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#3915935 - 02/24/14 01:38 PM The word 'flak' was not used in WWI  
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I noticed that in 1915 (in WOFF) I was warned about enemy 'flak'. This word should be changed to 'archie' which is what the WWI RFC pilots used. 'Flak' comes from the German abbreviation for Flugzeugabwehrkanone, or "aircraft defense cannon". 'Flak' was rapidly adopted by the Allies in WWII for obvious reasons, but it was not used in World War One at all. Let's get the immersion right!


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#3915938 - 02/24/14 01:47 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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Originally Posted By: JimAttrill
I noticed that in 1915 (in WOFF) I was warned about enemy 'flak'. This word should be changed to 'archie' which is what the WWI RFC pilots used. 'Flak' comes from the German abbreviation for Flugzeugabwehrkanone, or "aircraft defense cannon". 'Flak' was rapidly adopted by the Allies in WWII for obvious reasons, but it was not used in World War One at all. Let's get the immersion right!


Jim, are you saying that the Germans didn't use the work Flak? It is of German origin and seems plausible.
I can fully understand that the English used "Archie".


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#3915946 - 02/24/14 02:05 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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ack-ack

#3915951 - 02/24/14 02:19 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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Germans often used "Fliegerabwehr" (what simply means "Aircraft Defence Fire") or "Bodenbeschuss" (what simply means "Fire from the Ground" or "Ground Bombardment")

#3915977 - 02/24/14 03:12 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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'Flak' was only used by Allied forces in WW2. The WWI word was 'Archie' (if you read the books you will see this is right). The Germans MAY have used the word 'flak' in WWI but I don't think so. Come in Olham attack


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#3916002 - 02/24/14 03:44 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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In all of the hundreds of contemporary WWI aviation books, pilot's diaries and personal journals I've read over the years, both Entente and Central, (note I did not say Allied and Axis as these are also WWII terms), I've never once run across the term 'flak'. It is not in the WWI vernacular, IMHO.

.

Last edited by RAF_Louvert; 02/24/14 03:46 PM.

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#3916022 - 02/24/14 04:14 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flak

According to Webster, the first know use of "flak" was 1938.


Nowi
#3916030 - 02/24/14 04:21 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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So it should be removed from WOFF. That shouldn't be difficult.


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#3916045 - 02/24/14 04:59 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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Jim, I didn't live back then, so all I know is second-hand knowledge from books.
But I just looked through Otto Fuchs' book "Wir Flieger", and there the squadron
leader asked him, if they had received much "Flakfeuer" (anti-aircraft gunfire).


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#3916075 - 02/24/14 05:34 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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You weren't alive then?
Jesus, I thought you invented the German air force...

#3916082 - 02/24/14 05:43 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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#3916101 - 02/24/14 06:10 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: Trooper117]  
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Originally Posted By: TROOPER117
You weren't alive then?
Jesus, I thought you invented the German air force...

He did. He's just being modest.


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#3916111 - 02/24/14 06:22 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: Olham]  
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Originally Posted By: Olham
Jim, I didn't live back then, so all I know is second-hand knowledge from books.
But I just looked through Otto Fuchs' book "Wir Flieger", and there the squadron
leader asked him, if they had received much "Flakfeuer" (anti-aircraft gunfire).


Yes, there is no doubt that the Germans used such a term, because it comes from German in the first place. But the RFC did not. So it should not be used to me who is (supposedly) an RFC flier.


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#3916116 - 02/24/14 06:27 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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I only read "No parachute" and "Sagittarius Rising", where everyone -
as far as I remember - always said "Archie".


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#3916131 - 02/24/14 07:02 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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In the countless WWI books I've read (about RFC) I've only heard seen it as Archie never Flak.


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#3916137 - 02/24/14 07:17 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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Originally Posted By: JimAttrill
Originally Posted By: Olham
Jim, I didn't live back then, so all I know is second-hand knowledge from books.
But I just looked through Otto Fuchs' book "Wir Flieger", and there the squadron
leader asked him, if they had received much "Flakfeuer" (anti-aircraft gunfire).


Yes, there is no doubt that the Germans used such a term, because it comes from German in the first place. But the RFC did not. So it should not be used to me who is (supposedly) an RFC flier.


.

Jim, as I mentioned earlier in this thread, I've never seen the term 'flak' used in English or German writings from WWI, only the full 'Flakfeuer' as noted by Olham. If it was in common use by the Germans during the Great War I should think it would show up in books and journals of the day and if it has I would like to know which ones. I am still convinced the term 'flak' was not coined until many years after WWI.

.


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_________________________________________________________________________

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"pippy-pahpah-pippy pah-pip-pah"

#3916162 - 02/24/14 08:05 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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Jim

May I suggest you add your request to the "Wish List" so the devs can address it as they see fit.
I certainly dont know if the term Flak is a universal woff response for both sides or if it can be adjusted zeparately for each side.

Just let the devs deal with it now.

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#3916183 - 02/24/14 08:30 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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The Germans certainly used the abbreviation "Flak" in WW1, but it was used to refer to the guns themselves, not anti-aircraft fire in general.

The first German AA guns were actually designed to shoot down balloons and airships. The Germans used the abbreviation "BAK" (Ballonabwehrkanone, anti-balloon cannon) for such guns. Practically nobody had expected aircraft to play any significant role in warfare, so the word "Flak" came in use only later during the war.

As to the word's usage in WOFF, I wouldn't rank this particular issue very high on the list of priorities... smile


Last edited by Hasse; 02/24/14 08:31 PM.

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#3916186 - 02/24/14 08:36 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: Hasse]  
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Originally Posted By: Hasse
As to the word's usage in WOFF, I wouldn't rank this particular issue very high on the list of priorities... smile



I for one will not play WOFF again until they get this sorted out...or until the next chance I get to sit at my computer for more than 5 minutes. biggrin


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#3916190 - 02/24/14 08:45 PM Re: The word 'flak' was not used in WWI [Re: JimAttrill]  
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