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#4524501 - 06/08/20 07:53 PM Balloons - some questions  
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Ekaton Offline
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1. How do balloons count “under the hood” for things like promotions or medals compared to enemy planes and zeppelins? I assume they shouldn’t be equal.
2. Isn’t balloon busting a bit too easy? I shot down three in my current campaign, without too much hassle (a pierced petrol tank once). I have ground fire set to “normal” - is it considered a realistic setting?

Cheers!

#4524546 - 06/09/20 12:18 AM Re: Balloons - some questions [Re: Ekaton]  
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Burning_Beard Offline
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I have my reporting set for easy, and balloons show up there. Usually I haven't been bothered to much by ground fire when attacking a balloon. You will find sometimes they don't go down easy. I have flown SE5a missions where I have emptied my guns on balloons with a 90% hit rate and have not taken them down, so if you get an easy one don't complain.


More Scotch and Stogies for my Wingman!
#4524575 - 06/09/20 02:56 AM Re: Balloons - some questions [Re: Ekaton]  
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77_Scout Offline
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I can't say for sure, but suspect balloon kills count the same as aircraft kills, same as in real life.

Yes, balloon attacks seem rather too easy to me as well.

#4524586 - 06/09/20 05:40 AM Re: Balloons - some questions [Re: Ekaton]  
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JJJ65 Offline
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Also, I would recommend you to look for OldHat's Balloon mod in the Mod section - it increases Archie and AAA activity + accuracy, so, Balloon attacks seem to bedangerous adventure and closer to reality.

#4524745 - 06/09/20 11:49 PM Re: Balloons - some questions [Re: Ekaton]  
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Sailor_Steve Offline
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In real life balloon attacks were so dangerous that they were volunteer only.


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
#4524758 - 06/10/20 01:41 AM Re: Balloons - some questions [Re: 77_Scout]  
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epower Offline
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Originally Posted by 77_Scout

Yes, balloon attacks seem rather too easy to me as well.


I concur. I know I'll regret this if it happens, especially since I'm flying a DID campaign right now, but I'd prefer that the Balloon mission provoke the same kind of sphincter clamping alarm that I experience when the mission screen days "Railyard Attack."

#4524790 - 06/10/20 10:06 AM Re: Balloons - some questions [Re: Ekaton]  
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RAF_Louvert Offline
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L'Etoile du Nord
.

I also agree that balloon attacks are not nearly risky enough in WOFF. OldHat's mod goes a good way towards making them more realistic, but even with that I still believe they are too easy when held up against the writings and accounts of our RL counterparts. Based on those the balloon attacks should be the most dreaded assignment in the entire sim, alongside the "long reconnaissance" for the British pilots. Both proved extremely hazardous, (read: enders), back in the day.

Lou

.


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#4524881 - 06/10/20 08:47 PM Re: Balloons - some questions [Re: Ekaton]  
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OvStachel Offline
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Just tossing out some proof to Lou's point.. .Balloon Busting was indeed a death sentence to an unknowing/inexperienced pilot. To be a Balloon Busting ace, meant you had a brass set of balls. As stated below, you needed to know how to take them down without getting shreaded to pieces by flak and ground fire. Röth's method and choice of ammunition was a very good reciepe for success. His attack method was simple... come from above, straight down above the target balloon, using the balloon as your cover from enemy ground fire/AA.... and of course... pray to God that you remembered to give yourself enough room to pull out of the dive.

I do agree that it's a bit easy to take them down in WOFF, I've shot down my share on straight and level attacks without any thought to ground fire.

Here are the top two from Germany and Belgium. You can see by their person accounts how harrowing it was to make this your primary job. These boys were out of their freakin' minds...

Germany's top Balloon Busting Ace... Friedrich Ritter von Röth - 20 Balloon victories

(Wikiwpedia)
Röth did not enjoy any success as a fighter pilot until he decided to concentrate his effort on observation balloons. He was a poor shot, and took up firing upon balloons because they were a large target.[3] He also loaded his guns to maximize his effectiveness against balloons; his left-hand machine gun would be loaded with 80 percent incendiaries and 20 percent armor-piercing, and the right-hand gun vice versa.[4] His decision meant he took upon himself one of the most hazardous duties of World War I fighter aviation. Because balloons flew at a known altitude, antiaircraft guns ringing them were extremely accurate. The balloons were low enough that an attacker was exposed to small arms fire as well. Protective fighters also lurked in the vicinity.[5] The balloons were so well defended because they were an important part of the artillery fire direction systems of World War I.[6]
On 25 January 1918, as a member of Jasta 23, Röth scored his first victories, downing three balloons in eight minutes. He shot down a British observation plane on 26 February and downed another pair of balloons on 21 March. On 1 April, he downed four balloons in ten minutes, to become an Überkanone.[1]


