FW190 front line service feedback

[6./ZG26_Gielow]

Time to write your report about the FW190 on front line service to High Command, pilots.

 

TAXI/TO:

Taxiing and take off is all right now after some practicing. Taxi on automatic prop need to be done with right brake input all the time. For take off giving full throttle right away, full back stick for locked tail wheel and full right rudder seems to be the best method. Don't forget to release back pressure around 80 km/h to avoid three point take off and stall. She takes off very well with no flaps.

 

ENGINE:

Flying and fighting with 1.3 ata looks like maximum continuous thrust.  1.4 ata for one minute and no more. The engine seems fragile and does not forgive bad management. The 190 has good speed but not as fast and reliable as 109 so far. It does not accept even minor battle damage, one or two shots from a 7mm gun and you are out. It catches fire pretty easily.

 

WINDSHIELD ARMOR:

It seems too weak. You can get easily hurt by enemy gunners. Any plane gunner would be desperate to see a 190 closing in, but so far the 190 pilots that need to be extremely careful to approach enemy bombers and need to be really a good marksman to damage enemy bombers from long range and avoid defensive fire. Very difficult to deal deadly damage outside gunners range. The engine and the windshield should protect the pilot like a stone wall and so far looks like you are flying behind a piece of paper.

 

GUNS/CANNONS:

Lots of ammo and firepower. No worries about going low in ammo. Convergence setting of 500 meters is killing aiming. It always seem that you are hitting everything but your target. Convergence needs to be reduced to 200 meters. No use for the extra pair of 20mm cannons due to bad convergence setting.

 

GROUND ATTACK:

Very solid and stable platform for bombs. Dives like a rock and stays straight even on speeds above 600km/h. No buffeting. It seems to bleed speed too fast after dive even when you keep high thrust setting. Maybe no trim elevator/stabilizer is causing the speed issues.

 

LANDING: 

It seems easier to land than 109 but roll out is critical. Any over control and you will spin even with tail wheel locked. Need to be extra careful after touch down. It doesn't sounds like the reputation of a stable plane on the ground as the 190 should be.

 

FINAL CONSIDERATION:

FW190 in BOS is no plane for beginners. Too many flaws to be solved. Lots of potential when she is fixed, especially when intercepting bombers and ground attack. Anyway, very fun to fly and my favorite plane so far due to so many challenges on every phase of flight and combat.

Edited August 5, 2014 by JG62Gielow

[AbortedMan]

Elevator trim for the 190 is implemented...it's in the controls menu as "horizontal stabilizer up/down" or something like that. Just bind it to the same keys you use for elevator trim in the other aircraft since you'll only be using one at a time.

 

Convergence isn't implemented yet and probably not subject to critique yet.

Edited August 5, 2014 by AbortedMan

[Wulf]

Time to write your report about the FW190 on front line service to High Command, pilots.

 

TAXI/TO:

Taxiing and take off is all right now after some practicing. Taxi on automatic prop need to be done with right brake input all the time. For take off giving full throttle right away, full back stick for locked tail wheel and full right rudder seems to be the best method. Don't forget to release back pressure around 80 km/h to avoid three point take off and stall. She takes off very well with no flaps.

 

ENGINE:

Flying and fighting with 1.3 ata looks like maximum continuous thrust.  1.4 ata for one minute and no more. The engine seems fragile and does not forgive bad management. The 190 has good speed but not as fast and reliable as 109 so far. It does not accept even minor battle damage, one or two shots from a 7mm gun and you are out. It catches fire pretty easily.

 

WINDSHIELD ARMOR:

It seems too weak. You can get easily hurt by enemy gunners. Any plane gunner would be desperate to see a 190 closing in, but so far the 190 pilots that need to be extremely careful to approach enemy bombers and need to be really a good marksman to damage enemy bombers from long range and avoid defensive fire. Very difficult to deal deadly damage outside gunners range. The engine and the windshield should protect the pilot like a stone wall and so far looks like you are flying behind a piece of paper.

 

GUNS/CANNONS:

Lots of ammo and firepower. No worries about going low in ammo. Convergence setting of 500 meters is killing aiming. It always seem that you are hitting everything but your target. Convergence needs to be reduced to 200 meters. No use for the extra pair of 20mm cannons due to bad convergence setting.

