WWI Digest 384 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: Book: The Jasta Pilots by bshatzer@orednet.org (Bill Shatzer) 2) RE: Nieuport request by Shane Weier 3) Re: Fokker Dr.I machine guns (was: This List) by bshatzer@orednet.org (Bill Shatzer) 4) Re: Cooper, Fauntleroy, Tinker by Erik Pilawskii 5) RE: This List by "Brian Bushe" 6) Re: Driven Nuts by "Brian Bushe" 7) RE: This List by ci010@freenet.carleton.ca (Jim MacKenzie) 8) Re[6]: This List - Air or Armor? by SHUSTAD@email.usps.gov 9) Re: Time-Life Soldiers of Fortune by "Bill Ciciora" 10) Wednesday, 3 January 1917, Plessis, Paris by "Marian Hollinger, Bradley Omanson" 11) RE: This List by Rob 12) Re: Re[2]: Who won? by Rob 13) Re: Fokker Dr.I machine guns by Rob 14) Re: This List by Mark Shannon 15) Re: This List by "Ray Boorman" 16) Re: Wednesday, 3 January 1917, Plessis, Paris by Mark Shannon 17) Administrivia by aew (Allan Wright) 18) Administrator's mail down by aew (Allan Wright) 19) Book Opinions by Simon Bosworth 20) Re: Book Opinions by Rob 21) Re: Book Opinions by Simon Bosworth 22) Re: Book Opinions by hartc@spot.Colorado.EDU (Charles Hart) 23) Re: Fokker Dr.I machine guns (was: This List) by gspring@ix.netcom.com 24) datum line by bucky@mail.prolog.net (Mary-Ann/Michael) 25) RE: This List by bucky@mail.prolog.net (Mary-Ann/Michael) 26) Re: Book: The Jasta Pilots by JimMaas@aol.com 27) Re[7]: This List - Air or Armor? by "Shelley Goodwin" 28) Re[2]: Cooper, Fauntleroy, Tinker by "Shelley Goodwin" 29) Re[4]: Who won? by "Shelley Goodwin" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 2 Jan 1997 21:26:24 -0800 From: bshatzer@orednet.org (Bill Shatzer) To: wwi Subject: Re: Book: The Jasta Pilots Message-ID: <199701030526.AA08937@ednet1.orednet.org> When we last left our heroes, Alberto was typing: >Dear Jim, > >Could you please look up for me in both books ( I haven't got them yet ) >if there is any entry for Carlos Meyer Baldo, I believe he flew for Jasta 11, >Planes he flew etc. > >thanks a lot Sorry, no Baldo mentioned in either book and nothing close the that name either. There was a Karl Meyer (no "Baldo") with Jasta 11 but that's as close as I can come. You might wish to recheck the spelling. Cheers, -- - Bill Shatzer bshatzer@orednet.org - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 15:33:22 +1100 From: Shane Weier To: "'wwi'" Cc: "'mbittner@juno.com'" , Subject: RE: Nieuport request Message-ID: <01BBF98B.751B14A0@pc087b.mim.com.au> Matt, Ken, I offered Matt: > My index says February 81 issue of SMI has a 1:48 plan :-) of the Nie >10 and a pic or pics. I never bothered to note whether this was part of a >series when i indexed them, so this might not be what you want. If 'tis, you're >welcome to a copy, which I'll post to you as soon as you say GO ..and Ken asked: >Could you please toss in an extra copy for me. I see Matt evey couple >of weeks and you could send it to either address. On their way, under separate cover, to each address. Save you the hassle of 2nd generation copies and add the security of two copies to dodge the hands at Australia Post. Just to whet your appetite, 6 photos, one a cockpit shot, plans of armed and unarmed two seaters and Macchi and Dux built single seaters. Plans also include 3 cowling variations. Incidentally, once again I find myself looking at a set of plans and thinking what a simple scratch build project *that* would make (later I usually regret my stupidity). I need such a project not at all. Thanks heaps guys. Shane ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 Jan 1997 21:49:27 -0800 From: bshatzer@orednet.org (Bill Shatzer) To: wwi Subject: Re: Fokker Dr.I machine guns (was: This List) Message-ID: <199701030549.AA18252@ednet1.orednet.org> Greg previously wrote: >On 01/02/97 11:32:40 Mark wrote: > >(snippity doo-dah) > >>I'd have to check, but I seem to recall a picture in either the >>Squadron/Signal DRI book, Nowarra's other DrI/DVII book, or Imrie's >>Triplane book that shows where a squadron or personal level modification >>was done making a 'rain gutter' type fairing to steer the spent >>cartridges around the cockpit coaming. This would seem to indicate that >>they just popped out of the breech to fall on the midwing area and go >>where they would from there. > >You are correct, sir! In Imrie's book there is a photo on page 85 showing >the gun arrangement on Alfred Greven's triplane. Beneath the ammunition >feed chute on the left hand weapon (in this photo) there is a tray with a >curved forward edge. Beneath the right hand gun's belt chute and spring >cover is the trailing edge of a similar tray cut in a 90 degree arc. These >are the spent cartridge ejection 'gutters'. I presume that the forward >edges of these are shaped to cause the forward-traveling cases to rebound >outward and to the rear, (hopefully) tossing them clear of the fuselage. Well, I'm gonna go out on limb on this 'un and opine that this is _not_ the way it worked, at least on most Dr.I's. As I understand the operation of the Spandau MG, it couldn't work this way because the spent cartridges were ejected from the _bottom_ of the MG and would thus be ejected from the gun _below_ the top of the fuselage coaming. There just doesn't seem to be enough space for the spent cartridges to be handled the way you suggest. Now, after squinting at a half a hundred photos, I'm gonna guess that the spent cartridge cases were ejected from a hole in the fuselage just under and just forward of the trailing edge of the middle wing. If you look at where the middle wing attaches to the fuselage, there is a rounded plate under the wing which looks something like: ______________________________________________________ \ ====== / \ ====== / \________________________________________________/ AFT ---> And, on both sides where I've marked ===== , there seems to be an opening - in exactly the right place to dump spent cartridges being ejected down and forward from the MGs. This shows up most clearly in the photo of the stripped-down triplane on page 26 of the Datafile Special on the triplane but also shows up in photo #25 on page 12, #27 on page 15, #29 on page 16, and #64 on page 28 of the Datafile. So, pending further evidence, that's my best guess. Cheers and all, -- - Bill Shatzer bshatzer@orednet.org - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 Jan 1997 22:50:52 -0800 (PST) From: Erik Pilawskii To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Re: Cooper, Fauntleroy, Tinker Message-ID: On Thu, 2 Jan 1997, Shelley Goodwin wrote: > Anyone have the Time/Life Epic of Flight "Soldiers of Fortune" volume > who is willing to copy a couple chapters? > Yeah, I've got it. Whatcha interested in? Cheers, Erik :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: "If you're not living Life on the edge, you're taking up too much room!" .............................................................................. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 10:47:21 +0000 From: "Brian Bushe" To: wwi Subject: RE: This List Message-ID: <199701031055.KAA26648@itl.net> re: RE: This List > >> Same with my daughter. She did a T-rex and painted the underbelly > >> bright orange! The color police would have had a field day! ;-)) > > > > With a T-rex?! I'd like to see 'em give him a ticket, he-he! > > Would you sign here for your citation, sir? The approved color for > the T-Rex undersurfaces (in the 65,000,000 BCE scheme) is FS 34107. Bill, I'm disappointed in you, especially since you are usually so reliable. Bob Nogren clearly states in his earlier vacform T-Rex that the underbelly is FS 34109 ( or Early Dinosaur Eggshell Grey Blue Green Semi Satin 79). Or something. Brian Bushe syclone@itl.net Syclone Systems Denmark Street (44) 1628 789 470 Maidenhead Fax 789 513 Berkshire England ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 10:47:21 +0000 From: "Brian Bushe" To: wwi Subject: Re: Driven Nuts Message-ID: <199701031056.KAA26650@itl.net> re: Re: Driven Nuts > > 1. Will the correct color please stand up. Anyone who has been around > modern military aircraft or vehicles, as I was, soon finds out that each > batch of paint (in some cases, each can) from a paint contractor made to FS > specifications is of a different shade. Usually, it makes more sense to > completely repaint the whole truck Air Force Blue than to touch up areas > as they will invariably be different shades due to weathering, paint > mixtures, etc. So how can anyone state the EXACT shade for a WWI color? > It's ridiculous. Even if the paints were standardized, which they weren't, > or even codified, which they weren't, random variations would cancel out > any attempt to nail down the EXACT