I can't fly a DIII worth a hoot against stripes. If you figure out how, share the info please!
Hellshade;
You may already know this but I will relate it just in case you don't.
The DIII must not be used as a turn fighter. It is out matched in this mode. Use it as an energy fighter and exercise elliptical turn at the height of your climb and then diving down in shallow bank turn, try your attacking pass and if no good climb out so as not to give up altitude advantage.
Repeat ad infinitum!!
Hope that helps. It's the technique I use.
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Case: Cooler Master Storm Trooper PSU: Ultra X3,1000-Watt MB: Asus Maximus VI Extreme Mem: Corsair Vengeance (2x 8GB), PC3-12800, DDR3-1600MHz, Unbuffered CPU: Intel i7-4770K, OC to 4.427Ghz CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Seidon 240M Liquid CPU Cooler Vid Card: ASUS GTX 980Ti STRIX 6GB OS and Games on separate: Samsung 840 Series 250GB SSD Monitor: Primary ASUS PG27AQ 4k; Secondary Samsung SyncMaster BX2450L Periphs: MS Sidewinder FFB2 Pro, TrackIR 4
Banjoman, thanks for the stats. I haven't had a chance to read everyone's stories yet. I'll post this and then enjoy myself. Demian has PO'd the confirmation gods, I fear...
Memoir of Demian Kraft
Part 4
Snow and more snow. 21 February was payday,[1] and Berse and I managed to get a 24 hour pass and a drive into Ostend, where we prowled the shops and cafés for a long afternoon. We watched a naval band perform and had dinner at the immerse Royal Palace Hotel, spending more than a week’s pay in the process.[2] Afterwards we found lodgings in a small family inn, where we enjoyed hot baths and good beer, before returning to the airfield in the morning, just in time for parade.
Kriegsmarine band performing in Ostend
The Royal Palace Hotel
Our new Jastafuehrer had arrived that morning, 22 February. Ltn der Reserve Wieland had transferred in from Jasta 8. He had a kill to his credit from his time in two-seaters before that. [3] The new boss said he would interview each of us in turn, and if we were not up to scratch we would find ourselves hanging from a kite balloon somewhere.
I flew a mid-day defensive patrol to Iseghem, led by Ltn Kampe, and saw nothing. On landing I had my interview with the new boss. He stated that he heard I was a good pilot, but had a few too many unsubstantiated claims, and he cautioned me.
On 23 February my scheduled barrier patrol was cancelled, again due to snow. That afternoon a contingent from Halbgeschwader 1 arrived. They are setting up in hangars at the other end of the field, next to the Marinefeldjagdstaffel hangars. The new group was to be called Kagohl 3, and were to be equipped with new long-range bombers. Or so we were told. For the moment we saw only trucks, wagons, tents, and a lonely Aviatik.
I was directed to prepare a detailed written report on each of my claims for Ltn Wieland, and spent most of 24 February typing it in the Staffel office. This was getting on my nerves. Only Berse talked freely with me these days.
On 25 February 2017 I joined Ltn Rosenstein, Ltn Körner, OStv Berse, and Vzfw Träger to escort some DFWs on an artillery shoot over the English lines. When we met with the two-seaters west of Ghistelles they were already under attack from a large formation of English Nieuports. We immediately dived into the enemy and a thrilling fight began. I selected one Englishman and we turned and twisted from 1200 meters down to 500 before I got a good crack at him. The Nieuport broke away and headed west over the lines. I followed, barely able to close on him, and fired from long range. As I hoped, the Englander climbed and turned, which let me close the distance. It took only a minute to get a long, killing burst. The white Nieuport reared up and then dived vertically through a low cloud. I followed , throttling back carefully. When I emerged from the cloud I could see a column to grey smoke leading to a spot just in front of our lines. The machine had disintegrated on impact. I flew low over the scene and turned for home, hopeful at last of a confirmed victory.
It was not to be. A Flakartillerie battalion was claiming the fallen machine. The others in my flight had either turned home before the Nieuport fell or had pursued other enemy machines farther west. Headquarters denied my claim. I left the mess after dinner that night, sure that the others were snickering about me behind my back.
On 26 February I was permitted to lead an escort mission to the English field at Furnes. Our DFWs dropped several bombs and we patrolled the lines for a bit afterward, but saw nothing. My only consolation is that this Staffel has not yet had a confirmed kill, so I tell myself that at least I know I have contributed to our war effort more than the others, even if I have nothing to show for it. Historical Notes:
[1] The German Army paid its personnel on the 1st, 11th, and 21st of each month. [2] The Royal Palace was built in 1899, the largest hotel in Europe. Managed by Luigi Steinscheider, an Austrian who formerly ran Shepherds Hotel in Cairo, it played host to kings, shahs, and presidents for decades. Before the war, Ostend had been the most elegant bathing destination in Europe. [3] Ltn d. R. Erich Wieland was credited with a BE2 destroyed while with FFA 6 in 1916.
