Rise of flight buy or not?

[159th_Jester]

They've got a very helpful community as well, Raggz. Don't be shy to ask questions on their forums.

I gotta admit I love RoF. Mind you, I have a family connection to the era: My Grandfather was in a pilot in the RFC/ RAF 1917-19. Can't wait for their next release: DH4.... The plane he flew. Been waiting for a good simulation of it for years!!

[Moggy]

Originally Posted by 159th_Jester

They've got a very helpful community as well, Raggz. Don't be shy to ask questions on their forums.

I gotta admit I love RoF. Mind you, I have a family connection to the era: My Grandfather was in a pilot in the RFC/ RAF 1917-19. Can't wait for their next release: DH4.... The plane he flew. Been waiting for a good simulation of it for years!!

A lot of people do, my Great Uncle was killed during the Somme battle aged 16.

[159th_Jester]

That's a prime example of one of the great tradgedies of the First World War Moggy.

A lot of lads his age were pressured by the recruiters into joining or lead to believe it was a glorious adventure.

My Grandfather was 17 when he joined up. Fortunately by the time he did, the RFC had a strict policy on not sending anyone under 18 to France. So when he did finally get there, he had a year's worth of training and it was only a couple of months to the end of the war.

Was long enough for him to get shot down once though (fortunately he was able to glide back over the lines and crashland his plane safely in a field).

Guess it's a good thing for me he had all that training.... If he hadn't I wouldn't be here today!

[Skoshi Tiger]

Originally Posted by Moggy

A lot of people do, my Great Uncle was killed during the Somme battle aged 16.

My Grand Father was gassed on the Somme and withdrawn back to England.

I guess he was one of the lucky ones. After he recoperated he was sent to Northern Ireland, where he met my Grand Mother. Both of them lived a long and forfilling life together. From their union there are close to 70 direct decendants.

Just thinking about the sacrifices made by young people like your Grand Uncle is enough to make my eyes water. We owe them (and the young men and women who are making those sacrifices today) our eternal gratitude.

[Al Schlageter]

You all know who Roy Brown, right. He traveled to Dayton OH (Wright Brothers' school) with 3 others (all became aces) from Carleton Place Ont to take lessons. They had to pay for their own flying lessons at $1 per hour. It cost him $249 (ground and air) to get his private pilot license (pilot's certificate Number 361) in Dayton OH.

The RFC/RNAS was only accepting trained pilots at the time.

To put the cost in perspective, beef, depending on the cut, was $.05 to $.10 a pound at the time.

[159th_Jester]

Originally Posted by Skoshi Tiger

Just thinking about the sacrifices made by young people like your Grand Uncle is enough to make my eyes water. We owe them (and the young men and women your are making those sacrifices today) our eternal gratitude.

Amen to that.


Al Schlageter, to put the cost even further into perspective, I still have my Grandfather's notes from his officer and pilot training. Part of that covers army pay and army law.

In 1917 (when he was in training) a private in the RFC earned 1d (a shilling) per day. In decimal currency a shilling was worth approximately 5p (pence). A Sgt Major earmed the princely sum of 5d per day (25p). This being before overseas allowances and any other payments.

Obviously an officer earned considerably more than that, but all the same, it was a massive outlay for the individual from his wage.

[brando]

Originally Posted by 159th_Jester

Amen to that.


Al Schlageter, to put the cost even further into perspective, I still have my Grandfather's notes from his officer and pilot training. Part of that covers army pay and army law.

In 1917 (when he was in training) a private in the RFC earned 1d (a shilling) per day. In decimal currency a shilling was worth approximately 5p (pence). A Sgt Major earmed the princely sum of 5d per day (25p). This being before overseas allowances and any other payments.

Obviously an officer earned considerably more than that, but all the same, it was a massive outlay for the individual from his wage.

Sorry - 1d is one old penny, twelve of which equalled 1 shilling (1/-), twenty of which equalled one pound (£1)
£.s.d (which dates from the Roman occupation) means Libra, solidus and denarii.

One old penny has almost no value in decimal terms.

[159th_Jester]

Brando, of course you're quite right. My apologies. I got my abbreviations wrong. To clarify it was a shilling a day for a private, not an old penny.

Thanks for pointing that out.