No rush, no rush, materials ready so getting this out so that those who like a pretty plane have some time!




Our last 5 challenges:
Eindecker Invitational
Revenge of Der Flieger
Bloody April
Les SPADS D'Automne
Circus Challenge

drew pilots from all over the world. The assistance and camaraderie that you get from something like this or Olham's DiD campaign if you are new to WOFF will help increase your enjoyment of the sim and make you a better pilot as well.

For this challenge, you will be filling the role of a Bristol Fighter pilot flying for #22 Squadron, a thorny little Gordian knot for any German pilot to try to cut!


In order to participate in this challenge you must:
1. Declare your interest and intent in this thread on or before Saturday, September 20, 2014.
2. Create a pilot using the manual squad creation option flying for Britain in #22 Squadron with a start date of July 4, 1918 with the rank of Seargent.
3. Commit to flying 3-6 missions per week with this pilot, but no more than one per campaign day.
4. Report at least every weekend in this topic thread with his current successes or failures.
5. Faithfully communicate to your brethren the falling of your avatar when such event actually transpires.


Please enter your pilot at this link:
Survey Link
Please update this survey after every few missions, or at least once a week!

This is kind of a "Who's Line Is It Anyway" sort of affair where we try to have fun and the points don't really matter. We will declare a winner and there will probably be some kind of a prize but the main thing is just to have fun with good people. (If anybody wants to sponsor a prize, please pm me!)

Reporting can be by any of the following methods:
-Text is good
-Pictures are better
-Videos are what this sim is made for!

There were some great reports and pictures and vids in the previous challenges, so look over them if you want some ideas!

This is single elimination, so one death and you are out. Keep in mind that even if you are not playing "dead is dead" in the workshop, at the end of each mission it will still tell you that "Sadly, your pilot has died" if his injuries were fatal so you don't need to switch your settings for this. If you land behind enemy lines with less than DID workshop settings, use these guidelines: in or on the edge of No Mans Land, you escape. Within 5 miles of the front, 50-50 (flip a coin). More than 5 miles behind the lines, you are captured, war over!

When you set up your pilot, click on "Manual Squad Deployment" in the lower right hand corner of the enlistment page. Set up the following screen so it looks like this:






Scoring:

Missions: +2 point each
Time survived: +2 points each week
Confirmed kill: +3 points each
Becoming an ace: +5 points (only once)
Promotion: +5 points each promotion
Medals: +3 points each
Survive to end of Challenge: +10 points


This challenge will have a have a hard end date of Sunday, October 12. That gives us three weeks and a day. You can have a maximum of 19 missions total. Then we can tally the points and declare a winner. You are certainly free to continue to fly your pilot after that if still alive, but for point determination, we need a cut-off date.

Permissions:
You may use whatever aids you are used to using. The official setting for rear guns will be “Less Acc”. Please set your weather to “Historical Weather.” Flight model should be realistic and you should have weapons jams and limited ammo and all that jazz... The point is to have fun and we had outstanding support and sportsmanship from all fliers last time and we would love to see some new faces! Feel free to lead your flights if you want!

As far as time advancement, please follow these guidelines:

Allow time to advance as normal except fly no more than one mission per campaign day (time advance manually as necessary)

For every month of campaign time, you can advance two days on the calendar. (48hr pass to visit mum)
For every promotion, advance five campaign days.
For every five kills, advance 3 campaign days.
For becoming an ace, advance 3 campaign days (cumulative with 5 kills above)

Keep in mind this is a challenge, not a competition! Your first job is to stay alive! (Note to self: Stay Alive!, skip mission 10) I'd love to see most of these pilots go on to great careers after our challenge is over! Good Luck
RR

Official challenge start time is Saturday, grab some QC time in those Brisfits and we’ll be (W)OFF!


I will update this area with pilots and scores as the challenge progresses, so you can always check here for the latest info…

List of Pilots:
Rover 27
Rick Rawlings
Slick Wilhelm
MudWasp
Robert Wiggins
Kaische
MFair
CatKnight
lederhosen
carrick58
Bucksnort
gaw1
RAF Louvert
loftyc

Strikethrough indicates a pilot's demise, d.n.p. = did not participate, number to the right of the pilot is the final score

Last Updated 10/11/14 at 8:45AM Pacific time

Wohoooo!! First to see this! Go Brisfits! Count me in.

