homepage Forums Air Combat & Civil Aviation Wings: Over Flanders Fields REPORTS FROM THE FRONT

Well, John K. Nuck is very very dead. Lost a wing at 8000 ft diving on an Albatross D.III, so he had a long time to think about his error.

I started a new pilot yeasterday and got a fair few missions in, so I will update soon.

That was pretty much my first experience with the Tripe as well. Better luck next time!

The thing should still fly. It still had 4 other wings. A Camel has what, 2 at the best of times?

Mmuaha... - oops, sorry!
Now you know how my earlier learnings went and felt on the Albatros V-strutters -
it was a long way to "understand" the fragility of it's lower wings, and to learn to know
how far I can go. Good that we have more than just one lives, isn't it?

Did you use the blip switch? You should perform steep dives only with much reduced throttle,
or blipped (on planes without throttle).

No, I didnt blip, but I sure do now

I cant even imagine how anyone survived the flying war. There are so many lessons to learn and luck required to get through the first day! And I have been flying sims since the days of Chick Yeager and the first Red Baron. Huge Kudos to the Dev team for creating this.

There surely are, DC!
I think a major difference between them and us simmers was simply this:
They did not do the more daring things easily. They performed a very steep and fast dive when they needed
to escape the guns of a chaser - but not easily just to dive on a possible target.
In short: their feeling of their own true vulnerability often prevented them from being daring at all.
No sim can simulate the REAL threat of loosing a leg, an eye, or even your life.


Yep, and luck. I sometimes wonder, how many more Foncks, von Richthofens and Mannocks would be known -
had they not had less good luck, and therefor fallen earlier.


Same from here!

Why they let me keep my rank of Captain is beyond me. Im not wholly comfortable with this whole business of flying and leading these poor sods into combat is so different from the trenches.

The chaps at RFC headquarters sent me to No. 46 Sqn on 1 Nov 17. We were all flying Pups (wonderful little aircraft), and had a full compliment of 15 pilots. The first week went well enough. I led several patrols over the front and even earned two confirmed victories. The lads were in high spirits and I thought that maybe we had the hang of this whole war.

It all changed when Sgt McHard's engine caught fire. From the moment of his death, our squadron has been cursed. Every time a flight takes off we lose somebody. By the time I scored my third and fourth victories, we were down to eight pilots.

Today the CO sent all eight of us up to attack a rail yard just east of Vimy. Myself and 2Lt Thompson had the only Camels, the rest of the boys using Pups. The flight started well enough and we reached the target without incident. It seemed we were the only aircraft in the sky. We broke of for our attack run and came in firing everything we had.

Just as we reached treetop level, six Albatross dove out of the clouds. It was a massacre. Four of my boys bought it before we could even react. Within a few minutes, three Pfalz joined the fracas and two more of our boys were down. 2Lt Thompson and myself fought a withdrawl and managed to make it back to our lines. I had to land in a field just behind our trenches.



The CO says it will be a few days before any replacement make it to us. What a disaster.

Have you ever read "No Parachute", Dark_Canuck?
During the "Cambrai Offensive", Camel-flyer and author Arthur Gould Lee got shot down/was forced to land
twice on one day. He almost cursed the brass for letting the Camel fly gound attacks,
and he lost a friend in the first mission.
In the thickest fog, they flew to drop their bombload.
Lee could only just evade a factory chimney that suddenly appeared in front of him.
His friend was found, when the mist cleared up.
He had run into a tree and died.

I havent read that one. I will add it to my list. Im almost done Air Command by Raymond Collishaw and I need something to follow that up.

"No Parachute" is my top read from all WW1 pilots. "Heavily recommended!"

17 Nov 1917
Capt DC
46 Sqn

Im fairly certain the CO both blames me for the loss of most of our Sqn and also wants me dead. Today he sent Thomson and me to attack a bloody airfield. Just the two of us.


As we approached the airfield we ran into six Alb Dv's just beginning their landing pattern. Needless to say, six on two were not good odds, but feeling reckless and beligerent after the loss of so many good men, I dove into the thick of them.

I will be in the hospital until the 29th, they tell me.

29 Nov 1917
Capt DC
46 Sqn

Finally, the curse had been broken. Thomson and I, along with one of our two new pilots Shelley (we have four now, Yahoo!) Flew a balloon bust today.

As we approached the target area I noticed two balloons in the vacinity. The sky was clear of enemy, so I sent Thomson and Shelley to hit one while I took the other.

