Dev Blog #366: Flying Circus and I-153 Updates

[LukeFF]

Dev Blog #366 for Great Battles is now available for your reading: https://il2sturmovik.com/news/865/dev-blog-366/

 

[=621=Samikatz]

I-153 looking fantastic. Any word on planned modifications for it?

[jg123410]

Thanks!

 

A lot of good stuff. I love the I-153 and the Odessa map looks beautiful!!

[LukeFF]

1 hour ago, =621=Samikatz said:

I-153 looking fantastic. Any word on planned modifications for it?

 

Sure thing:

 

The basic version will be with an M62 engine with 4x7.62 SHKAS w/o radio

 

mods will be:

 

- M63 version;
- radio mod
- 1x12.7mm BS + 2x7.62 SHKAS;
- 6xROS82;
- bombs (4xFAB50 or 2xFAB100);
- a combination of rockets and bombs.

 

Why no 20 mm version? According to the latest data, only 5 planes were built in 1940, of which only 3 went to one of the units for trials, and there was no more info at all, no photos, nothing.

 

As about 1x12.7mm BS + 2x7.62 SHKAS - there were about 150 such planes built - and there are photos of such planes available (only externals).

[2./SG2_assadoc]

10 minutes ago, LukeFF said:

 

Why no 20 mm version? According to the latest data, only 5 planes were built in 1940, of which only 3 went to one of the units for trials, and there was no more info at all, no photos, nothing.

 

No ШВАК - no buy.

[Artfactial]

Oh hell yeah, Vol IV is nearly here!
Sad I won't be really able to dive into it straight away since I'm moving apartments next week.

Paris looks amazing.<3

 

The I-153 is going to be so much fun.:3

 

[=621=Samikatz]

24 minutes ago, LukeFF said:

 

Sure thing:

 

The basic version will be with an M62 engine with 4x7.62 SHKAS w/o radio

 

mods will be:

 

- M63 version;
- radio mod
- 1x12.7mm BS + 2x7.62 SHKAS;
- 6xROS82;
- bombs (4xFAB50 or 2xFAB100);
- a combination of rockets and bombs.

 

Why no 20 mm version? According to the latest data, only 5 planes were built in 1940, of which only 3 went to one of the units for trials, and there was no more info at all, no photos, nothing.

 

As about 1x12.7mm BS + 2x4x7.62 SHKAS - there were about 150 such planes built - and there are photos of such planes available (only externals).

 

I did not know a 12.7mm armed variant existed! Thank you for this information, very excited to try and do ground attack in this plane

[giftgruen]

Good news - Vol IV coming 🙂

[76IAP-Black]

32 minutes ago, LukeFF said:

 

Sure thing:

 

The basic version will be with an M62 engine with 4x7.62 SHKAS w/o radio

 

mods will be:

 

- M63 version;
- radio mod
- 1x12.7mm BS + 2x7.62 SHKAS;
- 6xROS82;
- bombs (4xFAB50 or 2xFAB100);
- a combination of rockets and bombs.

 

Why no 20 mm version? According to the latest data, only 5 planes were built in 1940, of which only 3 went to one of the units for trials, and there was no more info at all, no photos, nothing.

 

As about 1x12.7mm BS + 2x4x7.62 SHKAS - there were about 150 such planes built - and there are photos of such planes available (only externals).

Will be a great addition to the game! 
Thanks guys! 

[easterling77]

Ground mayhem awaits😎

[tattywelshie]

That’s fab, she’s a lovely looking aircraft! Did the I-153 ever see action during the Moscow career time period? Or was it phased out by then?

[LukeFF]

32 minutes ago, tattywelshie said:

That’s fab, she’s a lovely looking aircraft! Did the I-153 ever see action during the Moscow career time period? Or was it phased out by then?

 

Yes, they were actually in use all the way to 1943 over the Kuban front.

