Was watching a YouTube and it was mentioned that the player felt really good that he had managed to survive a couple of weeks. While a historic representation of the life expectancy of the often barely trained cannon fodder, can one who manages to achieve a moderate level of experience survive longer? Does anyone ever survive to the end of the war?

very few all the way. 1918 is a kulling field

You need to be very very lucky, and skilled and careful to have any chance.
In the war some of the top Aces were rested from time to time especially when 'fame' arrived, or sent home to train others or maybe put on "Home defence" etc to keep them alive somewhat. Many didn't make it.

Maybe get sent home for 6 months in 1918

To echo somewhat something Pol said you can last a good long while by being exceedingly careful and prudent.
To quote (paraphrase rather as I don't have it in front of me) one of the great patrol leaders "Never above, rarely on the same level and always below" when attacking the enemy. Keep your speed up, keep your altitude, watch, watch, watch for the enemy (you have TrackIR right?) and don't attack if you have any thought it will put you in a bad position both before and after. Don't be afraid to "fight another day."

I find, by far, the vast majority of my deaths or woundings occur when I try to help (sometimes stupidly) an AI flight mate out of a bad situation. A heroic death is not hard to achieve but I have a tough time leaving a "buddy" to his fate.

If you are careful (fly like your life is really on the line), keep your head on a swivel, and don't make doubtful or risky attacks, you can last almost indefinitely. If you have a good plane of course.
Be especially careful (always!) if you are in a inferior plane.

Far too many variables to say. Flying as an Allied pilot during Bloody April, you can be an excellent pilot and the numbers and quality of enemy aircraft can still overwhelm you unless you literally turn tail an run. OTOH, keeping a German pilot alive through the end of the war when the Allies have both superior numbers and generally superior aircraft requires nearly heroic piloting skills and more than a little luck.

Then there is Archie (AA), wing structural failures from diving too hard and / or weapon damage, mid air collisions, rear gunners, engine failures or running out of fuel behind enemy lines because your tank line was hit and drained out, gun jams at precisely the wrong moment in a dogfight to become helpless, target fixation, failure to see the #%&*$# sneaking up behind you, etc, etc.

Essentially, you can follow all the best advice (and you should because it helps!) but in the blink of an eye it can all be over even when you think you are doing well.

What's great about WOFF UE though is that its a question well worth finding the answer to on your own!







Nobody's Luck lasts forever.

if flying 1918, on a very active front, patrolling at the wrong side of the line and flying a non superior plane, my experience, it will be two days.

You've got some outstanding gunnery going there, mate. Right up until the third vid. Was that a collision that brought you down?

Thanks Hauksbee. Yep. I got clipped by an Alb. You can't see everything at all times and all it takes is a split second to lose it all. (

And on that depressingly realistic note you might try the reverse, using RJW's pilot restore mod....see how many awful deaths you have to endure to make it to the end of the war....the results pretty much reflect the above.

Some of my guys don't make it past the first sortie! Other times my guys last a long time. I had a nice German fellow achieve over 40 victories, earn the 'Pour le Merite' and get shot down by 'friendly fire'! It's interesting the psychology associated with this SIM. I used to get upset when the pilots got killed. Naturally so because I am 'them' and am responsible for their welfare... right? I am finding myself more 'callous' as to their survival. I still try to make the pilot the best he can be against his adversaries but if he doesn't survive well.. c'est la guerre! I'll just delete his profile and make another.

I just started up a pilot in the Lafayette Esquadrille, flying N10s. Flew a few mission, had a victory and rotated to N11s. First mission in the N11 I had mechanical difficulties over the forest in the Alsace rejoin, crashed in the trees. Time for another new pilot.

Beard

I hate when that happens! lol