Menu Navigation advice w/Saitek X52

[PlusP]

I've been playing 1946 for a number of years now & I decided to try the console version on PS3. I've had some trouble with the custom control setup regarding menu navigation.

On the X52, the Trigger is "square", the flip up Cross button is the "x" button, & the other 2 pickle buttons to the right of it are "circle" & "triangle" respectively. The lower buttons, T1 & T2, are "Select & Start" & T3 & T4 are "L3 & R3".

I won't bore everyone & list them all but I basically figured out which button represents the corresponding button on the wireless controller. I've mapped all the flight controls I need in combat to the Stick & Throttle & the less important buttons like gear, map, etc. to the keyboard.

I can navigate through the menus enough to play the Single Player missions & it works fine. However, it occasionally goes haywire in areas like the Hangar where I can start looking at the planes & then it stops responding & won't let me continue to scroll through or even back out. I don't want to turn on a wireless controller to get me out because I am afraid it will delete my custom setup.

After finishing the Single Player campaign, I thought I would hop online & try out the multiplayer with a Strike Mission. Since I've always preferred ground attack to dogfighting, I was pretty excited. I joined a lobby, & there was only one guy in there & he was in a fighter plane. I picked a YAK & readied up figuring I could just switch to a ground attack plane after I died. Nope! The options on the spawn screen appeared "grayed out" & I could not press the "square button" (I think) for profile.

I totally understand that I'm a little late to the game here & I certainly haven't learned all the little nuances but I would appreciate it if someone could give a little advice.

Thanks

[Gilly]

I can't comment on the flightstick as I don't have that type but with reference to online once you've selected an aircraft in the lobby you are committed to that for the duration of the game. Upon dying/ crashing there is sadly no option to switch aircraft.

[PlusP]

Good to know. I figured I was committed because I saw no other options but "Profile" I believe. I was unable to select it though.

It was the first time I tried the online but it was pretty late. There was only one guy in the Strike mission lobby & he pretty much just handed me my you know what. I shot him down twice but he got me like 5-6 times & I got the feeling he was just kinda screwing around because he crashed a lot. I am lost without my TrackIr. I saw he was in a fighter & I didn't want to be a jerk & pick a bomber/ground attack aircraft. I figured some more people would join but tonight I learned people cannot join a game in session.

My real hope was to fly some online missions so I can unlock the various ordinance packages for the aircraft. I am kinda angry that I have to play online to unlock them. I am willing to play online but I prefer playing with the older guys rather than wind up with a bunch of kids fighting over kill counts/who's better/etc.

Thanks for the reply.