Belgian Balloon Busting Ace.. Willy Coppens - 34 Balloon victories

(Wikiwpedia)
On 19 August Coppens was promoted to Adjutant. He continued his nervy but unsuccessful combat career against enemy aircraft until 17 March 1918. On that day he carried out his first attack on German observation balloons, as an aid to a ground assault by the Belgian Army. Though handicapped by lack of incendiary ammunition he punctured two balloons, causing the observers to bail out and the balloons to collapse to the ground.
Finally, on 25 April Coppens scored his first victory by downing a Rumpler two seater. On 8 May he finally found his metier, when he shot two balloons down in flames.
A week later, using his usual tactics of close range fire, Coppens cut a balloon loose from its ties. It bounced up beneath him and momentarily carried his Hanriot skyward. After his aircraft fell off the balloon, he restarted its engine and flew back to base. The balloon sagged into an explosion.
Later when on another attack run, he got shot at from a balloon. He parked his plane on top of the damaged balloon, shut down his engine in order to protect its propeller, and waited until the balloon descended to slide off the balloon and fly away.
From then on, Coppens' record was spectacular. Between April and October 1918 he was credited with destroying 34 German observation balloons and three airplanes, nearly as many victories as Belgium's other five aces combined. Unlike most fighter pilots of World War I, who used .303 caliber or 7.92 mm guns, Coppens used a larger bore 11 mm Vickers machine gun, having upgraded his weaponry prior to June 1918.
In June, he was promoted to sous lieutenant, thus becoming an officer. His royal blue plane with its insignia of a thistle sprig wearing a top hat became so well known that the Germans went to special pains to try to kill him. On 3 August he shot down a balloon booby-trapped with explosives that when detonated from the ground narrowly missed killing him. The flaming wreckage of the balloon "fell swift as doom on the watching [German] staff officers, killing many and injuring the rest".[2]
On his last mission, 14 October, Coppens downed a balloon over Praatbos and was attacking one over Torhout when he was severely wounded by an incendiary bullet, smashing the tibia of his left leg and severing the artery. Coppens crash landed near Diksmuide and was taken to hospital, where his leg was amputated.

OvS

Attached Files roth.jpgimages81TDMRJ5.jpg
Last edited by OvStachel; 06/10/20 08:56 PM.

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#4524886 - 06/10/20 09:13 PM Re: Balloons - some questions [Re: Ekaton]  
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VonS Offline
WWI Flight Sims on a Mac
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Always appreciate reading these snippets of WWI adventures 'gents. Speaking of balloons, those of you who are using JJJ's Multimod for WOFFue/pe - I recommend setting ground fire effectiveness to about no less than 800 m alt., as well as to toggle the choice for less dispersion of archie fire. Makes for a bit more of a challenge. At any rate, I always get several holes in my wings when attacking the balloons, with such settings enabled - and have had vital control wires severed a couple of times, in quick combat mode, which results in a fatal spin.

Von S smile2


~ For my various FM/AI/FPS/DM Mods. for First Eagles 2, WoFF, RoF & WoTR, and tips for FlightGear, recommended is to check over my CombatAce profile (https://combatace.com/profile/86760-vons/) and to click on the "About Me" tab while there. ~
#4525025 - 06/11/20 06:09 PM Re: Balloons - some questions [Re: VonS]  
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Ekaton Offline
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Originally Posted by VonS
Always appreciate reading these snippets of WWI adventures 'gents. Speaking of balloons, those of you who are using JJJ's Multimod for WOFFue/pe - I recommend setting ground fire effectiveness to about no less than 800 m alt., as well as to toggle the choice for less dispersion of archie fire. Makes for a bit more of a challenge. At any rate, I always get several holes in my wings when attacking the balloons, with such settings enabled - and have had vital control wires severed a couple of times, in quick combat mode, which results in a fatal spin.

Von S smile2


Just downloaded the multimod, I’ll give it a try! I do have a bit of a “balloon fever” as they called it, I want it to be realistically a bit suicidal!

Last edited by Ekaton; 06/11/20 06:10 PM.
#4525066 - 06/11/20 08:55 PM Re: Balloons - some questions [Re: Ekaton]  
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VonS Offline
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Originally Posted by Ekaton


Just downloaded the multimod, I’ll give it a try! I do have a bit of a “balloon fever” as they called it, I want it to be realistically a bit suicidal!


Sounds good, you'll find the MultiMod a wonderful addition, as is Jara's Mission Ed. too - for even riskier balloon attacks, you might want to set ground fire effectiveness to something like 1200 m alt. (although this is really pushing the realism - so is the 800 m mark but it's more of a compromise between sniper-fire accuracy from the ground and historical limits for small-arms ground fire (rifles, pistols, etc.)...what would it have been...perhaps 600...700 meters vertically?...also depends on wind direction and speed and so on, lots of variables). Maybe try 1200 m alt. first and then reduce to about 800 - I'm sure you will find a sweet spot somewhere in there. I'm always nervous when attacking the balloons.

Happy flying,
Von S smile2


~ For my various FM/AI/FPS/DM Mods. for First Eagles 2, WoFF, RoF & WoTR, and tips for FlightGear, recommended is to check over my CombatAce profile (https://combatace.com/profile/86760-vons/) and to click on the "About Me" tab while there. ~

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