#4410458 - 03/14/18 02:59 AM
Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT
[Re: Olham]
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,606
Rick_Rawlings
Senior Member
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,606
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Yeah, I don't know what the higher-ups expect you to do against an airfield with a single .303 vickers!
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...
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#4422721 - 05/26/18 02:03 AM
Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT
[Re: Olham]
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 6,659
carrick58
Hotshot
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Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 6,659
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#4423332 - 05/29/18 07:25 PM
Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT
[Re: ARUP]
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 7,532
DukeIronHand
Hotshot
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Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 7,532
High over the Front
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Fees...pfffffttt.... easy meat.... right? RIGHT? Dive through in your trusty Albi, head on, with your flight, spew some lead, level off, climb away. Repeat if needed. Nope! My guy, with two Blue Maxes, got pipped in the head. It was over just like that. The ole Fee actually brought down a good number of German Kanonen.
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#4423417 - 05/30/18 05:00 AM
Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT
[Re: carrick58]
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 740
Ace_Pilto
Livestreamer/YouTuber
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Livestreamer/YouTuber
Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 740
Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
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Attacking an Aerodrome with one Vickers 303 can cause damage. The holes in the ground can cause weeds to grow in the spots Thus pulling more man power off the line to pull weeds in order to keep the Airfield clear. Yeah, ok, you got me to laugh with that one.
Let's pretend I got the BWOC badge to embed here.
Wenn ihr sieg im deine Kampf selbst gegen, wirst stark wie Stahl sein. "The best techniques are passed on by the survivors." - Gaiden Shinji
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#4430219 - 07/13/18 04:56 PM
Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT
[Re: Olham]
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Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 398
Sailor_Steve
Member
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Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 398
Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. of ...
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I have an OCD problem with historical sims. I have to start at the beginning. I created a French pilot who started training on the earliest day it would let me - March 20, 1915. For anyone who has never done this, it's fun. Unfortunately my French pilot was training in a BE.2, but still...
Two check-rides around the field in the observer's cockpit with the instructor flying. There is a placard on the dash with two notes: "Do not stand in the aeroplane until instructed to do so." "Be sure your personal affairs are in order before entering the aeroplane."
Days three and four were short hops in the pilot's seat, following the instructor around the field. Days five and six were navigation training, following the instructor on a long (3 hours) journey from home base to another airfield and back. Days seven and eight were "free flight", gaining time in the cockpit and on my own. Day seven was spent flying exploring Paris, and day eight involved a long trip westward then north, then paralleling the Front eastward then back home.
All this leads to today, my first combat mission. A flight of three Morane 'L's patrolling just on our side of the lines. No enemy activity, but some artillery was aimed our direction. The was one air burst not to far away from our flight. All-in-all an interesting introduction to the war.
Some people are born stupid. I've had to work hard my whole life to get this way. I'm proud of the job I've done
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#4430238 - 07/13/18 08:18 PM
Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT
[Re: Sailor_Steve]
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,901
dutch
Member
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Member

Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,901
EURO-zone
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I have an OCD problem with historical sims. I have to start at the beginning. I created a French pilot who started training on the earliest day it would let me - March 20, 1915. For anyone who has never done this, it's fun. Unfortunately my French pilot was training in a BE.2, but still...
Two check-rides around the field in the observer's cockpit with the instructor flying. There is a placard on the dash with two notes: "Do not stand in the aeroplane until instructed to do so." "Be sure your personal affairs are in order before entering the aeroplane."
Days three and four were short hops in the pilot's seat, following the instructor around the field. Days five and six were navigation training, following the instructor on a long (3 hours) journey from home base to another airfield and back. Days seven and eight were "free flight", gaining time in the cockpit and on my own. Day seven was spent flying exploring Paris, and day eight involved a long trip westward then north, then paralleling the Front eastward then back home.
All this leads to today, my first combat mission. A flight of three Morane 'L's patrolling just on our side of the lines. No enemy activity, but some artillery was aimed our direction. The was one air burst not to far away from our flight. All-in-all an interesting introduction to the war. Same here always at the starting date when it becomes to WW1. Go hunting for the Aviatik B1. If do like the mountains try to go for the Alsace Belfort regio, flying in your Morane that is so Beautiful.
Last edited by dutch; 07/13/18 08:20 PM.
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#4438533 - 09/12/18 02:10 PM
Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT
[Re: Olham]
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 475
Nowi
Member
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Member

Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 475
Florida
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[The Letters of Wilhelm 'Willy' Kaulitz]
2 September 1916 Lagnicourt Aerodrome, France
Father,
I am well! I have completed my training at the Fokker school at Schwerin and have been posted to Lagnicourt.