P.S. Are we still skinning?

First on the board!


We are go for skinning!

Flying Brisfits is like cheating!

Hasse,why u say that?

Because it's a superb aircraft.

Thanks,have not flown it yet and was just wondering.

...Now would be a good time to start!

LOL,not for now as I have three careers going at once though one day I will join the Challenge and the DID crew.

Oh wow, this should be fun! I did not see the Brisfit coming, Rick. Great surprise!

Are you in?

You're kidding, right? I AM IN LIKE FLINT!

I loved that plane in OFF
I'm in too.

Wow, much love for the Brisfit. Other than the one test flight just to try it out and the one to catch some video, I'd never flown it!

Well Rick, I will be in as well, but may not complete because I will be tied up for a week during the Challenge and won't be able to fly. I have never tried the Brisfit so it will be fun at least and I never want it to be said I missed one of your Challenges.

It's great to have you Robert, fly what you can!

Count me in Rick, this will be great!!! Hihi, Brisfit flying is like cheating, that's a good one... I'm in!

Being from south MS. I am up for anything concerning BBQ! Many thanks Rick. I will be away for a week and and a half during the campaign but if my history stays true it will not matter.

Slick, you been bit bad Hoss! Superb skin!

Wow, that was quick! Slick, I know you have been sitting on that name for three challenges now...pun intended!

Hahaha, you are correct. I've been waiting to use Hugh Jass ever since the demise of Holden McGroin.

Btw, I have two Beagles in real life, so I had to find a way to include them.

Just QCed the BrisFit for the first time. Wow! I love it!

I'm definitely in.

Salut.

I'll have a go at this too pls.

I think my bird is ready! But who's gonna fly it? We'll see later

Nice to see the return of the Black Bird, Rover!

You guys are great! Paint schemes already!

Rover. I love that paint job! I better get to work soon or all the schemes will be gone!

How does the pilot wounding work ? Just Fast forward or wait for dates to catch up ?

Never flew a Bisfit but have done BBQ's. In any Event, Please Count me In .

Fast Forward, no waiting for us! Glad you're on board, carrick!

Peter Gunn will be my Challenge #6 pilot, sporting the Gunn clan tartan and coat of arms.

That's too cool Robert. I have a Cameron Clan crest, me Mothers side, waiting for a kite. Never thought about the on tartan though! Great job.

Thx MFair

I wonder if you picked up on the pilot's nam.

On my iPad right now. Will look when I go by the office tomorrow. Internet on my computer here is acting goofy.

I really like that skin, Rover...very classy!

And Robert, yours looks great too...but aren't you going to get cold up there wearing a kilt?

I'm in Rick. Having a hard time finding time to fly right now but I'll give it a go and try to get my 19 missions in, if I live that long!

See the URL below in my sig. You can go in and have a look, you don't have to submit it. The questions are the same as the previous campaigns.

A boy and his bird. A few more additions to the skin, a bit of cowl weathering and we're good to go

You lot will all be court-martialled for destroying government property. That is if they catch you....
On the other hand we in WOFF can do what we like

That is a nice skin Rover_27

The skins are looking Super!

I will most likely go with this skin. Its kinda a reworked Rfc 11 Kite.


screencast

won't be home till the 27th but count GAW1 in by all means.......Heeeeeeere we go!!!!

That's very nice, carrick58. gaw1, I'm putting you up on the board!

Anyone who isn't in the list on the web page give me a pm or capture your pilot as 'Other' giving his name and I will add him. If you are one of the usual culprits you will already be there as I use the same list as for the SPAD and Circus campaigns.

Peter Gunn is now enlisted:


His mount:

That plane's big enough that you can mount speakers and a victrola on it to play your theme song whenever you attack, Robert, a la "Apocalypse Now". Just don't make the record skip in your turns!

.