 

GROUND ATTACK:

Very solid and stable platform for bombs. Dives like a rock and stays straight even on speeds above 600km/h. No buffeting. It seems to bleed speed too fast after dive even when you keep high thrust setting. Maybe no trim elevator/stabilizer is causing the speed issues.

 

LANDING: 

It seems easier to land than 109 but roll out is critical. Any over control and you will spin even with tail wheel locked. Need to be extra careful after touch down. It doesn't sounds like the reputation of a stable plane on the ground as the 190 should be.

 

FINAL CONSIDERATION:

FW190 in BOS is no plane for beginners. Too many flaws to be solved. Lots of potential when she is fixed, especially when intercepting bombers and ground attack. Anyway, very fun to fly and my favorite plane so far due to so many challenges on every phase of flight and combat.

 

 

Not a bad summary although I'd question a few details.  

 

• Taxi - I find taxiing the aircraft extremely difficult.  I find it so bad that I tend to re-spawn when it all starts to go tits-up.  Interestingly, in Captain Eric Brown's notes on his first test flight in a 190 A 4 he states that the aircraft appeared to taxi with relative easy. 
• Engine - I tend to agree.  I'm really surprised the 190 appears to be slower than the 109.
• Windscreen armour - It does appear to be perforated on a fairly regular basis.  No idea how realistic this is.  I suspect the glass should probably be resistant to most ball and small cal. HE rounds but how it would fair against AP I have no idea.
• MGs/Cannons - My biggest problem with the 190 (aside from the well documented visibility issues and roll rate issues) concerns my inability to hit other aircraft.  From an examination of flight recordings in slo-mo it appears as though the weapons shoot low.  Others have noted this as well.  As far as I can tell, in level flight, the projectile stream does not rise above the center point of the sighting reticule - not at any point.  There may be some sort of optical illusion going on here, or something, but I don't think so.  This being the case I imagine that convergence in the vertical plane is well under 500m.  Maybe 500 m in the horizontal but certainly for a relatively low velocity projectile like a MG FF/MG 151 round the trajectory should pass well above the line of sight to be on target at 500 m.  As I've said, I've seen no evidence to suggest this actually happens.  I'd like to think the issue will disappear once harmonization/convergence is enabled but it's really a case of wait and see.   
• Ground attack- yeah, very effective. 
• Landing - yes, easier to land than a 109 but still has a bit of a tendency to 'float' I think.
• Conclusion - IMO the jury is still out on the 190.  Those issues that exist present very serious hurdles for the would be 190 pilot.  In fact, I think they're so central to the whole 190 combat ethos that it's hard to image it being particularly successful unless they're fixed.  If they are, I think it has real potential.

Edited August 6, 2014 by Wulf

[LLv34_Flanker]

S!

 

 Regarding Fw190A-3 guns. In game the 20mm guns shoot way below center of the sight, only the MGs shoot through the center. Adjustable convergence, yes please!

[MK_RED13]

S!

 

 Regarding Fw190A-3 guns. In game the 20mm guns shoot way below center of the sight, only the MGs shoot through the center. Adjustable convergence, yes please!

 

...This is called the balance of the game....

[Livai]

 

 

ENGINE:

It does not accept even minor battle damage, one or two shots from a 7mm gun and you are out. It catches fire pretty easily.

 

WINDSHIELD ARMOR:

It seems too weak. You can get easily hurt by enemy gunners. The engine and the windshield should protect the pilot like a stone wall and so far looks like you are flying behind a piece of paper.

 

I notice this,too.

A 7mm gun do much damage not only on that plane. Sometimes I get the feeling why to fly with 20 mm when I can get with a few shots with 7 mm the same result? The Fw-190 not feels well protected like it should be. A Fw-190 is a tank well protected and very good for frontal attacks. The Engine is protected aswell. The self-sealing fuel tanks seems not to work?  The current Game balance hurts.

[Streiff]

Re MG`s/Cannons

 

Its been noted a while ago that not only does Axis weapons have horrific ballistics making every shot, unless the target is straight, level and very close, a blind shot, but they also have very high dispersion. 

 

Personally i feel that there are a number of "quirks", several of them mentioned here, on both the 109 and 190 that i never read or heard about before. Hopefully this will be fixed or it will inevitably look like balance quirks to me, and many others im sure.

