PO-2 collector plane

[bubo942]

Hello , 

I have a question  will the PO-2 also available as armed variant or only as two seat trainer ???

 

Thank you for answer .

[Custard]

Well, we don't know yet. But given that Jason has expressed interest in the night witches before. I'd wager we will also get an armed variant as a field mod.

[danielprates]

I would be happy even with just the trainer version. Like CloD had the Tiger Moth for that purpose. Just flying around alone in a custom mission map is entertaining enough.

 

 

[bubo942]

I think the trainer variant of any aircraft  is needed from DAY 1 in this game  (and as you said same as Clod have Tiger moth Bos should have something similar ).But i want  to try to be night witch  

[Stilico]

I imagine that you can count on one hand the number of people who would be interested in buying just a trainer aircraft. The tiger moth was neat and all, but I would have *never* bought the thing separately in Cliffs.

[Nil]

I will buy at least two of them for sure!

I am sure that there will be a trainer version, without gunner like Tante Ju

I am so impatient to get it and fly it on multi!! as well on solo!

This will be a FANTASTIC addition for our beloved simulator!!

[Gambit21]

It flew combat extensively over the Kuban, why would they just give us a trainer?

[Stilico]

Oh, I've been thoroughly enjoying the JU-52. I never thought I'd pick it up but I decided to pull the trigger on a sale and don't regret it. The thing is, though, that there is stuff to do in the JU-52. You'll have a real hard time selling an aircraft just to joyride in. I meant that I can't imagine them ever selling just a trainer. I'm sure it will be armed.

[Nil]

Yes for sure it will be armed and will have some use. Il2 team will make  something fantastic out of it, like they did with Tante Ju!

Nachthexen !!!

 

[curiousGamblerr]

8 minutes ago, 1./TG1_Nil said:

Nachthexen !!!

 

Can't wait!

[Gambit21]

I can't wait to putter around the Caucasus in that thing.

[Feathered_IV]

Developers and mission builders should consider a system whereby the Po-2 pilot accrues points and mission goals not just by destruction, but also by the amount of time they manage to loiter over a target.  The aircraft’s value was not in its bomb load, but more in its disruptive power.  Playing cat and mouse with flak and searchlights as an objective in itself would be a welcome addition to gameplay.  For both sides.  

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Its value as an attack, reconnaissance, and psychological warfare aircraft will become apparent once player-controlled ground units are available. 

 

For tankers, there will be nothing more terrifying than the sound of a loitering Po-2 that's revealing their position (at least until an Il-2 attack begins).  

Edited April 24, 2018 by Mitthrawnuruodo

[Royal_Flight]

14 hours ago, Feathered_IV said:

Developers and mission builders should consider a system whereby the Po-2 pilot accrues points and mission goals not just by destruction, but also by the amount of time they manage to loiter over a target.  The aircraft’s value was not in its bomb load, but more in its disruptive power.  Playing cat and mouse with flak and searchlights as an objective in itself would be a welcome addition to gameplay.  For both sides.  

 

This is a great idea, and so simple. 

In a similar way there could be arty spotting, where your presence in a Po-2 allows accurate fires on a target which stop if you are shot down, have to leave the area, or maybe even if you are disrupted from flying a track orbiting the target zone.

So the longer you loiter over a target, the more the incoming artillery causes damage that slowly knocks out ground objects and whenever that target is wiped from the map you can divert to another one, if there is enough fuel in the tank. 

 

This would let the Po-2 really punch above its weight. 

This could also be linked to artillery batteries on the map as friendly targets, and if the enemy knock out all your artillery then there is nothing to fire in the first place, giving your team’s fighters two objectives to defend (Po-2 and artillery). 

[Cpt_Cool]

Have you flown the artillery spotting missions in ROF? You have a map with a grid overlay. So you find the target, estimate the target's location on your map, transpose the grid, radio that grid space in to the artillery, wait for the fire, and subsequently make corrections. It is excellent, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in that sort of thing in the PO-2. If I remember correctly, Jason has said he wants to bring this mission into BOX.

Edited April 24, 2018 by Cpt_Cool

[Nil]

That sounds Yummy! 

I hope we will have something like that, with a radio loadout it will be fun and rewarding

What you think guys?