Thanks Raine, for the read. I can sympathize with Demian! Albert has also had a tough go of it with over 84 hours in an N16 and only one confirmed kill, but things may be looking up, as he recently was allocated an N17 as a replacement!!
(System_Specs)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Trooper PSU: Ultra X3,1000-Watt MB: Asus Maximus VI Extreme Mem: Corsair Vengeance (2x 8GB), PC3-12800, DDR3-1600MHz, Unbuffered CPU: Intel i7-4770K, OC to 4.427Ghz CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Seidon 240M Liquid CPU Cooler Vid Card: ASUS GTX 980Ti STRIX 6GB OS and Games on separate: Samsung 840 Series 250GB SSD Monitor: Primary ASUS PG27AQ 4k; Secondary Samsung SyncMaster BX2450L Periphs: MS Sidewinder FFB2 Pro, TrackIR 4
26 Feb 1917 @ 08h10 Patrol enemy front lines from Loos to west of Houbourdin aerodrome
Some wonderful news was given me this morning during briefing. I was informed that the N16 has been replaced with the N17 so now I would have a new mount comparable to the rest of the squadron. That in itself, made my day!
We were advised that we could expect Heavy clouds, fog and possible rain, with winds of 8kn from the NNW. Cloud cover from 4000 ft on up to 9000 was to be expected, making for a rather weak opportunity of spotting any enemy craft.
Graves lead “B” flight composed of Caldwell, myself, Pidcock and Hall. “A” flight was to provide protective cover and composed of Meintjes, Fry, Roxburth-Smith and Hill.
We formed up north of the field as usual attaining an altitude of 6500 ft and then turned due north towards Loos, arriving there at 08h37 and still climbing for altitude. Graves turned the flight east towards the line and we arrived there at 08h41 at 8000 ft with still plenty of cloud around and above us. Graves turned south along the line until we were parallel with Haubourdin aerodrome some distance off. There was no ground gunnery or Hun archie and things were unusually quiet. Graves turned us back along the line until we were parallel with Loos, arriving there at 08h44 and at 8300 ft.
It was then that I noticed Graves suddenly waggle and climb out and so we all followed, scanning the skies. At first I couldn’t see what he was after until three specs appeared above my upper plane at two o’clock. They were well above us, out of reach and not interested in us as they carried on towards their lines. I suspect Graves felt likewise on the matter, as he soon gave up the chase and we headed back towards Loos and hence home.
The lack of action was no disappointment to me, I was still feeling the rush of finally having a capable mount in the N17 to command.
Last edited by Robert_Wiggins; 06/27/1710:22 AM.
(System_Specs)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Trooper PSU: Ultra X3,1000-Watt MB: Asus Maximus VI Extreme Mem: Corsair Vengeance (2x 8GB), PC3-12800, DDR3-1600MHz, Unbuffered CPU: Intel i7-4770K, OC to 4.427Ghz CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Seidon 240M Liquid CPU Cooler Vid Card: ASUS GTX 980Ti STRIX 6GB OS and Games on separate: Samsung 840 Series 250GB SSD Monitor: Primary ASUS PG27AQ 4k; Secondary Samsung SyncMaster BX2450L Periphs: MS Sidewinder FFB2 Pro, TrackIR 4
Drago Duntz is having a wonderful time herding cows with his DIII. Thanks to a little encounter with some Tripehounds.
Watch out if those cows come up to your plane....are those Central or Entente cows?
Regards,
Jeff
WOFF:UE Computer Specs and set-up: Homebuilt Computer! Intel i5-3570k mildly overclocked to 3.8ghz AsRock Z75 mobo Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB (EVGA one fan version) 16 GB RAM 42 inch Sharp Aquos LCD TV with 120hz refresh Very old (over 20 years now) Aiwa Receiver/Amplifier Very old giant stereo speakers with newer sub-woofer Very old Logitech Wingman joystick with two buttons and a throttle slider Very old CH Thurstmaster analog footpedals Manhattan analog/USB converter W10
I can't fly a DIII worth a hoot against stripes. If you figure out how, share the info please!
Hellshade, I fly the DIII along the lines of what Robert says. If you have the height advantage, make a power dive, hope you cripple one, climb out and try again. If you find yourself against more than one it is best to dive east at full power!
Raine, the german spotters must not be very good. As you can see by Drago's file he has a lot of unconfirmed kills.
Robert, enjoy your new mount Sir!
Banjoman, as always, great work on the stats.
Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear or a fool from either end. BOC Member since....I can't remember!
Wow, such good storytelling! Great job Raine, Robert_Wiggins, and everyone else....fun to read and inspires me to be creative as well...oh yeah, and shoot down some planes too
Regards,
Jeff
WOFF:UE Computer Specs and set-up: Homebuilt Computer! Intel i5-3570k mildly overclocked to 3.8ghz AsRock Z75 mobo Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB (EVGA one fan version) 16 GB RAM 42 inch Sharp Aquos LCD TV with 120hz refresh Very old (over 20 years now) Aiwa Receiver/Amplifier Very old giant stereo speakers with newer sub-woofer Very old Logitech Wingman joystick with two buttons and a throttle slider Very old CH Thurstmaster analog footpedals Manhattan analog/USB converter W10
Drago Duntz is having a wonderful time herding cows with his DIII. Thanks to a little encounter with some Tripehounds.
