Dear Friends
The time has come for me to move on from AH. As some of you know I've been dabbling in another flight sime and really like their flight model. Just feels right to me. Lots of things we have in AH are missing but the gut level flying and zapping is there at a very realistic level which my real life flight experience recognizes right away. It's also a real easy transition as the two are so damn similar in commands that they're almost twins or a least very close cousins.
Needless to say, my joy at finding a new sim which meets my requirements is deeply offset by the thought of not spending time online with you and the other Mullets.
It's been said that one cannot serve two masters or run two women at the same time, so I am hereby officially resigning as CO of the RRR and entrust the squadron into RAFBADER's capable hands. I'll be keeping my account in AH at least for a couple of months and may pop in here and there but my primary attention will be elseqhere.
Now, the good part at least for me. Last night I was flying my new favorite mount the P-38L in the other place and doing quite well, thank you very much. After a while I decided to take a break and look at the BBS for pointers etc. I noticed a roster on their BBS and clicked on a guy who had been good enough to answer a question I posed online (they don't talk too much there either). He had a link to his squadron, the 475th Fighter Group Satan's Angels which was the home to the two top WWII USA aces, Dick Bong and Tommy McGuire. Well, let me tell you, the site was pretty impressive for it's historical content. I immediately became drawn to them and decided that since I was going to be there, I should at least have somebody to depend on. At about 02:30 this a.m. I filled out an application telling them about my great prowess in AH and previously FA (hope they don't check my stats). I included a point that I would be attending the Mid Atlantic Air Museum's WWII weekend today since I noticed that they had attended last year. After this little chore I went to bed to away the morning grogginess.
This morning I promptly arrived at Reading Airport at 11:00 and began walking the forced 100 mile hike from the parking lot to the entrance (OK, OK, so maybe it was only a half mile). At the bottom of the hill I spied two evil looking guys coming down the road from my 10 o'clock position. I allowed them to pass in front of me and I maneuvered into a position directly on their six where I could clearly observe that the bogey on the left was wearing a shirt with a huge P-38 emblazoned across it. That's when it hit me!!! This guy was Savlan!!! Can you imagine? At an airshow with at least 10,000 people in attendance I run into the guy whom I had just sent an application to? And, not only that, but here I am squarely on his six and he can't squirm away no matter how good a pilot he might think he is. Big Muhahahahaha!!!!! Soooo?
I say in my best and deepest voice, YO, THE GUY WITH THE P-38 SHIRT, ARE YOU SAVLAN? I couldn't see his face, but I noticed his hand kinda twitching and making a motion toward his hip. Fortunately for me the only thing on his hip was a fanny pack I think. His voice came back with a bit of a quiver saying, WHO WANTS TO KNOW? I then introduced myself telling him my name and that I was new and had spoken to him online and sent in an application under my nick of "COJUDO". He and the other guy seemed visibly relieved and when I thought about it so was I since one of the things I found out about Mr. Savlan on the website is that he is an 18 year member of the NYPD and probably doesn't take well to Vito Corleone sounding Mullets like me sneaking up on their close six and inquiring as to their identify. The fact that the other guy was also a squad m8 and member of the NYPD made it all the more interesting. Subsequently he related to me that when he heard my voice he got this overwhelming feeling of loneliness at realizing that he didn't have his "PIECE" with him. Guess we were all lucky
We continued on walking and talking and he subsequently introduced me to various other members of the 475th who meet annually at the MAAM WWII Weekend since most are from the northeast. Seemed like a nice bunch of guys and they've invited me to fly with them at least until they find out if I'm capable of holding my own and not embarrassing them. What do you think? Do you agree with me that the Flight Sim Gods have spoken?
Anyway, my dear friends, I must bid you a fair adieu as I move on to new campaigns. It's been extremely gratifying to fly with all of you, most specially my very capable XO RAFBADER with whom I share a long relationship going back to FA1 and the full real arena. Also to the other 50% of the RRR, SHOULMAN and AIRSCREW a great pair. A fond farewell to all the Rooks in the RJO who have well fed my disire to feel like I was really a part of the great history of the second world war and last but not least to all the other Rooks and our very capable oponents the Knights and Bishops (notice my kindness at not deriding their names, classy eh?) Hang in there! AH is a great sim with a lot of promise and a great crew at the helm. I'm not leaving because of anything I don't like (maybe too much lagginess and warpiness in MA) but because at this point I just need something a little different.
Thanking you all for great times
Beeg
