Aircraft Recognition Guide

[PostumusAgrippa]

The one guide that I think would be most useful (that doesn't currently exist) is an aircraft recognition guide for playing with no icons.  I love the challenge of playing with full realism, but I found it difficult to positively identify planes from just looking at them.  This is especially a problem in the most advantageous combat positions, flying above and behind the target, because of the lack of contrast between the usually white camo and the ground, and sketchy rendering at distance.  Since there are no teamwide voice comms (like actual WW2 pilots would have), or any kind of radio IFF, it comes down to either visual identification, waiting for someone to shoot at you, or just making an educated guess based on direction of flight (to or from enemy airfield).

 

Visual ID is obviously the best method, but I haven't seen anything on the forums making a detailed study of the visible aircraft features, or cataloging the differences between German and Russian planes.  I have seen plenty of old black and white silhouette guides, but without much in the way of annotation.  Anyone interested in putting something like this together?  I'm thinking something like In-game screenshots of planes from different angles/distances, and labelled comparisons of structural elements.  I would be happy to help put this together if someone could add their knowledge of aircraft construction and terminology.

[SCG_Neun]

http://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/6622-problems-aircraft-identification/?hl=vsg1_winger&do=findComment&comment=120986

[Finkeren]

There have been several attempts at that already, and as the planeset expands post release, there's bound to be more.

 

That being said, aircraft identification comes rather easily with this small planeset. Virtually all the aircraft are quite distinct and easy to tell apart. The only two cases, where confusion is even posible are between the two Bf 109s (where ID is practically imposible at all but the closest distance except by looking at paint scemes) and the between the Yak and the LaGG (where you'll quily learn to recognize the LaGGs "heavier" look and smaller tail fin)

[PostumusAgrippa]

The linked post with the juxtaposed aircraft profiles is a good start, I hadn't seen that before, and it is a step up from small resolution, black silhouettes.  That said, having a similar guide posted using in-game screenshots would be awesome, and even better would be some short, recorded flyby's of various planes at various angles for study purposes, kind of like video flash-cards.  Maybe I'll throw something like that together.

[VBF-12_Gosling-71]

Ours are shilloettes:

 

http://www.tidesofwar.net/index.php/byAir/IL2-BoS/12OIAE/12_recognition.html

 

Gosling

12.OIAE

[SE.VH_Boemundo]

Ours are shilloettes:

 

http://www.tidesofwar.net/index.php/byAir/IL2-BoS/12OIAE/12_recognition.html

 

Gosling

12.OIAE

Hello,

 

Nice website! I did not know it yet...

 

Thank you!