homepage Forums Air Combat & Civil Aviation Wings: Over Flanders Fields Recon Wars - Pilot's Experience Logs

Well, a couple of days of crappy March weather had us grounded and no ops. So finally the weather cleared and up we went at 10am!

Some more outstanding scenery shots from my latest Note Taking mission. Was marginally successful... only 2 of the 5 pages were good. Clouds were large and fluffy, but added to the difficulty because I could not get a good look at the troops.

Yet another aspect to consider. You have to fly around them and make sure you have a good view!

What you could do is set that option to light activity etc, when you know you are in the very poor weather months at least (winter).

OK let's keep the modding comments out of this thread please.
The sim has many otpions fine for the vast majority of people. As per usual representing real life war in a sim, is extraordinarily difficult as you also have to cater for PC performance and all sorts of other things that get in the way but overall WOFF does a great job. Most people with reasonable PCs do not need to remove flights, of course.

I'm slooow-ly getting the hang of this, or at least less useless at it.

January 29th 1916 presents a fine, clear morning for a photo recce mission over the Lines - sorry but I for one eschew US modernisms like 'recon' and 'intel' - and off we go from Hesdigneul.



Up ahead is a Bristol Scout from 'A' Flight. Behind us is home sweet home, whose acquaintance I hope to make again, soon.



It's a long climb to just over seven thousand so we may as well get going.



It's at times like this that one wishes one was driving one of those trucks, down there and not flying this frail aeroplane, up here.



My concentration approaching the objective - an enemy HQ just behind their forward trenchlines - is rather spoiled by an outbreak of Archie. It takes us a while to identify the target of this gunfire as the 'A' Flight Bristol. Thanks for giving me the wind up quite needlessly, I tell him mentally.



After two rather wobbly runs over my objective I've used up all five photographic plates and I'm diving for our side of the Lines, hoping somehow not to have made a mess of it. Apart from Archie, we are unmolested. It seems the Hun fliers in this sector favour a late and uninterrupted breakfast. Can't say I blame 'em.



Losing height gradually, we reach safety...



...and are soon over Bethune, from which it's a short hop back to Hesdigneul.



To my surprise and relief, my hop is considered to have been a success. But it's been hard work, requiring concentration and careful flying from a rather clumsy pilot.





Fortunately there were no Fokkers up there to catch us napping, which they so easily could!

She's a beautiful bird and no mistake. Such grace and poise. Those curves and pipes. It's too much. Why, if I was younger man ..... ahem, well done on your successful recce Lima. I think it's fair to say Winder has done a sterling job with this major update. Top shelf.

Just finished my first Art Obs show. Was absolutely convinced that I was more than close enough to the target - and the visibility was excellent, height nearly as recommended and not too low - but was told all my messages related to the 'wrong location'!



The mission review showed all the messages were sent close to the waypoint at the furthest apex of my long flight plan (whose WPs I omitted to adjust), which must surely have been the target.



We sat through all that Archie for nothing!

Lima

I noticed in your log for the previous recce that there was a comment about 4 pgotos followed directly by a comment about 1 photo and no indication as to whether or not that one photo was any good. What does that mean?

Regards

I didn't understand that either, Rick. Likewise the 1 Feb debrief career totals to date, showing 1 photo taken. 'B Flight progress' is also just a stub.

Great pics. It's likely you weren't quite in the right place.

On the previous mission notes;
It actually states;

Recon. Photos taken: 4
then
Accurate Recon. Photos taken: 1

So pretty clear there?

The first number of photos is how many you took, the 2nd is how many successful recon photos were taken.

Perfectly clear now thanks Pov.

Is there an 'edit .xml file-type' way of increasing the range 'transmitting a/c to target' for art obs missions? Unless (which is of course possible) I badly mis-read the flight plan on the in-flight map - which I relied upon as I wasn't very clear from the TAC - I believe that I was certainly close enough to observe the fall of shot onto the target in that last mission, even if the visibility hadn't been quite so good!

Looking forward to the next show, and to 2-seater careers in other squadrons and air services.



This expansion is virtually a whole new sim, within a sim! Time to upgrade to BH&H II, if you haven't already!

Hi all,

yesterday evening I have had my first ReconWars-missions with my bomber/recce-campaign: Aviatik C1, 02.16, FFA13, Verdun (with "bad weather affects operations" and " Bad weather cancels flights").
And the first one was a photo-mission. All has functioned well!
Only my abilitiy to take photos ... ... terrible! "Too low, wrong location".
It is difficult to keep the direction, the altitude and to take the photo at the right moment. And always you must look around. But indeed you get a better feeling for the pilot-job, you have to do, the purpose of it and the dangerous situation. Great job OBD!!! This is an absolutely stand alone feature!
Today evening I will fly the next missions.

Greetings and Thanks for it!

Photo-Reconnaissance again , ... what a disaster !!
"Not level, poor visibility, wrong location, blurred, over exposed, ... !"

