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The Staff of SOH
O
ovs
Guest
SirMike1983
Nieuporter and OFF Donor
Feb, 1916
Esc. 65
Near Verdun
Esc. 65 was scheduled to transfer to a new airfield closer to the fighting at Verdun. However the weather was awful-- heavy snow all day and white-out conditions. The winds were also very strong. En route, my flight of 3 Nieuport 11s encountered 7 Fokker Eindeckers. The Nieuports tried to run for the airfield, but the Fokkers had a powerful altitude advantage and forced the fight. I ordered the two wingmen to meet the enemy's charge, as they were closing too fast to allow an escape. A chaotic fight in the snow ensued. I put bullets in 5 different Fokkers, but the winds caused a severe stall during a low turn. I recovered safely, but lost most of my altitude. As I ran low on ammo down to the final drum I saw an opening in the fight and ordered the flight to disengage and head for the transfer target airdrome. The escape was a success and all aircraft made it safely despite the weather.
Esc. 65
Near Verdun
Esc. 65 was scheduled to transfer to a new airfield closer to the fighting at Verdun. However the weather was awful-- heavy snow all day and white-out conditions. The winds were also very strong. En route, my flight of 3 Nieuport 11s encountered 7 Fokker Eindeckers. The Nieuports tried to run for the airfield, but the Fokkers had a powerful altitude advantage and forced the fight. I ordered the two wingmen to meet the enemy's charge, as they were closing too fast to allow an escape. A chaotic fight in the snow ensued. I put bullets in 5 different Fokkers, but the winds caused a severe stall during a low turn. I recovered safely, but lost most of my altitude. As I ran low on ammo down to the final drum I saw an opening in the fight and ordered the flight to disengage and head for the transfer target airdrome. The escape was a success and all aircraft made it safely despite the weather.
R
Rickitycrate
Guest
New game, new attitude. Mein Herren.
R
rabu
Guest
Good stories everyone :ernae:
B
Bullethead
Guest
Wow, for several reasons. The weather, the fight, and the fact that you actually have to migrate to your new field instead of just showing up there
.
T
thorny
Guest
Hi Olham, yes I've seen the movies and they look great. However, i'm interested in learning more about the dynamic world and the immersion, which is difficult to see in the movies. Personal experiences and reviews would work best here
M
Maeran
Guest
This is Epic, so I hope the attachments work
1st campaign on P3. 2nd Lt A.E. Lewis
March 1917 with 54 Sqn RFC. It's my second flight and I'm following Lts Corruthers and Ross. The last show was so quiet you wouldn't have thought there was a war on, but I took the opportunity to try out my new Pup. She feels heavier than the P2 version, and tends to level out on side slips. I think Corruthers was giving me a day to practice formation flying.Somehow, Corruthers' usual wingman, Peter Ado, got hurt on this milk run, so it was just the three of us.
It was a morning flight and we wereescorting 4 BE2s to the enemy field at Langavesnes. After the first flight, I thought that at least this time I might see a Hun.
Crossing the lines, I noticed the considerable new trenchworks, and also how the brown stain of destruction was not nearly as continuous as we all thought. Took a screenshot as I thought I'd see nothing more reportable.
Within sight of Escaufort (I make it Le Catalet more or less) we had a number of Albatris diving on us. I padlocked one at a distance to have a look and saw that it was completely RED!
Figuring I was dead already, I threw realism to the wind and made liberal use of labels. We were getting attacked by Manfred v. Richtofen, Kurt Wolf, Karl Emil Schafer, Karl Allmenroder, and an unknown pilot. That made for 4 of them vs 3 of us (couldn't rely on the Quirks).
M. Richtofen and Wolf went for the Quirks while the others mixed it up with us. Ross and I got into a circling waltz with Allmenroder and Schafer. After I got a few shots into Allmenroder (he had a grey machine with a white vertical tail fin) he made a mistake and pulled up, stalling at only a few hundred feet. He crashed and I couldn't see Ross anywhere.
I could see Schafer though, with his black tail and rear fuselage. We danced around the smoke of Allmenroder's crash, scissoring to get advantage. The Pup is better at this and I put a lot of bullets into him. Schafer landed safely in a field and I went looking for Ross. I found a smoking wreck two fields away from Allmenroder and what was left had roundels on it. Could have been a Quirk, but it was probably Ross.
The fight was now in the distance, but there was a Pup left in it. I was clear and had the chance to run, but doing that would have doomed Corruthers. He was fighting the red machine.
I couldn't do it and tore to his rescue. I tangled with MvR and thought that he had had enough as he sped out of the fight. Now Corruthers was getting chased by Lothar, who I hadn't seen earlier and an unknown pilot.
Over I went and got Lothar and this other Hun fighting me. Not that it helped anyone as I saw Corruthers go down with Wolf behind him.
Now I was on my own and back came the red Albatros. I knew I had to get out of here. Turning into my attackers, I managed to make headway, losing everyone but the unknown and Lothar. I could see the line, I could see survival.
The unknown pilot nearly got me, but I turned hard and we missed by inches.
Then there was a crash noise and everything went red. I was dead.