[AbortedMan]

I see what you fellas did thar...2/10.

[71st_AH_Mastiff]

 

Not a bad summary although I'd question a few details.  

 

• Taxi - I find taxiing the aircraft extremely difficult.  I find it so bad that I tend to re-spawn when it all starts to go tits-up.  Interestingly, in Captain Eric Brown's notes on his first test flight in a 190 A 4 he states that the aircraft appeared to taxi with relative easy. 
• Engine - I tend to agree.  I'm really surprised the 190 appears to be slower than the 109.
• Windscreen armour - It does appear to be perforated on a fairly regular basis.  No idea how realistic this is.  I suspect the glass should probably be resistant to most ball and small cal. HE rounds but how it would fair against AP I have no idea.
• MGs/Cannons - My biggest problem with the 190 (aside from the well documented visibility issues and roll rate issues) concerns my inability to hit other aircraft.  From an examination of flight recordings in slo-mo it appears as though the weapons shoot low.  Others have noted this as well.  As far as I can tell, in level flight, the projectile stream does not rise above the center point of the sighting reticule - not at any point.  There may be some sort of optical illusion going on here, or something, but I don't think so.  This being the case I imagine that convergence in the vertical plane is well under 500m.  Maybe 500 m in the horizontal but certainly for a relatively low velocity projectile like a MG FF/MG 151 round the trajectory should pass well above the line of sight to be on target at 500 m.  As I've said, I've seen no evidence to suggest this actually happens.  I'd like to think the issue will disappear once harmonization/convergence is enabled but it's really a case of wait and see.   
• Ground attack- yeah, very effective. 
• Landing - yes, easier to land than a 109 but still has a bit of a tendency to 'float' I think.
• Conclusion - IMO the jury is still out on the 190.  Those issues that exist present very serious hurdles for the would be 190 pilot.  In fact, I think they're so central to the whole 190 combat ethos that it's hard to image it being particularly successful unless they're fixed.  If they are, I think it has real potential.

 

engine: this ^ damn AI catches me with easy. take off at 1,000rpm does fine. when gear goes up the nose pops up as if the flaps are down.

 

taxi: It wasn't to hard after learning what to do. after numerous taxi crashes.

 

Damage modeling: catches fire with a breath

 

AI can not taxi: they spin out

 

I can not out run any Russian aircraft on manual or auto settings.

Edited August 6, 2014 by 71st_Mastiff

[Livai]

engine: this ^ damn AI catches me with easy. take off at 1,000rpm does fine. when gear goes up the nose pops up as if the flaps are down.

 

taxi: It wasn't to hard after learning what to do. after numerous taxi crashes.

 

Damage modeling: catches fire with a breath

 

AI can not taxi: they spin out

 

I can not out run any Russian aircraft on manual or auto settings.

 

Hmm, that sounds bad. Did you try to fix it or to found the problem how to solve it? I mean with Modding since you have access to the SDK (Mod-Tools) same that the Devs use? Looks like their is no solution at the moment?

[AbortedMan]

engine: this ^ damn AI catches me with easy. take off at 1,000rpm does fine. when gear goes up the nose pops up as if the flaps are down.

 

taxi: It wasn't to hard after learning what to do. after numerous taxi crashes.

 

Damage modeling: catches fire with a breath

 

AI can not taxi: they spin out

 

I can not out run any Russian aircraft on manual or auto settings.

Hmm, if you can't out run any Russian aircraft (even the IL2?!) in the 190, then something on your end is very wrong.

[Brano]

Landing difficult? It is easiest plane to land in game.Doesn't bounce as others.When you touch down and hold stick back to have tailwheel locked and apply both brakes simultanously,you will stop within few seconds without any spining around.Try that in LaGG3 or La5 and then come back to tell.

AI can not taxi because they don't lock tailwheel.They do not pull stick back.Programming of AI WIP.

[Matt]

 

engine: this ^ damn AI catches me with easy. take off at 1,000rpm does fine. when gear goes up the nose pops up as if the flaps are down.

Take-offs with 1000 RPM should be avoided (if that even works). I would try 2400 RPM at least.

I see nothing wrong with the nose going up when the gear goes up. But i'm more curious if the nose should (always) go up when the flaps go down.