2 notes, I could registrate:
+ The AI-pilot trys to reach the ASL-altitude, but for the photo you need the right AGL-altitude (right?).
+ before I have started the campaign today evening I was in QC and flew with ALB-DII over Alsace/Buhl-Lorraine . Then I have started my campaign from yesterday and have used "Review Mission" to repeat the last mission from yesterday. But -I was wondering- the review was the repeat of my QC-flight over Alsace a few minutes before (is it okay?). Then I have flown my first campaign-mission from today evening, used Review Mission and have seen the correct repeat of my last campaign mission.

Okay, next mission ... !
...
..
...
My first useable photo, only one, but "the beginning has been made!"


Greetings

Glad you are getting the hang of it, it takes a few runs sometimes for it to click - your brain, not the camera shutter .

Don't worry about the AI they are just along for support. When you are getting near target, you need to come out of autopilot if you are using it and fly directly to the target waypoint. In flight, you can bring up the map (M) and check the altitude in there too. Just climb to that altitude. There is a slight leeway, so it doesn't have to be exact, but best to try your best to be as close as possible for maximum chance of a good photo or recon.

Check the map. Look at the first waypoint over the lines - zoom map to max will help (cycle with key combination Control Shift M).. Fly over the first waypoint and when you think you are in the middle area do your recon thing, photo etc.
Depends on weather settings too, make sure you have bad weather affects missions ON in Workshops otherwise you may get to do photo recon at low altitude in poor vis, which won't work!

The mission replay is your last mission so if you fly QC you would lose a previous recording.

33Lima: You can't edit the distance yourself no.
From the notes
R/T Messages Must be sent within 150 to 1650m (Visibility Dependant) of Objective point and not at a low altitude - > 1000m.
Low Altitude results in poor signal transmission that are too weak to be received properly.

So in theory plenty of room there, but if the weather is cloudy hazy etc then you need to be much closer. I try to be as close as possible anyway.

Hallo @Pol,

thanks for answer and the tips!
Yes, I have "bad weather affects operations" ON.

I have tested the different altitude ASL and AGL, you can see with "z". And the system registrates the AGL-altitude, when you take your photo (logical in my opinion). So, if the average-altitude for the mission is 2500m f.e., and the AI-pilot flys to the target, he will climb up till 2500m ASL-altitude. Your AGL-altitude is llogically lower. If you deactivate the AI-pilot to take the photo it is better to climb up again till the AGL-altitude 2500m at first.

SORRY, I have still one (maybe stupid) question:
what does this mean exactly after photo-reconnaissance: "Not Level"?


Thanks for answer again and Greetings!

Ok, by 'level' it means you need to keep your aircraft level. i.e. do not have much "roll" or "pitch" on your aircraft.

Thanks!!
Exactly that I have thought (the stable position of the aeroplane in direction and altitude, only minimal stick-movements), but I was not sure.

Greetings!

It's 3rd February 1916 and rather than being able to enjoy a decent lunch in the mess, we're off to the Lines to range the guns onto Hun positions west of Lens. Must be important because Ferdy Waldron is escorting us in a second BE2.



At least the weather is co-operating nicely. We're soon clattering away from Hesdigneul.



I've adjusted the flight plan to my satisfaction...



...and as usual am planning to gain height over Bethune.



And there it is. You'd hardly think there's a war on, the scene looks so quaint and peaceful.



Nearing the Lines, the illusion of peace and order soon falls away like a mask.



For navigation I rely initially on both map and TAC...



...but the latter seems to lose track of waypoints and wants me to turn back before reaching the target. So I rely on the map for navigation.



I carefully overfly what I think is the target and start tapping out the calls to the battery we're working with. By this time, we're being well plastered by Archie, so it's quite hard to concentrate on the job in hand and fly with the necessary precision. I'm aware that I'm sending messages in rather quick succession, too much so for strict realism. Methinks a longer forced interval might allow for the whole process between aircraft and battery, given that you aren't forced to wait for the guns to adjust their aim, fire, the fall of shot to be observed and the resultant message composed. also I do wonder if the range to the target should be a good deal longer - even if it is already the 'slant range' to allow for altitude.



Messages sent, I turn and run for home, throttle wide open. Just when I think we have got away with it, a round bursts close below us and we're in serious trouble.



I'm not sure from the TAC if myself or the observer have been hurt but either way, I need to get us down where help is at hand. It's lucky for us we're just over our own trenches.



I'm mightily relieved when I manage a forced landing in the mud before either of us has passed out. The motor conks out just as we're rolling to a halt.



Relief turns to pleasure when we're told our mission has been rather successful...



...with all five R/T messages rates as 'Accurate'. And it appears no-one has been seriously hurt, after all.



The Recce Wars (ok, Recon Wars!) expansion really does deserve being so described, as it adds great new depth and immersion to a side of WW1 air war simming that has been rather poorly catered for - up to now! That this add-on should be turned out in such a short time - and turn out to be so good, and free! - is a remarkable tribute to the developers. Bravo!

Fantastic stuff Lima, what an incredible job the OBD boys have done.

Nice AAR,,,