Poll: A Flyable B-29 for Korea?

[=KG76=flyus747]

What are your thoughts? Feel free to join the discussion!

Edited October 22, 2024 by 2024.YearOfTheBomber
Removed B-57 and IL28 from list as they didn't serve in the war

[AndyJWest]

Optimism is a wonderful thing...

[Avimimus]

14 minutes ago, 2024.YearOfTheBomber said:

What are your thoughts? Feel free to join the discussion!

 

Could you make a version of this poll where people can choose between the following?:

B-26(A-26)

B-29

Tu-2

Il-28

 

...I'm curious how many of us would prefer the A-26 to the B-29!

[=KG76=flyus747]

1 minute ago, Avimimus said:

 

Could you make a version of this poll where people can choose between the following?:

B-26(A-26)

B-29

Tu-2

Il-28

 

...I'm curious how many of us would prefer the A-26 to the B-29!

That's a good idea

[Avimimus]

1 minute ago, 2024.YearOfTheBomber said:

That's a good idea

 

I think you can edit the poll (even though you've already posted it).

 

You should also be able to add multiple questions (so you could have a question for each bomber).

[=KG76=flyus747]

Just now, Avimimus said:

 

I think you can edit the poll (even though you've already posted it).

There, added more options 

[Lord_Cool]

Wasn't the B-57 introduced until after the Korean war had finished, so how could it be included? The B-45 Tornado would a more realistic offering as either B-45A-5 or RB-45C variant. The IL-28 made an appearance at a very late stage I think but I don't think it saw any combat.

[=KG76=flyus747]

23 minutes ago, Lord_Cool said:

Wasn't the B-57 introduced until after the Korean war had finished, so how could it be included? The B-45 Tornado would a more realistic offering as either B-45A-5 or RB-45C variant. The IL-28 made an appearance at a very late stage I think but I don't think it saw any combat.

It appears you're correct—B-57s and IL-28s were not part of the Korean War. Apologies and thank you for catching that.

 

As for the B-45, it seems it was primarily used in reconnaissance roles, so unless there's a recon element in the game, it may not be a fitting choice either. From what I gather, there weren't many bombers actively used during the Korean War which I think is all the more reason we need some flyable from the few already listed

[migmadmarine]

Did B-29s fly out of the penninsula at all? Or were all the missions out of Japan?

 

[=KG76=flyus747]

13 minutes ago, migmadmarine said:

Did B-29s fly out of the penninsula at all? Or were all the missions out of Japan?

 

I think they mostly flew from Okinawa. Some from mainland Japan and none from the Korean peninsula.

The red box represents the Korea: IL2 map.

[migmadmarine]

Hmm, so torn on this, I can see why many would find it appealing, but not sure how satisfying gameplay design for it could be. Have flights start and finish in the air? 

[=KG76=flyus747]

2 hours ago, migmadmarine said:

Hmm, so torn on this, I can see why many would find it appealing, but not sure how satisfying gameplay design for it could be. Have flights start and finish in the air? 

Well, in the official photos, they are already taking off from within Korea so I dont think “B29s operated from outside the map” will be a significant limitation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for gameplay, its really up to how they implement it but I think this would be their time to shine. Either copy the formula used in Great Battles (pilot is bombardier and everyone is gunner) or…redefine IL2s own rendition of multi crew gameplay and bring that to the next generation.
 

The B29 utilized many tech not yet seen in the IL2 series, such as:

- Norden bombsight

- remote powered turrets that could change who was controlling it

- SHORAN radar bombing

- ECM…

- Copilot (perhaps)?

There are certainly more but just want to highlight the main ones.

[Avimimus]

10 hours ago, Lord_Cool said:

Wasn't the B-57 introduced until after the Korean war had finished, so how could it be included? The B-45 Tornado would a more realistic offering as either B-45A-5 or RB-45C variant. The IL-28 made an appearance at a very late stage I think but I don't think it saw any combat.

 

The British day bomber version of the Canberra was introduced into the European theatre during the Korean War (but, like the Venom, didn't see service in Korea). The Il-28 was received by China before the end of the war but was held back from Korea as well. The very complex B-47 was also serving in Europe before the end of the war. I gather the RB-45 was used for reconnaissance, and only a few Tu-2 served (with a few shot down). The developers did state that they weren't doing European theatre aircraft but they wouldn't entirely rule out the possibility of a Chinese Il-28 (I would view it as quite unlikely though).

 

The B-26 (i.e. A-26) and B-29 are probably the most historically significant.

 

I always wanted to have a flyable A-26 as a kid - but part of me also thinks that allocating the resources to an F-82 or F-7F or Meteor F.8 might be more useful.

 

 

  

19 minutes ago, 2024.YearOfTheBomber said:

As for gameplay, its really up to how they implement it but I think this would be their time to shine. Either copy the formula used in Great Battles (pilot is bombardier and everyone is gunner) or…redefine IL2s own rendition of multi crew gameplay and bring that to the next generation.
 