 

If people are having trouble landing (i personally think it's probably the easiest plane to land in BoS), you could try to set the flaps to take-off position instead of landing position.

 

2700 RPM can be used for about 4 minutes. The 190 is performing worst (relative to the opposition) between 2300 and 3500 meters. So if possible, fight above or below that. At 5000 meters and above, no Russian plane can catch the 190 even if the latter is flying with 2400 RPM. Of course the same is true for the 109s.

 

Disappointing to read that the testers have no access to the SDK!

[LukeFF]

...This is called the balance of the game....

 

 

No, it means it's an incomplete feature.

[Wulf]

 

I can not out run any Russian aircraft on manual or auto settings.

 

 

Actually Mastiff, that hasn't been my experience.  Certainly, down on the deck (and against AI) I can easily out run a Lagg 3 and I can get good separation on a La 5 and Yak.  At 5k and above the 190 also appears to have a clear speed (and handling) advantage.  I think the Yak presents the most problems - both high and low.  I find that if I've been imprudent with my throttle my engine power falls away and then I'll be caught, but if the motor is in good nick, then I can usually exit a fight as required.  As far as I can tell, the state of the motor is critical to a safe exit.  Unfortunately, given that I appear to have a real problem hitting the enemy, I tend to squander a lot of opportunities to settle matters early.

.   

Edited August 6, 2014 by Wulf

[Gambit21]

 

No, it means it's an incomplete feature.

The rolleyes emoticon here really falls short doesn't it?

He needs to lose the smile.

[SR-F_Winger]

engine: this ^ damn AI catches me with easy. take off at 1,000rpm does fine. when gear goes up the nose pops up as if the flaps are down.

 

taxi: It wasn't to hard after learning what to do. after numerous taxi crashes.

 

Damage modeling: catches fire with a breath

 

AI can not taxi: they spin out

 

I can not out run any Russian aircraft on manual or auto settings.

Utterly useless airplane as is. 109ers do everything better.

[71st_AH_Mastiff]

ok today not sure whats going on:

 

I taxi way better now.

 

I keep the setting on auto and aTa at 1.1 to 1.3 and she operates very well.

 

Is there a radiator setting for this?

 

one thing I noticed a 109 bump my wing and his fell off nothing happen to mine.

[6./ZG26_Gielow]

Squadron mechanics are working on a field modification to adjust engine gauges panel.

[SR-F_Winger]

I wont argue about if the FM is right or not. Only thing i ask myself is why should anyone buy it? There actually is no reason but the look and sound of the plane. Even a 109 with gunpods performs better than the 190. and has acutally more firepower than the 190 in its only flyable state - with only 2 cannons.

 

EDIT: Ah there is anothjer valid reason to buy it. To support the sim and 777. and thats a good reason.

 

After all were still in early access. So maybe/hopefully something about FM and performance on the 190 is still WIP.

Edited August 8, 2014 by VSG1_Winger

[303_Kwiatek]

BOS Fw 190 A-3 is clearly undermodeled in climb rate comparing to rest fighters.

 

All BOS fighters beside Fw 190 in winter condition got better climb results ( and general performacne) then official specification which was made for ISA ( standart atmosphere).

 

Unfortunately BOS Fw 190 A-3 got even worse result in climb then offical German specification which was made for ISA.  In russian winter condition FW 190 A-3 should like other BOS fighter got better climb rate then in offical specification which is not true in BOS.

 

Even Lagg3 which IRL got worse climb time then Fw 190 A-3 got better climb rate in BOS which is absurd.

 

Thats why Fw 190 is porked in BOS.

[AbortedMan]

I wont argue about if the FM is right or not. Only thing i ask myself is why should anyone buy it? There actually is no reason but the look and sound of the plane. Even a 109 with gunpods performs better than the 190. and has acutally more firepower than the 190 in its only flyable state - with only 2 cannons.

 

EDIT: Ah there is anothjer valid reason to buy it. To support the sim and 777. and thats a good reason.

 

After all were still in early access. So maybe/hopefully something about FM and performance on the 190 is still WIP.

You have to keep in mind that not everyone plays this genre of game to fly the "best" aircraft. I use "best" aircraft as a very subjective term...I recall shooting down 3 190's in my LaGG-3 yesterday and returning home for a successful landing.