shade. > Just to emphasise the point: my car is a standard (for the manufacturer shade of silver, designed to be (apparently) weather resistent and non fading. sometime before I bought the car the drivers door was repainted to match exactly (I didn't notice it when I bought the car). possibly due to different rates of fading I think it is quite obvious now that I have noticed it. the point being: if a highly professional modern paintshop can't match a standard manufacturers paint, how can you expect more of a grunt with lowest bidder government paint? > Modelers, unlike their artistic brethren in the fine arts, have a bad habit > of wanting everything cut and dried and keyed to model paints, so all they > have to do is take a laundry list of paint colors to the hobby shop and all > will be fine. Like a lot of things in life, it ain't so... For laundry I like to give it all a wash and a bit of a dry brush. Brian Brian Bushe syclone@itl.net Syclone Systems Denmark Street (44) 1628 789 470 Maidenhead Fax 789 513 Berkshire England ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 06:59:25 -0500 (EST) From: ci010@freenet.carleton.ca (Jim MacKenzie) To: wwi Subject: RE: This List Message-ID: <199701031159.GAA23813@freenet3.carleton.ca> >>> Same with my daughter. She did a T-rex and painted the underbelly >>> bright orange! The color police would have had a field day! ;-)) >> With a T-rex?! I'd like to see 'em give him a ticket, he-he! >Would you sign here for your citation, sir? The approved color for >the T-Rex undersurfaces (in the 65,000,000 BCE scheme) is FS 34107. Bright Orange! - Wouldn't that be a prototype or test model? I'm sure the field models were in a low-viz six colour lozenge. Cheers, Jim. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 09:38:56 -0500 From: SHUSTAD@email.usps.gov To: "(u)WWI(a)PEASE1.SR.UNH.EDU" Subject: Re[6]: This List - Air or Armor? Message-ID: <0033000002095951000002*@MHS> Riordan, Yeah, Squadron Shop has the 1/35 Tauro German WW I figures and regularly runs (heavily) discounted sales on them - for as low as $2.99 each I've seen in the past. If you've seen these white metal 'gargoyles' you'll understand why they're always on sale...;^) Save your money and look elsewhere. Get the catalog from "The Red Lancers" out of Milton, PA if you're looking for a sourse for good white metal & resin figures. They run an ad in FSM magazine every issue. Steve H. (P.S. The 1/76 Revell Germans *may* have a few Bergman MG's - I know it includes a few "Maxim MG" set ups - so I may have spoken too soon before. I'll verify it tonight. The older Airfix 1/76 Germans are far better, but are in early war garb w/picklehaub helmets, and are also very difficult to locate as they've been out of production for a long time now). ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: Re[5]: This List - Air or Armor? Author: _WWI@PEASE1.SR.UNH.EDU (SMTP.WWI) at SSWGATE Date: 1/3/97 4:30 AM Steve, Doesn't Tauro or some other co. put out 1/35 late WWI Germans, tank crew and Sturmtruppen in white metal that are kinda pricey? Coulda sworn I saw 'em in a Squadron catalog. These would be better suited to we less talented/ambitious modelers:-( Riordan ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: Re[4]: This List - Air or Armor? Author: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu at Internet Date: 1/2/97 7:35 AM Riordan, Yes, Revell does make 1/76 late war German Infantry - but they're not very good. Soft plastic, and stiff posing, etc. (No Bergman MG's). I scratch/heavily convert WW II Germans in 1/35 (Airfix multi-pose, DML & Tamiya parts) into WW I Germans for vignettes & dioramas, resin casting all of my own equipment from scratchbuilt masters, and redoing all uniforms & poses with DURO epoxy putty, etc. - so I don't have to screw around with enamel adhesion to soft plastic problems. Steve H. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Jan 97 09:22:07 PST From: "Bill Ciciora" To: wwi Subject: Re: Time-Life Soldiers of Fortune Message-ID: Riordan asked: >Anyone have the Time/Life Epic of Flight "Soldiers of Fortune" volume >who is willing to copy a couple chapters? I do. I assume you want the Kosciuszko Squadron info and stuff on Spain? Bill C. