New planes requests (from other threads/please pin it)

[Marabekm]

I have a request.
Get rid of the dates on the plane names. That way individuals will stop the misguided thinking that a plane that saw service in say 1943, was immediately obsolete and not used any more in 1944 or 45.

Lets take for instance the Hurricane Mk1. Labeled as 1938 in the game. This plane was the main British fighter in north Africa until slowly being replaced by the Tomahawks and then Kittyhawks in 1941-42. Quite capable of holding its own against Italian fighters such as Cr-42 (1939), Mc-200(1940-41), etc. Though a bit harder to fight against the 109E/Fs.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Marabekm

I have a request.
Get rid of the dates on the plane names. That way individuals will stop the misguided thinking that a plane that saw service in say 1943, was immediately obsolete and not used any more in 1944 or 45.

This is a very, very easy fix that you might even be able to do yourself. All that is required is editing the appropriate ".ini" file.

While the year of introduction is useful info for mission builders and people using dogfight servers, it could be moved to the "view objects" screen.

Other than that, just assume that an aircraft might have remained in service long after it was introduced despite being progressively obsolete, like Brewster B-239 and Hurricane Mk. I in Finnish service.

But, if we're talking about upgrading the the "view object information" feature of the game there's lots that could be done.

* Reduce or remove the historical section. It's irrelevant for a particular plane model.

* Add a screenshot of the cockpit for aircraft, along with a numbered list of positions for relevant gauges.

* Add useful information that you'd want to know when fighting or flying a particular airplane - like best cornering speed, maximum manifold pressure, take-off manifold pressure, take-off and landing distances, amount of ammunition, location of vulnerable points, armor location, etc.

* Add useful information for mission builders, like month and year of introduction, month and year of withdrawal from active service, units which used the type, and total units produced.

[sniperton]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

This is a very, very easy fix that you might even be able to do yourself. All that is required is editing the appropriate ".ini" file.

The appropriate '.ini' files are not accessible in the stock game, I'm afraid. What you mean is probably the plane.properties BTW.

As to the rest, TD would only need to create a form and a protocol how external data could be imported, and the rest could be done by the community. But honestly, the object viewer is far not as handy as good old AircraftViewer used to be.

[RPS69]

I used to research each scenery, I used to build missions with apropriate aircraft, and always complained about the lack of some models in particular.
To the point of avoiding entering in some of them for the few actors available.

For example the Su-2. On 1941 it was used widely, much more than the famous il-2 on the eastern front.
The Do17, the He-112 for a romanian campaign.
The Pzl 24 for the balkans map. The Bf110c, the french bombers, and the D520.
Now for the frecnh campaign we got the Hawk-75, it was actually the major type on the french air force.

Easch scenery got someone missing, but it is becoming better and better.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by RPS69

I used to research each scenery, I used to build missions with apropriate aircraft, and always complained about the lack of some models in particular.

Agreed. There are certain maps and campaigns which just can't be done correctly without adding a number of "obscure" units to the game. That is, units which were used during a few campaigns and no place else.

Mostly, they concern early war scenarios. Off the top of my head "obscure" aircraft which would be needed for a particular theater are:

China 1939-41: Ki-10 "Perry", Ki-30 "Ann," Ki-32 "Mary", Ki-51 "Sonia," A4N, B4Y "Jean", B5N1 "Kate," G3M1 "Nell". Curtiss A-12 Shrike, Curtiss Hawk III, Curtiss Hawk 75M, Dewoitine D.510, Martin B-10 (139WC).

Poland 1939: PZL P.7, PZL.23 Karas, PZL.37 Los. BF-109D-1, Bf-109D-3, Do.17Z, He-111P, Hs.126.

France 1939-40: Br. 693 series, Curtiss Hawk H75A-1, D.520 series, DB-7B-3, F.220, Late' 298 series, LN.401 series, LeO.45 series, Glen Martin 167F, MB.150 series, MB.200 series, MS.406 series, Potez 630 series. Battle Mk. I, Lysander Mk. I. Bf-109E-1, DFS 230 glider, Do.17Z, Hs.126.

Battle of Britain 1940: Bf-109E-1, Do.17Z, He.115 series. Anson series, Defiant Mk. I, Hampden Mk.I, Hudson Mk. I, Oxford Mk.I, Sea Otter Mk.II, Spitfire Mk. I, Sunderland Mk.I.

North Africa/Mediterranean 1940-43: Bf-110D & E series, He-115 series. Ba.64, Br.20, CANT Z.501, Cr.32 (and probably other Italian types). Albacore series, Barracuda series, Baltimore series, Bombay Mk. I, Boston Mk. I, II, III, & IIIA, Havoc Mk. III, Liberator Mk. II/LB-30, Hurricane Mk. IID & IV, Kittyhawk Mk. II, IIA, & III, Lysander Mk. I, Maryland series, Mitchell Mk. I, Sea Gladiator series, Sea Hurricane series, Sea Otter Mk. II. B-25B Mitchell, P-38E, F, G & H models, P-40 F, G, K, L, & N models.

Battle for Greece 1941: PZL P.24F & G, Breguet 19. Ba.64, Br.20, CANT Z.501, Cr.32 series (and probably others).

