DD 342 has been released.

[ROCKET_KNUT]

On 5/6/2023 at 12:57 AM, Mtnbiker1998 said:

getting 4 engine bombers?

Me-264 in 2025 be sure. Why? It is significant to the game. ?

Edited May 30, 2023 by ROCKET_KNUT
"for various reasons"

[ST_Catchov]

Oh My Giddy Aunt! This is a splendid DD. It seems reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated.

[Chief_Mouser]

'Congratulations on the upcoming Victory Day!'

 

An odd little phrase in the DD. Congratulations to who? Russians are the only ones that celebrate it, it has no relevance to the rest of us; VE-day and VJ-day hardly get a mention let alone a big parade. Besides, it appears to rather scaled down this year.

[LukeFF]

22 minutes ago, Chief_Mouser said:

'Congratulations on the upcoming Victory Day!'

 

An odd little phrase in the DD. Congratulations to who? Russians are the only ones that celebrate it, it has no relevance to the rest of us; VE-day and VJ-day hardly get a mention let alone a big parade. Besides, it appears to rather scaled down this year.

 

It think it's rather obvious to those who know their history why that line would be included in the update. ?

[Guest]

My hope was the 'new' engine would allow for the glaringly missing planes, four-engine bombers. I'm still at a loss to understand why they're not currently possible (too many gunners would bog-down the CPU?).

[Avimimus]

I think the inclusion of the CG-4A means that people should finally give up on the arguments that something can't be produced because it has limited gameplay uses or is obscure...! 

 

I do hope this bodes well for seeing some additional WWI aircraft in 2025 (either seaplanes from Rise of Flight or entirely new collector planes). It does look like no Vol.IV is planned though (and those aircraft will be released as Collector Planes instead). So, we won't be seeing a Channel Map for the seaplanes as part of a module (perhaps one could be sold separately, or another third party will step in?) The seaplanes were really great experiences.

 

Excited about the Chaika. Wishing the Ta-152 was a He-162 (I'll get it anyway). Wondering if we could eventually someday get a Mustang Mk.I to go with the Spit IXc early? Both were present at the big air-battle over Dieppe!

 

11 minutes ago, Hetzer-JG51 said:

My hope was the 'new' engine would allow for the glaringly missing planes, four-engine bombers. I'm still at a loss to understand why they're not currently possible (too many gunners would bog-down the CPU?).

 

A rumour which was disproven apparently.

[Avimimus]

5 hours ago, MiGCap said:

Seems that really everyone is pleased with this announcement!  ?

 

It does have a little bit of something for everyone. Something fast, something slow, something bigger, something to tow...

 

 

5 hours ago, sevenless said:

A-20G would be the most obvious choice, I guess. 

 

Oh! Also the Pe-3... that would be interesting as a counterpoint to the Ju-88C (and to a lesser extent the Mosquito and A-20G). I think we all hope these Collector Planes will sell well enough to encourage more. That said, I think we have quite a bit to be excited about regarding what has already been announced.

Edited May 6, 2023 by Avimimus

[Buzzguinnog]

Ta-152 is great news. But can we have at least an AI Lancaster, B-17 or Stirling to shoot down with it? WW1 has four-engine bombers, why not WW2?

[Redwo1f]

Great news! Thanks so much!

 

Most interested in the La-5 series 38, Chaika, and FC 3. Nice things ahead. 

(oh, and the I/AR! --- but I already ordered that long ago, lol).

 

Any news about when we can pre-order FC3?

Edited May 6, 2023 by Redwo1f

[Charon]

Li-2

 

I've cooled on this somewhat. The bomb load is nice and is added utility, but I should fly the C-47 I already have more.

 

CG-4A

 

Interesting. I look forward to trying this, although I've got concerns about how it will fit into the overall ecosystem. A DFS 230 or a Go 242 might have been better, as I believe the Germans made more extensive use of their gliders in small numbers as general transport aircraft, rather than in massive coordinated assaults.

 

La-5 series 38

 

I like Lavochkins and I'll get this. It looks like they were reduced from 5 to 3 fuel tanks starting with the series 9, which should be a nice upgrade. The external resemblance to the La-5FN means this will also be a good addition to the campaign as an adversary: you probably won't be able to tell which you're facing until you're already engaged.