I quickly had success against my balloon and went to assist the others. Their balloon still existed, as they seemed to be rather distracted by a Pfalz D.III who was attacking them.

I got on the tail of the Pfalz and put several rounds into his machine, driving him off and saving Shelley from a premature demise.

The other two had sustained damage and headed for Filescamp, so I finished off the balloon and escorted them home.

Thomson has taken to calling me Pope, as my plane always returns to Filescamp quite "holey"

The mechanics have a different nickname for me...

Cpt Sweat Pants
some where in France



Holy Smoke the Burn rates are great.


screencast


imgurl

Capt DC
No 46 Sqn RFC

December started off slow enough. Between the first and the 9th nothing of interest happened. The 9th, however, kicked off a 3 day ordeal with a balloon that really stirred the drink.

The morning of the 9th saw some new boys transferred in. One, 2Lt Chris Bliss I grabbed as my wingmate and we set off for a balloon bust just across the line.

Lt MacLaren joined us as our third and we reached the balloon without trouble. I popped the hun gas bag but received several new holes in my airframe for my trouble.

We returned safely and I filed my claim. We found out that the major was being transferred back to London! I was absolutely braced. We had a real smash up in the mess that night. The new chaps wished him well, but Thomson and I were more than happy to see him go. Our biggest question was who was going to come in to replace him.

We got our answer early the next morning. Fighting the effects of a fantastic hangover, I stumbled out to breakfast. While doing my best to get and keep down coffee and eggs, the duty corporal came over and gave me a message: General Trenchard was on his way. Blast it.

I had the Corporal wake up the men and formed them up to the best of their ability. It looked like someone had dug up the cemetery and stood up the dead on parade.

Trenchard had his driver stop in front of me and exited his vehicle, looking as displeased as ever. His eyes finally met mine and he walked over slowly.

I saluted as smartly as possible given the circumstances and said "Captain Canuck, Sir. Acting CO Number 46 Squadron, Sir."

His frown broke slowly into a grin and he asked if we had enjoyed last night.

He didnt wait for an answer before continuing on. "The reason I am here Captain, is to introduce the new CO of 46 Sqn. As this Sqn has suffered over 100% casualties in less than 6 weeks, I wanted to do it personally. Congratulations Major Canuck. Oh, also, your last three claims have all been approved. I believe that makes 8 now? Congratulations on becoming an ace, Major."

With that, he dismissed the parade and turned to his vehicle. "One more this Major," he said over his shoulder, "That balloon is back up again. Go get it for me, would you?"

........

That afternoon I took Bliss and MacLaren with me again to deal with this balloon. Once again we reached it without incident and I popped it. As we were coming around, a lone Pfalz DIII came investigating. All three of us put rounds into him, though none of us could figure out who finally got him. All returned safely.

Much to my fury, when we got back HQ rang up to say the huns had already replaced the balloon and it was imperitive we go and get it the next morning.

So we did. This time I wanted to make sure the guns got the message, I came in at treetop level and strafed the living daylights out of the ground pounders, using rockets on their truck. Bliss took care of the balloon. The gunners on the ground were good and put several holes in my plane, a few into important components. I barely made it back to Filescamp, and came too close to a crash landing, but the mechanics ensured my machine would be ready for tomorrow.

It looks like we will have lots to celebrate in the mess tonight!

Captain Sweat Pants ...?? ?... !!!
Love that seldom seen character from Big Bang Theory.

He has a catchy name hun ?

Cpt Sweat Pants

Some where in France



free photo hosting

I both love and hate how this sim will punish you for the slightest mistake. As my wife will tell you, I make a lot of 'em!

Capt DC died being an idiot. Willfully engaged a flight of DVs who had a numbers and hight advantage. I was doing fine until I got greedy and ended up colliding with one.

I think it is time to move away from the Camel and onto a plane that doesn't actively try to kill me just trying to manuever it. I hear 56 Sqn could use a new pilot

Greed is one of the seven deadly sins, isn't it?

Another HUGE mistake is the idea, you could win the war single-handedly.

But WOFF also has a BIG comfort for you: you will not be dead from all your mistakes.
At least no longer than you need to re-enlist another unabashed fighter pilot!

(I have long lost count of all my heroes, who made the same, or similar mistakes...)

Indeed it is one of the deadliest sins I'd say!

Also, thanks for recommending "No Parachute." Im most of the way through it already (just read about the Cambrai fiasco today). What a fantastic book. I cant imagine the fortitude his wife had to deal with the stress of war through letters.