Some fine looking skins already, well done everyone! I won't have much time at all to fly in this one but I will sign on, if for no other reason just to paint up a few Brisfits, (love that kite). And to that end, here is my first mount showing a version of the dragon I put together some time back for a Sopwith Dolphin I painted in ROF. "Ko-Ko", for those who may not know, was the name of the Lord High Executioner in "The Mikado", a Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera from 1885 that was still quite popular during The Great War.




And I predict, as others have, that the claim numbers in this challenge are going to go through the roof. The Brisfit is an unstoppable killing machine when flown properly, (and it's pretty damned easy to fly it thusly).

.

I should award you bonus points for using "thusly" in a sentence!

I will go wit this guy.


click image upload

Here is my guy;


I'll tinker with a skin later.

sign me up please!

Nice Dragon! But something tells me Seargant Banger's won't be draggin his A## in the kitchen!

You stumped me on that one, carrick58...

umm, thanks, but actually it's not a dragon, it's a winged wiener dog from the last challenge. I love my real dog so much that I now have that emblem on all my planes, challenge or not, thanks to Rick rawlings!

Rick, I forgot to ask, is that you flipping the steaks on the barbie in your challenge promo material?

Love your apron! Do you always dress like that when cooking outdoors, or just on special occasions like for this challenge

Ha! No, that was just some "chef" I found online. I did choose him for the apron, though, so I see it paid off!

Sorry, we don't allow senior citizens to fly combat missions.

Btw, bonus points if you know what famous events happened to the British in 1879.

Slick;

British took a major defeat at Isandlawana against the Zulu force!

And had an enormous comeback at Rourke's Drift!

Mr Rawlings

Sea Stories by Alexander Kent CPT Richard Bolitho The book" Enemy in Sight" comes to mind ( although more books were written ) takes place during the war with France and the Colonies A good read,but has a few slow spots.

Nice! Learned something new today!

Here we go.





An English gentleman never goes anywhere without his tea.

If you can't do anything else you can look good! So let me introduce to you, wearing the latest flying fashion from Paris, the one and only Sgt Billy "Pepper" Shears...

Sgt. Kenton Cameron reporting for duty.
Hey Bucksnort. Are you still seeing a nurse named Elenor Rigby?

loftyc, Kewl winged weiner dog!
My Beagles are jealous.

Welcome Billy Shears, I'm sure you will achieve a lot with a little help of your friends

Auch Aye! We have another Scots man in the squadron I see! Welome laddie

Looks great, CatKnight! Love the rondels on the wheels!

Aye Robert. I have been wanting to do a Cameron Clan skin for a few weeks and this is the excuse. They say copying is the highest form of flattery so I hope ye do not mind if I have a similar skin to yours. Who knows, maybe after the war we will become known as the two heroic "Flying Scots from 22" who terrorized the Hun skies. There will by books about us and a BBC special! Our graves will be national monuments! That is if we survive, which in your case is highly possible.

Wait, I don't get it... if you survived, why would you have graves?









AHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!

(sorry, A.M. humor)

Well, we are in 1918 but in 100 years when all the books have been written about us and the BBC special has aired, people can go see our graves. That is unless there is another BBC special about the "2 oldest living human beings."
Your right, it is still AM, even though I have been up for 6 hours already and starting on my second round of coffee.
Looking forward to the challenge Sir!

Those who do these British skins should be able to answer this one: why is it that the other side of the fuselage has numbers as a mirror image? Isn't this a bit difficult to do?

Mfair, it looks like you chose to enlist on June 4th instead of the correct July 4th. Might want to send Kenton back for a month's leave.

CatKnight, love that red skin, sir!

Pics of my Kite:


image upload no size limit


capture


jpg images

Nice stripes, carrick!

Thank you sir! I will correct that before I climb into the cockpit. Great skins folks. I see another add on pack coming.

Evil flying wiener dogs and dragons and tea cps and tartans.....Oh My! You aren't in Kansas anymore Dorothy! This is going to be a blast.

No, Eleanor and I broke off our relationship some time ago, although I still admire the work she is doing at the Father McKenzie Memorial Hospital for Veterans. Michelle, who I met at the annual beneft for Mr. Kite, is now ma belle!

.

Just imagine.

.

