wrong usn/usmc/usaaf markings for corsair mkI on solomons maps except jan 44

[-)-MAILMAN-]

After installing the patch 4.10.1 When selecting the Corsair MkI, and turning on markings for USN or USMC or USAAF on all of the new Solomons maps except Jan 44 the US marking applied to the aircraft is the early US national marking of the white star, blue background (circle) and red dot in the center. This insignia was last used at Coral Sea in early May 1942 and was not present for the Battle of Midway. Is there a fix in the near future for this? This also occured when I tested the same maps with the Corsair MkII and Corsair MkIV. Best I can tell no other aircraft are affected this way except those I mentioned here.

[AndyJWest]

Already answered in the other thread you asked about this in - try the F4Us and see if the same thing happens. 'Corsairs' were the versions supplied to the RN.

[-)-MAILMAN-]

The F4U-1A, F4U-1C, F4U-1D markings are correct on all of the Solomon Maps. The Corsair MK I and for test purposes the Corsair MKII and Corsair MKIV when selecting USN/USMC/USAAF markings default to early 1942, 6 position white stars on blue circles with red dots in the center on all of the Solomon maps except the Solomons Jan 44 Map. This did not occur on the Pacific Islands map nor on the Coral Sea Online 1 map when I tested it there.

It appears to be triggered by some setting with these particular maps and since I hadn't read any thread mentioning this I posted it in hopes that it gets corrected.

[IceFire]

The Corsair Mark I was meant to be the Royal Navy version (why on earth we got that version rather than the F4U-1 USN version is beyond me) so the US markings are the default rather than painted on that MOST US aircraft have.

The markings themselves, as of 4.10.1, are much better looking and they change depending on the mission date. Not the map date (that's irrelevant to this feature to the best of my knowledge). Change the mission date.

[SaQSoN]

Originally Posted by -)-MAILMAN-

It appears to be triggered by some setting with these particular maps and since I hadn't read any thread mentioning this I posted it in hopes that it gets corrected.

Markings are affected by mission date since 4.10. So, if you have, say, 1939 set as mission date, you'll get early style markings. If you have 1944 - you got late style.
On "dedicated" US planes markings are painted on default skin, hence they are not affected by this.

[-)-MAILMAN-]

I had already attempted to change the dates for the mission. No matter what I do I get pre-midway US markings (with the red dot in the star) when I select US for the Corsair I. This only happens with the Solomons maps prior to Jan 44. If I select the January 1944 Solomons map I get the correct US markings on the Corsair Mk I.

[SaQSoN]

Originally Posted by -)-MAILMAN-

I had already attempted to change the dates for the mission. No matter what I do I get pre-midway US markings (with the red dot in the star) when I select US for the Corsair I. This only happens with the Solomons maps prior to Jan 44. If I select the January 1944 Solomons map I get the correct US markings on the Corsair Mk I.

I just checked again. Solomons map, early. Same mission, only dates are changed:

http://img263.imageshack.us/i/markings.jpg/

All works perfect.

[-)-MAILMAN-]

Originally Posted by SaQSoN

I just checked again. Solomons map, early. Same mission, only dates are changed:

http://img263.imageshack.us/i/markings.jpg/

All works perfect.

No all is not perfect. As a matter of fact all three pictures depict the wrong markings for the time period in the Pacific Theater.

Picture One, 1942. This set of markings was removed from the USN/USMC aircraft prior tot he Battle of Midway in June 1942. Your picture number three would be appropriate for the time frame June 1942 until approximately the spring or early summer of 1943 for all USN/USMC combat aircraft.

Picture Two, 1943. These markings were used on USN aircraft in the Mediterranean during Operation Torch only and only on Grumman F4F Wildcats and Douglas SBD Dauntless and possibly Grumman TBF Avengers . These markings never appeared in the Pacific Theater and were never applied to Corsairs or Hellcats when delivered to the USN or USMC.

Picture Three, 1944. These markings (6 position blue circle with white star) were applied to USN/USMC aircraft from June 1942 until approximately sometime in the spring or early summer 1943. The F4U-1 (we have to use the Corsair Mk I in the game) made its combat debut in February 1943 in the Solomons based on Guadalcanal with the Marines. White Bars were then added to the blue circle with white star and applied to only four positions on the airplane in the spring or early summer 1943. Around July-August 1943 a red border was added to the blue circle and bars, but was replaced by a blue border by January 1944.

These same anomalies occurred when I tested the Corsair MK II and Corsair Mk IV on the same maps even though I would never select these aircraft to use US markings normally. When I tested the maps and selected the F4U-1A, F4U-1C and F4U-1D these planes always had the correct US markings regardless of the map.

Maybe someone changed the USN/USMC markings for the Corsair Mk I, a RN plane, when choosing the US Navy or US Marine Corp for the country in version 4.10 or 4.10.1 because this problem was not there in 4.09m or earlier regardless of map or time period.

[IceFire]

Mailman... the markings, if you recall, were horrible in 4.09 and there was no date system to determine them. Yes they did change along with most other markings that were not of the paint on variety. Everything from the Russian, German, RAF and USAAF/USMC/USN markings changed.

Obviously the details of the changes aren't quite right as the dates are a little off on the marking usage and indeed the Torch markings are very specific to the African operations and were removed very soon after that operation was finished.

You're only seeing the markings as they are on the Corsair Mark I (or other planes) because it's using the "Default" bitmap on top of the skin style that most aircraft in IL-2 use. Most American aircraft use the painted on variety which is distinct and used only in a few places outside of the American aircraft. Since the Corsair Mark I was intended to be marked up with Royal Navy markings and not American ones is the reason for the problems.

Ultimately three points to make:

1) The Solomons map has nothing to do with this discussion. So far as I know the maps themselves do not determine markings except for overall theater markings where applicable (there is Pacific, Europe Winter and Europe Summer to the best of my knowledge).

2) The new US default markings are a huge improvement but the dates for introduction and theater specifics are wrong or only narrowly applicable.

3) It'd be REALLY nice to have a separate entry for the F4U-1 or if not, at least a USN/USMC specific skin that could be applied when those are specified that would feature the painted on marking type.

[-)-MAILMAN-]

I was not commenting on the quality of the markings. The quality is great much better than previous versions, but as you stated the time frame for the markings is obviously wrong. Also desert camouflage is assigned to maps of North Africa and most of the Pacific Maps at least in previous versions so this could explain the choice of Torch insignia. There is no separate Pacific or Jungle camouflage setting as part of the game which could help.

Although the 4.09m versions of the US insignia for the Corsair Mk I were of less quality than with the 4.10.1 versions the 4.09m version did attempt to accurately display the proper insignia for the Corsair Mk I (P-400 & P-39N as USAAF) when selecting USN/USMC for the country. Maybe the powers to be in a future patch could change which markings display for the this aircraft based on time frame.

My intent was to bring up the problem so that the powers to be might look at the issue.

Can I take for instance the Dec 42 Solomons map (to accurately reflect the actually airfields of February 1943) and put the date of Jan 44 to get the six position blue circle and star insignia for USMC?