Hello,

someone said a flat half turn would not be possible with a rotary, or better with this triplane, and it would always bank when applying rudder. This is wrong. There are numerous WW1 pilot's reports that most of the WW1 planes including rotaries did not change direction quickly, when using the ailerons alone - only additional rudder would really make them curve. Rudder alone did not make them bank much.

As well those light planes would swing their tail around in a second, even an inlined SE5a, or an Albatros, if heftily applying rudder only. No need for ailerons, and if the plane would bank a bit, it would be easy to counter this with very little aileron "input". Even a BE2c could almost fly sideways.

Also the Dr.I could fly almost sideways, if not for long; but for a long time at an angle of 45 degrees relatively to where its nose pointed. Remember the Dr.I has a very thick wing profile, and the full lift while flying straight will make the bird try to rise all the time, if not countered by pressing the stick forward. If you steal some lift by adding an angle to the flight path there is easily still enough lift to fly on. I do not own the RoF Dr.I yet, but if it is not possible to perform a flat (sic! without banking) turn with it, this is modelled wrong.

Aditionally Voss did not fly a Dr.I, but its test predecessor F1, with a stronger Bentley engine fitted, and being more manoeuverable than the later Dr.I. But if the later Dr.I was able to perform sideways flying, Voss' F1 certainly did.


The shooting of downed planes, and pilots. It was common also with english fliers to do this, especially Mannock who had a hate against all being german ("I hope he burnt all the way down.." " ... I Hope Kaiser Bill could hear him sizzle.." etc. etc.). Germany (but not England as i read) despised the use of incendiary ammunition if not carried for a balloon attack, and any british pilot downed and found with this ammunition had a hard time, if he had not a good explanation why.
And what you forget is the excitement, adrenaline, seeing your friend being shot down by an enemy, that make you hate and maybe lose your temper, if for a short time (in most cases). So do not judge any pilot when you have no real combat experience.

That being said, if a downed pilot was supposed to ignite his own downed plane to not let it fall into enemy hands, it had to be avoided by all means, and he was to be shot - order on all sides. And things certainly got worse the longer the war went on, the sometimes occurring "chivalry" of 1914 to 16 was long gone.

Greetings,
Catfish

P.S. @Gremlin - Voss had indeed a "borrowed" engine in his F1 triplane, and A. Fokker himself was not really fond about it - this is one of the few correct things in the "new" Red Baron film. I do not think it is an urban legend since i read this in Udet's as well as in anglo-saxon texts.

Hello,

someone said a flat half turn would not be possible with a rotary, or better with this triplane, and it would always bank when applying rudder. This is wrong. There are numerous WW1 pilot's reports that most of the WW1 planes including rotaries did not change direction quickly, when using the ailerons alone - only additional rudder would really make them curve. Rudder alone did not make them bank much.

As well those light planes would swing their tail around in a second, even an inlined SE5a, or an Albatros, if heftily applying rudder only. No need for ailerons, and if the plane would bank a bit, it would be easy to counter this with very little aileron "input". Even a BE2c could almost fly sideways.

Also the Dr.I could fly almost sideways, if not for long; but for a long time at an angle of 45 degrees relatively to where its nose pointed. Remember the Dr.I has a very thick wing profile, and the full lift while flying straight will make the bird try to rise all the time, if not countered by pressing the stick forward. If you steal some lift by adding an angle to the flight path there is easily still enough lift to fly on. I do not own the RoF Dr.I yet, but if it is not possible to perform a flat (sic! without banking) turn with it, this is modelled wrong in RoF.