Watch out if those cows come up to your plane....are those Central or Entente cows?
Regards,
Jeff
Jeff, lucky for Drago they were Central! My fuel lines were hit and had to sit down in their field. The damage to the tail was done by just clearing the fence with the rest of the machine.
Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear or a fool from either end. BOC Member since....I can't remember!
Gilbear Du Bussy Sous Lieutenant 2 Section Flt Leader Esc 81 La Noblette Ferme, Verdun, France.
June 28th 1917.
2 Section on a line patrol got into a shoot em up with Albatross Scouts this afternoon. All six of us had some holes in the crates. The Section claimed 1 e/a, but none for me. All my shooting was at long range or I was being chased.
Raine, great story. Love the trivia. Robert, congrats on new ride. MFair, hopefully you didn't try to land on those cows. I hear they're tougher than the fences! Carrick, Gilbear must really like those sponge baths.
Jasta 18 27 February, 1917 Halluin
Aldi's Kette was cutting through another cloud. There was hardly any place in the entire sky where a formation of Albatrosen could pass without getting licked by one of those thick, heavy snow carriers. His flight was charged with escorting DFW's on a bombing mission to Bailleul Asylum. The bombers were making their own way through the next series of clouds just a few hundred meters below. Aldi looked around and noticed one cloud that looked like a whale. He felt like a fish himself, all damp from all the vapor around. He checked to his right and found a reassuring sight of a blue Albatros with red nose and a white band behind the cockpit. That's Jasta 18's Staffelführer Oberleutnant Heino Grieffenhagen. Further down, a red and blue Albatros of his friend Paul Strähle. His plane is marked with a large white axe on the fuselage. Aldi turned his head left to make sure his other friend Walter von Bülow-Bothkamp was also in place. His plane was marked with a black band around the fuselage. Everyone was in position. The bombers arrived over the target and dropped their cargo. Aldi listened to the satisfying sound of the bombs exploding far below. THUMP! THUMP! THUMP, THUMP! It was just then that Aldi noticed a flight of 2-seat Nieuports coming from behind a cloud that looked like a cow with an oversized head. Aldi could only think of one thing: "Milk run!" He swung his machine in their direction and ordered the attack. They were higher so the Albatros nearly stalled while raking their bellies. He turned around in pursuit and followed them in the direction of a cloud that looked like a dog, except it wasn't a dog, it was a b!tch. 2 Pups jumped out of it and started pounding the Albatrosen. Needless to say a dogfight was in full swing. One went after von Bülow, the other came up against Schwarzkopf. Grieffenhagen was still pursuing the N12's and Strähle was nowhere to be found. Aldi kept turning with the intent of getting on the Pup's tail but was losing to him. Von Bülow was in a difficult position as well, trying to shake off his pursuer. Aldi wanted to help his friend, but his hands were tied. This Britisher was good. Finally Grieffenhagen came to the rescue and released Aldi from the Pup's grip. Aldi immediately turned to face von Bülow's attacker, but at the same instant Strähle came down on him with a barrage of fire. Schwarzkopf, seeing this, switched his targets instantly and followed his original foe looking for some payback. It was Grieffenhagen's turn to get some help and Aldi was just waiting for the right moment. As soon as the Pup showed his tail to him, Aldi pounced and opened up with both Spandaus. The British pilot dove like a maniac disregarding any reservations towards the structural integrity of his wings. Aldi followed and kept firing every chance their two machines aligned while spiraling down towards the airfield below. They both flew through a cloud that looked like a duck. Schwarzkopf knew he only had a small window of opportunity to take the Pup out before he would be in range of the enemy archie. One final burst and the enemy plane begun to spin uncontrollably before ploughing into the field in front of the aerodrome hangars, bringing up clouds of dust and smoke.
Aldi exhaled and began to climb to clear the MG range and noticed the other Pup on fire followed closely by Oberleutnant Grieffenhagen. It was time to get out. Von Bülow and Strähle were already on their way back. Schwarzkopf prayed he would only see clouds resembling a mouse.
"Take the cylinder out of my kidneys, The connecting rod out of my brain, my brain, From out of my arse take the camshaft, And assemble the engine again."
Great stories Gents. Aldi's last sortie read like an action thriller fullofit. Nice writing! Carrick, Back again? Stay away from those stray bullets. Or maybe, ye just like the nurses!!
Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear or a fool from either end. BOC Member since....I can't remember!
Gilbear Du Bussy Sous Lieutenant 2 Section Flt Leader Esc 81 La Noblette Ferme, Verdun, France.
June 29, 1917.
Morning Rail Spur line attack at Stenay did little damage and we lost 1 a/c.. Afternoon a bit better, caught a Recon below 1500 meters during a Offensive Patrol 24 miles inside his lines. I got a few hits , but my mates shot him down I saw the crash. 2 of our 4 Spads were damaged.