Flares – standard meanings and messages?

[Crashbangwallop]

When I'm online (mostly Finnish Virtuals) I usually fly the supply and paradrop flights – I'm not on the voice messaging at this point, and not everybody is. My lovely Red Cross Ju52 sometimes gets attacked by thoughtless red friendlies. At that point I'm too occupied to type an immediate response, so maybe using a flare would be a quick and easy way of sending a message

 

Is there a standard meaning or 'message' associated with the three flare colours?

 

I've rarely seen flares used online – though once, memorably, by a guy who realised my engine was blocking my view of him as I was trundling off the strip (I managed to swerve in time) - but maybe we should be encouraged to use them more. A standardised red flare fired by a damaged aircraft fora cleared runway? A white or green to acknowledge friendly intention?

 

Anyone else using flares online, and what for?

[Robli]

Meaning of flares could vary and sometimes were specifically agreed on for some operations, but the general meaning is this:

Red flare - distress or emergency signals. For example returning with damaged plane or wounded person on board, asking for clear runway. In game airfields are shooting red flares, when enemy aircraft are close by, historically it meant no takeoffs.

Green flare - all good, emergency over. In game airfields shoot green flare, when threat from enemy is over. Historically it meant that takeoffs are allowed.

White flare - other non-emergency signals.

 

In online gameplay a common practice it to blink navigation lights to indicate that you are friendly. But that is also sometimes used to confuse attacker or to get a friend to notice you and come to help, if you are under attack.

[Crashbangwallop]

Thanks Robli, that was useful. Will bear that in mind

Quote

In online gameplay a common practice it to blink navigation lights to indicate that you are friendly. But that is also sometimes used to confuse attacker or to get a friend to notice you and come to help, if you are under attack.

 

I've done the navigation lights myself online, but they're so visible from so far away that I'm loathe to use them as a signal as they might attract unwanted attention. It seems to me that flares are much less visible from a distance, while still being just as noticeable - if not more so - to those closer

 

If that's the online code though, so be it

[Eclipse4349]

You could also try the "waggle", banking left, then right, back and forth several times. Kind of a "hey look, I know you're there, but I'm not going defensive, see?".  

[Crashbangwallop]

On 11/21/2021 at 1:14 PM, JG51_Eclipse4349 said:

You could also try the "waggle", banking left, then right, back and forth several times. Kind of a "hey look, I know you're there, but I'm not going defensive, see?".  

 

Fair enough and thanks, Eclipse, and yes, I've done that on occasion myself. Though the friendly attacker should really be wondering why my gunner's not shooting back at him, too

 

But, when I'm diving to ground and swerving as violently as a Ju52 can to get out the sights of a friendly fighter, the gentle wing-waggle tends to lose its communicative value. The nav lights - a beacon to everyone miles away - don't always show up brightly close-up. That's why I was wondering about a fairly demonstrative (green?) flare

 

Hopefully the prob of Red Ju52s will evaporate when the flyable C47 appears (shouldn't be too long now?), but until then... we shall endure 

[Eclipse4349]

1 hour ago, Crashbangwallop said:

 

... 

Hopefully the prob of Red Ju52s will evaporate when the flyable C47 appears (shouldn't be too long now?), but until then... we shall endure 

I missed the part that you were flying a Ju52 as an allied player.  That will certainly increase the likelihood of friendly fire!