Hello everyone! After a two-plus year hiatus, I am back creating stories here at the forums! The following is, quite likely, going to be one of the most AMAZING stories you will ever witness... the story of one Johann Falke...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Johann Falke
FFA 8b, Alsace Front
22 January, 1915
Flugplatz Colmar

[Linked Image]

Born to a French mother and a second-generation Trentino-Italian of Austrian citizenship, Johann was certainly “multi-ethnic”. His mother’s family was from Bron, France, near Lyon and not all that far from Switzerland, and his maternal grandmother and extended family still had residences in that region. Johann’s father had been dead for nearly ten years, and Johann had been schooled in an Italian way while also being knowledgeable in Austrian ideals.

Johann was interested early in aspects of flight but was not as interested in the politics of the time, considering them foolish. He had the chance to take early flying instruction near Pordenone and while not a certified pilot, he did have some skills. When war broke out in August 1914, Italy remained neutral. The local Austrian authorities, looking for pilots, came to find Johann could fly, and he was basically pressed into the Austrian K.u.K. Luftfahrtruppen. Trained throughout the end of 1914, and even though Johann harbored no outward lack of loyalty (as there had been [historical] a fair amount of desertions from the Austrian army, especially those of Italian stock), it was decided to send him off to a willing German Feldflieger Abteilung to get more experience in a “quiet” region. He was transferred from Flik 2 at Adjussina (where he started on an Aviatik B.I) to FFA 8b at Colmar on 21 January 1915.

The members of FFA 8b were welcoming, but also a bit suspicious, although all the members of the group were from different places in Germany and none were from this region. Nonetheless, Falke carried out his duties. They noticed "his uniform looked a little funny" so they gave him a German version.

Fitting that his very first mission was in a snowstorm...

[Linked Image]

The Aviatik barely gets over the trees upon takeoff, and one can't just yank up on the stick to get it to go up...however, it does have decent lift characteristics and is a generally stable aeroplane to fly. Reconnaissance says that there are no local French squads in this area, so a quiet front indeed!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Saga Continues!

Regards,

Jeff

Last edited by stljeffbb; 01/26/20 07:25 PM. Reason: Clarification

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