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#4111305 - 04/24/15 06:53 PM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Banjoman]  
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High over the Front
Originally Posted By: Banjoman
Hey now, I didn't give you permission to go messin' with that skin I made. Oh shucks, I forgot to have you sign the "No messin' with the skin document".


Hehe...I tried to tell Cpl. Jones that but he just kept muttering about "Damn Yanks" and kept painting.

#4111352 - 04/24/15 08:11 PM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: lecrop]  
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Originally Posted By: lecrop
Amazing OldHat, how many hours to complete the Paris bombing mission?


Unfortunately, I got hit by AA and couldn't complete the mission. It took one hour to reach Arras and then glide towards NML.


#4111356 - 04/24/15 08:18 PM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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Duke, I see that you stop shooting when they're smoking, which makes perfect sense.... I usually keep shooting and try to get a flamer, but I can't seem to be consistent in landing my shots at the engine. sigh

#4111403 - 04/24/15 09:43 PM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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High over the Front
Yea I get lucky sometimes.
There is a certain angle (about 35 degrees) where I have the bullet trajectory, lead, and drop figured perfectly.
The problem is that Mr. Hun does not always cooperate with my plans to obtain said angle!

#4111564 - 04/25/15 10:25 AM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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High over the Front
Sunday 22 April 1917. Dawn patrol with 56 with me as the leader for the first (actual) time. Previous Leader assignment was a rain out.
Quite murky under the clouds, and with the rising sun, but above the clouds we see the sun and, over the lines, a group of 4 or 5 Hun V-Strutters escorting some two-seaters a bit lower down. Knowing better then to focus on the two-seaters I try to lead my flight to a good position before ordering the attack on the Alb's but I misjudge our angles and get too close to the enemy and they react. So instead of a great position we are just in a "OK one" and I order the attack.
This mission was a good lesson for me and taught me to be more careful with the Alb's. Probably save my life later as the lesson in caution was well learned.
I pick out one and get a few hits but see tracers from my rear as one gets on my tail. Give a slight evasive move and try to get back on my target but the Hun does not give up and even scores a few hits! Do a better evasive move (a modified Split-S) and, when done, I see he is still on my tail! Now worried I go all out to shake him and cut my throttle and head almost straight down to a cloud. Dive thru it for a few seconds in zero visibility, pull out, put on the gas, and emerge from the cloud in a off-set rear position on my pursuer. Lucky! I close and he tries to turn but my shooting is good and he goes down. Victory #9 in the dim light and murk under the clouds.


While I watch him crash tracers light up all around me. I clear my tail but see nothing then realize I am over the German trenches. They may not show well in this pic but on the lower right the Hun gunners are trying to avenge their loss with a firework display of tracers. They shoot well and I take a couple of hits.


Turn for home and, after several moments, realize my engine is not producing full power and checking my instruments, realize I have a coolant leak. Lucky I am not 5 miles in Hunland but in friendly territory and just manage to crawl to the nearest emergency field, land, and hit a tent hanger but lucky I was going so slow it just brings me to a full stop. Whew. No losses for B Flight and several Huns are claimed. A lot of luck here!

#4111571 - 04/25/15 10:58 AM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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High over the Front
Monday 23 April 1917. Now that some of the bugs have been worked out of the Se5 (and there were plenty per my latest book) the squadron now goes to "High" mission frequency per the Ready Room which should mean two missions a day.
The first is another Line Patrol at dawn but without all the clouds the visibility is much better. Near the front I see several individual aircraft straggling back to British territory. Apparently things are hot already.


Just over into Hunland a group of 5 Albs wish to contest this violation of their airspace. The Flight Leader orders the attack and I just miss being rammed by a flight mate as the AI does their usual (and visually nonsensical) "blow up and scatter around" thing they do when ordered to attack from a bad (to the AI mind) position - I think.


My AI pals are getting their stuff together in their pre-attack dance and I pick out a Hun who tries to turn. In a great deflection shot I give him a short burst and he noses over and goes down. Thinking that he is "faking" (which I have seen - actually I think they sustain damage, stall or lose control, then recover several thousand feet down but we'll call it "faking") I follow but nope, looks like he is really going down. Using the newly discovered "J" key I clicked around and find my boy.


