A20 bomb door lights

[56RAF_Stickz]

Search not found any reports for the A20 door light intensity,

Brief description

When A20 bomb bay doors open, small tail light illuminates. In broad daylight within 1km it is almost invisible. Beyond 3km it is very visible and gets worse the further away you are to max vision range. It was meant to indicate within a small group that leaders opened bomb doors. This does the opposite, it tells all within max view range here I am whilst those nearest see nothing. It is also just as visible from the front quarters.

 

Detail

The main purpose of the light is to indicate (particularly if radio silence) that doors are open at night or in poor visibility. Then that bombs are dropping when red to those in close formation behind.

In good visibility, the bomb door opening would be apparent.

Attached a series of images, from online server, within a group all with doors open, external to group with only leader doors open, 2km to rear, and then >8km away where it shines like a light bulb.

All bombers with doors open, my light is visible but neither of the others who are within 600m. Would expect them to be visible to me here.

Lead bomber only, his light very visible from 6km.

2km in trail, where it is just visible and arguably just about right.

Then is side view from near max vision range where in my opinion its far too bright and ought to be invisible.

3 from escorts view, lights off then on (and this is from front quarter where they should be invisible). Then another at max range from front. Here, whilst jpg format makes them less obvious, actually moving is as obvious as christmas lights. Again a front quarter view.

In actual fact if you pause a track and scan round the A20s, the light is almost brighter/easier seen from the front than the rear.

And graphic settings (also have 50km map scenery distance)

Please try to do something to diminish the long distance intensity of these lights. And I believe it should be invisible from the front hemisphere. It is inset into the rear fuselage, it ought to be no more that a narrow, dim torchlight observable from a very narrow FOV to rear.

 

Running win7, high settings, 32" monitor.

[Chief_Mouser]

I totally agree. Flying online we suddenly saw this bright light (UFO?) hurtling down at a great speed before hitting the ground and exploding. It turned out to be the remains of an A-20 with its bomb bay doors open. The light is MUCH too visible at distance.

 

[RedKestrel]

I had no idea this was a thing. Is this a recent thing? I can't remember a time I watched an A20 on a bomb run in external view so I can't say for sure if I've ever noticed it.

The way lights work in this sim they all seem to show up better at max range than at close range...close up the lights in daylight seem pretty realistic, but once you go beyond a few hundred metres planes are lit up like Christmas trees. 

[BraveSirRobin]

Nav lights are too bright in daylight at long distances in this game.  They also make it almost impossible to ID the contact.  But it’s probably a difficult problem to solve.

[Chief_Mouser]

35 minutes ago, BraveSirRobin said:

  But it’s probably a difficult problem to solve.

 

I do hope that you are wrong. However, the total silence on the issue from 'on high' might indicate otherwise. At least there's a mod for singleplayer that tones all of the lights right down.

 

Edited August 27, 2019 by Red_Cat

[356thFS_Melonfish]

I believe this is the same issue as the Nav lights bug, they're not seen well close up but are like the beacons of gondor for the entire map.

 

[TG-55Panthercules]

8 minutes ago, Melonfish said:

I believe this is the same issue as the Nav lights bug, they're not seen well close up but are like the beacons of gondor for the entire map.

 

 

If it's the same problem, I wonder if the nav light mod also fixes this A-20 issue (or could be made to do so) - anybody know? (I'm not in a position to test it myself for a while)

[56RAF_Stickz]

4 hours ago, RedKestrel said:

I had no idea this was a thing. Is this a recent thing? I can't remember a time I watched an A20 on a bomb run in external view so I can't say for sure if I've ever noticed it.

As far as I know its always been there. I thought there was already a bug report - but I misread it.  As others have suggested it is probably similar reason to nav/formation lights.

Bottom line never open doors until 15seconds from drop and close em pdq afterwards.

[[APAF]VR_Spartan85]

This is still an issue, now in some cases the light will appear 100 feet away from the plane itself...    like it’s dropping a flare lol.