to my amazement, as I was in spot view at the time. Several minutes after hitting the last one I was informed that I had destroyed an enemy aircraft! I didn't see it go down, however, and since my apparently successful landing suddenly turned into a crash landing (I had landed and cut off the engine and was coming to a halt - I am presuming battle damage played a part) there was no claim form ( I have yet to see one). I wouldn't have had a clue what happened anyway! I'll have to start making a note of my wingmen's names just in case - if I can get any of them home!

Olham, von Baur, thanks for your kind sentiments - and a question - how do you all get those You Tube items to show in your posts?

Thanks Olham. That is interesting. I have seen British combat reports from WWII before, but no German ones from WW1. It's interesting that he describes the finish of his own aircraft and that, although he records having taken part in three attacks, he is emphatic that the other pilots were responsible for downing two of the aircraft.

Bullethead. Just 10 minutes ago we had got ourselves mithered about how exactly we were going to put my mom up for Christmas - thanks for putting things in perspective!

Thanks again Olham. Bagpipes as well ... another favourite of mine, although I understand many people regard that as an aberration! Plus 'O Come All Ye Faithful' in latin. That's a nice reminder of my Dad who learnt the latin version at school and could still remember some of it . He died just this September so we won't hear it this Christmas. His enthusiasm for aeroplanes, and collection of aviation books, are directly responsible for me being part of this forum.

Thank you Olham, that's the one.

By a whisker, mine is 'O little Town of Bethlehem', but I like all the old traditional English carols - plus some of the fine borrowings such as 'Silent Night'. What this has put me in mind of though is, does anyone know the name of a comparatively recent film dealing with the Christmas Truce of 1914? I think one of the German soldiers is supposed to have been an opera singer. I remember being impressed by the fact that the French were depicted in their 1914 uniforms of blue coats, kepis and red trousers. It was on British terrestrial television a year or two ago but I can't remember the name. I don't think it was a British film.

Thanks Uncleal. I have every faith that Santa won't have forgotten.

I, too, am getting HITR for Christmas. To be honest, I already downloaded it and backed it up on a cd which, I understand, is what Santa will physically bring for me (I made an appropriate cover for the cd case). I also installed it and tried it out to, hopefully, avoid spending Christmas trying to iron out any problems (seems a legitimate reason to me). Thing is, I now have the rather more sensational HITR screen rather than the subtler BHAH screen. My daughters have never shown that strong an interest in OFF, but now I'm worried that even they might notice that wild Nieuport pilot has replaced smoking Albatros man, and find out that dad has cheated and is already playing with his Christmas present! I actually thought that Albatros pilot screen was superbly evocative - perhaps space might be found for him in Phase 4?

Not a 'flying' song, but the the one that led to anti-aircraft fire being dubbed 'Archie' by the RFC. I believe it was considered quite risqué in it's day. It's no use me denying facts I'm henpecked, you can see! 'Twas on our wedding day my wife commenced to peck at me The wedding breakfast over, I said, "We'll start off today Upon our honeymoon." Then she yelled, "What! waste time that way?" "Archibald, certainly not! Get back to work at once, sir, like a shot. When single you could waste time spooning But lose work now for honeymooning! "Archibald, certainly not! I once strolled through a field, and there a mad bull came across. It gamboll'd with me playfully and quickly won the toss! Of course I sued the owner, and the day the case was fought, The judge exclaimed when I said, "Sir, let's have the bull in court!" "Archibald, certainly not! Just show what other evidence you've got!" But he cried when I said, " Please forgo it... Because I must stand up to show it. "Archibald-certainly not" A sportsman I have always been I've hunted with the hounds. I've hunted, too, without them, and It's cost me many pounds. I can't afford to hunt now that I'm married, but one day, The wife remarked, when I asked her If cricket I could play, "Archibald, certainly not! About this cricket game I've read a lot. Besides, last time you played at Dover, I heard you bowled a maiden over! Archibald-certainly not!" A lady named Miss Hewitt got on friendly terms with me. She fell in love with me at once and then fell in the sea!My wife came on the scene as I threw coat and vest aside ; As other garments I slipped off to save the girl, she cried, "Archibald, certainly not ! Desist at once disrobing on the spot ! You may show your pluck and save Miss Hewitt, But if you've got to strip to do it Archibald-certainly not!" At supper time last Sunday I was hungry as could be. A chicken on the table smelt most savoury to me! I longed for just a taster as I munched my jam and bread. At last I said, " Can I have just the beak?" then my wife said, "Archibald, certainly not! You know that fowl for you was never got. Eat chicken when to bed you're going! Why, all night long I'd have you crowing! Archibald, certainly not!" If you paste the following into your browser, you can hear the music hall artiste George Robey performing the song. http://www.we7.com/#/song/George-Robey/Archibald-Certainly-Not

