Developer Diary #318 - Discussion

[Jason_Williams]

Quote

318

 

Dear Friends,

 

In today’s DD we see images of the AR-234 in some new skins and geometry of the IAR-80/81 cockpit. We also see the implementation of WWII style barrage balloons which can be used to protect ships and ground targets.

 

These balloons can be towed by ships, winched up and down and if the wire is hit hard enough and severed the balloon will fly away.  If the Luftwaffe ever does reach the invasion fleet watch out for these new obstacles!

 

Full Text and Visuals HERE.

 

Jason

[AEthelraedUnraed]

Very cool pics of the invasion fleet! (And Arado, and IAR, but the fleet especially is cool to see with all the balloons, IMHO)

 

EDIT: First! Yay! 

Edited May 20, 2022 by AEthelraedUnraed

[Obelix]

Second!

 

Thanks!

[Noisemaker]

I hope to see the balloons added not just to BON, but included in the other modules in the future.

[BMA_FlyingShark]

Nice to see those balloons being added.

But hitting those wires? You really will need to be a sharpshooter to hit those wires from your plane.

 

Have a nice day.

 

[smink1701]

Great content.
Thank you!!!

[Luger1969]

To repeat....very cool. Tge Arado is a beaut. And as a proud future owner of a Iar since last week i am very happy?

[PatrickAWlson]

12 minutes ago, Noisemaker said:

I hope to see the balloons added not just to BON, but included in the other modules in the future.

 

Once they are in the library they can be used anywhere.

[Juri_JS]

Is this a tank landing craft in the first screenshot? Would be nice if it could really transport and unload tanks.

[PatrickAWlson]

7 minutes ago, FlyingShark said:

Nice to see those balloons being added.

But hitting those wires? You really will need to be a sharpshooter to hit those wires from your plane.

 

Have a nice day.

 

 

Come on.  Robin Hood shot the hangman's rope, no problem.  Surely with 20th century technology it has only gotten easier.

[LF_Zaffy]

Those 234 pictures are beautiful. Can't wait to get my hands on it to fly it extensively.
Hopefully servers don't give it the ME262 treatment and limit it into oblivion  (like not making it spawnable at all even if period-accurate or just letting 2-4 to spawn by match).

Also wondering if we will see its 4-engined version in the future, tho I'm more than happy with this one.

[Manstein16]

What a beautiful plane that Arado is. And it certainly looks like it is getting close to release...

[Blitzen]

Drat !!!! No Mosquitos to swat this weekend!

[Avimimus]

14 minutes ago, FlyingShark said:

Nice to see those balloons being added.

But hitting those wires? You really will need to be a sharpshooter to hit those wires from your plane.

 

Have a nice day.

 

 

Well, that is assuming I am hitting it was a bullet, rather than with a wing...

[jeanba]

Nice pictures, the Ar234 will be great over the BoBp map !

[dannytherat]

12 minutes ago, FlyingShark said:

Nice to see those balloons being added.

But hitting those wires? You really will need to be a sharpshooter to hit those wires from your plane.

 

I think they're kind of hoping we'll be hitting the wires with our aircraft rather than our bullets! ?

 

I can just imagine the shock when you're scud-running under a low overcast and you see something flashing past above you and you suddenly you realise it's a barrage balloon and there are probably loads more (and their mooring cables) out there for you to run into - the aviation equivalent of realising you've just wandered into a minefield, I suppose. Scary stuff!

[Noisemaker]

12 minutes ago, PatrickAWlson said:

 

Once they are in the library they can be used anywhere.

Aren't there barrage balloons already available from the FC, and BOM?

[=LD=dhyran]

 

[BMA_FlyingShark]

3 minutes ago, Noisemaker said:

Aren't there barrage balloons already available from the FC, and BOM?

I don't think they're the same.

 

Have a nice day.

 

[Asgar]

27 minutes ago, FlyingShark said:

Nice to see those balloons being added.

But hitting those wires? You really will need to be a sharpshooter to hit those wires from your plane.

 

Have a nice day.

 

I'm don't think Jason mit hitting them with your guns  

[[F.Circus]Gorn_Captain]

5 minutes ago, Noisemaker said:

Aren't there barrage balloons already available from the FC, and BOM?

 

BOM has barrage balloons, but they're non-functional. They can't be raised or retracted, and the wires have no hitbox for you to collide with. The observation balloons in FC do work, but again the cable has no hitbox, so they won't clip your wings if you get too close sadly. Hopefully with these new balloons we may see improvements to the FC one so it can punish careless (or unlucky) flying. 

[SYN_Vander]

7 minutes ago, Noisemaker said:

Aren't there barrage balloons already available from the FC, and BOM?

 

No. The barrage balloons in BOM are scenery objects, they have no collision/damage model. The balloons in FC are observation balloons. I guess the new barrage balloons will share some technology with the latter.

[migmadmarine]

10 minutes ago, Noisemaker said:

Aren't there barrage balloons already available from the FC, and BOM?