When I completed my single-seater training at Schwerin, where I trained on Eindeckers, I assumed I’d be sent to an Eindecker unit, but at the last minute I was called into the commander’s office and ordered to join a new Jadgstaffeln at Lagnicourt.
Last summer, when I was flying two-seaters with Kaghohl 2 at Kovel, I had the good fortune to meet Hauptmann Boelcke, of whose exploits I am certain you have read in the newspapers. He was touring the front and visited his brother, who commanded my unit. I was assigned to take Boelcke up in an orientation flight along our sector of the front. At one point we spied a column of Russian cavalry in column along a road. Beolcke, who was flying as my observer, signaled me with his hands to indicate that he wanted me to fly low near the column so he could engage it. I did that, hopping over fences and hedges parallel to the column while he let loose with our machine gun, scattering the column in holy terror. The Hauptmann later told me that it was the first action he’d had in months, and he much enjoyed it.
Apparently, he remembered me and personally asked that I be assigned to his new unit. I arrived here on the 30th of August and proceeded to spend my days doing orientation flights of the area, and discussing aerial matters with Boelcke and my new Jasta-mates.
I was not assigned to an Eindecker, but to a newer Fokker biplane. Its much like the E IV I trained on, with the double rotary engine and two machine guns. It’s still a warper, without ailerons. But it’s much more maneuverable than the E IV. But, oh, how I wish I had been assigned one of the new Albatros machines that Boelcke and a few of the others in our unit are flying. They are much faster than my slow Fokker. Herr Hauptmann assures me that I will soon be flying one of the Albatrosses as they reach our unit.
He truly is the great man that we read about in the papers. He’s doing an excellent job training us in his methods, a method that has done so well for him. And despite his efforts to help us, he somehow keeps scoring; shooting down ever more of the Lords.
I’ll try to write every week, or perhaps every fortnight.
Your son,
Willy
Last edited by Nowi; 09/12/18 05:24 PM.
Nowi
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#4451468 - 12/02/18 04:43 PM
Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT
[Re: Sailor_Steve]
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 822
CaptSopwith
Barmy WingNut
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Barmy WingNut
Member

Joined: May 2003
Posts: 822
United States
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I have an OCD problem with historical sims. I have to start at the beginning. I created a French pilot who started training on the earliest day it would let me - March 20, 1915. For anyone who has never done this, it's fun. Unfortunately my French pilot was training in a BE.2, but still...
Two check-rides around the field in the observer's cockpit with the instructor flying. There is a placard on the dash with two notes: "Do not stand in the aeroplane until instructed to do so." "Be sure your personal affairs are in order before entering the aeroplane."
Days three and four were short hops in the pilot's seat, following the instructor around the field. Days five and six were navigation training, following the instructor on a long (3 hours) journey from home base to another airfield and back. Days seven and eight were "free flight", gaining time in the cockpit and on my own. Day seven was spent flying exploring Paris, and day eight involved a long trip westward then north, then paralleling the Front eastward then back home.
All this leads to today, my first combat mission. A flight of three Morane 'L's patrolling just on our side of the lines. No enemy activity, but some artillery was aimed our direction. The was one air burst not to far away from our flight. All-in-all an interesting introduction to the war. I have the same issue Steve. It took all of my might to overcome the mantra of "no, you must start at the beginning" and jump into some mid 1917 campaigns. I realized that in all of my years of owning UE, I have yet to fly my favorite plane of the war, the SE5. It feels lightning quick after spending these last few years at the controls of Moranes and early Nieuports or, heaven forbid, the Eindecker. As an aside, I recently discovered (on accident) the autotrim hotkey and suddenly the Eindecker isn't the side-slipping widow maker it once was!
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#4451730 - 12/04/18 01:28 AM
Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT
[Re: Olham]
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Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 398
Sailor_Steve
Member
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Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 398
Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. of ...
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Thanks for that. The Morane 'L' has some pretty nasty habits in that area. I'll have to give it a try.
Some people are born stupid. I've had to work hard my whole life to get this way. I'm proud of the job I've done
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#4455705 - 01/01/19 09:17 PM
Re: REPORTS FROM THE FRONT
[Re: Olham]
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Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 321
Wulfe
Member
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Member

Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 321
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Sgt. T. Lawson Brooks, No. 46 Squadron R.F.C June 1st, 1917.
