Considering I've just had to brush some of that white stuff off my car, I resemble that remark

Lovely pics!

Cheers, thank you!

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A Little Detached: HMA Happy, of the Detached Sqdn, RNAS, blipping her engine over No Man's Land near Arras, January 17th 1917...

CCIP, these pics and the ones on the previous page are very nice. You have a very good eye for composition.

S!Blade<><

Thank you for the compliments

I don't have much beyond the Pup to show off in my screenshots in the moment, but I'm certainly enjoying the picture-taking with her!

Despite the gloomy weather today, HMA Happy has managed to keep the spirits up in the lead of B Flight. The enemy came out in force, but we fought back - the pair of BE2s under our escort didn't make it (one got shot down, the other rammed by an Albatros), but our own RNAS Detached Sqdn pilots did well, claiming 7 enemy fighters for no losses (only me getting a little shaken up by a close flak burst, and my wingman lightly wounded). The war goes on...

Same career, RNAS 8 - first patrol in the new airplane, Feb. 1917

Fantastic shots CCIP.

Thanks Adger

Last one from me for a bit - this one's actually the result of some painstaking colour correction, so I'm mildly proud of it. And a fitting farewell to the Pup!

full size: https://i.imgur.com/H0lWCCG.jpg

Would make a nice Christmas card.

Flightline, in an early morning snowstorm, 10 January 1917, Jasta 11. Oberleutnant Hans Joachim "Bones" Banko, the leading Pomeranian Ace with eight victories. The Jasta is still equipped with Halberstadts. The arrival of its new CO and Albatrosi are eagerly awaited.

Hey, that's the Halberstadt I shot down on my last mission

Yea. They’re struggling. Definitely out of date.

Nowi

Yeah, I didn't enjoy my last Halberstadt career very much - they're a fine airplane to fly, but combat is another question. Underpowered is their middle name!

On my Tripe at the moment, the main problem I seem to be having with them is that I can't blip my engine enough not to overshoot them constantly when trying to finish them off

Fortunately, I have yet to meet a Tripe. I can’t handle a well flown N17. But if I can survive another fortnight, there’s an Albatros DIII on the way.

Nieups can be deadly, wouldn't underestimate them - they can really get you in a maneuver fight (this is true even in the Albatros) and are light enough to outclimb you. But usually in a Halberstadt, I could at least dive away from them pretty effectively. No such luck with Pups and especially Triplanes, though - and the Tripe can even out-turn and out-climb the Nieuports easily, while still having heaps more power than any of the German fighters of the time!

I tried out diving the 17s. I know from my concurrent French campaign that they can’t do more than about 225km without risking damage. But it’s hard to push a Halberstadt past 225 even with full throttle, short of going nearly vertical. The ac is soooooo draggy! And the problem when you do go vertical is then what? You’re on the hard deck and he’s still above you, spiraling down. To escape you need to dive and extend.

EINE HUN IN DER SONNE

Capitaine Dax Bonnasssie, aka Monsieur Mercure, L'Homme Protectif, the Fighting Gascon, of N 73, here landing at Cachy after his 60th aerial victory in his trusty Nieuport 17.

Hauptmann, recently promoted to Rittmeister (how does that happen?), Wilhelm "Bones" Banco, the Pride of Pomerania, on patrol with another Rittmeister, April 1917. Bones recently was awarded the Blue Max (which he should have had at 8 kills), and now has 25 aerial victories.