Southwest Pacific (i.e., Malaysia, Philippines, Dutch East Indies, Australia) 1941-42: Ki-30 "Ann," Ki-32 "Mary", Ki-51 "Sonia," D3A1 Model 22 & D3A2 "Val," G3M2 "Nell", H6K "Mavis". Buffalo Mk. I Field Mod., Mohawk series, Wirraway series, Hudson series. Curtiss H75A-7, Martin B-10B and 139WH, Dornier Do.24. Beech 18, Consolidated LB-30, Consolidated PBY series, P-26A, P-35A, P-38E, F & G models.

CBI 1942-45: Ki-32 "Mary", Ki-51 "Sonia," Ki-44 "Tojo" series. Hurricane Mk. IID & IV, Vengeance series. B-25B, C-46 Commando, P-43A, P-40 F, G, K, L & N models.

SW Pacific 1943-45: As for 1941-42, but also Commonwealth Boomerang, Vultee Vengeance, B-26A, P-47C-10, P-38 G & H series.

Romania: He-112, JRS-79, PZL P.24E & F.

Hungary: Ca.309, MAGAV Heja (Re.2000 variant), Me-210, WM-21 Sólyom

[sniperton]

Hungary had one of the weakest and smallest air forces among minor nations. Early-war planeset:

CR-32quater (76), CR-42 (60), Re.2000 (70);
Ju 86K-2 (66), Ca.135bis (36);
He-46E-2 (36), He-70K (18 ), WM-21 (altogether 128 until 1942);

Apart from these types used 'in numbers', there were some other obscure types in service, but typically with less than 6 planes each: Fw-58, Ca.101/3m, SM-75, FIAT G.12, He-111P, Do-215B-4, Ar-96.

Later in the war (after 1942) most of them were replaced with second-hand German equipment. (The licence-built Re.2000 version (200 built after 1942) was mainly used in second-line home defence.) The only flavour of the later-war Hungarian planeset was the home-manufactured Me-210Ca-1, which proved to be quite effective. But I think it was the same as with the Finnish: when you learnt surviving in a crap plane, you feel like a god in a mediocre one...

[dimlee]

Yer-2 for Eastern Front.... Ar-2 as well...
Ah, wait, are we going in another circle again and again?

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by sniperton

Hungary had one of the weakest and smallest air forces among minor nations.

Rivaled only by Bulgaria and Yugoslavia, which aren't even in the game!

Good write-up of what it would take to get a complete Hungarian order of battle.

Currently, we have the Bf-109, Bf-110, CR-42, FW-189, FW-190, He-111, Me-210, and Re.2000. That's a good selection of aircraft for a minor air force, but there's nothing there that you can't get by flying for the Luftwaffe or Regia Aeronautica. It would be fun and interesting if there was at least one "rare bird" which was unique to the Hungarian Air Force.

While it's utterly ridiculous to include it in the game, I've always had a soft spot for the WM.23 Ezust Nyil. Logically, it would make more sense to add the WM.21 Solyom or the Me-210C.

[Marabekm]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

North Africa/Mediterranean 1940-43: Bf-110D & E series, He-115 series. Ba.64, Br.20, CANT Z.501, Cr.32 (and probably other Italian types). Albacore series, Barracuda series, Baltimore series, Bombay Mk. I, Boston Mk. I, II, III, & IIIA, Havoc Mk. III, Liberator Mk. II/LB-30, Hurricane Mk. IID & IV, Kittyhawk Mk. II, IIA, & III, Lysander Mk. I, Maryland series, Mitchell Mk. I, Sea Gladiator series, Sea Hurricane series, Sea Otter Mk. II. B-25B Mitchell, P-38E, F, G & H models, P-40 F, G, K, L, & N models.

P-40M is same as Kittyhawk Mk III
A-20C is same as Boston (not sure which Mk though)

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Marabekm

P-40M is same as Kittyhawk Mk III
A-20C is same as Boston (not sure which Mk though)

I'm a bit confused about exactly what the RAF considered to be a Kittyhawk Mk. III. The RAF appeared to call both late production P-40L and early production P-40M variants by the name of Kittyhawk Mk. III.

I'm also not sure what, if any, British equipment was fitted on Lend-Lease aircraft. In game terms, if the Kittyhawk III has any differences to its cockpit, DM or FM from the P-40M or L, it has to be treated as a new plane. Otherwise, the ability to carry Soviet or British ordinance can just be treated as loadout variants to the basic US plane type.

The A-20C is a different bird from the early Boston series. There was extensive production of the precursor to the A-20, the DB-7, for both France and the UK prior to the Lend-Lease act in 1941. The aircraft in this series were built to French and later British standards. There was lots of French/British equipment fitted as at the factory, even though the planes were built in the US.

The Boston Mk. I is the British conversion of the French DB-7. The Boston Mk. II is either the British conversion of the French DB-7A, or a Boston Mk. I with improved engines. But, most Boston Mk.II were quickly turned into Havoc I night fighters.

The Boston Mk. III is either a converted French DB-73, or a DB-7B ordered directly by the RAF.

The original USAAF A-20 sort of corresponds to the DB-7B, but of course the USAAF wanted its own equipment installed, which necessitated the new variant.

The A-20B sort of corresponded to the DB-7A, with lighter armor than the DB-7B. But, it had American equipment rather than British.

The A-20C was the first attempt to create a "universal" version of the A-20 series which could be used by the US and all its allies.