 

The look and sound of the plane may not be much of a thing to you, but it's what keeps me going back to the LaGG-3 over and over...so that's something.

BOS Fw 190 A-3 is clearly undermodeled in climb rate comparing to rest fighters.

 

All BOS fighters beside Fw 190 in winter condition got better climb results ( and general performacne) then official specification which was made for ISA ( standart atmosphere).

 

Unfortunately BOS Fw 190 A-3 got even worse result in climb then offical German specification which was made for ISA.  In russian winter condition FW 190 A-3 should like other BOS fighter got better climb rate then in offical specification which is not true in BOS.

 

Even Lagg3 which IRL got worse climb time then Fw 190 A-3 got better climb rate in BOS which is absurd.

 

Thats why Fw 190 is porked in BOS.

I've seen you say this many times, but haven't seen any information regarding what you're referencing to make this complaint...care to share?

[303_Kwiatek]

I've seen you say this many times, but haven't seen any information regarding what you're referencing to make this complaint...care to share?

 

What a problem do  climb test in game and compare it to German charts. You will see what im talking about.

Edited August 8, 2014 by Kwiatek

[Jantzen]

 

•  This being the case I imagine that convergence in the vertical plane is well under 500m.  Maybe 500 m in the horizontal but certainly for a relatively low velocity projectile like a MG FF/MG 151 round the trajectory should pass well above the line of sight to be on target at 500 m.

 

Gun convergence does not automatically mean vertical convergence! It could only mean bullets are crossing horizontally at 500m, not that they are arced upwards to be vertically equal with your line of aim at 500m. I hope you understand what I mean... 

[Trinkof]

For those who are asking "buy or not ?", I share my personal experience : 

-This is for now my favorite aircraft in game, and the one I have best results with (I am still begining though)

 

-The good point is the stability making it a deadly gun platform, far less "twitchy" and "over reactive" than the 109. Guns are really awesome, and without the FF, you can easly take down a Pe2 in afew shots, so I am not even mentioning the effect on russian fighters.

 

-As for people saying they are outruned by Russians .... well they must make something wrong. Of course regarding pure data on deck speed, it is not the fastest plane ingame BUT: the dive is incredible, the plane being able to fly at 800 km/H without a blink. With some height, and using it a 1.4 ATA for 50 seconds, you can outrun, anyhting, even planes having far more energy than you ! And the plane will keep speed for a very long time. After a dive you can virtually cross the entire "fighting" section of the big map at 600km/H or more. Disengaging with a 190 is really easy to achieve without any stress   

-Another point, very subjective is the noise : I feel that the noise of air is much more informative than  in the 109,  and more "fluid" in the 190. I feel the plane being much more predicatble. If you are gentle on the stick, and listening your aircraft, this one is becoming the most stable thing in game.

 

-Turning : at corner speed (450 ?) it turn VERY tight ! without loosing speed on the initial 280° i would say. After this , use a little of 1.4 ATA to maintain speed and it will fight like hell. If you plan your engagement well, you can turn with yak for a short time, wich is often enough to shoot them, thanks to stability and guns

-Last point is Vision : use the largest FOV, then put your head the farest from the Windscreen with your tracking device, and enjoy the view , use a key bind for "reste pilot head zoom" wich will provide you a mini instant zoom (require FOV change speed 100% in camera) This way it is becoming a bit tricky to look your 6, but with practice on the correct head movments, and Track IR setting it is easy.

 

As a conclusion : If you play to have the "best aircraft" well ignore it, because on pure data, it is not better than the 109. BUT : this plane is an "experience" being very different from the other planes, the work the Dev's did on FM is really awesome on this one, (not regarding data, but how they made us "feel" the aircraft flying). 

SO buying it is not buying "another plane with data and skin, it is more like buying a new experience of the game, wich is very enjoyable for my point of view. 

[303_Kwiatek]

Acceleration is related with climb rate also.  If climb rate is dumped in BOS FW 190 im no wonder that also acceleration is also dumped.

Edited August 8, 2014 by Kwiatek

[Jantzen]

 

Either the bf109 is too good at diving or the fw190 is undermodeled, but that's just my opinion and I'm not an expert.

