I think they can not anymore. At least when fully obscured by clouds I can usually change direction and get rid of them that way. With partial overcast it is near impossible to do so, they almost immediatley and superhumanly spot you leaving the cloud you hid in.

But Ju-88C2 also has similarly aligned guns, and it can shoot down other aircraft without problems... Or may it be a hint for a flyable C6? That would be a dream come true... ;)

Really good news Sita, lot of new planes, I guess other goodies too, like trains, ground objects, maybe a new function. Thank you. You re the channel between DT and us. Pity that Hungarian pack didn´t make it. Waiting for news! thanks again.

R/r/r
 

Some years ago a MOD had the ability to perform (R/R/R) Repair/Rearm/Refuel. And it was an excellent characteristic. It is possible to add the same characteristic for the next patch? that way you can continue on the same mission. Some people have a negative idea about this, but I know many of us will be happy to have it. For those negative persons the solution is simple, don't use it because they say is not realistic; but think neither is the way that we start the engine and nobody argue about this.

What about random and variable weather in the middle of a mission?

Thank you

Depending on the situation and the plane, limited rearming and refueling wouldn't be unrealistic. For example, refueling and rearming a small plane like the Fi-156, U-2 or R-5 could be accomplished in a matter of minutes.

Rearming or refueling a larger plane might take hours.

Repairing any plane realistically takes hours or days.

I'd love to see the R/R/R option in IL2, at least for multiplayer. For multiplayer, it should be controlled by the server admin. It could be included as an option for QMB, and could be added by the mission designer in the FMB.

BUT, I wouldn't just want a simple "land, taxi to a certain spot and you're back to 100%" option. Instead, there should be further controls in place for the sake of realism.

Rearm - Y/N/Limited. Rearming limits: All, guns only, flexible guns only, ordinance only, bombs only, rockets only, torpedoes only. Restrict to plane types: x, y, z, etc. Transfer rate: Instant, x kg/sec.

Refuel - Y/N/Limited. Restrict to plane types: x, y, z, etc. Transfer rate: Instant, x l/sec.

Repair - Y/N/Limited. Repair limits: All, Restrict to systems (check all that apply): airframe, controls, crew, engine, fuel tanks, guns, instruments/ gunsights, oil tanks. Restrict to plane types: x, y, z, etc.

For each system: Full repair?: Yes, Limit to x% of full. Can't repair damage beyond = y% threshold. Repair rate = Instant, x% per second.

At the simplest and most unrealistic level, you could just check Y for all three options and choose "instant" for the rate. That gives you the magic respawn point.

At the highest level of realism, you could put restrictions on which planes can perform RRR, and then limit them to just certain types of RRR. For example:

Realistic RRR for a D3A "VAL" diver bomber on a carrier deck:

Rearming = All. transfer rate = 1 kg/10 sec. If you just want to reload the rear guns, you're just giving the gunner some loaded ammo drums and waiting for him to get them stowed. That's fast. Getting the front-firing guns loaded will take more time. Getting "bombed up" with a 500 kg. bomb will take a while!

Refueling = Yes. Transfer rate = 1 l/5 sec. Getting all the fuel tanks filled up from empty is going to take a bit of time.

Repair - Restrict to systems, crew = 100% repair, fuel tanks = 10% repair, can't repair above 10% damage. Oil tanks = 10% repair, can't repair above 10% damage. The logic here is that replacing crew is easy - just swap out the wounded or dead. Minor damage to fuel and oil tanks can be quickly patched by sticking a plug into any holes. But, it isn't possible to repair airframe, engine, guns, etc. without doing a serious overhaul which would take hours or days.

Dynamic weather is an often requested addition. I'm not sure that it's possible given the way that IL2 handles clouds. That's sad, because contemporary flight sims (MS FSX, CFS3) could do dynamic weather.

What might work is "placeable" clouds of different sizes and colors which drift with the wind (or not), or placeable areas of haze. I have no idea how such objects would affect framerates, however. Its probably not doable.

What would be a welcome change would be the option for mission builders or server admins to specify specific percentage of cloud cover with cloud peak and base altitude. Currently, we've just got the options of "good, fair, etc." and base altitude. Real METAR and After Action Reports specify cloud cover in 1/10 increments, with altitude of cloud base and cloud peaks.

It might also be possible to set cloud types, base altitude, etc. over a particular section of the map.

Just hit refly

Valid for some servers, but even instant RRR would require you to land and taxi to the "respawn" point. Certain limited RRR options would be valid for "full real" servers.

Or at least possibility to add more cloud layers at different heights. I.e. few at 1000m, broken 3000m.

I assure you they can.
Or let me tell you this.
If you and I are flying with no icons/padlock, and you follow me in a cloud.
I can pick any direction and fly away. You won't see me.

The AI always manages to stay with me. ALWAYS. EVERYTIME. It's like the cloud isn't there.

Well, this feature needs testing probably. When I resumed my IL2 flights earlier this year (after about 6 years suspension), I noticed that clouds did cover me from AI - sometimes. Probably it depends on distance or angle or else?