[Strike]

I know for sure they did one thing right this time around:

They made proper shock-struts that simulate real Oleo-legs.

It's designed to work by moving a cylinder within another cylinder and dampen everything by the use of hydraulic fluid and compressed air or, nowadays, nitrogen. The nitrogen is compressible and will take care of the sharp bumps and roughness of the runway, while absorbing the weight is done by the hydraulic fluid. The fluid is forced to move through some orifices that allows for quick compression, but slow extension. That way, you won't be bounced off the ground again so easily. Compare it to a spring, that only compresses, stores the energy and releases it all as soon as the compression force is gone. That would give you the typical kangaroo landing :p

IL-2 1946 was horrible at simulating this, IL-2 Clod is a different world. Much more realistic.

One can discuss, however, how much abuse the gear can handle. I wish for the ability to damage the shock-strut, flatten the tire, break uplock/downlock mechanisms more easily. I also wish that certain ground textures had their own "roughness" properties, allowing the sim to simulate MUCH rougher terrain that would potentially destroy the landing gear quicker and cause the plane to dig it's nose into the ground. IRL pilots were advised to land with gear up when ditching because the hazard of ending upside down, unable to get out of the cockpit and potentially catch fire.

I think landing feels good in CoD now.