Based on the bullet holes near the cockpit it looks like a pilot kill. Lucky shooting! Victory #10!


Circling to form up I am soon joined by two Se's and then see a single speck low and flying east. Almost certainly a Hun! Having plenty of ammo left I dive and am followed by the two Se's. I cut my throttle and get in a pretty good burst but have to break off and my two flight mates also take their shots. I circle for another pass but my buddies are on him like white on rice, so much so I think they may hit the ground but they don't and the Hun makes a forced landing. A shared victory for the flight I suppose.


Back at base claims are made for 4 Huns, 1 being mine, but we lose the two non-HA flight members listed a "Destroyed by Enemy Action" one of which was the Captain Flight Leader. Not to dance on the grave of a comrade but with 10 kills my Captain pip may be coming soon. The war continues.

#4111768 - 04/25/15 07:45 PM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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High over the Front
2nd mission of the day. A DOP at high noon about 15 miles behind the lines south of Douai smack in the middle of 6 Hun airfields. Captain Ball is leading Crowe and myself. A Flight in support.


Fairly uneventful trip and we arrive in the middle of all the airfields and a group of Huns approaches from a higher altitude. Captain Ball being Captain Ball he orders the attack.
I manage to get me and Hans here all alone and its a fight to the death!


My shooting, which has been great the past several missions, fails me now and it takes about 6 passes to really bring him down out of control and he crashes near a road to a airfield. As an excuse for my poor shooting I will use the distraction of the ground fire from 6 Hun airfields in a 3 mile radius. As he smacks in a plume of dust and smoke I am hit by MG's from the nearby field. I quickly turn and try to thread the needle between these bases to make a get-away. On the 15 mile trip back to friendly lines I am staring at my instruments. Hey! Am I running hot? Nope - just paranoid. Whew.

Back at base all three members of B Flight make it back (the 4th never crossed the lines dropping out with engine trouble) and Crowe and I file claims.
Not only is this victory confirmed but two others that were pending making it 11 total. With a slap on the back and handshake the CO tells me I am being promoted to Captain. As flight leader I must try to take care of my people. It's going to be a long war I am afraid.

EDIT: Just noticed MY aircraft shadow on his plane - cool.

Last edited by DukeIronHand; 04/25/15 08:42 PM.
#4111956 - 04/26/15 10:39 AM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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High over the Front
Just like to thank SimHQ for providing me with a dedicated DIH thread to post my thrilling adventures. Doesn't anyone else get up at 0400 on the weekends to get some flight time in?

Tuesday 24 April 1917. Newly minted Captain DIH leads his flight on the morning Line Patrol. Over the front lines I observe a group of about 6 or 7 specks heading toward another group of 6 specks. I get all excited and plan on joining this massive upcoming furball. I must have been daydreaming about glory before I realized they were all Huns. I attempted to steer my flight away to gain a better position, and thought I did, when tracers fly by my head from behind. Yikes! Didn't realize I was so close! At least two Alb's are on my tail. Do a modified Split-S to evade and give the order to attack.
It's a aerial madhouse and I don't even think of sticking to a target but fire short bursts as Huns cross my nose. I get a nice snap shot at a Hun head-on and he puffs smoke and rolls away but there are plenty more. Swarming around like bees the whole mess gradually descends to lower heights when I suddenly find myself all alone. Look around for my flight and see three specks with Hun AA bursting around them. As I watch one of the specks drops like a stone with another after it. Hope the good guys are winning there.
Peeping over the side of my cockpit I see a Hun flying the same direction as I at about 500'. I dive on him like a hawk.
One pass one kill!


Resuming course toward the now sporadic AA fire I now realize that there are a lot of aircraft around - and all are Huns that I can see. Make for one and, in a check on my tail, I see this guy trying to line up on me. In a turn fight that went from 500' to about 20' I start to quake when I am suddenly on his tail.
A 3 second burst and its all over. Huzzah!


