WWGeezer

Vonrd, just sent you a PM

Vonrd, running to work right now, will respond tonight...short answer is yes, looking to play. BOX has taken off for us, added several members in the last couple months and have some events that would be easy for others to join

Thanks for the kind words...If you like the skeletons, here was the source sketch....I found an application that allowed you to pose a skeleton and made a bunch of vignettes than placed many (many, many) in No-Mans Land.

Bumping the post....new chapter. PS The map format should look familiar to ROF fans.

Glad you enjoyed it. More than anything looking for readers that would enjoy following along.

It was a number of years ago the I flew Flanders in Flames and Bloody April with you all as part of the Wingwalker's Squad. Some of you may remember that I started a sketchbook journal during the Bloody April tournament that I published after each mission. I used real events from the flying ( like stealing Adler's Pup by accident) and worked them into the story line. All the artwork was done on an Ipad. This experience led to a much more refined World War I project that I have worked on over the last few years. "Rupp's Skizzenbuch" is a simulation of a German Unteroffizier's journal and sketchbook from World War I. The characters and story are based on the novel "The Blue Max" written by Jack D. Hunter in 1964. Primary sources including photos, postcards and news headlines are interspersed in the fictional work to tie the story to real-world events during the Great War. The journal is being published online every couple weeks from now until Armistice Day in November. You can read the first two chapters here PROLOGUE http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/prologue/ An aging German immigrant passes away in St. Augustine, Florida. Among her personal effects a soldier's journal and sketchbook from World War I is discovered. The sketchbook is sent on to the Smithsonian's Special Collections Archivist for further study. CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTIONS http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch1-introductions/ Unteroffizier Rupp Gerhardt introduces himself and explains what brought this “old campaigner†to the town of Beauvin and what services he provides to his squadmates at Jasta 77. CHAPTER TWO - THE GREAT WAR http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch2-the-great-war/ Rupp shares a map he drew to show where Jasta 77 is located on the Western Front. He intercepts an American paper and gets some insight into how the other side thinks the war is going. CHAPTER THREE – THE VILLAGE http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch3-the-village/ Rupp’s squad mate takes him for a wild ride in a DFW and ruins his aerial photo shoot of the Aerodrome requested by the Hauptmann. Angry with all of them he settles into some late night sketching and writes about the Aerodrome, the village of Beauvin and his lucrative side businesses. CHAPTER FOUR - THE PEOPLE http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch4-the-people/ Rupp’s goal was to survive the war, not to win it and he was willing to do just about anything to make sure he survived. In this chapter, he shares his insights into the strengths and weaknesses of his fellow squad mates and explains how he uses that information to his best advantage. CHAPTER FIVE – NEW ARRIVALS http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch5-new-arrivals/ Bruno Stachel arrives at Jasta 77 and meets Rupp for the first time. Their not so friendly introduction is interrupted by an attack on the base by a group of Sopwith Camels. CHAPTER SIX – A MAN TO WATCH http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch6-a-man-to-watch/ Luetnant Bruno Stachel has an immediate impact on Jasta 77 and not in a good way. Hauptmann Heidemann is trying to get to know his newest pilot and Rupp is sure he will either be the next Ace in the squad or dead within three weeks. It could go either way. CHAPTER SEVEN –FIRST KILL http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch7-firstkill/ Leutnant Stachel, frustrated by his unconfirmed kill a few weeks earlier, makes a point when he drops an RE8 right on the Hauptmann’s front porch. Bold, skilled and cruel, Stachel’s begins to make a reputation for himself. CHAPTER EIGHT – THE BIG PUSH http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch8-the-big-push-1/ The Big Push begins and Jasta 77 is in the thick of the fight. German pilots like their chances of winning, especially when they hear the new Fokker DVII’s will be delivered soon. Rupp can’t figure out why the Hauptmann is giving Stachel special treatment, but he knows he better figure it out soon. CHAPTER NINE – THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch9-the-circus-comes-to-town/ It has been quite a week for Bruno Stachel. He shot down two more enemy aircraft, had a job offer from the Red Baron and got a nice write up in the Berlin papers. Hauptmann Heidemann seems to be putting Stachel on the fast track. CHAPTER TEN – DON’T BLAME THE MESSENGER http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch10-messenger/ The Hauptmann sends Wili and Bruno on a road trip to introduce the “Black Angel†to German High Command located in Spa. Along the way they make a stop to visit Wili’s Aunt and Uncle, the Graf and Gräfin. Sparks fly and a fire is ignited between sweet Kaeti and young Bruno. She proves to be more than a match for the Cobra. CHAPTER ELEVEN – A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch11-a-deal-with-the-devil/ The Big Push starts to fizzle out. Von Richthofen is shot down over the Somme Valley. The only good news is the arrival of the first Fokker DVII for test flying. The aggressiveness of this machine is a perfect match for young Stachel, but he is counting heads to decide if he will be assigned one when the rest arrive later in