Here's my pilot:

Flying with Observer/Gunner Frank Sarisbury

And here comes the Brisket Wagon:

Looks Nice!
What does T S stand for?

Tully/Sarisbury!

Hey, I've a few questions about flying this big bird.
First an observation; It is tail heavy.

Did it actually have an elevator trim?
Cause that is one option which works. Don't want to use it if not actually historically correct.
Is use of elevator trim historically correct?

There is a fuel tank switch. It is set on front tanks. I find no mapable control to switch it to rear and burn that fuel off first.
Is there such control... game command?

Ha!!!
I think I see Pigs feet on the wheel!

The Brisket Wagon makes me hungry.

Not many pilots can pull off pink wheel covers like you do, Rick. Bravo!

Heh, thanks, man!

Mudwasp, I don't know the answers to any of that! I usually trim my joystick a bit, but try to keep some character of the plane, to the degree it is known...

Well here is my kite for the challenge. I have a hard time lining things up around the fuselage but my mechanics drink a lot. You folks are way ahead off me on this skinning game. Also, on Slicks excellent advice, I sent Sgt. Kenton on a months leave and he will be back on July 4th as in written orders by Major Rick Rawlings

Rick, gotta love the Brisket Wagon. Cool skin!

Hmmmm.... yellow and orange is an odd choice.

Now i'm thinkinking of "The Great Pumpkin" from old Charlie Brown tv.

Fall colors for sure, i like the purples and blues i see in the woods as i scout for bigger bucks now too.

I hope some one with historical knowledge chimes in.
I do the same you do, would really like to burn off tail fuel first. See no way to do it.

Still no clue if elevator trim was something that could be done IRL.

Love the Scottish theme, MFair and RW! And after seeing Rick's skin I have no guilt over the fact that when I got up this morning I found that my mechanic had sewn a couple of old drum heads over the roundels on my fuselage

I like your skin, MFair! It's very distinctive, and apropos of the fall season.

The Brisfit is a beast, this is going to be a fun challenge!

Nice! Your observer/gunner looks suitable alert, too!

MFair, I've been waiti g for you to post you mount!
Nice artistic touch there!

Rick, you have created a be-dazzler there!

I wonder what the C.O. would have said if he saw all our creations on the line one morning

The Brisket Wagon, a perfect choice for a BBQ challenge. All we need now is a aerodrome on Pork Chop Hill.

How will that vote turn out?

I like the aldis sight when chasing two seaters.

Thanks, Slick Wilhelm. Just more baby steps in skinning but a lot of fun.

Keep forgetting to ask, what kind of guns are ya'll using for the challenges (ie: Strongest, Strong, or Normal)?

Thanks!

I'm using Normal and low accuracy for all guns. Hopefully, my enemies also have their accuracy lowered not only me

Normal, Rear gunners to less accurate.

Thanks, Rick!

I just want to say that I'm in love with the BrisFit.

I started a practice campaign and ran into two Fokker D.VIIs. Soon one of their HAs and I were alone and he was pulling some amazing stunts. He actually pulled off a modern Immelman (accidentally or a failed loop) getting out of my sights. It was relaxing not having to worry (much) about stalling or stress damage. We spent a good ten minutes chasing each other across No Man's Land before I finally brought him down.

Carrick and Bucknort. Nice job guys. Buck, I guess you will "get by with a little help from your friends."
Slick and Robert, thanks on the skin. I do believe Mudwasp was on to something though as to my eyes it was as ugly as a D9 Bulldozer with a root rake. I have changed it a bit taking out the yellow background and using the orange color for it. Photos at 11.

I liked it!

Me 2

The orange and yellow was too much. Of course when I look at Lou's skins it makes me want to go back to default! Something about it did not suit me and when you mentioned the color choice I thinks, "that's it." No major changes in the new skin, just better color choice. it is still orange as that is the Tartan.
Mudwasp, please do not think I took offense, certainly not. You made an observation and I am glad you did Sir.

According to Janes Fighting Aircraft, 1919, "the angle of incidence of the tailplane can be altered from the pilot's seat to offset varying weights carried." Also, here's pics from the VIntage Aviator of the cockpit; the lever on the right side is the one?