The B29 utilized many tech not yet seen in the IL2 series, such as:

- Norden bombsight

- remote powered turrets that could change who was controlling it

- SHORAN radar bombing

- ECM…

- Copilot (perhaps)?

There are certainly more but just want to highlight the main ones.

 

Il-2 1946 added a Norden bombsight (and co-pilot eventually), and Great Battles has remote powered turrets (controllable by multiple gunsights)... so it is only really the radar and ecm that would be new. By the way, off-topic, but the Sea Fury had a chaff dispenser!

[=KG76=flyus747]

1 hour ago, Avimimus said:

Il-2 1946 added a Norden bombsight (and co-pilot eventually), and Great Battles has remote powered turrets (controllable by multiple gunsights)... so it is only really the radar and ecm that would be new. By the way, off-topic, but the Sea Fury had a chaff dispenser!

Great Battles melded the pilot and bombardier into one position so that even if the actual bombardier was killed, the pilot could still use the bombsight. They also transitioned away from 3D bombsights and into GUI bombsights which in my opinion severely limited the accessibility of the bombsight (not to mention its camera bugs).

 

As for the gunners, I’m not sure the Me 410’s remote turrets have the ability to switch control between gunners, which was a key feature in the B-29's gunner system. Additionally, B-29 gunners needed to input the size and range of their targets, to allow the targeting computer to calculate an accurate firing solution, factoring in various atmospheric conditions the aircraft was flying through. I don’t believe any of these advanced features are present in the current remote turret systems in Great Battles, so they would definitely need to be added—along with systems like ECM and radar.

 

Copilot was never seen again since 1946, so it would be nice to bring it back.

[Avimimus]

Some interesting info here:

The B-26 in Korea (tripod.com)

 

[LukeFF]

6 hours ago, 2024.YearOfTheBomber said:

They also transitioned away from 3D bombsights and into GUI bombsights which in my opinion severely limited the accessibility of the bombsight (not to mention its camera bugs).

 

The only plane with a "GUI bombsight" I am aware of is in the Li-2, and that's because there are insufficient references showing what it looked like and how it was fitted to the plane.

 

6 hours ago, 2024.YearOfTheBomber said:

As for the gunners, I’m not sure the Me 410’s remote turrets have the ability to switch control between gunners, which was a key feature in the B-29's gunner system.

 

It's as simple as pressing a button right now to switch between the two reflector sights the Me 410 gunner has access to.
 

Quote

Additionally, B-29 gunners needed to input the size and range of their targets, to allow the targeting computer to calculate an accurate firing solution, factoring in various atmospheric conditions the aircraft was flying through. I don’t believe any of these advanced features are present in the current remote turret systems in Great Battles, so they would definitely need to be added—along with systems like ECM and radar.

Target size and ranging options are already there for pilots, so a lot of the work is already done. 

[Avimimus]

1 hour ago, LukeFF said:

The only plane with a "GUI bombsight" I am aware of is in the Li-2, and that's because there are insufficient references showing what it looked like and how it was fitted to the plane.

 

I think the Flying Circus aircraft are still awaiting updated bombsights?

 

[Antiguo]

Bomber planes piloted by players are the great forgotten of this game...how sad

[LukeFF]

27 minutes ago, Ala13_Antiguo said:

Bomber planes piloted by players are the great forgotten of this game...how sad

 

As we have explained, it takes a lot of time to build a bomber. Nothing's being forgotten. 

1 hour ago, Avimimus said:

I think the Flying Circus aircraft are still awaiting updated bombsights?

 

Hmmm, I'm not aware of any. 

[I/JG53_Kurtz]

My answer to the Poll is "No".

It would be great to have such a plane flyable, but i'm worried about the time and resource consuming operation: making a B-29 fully flyable and operative with all its systems and positions would take the same time to build 3 fighters or fighter-bombers, I would prefer these or a speed up of the development of the next module (Pacific theatre).

[=CHN=Pochita]

As long as I can fly the legendary B-29 bomber, I am willing to buy even a collectible aircraft for a fee.😁

At the same time, as a simulation flight game that can fly B-29 bombers, I think it will increase the appeal of simulation flight players.😀

[Trooper117]

Time to get over it... the B-29 will not be flyable, end of!

[actionhank1786]

Personally, while I do think it would have a massive cool factor to be able to crew a B-29, I just don't see it being enough of a draw to offset the workload. 

 

Even if there was multicrew, I don't see a multiplayer world where you get enough people for a bomber formation that's anything more than a B-29 or two flying around together being picked apart by enemy fighters.

 

It's not that I don't think it would be fun to do once or twice in a Quick Mission (I say this as someone who spent time the other night in 1946 trying to create a proper B-24 bomber formation to fly through with some German fighters or try to survive as a B-24 gunner) but I just don't know that I think it would be worth the work that could focus on smaller medium bombers or other assets that would be more enjoyed by a bigger percentage of the player base.

I am glad to see they are finding solutions to at least get them in the game as AI targets though, so we can enjoy fighting against them or defending them.

[Gambit21]

You left out the “never going to happen” option.