Fly back on my own as no friendly aircraft are in sight. I start wondering how the Brits will treat a American flight commander that loses his whole flight?
Back at base I find, much to my surprise, that all are safe and that madman Maxwell is claiming 3. I put in my claims for 2. A Flight, without firing a shot, loses 2 of our boys.
Lead the afternoon patrol in the hazy sunshine (PR Weather Mod Lite) but see nothing except a smoking British two-seater struggling to regain friendly territory.

#4114227 - 05/01/15 09:38 AM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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High over the Front
Friday April 26 1917. Leading B Flight myself and one other (Captain Larry Howell) take-off at 0630 to attack a high value balloon target that we burned the previous day. Apparently the devious Huns have moved up another yesterday afternoon in a attempt to maintain their flow of information. Cecil Lewis is assigned as support.
The approach to the balloon is, besides the AA, without incident but near the target the air is filthy with other aircraft specks buzzing around. I assign Howell to attack the balloon which he does while I fly cover. Looking over the side I see he is successful and fire a flare to form up and circle and wait while watching all the other aircraft in the area. After a few minutes I do not see him and start for friendly lines thinking he went on ahead. After several minutes I see a speck behind me trying to catch up. Assuming it's Howell I circle back to allow him to form up but the shape looks funny and I have to look twice to realize its a V-Strutter! I get in two good bursts and hole his tank and he tries to get away now but there is no outrunning an Se. I close up on his rear and finish him off.
Thought I had more pics but I guess I was hitting the wrong key.


Back at base Howell is missing and listed as "Destroyed by enemy action" and killed. Downed by AA fire? Lewis returns ok.
I put in a claim for victory #15 and, because Howell was killed we may have to go after the balloon again. The Debrief wasn't entirely clear.

#4114342 - 05/01/15 02:07 PM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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Duke, a lot of us are currently engaged in either Rick's challenge or Olham's DID campaign and that is why you seem to be the only one posting. In a week when Rick's challenge is over, I'm sure there will be more posters. By the way, very nice reports and now I'm sure the reason for your continuing success is because of that beautiful skin you're using. biggrin


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#4114353 - 05/01/15 02:26 PM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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Oh I have no doubt the mighty skin is the main factor in my continued success.
As for the rest of you guys I kind of like having my own personal thread - makes me feel like a big deal!

#4115156 - 05/03/15 09:57 AM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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High over the Front
April 26 1917 and the 3rd run on the same balloon as in run #2 the pilot who shot it down was himself shot down so no claim/confirmation apparently.
Full strength squadron effort this time. Me leading 5 members of B Flight with 4 members of A Flight in support. Except for AA not much happens.


Near the target I order a flight attack on the balloon, while I fly cover, and it quickly lights up. Swing off target and fire a flare to form up so I don't lose the actual pilot who shot down the balloon (in hindsight being all HA this was probably not a concern - I think) and I set off for nearby British territory. Just over the lines the distant flight, which was following, now starts to thrash around. I try the Rejoin command again and circle when I am shot at. I am actually surprised by an attack of an Alb DII. Guess this is why the flight was acting all funny.


Quickly turning I shot him up and he rolls on his back and goes straight down and crashes on a road.


Committing the classic "Fighter Pilot Error #4" as I watch my foe go down I am surprised AGAIN and shot up! WTH are all these Albs coming from? This guys shooting is much better and he hits my engine which now sounds like a washing machine spinning a tool box. Normally I would make a run for it but I am over friendly territory and, while I still have power, turn into him and in two passes he goes down - apparently shot at also by Crowe.
Took a screenshot but actually hit the key when I was looking down at my keyboard - oops. Guess I was all excited.
Back at base everyone returns safe and the balloon is claimed. Ominously I see another flight mate also puts in a claim for a aircraft but I claim the 2 anyway.
Well both are rejected (as Crowe actually shot down one of my claims apparently) but at least HQ finally decides we are done with the balloon.
And a valuable lesson is (re-)learned at the cost of a new engine. Cheap!

#4115217 - 05/03/15 01:43 PM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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"This guys shooting is much better and he hits my engine which now sounds like a washing machine spinning a tool box."