Now, why the bar in front of the dials, and if my gunner is so close, then why doesn't he hear me when I yell at him to shoot? Really, my number one beef with flying two seaters is the gunner not shooting. Can we fix that?

Ok, put in my appearance at the office and it's too danged hot outside for riding horses. At least that's my excuse for coming home and fixing my skin. I like this skin much better and the riggers are tired of repainting so this is it. The Cameron Clan is ready for duty!

Been flying the workshop with the new kite.

Just my opinion: DrI,s are Beastly at the same altitude or slightly higher. Hard to hit if lower.
Albatros D-III,s -D 200 are dangerous if they have a few thousand Feet above U.
Pfalz same
Fokkers D-7 ,D-8 all models Dangerous even at same height.

Fun Fight: 2 F2b,s with cover of 3 SE5,s Vs 3 D-III,s same height + 3 D-V,s 2000 ft higher

Loftyc: Mine is the Budget Gunner. I work hard to give him a good shot like underneath the enemy a/c and he fires 3 bullets. ? and I haven't seen him hit anything lately. Outside of that they do fairly well when they don't freeze.

MFair,

Sometimes less is more, and while your first version was not bad, this one is better

I hope I'm not alone in saying that the Brisfit is a worthy adversary of any German scout. I'm not going to care what my rear gunner is or is not doing, as I'm going to be getting onto their 6 and filling them with hot lead!

Yeah, if you watch that dive at the end of the challenge video, I was able to easily stay with that Albatros, and even overtake him when I throttled down. Still, overconfidence could be our downfall!

Yeah, I've been playing with the Brisfit in QC some and feel like I have the better plane against the Pfalz and Albatros, but the DVII seems to be a very dangerous foe.

Thanks for the info about elevator trim, loftyc

Okay, I guess I'll open the ball...

Nigel Tully, Mission 1
July 4th, 1918

Quite a group of us going up today, as we fired up the big Biff engines, we created quite a stir!

We were headed off on an escort mission for some recon craft towards the lines east of Loos, to check out some infantry positions there.



Frank was both excited and nervous, but somehow managed to keep his cool!

I didn't want to tell him that he made a much better door than a window as I looked over my shoulders. The weather was spot on for a July day and I actually looked forward to getting up to altitude where it would be cooler. We spent about 15 minutes climbing to patrol height, to me it all seemed a blur, as if it was going by 16x as fast or so...
As we approached the lines, we spotted some specks off in the distance. Angling in to attack, we soon discovered two of the new Fokker scouts and decided to have a go at them. I feel like I can describe this fight so well, you can almost see it, if you try. As you do try to see it, please note how Frank fails to tell me that a Pfalz is closing in on us, as if I could see through him. I suppose I could complain about him not shooting at the closing Pfalz either, but what would be the point? People are who they are. Anyway, here's what happened...


With the engine sounding a bit wonky and our foe safely down on the ground, we decided to head back. Too bad really, there were white puffs of smoke all over our side of the lines I would have loved to investigate, another day maybe...
As we came in, Frank struck an imposing pose:

I wish he'd been that ferocious during the fight (Now, Nigel...)

It turned out to be a bit of a rough morning for us. Three of our planes were forced down. The pilots seemed to have some kind of (H)eavy (A)rmor on and were ok, but the observers had no such protection and died. Sad barbeque today...

Nice Rick! You have bigger gonads than I staying with that Phalz with a damaged engine. I would have been running. I love the way Frank held off firing until the Hun was on the ground.

He's precious, isn't he?

I was wounded on my first mission. Just 4 days out of action.
Why do the enemy always eem to have the better rear gunners.?

I hear that! Stay careful!

Sgt. Cameron made his maiden flight today. I am part of A flight with Capt. Gurdan leading. We are to escort Recy craft near Amentires. In flight I saw a flight of SE5's near Acq but nothing else, not even the craft we are to escort! One of Flt B dropped out with a smoking engine just before the mud. Circled patrol area the headed back to base with no contact. On landing we learned Bulmer had crash landed but was ok. His observer was a bit shook up but they should be back for patrol tomorrow.

Rick, as I will be out of town for 9 of the 19 days, may I fly a few "keep up" missions. Advancing time of course.
Your still alive Mudwasp. Be carefull.