Same here. I can't always get a clear hour free for a mission but I manage to catch a couple of glimpses at the forum most days. A quick review during lunchtime helps me stay sane(ish) at work.

If you are flying in the early period, Summer 1915 against Eindeckers, it does seem to help to act aggressively even if you can't hit anything! As mentioned in MightySRC's Survival In The Air Guide, they do seem to prefer to go for the more docile wingmen. The only time my BE2 has fired at anything, so far, was a pathetic attempt to unsettle an Eindecker that had completely ignored me after I turned into their formation, but had gone after one of my wingmen.

I am hoping to get HITR shortly. Do you have to start with new pilots or can your current ones transfer over?

Thanks both. Now all I have to do is keep him alive long enough!

It always seems extraordinary to me how just making up a name immediately makes me far more careful than if I was just flying an anonymous mission in CFS3 or IL2. It was one of the reasons I chose OFF, rather than Rise of Flight. The whole atmosphere it creates makes me concentrate on trying to 'doing the job' and survive. I have a great deal of admiration for those crews, of all nationalities, whose job was flying reconnaissance and spotting missions, with far less opportunity to engineer situations to their advantage than the fighter pilots. This is why I chose to start with the BE2. You might be doomed, but it seemed to represent the experience of so many aircrew in that war.

'I found myself, when threatened by Beastly Huns, putting down at adjacent Entente aerodromes (NB, do not do so East of the Front) and simply sitting there, engine off' Glad you both said that because the first time I saw the Eindeckers I really wanted to do that. It was only the shame of thinking they couldn't do it in real life ( unless they were damaged perhaps) that made me not do it. I deliberately started at the earliest date, with hardly any practice, just to get some atmosphere of seeing enemy aircraft for the first time without really knowing what to do. Apart from the BE2 I have only flown a Nieuport 11, Bristol Scout and 11/2 Strutter in brief tests. Mightysrc you are right about the paranoia. I developed a growing apprehension as June 1915 got nearer, when I understood I was likely to see the first enemy aircraft. When they first came stooping down on us I was like a cat in headlights for a moment. I finally remembered to turn into them and, as you have pointed out, they seemed to go for the wingmen. And RAF_Louvert - do you know how hard it is for someone of my age not to sing that out loud - even in the middle of the office!

Bullethead, what game is this? Wayfarer

Thanks mightysrc. I don't have TrackIR, and realise there is more to the cockpit than I normally see. I was, coincidentally, looking at some labelled photos of WW1 cockpits in a magazine and began to suspect there might be a control I was missing. I'll take a better look around next time we get airborne ... and there's the rub. Both my wife and youngest daughter are on courses that require a fair amount of coursework/revision - carried out on the computer. Some idiot made a rule here that work should always come first, before games (what was I thinking!). So I get to do OFF in bursts. This is why Arthur hasn't been on a bombing mission yet. I started in February 1915 and have only just got to June (about 26 missions with date advancement). We have only seen enemy aircraft on the last two missions. The second time, some of them were still buzzing around near the airfield when we got back - which seemed most unsporting. I didn't want to get caught flying straight on my landing approach with the revs too low climb out quickly if attacked, so I hit upon a cunning plan ... This was designed to conserve speed and enter the approach at the last moment - but ended up as sideslipping into a tree! I actually managed to pull up over the tree - but this resulted in a nose up attitude of some 50o at aspeed of half a knot. Naturally I pancaked from about 40 feet to a horribly fiery looking pile up. This was the most recent 'I've killed Arthur!" moment and explains his ill mannered chortling in reference to 'even the most average pilot'. As for the Crumpetly-Flims it is a fact that (since I found out how to edit the OFF xml files) Algernon's log entry records not that he set out to achieve victory for Great Britain, but to avoid getting a white feather from his Great Aunt Primula. Algernon does laugh in the face of death. In fact, he laughs in the face of everyone which, I think, is why the family were so keen to ship him off to the front - he was becoming an embarrassment at dinner parties. With reference to your final point I'm not sure I have known Arthur long enough to enquire whether he is appropriately equipped!