What had happened? Had I really collided but the detection was off-mark? Had Lothar put a bullet through my head? Had I been hit by archie? I'll never know, because the game crashed, probably because of the screens I kept taking because this was so unbelievable.
1st campaign on P3. 2nd Lt A.E. Lewis
March 1917 with 54 Sqn RFC. It's my second flight and I'm following Lts Corruthers and Ross. The last show was so quiet you wouldn't have thought there was a war on, but I took the opportunity to try out my new Pup. She feels heavier than the P2 version, and tends to level out on side slips. I think Corruthers was giving me a day to practice formation flying.Somehow, Corruthers' usual wingman, Peter Ado, got hurt on this milk run, so it was just the three of us.
It was a morning flight and we wereescorting 4 BE2s to the enemy field at Langavesnes. After the first flight, I thought that at least this time I might see a Hun.
Crossing the lines, I noticed the considerable new trenchworks, and also how the brown stain of destruction was not nearly as continuous as we all thought. Took a screenshot as I thought I'd see nothing more reportable.
Within sight of Escaufort (I make it Le Catalet more or less) we had a number of Albatris diving on us. I padlocked one at a distance to have a look and saw that it was completely RED!
Figuring I was dead already, I threw realism to the wind and made liberal use of labels. We were getting attacked by Manfred v. Richtofen, Kurt Wolf, Karl Emil Schafer, Karl Allmenroder, and an unknown pilot. That made for 4 of them vs 3 of us (couldn't rely on the Quirks).
M. Richtofen and Wolf went for the Quirks while the others mixed it up with us. Ross and I got into a circling waltz with Allmenroder and Schafer. After I got a few shots into Allmenroder (he had a grey machine with a white vertical tail fin) he made a mistake and pulled up, stalling at only a few hundred feet. He crashed and I couldn't see Ross anywhere.
I could see Schafer though, with his black tail and rear fuselage. We danced around the smoke of Allmenroder's crash, scissoring to get advantage. The Pup is better at this and I put a lot of bullets into him. Schafer landed safely in a field and I went looking for Ross. I found a smoking wreck two fields away from Allmenroder and what was left had roundels on it. Could have been a Quirk, but it was probably Ross.
The fight was now in the distance, but there was a Pup left in it. I was clear and had the chance to run, but doing that would have doomed Corruthers. He was fighting the red machine.
I couldn't do it and tore to his rescue. I tangled with MvR and thought that he had had enough as he sped out of the fight. Now Corruthers was getting chased by Lothar, who I hadn't seen earlier and an unknown pilot.
Over I went and got Lothar and this other Hun fighting me. Not that it helped anyone as I saw Corruthers go down with Wolf behind him.
Now I was on my own and back came the red Albatros. I knew I had to get out of here. Turning into my attackers, I managed to make headway, losing everyone but the unknown and Lothar. I could see the line, I could see survival.
The unknown pilot nearly got me, but I turned hard and we missed by inches.
Then there was a crash noise and everything went red. I was dead.
What had happened? Had I really collided but the detection was off-mark? Had Lothar put a bullet through my head? Had I been hit by archie? I'll never know, because the game crashed, probably because of the screens I kept taking because this was so unbelievable.
S
shredward
Guest
Running into MvR, LvR, Wolff, Allmenröder. and Schäfer on the first trip over the lines? If it wasn't for bad luck, you wouldn't have no luck at all. And 2nd Lt Lewis, like so many newcomers to the Western Front, goes west, almost as soon as he arrives. Welcome to the Great War.
shredward
shredward
P
Polovski
Guest
Good going Maeran! It does make you gulp some when you see a whole lot of Aces turn up though in full colour eh ?
B
Bullethead
Guest
SirMike1983
Nieuporter and OFF Donor
March 28, 1916:
The mission, patrol enemy lines near Verdun. The Conditions, tougher than a 50 cent steak.
My flight of 3 Nieuports were headed toward the front when we encountered a flight of 2 E.IIIs above us. I split the flight with the other two flight members headed toward northwest and me headed toward the enemy directly. They dove toward the empty space between me and the other two Nieuports. I called for an attack and we pinched the Fokkers from both sides at once via fold-in movement. A spinning fight ensued. The first E.III dove for the deck like a stone. I stuck to him like peanut butter to bread down toward the ground. I riddled him with bullets until he could use the nose for a pencil. A fire broke out and he flopped downward like a playing card and crashed. I turned about 90 degrees to starboard and encountered the other two Nieuports chasing the remaining E.III. I attacked the enemy with my last drum of Lewis Gun ammunition. I scored a few hits around the pilot, but the enemy continued to fly on. I didn't expect much from a few odd rounds, but his engine soon died (may have hit the fuel tank) and he went down. I was out of ammunition and returned to base.
Below is the first kill: pursuing the first E.III downward after initial contact.
The mission, patrol enemy lines near Verdun. The Conditions, tougher than a 50 cent steak.
