Dev blog #363: a look at the past, and new upcoming features

[[CPT]Crunch]

By the time the Ta-152 shows up every front line American fighter was already upgraded to M3 browning's with increased velocity and firing rates, will we be getting these to add to the campaign realism?

[MAJ_stug41]

Are you certain that m3s were operational in theatre?

[FTC_ChilliBalls]

Since the Ta 152 we are getting in the next update will have GM-1 as standard equipment,

can we get it as a modification for those German planes which historically used it?

 

• Most unevenly numbered Bf-109 Gs (1/3/5) were equipped with GM-1
• Some evenly numbered Bf 109 Gs had a GM1 /U or /R variant: G4/U2, G-14/R4

[[CPT]Crunch]

Yes, they were already beginning mass replacement in Jan 45, already finished operationally field testing in Dec 44.  It was a very fast and successful program since it incorporated all previous improvements into a one new design of the same base gun, pretty much no parts were interchangeable.

[MAJ_stug41]

I have never heard of m3s in combat in europe during wwii, would be interested to see a source for that.

[Art-J]

^ Me neither. Given the fact that the gun was accepted in April '45 and only 2400-3000'ish (depending on source) were made before war in PTO ended, I don't think many of them (if any at all) made it to the ETO front line in time to see some action. 

 

This article seems to have a nice summary of development of fast ROF Brownings, M3 included:

https://smallarmsreview.com/browning-aircraft-machine-guns-part-iii-high-speed-and-the-modern-50-caliber-aircraft-guns/

[357th_KW]

For whatever reason, the serial number and manufacturer of the machine guns installed on an aircraft are listed in the Missing Air Crew Report that was submitted when a USAAF plane went down (the full database of these reports is searchable on Fold3.com).  I looked up a handful of aircraft that were reported lost in April 1945 and some of them had some Frigidaire (who apparently made all the M3s during WW2) made guns, but often mixed in with other manufacturers and Frigidaire also made something like 300,000 M2s during the war.  It seems unlikely that a unit armorer would randomly install 2 or 3 M3s on a P-51.  If we knew the serial number range of those guns, it would be easier to pin down.

[JG4_Moltke1871]

I read here a lot pro and cons about the Ta 152 in career mode….

 

How about the Hanriot HD1 in career mode? 
It‘s really a shame can’t fly this beautiful modelled aircraft in career mode.

Are there any compromises in work?

[ACG_Bussard]

Conerning the mentioned Me 262 protection during take-off and landing I allow myself to quote the FW researcher and author of several books on the Ta 152, Dieter Harmann:

 

"In spite of repeated claims to the contrary, the Ta 152H was never used to protect Me 262 fighters during takeoff and landing" (Focke Wulf Ta 152, The Story of Luftwaffe´s Late-War, High-Altitude Fighter, Dipl.Ing. Dieter Harmann, Schiffer Publishing, Page 92).

 

But these are certainly only details

[LukeFF]

3 hours ago, JG4_Moltke1871 said:

I read here a lot pro and cons about the Ta 152 in career mode….

 

How about the Hanriot HD1 in career mode? 
It‘s really a shame can’t fly this beautiful modelled aircraft in career mode.

Are there any compromises in work?

 

Career mode for the latest planes is planned to be updated along with all the other most recent planes yet to be added. 

[HazMatt]

On 6/11/2024 at 4:26 PM, Art-J said:

^ Me neither. Given the fact that the gun was accepted in April '45 and only 2400-3000'ish (depending on source) were made before war in PTO ended, I don't think many of them (if any at all) made it to the ETO front line in time to see some action. 

 

This article seems to have a nice summary of development of fast ROF Brownings, M3 included:

https://smallarmsreview.com/browning-aircraft-machine-guns-part-iii-high-speed-and-the-modern-50-caliber-aircraft-guns/

From the article:

Only 2,400 of the M3 Brownings were procured before World War II ended in September 1945. The M3 was produced again during the Korean War by several new contractors and used on a number of aircraft during that conflict. However, the service life of the fast-firing M3 would be brief. Despite the progress made in improving the design and metallurgy, the weapon had a malfunction and failure rate that would prove unacceptable.

 

Wow. After reading that I'm glad they don't model gun failure rates in IL2.

[Freycinet]

When I read all that about 128 buttons and 8 controller setups I get a little bit sad. I have a Virpil joystick and throttle quadrant and really really struggle to make bindings work. Don't know what I am doing wrong but the whole bindings thing is hugely difficult for me, and my enjoyment of the sim is very limited because of it.

 

I wonder if I am the only one struggling...

[1PL-Husar-1Esk]

10 hours ago, Freycinet said:

I wonder if I am the only one struggling...

I have the same setup but I don't find difficult to set up those.

[FTC_ChilliBalls]

Quote

As for the latest news, the new update 5.204 will be released soon, in two weeks; its testing is almost finished

Soooo, was that two weeks™️ or will we get 5.204 today?

😘

[Freycinet]

On 6/18/2024 at 10:22 AM, 1PL-Husar-1Esk said:

I have the same setup but I don't find difficult to set up those.

 

Ok, I may PM you for advice!