[curiousGamblerr]

16 hours ago, Feathered_IV said:

Developers and mission builders should consider a system whereby the Po-2 pilot accrues points and mission goals not just by destruction, but also by the amount of time they manage to loiter over a target.  The aircraft’s value was not in its bomb load, but more in its disruptive power.  Playing cat and mouse with flak and searchlights as an objective in itself would be a welcome addition to gameplay.  For both sides.  

 

From what I've read, the psychological aspect of constant bombardment and loitering planes was achieved by a stream of Po-2s, not any one aircraft hanging out over the target. From the accounts in Dance with Death I have a hard time imagining any of the Po-2 pilots loitering over target any longer than necessary. The were incredibly vulnerable if caught by the search lights, so attempting to loiter would have been suicidal.

 

Have you guys read any accounts of them intentionally hanging out over target after dropping bombs, except in the case where they were attempting to help another aircraft or something?

 

That said, there will still be plenty of cat and mouse with search lights just getting in and out for that one bomb run, I'm sure! Pumped to try a career in this aircraft.

[Guest deleted@83466]

Was the PO-2 actually used a lot during daylight hours as an artillery spotter?

 

I imagine that a recon or artillery spot will eventually be incorporated into the game to accomodate FC.   I don't know what kind of role the PO-2 could play in most multiplayer settings unless it has a daylight reconnaissance role, since night flights are not something that are going to gain any traction in a multiplayer environment.

Edited April 24, 2018 by SeaSerpent

[Elem]

I can't wait for the Po-2 and lady pilots. I've been training my lady friend, Lilia (I call her "Ace") in the Yak-1 (No. 44 of course!) but this would be so much easier for her to handle. I'll be introducing her to the real thing at Old Warden in a few weeks and that will make it so much more rewarding once we have it in sim. I just need to get her to read 'Night Witches' then!

[migmadmarine]

I quite like the idea of flying flights to shuttle officers too and from front units, as described in Red Sky, Black Death. 

[Godspeed]

Problem is the AA AI in this simulator.

Try Po-2 in hard / dense to get your firecrackers to hit railway station even at night.

 

 

Ai needs fixing they know where you are and they will get you down instantly.

Would be nice to hear how long you guys "loiter" over the target.

 

 

 

Edited April 25, 2018 by Godspeed

[Gambit21]

AA/AI just needs to be set to "low" for the millionth time.

 

That coupled with adjusting the number of guns and you can achieve whatever AA effect you want more or less.

 

Even on low they're pretty good - you can't snooze and fly straight and level - but more than manageable.

You can't achieve AA firing wildly into the night however - just not possible right now.

 

A setting below "low" would admittedly help for this effect.

[Feathered_IV]

The devs showed a video during the BoS early access which explained how the game's flak accuracy suffered at night, relying on engine noise until the target was illuminated by searchlights.  It also detailed the sort of contortions the pilot would need to do to shake the searchlights off.  

[Royal_Flight]

Is that borne out by in-game performance though?

 

I’m fairly sure I’ve seen flak guns track aircraft through terrain and buildings, or gunners in aircraft being alerted to an aircraft they can’t physically see and aiming at exactly the right point for a perfect snapshot when the enemy appears in their field of view for a split-second.

This would imply that spottting and tracking isn’t based on visibility.

 

I’d be happy to be wrong, obviously. 

[Feathered_IV]

I’m not sure.  It was years ago when the Lapino map was the only one available.  The video might still be in their YouTube channel though.  

[LukeFF]

3 hours ago, Royal_Flight said:

I’d be happy to be wrong, obviously. 

 

You are.  This behavior goes back to ROF.

[Godspeed]

9 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

AA/AI just needs to be set to "low" for the millionth time.

 

 

Are you saying that low med hard does not affect the AI planes too?

When i tried at moderate enemy AI could not hit my bf-110 even i fly straight line.

Tail gunner killed 3 planes in and many more occasion.

 

Could get over 100+ kills with 110E2 with around 30 flights. (Ironman)

Do they even see you at "low" difficulty.

Edited April 27, 2018 by Godspeed

[NN_RugbyGoth]

The real major step with the Po2 would be to have it as a two seater with double commands. That way in our flight schools instructors can show the students and then give them the commands and correct them in real time.
If the double commands are not feasible at least this plane being a two seater could be a great help for our schools!