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Thread: Random Aircraft Tables

  1. #1

    Default Random Aircraft Tables

    Executive summary: I have put together tables of which aircraft were in use for each season of the war for the Germans, U.K., and French. They're on the Wings of Linen WIKI front page or at: https://linen.miraheze.org/wiki/Cate...m_Plane_Tables

    Longer story: I've been collecting data on which planes were in use for each combatant nation for many years. The Germans have the best data...the Frontbestand records show how many planes of each type were in use on the front lines. There are some small mistakes, and we're missing data for October 1918, but the data is otherwise very solid. The French data is less clear, but we do get a good clue by when a unit changed its name. For instance Escadrille N (Nieuport) 49 became SPA (SPAD) 49 in December 1917 when they transitioned to SPAD 7's. For the British, Philpott's The Birth of the Royal Air Force gives a list of which types were present with each squadron and for how long (though it lacks a count...it might have been one aircraft or fifteen).

    Using these data I have in the past put together charts of types in use, but I thought another way of looking at the same data would be in scenario generation... given a season of a year (say, Summer 1917), make a 1d100 roll and come up with an aircraft type (or types) for a scenario, where those percentage charts are based on historical data. For instance, for British Fighters in Summer 1917...
    01-14 Sopwith Pup
    15-23 RAF F.E.2b¹
    24-32 Sopwith Camel
    33-41 Sopwith Strutter¹
    42-49 Airco D.H.5
    etc.
    (¹ = It's difficult to tell when these planes were used for the fighter role vs. other roles, so the table just reflects their raw usage rather than try to guess at the role proportions.)

    I've put together tables for those three nations; one for fighters and one for bomber/reconnaissance aircraft. (The Germans are broken down by class-type: D&Dr&E; B&C; CL&J; G.) I think I've got the data to do a chart on German R-class planes (giant bombers), but I have to read through The German Giants again to put that together.

    It would be nice to put together charts and tables for other nations, e.g. Italy, Austria-Hungary, U.S., Russia, Belgium..., but my sources there are much more sketchy and anecdotal. If anyone knows of solid usage data for those countries, please reply in this thread.

  2. #2

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    I went through several sources, but no primary sources, to create my timeline.

    General Overview of WWI Miniatures - Timeline and Theaters 2017

    This was my attempt to match up available 'official' minis and guide my collecting to keep to the Western Front. It was supposed to keep games remotely historical. It certainly won't be as detailed as your effort appears to be building toward.
    Mike
    "Flying is learning to throw yourself at the ground and miss" Douglas Adams
    "Wings of Glory won't skin your elbows and knees while practicing." OldGuy59

  3. #3

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    Wow that’s an impressive piece of work.

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  4. #4

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    Really nice work! Very useful and great information!

  5. #5

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    These tables are wonderful. Thanks for putting these together Daryl.

  6. #6

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    They are far too useful. I found a couple of gaps in my collection so... another shapeways order.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by malachi View Post
    They are far too useful. I found a couple of gaps in my collection so... another shapeways order.
    Yeah, Daryl has a subtle plan to get us to buy more of his Shapeways creations. It's working. My must have list is now a bit longer.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Teaticket View Post
    Yeah, Daryl has a subtle plan to get us to buy more of his Shapeways creations. It's working. My must have list is now a bit longer.
    Ditto.

    Having vowed to not buy any more Shapeways planes, his 3D Coloured beauties lured me in, and now I'm padding out orders for those by adding more WSF ones.
    I laugh in the face of danger - then I hide until it goes away!

  9. #9

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    Buahaha!

    In all seriousness, one of the things that fascinates me about WWI aircraft is the variety and evolution of the planes over such a short period.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by ReducedAirFact View Post

    It would be nice to put together charts and tables for other nations, e.g. Italy, Austria-Hungary, U.S., Russia, Belgium..., but my sources there are much more sketchy and anecdotal. If anyone knows of solid usage data for those countries, please reply in this thread.
    I know the Hostile Aircraft game has timelines for all their aircraft, though not numbers. How good his research is....
    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus



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