 

IAR-80/81

 

Hype! I already preordered this months ago.

 

Ta 152

 

Meh. I know people who are excited, but I don't care.

 

I-153

 

Hype! This was a ton of fun in 1946. I look forward to being boom-and-zoomed by Stukas.

 

This will also add some nice diversity to the Moscow campaign environment.

 

Spitfire IXc

 

Meh. I just don't like Spitfires.

 

New East-Front map

 

Exciting. The Baltic coast I assume?

[migmadmarine]

2 hours ago, Mtnbiker1998 said:

Good news all around, all the ww1 stuff is awesome, the early spit and 153 are very welcome additions to their theaters, although I'm not likely to fly them, and the glider seems neat! Although after playing with msfs gliders I wonder how they'll feel in IL-2 without proper weather/wind modelling. 

While I would love to see Il-2 with MSFS level atmospheric simulation, troop gliders and sailplanes are such different beasts I figure the lack of ridge lift and thermals won't really effect handling much. This thing will fly like most others in sim just dead stick.

[Avimimus]

 

37 minutes ago, I./JG3_Charon said:

 

CG-4A

 

Interesting. I look forward to trying this, although I've got concerns about how it will fit into the overall ecosystem. A DFS 230 or a Go 242 might have been better, as I believe the Germans made more extensive use of their gliders in small numbers as general transport aircraft, rather than in massive coordinated assaults.

 

 

Go-242/244 would have been an interesting choice. They weren't anywhere near as numerous - but the Go-244 was a self-propelled version (basically an attempt to convert a glider into a general transport aircraft)... so it'd be more flexible.

 

The interesting thing to note is that they are investing in programming towing physics into the sim - which means that they are still investing in the core engine. This suggests that the next module might have a lot of components in common with the current engine (even if the terrain tech is new, and the aircraft have additional systems). I do hope they keep it so that existing aircraft can be used alongside the ones developed for the new module (even if they have some differences in detail). Originally Flying Circus used the Rise of Flight flight-model - and that older generation of flight model didn't include detailed modelling of the fuselage interactions with airflow - so there is precedent.

 

37 minutes ago, I./JG3_Charon said:

I-153

 

Hype! This was a ton of fun in 1946. I look forward to being boom-and-zoomed by Stukas.

 

This will also add some nice diversity to the Moscow campaign environment.

 

 

They were used in the ground attack role as late as mid-1943 - at 'Kuban' they were apparently well liked as their manoeuvrability in mountainous terrain. So, not just Moscow

 

 

 

[Avimimus]

 

  

19 minutes ago, migmadmarine said:

While I would love to see Il-2 with MSFS level atmospheric simulation, troop gliders and sailplanes are such different beasts I figure the lack of ridge lift and thermals won't really effect handling much. This thing will fly like most others in sim just dead stick.

 

I wonder how they'd react if approached by a third party wanting to make interwar high-performance gliders (there were a bunch of interesting ones - look up MAK-8, KIM-3 ”Stakhanovets”, DFS Seeadler, Kupper Ku-4, D-30 Cirrus etc.) There were lots of interesting experiments in that era, and the interwar period was the time when lift-to-drag ratios reached a point where soaring was really possible. Of course, I'm not really serious about this idea - but given the quality of work produced by these developers, and the quality of the flight-models - they'd probably do a better job than anyone else! It is nice to think about.

 

I suspect that the Waco glider won't have a good enough lift-to-drag ratio to make thermals or ridge lift really relevant though

 

That said, the impact of such atmospherics on aircraft with low wing-loadings (e.g. WWI aircraft) should be quite noticeable. So definitely worth including  

 

Note: Currently windspeed impacts how far WWII pilots can lean out of their cockpits ...but it has no impacts on WWI aircrews reloading their guns or moving their turrets -  so that is a feature that could do with being extended to WWI. Apparently pilots risked having their ammunition drums be blown out of their hands if they tried to reload the Lewis gun at maximum airspeed (and it was also harder to move the gun). It seems quite odd that we can clear misfires, and reload equally fast at all airspeeds and gee-loads!

