Which Aircraft Will You Choose?

[bw_wolverine]

As we get closer and closer and closer to maybe possibly actually having this game, I wanted to ask people which plane they're going to adopt for the battle of britain and why. Also, do you play in an organized community? What time do you play online? Maybe we can help get people who want to be part of something bigger involved in online wars or squadrons. Might be a better use of time and forum space than another argument about Steam or Freetrack.

As for me:

Plane?: Hurricane

Why?: My friends and I play missions in IL-2 with the P-40E. When we start flying as a squadron in CloD I think we'll find it an easier transition to the Hurricane. Also, we proudly fight for the allies in this virtual war.

Organized?: Roughly four or five of us play IL-2 with some regularity but not part of a larger online war. We fly as the Bad Wolf Squadron (not historical). We're fairly casual, but can step up the discipline when required.

When?: We fly around 8:00pm EST (Eastern Canada/USA)

interesting question: I'm quite looking forward to try the smaller planes, on which I have some moderate experience (350 hrs on the Tiggie and 24 on the Bf10 and want to see what they achieved there. After that I'm very curious to try the lot, esp the twin engine boys.

Having said this all.. I'm quite fought between the 109 and Spitfire..

[ghodan]

Pikachu i choose you!

(Bf019)

[Skoshi Tiger]

As long as I can strap a lewis gun on me Tiger Moth, I'll be right!

[TheGrunch]

The Hurricane's appealing to me at the moment. I'll fly the Tiger Moth training section first though.

[ATAG_Dutch]

Originally Posted by Skoshi Tiger

As long as I can strap a lewis gun on me Tiger Moth, I'll be right!

Too much RoF, Skoshi?!

At the earliest opportunity, I'll set up a solo Spit flight at Dawn, do some aerobatics over the airfield, edit the track, capture the footage and make a short film, adding Elgar's Nimrod from the Enigma Variations.

Then I'll watch it a lot, and compare it to the identical thing I did with IL2.

After I've done the full training thing in the Tiger, I'm hoping to go direct to a Spit squadron, coz I always find Hurris awkward in IL2.

I can usually be found getting shot down a lot on UKDed1, any evening from 9.00pm - ish UK time, and expect to be doing the same with CoD, as long as my connection is good enough.

Spit for me, every time!

As to team issues, does anyone recall whether voicecomms are part of the package, or will we be using Teamspeak?

[robtek]

My squad and me will fly.........

the Bf110 of course.

And this time not as close escort, but in a free hunt or as low level surprise on some english airport.

[Flying Pencil]

Do-17z/215!!!1!1one!

Soon as it's flyable.

[Friendly_flyer]

I've always had a soft spots for the underdog. I'll be restricted to offline for a while (house full of toddlers, won't be able to play a full mission through), so I plan to take it slow and do the Tigermoth and Gladiator for training, then settle into a Hurricane. In IL2 I prefer the Hurricane over the Spitfire. I guess I'm too old and slow to draw full benefit from the extra manoeuvrability, but the stability of the old Hurribird is very much appreciated. For the German side I'm with the 110 crowd, though released from their historical tactical limitations I think they are may become fearful weapons.

Having done that, I think I'll go fully masochistic and go for the Blenheim...

[Blackdog_kt]

That's a nice progression you got there Friendly_Flyer. I think i'll fly the twin engined birds a lot.

I like the early 109s as a fighter option but the lack of fuel is a concern. What i don't know about is the kind of reservoir size vs fuel consumption rates correlation/range etc on the Italian aircraft.

It would be interesting to see everyone flying G50s if they can range longer than the 109s

EDIT: Apparently it's not going happen... range was about 670km (418 miles) according to wikipedia

Originally Posted by wikipedia

In September 1940, 20° Gruppo (Squadriglie 351/352/353), commanded by Maggiore Mario Bonzano, equipped with Fiat G.50 was part of the 56° Stormo formed to operate during the Battle of Britain as part of the Corpo Aereo Italiano based in Belgium, with 18° Gruppo (Fiat CR.42). Their use was hampered by their slow speed, open cockpits and short range. At the beginning of 1941, the C.A.I. came back in Italy, except for two G.50 Squadriglie that stayed in Belgium with Luftflotte 2, until April. While with the C.A.I. the Fiats flew 429 missioni-velivoli (missions), 34 escorts and 26 scrambles but could not manage to engage enemy aircraft. One aircraft was lost and seven more were damaged. While with Luftflotte 2, 20° Gruppo lost four additional fighters and two pilots were killed (Roncali (13 February 1941) and Meneghini (3 April), both of 352a Squadriglia), while two G.50s were damaged by German fighters and flak.[16] [N 1]

The experiences of the early series G.50s over Britain showed the inadequacies of the type. Its operations were almost useless in the campaign because they were too short-ranged and stationed too away from England. The G.50s had limited endurance, with missions rarely exceeding one hour. The G.50bis with larger fuel tanks was already in production, but it was not sent to 20° Gruppo in time. Performance was also lacking; when 22 Fiat G.50s intercepted several Hawker Hurricanes on 5 November 1940, the RAF fighters easily escaped. On 21 November, when a Bristol Blenheim attacked the Medgelem airfield two G.50s scrambled, but lost the bomber in the clouds. On 23 November, G.50s followed four Hurricanes, but were unable to close on them. Another fruitless intercept took place on 31 January, when G.50s lost a Blenheim that escaped into the clouds. The last sighting of enemy aircraft (fighters) occurred on 8 April 1941, when, once again, the elusive targets were not intercepted.

The G.50s were early models with an open canopy, useful in Mediterranean climes, but the pilots suffered heavily in the bad weather of northern Europe. The aircraft was also under-equipped, with a mediocre radio set (powered by batteries, prone to freeze at altitude) and lacking any armour protection. [N 2] In Belgium, 20° Gruppo had the opportunity to see the Bf 109 in action with several G.50 pilots trained top fly the type with two Bf 109Es sent to the Gruppo in mid-January 1941.[18]

The G.50s returned to Italy and later the 20° Gruppo had the G.50bis that had the endurance required for operational missions utilizing an extra fuel tank in the internal fuselage section originally configured as a bomb bay, but this series was primarily utilized over Africa. In the second half of the war, the G.50 operated as a multirole fighter/ground attack aircraft, with external bombs only.[19] During the opening phase of the Allied invasion of Sicily, the G.50 was the most numerous aircraft used by the Regia Aeronautica to counter attack the Allied landings.[20] Just before the invasion, the Regia Aeronautica moved to Southern Italy. 50° Stormo Assalto, a specialized ground attack unit was equipped with Fiat G.50bis fighter-bombers. As soon the invasion started, on 10 July 1943, further units were rushed to the area.[21] With other Italian and German ground attack units, 45 Fiat G.50bis of 158° and 159° Gruppi Assalto, from Pistoia [20] were committed to attack ships, landing craft and troops. On 11 July, 10 of them were in action with Re.2002s (escorted by five Re.2005s of 362a Squadriglia), when they were intercepted by an overwhelming fighter “umbrella”. Three G.50s were shot down, including Tenente Colonnello Guido Nobili, commander of 5° Stormo Assalto.[22] The remainder landed on an airfield but were destroyed by an incoming air attack.

That's one of the better wikipedia articles i've seen, it's got lot of interesting information on the type: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_G.50