the week. Rupp enters into a business arraignment to satisfy Stachel’s drinking habit, but he is having second thoughts. CHAPTER THIRTEEN – HEIDEMANN MAKES A HERO http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch13-heidemann-makes-a-hero/ Stachel’s drinking gets worse, but the kills keep piling up. With the Hauptmann’s support, he demands that his Fokker be painted all black and asks for a unique slogan to be painted in English on the upper wing. Realizing what a good customer Stachel has become, Rupp raises his price. Amid all that Stachel surprises everyone when he risks his life to save a French school girl who falls into an icy stream. Angel or Devil? A little of one, a lot of the other. CHAPTER FOURTEEN – THE BOTTLE AND THE BLUE MAX http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch14-the-bottle-and-the-blue-max Stachel finally achieves his goal of being awarded the Blue Max. While Stachel’s achievements in the air are extraordinary, on the ground his drinking begins to take a toll. Heidemann’s publicity campaign goes into full swing and Stachel is overwhelmed by all the attention. CHAPTER FIFTEEN – THE BLACK ANGEL ON TOUR http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch15-the-black-angel-on-tour/ Heidemann continues his campaign to make Stachel famous and sends the Black Angel on tour. Stachel fits in a stop at Sonnenstrahl to visit with the Gräfin and attempts to blackmail her over Wili’s journal. Things do not go well and Kaeti reaches out to Rupp for protection. Rupp has just what Kaeti needs. CHAPTER SIXTEEN – THE BIG PUSH GETS PUSHED BACK http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch16-the-big-push-gets-pushed-back/ The tide begins to turn against Germany in the Great War and Jasta 77 is forced to relocate to Coucy. A shortage of replacement parts and fuel is making it a struggle to keep aircraft in the air. The Fokker DVII is plagued by engine problems and Leutnant Stachel has a very close call. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN – THE BEGINNING OF THE END http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch17-the-beginning-of-the-end/ Heidemann gets an invite to attend the Johannisthal Trials near Berlin. This event brings the most accomplished aces together to test fly the newest aircraft and is the perfect venue for Heidemann to show off his young rising star. Rupp makes the mistake of getting in the way and Heidemann punishes him severely for it. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN – STARTING OVER http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch18-starting-over/ Rupp gets sent to the front lines at Bellicourt and discovers what life is like in the underground tunnels of the St. Quentin Canal. Kettering has taken over Rupp’s mail delivery service and sends a messenger to him with an apology, a box of cigars and an update on the continuing adventures of Hauptmann Heidemann and Leutnant Stachel. CHAPTER NINETEEN – Kaeti’s Revenge http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch19-kaetis-revenge/ A tragic accident, an unwanted promotion, a forced marriage. Poor Bruno….even when he does the right thing he can’t seem to catch a break. Meanwhile, Kaeti sends Rupp a letter with a large cash payment to settle her debt with him. Rupp needs one more lucky break to put his “exit plan†in place. He hopes that break comes soon, he is not sure how much longer he will last in the Tunnels of Bellicourt. CHAPTER TWENTY – The Yanks and the Lucky Break http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch20-the-yanks-and-the-lucky-break/ The Americans start making their presence felt on the Western Front and things are heating up at Bellicourt. Rupp’s Hauptmann sends him into harm’s way to photograph a crash site. Rupp is angry about having to put his life at risk on a whim, but the Breguet provides just the lucky break he was looking for. CHAPTER TWENTY ONE – Leap of Faith http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch21-leap-of-faith/ The Battle of the St Quentin Canal begins and the inexperienced Americans manage to push the Germans back with a lot of help from the more seasoned Australians. Rupp takes advantage of the chaos while retreating through Nauroy and hides away in the belfry of an old church. A giant leap and a bad landing send his “ best made plans†into a tailspin. CHAPTER TWENTY TWO –Recovery by the Sea http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch22-recovery-by-the-sea/ Rupp manages to continue his ruse while he recovers from injuries at the American Hospital in Étretat. There are rumors all around that Germany is ready to surrender. The Americans are in a mood to celebrate, but Rupp only becomes more withdrawn. All the lying and the sleepless nights are taking a toll on him. He needs to find a way out before his luck runs out. CHAPTER TWENTY THREE –The Long Road Home http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch23-the-long-road-home/ The train breaks down half way to St. Nazaire. Locals invite injured soldiers into their homes overnight while the locomotive is being repaired. Rupp spends a quiet night in a peaceful villa with a house cat and a view of the vineyard. It’s the first time in weeks that he has had time to think in a restful place. He comes to realize that he needs to adjust his plans one more time. EPILOGUE http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/epilogue/ On the Centennial of Armistice Day the Smithsonian confirms the authenticity of Rupp’s sketchbook and informs the family. In St. Augustine ( Jack Hunter’s hometown) the Historical Society underlines this discovery as providing unique insight into the experiences of one German soldier who survived the Great War. Rupp’s final sketch is discovered in the last sleeve of the journal and it documents both the end of his wartime experience and the beginning of his long road back to home, health and recovery.

