Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => Genre/Period Discussion => 20th Century => Topic started by: FierceKitty on 08 September 2017, 11:17:10 AM

Title: First dogfight
Post by: FierceKitty on 08 September 2017, 11:17:10 AM
Rules pretty shamelessly plundered from dear old Dawn Patrol.
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: FierceKitty on 08 September 2017, 11:40:21 AM
My boy has his first kill. Wife, who failed to take advantage of the climb rate of the Dr. I, was somewhat perforated and had to crash land, but survived the mission.
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 08 September 2017, 12:59:36 PM
Not very much be FK
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: toxicpixie on 08 September 2017, 01:57:48 PM
Congrats to your chappie, top hole!
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: FierceKitty on 09 September 2017, 12:47:55 AM
Quote from: mad lemmey on 08 September 2017, 12:59:36 PM
Not very much be FK

There didn't seem much to report in a single scrap between to inexperienced pilots.
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: FierceKitty on 09 September 2017, 07:15:53 AM
two
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 09 September 2017, 08:09:15 AM
Just 2 ?
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: d_Guy on 09 September 2017, 01:23:02 PM
Sorry, where are the dogs?
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 09 September 2017, 04:19:59 PM
Quote from: d_Guy on 09 September 2017, 01:23:02 PM
Sorry, where are the dogs?

Someone let them out, don't know who.
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: FierceKitty on 13 September 2017, 01:22:25 PM
There are now two Dr. I and two Camels, as well as an RE8. There may be more serious action this weekend.
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: FierceKitty on 16 September 2017, 10:08:41 AM
Hmmm, Sgt Miles Willingden ended a promising start to his RFC career this afternoon. No fun trying to handle enemy aircraft  that can substantially out-climb yours. :( Score two-nil to Germany today.
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: toxicpixie on 16 September 2017, 10:46:33 AM
Oh dear, thenopposition worked out their planes strengths then, and it's "Happy Time" for the little rockets...
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: d_Guy on 16 September 2017, 01:35:21 PM
In looking at the specifications of the two planes, the Dr1 approached near double the climb rate of the camel! That is alarming.
Apparently the design of the Dr1 was based on a captured Sopwith triplane (which the camel replaced)*. This is yet another fascination area of wargaming that if I had infinite lifetimes would also do.  My condolences to the Sargent's family.  :)

* accordining to Wikipedia
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: FierceKitty on 15 October 2017, 07:53:44 AM
This time my SPAD is trying to intercept a Halberstadt observer aircraft and its DR I escort. A great leveller, I hope; triplane can't just zoom up into the clouds and leave the two-seater to the French wolf....
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: FierceKitty on 15 October 2017, 08:22:04 AM
Those who live by the head-on attack die by the head-on attack....sigh... :'( :'(
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: Raider4 on 15 October 2017, 02:02:45 PM
Quote from: FierceKitty on 16 September 2017, 10:08:41 AM
Hmmm, Sgt Miles Willingden ended a promising start to his RFC career this afternoon. No fun trying to handle enemy aircraft  that can substantially out-climb yours. :( Score two-nil to Germany today.

"Sgt" ? Did they let the riff-raff fly then? I'd always assumed it was 'hofficers only.
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: Ithoriel on 15 October 2017, 03:26:56 PM
I believe only the Americans insisted on pilots being officers though I seem to remember that less than 5% of RFC pilots were NCOs and less than 10% of those were actually flying in the front line.
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: d_Guy on 15 October 2017, 04:03:50 PM
Bill Mauldin's comment on that very thing

(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/2a/15/4e/2a154e94390d5dc1b3b069eba8848430.jpg)
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: FierceKitty on 18 October 2017, 01:27:31 AM
SPAD tailing a Halberstadt (missed twice; third burst saw a gun jam and the other cause one miserable hit), and being shot up by the escorting DR I, which also had gun problems; Frenchman was wounded, however, and died in a crash landing. Game was a draw; it turned out that nothing the two-seater photographed was any use, and there were heated words on the subject of wasting military resources on selfies!

Aircraft all Red Eagle, though I've got quite a few from Shapeways now, and wish I'd known about them when I started. Stands are all adorned with Pendraken bunnies, showing the front, since the 'planes are inclined to pivot about a bit when bumped.
Title: Re: First dogfight
Post by: Terry37 on 18 October 2017, 03:32:26 AM
Actually, although most American pilots were officers, we did have Sgt. pilots as well. I've known a few who flew with my father in WW2. There were more Sgt Pilots in WWI than later. The reason being that hte AAF determined that the pilot was in command of the aircraft, so therefore should be an officer.

Terry