Thank you Majors Coppitt and Timm, that has certainly put Arthur's mind a bit more at ease. I think he secretly felt guilty about having the odd snooze whilst on long reconnaissance flights. There are a couple of points I would like to comment on, however: Firstly, I am glad to have it confirmed that the engine conks out on starting if the throttle is too low - I have been setting it at half to be sure. Then there is, 'ease your mixture to half, promptly'. I always dutifully lean and enrich regularly with variations in altitude, but is there a way of knowing when you are actually at half? I seem to get maximum revs of about 1150rpm whatever the conditions - does that seem about right? Arthur has not yet been sent on a bombing mission but Major Timm's forthright assessment has certainly made an impression on him. Although Arthur himself has never looped the old Quirk, my 'test' pilot Algernon Crumpetly-Flim (of the Buckinghamshire Crumpetly-Flims) - following the thorough instructions of Flight Commander W G McMinnies R.N - has managed it quite comfortably. And finally landing - 'an aeroplane as well designed as the BE2 is hardly likely to present difficulties to even the most average pilot'. Well all I can say is that a chap can only do his best ... there was no need for Arthur to snigger like that!

Thanks mightysrc. As soon as we can get my many daughters off the PC, I will vacate this laptop and Arthur and I will peruse it thoroughly - see where I've been going wrong.

Arthur Winteringham will be sincerely grateful. I have nearly done for him several times in one. Every now and then the doleful cry of 'I've killed Arthur!' echoes around our living room. Even my wife seems genuinely distressed. I think she has a soft spot for him - after all he does look rather handsome in his photograph. Luck has been on his side up until know, but he'll appreciate any help I can get.

Smithy, Thanks for your interesting post. My Grandfather's brother was killed in the summer of 1918 (my Grandad was actually wounded around the same time near Arras) and is buried in a cemetery about 4 miles south of Arras. My dad really wanted to visit it, because he just felt someone from the family should, but he died a month ago without having managed it. He asked me before he died if I would go, as it was preying on his mind a bit as he got sicker. I said I would and am thinking of trying to go, possibly next summer. I was intending to stay in Arras. if I do, I'll definitely visit the memorial.

This just confirms something that has been mentioned before, If anyone is considering flying in the earlier period. I started with a British bomber pilot in February 1915, and have been using the TAC. After 24 missions, using time acceleration, I reached 1st of June. I then saw enemy aircraft on the TAC for the first time. In fact, on the second mission of the day Eindeckers pretty much ambushed us on takeoff! This seemed rather unhistorical behaviour, but they look pretty good stooping on you from above (put me very much in mind of a certain illustration in the Ladybird 'History of Flight' book if anyone is old enough to remember that). After both sides getting scattered all over, I pressed 'wingmen rejoin' and tried carrying on with the 'job'. This actually seemed to work, except that one Eindecker dogged my rearmost wingman all the way to the front and back to the airfield, where other Eindeckers were still cruising around (and not being shot at by any sort of ground defence to my dismay). I had imagined that, at this time, the enemy fighters would be hovering over the front waiting for me to cross the lines, Immelmann style, rather than carrying out an aggressive fighter sweep. As I don't have HITR it made wonder, does it give more historical behaviour at all, or does it not really affect the early period? Still, it adds even more interest knowing they'll be up there from now on!