On a slightly different angle, IL-2 Sturmovik 1946 focuses on the aircraft used throughout the entire war, including some experimental aircraft that never got off the ground.
Cliffs of Dover on the other hand, is focused on the types used during the relatively short timeframe May - October 1940, give or take a couple of months. Hence, it only replicates the aircraft used in that timeframe, the Battle of Britain (and quite well I might add
).
Then of course there is the huge increase in computing power that is required to run the new game smoothly. Just about all they've kept from the old IL-2 is a few of the engine sounds, rather disappointingly as I was looking forward to the roar of a Rolls-Royce Merlin. Everything else - flight model, damage model, scenery, water effects - has been started from scratch and made to optimise visual enjoyment (even to the extent that they were required by law to apply the anti-epilepsy filter, which I hope has been rectified).
So really, there is simply no comparison. My suggestion is, wait until the U.S. release, by then the bugs will be ironed out. Games are typically designed to succeed in the United States, otherwise they will be doomed to fail. That may be why the Russians got the worst version first, before the rest of the world came pounding on Oleg's door wanting explanations.
I myself am really looking forward to this sim, even if no-one can make a Merlin sing...
Tally-ho,
Scott.