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Jan 1997 13:22:04 -0800 From: "Marian Hollinger, Bradley Omanson" To: wwi Subject: Wednesday, 3 January 1917, Plessis, Paris Message-ID: <32CD787C.203@host.dmsc.net> Cloudy and windy. Out at machine gun target range in early a.m. Wrote up more notes before lunch. Had 20 minute flight with 110hp, 15 metre Nieuport in early p.m. but bad difficulty in regulating the motor. Wind very strong also. The 15 metre Nieuport with a 110 Le Rhone motor is the machine we use at the front. I don't care for it as well as I do the 13 metre "Baby" Nieuport 110 hp and it isn't as supple and quickly maneouvered but the "Baby" has been "suprimer" from active service on the front and replaced entirely by the 15 metre machines. Came into Paris with Parsons and Bigelow early in p.m. Percy Noel, a young journalist in the Chicago Daily News office in Paris, brought Bigelow out in his Ford to fly and took us all back. Had a blow-out on the way which delayed us some but reached the city by a quarter to six. Came up to the Roosevelt at once and was in time to have dinner with the Major and his wife and two youngsters. Spent the evening with him in fixing up my notes and chatted aviation etc. Will go back to Plessis tomorrow a.m. ************************** from the War Diary of E.C.C. Genet ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 09:59:02 +0000 From: Rob To: wwi Subject: RE: This List Message-ID: <9701030959.aa24833@scosysv.speechsys.com> > >>> Same with my daughter. She did a T-rex and painted the underbelly > >>> bright orange! The color police would have had a field day! ;-)) > Bright Orange! - Wouldn't that be a prototype or test model? I'm > sure the field models were in a low-viz six colour lozenge. Cheers, Jim. Actually, a T-Rex would have had little need for camo, given that he was bigger, fiercer, and faster than almost anything he might meet. In any case, most recent dino books suggest that bright colors were likely. I think the little girl done it right. Rob, robj@speechsys.com. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 10:13:36 +0000 From: Rob To: wwi Subject: Re: Re[2]: Who won? Message-ID: <9701031013.aa24934@scosysv.speechsys.com> Riordan: You are certainly today's correspondent. > Got your Griffin GIF but can't look at it as we lack capability to > decode/decipher it. Please send GIF or jpeg as an attatchment to message if > possible; if not, send hardcopy. It IS an attachement to an email (UUEncoded, the most common type). All attachments have to be encoded in some way, because e-mail only handles text (no binary). What computer/software are you using? A Mac? I don't have the file here, but I will try again with some other encoding schemes (Bin-Hex for Macs, various MIME schemes). If you have FTP (you probably don't, if you use a third party provider), I can send the actual binary file. You can also download E-mail readers and/or standalone decoders from the Web that will handle almost anything. I use a free mail package called Pegasus mail. Rob, robj@speechsys.com. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 10:16:51 +0000 From: Rob To: wwi Subject: Re: Fokker Dr.I machine guns Message-ID: <9701031017.aa24968@scosysv.speechsys.com> > You might want to check Harry Woodman's excellent book Early Aircraft > Armament, The Aeroplane and The Gun Up To 1918. There are all sorts of > info there. > cjb I got Woodman's book via interlibrary loan. It appears to be decidedly out of print (Smithsonian Press acts like they never heard of it) even though it is only a few years old. Rob, robj@speechsys.com. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Jan 1997 13:28:36 -0600 From: Mark Shannon To: wwi Subject: Re: This List Message-ID: <32CD5DE4.34B6@ix.netcom.com> Jim MacKenzie wrote: > > >>> Same with my daughter. She did a T-rex and painted the underbelly > >>> bright orange! The color police would have had a field day! ;-)) > >> With a T-rex?! I'd like to see 'em give him a ticket, he-he! > >Would you sign here for your citation, sir? The approved color for > >the T-Rex undersurfaces (in the 65,000,000 BCE scheme) is FS 34107. > > Bright Orange! - Wouldn't that be a prototype or test model? I'm > sure the field models were in a low-viz six colour lozenge. Cheers, Jim. -- How not to be seen. There are seventeen T. Rex in this picture, none of whom can be seen...... Of course, wouldn't they want to be seen come mating season (males or females might have a color change to indicate fertility?) -- This has been Mark and/or Mary Shannon at Shingend@ix.netcom.com Remember that every cliche started out as a stroke of genius. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 09:33:49 -0800 From: "Ray Boorman" To: Subject: Re: This List Message-ID: <199701031935.LAA19314@cessna.lynx.bc.ca> I have a Five year old son who always wants to build his models when daddies doing his. Since he would get frustrated really building anything but the simplest models. I give him ones that definatly are not going to get finished and some old acrylics that are to old to be airbrushed and let him paint them. He brings a whole new meaning to blending colours! As for the dinosaurs I can see the color police now. That shade of Orange isn't on the FS list. Of course you would have to put tongue firmly in cheek and ask for their proof which should of course be backed up with the colour analysis from black and white Jurasic photo's taken at the time! Ray Boorman (First day back at work after Christmas, what a shock to the system!$%) ---------- > From: Mary-Ann/Michael > > Same with my daughter. She did a T-rex and painted the underbelly > bright orange! The color police would have had a field day! ;-)) > Mike Muth > > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Jan 1997 13:36:11 -0600 From: Mark Shannon To: wwi Subject: Re: Wednesday, 3 January 1917, Plessis, Paris Message-ID: <32CD5FAB.45D6@ix.netcom.com> Marian Hollinger, Bradley Omanson wrote: > >Had 20 minute flight with 110hp, 15 metre Nieuport in early p.m. but >bad difficulty in regulating the motor. Wind very strong also. The 15 >metre Nieuport with a 110 Le Rhone motor is the machine we use at the >front. I don't care for it as well as I do the 13 metre "Baby" Nieuport >110 hp and it isn't as supple and quickly maneouvered but the "Baby" >has been "suprimer" from active service on the front and replaced >entirely by the 15 metre machines. > from the War Diary of E.C.C. Genet -- We keep talking about Nieuport 10s, 11s, 17s, and 28s. It seems that we should be translating to what the pilots called them. Obviously the 13 meter is the 'Bebe', but is the 15 meter the 16 or the 17? (I always thought the 16 was a simple engine upgrade and the Nieuport 17 was the 21 meter and the 24 was the 18 meter.) Of course, I've also heard that the 17 had a 28 square meter wing surface, so where did the names come from (upper wing area alone?) Those with the Datafiles, could you elucidate for those of us who have not received our books of worship yet? -- This has been Mark and/or Mary Shannon at Shingend@ix.netcom.com Remember that every cliche started out as a stroke of genius. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 15:37:20 -0500 (EST) From: aew (Allan Wright) To: wwi Subject: Administrivia Message-ID: <199701032037.PAA11720@pease1.sr.unh.edu> Just a test. We've had trouble on campus todat with mail. -Al =============================================================================== Allan Wright Jr. | You fell victim to one of the 'classic' blunders! University of New Hampshire+--------------------------------------------------- Research Computing Center | WWI Modeling mailing list: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Internet: aew@unh.edu | WWI Modeling WWW Page: http://pease1.sr.unh.edu =============================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 15:48:09 -0500 (EST) From: aew (Allan Wright) To: wwi, fnf Subject: Administrator's mail down Message-ID: <199701032048.PAA11920@pease1.sr.unh.edu> Hi WWI anb FNF mailing lists: My personal mail was down for about 2 hours today. Messages to the list went out to everyone but me. If you intended for me to get a message please feel free to re-send it to me personally. Thanks, Allan Wright - List administrator =============================================================================== Allan Wright Jr. | You fell victim to one of the 'classic' blunders! University of New Hampshire+--------------------------------------------------- Research Computing Center | WWI Modeling mailing list: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Internet: aew@unh.edu | WWI Modeling WWW Page: http://pease1.sr.unh.edu =============================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Jan 1997 14:58:21 -0600 From: Simon Bosworth To: wwi Subject: Book Opinions Message-ID: <32CD72ED.49E6@hpi50.dsddhc.com> I just picked up a book titled 'German Aircraft of the First World War' by Gray & Thetford. It appears to be a useful book. Does anyone have any opinions re its value, (accuracy etc)? By the way I am glad I didn't set out to build all German WWI planes, there are hundreds of the buggers, (the book lists 500). Regards, Simon -- Simon Bosworth simon@hpi50.dsddhc.