My flight of 3 Nieuports were headed toward the front when we encountered a flight of 2 E.IIIs above us. I split the flight with the other two flight members headed toward northwest and me headed toward the enemy directly. They dove toward the empty space between me and the other two Nieuports. I called for an attack and we pinched the Fokkers from both sides at once via fold-in movement. A spinning fight ensued. The first E.III dove for the deck like a stone. I stuck to him like peanut butter to bread down toward the ground. I riddled him with bullets until he could use the nose for a pencil. A fire broke out and he flopped downward like a playing card and crashed. I turned about 90 degrees to starboard and encountered the other two Nieuports chasing the remaining E.III. I attacked the enemy with my last drum of Lewis Gun ammunition. I scored a few hits around the pilot, but the enemy continued to fly on. I didn't expect much from a few odd rounds, but his engine soon died (may have hit the fuel tank) and he went down. I was out of ammunition and returned to base.
Below is the first kill: pursuing the first E.III downward after initial contact.
G
Gousgounis
Guest
Somewhat OT but..can you fly with a personal skin in Campaign when the other flight members got the regular skin of the squadron?
Great stories and screenshots btw! Keep em coming
Great stories and screenshots btw! Keep em coming
Hey, Maeran
To run into one ace at first flight, would have been bad luck already, but four - you didn't have a chance. I think, you did the best you could do.
(Great report, by the way!)
I read a passage from Udet's book yesterday, were he describes a "lone wolf mission" (due to lack of pilots). He sees a dot in the distance, on same level, approaching him very fast. It's a single SPAD. The tango begins, and he realises very soon, that the opponent is a far better pilot than himself. It's tight curving, with no escape, as the SPAD is faster and wouldn't let him out.
They circle so close round each other, that after the third round, he can read the word "vieux" on the side of the SPAD. Now he knows, that is Guynemer in the other plane. Guynemer - the lone wolf; always flying out for hunting alone.
He reacts immediately on anything, Udet would do - half loopings, full loopings, side down slips.
Then, in another curve, Udet's right wing gets hit; he can hear the tacking on the struts. He does all he knows, all he can, and brings the Albatros to the edge, cause it might be his last fight anyway.
And there come the chance. For a short moment, Guynemer moves into his gunsight. Fire! - Nothing... The guns jam! He pulls to reload with his right, holding the stick with the left - nothing! That's it - the end...
Guynemer pulls up, flying over him on his back. He must have seen Udet hammering on the guns with both fists, in sheer dispair - sometimes, that helped. Guynemer comes over above him, on his back, again. And he waves! He waves his hand, and then he flies home!
Others have speculated since, if perhaps Guynemer might have had a gun jam too. Or was if he perhaps feared, Udet might ram him in his dispair. Udet did not believe any of these theories. For him it was clearly Guynemer's chivalry, and he honoured him in his book.
What I saw in this report, was, how thin the line was between return to base, and death - even for an ace like Udet.
Carry on; the aces can't be everywere.
Olham
To run into one ace at first flight, would have been bad luck already, but four - you didn't have a chance. I think, you did the best you could do.
(Great report, by the way!)
I read a passage from Udet's book yesterday, were he describes a "lone wolf mission" (due to lack of pilots). He sees a dot in the distance, on same level, approaching him very fast. It's a single SPAD. The tango begins, and he realises very soon, that the opponent is a far better pilot than himself. It's tight curving, with no escape, as the SPAD is faster and wouldn't let him out.
They circle so close round each other, that after the third round, he can read the word "vieux" on the side of the SPAD. Now he knows, that is Guynemer in the other plane. Guynemer - the lone wolf; always flying out for hunting alone.
He reacts immediately on anything, Udet would do - half loopings, full loopings, side down slips.
Then, in another curve, Udet's right wing gets hit; he can hear the tacking on the struts. He does all he knows, all he can, and brings the Albatros to the edge, cause it might be his last fight anyway.
And there come the chance. For a short moment, Guynemer moves into his gunsight. Fire! - Nothing... The guns jam! He pulls to reload with his right, holding the stick with the left - nothing! That's it - the end...
Guynemer pulls up, flying over him on his back. He must have seen Udet hammering on the guns with both fists, in sheer dispair - sometimes, that helped. Guynemer comes over above him, on his back, again. And he waves! He waves his hand, and then he flies home!
Others have speculated since, if perhaps Guynemer might have had a gun jam too. Or was if he perhaps feared, Udet might ram him in his dispair. Udet did not believe any of these theories. For him it was clearly Guynemer's chivalry, and he honoured him in his book.
What I saw in this report, was, how thin the line was between return to base, and death - even for an ace like Udet.
Carry on; the aces can't be everywere.
Olham
C
Crozbone
Guest
C
Creaghorn
Guest
here for you, so you don't have to imagine this fight anymore but see it.
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=TStRqIsIOh8
Thank you for this link, Creaghorn! First I thought, you had sent the wrong link, but then came the scene! I was stunned! Only two days ago, I had read the passage in Udet's book ,and now I see this being made visible. Breathtaking!
The planes look so good - they could have used OFF to make this - Winder, Pol, OvS? Did you help them make this video?
The planes look so good - they could have used OFF to make this - Winder, Pol, OvS? Did you help them make this video?