 

 

 

Is the 109 not locking up at certain speeds? 190 should dive a lot better.

[II./JG77Timairborne]

This plane is giving me so much trouble with the engine, burns out every single time. 

[VR-DriftaholiC]

You can 1.42 ATA for 4 min before it goes boom.

[Y-29.Silky]

It just doesn't make any sense considering that historically it was considered an amazing plane with great speed and dive control. It is without a doubt a huge downgrade from the bf109. If this was the actual performance of the fw190 back in WW2, the plane design would be laughed at after the initial test flights and the design scrapped and forgotten. Factories would make bf109 instead of sub-par fighter.

 

Purchased the 190 a few days ago, still getting used to it, but above is how I'm feeling about it at the moment. Sure it's fast and stable in a dive, you can do a few virtical loops in combat then run away only if you burn a Yak/La's energy. But if a Yak has the slightest energy over you, and you run, he'll catch you regardless, even at 6-7000m, their engines literally run forever. I don't know, I just have to agree that if the FW performed like this in real life, whoever approved it, would have probably been given a cyanide pill.

[SR-F_Winger]

If there only would ba a word from the devs about how final the 190 FM is considered final or if its still in the makes and subject to change.

Could we have a word please?

[Imur6]

How can you turn right while taxing? becasue I have to full right brake (full right rudder input)  to heading straight, Can't turn right while taxing.

Is there any tip?

[SCG_Space_Ghost]

How can you turn right while taxing? becasue I have to full right brake (full right rudder input) to heading straight, Can't turn right while taxing.

Is there any tip?

Prop pitch to 12-1230

Full right rudder

Back on stick to lock tail wheel

Wheel breaks to adjust your course until the rudder gains authority (at higher speeds)

Don't exceed 2500RPMs and don't forget to reengage the kommandogerat before liftoff

[SR-F_Winger]

Prop pitch to 12-1230

Full right rudder

Back on stick to lock tail wheel

Wheel breaks to adjust your course until the rudder gains authority (at higher speeds)

Don't exceed 2500RPMs and don't forget to reengage the kommandogerat before liftoff

Isnt the manual proppitch porked? I cant switch to manual once engine runs.

[SCG_Space_Ghost]

Isnt the manual proppitch porked? I cant switch to manual once engine runs.

Personally, I have not had that issue.

[LastRightsXIII]

Isnt the manual proppitch porked? I cant switch to manual once engine runs.

As of late I've the same issue with the 190.

Not so with the 109.

[Willy__]

 

 

Isnt the manual proppitch porked? I cant switch to manual once engine runs.

 

 

Its a bug that occurs in servers that have the planes spawn in with engines off (at least its this way for the 190). Just got out of eagles server and the 190 there started in the parked position with the engine already on and I was able to switch over manual/auto no problems whatsoever.

[LastRightsXIII]

Iit's the same with engines off in the QMB also. 

Good observation on your part .

Thank you.

[SR-F_Winger]

thanks. maybe a fix for tomorrow

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

Posted 05 August 2014 - 14:31

Time to write your report about the FW190 on front line service to High Command, pilots.

 

While your original report is a bit dated now, I do have some input and counter points to your post. I have many qualms about certain aspects of the Fw 190, chiefly the lack of any vertical convergence, and have been pretty vocal about them in other threads. I feel some of your conclusions are incorrect, even at the time of writing.  Below are my counterpoints:

 

TAXI/TO:

Taxiing and take off is all right now after some practicing. Taxi on automatic prop need to be done with right brake input all the time. For take off giving full throttle right away, full back stick for locked tail wheel and full right rudder seems to be the best method. Don't forget to release back pressure around 80 km/h to avoid three point take off and stall. She takes off very well with no flaps.

 

Taxi information is mostly correct but I only have to use the right brake during initial acceleration and a bit more than should be expected during taxi. I can begin releasing it during taxi around 30-35 kmh on the ground and use it as differential braking from then on. It's still not correct and 35 kph seems a bit fast for a standard taxi but I digress. Starting with just the right toe brake from a stop is, in fact, a PIA and will prevent the aircraft from rolling without quite a bit of throttle.

