Flying in Career mode...

[Knarley-Bob]

Why do all the planes in my fight wait to drop their bombs till right before they land? I'm the only one who drops them trying to hit the target. Had a F190 chasing a "Wing Mate" he had all of his bombs, plus rocket tubes. The F190 never caught him, P-47s, I was in persuit, no bombs or rocket tubes, I couldn't catch them either. Is this normal?

Edited April 17, 2020 by Knarley-Bob

[PatrickAWlson]

The first is AI.  Not sure what else to say.

 

The second is probably engine management (I have the same problems myself).  The AI is going to achieve near perfect engine management.  If yours is not good, and my understanding is that getting the best out of P47s down low is not easy, that could explain why you weren't catching either of the AI planes.

[Knarley-Bob]

I'm just starting to use the Career mode, and it's a bit confusing . I'm there doing the "Monkey see, monkey do" thing, trying to figure out what's going on.

57 minutes ago, PatrickAWlson said:

The first is AI.  Not sure what else to say.

 

The second is probably engine management (I have the same problems myself).  The AI is going to achieve near perfect engine management.  If yours is not good, and my understanding is that getting the best out of P47s down low is not easy, that could explain why you weren't catching either of the AI planes.

Yeah, the P-47 in this sim is kind of a pig. Oh well,

Thanks

[41Sqn_Skipper]

2 hours ago, Knarley-Bob said:

Why do all the planes in my fight wait to drop their bombs till right before they land? I'm the only one who drops them trying to hit the target. Had a F190 chasing a "Wing Mate" he had all of his bombs, plus rocket tubes. The F190 never caught him, P-47s, I was in persuit, no bombs or rocket tubes, I couldn't catch them either. Is this normal?

 

No this is not normal. Usually AI hits the ground target quite well (target selection is debatable sometimes). 

[PatrickAWlson]

21 minutes ago, Knarley-Bob said:

I'm just starting to use the Career mode, and it's a bit confusing . I'm there doing the "Monkey see, monkey do" thing, trying to figure out what's going on.

Yeah, the P-47 in this sim is kind of a pig. Oh well,

Thanks

 

It's not the plane as much as how it's being used.  The P47 was a better performer at altitude.  It was also a  great ground attack plane, but was not a great air-air platform on the deck.  By late 44 it really didn't have to be as the LW was pretty much spent.  Surviving AA was most important.

 

Online as well as in the game there is more opposition than real P47s would have faced down low.   That is very true in PWCG, probably the campaigns and scripted missions too, so the game and how people fly online is not really showing the best face of the plane.

 

As for performance, there was a thread awhile back talking about how to get more our of it.  If you can't catch up to a bomb laden wingman then the problem sits between the headrest and the stick, as the AI is flying the same FM as you are (coming from somebody who suffers from the same issues, so not intended as an insult).  

Edited April 17, 2020 by PatrickAWlson

[blitze]

@Knarley-Bob

Check the distance on the mission map before clicking to start - as to how far you have to fly.  The P47 can carry a lot of fuel as can the P51 and you probably only need 400liters or less for most missions.  That helps with weight.

 

Read up on the Max Continuous Engine mode as well RPM and Manifold pressure.  The AI will seem to race off if you are not on top of them from take off rolling but, they will slow down at the first way point.

 

It is intimidating to fly with AI to start with but it gets easier with time.  AI is also a constant work in progress and improving with every patch.  Ground attacking and level bombing formation under attack are issues to be looked into though.

[Knarley-Bob]

Staying in formation is a real handful at the time for me. In conversations with my Dad who did fly P-47s in the war on bombing missions, what he told me doesn't ring true in the simulations, but , that is neither here nor there. The planes seem real squirrely to me, having flown other ancient flight sim "Jane's"  1997. So this is a bit of a leap. Keeping in the air at this point trumps tweeking the motor? But sooner or later I'll get there. Just added on a head tracking set, and am learning how to operate with that too, so right now mt "plate is full".

Spent a lot of time on SP dog fighting, well, trying dog fighting that is. Spent most of the time in some sort of spin resulting in a fire ball, mine.

Have been "hanging" back on career mode, watching the AI to learn what's going on and how things are supposed to go, but am learning AI isn't the best teacher....DUH.

I'll look into engine management, it can't hurt...

KB

 

 

 

[flagdjmetcher]

7 hours ago, Knarley-Bob said:

Staying in formation is a real handful at the time for me. In conversations with my Dad who did fly P-47s in the war on bombing missions, what he told me doesn't ring true in the simulations, but , that is neither here nor there. The planes seem real squirrely to me, having flown other ancient flight sim "Jane's"  1997. So this is a bit of a leap. Keeping in the air at this point trumps tweeking the motor? But sooner or later I'll get there. Just added on a head tracking set, and am learning how to operate with that too, so right now mt "plate is full".

Spent a lot of time on SP dog fighting, well, trying dog fighting that is. Spent most of the time in some sort of spin resulting in a fire ball, mine.

Have been "hanging" back on career mode, watching the AI to learn what's going on and how things are supposed to go, but am learning AI isn't the best teacher....DUH.

I'll look into engine management, it can't hurt...

KB

 

 

 

 

Staying in formation takes full-on concentration for me too, but from what I read it was a big challenge for new pilots at the time as well.  Collisions were not rare, there a lot of stories about the new guy getting separated from the formation and never seen again, and many specifically about being unable to keep up speed-wise.  I get the impression that on BoB-style intercept missions, simply being able to fly out and back in company with your flight was a considerable achievement for the newbies, and actually firing the guns came some time later.

[Knarley-Bob]

1 hour ago, flagdjmetcher said:

 

Staying in formation takes full-on concentration for me too, but from what I read it was a big challenge for new pilots at the time as well.  Collisions were not rare, there a lot of stories about the new guy getting separated from the formation and never seen again, and many specifically about being unable to keep up speed-wise.  I get the impression that on BoB-style intercept missions, simply being able to fly out and back in company with your flight was a considerable achievement for the newbies, and actually firing the guns came some time later.

My Dad's flight took off one morning with a "New" guy. There was some sort of problem, he out ranked my Dad, and he wanted my Dad's position in the formation. My Dad didn't care, so the new guy took his spot. After take off, they rose through a cloud bank , the new guy was gone.....Dad said they never found out what happened to the guy. Perhaps he forgot to un-cage his instruments, and spun  in......

Edited April 18, 2020 by Knarley-Bob