Folks,

Dux:

Come ye hither. Today we have 21 C. under overcast skies. If we had full sun that might be 10 degrees warmer! Before you drag out those Speedos and book a ticket West that is not normal for us in January.

We are having some very strange weather here this year. More like Florida weather in January than North Carolina I think. We always pay for extra comfort in winter. There is a long line of heavy storms headed our way tonight and tomorrow.

Our average winter temps run in the mid 50s F. or around 13 C. Today we may hit 22 C. before dusk. We are located in the north eastern coastal plain area of our state. A few rolling hills but not foothills. Our mountains are about 5 hours drive away from here westward. Lovely country there not unlike Derbyshire I'd guess. We have the highest mountain east of the Mississippi (Mt. Mitchell)located in the Appalachian range running through that area of our state.

My wife and her sisters recently spent 3 days and 4 nights in a somewhat modernized version of a log cabin near Boone, NC (named for Daniel Boone). They had a grand time and no one even complained about how much their jaw muscles ached when they returned home from the constant yackking.

JRT,

That average sounds good to me. Just popped out to check our temp and it's 35f which is about normal. At that instant the sun came out very briefly then retreated behind leaden skies. I don't think we will see it again today.

What snow we have does not become more concentrated until mid-Feb which is quite a let less than we had some forty years ago. Despite that, the temperature drops quite sharply at times. Three weeks ago it sank to minus 10f.

Folks,

Dux:

It was 20 degrees warmer than average yesterday and today it is several degrees below average. We could have snow flurries! Weird weather.

The wind is really blowing today. We have 30 mph gusts and may have up to 40 mph gusts tonight. You would need a Fokker kit made out of Kevlar to fly it here today.

I understand that our Cannuck pals up in Canada are having a wind time today as well but their temps are well below yours or ours. Minus 10F wouldn't phase them.

Combat Report.

Aug 15, 1940,
a/c: U-SA, Bob I,
Pilot: self

The Luftwaffe raided the Short Brothers Factory earlier today, and my squadron along with 64 met the formations of bombers and fighters head-on.

For once we were at the same height as the enemy aircraft, and we concentrated on the bombers, while the Spitfire boys went after the fighters.

I sneaked up on Heinkel 111’s on more than one occasion, pressing the trigger and putting some bullets into the flying steel from Krupps, Thyssen, whoever. When one attack was over, I came round for another, and then another. At one time I saw three or four parachutes hanging in the air amidst all the aircraft criss-crossing in the air. A crew had bailed out of a bomber. More crowded here than Ascot on a Sunday.

My aim today was pretty rotten I’m afraid, and I failed to finish off any enemy airplanes, expending all my ammo in the process. I did receive some warm attention in return, making a few holes in my wings, nothing vital hit, not affecting performance too much.

As I realized I had spent all my ammo, I immediately banked left and continued into a dive. That’s when I saw another formation of bombers, passing below me. Again I had to marvel at the sheer number of aircraft in the sky.

When I saw flashes on the ground below me I knew I had fought and dived right through the main attack, having bombers above and below me, as well as bombs racing me towards the ground.

I pulled out of my dive, the old airframe shaking, protesting and vibrating, and headed for home, hoping I would not be bothered with more enemy attention. Made it back without further incident.

Gun camera footage should prove spectacular.

Cs. Sqdr. Ldr. (Acting)

Folks,

MG:

Excellent. I have always thought that our BoB simm was better than most of its contemporaries due in part to the fact that, depending on your settings, you could get completely caught up in a massive fur-ball of a hundred planes, go home without a victory and still count yourself as fortunate.

I think you hit the nail on the head JRT; BoB puts you in a living breathing world where trucks are moving in the airfield, officers are found taking a stroll along the hangars and of course the massive air-battles.

Good stuff indeed McGonigle, sounds incredibly immersive. That is why we love this sim after all, the great authenticity of the surroundings. We somehow forget that flying conditions in the heat of the battle were much less than ideal - nothing like what the movies portray. Your account was A1.

JRT, stop sending the tropical weather up here - it is ruining the skiing season.
Rain in winter indeed! It isn't civilised!

Folks,

MG:

The genius is, as always, in the details my friend and BoB has much to commend it.

C51:

I'd trade a bit of your tropical moisture for all this tropical wind. We had gusts in excess of 45 MPH here today and I have just gotten the last of the lawn furniture out of the trees.

I have never seen sustained winds like this outside of a hurricane, down burst or tornado.

JRT,

good idea taking the lawn furniture out of the trees, you shouldn't be sitting up there anyway, although I'm sure it must be fun to watch the cows and motor homes flying past. I might suggest watching TV or better still, or playing BOB as an alternative.

Seriously, that sounds a bit too close for comfort. I'll stay put in simple unintersting Canada.

Gentlemen,

All this chat about duff weather....here's a local pic to take us back to those balmy summer days.

I think there were three of 'em this year. :rolleyes: