Author Topic: History (Read 2776 times)

sax · « **on:** June 17, 2001, 01:28:00 PM »

Couple of days ago my son was out in the MA, I let him do this under my handle for a few hours a week.

The seperate account thing is to expensive for us.

Anyway, as I was watching him fly and die, he asked me how all the squads came into being, reason for squad names, how they got started, why players pick a certain handle, why join one squad and not another.

I have to admit, I've often wondered the same thing.

How about everyone give us a little history on your AH life.

Sax

sax · « **Reply #1 on:** June 17, 2001, 01:44:00 PM »

I became interested in AH watching Beemer play over at his house.

Can't say I really enjoyed the experiance at first, as it was to tough to learn without spending tons of hours in the air.

One day I,m over at Beem's and I'm watching and listening to him flying with the 13th Tas.

That day was the moment AH kicked in for me.
I had to be part of that squad thing.

I begged Rude for weeks to let me join. Finally I,m in. Changed my handle to Sax<I,ve always wanted to learn to play one>

Even though our squad has gone through some tough times and some changes, most of us are still flying online together.

Except for beem, I,ve never met anyone in the squad, but still feel a friendship to them all.

Sax

Yeager · « **Reply #2 on:** June 17, 2001, 02:44:00 PM »

I have loved military history since I was two. Well, two and a half. Anyhoo, I was planning on getting a computer so I bought a PC gaming magazine back in 95 and saw a full page add for ICIs WBs announcing some big B17 battle with 100s of people online at the same time. Thats was it for me. I needed a PC more then ever

Although I didnt get up and running with WBs until 97, I had a blast thats for sure.

Was given "Yeagers" autobiography as a gift in my senior year and loved it. Ive read it a dozen times at least. I love the guy and the life he has lived and still lives. Thats why I wanted to be Yeager online. Not for him, for me.

13thTAS kicked bellybutton in AH. Those were the days!

<S> Sax!

Yeager

[ 06-17-2001: Message edited by: Yeager ]

skernsk · « **Reply #3 on:** June 17, 2001, 09:07:00 PM »

Good thread sax.

My brother (Jake in beta)(zulu now) downloaded it on my computer and I really sucked...as opposed to now

I was always interested in ww2 and love books, documentaries and anything else on ww2 so this was perfect. I played a few boxed sims, but there is nothing like fighting against a real person online.

I joined FDB a long time ago because they were alot of fun to fly with and at one time we actually did more than just shoot chutes.

My handle was a name my brother used to taunt me with when I was a kid.....over time I got used to it and it's my second name. (Even my boss calls me skernsk at times)

FDisk · « **Reply #4 on:** June 17, 2001, 10:26:00 PM »

Anyone remember Chuck Yeager's Test filght for the XT? Or dogfight for the C64? That's when I started.

Ghosth · « **Reply #5 on:** June 18, 2001, 12:09:00 AM »

First started fooling around with computers about 6 years ago. 5 years ago in may I joined Kali and started flying A-10 Cuba & Warbirds H2H. Flew H2H warbirds for a year, then got the online bug in Fighter Ops. Slowly shifted from the H2H squad I started with over to daddogs "Flying Mongrel's".

I guess it's about a year & a half ago I was getting pretty fed up with iEN, Hotseat & co.
Started flying the AH beta, and one month after it went pay for play managed to bring most of the squad over.

Lots of changes in that 5 years, lots of new friends, lots of different planes to fly.

I think a mongrel said it best this way.

"This is a place where strangers become friends, and friends become brothers"

I've been through a lot of changes, troubles, and problems in the last 5 years. Not sure I'd of made it without my squadmates & some good online friends I've made along the way.

Here is a big <S> to all of you who have enriched my life!

Starbird · « **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2001, 01:06:00 AM »

I've been flying sims for about 10-11 years. started on a C64 and flight sim 2 (sublogic, MS didn't own them yet

. From there I tried all kinds of sims. Soloflight, gunship, acrojet, etc.

I started AH about 6 months ago. Was looking for something new. The first day I got it, I was looking for a squad, and saw someone say that the 332nd was looking for recruits. so I hopped to their page and read about the squad and signed up.

My callsign, which I've used ever since I've been in the BBS scene back in the day, comes from a game. Halleys Project for the C64. Was a space sim/educational game. Starbird was the highest rank you could get to. When I was looking for a handle on bbs' that was the name I chose.

I was flipping thru channels a few years ago, and saw this college female basketball game on. The back of this one girls jersey said Starbird. I thought it was a nickname or something, but I think it was her real name. Thought that was quite strange.

Mathman · « **Reply #7 on:** June 18, 2001, 10:54:00 AM »

Well, for me personally, I have been playing sims since my parents got our first computer way back in '83 I think. My first "sim" was Spitfire Ace by Microprose and MS Flight sim 2.0 I believe. Anyways, I went through all the big sims and some of the little sims over the years since then.

As for how I got into AH, the story is a bit different. I had never played any online sims before (the ones that I would have wanted to try were $/hr and being a teacher, I realy couldn't afford it). Well, back when I got my P2 350, I picked up Rainbow Six and started playing it online. After that, went on to Rogue Spear. I met some guys that I played with a lot. One day, I was chatting with one on ICQ. He mentioned a game that had just started open beta called Aces High.

Well, to make a long story short, I have been hooked on AH since I started playing way back in October of 99. IF you guys want someone to blame, find Soulyss, he is the one that got me started here.

-math

Maverick · « **Reply #8 on:** June 18, 2001, 12:47:00 PM »

I started playing air copmbat games way back when there was Lucas films Battle of Britain. I found out about AW and started playing that in a 28.8 modem. First handle was Bullet Magnet.

I was invited to the 13th TAS in AW and changed my handle to Maverick when I joined.

After AW I went to confirmed kill for a VERY short time and then to WB. Didn't really care for WB especially after most of the older TAS members left for Ever Quest.

I found AH and decided to reurect my AW handle and add a reminder for the old 13th TAS so got Mav13 here.

Still playing AH but pretty much exclusively in the TA.

Mav

AKSWulfe · « **Reply #9 on:** June 18, 2001, 12:54:00 PM »

I don't know, something about mary jane "destroying" your short term memory...

somehow... someway.. I ended up here!
-SW

pangea · « **Reply #10 on:** June 18, 2001, 01:19:00 PM »

Cool thread, have always wondered about all the folks I fly with and against.

I have always been interested in military aircraft, especially WWII types. Did a stint in the Air Force as a jet engine mechanic, and even though I worked very hard, it was fun just being around military aircraft.

Played some WWII flight sims initially...can't remember the names now. I eventually started playing AW around '98. My handle there was "retro". Was in a couple of squads there but didn't like it much....to many rules. I just want to fly and have fun on my own terms. Had to quit in early 2000 due to some personal/financial problems.

Finally was able to get a PC a few months ago and was going to go back to AW, but discovered it was just about dead, so I started playing AH. "Pangea" (my AH handle)refers to a prehistoric supercontinent, which relates to my other interest (and career), which is geology.

cheers

Jigster · « **Reply #11 on:** June 18, 2001, 05:12:00 PM »

Which handle, and which version, long, or short?

Btw I bet SW's handle is based on that time "Airwolf" took a SAM and crashed into the Medd.

--------
Mean
Ol'
Bessy

Midnight · « **Reply #12 on:** June 18, 2001, 07:25:00 PM »

I started in AWIII several years ago when I saw it on the shelf at the local software store. I was playing the offline portions on it when I finally decided that I had to go on-line and try it out. I was hooked.

I went through a few different handles while in AW, from BigD to Merc$. I ended playing AW as Midnight Mercenary (CPID was <MRC> )with the VMF-898 Nightmares.

When I started AH, I wanted to bring over the Nightmare name and decided to cut off the Mercenary part of my handle. After all, no one ever paid me to do anything in the game

So now, I am Midnight.

Since day 1, I searched for a squad that flew all P-51s. Never found that until I got into AH and asked for a P-51 squad on the UBB. Yeager responded and I started flying with him. Shortly thereafter, I was a member of the 13th TAS.

Unfortunately, things got rough in the 13th and several very key members elected to leave. No need for details here, but I decided that it was time for me to go after witnessing a few events one night.

I figured that the only way I was really going to have the P-51 suad I had been seaching for was to start my own squad. Thus, the 412th FS "Braunco Mustangs" was born.

The squad was started on 12th April, 2001 with the premise of being the best P-51 squad ever seen in a flight sim. At just over 2 months old, we have a total of 9 pilots, all who are dedicated to what the squad stands for.

Taken from the 412th Web-page

Quote

The name "Braunco" is a reference to my Father's lobster boat "Braunco" It is a tribute to a man that knows what it means to be committed and to work hard for what he wants. Braunco is actually two words combined into one.

The first word, "Braun" indicates strength and endurance. The second word (partial word) is "co" indicating co-operation and teamwork.

Both of these are qualities and attributes that I admire, and want to instill into all the members of this squad.

I feel the name is fitting to the 412th as it is a pseudo-spelling for the word "bronco" which is a wild Mustang horse.

I can only hope that this squad will be as strong, dedicated and long lasting as the name, which is over 40 years old.

So that's it. Our search for dedicated P-51 pilots continues and everyday, the squad is growing stronger. We are moving up in the ranks and have several members on the top 10 killers lists from AKDeJaVu.

The next time you see Rook Mustangs coming down on your six, you can bet they could be the 412th

[ 06-18-2001: Message edited by: Midnight ]

Spatula · « **Reply #13 on:** June 19, 2001, 05:53:00 AM »

My first multiplayer flight sim was twin tornado for the commodore 64. You could fly against one other person on another C64 with a serial cable. It was *very* rudimentary. That was about 13-14 years ago.

Since then, started with WB2 on the PC in H2H only, then on to free beta with AH from the day it started under 'Azriel' untill i switched to spatula from mid-point beta tour 2.

Spatula saw the start of "1st Airborne Kitchen Utensil Assault Group" with me as CO, i had a Ladle, Grater, Corkscru and almost a ginsu. That kinda ended after people moved on. Flew a spit 9 then.

Joined the 357th after a number of run-ins with jstamutt and wardog and a few private chats with jstamutt. They seemed like good people and where on when i was, and i was looking for a change from the old spitfire. Forced myself to master the p51. Been in 357th ever since, some 16 tours or so.

I've never meet any of them (except shlock, who i used to work with, but he only H2H's now), but they seem like old friends from way back.

Spat.

Jigster · « **Reply #14 on:** June 19, 2001, 05:52:00 PM »

Midnight, I don't think "braun" is conveying exactly what you want it to:

braun:

14th century. From Anglo-Norman braun: "fleshy part of the leg," from, ultimately, prehistoric Germanic, and related to German Braten "roast meat."

I think your refering the "brawn"

brawn [brawn] noun

1. strong muscles: very strong muscles, especially on the arms and legs

2. bodily strength: physical strength, especially as opposed to intellectual power