Takeoff’s are pretty straight forward. Stick full back, full right rudder, throttle forward faster than most but doesn’t need to be slammed forward as some (not you) have suggested, start releasing back pressure and rudder around 40 kmh and neutral stick around 80 kmh. Decreasing rudder input until around 300-320 kph. Remember, she is trimmed for max cruise and will need inputs until you reach that speed. I don’t use flaps for takeoff without external stores.

 

ENGINE:

Flying and fighting with 1.3 ata looks like maximum continuous thrust.  1.4 ata for one minute and no more. The engine seems fragile and does not forgive bad management. The 190 has good speed but not as fast and reliable as 109 so far. It does not accept even minor battle damage, one or two shots from a 7mm gun and you are out. It catches fire pretty easily.

 

1.3 ata is the max cruise setting, however, 1.42 ata is good for two and a half minutes easily. I start to have noticeable power reductions between 2.75 and 3 minutes.  Engine damage typically happens around the four minute mark if used continuously. The time seems to be cumulative. If used judiciously, when needed (takeoffs, dashes, emergency climbs) your motor should be good for an entire round.

 

WINDSHIELD ARMOR:

It seems too weak. You can get easily hurt by enemy gunners. Any plane gunner would be desperate to see a 190 closing in, but so far the 190 pilots that need to be extremely careful to approach enemy bombers and need to be really a good marksman to damage enemy bombers from long range and avoid defensive fire. Very difficult to deal deadly damage outside gunners range. The engine and the windshield should protect the pilot like a stone wall and so far looks like you are flying behind a piece of paper.

 

YEP!

 

GUNS/CANNONS:

Lots of ammo and firepower. No worries about going low in ammo. Convergence setting of 500 meters is killing aiming. It always seem that you are hitting everything but your target. Convergence needs to be reduced to 200 meters. No use for the extra pair of 20mm cannons due to bad convergence setting.

 

I am confident we will have adjustable convergence before release. That being said, there is no vertical convergence modeled in the Fw. It is becoming somewhat infuriating. The main guns never cross above the sight and just fall away. Being on someone’s six at 200m and having to essentially pull lead to get strikes is ridiculous and frustrating.  True deflection shooting is a crapshoot at best. The cannons appear to be set to neutral and gravity makes the rounds drop as soon as they leave the barrel. (15^th rant on this concluded. You may now go about your business.   )

 

GROUND ATTACK:

Very solid and stable platform for bombs. Dives like a rock and stays straight even on speeds above 600km/h. No buffeting. It seems to bleed speed too fast after dive even when you keep high thrust setting. Maybe no trim elevator/stabilizer is causing the speed issues.

 

Honestly, I haven’t used it in this role. I’ll go with your opinion. Dives are controllable as long as you, “stay ahead of the aircraft.” Rudder should probably have more authority in a dive according to printed reports.

 

LANDING: 

It seems easier to land than 109 but roll out is critical. Any over control and you will spin even with tail wheel locked. Need to be extra careful after touch down. It doesn't sounds like the reputation of a stable plane on the ground as the 190 should be.

 

Yes but……………just stay ahead of the aircraft here as well and she’s just fine. She’s actually pretty forgiving with the toe brakes if you only get slightly behind the curve.  Easier to land than any other aircraft in my opinion - particularly the Bf which absolutely requires a 3 point to land cleanly.

 

FINAL CONSIDERATION:

FW190 in BOS is no plane for beginners. Too many flaws to be solved. Lots of potential when she is fixed, especially when intercepting bombers and ground attack. Anyway, very fun to fly and my favorite plane so far due to so many challenges on every phase of flight and combat.

 

The aircraft is complex and must be flown as an interceptor. She’s a true BNZ aircraft and the pilot needs to be VERY aware of their E. I never fly below 325 kph in the combat zone. Don't follow VVS aircraft through more than 360 degrees until you know the Fw inside and out and probably not with more than about 60% fuel, either. Probably not the best aircraft for a noob.

 

Also, trim for max cruise is about 2.5 ticks forward on the indicator. If you get into trouble in a dive adjust the stabilizer up. It is amazingly effective.

 

There are many issues with this aircraft, particularly the noted convergence and also power/climb which should be considerably better.  That being said, the aircraft is awesome when flown within the current (not quite accurate) flight envelope and is more than a match for anything which doesn’t have a Bf in it’s nomenclature.

Edited September 11, 2014 by HerrMurf