No need to RSVP, happy to have anyone who is interested to attend. We will be recording the ceremony and posting it for her family.

We lost one of our dear squadmates last month when WWWhiteLily passed away. She was one of our most disciplined flyers and a very good person. She leaves behind a son and two daughters and will be greatly missed by us all. It is our tradition to perform the Missing Man formation when a member leaves us and we will be doing so for Lily next Sunday in the ROF platform. If any of your squad members are interested in attending you are more than welcome. I have PM'd our TS info to Klaiber for those who are interested. Thankyou, WWGeezer CO WingWalkers Here is the announcement: And the detailed instructions: ...and just for fun, a video from Joint Ops Training with Mojo and Lily doing a loop together ( Mojo will be the "Missing Man" in our formation) Keep in mind that my recording didn't include the bridge object that was really there....so the loop had to start and finish passing under the bridge.

The memorial will be flown in stock IL2 1946 4.12.m or later. I will respond to anyone who has sent me a PM with the specifics. Doing it that way so I can keep a head count. Barton I just posted the instructions to Klaiber so you can get it from him or send me a PM. Thanks for all your kind comments. Ian / Wringer was a great guy to fly with and a great instructor as well.

We lost one of our long time squadmates a few weeks ago and will be having a memorial in his honor next Tuesday evening performing the missing man formation in the Il2 simulation. If JG1 is interested in sending one or two pilots to observe, you are welcome to attend. Please send me a PM if you are interested and I will give you the particulars. Thanks guys. Rest in peace, Ian. We miss you. http://www.wingwalkers.org/

Late to the dance but sign me up WWGeezer Wing Walkers

thanks all

Butz...is there a stripped down test map available for just navigational practice. Would like to do some flying about to get used to the map

WWGeezer Wingwalkers Squadron Will be drumming up business with the rest of the WW's

Works for WW's.....our regular squad mtg is Tuesday, so I should be able to gather everyone's thoughts the day before

Wed would work for me, but would need to be 9pm eastern for us working west coasters. ( I take a train that gets me home at 6pm)....I will check in with Dub Butzell....I will check with Sandy on your profile

Butzell....do you intend on having some kind of debrief meeting on TS? With each squad on separate comm's was hard to get a sense of what people felt about the event. Maybe something that reps from each squad gather input from members and have that small group with one or two reps meet to discuss? If the timing worked out I would grad Dubya and he and I could sit in for the WW's

Bought this book in a used book store in San Francisco this weekend.. http://www.amazon.com/Sky-Battle-1914-1918-Story-Aviation/dp/B0006C4V6Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369611712&sr=8-1&keywords=sky+battle+1914-1918 300 pages of the history and evolution of combat aviation from the Wright Brothers to the end of WW1 The Appendix had a complete listing of all the Aces in WW1 with the actual kill count sorted by country. With Memorial Day around the corner, the sheer numbers spread over 15 pages was pretty sobering. Thought I would share a bit of the data and test everyones trivia knowledge....no searching the internet for lists! Lets see who can get the most names in the top 12! For those that find this too challenging, try and guess how many are German, British or French! I am going to post this at WW's, Squadron 42, The Black Haze and JG1 to see who gets it the closes to right. Will publish the results on Monday.

Hey gents, a few of us WW's are starting to fly regularly on Wed night on Squadron 42's Teamspeak and Server. The Old Fokkers are a sister squad with the WW's that have flow with us for a number of years. Sitting Duck is flying Wed night too, but his preference is to fly German. He looked pretty lonely all by himself on a channel while we flew Entente as a group. Any chance you guys can get him hooked up on TS so he can fly with the German side on Wed nights? I have his home email and PM, if you are willing to share your TS with me I will get it to him. Seems like I might need it anyway if we are heading into Butzell's Tournament in a few weeks Let me know Thanks!

JG1, Old Fokkers, Aero 42 flyers welcome to participate in this mission on Tuesday night. Sides will be balanced, not a squad vs squad event ( at least not yet! who knows what lies in the future) We have a squad meeting at 6 pm Pacific, mission should start at 6:15. Our TS has a "ROF Waiting Assignment" channel, and will have a "test mission" up for just warming up while we have our meeting. I will jump on comms, distribute flyers and answer any questions. Preference is you come on our TS so we can distribute flyers, but okay if you don't want to. Don't shoot the balloon over the base or it will roll into the real mission server is called WWROF, will be "mods on" ( we like the AI to be aggressive) I will resend Klaiber the server password and TS path We have been experimenting with missions where pilot kills lead to real mission events. Game currently counts any prop or engine damage as a pilot kill. This mission tries to work around that. 1. Entente bases have 8 camels, 8 brisfits, 8 breguets each ( four bases total) 2. Central has a single island base with 32 D7fs, unlimited brandys at the factory bases 3. Entente Kills are only counted inside kill zones, 8 kills and closest entente base closes 4. Generous maintenance radius for both Central and Entente, if your engine block and prop are okay, should save the plane (important for bombers) 5. Ships attempt to reach base when damaged and will partially rebuild if they get there before the base is destroyed. 6. Smoke stacks track condition of factory bases ( must destroy ship, two factories and refinery...very difficult, recommend you practice so you know how many objects have to get destroyed, if you've not done it don't forget about the crates!!). 7. Island base HEAVILY fortified as the shipyard (stay away!), factory bases have single cannon and mg, plus a ship at the pier 8 Battle of attrition, if all Entente bases close before all Factories are destroyed, Central wins, if all Factories destroyed before Entente bases destroyed, Entente wins. Here is the mission for those that want to try it out http://www.wingwalkers.org/vault/wwgeezer/FactoryLake/FactoryLake_18.zip

This is a mission we have been fine tuning, going to run again this Tuesday, any JG1 guys that are interested are welcome to join. Read the attached brief below to get a sense of how the mission works. Sides will be balanced and mixed, not a squad vs squad event. Will be Mods On server is called WWROF....Klieber has our TS and password info if you need it Looks like you have another event on Wed, so no worries if everyone is too booked. Thanks All WWGeezer

Just a heads up from New Wings Leadership, they want us to keep in mind that this is a training server open to the public, so to please be considerate of less experienced flyers that may be among us. I have our TS set up with three flights on each side Bomber Flight Recon Flight Defense Flight we will distribute flyers to the sides are balanced. The following link will show you what their missions typically look like...won't be the mission, but will be similar http://www.wingwalkers.org/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=181&t=14611 Please post by Monday night if you need our TS info Thanks All

In case you guys are interested.... Consider it a "server warming" party....will bring the chips and dip! I am assuming we will fly Central unless the sides are unmatched ( seems like the NW guys fly Entente), will mix it up to even the sides. I know Tuesday is a bad day for you guys, but if it works out well, may repeat it some night as a Friday night event and fly with you guys.

I doubt it. We have a 20 year reunion for the squad and will be heading down to San Diego in October for an air show , Balboa Air Museum, etc. Would love to go to Rhinebeck, have never had a chance yet

I happened to be flying on the New Wings server on Saturday and saw a lot of JG1 guys flying What is your opinion of these missions? The structure is interesting and a nice scale to them ( not too big, not too small). Ground targets, simplified photo recon and arty spotting with real mission impacts. I created mission files from the download and looked under the hood. Very well organized, would be easy to modify them to eliminate all the tutorial and advertising subtitles ( and the frightening bright light splash screen at the end) Would these be a good candidate for a future WW / JG1 flying night? Let me know what you think I grabbed the Summer, Fall and Winter Missions to play with that are in current rotation on their site.