I've been doing something of a deep dive into the 1915 campaigns in WOFF. It's a completely different world from the one we come to know in the following years. Lots of long, empty flights in extremely fragile aircraft. The tedium of flying to the lines ends quickly when the enemy flak bursts begin. But I noticed on my French campaign tonight, that the observer in the Caudron G4 might have the worst job of any airman in the French Air Service. While I know he could normally sit, I hadn't noticed that the front gun requires him to be on his knees, which would be incredibly uncomfortable while being buffeted around in the air. Worse still, the propellers are horrifyingly close to his body! I'm trying not to think of what would happen if he slipped and fell towards either of the engines.

Flying the Caudron is also a hair-raising experience. Thanks to the wonderful engine sounds that accompany the plane are intermittent sputters that sound like one of the two rotaries are going to cough themselves to death. Turbulence is also a jarring experience - mostly I try not to look over the side and notice that there really is nothing under me in the back of this flying bathtub.

Truly not for the faint of heart!

and when you consider the payload of that plane.... bwaa haaa haa

The French weren't stupid. They positioned cowlings to protect the engines from splatter and possible catastrophic failure. No one wants a dud engine.

maybe stupid question that's been answered before, but what is that thing that sticks down under the observer?

And this plane can be a fairly good early war fighter against unarmed Aviatiks. Some french aces got their first victories flying a Caudron or a Voisin.

Until Ernst Udet was given an Eindecker with a synchronized machine gun

The radio antennae

The kill ratio between Eindecker and Caudron is 1.5 to 1 (in favor of the Fokker, obviously), which is not such a big difference, and some french aces got some kills against the Eindecker.

I'm going to say this poor #%&*$# had it worse.

https://www.aviafrance.com/i/avion.php?ID=2433

I was wondering if anyone was going to mention "the Flying Pulpit".

Yikes! Talk about a wing and a prayer!

(I crack myself up)!