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

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Marabekm

Flyable Blenheims - both Mk I and MkIV

Not just useful for early Med maps, but also 1939-42 Western Europe, 1940-43 Finland, and 1942 Singapore.

It's probably the most useful AI plane to make flyable.

Originally Posted by Marabekm

Flyable Gladiators Mk I and MkII

I'm surprised that the Gladiators haven't been flyable made yet.

Literally, all you need to do is rework the instrument panel and repaint the rest of the cockpit so that the placards are in English rather than Swedish.

Originally Posted by Marabekm

Lysander, Short Sunderland, Martin Maryland, Beaufighter Ic

Yep. Westland Lysander Mk. I & II (the Mk. II was just an engine upgrade), Short Sunderland Mk. I, Martin 167 Maryland Mk. II, Bristol Beaufighter Mk. IC.

Possibly add the Martin 187 Baltimore to the list. Possibly Martin 167 French version and Martin Maryland Mk. I.

But all of these would be a LOT of work. It might be too ambitious to make the Maryland flyable, since I'm not sure that pictures of the interior exist.

Originally Posted by Marabekm

Add flyable - Fiat Cr-32, Ba-65, G.50 bis

CR-32 and Ba-65 might not have cockpit references needed to make it flyable.

G.50bis looks like it would be incredibly easy to add to the game - all that changed was the size of the fuel tank, which would just be a simple change to FM and DM.

TD could also take a look at the G.50 series, since apparently Finnish versions were much slower than the Italian versions. There could also be a G.50 Serie I version with closed cockpit. The version in the game is the Serie II.

[sniperton]

Just a question, but does anybody positively know that the Ba-65 actually saw combat?

[_1SMV_Gitano]

Originally Posted by sniperton

Just a question, but does anybody positively know that the Ba-65 actually saw combat?

Yes, from memory it was used mainly in North Africa in 1940-41 as a ground attack aircraft.

[Marabekm]

Originally Posted by sniperton

Just a question, but does anybody positively know that the Ba-65 actually saw combat?

Yes it did, with 50th Stormo. At least through Operation Compass anyways. Problem was it was an older design. And its replacement, the Ba. 88 was shall we say not up to the task, so the Ba. 65 had stay past its time. Seems like they were in North Africa from June 1940 until February 1941.

Have a look at: A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940 - 1945 Vol. 1


Also, have a look here: http://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/mus...mRO-37bis.aspx
that is the Italian Air Force museum. They have an actual Ro. 37 and A Cr-32(well the Spanish Version) on display. So who wants to take cockpit pictures? lol

[majorfailure]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Seems to be a common request. With the TBD/TBM being off-limits, a flyable TBD is about the closest we'll ever get to a flyable USN torpedo bomber.

SB2C
While not a pure torpedo bomber it had the ability to carry torpedoes and it is not a low performance plane like the TBD. Or use the Fairey Barracuda, which is a least Western allied material - and the Avenger's role&performance should be close enough to fill the gap in the planeset.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by majorfailure

SB2C
While not a pure torpedo bomber it had the ability to carry torpedoes and it is not a low performance plane like the TBD. Or use the Fairey Barracuda, which is a least Western allied material - and the Avenger's role&performance should be close enough to fill the gap in the planeset.

The Fairey Albacore would also be a good choice for an Allied early/mid war torpedo bomber. It saw plenty of action in the Mediterranean, both in North Africa and operating from Malta. Given the choice between adding the Lysander or the Albacore to the game, I'd have to go with the Albacore.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Marabekm

Yes it did, with 50th Stormo. At least through Operation Compass anyways. Problem was it was an older design. And its replacement, the Ba. 88 was shall we say not up to the task, so the Ba. 65 had stay past its time.

Basically, the Ba.65 was Italy's answer to the Neiman R-10, the Sukhoi Su-2, or the Fairey Battle. It was obsolete, not a great design to begin with, and used in small numbers against terrible odds by very brave/suicidal/foolhardy men.

The most effective Italian ground attack aircraft was the Ju-87 or the SM79. All the Regia Aeronautica's other ground attack aircraft were obsolete and/or outright dangerous to fly.

I'd also add the Ba.88 Lince to the list of Italian types commonly used in North Africa. But, it shouldn't be flyable. Instead, it would just be a static object which could be placed near airfields as a decoy.

[Marabekm]

The Ba. 65 performed well in the Spanish Civil war. As did the Cr. 32. This is what helped lull Italy into thinking its planes were good enough, and not much was designed between the Spanish Civil War and WW2.

The Ba. 88 was useless. On paper it was an all star, but in reality, not even close. Fully loaded, the Ba. 88 was not even capable of take-off. Even by reducing the ammunition carried, getting rid of the rear crewman, and reducing bomb loads did very little to help. So the Regia Aeronautica was forced to use the Ba. 65 (not a bad plane, just past its time- like the TBD Devastator) and Cr-32 in the ground attack role. Until Ju-87s arrived.

According to Mr. Sores (A History of the Mediterranean Air War) The Ba. 88s of 7 Gruppo arrived in North Africa on August 1940. Two days later only 1/3 of those that arrived were considered serviceable. Last combat mission of Ba. 88 was October 15th of the same year. But.... If someone wants to add it, go for it.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Marabekm

The Ba. 65 performed well in the Spanish Civil war. As did the Cr. 32. This is what helped lull Italy into thinking its planes were good enough, and not much was designed between the Spanish Civil War and WW2.

Yep. That, plus the inherent conservatism of the leaders of the Regia Aeronautica doomed Italian air power in WW2, although they were leaders in aviation in the 1920s and early 30s. But, to give Italy credit, its economy and industrial base wasn't that strong, so there were limits to what it could do. The Italians had some great planes, but never enough of them, and often far too late in arriving to do any good.

Originally Posted by Marabekm

The Ba. 88 was useless. On paper it was an all star, but in reality, not even close.

I think of it as being like the Brewster Buffalo - a good design destroyed by all the added equipment required to turn it into a combat aircraft.

I proposed just including it in the game as a static decoy aircraft because that was its historical role!

Were someone crazy enough to add a flyable Ba.88 to the game, I'd be more interested in the unarmed and unarmored prototype version. Potentially, it could have been used as a successful liaison or recon plane, or even as a high-speed target tug (all traditional roles for failed light bomber designs - see Bristol Buckingham). Another "what if" version is the Ba.88M with longer wings and up-rated engines. That might have potentially been a decent airplane.

[majorfailure]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

I think of it as being like the Brewster Buffalo - a good design destroyed by all the added equipment required to turn it into a combat aircraft.

Maybe the Italians should have given all of their Ba88 to the Finnish Airforce, the would have turned into some kind of super ground attack, best pilot destroying more tanks than Rudel.