Wayfarer

My first flight was a trip around Weston Super Mare in an Auster, sometime in the late-sixties/early seventies. It later crashed. My Dad always said it was the next week, but I am not sure that wasn't dramatic licence.

So are we thinking 'OFF2 - Above And Beyond' for a name now?

A friend send me this link. Might have been posted here before, or I expect some of you will have seen it, or some of the photographs, already. If you haven't, well some of them literally made me catch my breath! http://www.vintagewi...-Wagon-Rut.aspx

Happy Birthday Widowmaker. What it must be to be 50 years old and have all of Phase 4 ahead of you!

Thanks Olham, that is something I wanted to do for some time.

I needn't have bought the Christmas Radio Times ... I'm just going to watch this all Christmas. There are moments when it could be a Vintage Aviator clip. And a sensible looking map! Thanks!

I saw the same for the battle for Passchendaele. . That was something that particularly impressed me , Olham. I reached the opening of the Passchendaele offensive very shortly after finishing a book about the campaign. Seeing the bombardment in OFF as I got nearer the front really seemed to make everything I had read come alive. You can't always do a lot with historical knowledge, but I think that there are times when OFF can genuinely enhance the understanding you can get from reading about the period. So a definite 'Hoch! Hoch!' to Shredward, (and the rest of the Devs of course) for that.

A good Korean War sim definitely. My interest seems to wane when it comes to modern aircraft ... like after 1953! And if anyone could do me a nice, immersive, entire world encompassing, roleplaying/strategic/ tactical level game of naval warfare in the Napoleonic wars in the spirit of the Patrick O'Brian novels, I'd certainly put that on my Christmas list.

Yes, I guess lakes stand more chance of still existing than some other features. I like it when you can pick out railway tracks still following the same route.

I've used Google Earth to visit my reconnaissance objectives, but I never thought of it for visiting crash sites before. Of course, as I have never actually shot anything down, it will be my own pilot's crash sites - but at least I could pay my respects!

I agree Creaghorn, that work is particularly fine. The early Albatros versions always fascinate me. I think it's because I only saw pictures of the DIIIs and DVs when I was young and they still seem 'new' to me.

I recently 'transferred' my pilot to RFC5, which is equipped with RE8s (having come to the point where RFC2 would have received FK8s). This is the first time I have had a rear gun and I've only flown two missions with it so far. A lone Albatros followed us and began to make attacks on me even though I was in front of the rest of the flight. I thought the other flight members might fire at it but I didn't see that happen. Husbanding my AA damaged engine, I tried selecting the Albatros on the TAC and pressing 'A' a number of times for flight members to attack but there appeared to be no response from them. I realise that I don't even know if that command works with two seaters or, if it does, does it take the form of the observers firing or will they manoeuvre to bring the forward guns to bear? I'm also not sure if my observer will open fire of his own accord, or do I always have to switch positions to take the gun over?

A near miss I think.

It's true that when you start looking out for landmarks whilst navigating by map, you do start to recognise where you are. I have reached the period of Third Ypres and have flown so many missions over that area now that I took off last mission and reached the objective area before realising I hadn't even got the map out. For some compulsive reason, I always use the TAC as I get near the objective to ensure I fly over it - it just feels like I am not cheating! The AA does not, of course, help once you are across enemy lines but, as Olham says, you scan the skies instead. I am flying in Flanders and the maps are by no means perfect but it does give a feel more like the written accounts - even down to the getting lost sometimes!

LIMA, you're right, that title put me off even looking at that book until I was enticed by seeing a cut price copy whilst on holiday (I'm nothing if not cheap!) I just presumed it would be another collection of potted accounts of of aces' careers. I think that title does it a disservice. Olham, thanks for posting those clips. I've flown the BE2 in OFF for so long that it doesn't even look old fashioned to me any more!

Actually Hellshade, I'm impressed you survived long enough to crash into the rear aircraft. In any WW2 sim I've ever played, if I had been in view of any front gunners for half that long they'd have minced me! (Unless you'd already silenced them both, of course.)

I'll go with a hit ... you shoot it down but get hit by part of it ... mainly because that is what would happen to me!

Thanks Shiloh. I thought it sounded like Paul Simon at times, but wasn't sure. It certainly did suit the video.

Yes, I bought RTW for the battles and then found that the Campaign was by far the more absorbing part. I used to play out all the battles, rather than take the computer result, but that was just because I couldn't stand those occasions where a unit of peasants would rout several units of my elite cavalry! Could happen, I know, but if so I'd rather it was through my own stupidity!

Oh dear ... it isn't good for me to see these. They're just too good! I wargamed the Napoleonic period for years, and the American Civil War more recently with the Fire and Fury rules. The Jacobite Rebellions have sort of haunted me since I was kid ... my Mom still has a copy of a poem I wrote about them when I was about 10! I never wargamed them though, so, Widowmaker, that's a very intriguing video. Oh ... and I still have some half painted Samurai figures in the loft from a project that never properly took off. I enjoyed Rome Total War, and my long time wargaming friend keeps urging me to get Napoleon Total War so he can see if he wants it. If it wasn't for OFF I may well have caved in, but so little computer time available ... must stay strong! Might just look at the reviews and things again, though. I just have one question at the moment ... Shiloh, what is the song that's playing over the Gettysburg video?

Ok, the last one seemed pretty certain ... and I was wrong, so I'll go for a hit this time, even though it looks like you would get away with it.

Kind of fierce , but ... OFF: Aim For The Man (My natural tendency would be for something poignant, but I don't think OFF: Till The Boys Come Home would be the sort of message they'd be looking for)

Too close ... a hit I'd say.

Err ... 'fraid it's just me and my RE8 ... perhaps I'll just stay at home!