FC has observation balloons, and we have had super low-poly and non-interactable balloons since Moscow. (They spawn over the city, but in the zone you can't get to)

 

Ah, too slow

Edited May 20, 2022 by migmadmarine

[cardboard_killer]

Not to be a party pooper, but, balloons should be trailing the ships if the ships are moving and/or drifting askew with the wind, if any.

[AtomicP]

7 minutes ago, cardboard_killer said:

Not to be a party pooper, but, balloons should be trailing the ships if the ships are moving and/or drifting askew with the wind, if any.

Suspect that might be a compromise to keep the simulation running well, especially if there are loads like in the screenshots.

[357th_KW]

22 minutes ago, dannytherat said:

 

I think they're kind of hoping we'll be hitting the wires with our aircraft rather than our bullets! ?

 

I can just imagine the shock when you're scud-running under a low overcast and you see something flashing past above you and you suddenly you realise it's a barrage balloon and there are probably loads more (and their mooring cables) out there for you to run into - the aviation equivalent of realising you've just wandered into a minefield, I suppose. Scary stuff!

I worked with a former USMC Harrier pilot some time back and he once told me a story along those lines - he was doing some low flying in marginal weather and had the sudden shock of realizing he’d just flown under one of the high tension wires for a large radio tower that he hadn’t seen.

 

Will it be possible to shoot down the new balloons, or to trigger their release in the mission editor?  I recall reading stories of Spits and Hurris occasionally shooting down runaway balloons as target practice.  Are these functional balloons going to replace the static ones on some maps, like at Rotterdam?

[tattywelshie]

Amazing! So excited to see these, the Germans had the coolest paint jobs didn’t they? 

[Nickkyboy99]

When will the Ar-234 be released?

[Asgar]

Just now, Nickkyboy99 said:

When will the Ar-234 be released?

When it’s done  

[AKA_Ramstein]

6 minutes ago, VBF-12_KW said:

I worked with a former USMC Harrier pilot some time back and he once told me a story along those lines - he was doing some low flying in marginal weather and had the sudden shock of realizing he’d just flown under one of the high tension wires for a large radio tower that he hadn’t seen.

 

Will it be possible to shoot down the new balloons, or to trigger their release in the mission editor?  I recall reading stories of Spits and Hurris occasionally shooting down runaway balloons as target practice.  Are these functional balloons going to replace the static ones on some maps, like at Rotterdam?

that is sort of what happened in Italy when some pilots hit some ski lift cables. it really hit me, because I use to ski a lot in the Alps.. they have some very wonderful lifts and trams that no other place has

[Vishnu]

Thanks Jason!  This sim never fails to deliver!

[Habu]

29 minutes ago, SYN_Vander said:

 

No. The barrage balloons in BOM are scenery objects, they have no collision/damage model. The balloons in FC are observation balloons. I guess the new barrage balloons will share some technology with the latter.

I hope so.

 

And i hope there is collision with the rope.

 

 

[6./ZG26_Loke]

55 minutes ago, LF_Zaffy said:

Those 234 pictures are beautiful. Can't wait to get my hands on it to fly it extensively.
Hopefully servers don't give it the ME262 treatment and limit it into oblivion  (like not making it spawnable at all even if period-accurate or just letting 2-4 to spawn by match).

Also wondering if we will see its 4-engined version in the future, tho I'm more than happy with this one.

Don't expect to see it much online. I'm sure it will get same treatment as the 262.

[EAF19_Marsh]

To quote the much missed and lamented Sgt. Apone (Al Matthews, actual USMC Vietnam vet.), the Arado and Mossie are ‘a bunch o’ bad-asses!’

[Avimimus]

1 hour ago, SYN_Vander said:

No. The barrage balloons in BOM are scenery objects, they have no collision/damage model. The balloons in FC are observation balloons. I guess the new barrage balloons will share some technology with the latter.

 

The fact that the balloons can be severed and float off also implies some buoyancy tech (at least some crude buoyancy tech)... hopefully the FC people won't notice  If they do we'll keep hearing about rigid airships indefinitely.

[RNAS10_Mitchell]

Cool stuff.   A+

[[F.Circus]Gorn_Captain]

10 minutes ago, Avimimus said:

 

The fact that the balloons can be severed and float off also implies some buoyancy tech (at least some crude buoyancy tech)... hopefully the FC people won't notice  If they do we'll keep hearing about rigid airships indefinitely.

 

Zeppelins confirmed? ?

 

Surely all they need to do is use the scale tool on these! That's how development works right?

[Guest deleted@188321]

Really need some news on the two TC collector vehicles.

[Trooper117]

There's a lot of Luftwaffles creaming their pants right now...

[616Sqn_Johnny-Red]

While not wanting to steal the handsome Arado's thunder; talk of barrage balloons put me in mind of Johnny Kent's cable-crashing adventures as a pre-war test pilot:

 

Spoiler

This man was an individual who flew into the cables of barrage balloons so often that he would do it without any cause for concern. He was a famous RAF test pilot and one of his jobs was to see how aircraft behaved on impacting a cable and have the whole event caught on film for scientific analysis.