Edited May 6, 2023 by Avimimus

[Charon]

2 minutes ago, Avimimus said:

They weren't anywhere near as numerous - but the Go-244 was a self-propelled version (basically an attempt to convert a glider into a general transport aircraft)... so it'd be more flexible.

Indeed... but even the 242 was used as a general transport aircraft, which is why you'll see them being loaded with soldiers carrying suitcases, engines, or even entire bf 109 fuselages. The 242 would have also been interesting as it could have received two very different towplanes: both the Ju 52 and (more commonly) the He 111 were used.

[Avimimus]

Just now, I./JG3_Charon said:

The 242 would have also been interesting as it could have received two very different towplanes: both the Ju 52 and (more commonly) the He 111 were used.

 

Speaking of which - they could add cargo pallets for the He-111 to drop (for Stalingrad) and cargo loads the the U-2VS! I'd also buy a cargo version of the GAZ truck... I feel guilty every time I try to race the thing and roll over crushing the gun crew - I'd rather just have cargo back there. I'd honestly buy it as a collector vehicle (a cargo version of the halftrack too)... it would be very cheap for the devs to make - even if it didn't sell that well, it'd likely turn a profit.

[MajorMagee]

It's novel, but I'm not sure people are going to enjoy the Waco pilot experience all that much. It certainly won't have much potential in the way of a Waco dedicated campaign. Take off, tow, get shot up by AAA, separate, crash land, war's over. At best you get Husky, Overlord, Market Garden, and Varsity if they develop the maps to support them.

 

Much more practical to simply provide it as an AI target to flesh out the D-Day combat environment in BON.

 

Edited May 6, 2023 by MajorMagee

[FlyingNutcase]

WW1 sure is being fleshed out. Looking great.

 

It's nice to see the love of my life - the Ta-152 - coming our way. But as others have mentioned, an appropriate target is currently mssing. 

 

And while all the new content is chugging along, what are those other team members working on? The salivating continues...

[Enceladus828]

Quote

We’re also helping a team of enthusiasts who are working on a new map of one of the theaters of operations on the Eastern Front. A significant progress has been made - we hope that the map will become part of the Great Battles game world soon. The details about the map and the development team will be revealed later.

Bring on IL-2 Battle of Finland

[LukeFF]

11 minutes ago, FlyingNutcase said:

It's nice to see the love of my life - the Ta-152 - coming our way. But as others have mentioned, an appropriate target is currently mssing. 

 

Mmn, not really - as I wrote above, it mainly engaged Tempests and Soviet fighters - from what it looks like, these were Yaks. 

 

By the time the Ta 152 came on line, the Luftwaffe had essentially given up trying to intercept the heavy bomber streams with anything that didn't have jet engines on it. 

[XQ_Lothar29]

For me and as always, all the planes and maps that can be added will be very welcome!
This simulator needs the development of many planes that were in service in Local air patrols to warn of possible threats.
Avia B-534 or 534 III, not to mention the French quadrons.
well, all is welcome

[JamieDB27]

Great news! Some great planes but I'd love to see a Spitfire Mk Vc or options on the MkVb to make it the LF and have the Merlin 45M,50M or 55M with the clipped wings and revised exhaust stack and the improved windscreen. Flying the MkV has been quite fun but the LF MkVb could do like 360mph at 5500ft and with the clipped wings...?

 

Oh and I'd love the Spitfire Mk XII!! 

Meteor F3 aswell maybe.

 

Not too much to ask is it ?

[2./SG2_assadoc]

I'd prefer LF Mk.Vc over Mk.IXc too.

[Gambit21]

4 hours ago, Avimimus said:

 

 

I wonder how they'd react if approached by a third party wanting to make interwar high-performance gliders

Speaking as someone who helps develop 3rd party aircraft for combat flight sims and understands the resource investment, I can tell you that they’re never going to find out. 
 

 

 

[CSW_311_Mart]

11 hours ago, sevenless said:

 

Thats the reason why they didn´t make it flyable for UK and US? Seriously?

