SNAFU,

I seem to remember that Grief1 went missing for a while earlier this year but eventually returned to regale us with more tales of 'the nations' airey navies grappling in the central blue.'

I'm sure he will be back...sooner or later.

Folks,

SNAFU and Old Dux:

I also miss our friendly German nemesis. He has been AWOL or perhaps MIA for some time now. As I have mentioned on this thread several times, I too miss his skillful writing. SNAFU, did you shoot him down? I know that I didn't? Perhaps Bader did or you Old Dux? I hope not.

Yes, Old Dux I do seem to recall that he left us for a time previously. He eventually returned to post more well crafted tales. We often forget that everyone has a separate life from this forum. I suppose that his other world has intruded in some way to prevent his continued visits here.

He left us months before IL-2 was released so I do not believe that he has left us for that.

I always looked forward to a post from Grief1 and he never failed me. All his reports had for me at least an irrisistable ring of authenticity about them. I do not know if anyone else here has ever quite captured that so well.

Many of our European friends must not only write the stories, they must also translate them into English. This is a real hassle, no doubt and some words have no direct translation. I appreciate their courtesy of course. Grief1 spent 6 years growing up in South Carolina so I believe that he had less trouble than most with English translations.

Like so many others during the war who went away never to return, we may never know what has happened to our Bavarian friend. Salute! Grief1 you are missed here.

I hate even to consider this. It has been a long time since we've heard from him however. Should he fail to return his flight boots will be hard to fill indeed. I hope that someone on our forum will come forward until his return to fill that void and to regularly post thrilling tales of high adventure flying BOB from the pov of the other side of the Channel.



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"Blessed are they who expect nothing.
For they will not be disappointed." - Edmund Qwenn, "The Trouble with Harry"

I too miss Greif1. I have actually been watching this forum since early summer. I have not played BOB in a while but I am getting a feeling to go flying. In the next few weeks I will polish my game abd tweak it to perfection then start to write a campaign journal. I am back.And I could try to fil the gap about the germans. I do plan to play both for the germans and British. I know I'm not as good as him but I can certantly give you stories.

[This message has been edited by Timdog (edited 01-07-2002).]

Folks:

OT: I just saw the most amazing WW2 related story on (of course)the History channel. If you've had the misfortune of reading any of my feeble scribbling you'll know immediately at the end why this one appeals to me.

I picked up the still warm remote lying there on the couch where Wifey had conveniently left it and well-practiced reflexes instantly punched the right buttons that would dissolve the all too feminine Lifetime Channel and replace it with the infinitely more appealing History Channel.

A program was already in progress. As I watched I was quickly drawn in to the story of two men, one black, one white. One man was a thankful B-17 driver who survived some of the most dangerous missions flown in the war. They showed much fottage of B-17s being shot at by fighters and showered with flack.

The other gentleman was a member of the famous black fighter group called the Tuskeegie Airmen who flew bomber escort with such distinction. These men flew P51s with that distinctive Red tail. In the two years that they flew escort missions they NEVER lost a bomber. WOW. They showed gun camera footage of writhing German planes and lots of film of the red tailed Mustangs doing their thing. Exciting stuff.

It seems that one day the grateful old bomber pilot sees that there is to be a reunion of the Red Tail boys in his town of Pittsburgh, Pa. He is overjoyed and so overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude toward these men that he invites himself to their reunion and attends the meeting.

He goes there hoping to find and to thank at least one pilot who actually safely escorted his bomber. At the reunion he did find one fellow who had done so on a particularly nasty mission against a German oil refinery on Christmas Day 1944.

These two men, strangers to one another until now, began reminiscing. Turns out they were from the same home town. That's not all. They discover that they attended the same grammar school. Next, they figure out they were actually in the same grade together.

Here is the cherry on the cake. They found an old school picture that clearly shows them actually standing side by side! I find that so ironic and incredible.

A local paper got hold of the story and they became quite an item in Pittsburgh. Today, they are close friends and are in great demand going about speaking to school and civic groups.

A great story with a "twist" at the end. I wish I'd made that one up so I could take credit for writing it.

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"Blessed are they who expect nothing.
For they will not be disappointed." - Edmund Qwenn, "The Trouble with Harry"

[This message has been edited by Jolly Roger Too (edited 01-07-2002).]

Folks,

Timdog:

That's grand. Glad to have you back here, I thought we'd lost you.

Be warned, flying for both sides can be a bit confusing when you have only a split second to determine friend or foe and you have to think out which side you're on before reacting.

Have you read any of Grief1's reports? They are superbly well crafted, aren't they? He has a style all his own, as do we all.

Find your own unique style and go for it. No matter which side you fly for (or both) I expect that you'll enjoy the flying and we'll all greatly enjoy reading what you write.

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"Blessed are they who expect nothing.
For they will not be disappointed." - Edmund Qwenn, "The Trouble with Harry"

[This message has been edited by Jolly Roger Too (edited 01-08-2002).]

I did read a lot of Greif1s storys and I am amazed you guys missed me and thought I was gone. I had just been playing other games. Well I wil try my best.


I have flown for the jerries a few times. So Bader, SNAFU,Old Dux, Jolly Roger Too and anyone i've missed watch out for a 109 doing dives for you. It may be me.

Timdog,

In my time, I've been in a few dives myself...but the less said about that the better

JRT,

That really is an incredible story about two old schoolmates touching upon each other's lives in that way.
But as Buddhists say....there are no coincidences. Just the law of karma, cause and effect.

All,

Timdog, If you wander over that big moat in one of those yellow nose beasts we are going to have to send you for a visit with your comrades who have tried and failed before you. If you manage to survive we shall sit down, have a nice cold soda pop and talk of our exploits. At least until the Authorities come to take you to the POW compound.

JR2, that was indeed an amazing story of the two flyers. Imagine the chances of that. WOW, wish I had seen it but the HC usually repeats frequesntly so I will be on the look out for it.

TALLY HO!

Folks,

Old Dux:

We will indeed not speak of that kind of "dive". Besides, my recollections of such things, if I have any, are surprisingly fuzzy and a bit out of focus.

Yes, and as the Buddists also seem to say, "What goes around comes around". Perhaps not, I do so need to brush up on all that. I'll have to wait a bit as my personal Karma is in the shop right now for expensive repair.

As if JG 26, Galland, Molders and the boys were not irritation enough, now we also have to beware of the Timdog in the sun. I suggest that we all be on the alert.

I did bag one more 109 last night and this may well have been he. Are you still there, Timdog old....er young man?

Speaking of the 109 and the pilot of same, this particular individual seemed preoccupied for some reason. Perhaps the pilot was mentally resorting all his streusel recipe files for the boys back home or something akin to that? At any rate, he never saw it coming.

And speaking of not seeing it coming... SNAFU
I did not see the ending of that HC story coming. You're correct about the way history regularly repeats itself...on the History Channel. If I note that the program will be on anytime soon I'll give you a "heads up".


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"Blessed are they who expect nothing.
For they will not be disappointed." - Edmund Qwenn, "The Trouble with Harry"

I am still here wait a few weeks for my first storie.