To the group of Bf-110s on Combat Box Sunday thank you.

[kestrel79]

I have a confession to make. I've been a supporter of IL-2 '46 since the early 2000s, and of IL-2 GB series since the beginning. I check the forums daily, live for the Friday Dev updates, try to keep my simpit up to date and lookin good, but haven't had too much time to fully dive into actually playing IL-2 GB series due to becoming old. Between work, getting married, a newborn baby (with hopefully more on the way!), and playing in an 80's rock band on the weekends all leave very little time for hard core flight simming these days. Long gone are the days where I could sit on Spits vs 109s or Zeke vs Wildcat servers and play for hours getting shot down by much better virtual pilots than myself. These last 5 years or so I'm more of a quick mission guy, or just free fly to relieve stress for a quick 30minutes or so at the end of the day.

 

However I had some time during my daughter's nap to get on Combat Box for 1 mission this past Sunday afternoon. I've flown on there maybe 4 times over the past couple weeks, getting used to the maps, trying not to get lost, getting used to the amazingly immersive SRS Radio. I had such a fun time in that one mission I had to come on here at share it.

 

I loaded up a Bf-110 and spawned on a random airfield. To my surprise I saw another 110 next to me starting to taxi. So I quickly started my engines hoping to follow him and stick together. When I turned my head right in VR I saw 3 more 110s sitting on the runway ready for takeoff. I knew I had to quickly take off and join them. I didn't even know where we were heading I just took off to join them in formation. We climbed to about 3k and the leader starting to turn in and go into a shallow dive...I knew we were getting close. Then I saw the target. It looked like a bunch of AAA and barracks in an open field. It was a sight to behold, five 110s all diving down on a target, and we lit that place up! All of us were making passes taking out AAA and bunkers. It was pretty cool. I started hearing my tail gunner shooting, sure enough a few enemy fighters had entered the fray. I started diving low and heading east back to base when I saw a Spit coming around on another 110, I fired my guns pretty far out just to try to get him off his tail. I may have got the Spit smoking a little he did break off. I hugged the terrain heading east, using the radio compass thing to get back to base and hopping back to the tail gunner checking for fighters tailing me. I was able to make it back and land ok unharmed. What a rush!

 

Just wanted to take some time to thank those 4 random 110s for letting me tag along and get in on some of the fun. I'll be back for sure when I have more time. This sim is amazing flying online in VR, with SRS Radio on, Buttkicker kicking my butt, sound cranked on my headphones. It doesn't get any more immersive. Thank you devs for the great work and continued development.

[peregrine7]

What an awesome story, thanks for sharing!
Would love to see more people on SRS

[1./KG4_grat123]

Kestrel79 the mission you describe sounds very much like the one we flew on Sunday. We were joined by another bf110 so it may have been you (or not as the case may be). The target was in the middle of nowhere and required some eyeballing towns and then following roads to get there. I think we stayed too long and ended up getting attacked. We are a bomber squadron so dogfighting skills are somewhat lacking, though we try and the bf110 can hurt if an allied plane gets in our gun sights. It would be nice to see more SRS activity and coordination between bombers and fighters to take out specific targets. I'm not saying that doesn't happen but just not evident when we are online. As you mention VR and SRS make it all the more immersive.

[ShamrockOneFive]

Awesome! Those are the kinds of multiplayer experiences that will stick with you for a long time. Great fun and thanks for sharing!

[Lusekofte]

Thanks for the story. I am one reluctant using SRS , I do not like to talk, I am in VHF comms all day at work. But I might test it some day

[kestrel79]

11 hours ago, 1./KG4_grat123 said:

Kestrel79 the mission you describe sounds very much like the one we flew on Sunday. We were joined by another bf110 so it may have been you (or not as the case may be). The target was in the middle of nowhere and required some eyeballing towns and then following roads to get there. I think we stayed too long and ended up getting attacked. We are a bomber squadron so dogfighting skills are somewhat lacking, though we try and the bf110 can hurt if an allied plane gets in our gun sights. It would be nice to see more SRS activity and coordination between bombers and fighters to take out specific targets. I'm not saying that doesn't happen but just not evident when we are online. As you mention VR and SRS make it all the more immersive.

 

Awesome! I bet that was you guys. I can't imagine it was another group of four 110s haha. Do you guys fly mainly German? I usually fly both sides, I will pick the side that has the least amount of players. I'll gladly join in again next time. I was just hanging on the back of your formation, I didn't want to get in the way. I'm mainly a strike fighter / bomber guy but am only pretty late US Central Time after 9pm. The server is usually pretty empty by then, but it's good practice learning the maps and target areas. I'm having a blast.

 

I'm still very new to SRS, and online in IL-2 GBs so I've been pretty quiet on SRS just learning the ropes and trying to soak as much up as I can. I've had troubles balancing my in game audio to be as loud as possible while still hearing the SRS radio. It's been a dance but I think I have it pretty squared away finally.

[1./KG4_grat123]

Kestrel79 we are flying German at the moment. Though with the Typhoon and Mosquito coming in BON I suspect a switch to Allies and then back again for the ME410 .  We are mainly a UK based squadron and fly Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7.30pm local and then on Sunday 7pm local (at present we are an additional hour out of kilter with the US until our clocks move forward an hour on the last Saturday of this month). The squadron has just made the switch to SRS now both Combat Box and Finnish support it. Combat Box is our preference since the SRS bot really adds to the experience. Generally we have radio 1 on channel 1 for info and radio 2 on channel 4 (if available) for squad comms. Please feel free to join us and make yourself known on SRS. Another jabo/bomber pilot is always welcome!

[peregrine7]

On 3/16/2021 at 5:32 PM, 216th_LuseKofte said:

Thanks for the story. I am one reluctant using SRS , I do not like to talk, I am in VHF comms all day at work. But I might test it some day

 

You don't need to talk, just be on so that you can hear what others are doing. Of course not forcing anyone to get on it but it's great to be able to call out a friendly with a six and save them from being killed!

[kestrel79]

Thanks for the info that's very kind of you! If I'm ever on again Sunday afternoon US Central Time I'll look for you.

 

I know I'm very excited about all the strike/bomber planes still coming to BoN those are always my favorite to fly.