The B variant, which we currently have, it only saw combat in VVS, not in USAAF or RAF.

The C variant was widely spreaded, deployed in Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Africa, Pacific...

I did not understand why B variant was chosen to Kuban module. Both variants (B and C) were shipped to the USSR that time.

[Juri_JS]

5 hours ago, Avimimus said:

They were used in the ground attack role as late as mid-1943 - at 'Kuban' they were apparently well liked as their manoeuvrability in mountainous terrain. So, not just Moscow

The I-153 had a suprisingly long career for a biplane. When I did the research for my Kerch-Eltigen campaign I discovered that I-153s were still flying ground attack missions in late 1943. The last Luftwaffe claim of a I-153 I can find is from 2 November 1943 by a Croatian pilot of 15. (Kroat)/JG 52.

[ST_Catchov]

The Hanriot HD.1 and the Bébé! Need I say more? Pas du tout!

 

 

 

 

 

[ITAF_Rani]

Cool update...

So now I wonder about next map?

Finland or Hungary 45 ?

[Bars-]

1. Towable glider means player's going to be able to tow glider on C-47? That's fine news. Next step is to add towable sleeve for practice aerial shooting. 

2. Another next step is to add at least player-controllable jeep or maybe even player-controllable  infantry? The game is going to be unique furst person shooter with realistic ballistics. 

3. Chaika? That's an example how to deal with developers. Community just need to develop new map with realistic small inconvenient airfields. And developer`s answer to that is going to be new aircraft suitable for operating that small airfields. 

 

[Missionbug]

A lot of interesting things in the DD, good to finally see some kind of road ahead, some of those types will be really appreciated.

 

The I-153 is probably my most wanted in the list, will be great for the existing maps and hopefully if the Finnish front is realised for that.

 

Good to see the Li-2 finally come together but I was a little surprised the Waco seems to be a flyable from the start, I would have thought maybe AI

but it is great to see and adds variety.

 

Just patiently awaiting that IAR-80.

 

Great DD, thank you very much to all involved, really appreciated.

 

Take care and be safe.

 

Wishing you all the very best, Pete.

Edited May 6, 2023 by Missionbug

[HBPencil]

A nice, solid DD full of goodness although for me personally I'm most excited by the I-153 (for the fun of it), the IXc (because it fulls a gap in the BoN lineup and can be pushed back into earlier cross channel ops), the Ta152 (the most interesting of Tank's fighters imo) and of course whatever the new map will be, possibly the Finnish one being worked?

Cheers,

HB

[Guest deleted@219798]

Looking forward to the Chaika and the new planes for Flying Circus.

[CCG_Pips]

If I remember correctly, a Tank Crew 2 had been announced, in November 2022.

Since then, no more information. Is the Tank Crew series discontinued?

 

In these news: A new EASTERN FRONT map made by "enthusiasts" .....but what did the IL-2 dev team is doing? They lose all members? this reminds me of COD...?

 

In terms of new "planes", the I-153....very good news......BUT, will it be the only new plane on this new map (Finland/Leningrad)?

 

The Ta-152..............without allied heavy bombers (B-17)......almost no interest....they could have announced a "ZERO" fighter than that would have been the same...

 

Lots of new WWI planes....it's great for those who love WWI but it smells like ROF recycling...

 

What else? oh yes....the Waco .....Human controllable? not human controllable? Towable by the C-47? in both cases where it would be controllable AND towable... then, this is THE best news of this DD.

 

Finally, regarding the IAR and the LI-2, these are not "NEWS", we are waiting for them for almost 2 years.....

 

La-5 serie 38 and Sptifire Mk IX ............funny !!!

 

 

Some here say it's a big DD...........at this moment I find it rather average and according to the details (next map, I-153 alone or not) Waco Glider .. .... it will either be a Big DD indeed or a very small DD without much interest ....

 

 

Edited May 6, 2023 by CCG_Pips

[Docholiday]

Great News Guys !

 

I am Happy about all the new Planes WW1 and WW2 ! Iwill buy them all.

 

But unfortunately the planes I like most will not be created.

 

As a naval aviation enthusiast I am still hoping for Beaufighters,  Hansa Brandenburgs an Felixtows  ??

