[Blackdog_kt]

I don't necessarily disagree, i just thing that for a 2010 simulator simplification should be an option in the realism settings and not the default.

Workload translates into extra peripherals and cost for the simmer, however there's already quite a few people with TrackIR and HOTAS sets that would be able to use complex engine management. I guess many of them would. Heck, i know i would and i only have a MS Sidewinder Precision 2 and a TrackIR.

Most people fly a handful of planes anyway, maybe a couple of types per side and their sub-variants and these for the most part have quite similar operating limits.
Also, the fact that someone is a trained real life pilot with a lot more feedback from his senses about what the plane is doing is usually balanced out by the fact that he could actually lose his life in combat while we don't. That's why even real life pilots wanted to spend as less time as possible remembering such things and that's why most planes of the time have their power settings clearly marked on a small table on the dashboard, the operating limits marked with colored arcs on the instruments or both.

I have been flying WWII era warbirds on a friend's PC in FSX to get an idea about it in preparation for SoW and to be honest, when i started thinking about the tactical implications of such things i quite liked the possibilities. It's difficult the first 2-3 times, after that you feel right at home. What can really make it difficult is not taking care of the systems per se, but the lack of a proper interface, adequately high resolution cockpits,well defined 3D virtual cockpit and movement zones for TrackIR or a combination of these things. For example, if i need to activate the water injection in the P47 i need to be able to bind it to a key of my liking, or be sure that that i can look there with TrackIR so that i can click it, etc.

Generally speaking however i don't fly with the manual on my lap, i just take a look through the in-game checklist before takeoff and memorize 3 things: Maximum continuous power, climb power and cruise. The rest is marked on the instruments.

The reason i like it is that it doesn't really overwork you, while still adding a layer of complexity that makes for interesting tactical decisions. It balances out the planes for the majority of the players due to workload, yet it doesn't prevent the ones who stand out from doing their thing.

For example, US cockpits of the time have a lot of information clearly presented for the pilots so that they don't need to memorize everything. Colored arcs on the instruments (green=good,yellow=caution, red=danger), flap and gear extension speeds, power settings, even a power curve graph on the side console if you really want to maximize fuel economy. It's a good thing, since the US birds are maybe the ones with the largest number of engine controls that a rookie could misuse on a long escort mission.
A 47 has cowl flaps to control cylinder temperature, oil cooler flaps, intercoolers to control carbuteror temp, mixture, prop pitch, throttle, the turbo-supercharger lever and the water injection switch, it's 8 separate engine controls so the pilot needs proper feedback.

After all, the last thing you need when Boom and Zooming someone is forgetting to close the intercoolers before a long high-speed dive at idle, freezing your carburetors and stalling your engine as a result. A quick glance at the gauges quickly reveals any problems and allows you to take immediate action. If the instruments are good you don't need to remember numbers, all you need to remember is "keep the needle in the green arc". After a while and with experience, you realise that keeping it in the middle of the green arc is even better, since it gives you ample margin for error on either side, you feel a sense of accomplishment and you gradually become a better pilot through small things like these.

German cockpits on the other hand use different coloring and most of the times only feature colored tick-marks instead of colored arcs, but it's sufficient as they mostly have automatic systems. Most of the later war German rides will usually have automatic prop pitch, mixture and superchargers, so the pilot only has to work his throttle with the Ata gauge and the temperatures with radiators, cowl flaps, etc.

This creates a well balanced environment full of interesting tactical possibilities, even if it's purely coincidental. Do you want to fly the high performing late war allied birds at the risk of screwing up, or will you settle for an axis ride with lower performance that's cruising on full auto?
I can't wait for the time when we'll be able to get kills because the other guy really screwed up in a myriad of ways and not just due to maneuvering or bad SA. He might be a master marksman, have the eyes of a hawk and dance around the sky like a ballerina, but stall his engine during a crucial time.

Of course, SoW:BoB is early war and we won't have that much to play with initially because of the simpler aircraft modelled, but we'll get there in time.
Most of it evens out in the end either between allies and axis as a whole due to different engineering and design choices, or between individual kills and losses (you might die because of it, but you'll also get kills thanks to it), most of the information needed is in front of the pilot and with today's high resolution textures it's a breeze to use in a flight sim.