Several brief points concerning the Great War gentlemen.
You're right Flyer, the British and French generals in the Second World War, did not allow for the use of "All-Arms Tactics," the combined use of aircraft, artillery, armour and infantry, which was Blitz Krieg. Curious really when you consider that it was just these tactics which the Allies used in 1918 to break through the trench system which had characterised the war on the Western Front.
One of the few amusing points of warfare in 1939 was that both British and German tanks of that time had good armour plating but inadequate guns so shells used to bounce off the hulls of the tanks without causing much damage. It must have been quite noisy for those inside mind!
My maternal grandfather who had rejoined the British Army in 1913 and served as an infantryman throughout the Great War, was wounded four times during the war. If one German soldier had been a bit more lucky or a bit better trained, I would not be here!
Another point for you American gentlemen to consider, then in the pacifist phrase of the time, "No More War!" The population of the USA in 1900 according to Wikipedia was nearly 76,000,000. Curiously the population of Great Britain, which included the whole of Ireland at that time, and the population of France, were both estimated at 38,000,000. In other words the populations of both Great Britain and France where about half the size of that of the United States. Let's assume that there was no significant proportional change between 1900 and 1914.
Just imagine what the impact on American thinking of the losses of the First World War, if the USA had lost 1,700,000 of it's young men in that conflict. That's twice the number of British fatalities in WW1.
If the Americans had lost men in the same proportion as the French, they would have lost 2,800,000.
Finally on a lighter note. A photograph of my BE2, as posted above (2944), has been chosen as the poster girl to advertise a fly-in at my local club on 4th September. Unfortunately I will be in England at the time so won't be able to participate but I will be taking my lap-top with me so I'll be able to stay in touch with you guys!
Last edited by Telemaster Sales UK; 08-22-2016 at 09:23 PM.