AI turned to Flyable in updates

[Sven]

Weren't Blenheims used as well on the first raids over Germany? And they even have a little stinger in the wing! I believe they were also a plague at night, as they were bombing the German airfields. But yes, a shame the Wellington isn't flyable, it's a real beauty as you said.

[Coen020]

I couldn't agree more

[JG53Frankyboy]

A flyable Wellington would give the "reds" a much better attack ability for online scenarios/wars.
The Blenheim max load is acually rather low AFAIK , 1000lb.
Compare that to a He111's 2000kg...

I realy hope for a flyable Wellington (or Hampden ) soon.

[TheGrunch]

I would also love to fly the Wellington, not only is it a beautiful aircraft, but such a useful to have for the whole war for campaign-making as well, with rather minor modifications for later variants (just the engines and the tail turret really), right from day and night bombing 1940 to '42 to Coastal Command and the Far East later in the war.

Yeah it sums up rather sad feelings for me does the Wimpy, it was pretty much out classed by the German fighters, and lacked adequate defences really, but speed was on its side compared to other bombers at the time. Its geodectic structure was quite revolutionary and ment it could take a lot of punishment.
It began taking the fight to the axis in 1940 and didnt stop until 1945 even though it was again outclassed by its younger sisters such as the lanc, and was more expensive to produce because of the structure design.
They very often at the time in 1940 went out alone at night, I was stationed for a short while at RAF Honnington, they used to have Wimpy's there untill the base was lent to the USAF, and in stories I have read about the wimpy's from that base the often had these smaller type raids nightly as well as the larger ones, but even in these larger raids there was no formation type of flying (tatics used by bomber command untill the end of the war) they took off one by one and made their own way to the target and back again. Lonely and scary stuff I would imagine.

Sadly Wellington crews took the heaviest toll of all the Bomber aircraft crews, and most of the crash sites of RAF bombers here in the UK were Wellingtons, but no other bomber served for the whole duration of the war in the role or way the wellington did, it wouldnt suprise me that the Wellington being the first bomber to drop ordinance on Berlin, maybe was the last bomber to do so as well.
And they did all this at night and alone.
What a plane.

[meplay]

So we have no level bomber for Allied?

[TheGrunch]

Blenheim!

[T}{OR]

Originally Posted by JG53Frankyboy

I realy hope for a flyable Wellington (or Hampden ) soon.

Fliable Wellington would indeed be very nice.

+ 1 for the Hampden. A funky looking little plane.

Yeah very similar to the wellington in many aspects, mainly speed being its only saving grace.
I'm sure I saw a picture of the Wellington cockpit from in game? i think it was on one of the updates, I do definitly remember Oleg saying that there will be a few AI made flyable in updates due to them not being ready in time for release. Hope the Wellington may be one of them.

Some Nice Wellington Information


This airbase looks just like RAF Honnington (or possibly Feltwell), The airfield is up on a rise (seen in the photo) hangar types are the same and they face in the same directions and where the aircraft are 2 years later was a big concrete pan, its very possible that it could be:



HONINGTON

This was an expansion scheme aerodrome built in 1935-37 on the edge of the Breckland six miles south of Thetford. The camp was situated on the south-east corner of the landing ground which was fronted by four Type C hangars with a fifth to the rear on the west side. Technical, administrative and barrack buildings were mostly in brick with flat roofs, the camp backing onto the country road to Honington village, two miles to the east. The light nature of the soil proved to be reasonably free draining.
In July 1937 Nos. 77 and 102 Squadrons arrived, the former with Wellesleys and a few Audax, and No. 102 with Heyfords. They had come from Finningley in Yorkshire and in July 1938 returned to that county changing places with Nos. 75 and 215 Squadrons at Driffield. These newcomers were flying Harrows, which were to be concentrated in No. 3 Group, albeit that the squadrons commenced conversion to Wellingtons in the summer of 1939. Both were designated as No. 3 Group Pool Squadrons and No. 75 moved to Stradishall from whence No. 9 Squadron arrived to replace it at Honington. Shortly before the outbreak of war No. 215 was also moved leaving No. 9 to undertake the first RAF bombing raid of the war on September 4, 1939, an attempt to attack naval vessels off the German Baltic coast resulting in the loss of two Wellingtons to fighters. No. 9 had Honington to itself until the summer of 1940 when two of the depleted Battle squadrons, which had escaped from France found shelter there for a month. In late July No. 311 Squadron was formed with Czech airmen to use Wellingtons, flying their first raid on the night of October 10/11, 1940 shortly before being moved to Honington's satellite at East Wretham. No. 9 Squadron continued as the sole resident operational unit until it was transferred to No. 5 Group in August 1942 and left for Waddington. However, it was joined by No. 214's Wellingtons for a week in January 1942 while work was carried out on their home airfield at Stradishall. All told, 79 of No. 9's Wellingtons failed to return or were lost in operational crashes while the squadron was based at Honington.
During 1939-41, 18 small pan hardstandings were laid down at Honington, most off exceptionally long access tracks, those to the south crossing the public road. A tarmac perimeter road was also constructed during the same period. The runways remained grass with 1,400 yard runs NE-SW and SE-NW.
Honington was then transferred to the USAAF which had been allocated the station in June 1942 for development to a Class A standard bomber base. In September, VIII Air Service Command arrived to establish an air depot which eventually became the 1st Strategic Air Depot providing major servicing, repair and modification for B-17 Fortresses of the 3rd Bomb Division.
From February 1944 the station also housed the 364th Fighter Group and its three squadrons, first flying P-38 Lightnings and later P-51 Mustangs. The fighter group departed in November 1945 but Honington continued as an air depot until February 1946 becoming the last USAAF station to be returned to the RAF.
During the American occupation a perimeter track and 68 loop and a single pan hardstandings were put down, several of these on the special depot site built on the west side of the airfield and officially named Troston. A single T2 hangar was added on this site and eight Blister type were also erected on the airfield. Concrete runways were never built but the Americans put down 2,000 yards of steel planking on the main 05-23 runway.
Post-war, Honington was used by maintenance units until the early 1950s when a 3,000-yard concrete runway was laid. When re-opened for flying in 1955, four Canberra equipped squadrons were installed. From the following year Valiants were also present and from 1959 Victors. The V-bomber squadrons were withdrawn in the mid-1960s and after four years without resident squadrons the station became host to shore-based Buccaneers. These remained until the early 1980s when Tornado squadrons took over and were present for ten years. Then in 1994 Honington became the depot station of the RAF Regiment with much upgrading of buildings. The flying field with reserve status has been maintained and improved and is used during exercises.