 

Cheers

Doc

[JLean]

Great news for us!  Thanks!

 

While the team is preparing a new game/engine they keep us interested with the great old one.

 

I see this as a good plan. There is a mix of "easy money" (La-5F & spit IXc) and really new content (I-153 & Ta 152) and something strange (Waco)

And FC 3 is for me the essential WW1 set up. Then I can start my Red Baron career with Eindekker  and DH.2

 

...but the best part is there in the end. The most I am waiting that Karelia /Gulf of Finland map 

 

 JLean

 

 

[Trooper117]

15 hours ago, Lusekofte said:

That glider will be fun

 

Horsa and Hamilcar... where are they?

[Sonko]

That sounds very nice indeed.

[Avimimus]

7 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

Speaking as someone who helps develop 3rd party aircraft for combat flight sims and understands the resource investment, I can tell you that they’re never going to find out. 

 

Well, it depends. We've seen with DCS a few cases where projects are largely driven by the fascination of one or two people working in their spare time over several years. Here the asked 3rd party contribution is in research and 3d modelling (which removes the need to have a competent coder and a flight model programmer)... so it is definitely possible that they could be approached with just about anything - the question of whether such a passion project could be completed fast enough and whether the proposal would be accepted (considering the the flight model and programming is being done centrally).

[Buzzguinnog]

Will the Li-2 be free for those of us who already own the C-47?

[Avimimus]

  

7 hours ago, Juri_JS said:

The I-153 had a suprisingly long career for a biplane. When I did the research for my Kerch-Eltigen campaign I discovered that I-153s were still flying ground attack missions in late 1943. The last Luftwaffe claim of a I-153 I can find is from 2 November 1943 by a Croatian pilot of 15. (Kroat)/JG 52.

 

Thanks! That completes the picture a bit more!

 

It also just occurred to me that this will be the first sim where we'll have WWI aircraft and the I-153 in the same engine (without using mods). There were a couple of flying games which had the Fokker Dr.I and the Me-262 - but I don't think we've had the beginning and end of the biplane fighter era in an official flight simulator before. Should make for an interesting contrast (given that they'll be using the same flight model)!

 

  

8 minutes ago, Buzzguinnog said:

Will the Li-2 be free for those of us who already own the C-47?

 

I don't believe so. When the C-47 and Li-2 were first announced they were announced as separate pre-orders. Every subsequent update has also been consistent with them being separate pre-orders (as is the listing on the store website). So everything we've been told suggests that it will be purchased separately.

 

It is worth noting that it has a substantially different cockpit, different engines, several gunner positions... it is basically an entirely new plane in many respects (even if the wings and some other parts are in common).

 

  

10 hours ago, LukeFF said:

 

Mmn, not really - as I wrote above, it mainly engaged Tempests and Soviet fighters - from what it looks like, these were Yaks. 

 

By the time the Ta 152 came on line, the Luftwaffe had essentially given up trying to intercept the heavy bomber streams with anything that didn't have jet engines on it. 

 

LukeFF, any sense of what altitudes these engagements typically happened at? This is something I know little about.

 

  

6 hours ago, ST_Catchov said:

The Hanriot HD.1 and the Bébé! Need I say more? Pas du tout!

 

Also, the N.17, Halberstadt, Albatros D.II - 1917 era aircraft are generally more interesting and fun/varied to fly than 1918 (in my opinion)! The Albatros D.II has a better forward view than the D.Va and has an ability to dive (and retain energy) compared to the Entente aircraft of the era - it feels like diving in and out of a school of fish. The Nieuports are very lightweight and manoeuvre differently (low roll rate, but feel like they retain altitude well when entering or leaving a turn)... it feels so different compared to even 1918!

Edited May 6, 2023 by Avimimus

[Bonnot]

An optimistic view : as a Waco has little to do in a flight sim alone, it is here to announce  arrival of reinforcements on the ground _ so we'll  see airborne troops, armed jeeps and light guns in a first time....

....next should follow heavier pieces with Hamilcar and Horsa _ and a pure Tank = Locust !

 

Three cheers for the TC revival on Second Front