Actually this is just a lesson about being too cocky.
The two planes I have the most stick time in are the Alb DIII's and Se5's. The plane I have died the most in was the Alb DIII (Early) by far. Probably 85% of my career deaths were in this plane....until Patch 2.16. I used to dread this career until 2.16!
Since that patch my ability with it has been like night and day. Love it now.

Flying with J11 we were transferring from Douai to Roucourt on the first sunny day in April when I see 4 specks in the distance. Looking to break my 10 victory mark (having always died previously at 10 or 12 kills in Alb's) my 9 kill Flieger turns after them. Get closer and see 4 hapless and helpless Be2's. Easy victory upcoming. Maybe two!

Cocky I fly at a perpindicular angle to the group aiming for the last one - stupid in hindsight but that's another story.
Anyway the observers open up and I swear I wasn't hit more then once or twice when my plane nosedived down. Surprised at first I thought my joystick malfunctioned. And what the hell is the graphic error on my screen?
Well no joystick malfunction my plane is plunging out of control. Graphic error? My damn plane is on fire! Aaaaand I am dead.

Ah well. This does not change my new found love for the DIII (Early) but has taught me another lesson in caution. There is no "free lunch" over the Western Front!

A man with real taste!


Great to hear that, Duke - I will need to fly more again!


Well, better instantly dead than sizzling to death all the way down, I guess.
I noticed this too - the BE2 has changed from a sheep (in OFF) to a wolf (in WOFF).
I wonder if it might be too lethal - after all it was commonly known as cannon fodder?

If the Quirk has become a wolf then there is something dreadfully wrong. Historically, it was a death trap.

I had a Eindecker career, and they never were a threat. I attacked them from below and shot at very short range, 50 rounds were usually enough to set them on fire. But it was pre-2.16.

Now I am flying with the BE2 over Artois in September 1916, and it is really hard not to die. I lose wingmen almost every mission. The gunner's arc of fire is so reduced (in reality, I think they could move their MG to the left or right, and shoot between the struts) and he is so helpless, that I have understand that I have better chance of survival by doing frontal passes on the enemy while slowly retreat to my lines.

Well I am not saying the Be has become some kind of Brisfit just a cautionary tale of taking nothing for granted in the WOFF skies.
It was more my stupidity that got me killed (flying in the possible arc of 3 or 4 observers) then the Be becoming some kind of killing machine.
Still loving the "new" DIII (Early) though. Do give it a try Olham.
Restarted another career. May change the weather to "non-historical" though - not much sun in the first two weeks of April historically.

depends on the settings realy. The Be2 has a very restricted field of fire. I prefer rear gunners set to accurate just to give em a chance. That said, any combat involving a 2 seater has to planned. I too have lost many a pilot just because I ran out of patiance, or pushed to hard to force an outcome (mostly bad)

The best event I remember though was attacking a Be2 which I had forced to drop out of its formation. I pumped lead into that thing and I was sure the gunner was dead as he hadn't fired at me for so long. I got cocky and dived below him to get speed and then boom up for the coup de grace...when the gunner shot me in the head!!!

Just a reminder, bullets kill people, especially ones aimed at them

I have noticed sir!

Actually the BE2 series could give a good account of itself in the right hands, I know Sholto Douglas managed to evade Max Immelmann in combat while flying a BE2c. The account of this can be found in his book years of combat which is an excellent read covering the whole of the war period.

I also know a few german pilots received a nasty (and sometimes fatal) shock while fighting the BE2 variants.

Perhaps a forum member would be able to provide a total of the number of german aircraft shot down by the various BE2 variants.

Thanks
Rugbyfan1972

Actually I don't know of a number but I do know that many a German Kannoen (did I spell that right? Looks wrong) fell to a well handled two-seater crew. Interestingly you don't hear so much about that for the Allied Aces probably because of the different "target enviorments."

Singular: Kanone
Plural: Kanonen

Thanks Olham!
Guess I was...uhh...kind of close. Hehe

In Wind In The Wire , Grinnell-Milne stated that the observer had a very limited arc of fire when the Lewis was put in its offensive sockets (front and lateral),in a phase of "pursuit" but that the mounting at the end of the swinging arm, at the back of the front seat,afforded the best firing, to the rear , so , defensive, with the observer kneeling on his seat with his back to the wind, obtaining a good view and the swinging arm giving him a wide arc.

That is a great book by the way and highly reccomended.
And very humourous also. Several of his stories made me laugh out loud when I first read them.
As an aside he latter went on (after his escape) to fly with, and eventually command, 56 Squadron.
Bonus points if you recognize who the "Starched Shirt" is...

I am not that far in the book, currently reading...but okay I'll try although as a French that could be difficult

Oops. My apologies. Didn't know you were only part way through it.
Not that the book reveals who "Starched Shirt" is anyway (you'll have to do additional reading) nor is G-M's 56 connection a secret since he has several Se photos in the book. At least in my version.
Enjoy the book. Informative and hilarious. G-M has a gift for story telling.

I avoid 'em (two-holers)... period! I've lost more pilots to two seaters than I care to remember. If I do attack them it's at a l-o-n-g distance and at the end of a mission. I'll 'peck' at 'em until the ammo runs out. I can usually get one in ten this way. Not the most efficient but at least my guy lives to fly again!

My main issue with attacking two-seaters, and surviving, is my own impatience. If I die, or get serious damage, that is almost always why.
If you follow the "rules" (real tactics used by the flyers in WW1) then two-seaters are not that difficult. Unless it's a Brisfit, Roland, or 1 1/2 playing fighter then things change a bit but they don't try to stay in formation. Impatience is still the killer for me though even with these aircraft.

The only caveat here is when the recon/bombing machines are in formation - you may be following good tactics for your target but inevitably are in the arc of the other observers - or the pilots. Of course that is the point of the two-seater's being in formation eh?
The problem in WOFF world is that two-seaters are encountered too often in their tidy groups of 5 and not singles or pairs as they often flew historically - depending on the mission of course. But that is going to be fixed in the next WOFF Expansion.

With a formation I pick out the last man and try to damage or spook him (from long range) to the point where he leaves formation and then have at him.

I have read over and over how ace pilots stalk two seaters and attack from below in their 'blind spot'. Unfortunately, it doesn't work in the game. Maybe the gunner/observer cut a little hole in his floorboard! It would be coole to be able to pull the Lewis down thus angling it's fire trajectory upwards at an unsuspecting enemy!

Yes, surprise is a wild card and hard to judge when it happens and when it doesn't in the game.
That being said I was flying in formation this morning and we were attacked by three Sopwith Triplanes from behind (nice cloudy day) and they shot down one (went down trailing smoke with a Triplane on his tail) before anyone reacted.
I saw them coming just before they got into range and was manuvering but the rest of the Kette was not so observant.
Guess we will call that "by surprise."