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 14:14:57 +0000 From: Rob To: wwi Subject: Re: Book Opinions Message-ID: <9701031414.aa01869@scosysv.speechsys.com> > I just picked up a book titled 'German Aircraft of the First World War' > by Gray & Thetford. It appears to be a useful book. Does anyone have any > opinions re its value, (accuracy etc)? It is old and does not go deeply into its subject (how could it, given the scope?). But it is a classic and still very valuable. It usually costs the moon too. Rob, robj@speechsys.com. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Jan 1997 15:29:56 -0600 From: Simon Bosworth To: wwi Subject: Re: Book Opinions Message-ID: <32CD7A54.4EDA@hpi50.dsddhc.com> Rob wrote: > > > I just picked up a book titled 'German Aircraft of the First World War' > > by Gray & Thetford. It appears to be a useful book. Does anyone have any > > opinions re its value, (accuracy etc)? > It is old and does not go deeply into its subject (how could it, > given the scope?). But it is a classic and still very valuable. It > usually costs the moon too. > > > Rob, > robj@speechsys.com. Rob, thanks for the reply. It was not cheap ($45), but it did not seem like too outrageous a price for what seems to be a unique source of information. Regards, Simon -- Simon Bosworth simon@hpi50.dsddhc.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 14:37:06 -0700 From: hartc@spot.Colorado.EDU (Charles Hart) To: wwi Subject: Re: Book Opinions Message-ID: Simon wrote: >I just picked up a book titled 'German Aircraft of the First World War' >by Gray & Thetford. It appears to be a useful book. Does anyone have any >opinions re its value, (accuracy etc)? > By the way I am glad I didn't set out to build all German WWI planes, >there are hundreds of the buggers, (the book lists 500). I recently found a copy of the second (revised) edition of this book at a used shop in Ohio. I paid US$30.00 for it, about average I think. Book was in good condition but older copies are difficult to find. I had been looking for nearly 10 years for a copy. I realize that this is currently in print from Putnam, but the current edition appears to be a facsimile edition with poorer quality photographic reproduction, not that my edition had that great of quality to begin with. As for content, it is a good compendium of nearly every aircraft design produced by the German aircraft industry, but the details on individual types, even well known ones, is rather sketchy and I don't find the text of this book to be that terribly informative. Much more complete information has come to light since this was first published. However, this volume will tide me over until Pete Grosz can finish his current work on a compendium of German Aircraft of the First World War, haven't seen a specific title for this one yet. In the mean time, I'm saving my pennies since it will be costly. Charles hartc@spot.colorado.edu ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 17:26:37 -0800 From: gspring@ix.netcom.com To: wwi Subject: Re: Fokker Dr.I machine guns (was: This List) Message-ID: <199713192517641@ix.netcom.com> On 01/03/97 00:53:50 Bill wrote: (snip of my description of cartridge deflectors) >Well, I'm gonna go out on limb on this 'un and opine that this is >_not_ the way it worked, at least on most Dr.I's. As I understand the >operation of the Spandau MG, it couldn't work this way because the >spent cartridges were ejected from the _bottom_ of the MG and would >thus be ejected from the gun _below_ the top of the fuselage coaming. >There just doesn't seem to be enough space for the spent cartridges >to be handled the way you suggest. (snip of Bill's illustration) The Maxim (Spandau) gun ejects its cartridges from a circular orifice in the front of the receiver housing about 1 inch below the barrel. The cartridge travels