Our pups sat in a row on La Gorgue aerodrome, glinting in the morning sunlight. Mines was still in its standard PC10 livery, but the other machines of No. 46 Squadron - who had only recently returned from Home Defence duties - were painted in all kinds of bright colours, and several bore nicknames given to them by their pilots. Next to my own machine sat "Chin-Chow", Lt. Lee's Pup. As he had told me before, he was very fond of this machine as, just before leaving for England on Home Defence, Boom Trenchard himself had allowed Lee to take the best Pup he could find from the aircraft Depot, and "Chin-Chow" (then unnamed) had been his choice.
Led by Lt. Odell, 'B' Flight, consisting of seven pilots including myself, lifted into the air. We were to fly a CP in our own lines, and look for marauding Huns coming over the lines. I was yet to see a Hun machine, and was fearful that, even should I spot one, I would not recognise it, but Odell assured me that I would know when I saw one.
We climbed up and headed North for Poperinge at 9,000 feet, and as we flew I scanned the skies with keen eyes, a thousand scenarios of meeting the Hun running through my head. In one moment, I had shot down 5 Huns single-handed, in the next I was deciding whether to jump or burn. The uncertainty put me on edge.
We had flown for about forty minutes, and I continued my long sweeping scans of the sky, when suddenly I spotted, far away to our right, a mass of black specks coming our way. The others had seen it too, and we lazily turned as one to face the unknown formation. As they approached, I could make them out better - single-seat scouts with elegant, rounded fuselages and swept back wingtips. I recognised their profile from my training - they were German Albatroses!
Our two formations circled each other, goading the other to come on. After a few seconds of this, one insolent Hun gracefully rolled and turned towards our pack. Out in front, Odell took on the challenge, breaking away from our group to meet the German. They approached each other head-on, and in an instant they were rolling around each other, skidding and banking across the sky in a furious fight to get on the other's tail. As this happened, our own formation and the Albatros formation charged each other, diving in after the two duellists, and soon the sky was a tangled mess of tracer fire and twisting aeroplanes.
Hesitantly I weaved through the furball - everything was happening so fast around me! To my left, an Albatros spun down with a Pup firing at him as he went. To my right, a chain of British and German machines chased each other's tails in a line. I looked behind me, and was shocked to find a bright red Hun(1) lining up a shot on me. I immediately skidded away to the right, and saw the flash of tracer where i had been sitting a moment before. Pulling the stick into my stomach, I circled with my opponent, our own private duel surrounded on all sides by vicious fighting, and soon I had caught up to his tail. As I fired, the Red Albatros dove away. I rolled onto my back and followed, my Pup shuddering in protest as we fell, before the German straightened out again. I saw the flash of red in my gun-sights and let the Vickers speak, but my aim must have been poor, for the Albatros, who was only mere feet away, promptly banked hard away to the right and disappeared into a cloud.
I turned back into the fight, just in time to see the horrific sight of a Pup and an Albatros smashing into each other mid-flight. I watched, sickened, as the two machines became entangled and fell, spinning as they dropped to oblivion. However, I had no time to watch them go all the way, for our scrap was still going strong. To my low right, I saw "Chin Chow" flash past, with two Albatroses following. I dove after the trio, and behind me I saw two more Pups join the chase. Firing a ten-second burst at the two Germans, they abandoned their pursuit of Lt. Lee and turned back to face us. Following the rearmost Hun, I was quickly behind him and shooting - his machine had its tail painted green, with yellow-and-black fins(2). I thought it a rather ugly machine.
Firing at green-tail as we dropped in a spiralling dive, I watched in growing anticipation as holes appeared in the wings and plywood fuselage of my opponent. My tracers crept up his tail, towards his cockpit, and suddenly his machine pitched up violently! As I zoomed under, I saw the pilot hanging lifeless on his straps, before the plane stalled on its nose, fell backwards, and spun towards the earth. Circling, I watched it go all the way down and crash into a thousand pieces on the ground below.
Now low and stuck underneath the fight, I watched as two Pups chased a black Albatros3) towards the ground as I flew back for home, but it seemed that the majority of the fighting was over. I made it back to La Gorgue without incident and reported my claim to the Adjutant. Later that evening, it was corroborated by Lt. Barragar.
(1) - Max Ritter von Mueller, Jasta 28w.
(2) - Ernst Hess, Jasta 28w.
(3) Franz Ray - Jasta 28w.
Last edited by Wulfe; 01/01/19 09:18 PM.
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Hey hey
by Stormtrooper. 12/02/23 12:54 AM
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