Herr Prop-Wasche

http://www.phrases.org.uk/quotes/last-words/john-sedgwick.html

My Swiss ancestry must have helped me with Corsair's "cryptic" quiz. Somewhat off-topic, but related to my Swiss ancestry: My ancestor, Jacob Staub, immigrated from the Swiss Canton of Glarus to the United States in 1856. Although one of his reasons for leaving may have been because he was tired of the continuing European and Swiss turmoil that finally culminated in the Revolution of 1848, his timing was poor, and he wound up in Knoxville, Tennessee on the eve of the U.S. civil war. The story goes that either shortly before or during the battle of Knoxville in the fall of 1863, Jacob was shot and killed by Yankee soldiers who were trying to steal--er requisition--one of his cows. His son, Thomas, later grew up to become mayor of Knoxville. Interestingly, I have dug up some preliminary (and admittedly rather speculative) information that Jacob may not have been shot by Yankees after all--instead he may have been a victim of a Rebel sniper. Part of my theory (I don't want to bore anyone with all the details) involves the election of Thomas as mayor of Knoxville. Although the town of Knoxville was quite pro-Union during the war, it gradually became quite conservative and strongly pro-Southern after the war. My guess is that Thomas changed the story from his father being shot by a Rebel to being shot by a Yankee because it was advantageous to him politically. At this point, I don't have anything to back up my theory, but I may have opened up somewhat of a small debate inside the family at least! As far as the quiz is concerned, would Elephant care to pose the next question? I wouldn't know where to start in finding a good question to ask. My WWI knowledge is embarrassingly limited, I'm afraid.

After a little more research, I'm guessing you are referring to Marc Birkigt, Swiss auto and aircraft engine designer for Hispano-Suiza. His first aircraft engine was based on a 90hp automobile engine design and was the powerplant for the Airco DH-6. The Hispano-Suiza 8a (150hp) and 8c (220hp) went on to power the Spad VII and XIII, respectively. After the war, he went back to automobiles and produced the engines for several successful racecars.

Well, the RAF 1 was a British V8 90 hp engine, based on a French design, so the same person who developed it may have gone on to design the power-plants for the Spad VII and XIII, n'est-ce pas?

If I am on the right track, it seems to have led to a dead end. Care to leave a hint? Are we talking about man or machine? Elephant: I will certainly agree to go "halfsies" with you, if we can crack Corsair's code!

My guess is the numbers refer either to: aircraft: Sopwith Pup 90 hp, Spad VII 150hp, and Spad XIII 220hp, or more likely engines: perhaps Hispano-Suiza variants? So the man behind the numbers is either a pilot who flew the above types or a designer of these aircraft engines. Are we getting warmer?

Are you basing your data on top speed of rotary engines on the listed top speed on the aircraft information page, or on actual game performance? In OFF, I found that the listed top speed was always about 4 mph faster than the top speed as measured in the game (using the F5 key speedometer). Here are my observations on the in-game top speed (sea level) for selected rotary engine planes in OFF: Camel 113.5 mph DR1 112.5 N11 96.25 N16 91.5 N17 106.0 N24 110.75 Pup 107.0 Tripe 122.0 With the exception of the Tripe and perhaps the Pup, these measured top speeds, while a little too fast, aren't too far off the mark, IMO. I don't have WOFF, so I have to hope OBD tamed the Tripe somewhat--it also had the fastest measured dive speed in OFF--273 mph!!--so I hope that still isn't the case in WOFF.

That's rough, man. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night (or morning, depending on time zone)!