forward parallel to the barrel for several inches until gravity causes it to drop. (I'm lucky enough to have a friend who has a Spandau in operating condition.) The deflector plates were designed to cause the cartridge to rebound to the rear and off to one side or the other. They were 'handed' for right or left side mounting. As the cartridge is only .473" in diameter at the rim very little clearance was needed. On page 92 0f Imrie's Triplane book the caption to the illustration of Hermann Goering sitting in his triplane reads (in part): 'Empty cartridge cases were ejected overboard from below the guns and were a distraction for some pilots, including Goering who had all his aircraft fitted with simple baffles made from sheet metal to deflect the spent cases from his immediate vicinity; that for the right hand gun can be seen on the coaming ahead of the cockpit, immediately aft of the guide for the ammunition belt.' So the cartridges were ejected along the top of the fuselage as supplied from the factory. However there seem to have been many field modifications like Hermann's to prevent the hot cases from bouncing around the pilot's ears and no doubt the modification which Bill has spotted is one such. Cheers! Greg ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 20:59:26 -0500 From: bucky@mail.prolog.net (Mary-Ann/Michael) To: wwi, Multiple recipients of list Subject: datum line Message-ID: <199701040159.UAA13169@pease1.sr.unh.edu> A new year and the first of my inane questions.....I keep reading references to a "datum line" that appears on many German airplanes. I can see it on the fuselages....my question is: What is it? there never appears to by any "data" on it. It just looks like a long, narrow dark line. Ok, let me know how stupid I am not to know this. Mike Muth ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 20:59:33 -0500 From: bucky@mail.prolog.net (Mary-Ann/Michael) To: wwi, Multiple recipients of list Subject: RE: This List Message-ID: <199701040159.UAA13179@pease1.sr.unh.edu> At 11:36 PM 1/2/97 -0500, Mick Fauchon wrote: > > > Mike, > >> Same with my daughter. She did a T-rex and painted the underbelly >> bright orange! The color police would have had a field day! ;-)) > > With a T-rex?! I'd like to see 'em give him a ticket, he-he! Yeah...one of the few cases I wouldn't have trouble working out a plea bargain for! ;-)) Mike ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 21:29:39 -0500 From: JimMaas@aol.com To: wwi Subject: Re: Book: The Jasta Pilots Message-ID: <970103212939_406045838@emout19.mail.aol.com> In a message dated 97-01-02 19:46:29 EST, you write: >Could you please look up for me in both books ( I haven't got them yet ) >if there is any entry for Carlos Meyer Baldo, I believe he flew for Jasta 11, >Planes he flew etc. > >thanks a lot > >SALUDOS > >ALBERTO > > > The closest I find is a listing for Ltn Karl Meyer, (nom de guerre?) Jasta 11 between Jul-Sept 17, 4 victories (RE8, SPAD, SPAD, Camel). ? ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Jan 97 18:28:34 PST From: "Shelley Goodwin" To: wwi Subject: Re[7]: This List - Air or Armor? Message-ID: <9700038523.AA852349450@mx.Ricochet.net> Steve, It just so happens that I have *most* of a set of the Airfix early Germans I bought as a lad, and I think I'm only missing the Maxim...I seem to remember a stretcher, casualties, a few flamethrowers and bangalore (sp?) torpedoes. I've also got a set of Airfix Brit Army from the same period, and they're not near as good. What color/# do you like for uniform field gray? When was the picklehaub 'phased out'? Riordan ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: Re[6]: This List - Air or Armor? Author: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu at Internet Date: 1/3/97 6:40 AM Riordan, Yeah, Squadron Shop has the 1/35 Tauro German WW I figures and regularly runs (heavily) discounted sales on them - for as low as $2.99 each I've seen in the past. If you've seen these white metal 'gargoyles' you'll understand why they're always on sale...;^) Save your money and look elsewhere. Get the catalog from "The Red Lancers" out of Milton, PA if you're looking for a sourse for good white metal & resin figures. They run an ad in FSM magazine every issue. Steve H. (P.S. The 1/76 Revell Germans *may* have a few Bergman MG's - I know it includes a few "Maxim MG" set ups - so I may have spoken too soon before. I'll verify it tonight. The older Airfix 1/76 Germans are far better, but are in early war garb w/picklehaub helmets, and are also very difficult to locate as they've been out of production for a long time now). ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: Re[5]: This List - Air or Armor? Author: _WWI@PEASE1.SR.UNH.EDU (SMTP.WWI) at SSWGATE Date: 1/3/97 4:30 AM Steve, Doesn't Tauro or some other co. put out 1/35 late WWI Germans, tank crew and Sturmtruppen in white metal that are kinda pricey? Coulda sworn I saw 'em in a Squadron catalog. These would be better suited to we less talented/ambitious modelers:-( Riordan ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: Re[4]: This List - Air or Armor? Author: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu at Internet Date: 1/2/97 7:35 AM Riordan, Yes, Revell does make 1/76 late war German Infantry - but they're not very good. Soft plastic, and stiff posing, etc. (No Bergman MG's). I scratch/heavily convert WW II Germans in 1/35 (Airfix multi-pose, DML & Tamiya parts) into WW I Germans for vignettes & dioramas, resin casting all of my own equipment from scratchbuilt masters, and redoing all uniforms & poses with DURO epoxy putty, etc. - so I don't have to screw around with enamel adhesion to soft plastic problems. Steve H. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Jan 97 19:42:10 PST From: "Shelley Goodwin" To: wwi Subject: Re[2]: Cooper, Fauntleroy, Tinker Message-ID: <9700038523.AA852349488@mx.Ricochet.net> Erik, Mike, Thanks for the offers, but I'm leaning towards coughing up the $8+ at a local shop and sparing the bother. Riordan ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: Re: Cooper, Fauntleroy, Tinker Author: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu at Internet Date: 1/2/97 10:51 PM On Thu, 2 Jan 1997, Shelley Goodwin wrote: > Anyone have the Time/Life Epic of Flight "Soldiers of Fortune" volume > who is willing to copy a couple chapters? > Yeah, I've got it. Whatcha interested in? Cheers, Erik :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: "If you're not living Life on the edge, you're taking up too much room!" ............................................................................. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Jan 97 19:19:58 PST From: "Shelley Goodwin" To: wwi Subject: Re[4]: Who won? Message-ID: <9700038523.AA852349479@mx.Ricochet.net> Hi this is Rory's wife, Shelley. I am the one Rory's keeps hounding about these image files. If I spend some time, I am sure I can solve the problem. We have a fairly up-to-date system, PC not a MAC(yuk!). We are using a mail package called ccMail Mobile by Lotus because use a wireless modem by Ricochet (my brother's the VP of Engineering there). Anyhow, when I receive an attachment from someone, it usually appears as an icon which ccMail Mobil does decipher for me. For some reason your images appear as part of the message in code. I have scanned the on-line help but did not find a way to decode the "uuencoded" file. Also, we have somehow lost the code on your previous message. If you could try again, I will find a way to view the image (gif or jpeg). Thanks ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: Re: Re[2]: Who won? Author: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu at Internet Date: 1/3/97 1:05 PM Riordan: You are certainly today's correspondent. > Got your Griffin GIF but can't look at it as we lack capability to > decode/decipher it. Please send GIF or jpeg as an attatchment to message if > possible; if not, send hardcopy. It IS an attachement to an email (UUEncoded, the most common type). All attachments have to be encoded in some way, because e-mail only handles text (no binary). What computer/software are you using? A Mac? I don't have the file here, but I will try again with some other encoding schemes (Bin-Hex for Macs, various MIME schemes). If you have FTP (you probably don't, if you use a third party provider), I can send the actual binary file. You can also download E-mail readers and/or standalone decoders from the Web that will handle almost anything. I use a free mail package called Pegasus mail. Rob, robj@speechsys.com. ------------------------------ End of WWI Digest 384 *********************