Great description of that dreaded sound

thumbsup

#4115492 - 05/04/15 01:38 AM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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Well, now that I am good and dead in my own challenge, I guess I can come over here and give Duke some company, poor though it will be. I figured I'd jump back into my Rother Nought Naval career that I haven't touched in about two months. Boy am I out of shape on the Pup! Used to the heavy, powerful SE5a, I spent the fist few critical turns oversteering on everything. We dove on some Rolands and, well, that's NEVER a good idea! The guy hit me with two bursts. The first one crippled my roll rate and the second severed my fuel line (From now on, any time you hear the words "two seater" from me, if you think "severed fuel lines" you'll save me a lot of typing).

The funny part is, in the video, you can see the point where the low fuel level warning comes up and I am just So. Done. With. It. Going to land, I look around and see waaaay too many fences. Fortunately, the Pup can glide forever and I get her down in one piece. Oh, and my wingmen never fired a shot! Go Brits!!!

This video explains things much better than I could...




The older I get, the more I realize I don't need to be Han, Luke or Leia. I'm just happy to be rebel scum...
#4115498 - 05/04/15 01:55 AM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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Great video and really nice landing. My two favorite planes in WOFF are the Pup followed by the Sopwith Triplane. If given a choice I would probably fly those planes over any other planes in the sim.


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#4115507 - 05/04/15 02:18 AM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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High over the Front
15 kills!
Looks like we are neck and neck for a "Reports from the Front" thread competition.

#4115512 - 05/04/15 02:41 AM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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Thanks, Banjoman, I forgot about my damaged roll rate to the left and almost lost it on that final turn. But, when you get shot down every single time you go up against two seaters, you get pretty good at landing in fields. rofl

Duke, as you can see, my mission:kill ratio isn't that high, I think you got this one! salute


The older I get, the more I realize I don't need to be Han, Luke or Leia. I'm just happy to be rebel scum...
#4115570 - 05/04/15 08:30 AM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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High over the Front
15 claims and 15 victories? Looks like you are doing something right.
I am like 15 victories for 23 claims and that's padding my % chance where I think appropriate.

Guess we'll go with total mission count + survival = bragging rights.

#4115661 - 05/04/15 01:03 PM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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I had claims set to "Easier" because I kept forgetting to click on the "Claim Report" button on the debrief screen and was missing a lot of claims. I switched back to normal for the challenge so that confirmation percentage should be dropping soon. thumbsup


The older I get, the more I realize I don't need to be Han, Luke or Leia. I'm just happy to be rebel scum...
#4116042 - 05/04/15 08:44 PM Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT [Re: Olham]  
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High over the Front
Monday, April 9 1917. Flying with J11 on a cloudy morning about 45 minutes after sunrise with my 8 victory ace Leutnant DIH. Getting frantic calls from the front as the British start their Arras offensive. Led by MvR we head west for the action.


Unfortunately the French and British were apparently airborne before us and we do not get near the front when we are attacked by a unknown number (I was admiring the sun and clouds) of French Neiuports. They suffer badly in the upcoming fight but do their job as a 8 unknown plane formation passes 1000' over our heads heading east unmolested - obviously British or French bombers.
I find this gentlemen who seems hot to shoot down one on my comrades so I get on his tail several times in a long lasting (because of my poor shooting) circle fight that drops to low levels. On his tail again he tries to evade, I turn after him, and lose sight. The reason? The big cloud of dust and smoke. Think he flew into the ground trying to get away from me.


While circling I see another plane, not too far off at my level. Another N23! He was flying toward me, I think, but changes his mind and tries to get away. MvR and Schaeffer fly over my head but do not assist. Perhaps the 3 v 1 is not to his liking. My shooting, however, is absolutely terrible combined with a jerky Track IR from ambient light. Finally get some good shots into him and he levels out allowing me to close and finish him off. He goes straight down and crashes in a field.


With no one in sight, and low on ammo, I set out for my home airfield. All the Jasta returns safely and claims are made for two by other Kette members. I put in a claim for my two and they are pending.
They will be victory #9 and #10 if confirmed.

EDIT: Apparently I was wrong. My J11 guy was actually a 6 victory ace and this is victory 7 and 8. They have been confirmed along with #9 that I just got.
I was breathing easy - 10 seems to be a jinx number in my Alb careers.

Last edited by DukeIronHand; 05/05/15 06:32 PM.
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