[sevenless]

1 hour ago, LukeFF said:

 

Sure thing:

 

The basic version will be with an M62 engine with 4x7.62 SHKAS w/o radio

 

mods will be:

 

- M63 version;
- radio mod
- 1x12.7mm BS + 2x7.62 SHKAS;
- 6xROS82;
- bombs (4xFAB50 or 2xFAB100);
- a combination of rockets and bombs.

 

Why no 20 mm version? According to the latest data, only 5 planes were built in 1940, of which only 3 went to one of the units for trials, and there was no more info at all, no photos, nothing.

 

As about 1x12.7mm BS + 2x7.62 SHKAS - there were about 150 such planes built - and there are photos of such planes available (only externals).

 

Great! Sure buy. Bring it on!

[Aapje]

Very nice pictures of Odessa and the I-153.

 

@LukeFF

 

Looks like the wheels have a somewhat complex pivoting mechanism. I assume that this is or will be modelled correctly?

[LukeFF]

Most likely, yes.

[IckyATLAS]

Any Idea when the Odessa module is planned, just to have an idea when the Chaika will be on our airfields.

[sgt_fresh]

Other than that nothing more on WWII.....? Will the i153 be available for WWII? Hope so.

Edited November 15, 2024 by sgt_fresh
Spelling correction

[JG4_Moltke1871]

Nice to see progress for great battles content 🙂

 

And the completion of Flying Circus will be a milestone 😃

To see a bomber over Paris… wow!!

 

I am confident we will see some nice improvements. Are things like the visual bomb safety switch or the realistic Kurssteuerung for German planes still a topic? 🙏🏻🙏🏻

 

Surely there will be some bug fixes ( I hear about a solved AI bomb bay door problem 🙂👍🏻 )

 

The problem that the RRR mechanic is broken ( no impact on flight characteristics after RRR ) is still a gamebreaker - especially on online servers is the fact I can fly with a fully loaded plane like an empty plane a no go- will this ugly bug also be addressed?

And by the way, when I see the I-153 I hope for early access 😜

[LukeFF]

1 hour ago, IckyATLAS said:

Any Idea when the Odessa module is planned, just to have an idea when the Chaika will be on our airfields.

 

2025

 

48 minutes ago, JG4_Moltke1871 said:

Are things like the visual bomb safety switch or the realistic Kurssteuerung for German planes still a topic? 🙏🏻🙏🏻

 

They are on the to-do list but the priority for them isn't high right now.

 

48 minutes ago, JG4_Moltke1871 said:

The problem that the RRR mechanic is broken ( no impact on flight characteristics after RRR ) is still a gamebreaker - especially on online servers is the fact I can fly with a fully loaded plane like an empty plane a no go- will this ugly bug also be addressed?

 

Not aware of such a thing. Is there a thread somewhere where this issue is discussed?

[nesher666]

@LukeFF 

Will the long awaited Tempest FM revision be included ín the next GB update, meaning also the next week?

[Avimimus]

4 hours ago, LukeFF said:

Yes, they were actually in use all the way to 1943 over the Kuban front.

 

Apparently they had a good reputation for close air support in mountainous terrain... could make for some very interesting missions!

 

It looks like the Leningrad units also had some very interesting operations quite late: Night interceptions, patrols hunting searchlights, counter-battery warfare (looking for the signs of enemy artillery fire, and attacking the batteries). They were also allocated to escort night bombers in the summer time when the nights were shorter (leaving the night bombers vulnerable during part of their flights).

[ST_Catchov]

Can you blow up the Eiffel Tower?

[86Cheese]

42 minutes ago, ST_Catchov said:

Can you blow up the Eiffel Tower?

This man asking the real questions.

[JG4_Moltke1871]

3 hours ago, LukeFF said:

Not aware of such a thing. Is there a thread somewhere where this issue is discussed?

I find this one never replied. I didn’t find it yet but if I remember right it was also discussed on TAW server, it’s not in use there because that issue… maybe discussed on their discord server, can’t remember right now.