 

He was born in Winnipeg on 23 June 1914 and began to fly at 16 years of age and had his own pilots licence at 17. He came to England in February 1935 and joined the Royal Air Force the following month. He was appointed Acting Pilot Officer on Probation on March 15th 1935, he was confirmed as a Pilot Officer in 1936, a Flight Lieutenant in September 1936 and rose to Acting Squadron Leader in October 1940.

 

He was posted to Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough as a test pilot. It was here that he undertook his research into barrage balloon cables and their effect on aircraft. He had many hair raising experiences during the trials flying into cables with a Fairy P4/34, a Wellesley, and a Battle.

He was specifically listed in AFRO 1292/41 dated 7 November 1941 as a Canadian in the RAF who had been decorated as of that date.  Recommendation dated 23 September 1938 (prepared by W/C M. McEntegart, Commanding Officer, Experimental Section, Royal Aeronautical Establishment) in Public Record Office, Air 2/9315:

 

 Flying Officer Kent has, during the last six months, made approximately 60 flights involving collision with a wire cable in connection with the special defence experiments being carried out at this Establishment.  The experiment is one which is accompanied by a considerable element of risk to the pilot and calls for determination and a high degree of skill in piloting.  Flying Officer Kent has at all times carried out these duties in a most efficient manner.  He is fully aware of the nature of the risks he is taking but has never allowed this in any way to diminish the marked willingness and zeal with which he carries out these duties.

 

 Also on 23 September 1938, A.H. Hall (Chief Superintendent, Royal Aeronautical Establishment) supported this with the following remarks:

 

I endorse the remarks above. As far as comparisons are possible I regard the work done by Flying Officer Kent as being at least as difficult and trying as work done in previous years for which awards have been made.

 

 On 1 November 1938 A/C Roderick Hill (Director of Technical Developments) added:

 

I fully endorse the recommendation of the Officer Commanding, Experimental Section and the Chief Superintendent, Royal Aeronautical Establishment. I consider Flying Officer Kent has shown gallantry and determination in experimental flying which has not only set a fine example, but has produced very valuable results.  I consider him suitable for the award of the Air Force Cross. (Information courtesy of Air Force Association of Canada- an excellent site indeed - http://www.airforce.ca/index.php3)

 

On 15th September 1939 he was promoted from Flying Officer to Flight Lieutenant.

He flew over 92 different types of aircraft many for their maiden take off and landing. He was able to learn the faults and advantages of different aircraft, how heavy or light they were on controls, rate of climb, speed at different altitudes and oil and petrol consumption.

 

For each flight he would emerge with all the information clearly recorded on his writing pad.

 

When asked to deliberately fly into a cable he did not like the idea as this was something specifically designed to cause serious damage to an aircraft, but never the less he still followed orders.

 

The first time he flew into a cable the boffins chose a very light cable, he got in a Fairey aircraft, attained the required altitude and flew straight at the cable with a camera crew recording every moment. He said afterwards that he did not know he had flown into it as he went straight on. From that moment on he underwent dozens of flights where the cables were increased in weight and he flew all types of British bombers into them.

 

Clearly each experiment was unique and the outcome unforeseen. It was only because of Sqdn Ldr Kent's superb skill and courage that he was able to pilot the damaged plane back to a safe landing. On on occasion he sheared off three feet from the wing and landed again without any major problem. Cables could whip around on an aircraft and might wrap around the aileron thus stopping control and if the elevator were damaged the pilot had a great deal of work ahead to get back down safely.

 

One day a cable wrapped around the elevator and the tail plane and on pushing the control column forward to go down it was jammed. Using all his strength he managed to move the column just an inch or two and he gained some control over the aircraft as it descended toward the aerodrome. The bomber crash landed onto the runway.

 

On another occasion he carried a cable weighing several tons wedged into the wing of his aircraft. This sudden weight change would have sent most bombers to the ground as indeed, this was the intention of the balloon cable. He maintained control and got ready for a landing. He was losing height due to the large drag factor of the cable and as he came into land the dangling cable caught around some high tension electricity wires. The bomber slewed around on one wing and stalled. Sqdn Ldr Kent opened the throttle wide open and using full power managed to pull the bomber around and level. As he did this the aircraft fell onto the runway but the cable became detached from the high tension electricity wires. If this had not happened he would have gone up in flames on landing. He went on to become a highly decorated war ace. Without his expertise, daring and bravery the value of barrage balloons could never have been properly evaluated. We owe him along with many others a great debt of thanks. 

 

Sourced Here:

 

http://www.bbrclub.org/Squadron Leader John Alexander KENT DFC , AFC.htm

 

Courtesy of the Barrage Balloon Reunion Club:

 

http://www.bbrclub.org/Site Directory.htm

 

 

Edited May 20, 2022 by 616Sqn_Johnny-Red
Source Credit and Links Added