Understood. I think your enemies are wisely scared of the tartan!

Nigel Tully, Mission 2
July 5th, 1918


Literally the same mission:

Infantry recon east of Loos. This time, we circled the area for half an our to no avail when we finally spotted some scouts coming up from the south. Approaching, we dove into a gaggle of Fokker DVII's. Close your eyes and let me describe the situation to you...



As you can see, Frank decided to sit this one out.

Anyhoo... after downing that remarkably resilient Fokker, we climbed back up to 8000 feet and headed south, unscathed and with a mostly full Vickers and completely full Lewis guns, looking for trouble...

Unfortunately, none of the little smoke puffs from yesterday showed up to vector us in to our enemies, so after 30 minutes or so, we set down near Mt. St. Eloi.

#22 Squadron ended up with 3 enemy scouts down to the loss of one of our own.

image upload

I was Posted to the afternoon Recon Flight of 4 a/c. Spotted Alb D Scout.s fighting Spads. Broke formation to attack as my flight flew on. I Chased a Scout for awhile then lost him RTB. Upon landing the C.O. gave me the What Fore ! Wicket. A flight swanned about somewhere I never saw them ,but they lost 1 machine.


post images

Neverland?!? You didn't like your other guy?

July 4, 1918

Dear Mum and Dad,

I'm happy to report that my first mission with 22 Squadron was not my last. It was very exciting, however. I nearly bagged my first hun!

We were tasked with a patrol of the enemy front lines. My flight consisted of 5 Bristol Fighters, and a flight of 6 covering Bristols. Capt. Edith(yes, his real surname. What an unfortunate surname!) flew as my observer. I've enclosed some photos of our flight. In this photo, we see my plane forming up.





The patrol was uneventful until we neared the front. It was at this time that we were surprised by a small flight of Fokker scouts which I had not seen until they broke into our formation. Fortunately, I was able to latch onto the tail of one, a finely liveried machine which might have been an Ace's crate.



This enemy pilot handled his crate extremely well, and it was with difficulty that I was able to locate him time after time as he eluded me. I was able to damage him, though, and it must have affected his crate's maneuverability. After holing him a few times, his only goal seemed to be to escape.




Unfortunately, he was able to escape to the safety of his lines, and I continued to lose sight of him during our fight. He was able to get in a few burst at my machine, but we sustained very little damage. We returned to base and landed safely.

The final tally for my flight was no kills and no losses. I feel confident that my adversary today is feeling extremely lucky in escaping with his life tonight!

I'm feeling very confident, and we are scheduled for another flight tomorrow. Please keep me in your thoughts and know that I'm doing my duty as best as I can.

Much love to you and Dad,

Hugh

Nicely done Sgt. Jass! Keep on them!

Can you imagine? How would you like to be known as Captain Edith? My poor observer!

4 July 1918
Sgt Billy "Pepper" Shears
RAF 22 Squadron
Bristol F2B

08:18 Deep Offensive Patrol at Roulers Junction Rail Station

Our first mission was a long trek to the rail station at Roulers Junction to the northeast...a round trip of 112 miles. After crossing the lines and about 5 miles short of our destination the AAA fire became intense. At about the same time our flight leader spotted 5 cons in the distance above us. He decided to engage them and as we closed on them they showed themselves as Fokker Dr1's.

The Dr1's had an altitude advantage on us so speed was not on our side to start with. I decided to extend and let the Fokkers burn a little energy before engaging them. Then...BOOM!

The screen shot below is just seconds after I was hit by AAA. You can still see the lingering explosion at the end of my smoke trail. With my health at 67% and no controls working at all I went straight into the ground.

Billy Shears is dead. I've been wounded twice before by puffy ack over the past year, but this is the first time I have been shot down and killed by it.

Oh no! Bucksnort, that is a disaster of the most epic of proportions! I'm so sorry for your short career.

OMG

If that would have been The Brisket Wagon, It truly would have been A Porkoypse Now.

Rick, Slick, and Carrick (Geez sounds like the name of a new rock band!) Nice video, screen caps and reports. Keep em coming!