Yesterday I use RRR on Flugpark server, my rearmed DFW feels very light after the second take off.

 

Edit: @LukeFF, you have a pm on discord with some sources.

 

 

Edited November 16, 2024 by JG4_Moltke1871

[LukeFF]

4 hours ago, nesher666 said:

@LukeFF 

Will the long awaited Tempest FM revision be included ín the next GB update, meaning also the next week?

 

Yes

2 hours ago, ST_Catchov said:

Can you blow up the Eiffel Tower?

 

Don't think so. 😄

[migmadmarine]

6 hours ago, sgt_fresh said:

Other than that nothing more on WWII.....? Will the i153 be available for WWII? Hope so.

What do you mean will the 153be available for WWII? It only served in WWII. 

[JG4_Moltke1871]

5 hours ago, ST_Catchov said:

Can you blow up the Eiffel Tower?

After Kaiser Wilhelm’s victory parade on the Champs de Elysée we will melt this Tower and use the iron to build submarines to isolate England 

[FeuerFliegen]

10 hours ago, LukeFF said:

Not aware of such a thing. Is there a thread somewhere where this issue is discussed?

 

Oh really?  This has been a very well known issue for years in the multiplayer community.  I'll look up some threads where people talk about it.

 

I haven't been able to fully conclude if the bug works with fuel or not, or ammo for that matter.  The bug does affect bombs and rockets though.

[354thFG_Leifr]

RRR has been broken, in one form or another, since introduction.

[LukeFF]

Alright, I'll ask about it, thanks. Not sure anything can be done about it this soon before the update releases, though.

[sevenless]

14 hours ago, IckyATLAS said:

Any Idea when the Odessa module is planned, just to have an idea when the Chaika will be on our airfields.

 

They aim for a co-release of Karelia and Odessa. Unless they change that plan, earliest DOA can be summer 2025. I guess we might see it somewhen before x-mas 2025.

 

 

[LuftManu]

Chaika! Beautiful plane!

[kraut1]

13 hours ago, Avimimus said:

 

Apparently they had a good reputation for close air support in mountainous terrain... could make for some very interesting missions!

 

I believe that they were good for close air support in mountainous terrain.

But from my experience with ground attacks in the higher Kuban mountains AI has to be optimized for this purpose to avoid crashing into the hill sides.

On my Papua New Guinea EMG Mod I have placed most Kokoda trail target definitions in the template on mountain tops or ridges to reduce the ai plane crash loss rates.

 

Small other question: do we know where the western limit of the Odessa Map will be?

[Dr1falcon500]

I would rather have had the Belgian section of the Channel map added to existing Western Front map than Paris. It would actually be seen and used unlike Paris.

Edited November 16, 2024 by Dr1falcon500

[sgt_fresh]

13 hours ago, migmadmarine said:

What do you mean will the 153be available for WWII? It only served in WWII. 

Actually it was flown in combat in the 1939 Battle of Khalkin Gol in Mongolia, also in the WInter War as the Fin's Captured 21 of them and placed them in service so My point exactly... will it be a collector plane or Do you have to purchase the map module?

Edited November 16, 2024 by sgt_fresh
Spelling correction

[354thFG_Leifr]

7 hours ago, LukeFF said:

Alright, I'll ask about it, thanks. Not sure anything can be done about it this soon before the update releases, though.

 

It also doesn't replenish water in the P47 (and presumably 51?) either, unlike MW50 topping up.

I'll try and dig up some track files for you or something, I'm sure they've been posted in places.

[Elem]

At last! Now we just need Barbarossa!

[Dr1falcon500]

Will there be any updates for World War One AI and careers?

[LukeFF]

AI - don't think so. Careers, most likely. 

[XQ_Lothar29]

It's fantastic, I can't wait for the day when I can use the Karelia map and use these beauties.