I can't be that good - can I?

[Extreme_One]

lol I know I'm not the best pilot. I remember when I started flying the original IL2 I really struggled, it took me a couple of months (and some desperate posts asking for help over on the UBI forums) to be able to land successfully and even then I often ended up crash-landing. (still, any landing you can walk away from... )

Of course my skills improved over time but I never ever felt like a master. And my cheap HW limited my ability.

In IL21946 I land successfully most of the time but I still come in too fast and heavy a lot of the time, and on grass fields I often nose-over on the runway!

In this new game I land flawlessly every time.
Literally every single time!
Just now I landed with all three wheels touching the grass at the same time and felt like an ace. But I also couldn't help feeling a little like I was cheating somehow.

I have one of the worlds crappiest joysticks, no rudder pedals. This should cause me problems, no?

I play with full-real CEM/FM apart from overheating and I'm mainly flying the Hurricane (Rotol)

I'm struggling to believe that I'm actually that good (perhaps I do suffer from an inferiority complex when it comes to my piloting skills) and am in fact wondering if the current engine is a teeny bit nerfed to bring in the n00b crowd.

I'm not being purposely controversial - I'm genuinely interested in hearing what more accomplished pilots feel about the FMs in the current engine, specifically low level flying and landing.

If the experts reckon the low-level and landing FM is good then that's great news; I am actually becoming a good pilot! but I have my doubts...

I think it's an obvious fact that we're all looking for a game that is more simulation than arcade game and so I'm asking how close we are to that atm.

[Sauf]

I think the ground damage modeling still needs a lot of work, yesterday I landed my 109 and taxied up to a low green fence around a house, out of shear curiousity I wondered "what would happed if my prop hits the fence" so inched forward, soon as it touched my 109 flew into the air twisted 180 degrees landing gear flew off and came to rest about 30 metres away.

They dont make fences like that anymore, just ask my missus, she hits enough of em.

[whoarmongar]

To be honest mate if you can pull of a perfect 3 pointer your to be congratulated. Im usually so afraid of stalling I hit the ground like a ton of bricks! Then im so surprised that i have in fact got down that i hit the brakes and bury the nose. I need a spitfire factory all of my own i ruin that many aircraft.

I am not sure if the FM needs to be fixed on ground and if the legs are too strong.

But I am not sooo much surprised that it is somehow easier to land now than in IL2.

First, we old IL2 flyers have a lot of experience. Even if we messed up with some landings still - overall we got considerably better.

Second, and that's where I think IL2 CoD is so much better than the old game: it is now easier to judge altitude when close to ground. I cannot say exactly why but it feels like this. During my old IL2 times I used some tricks like looking sideways during final approach and constantly comparing with surrounding objects to have an idea of current altitude. Now I just look and have a very good feel about how far off I am still from ground. I think this is what is doing the trick. Alongside with a better feel for speed over ground now.

[Extreme_One]

Originally Posted by 41Sqn_Stormcrow

...

First, we old IL2 flyers have a lot of experience. Even if we messed up with some landings still - overall we got considerably better.

Second, and that's where I think IL2 CoD is so much better than the old game: it is now easier to judge altitude when close to ground. I cannot say exactly why but it feels like this...

Perhaps this is true.

Judging altitude and closing distance certainly does feel more accurate than in the old engine.

I wonder if brand new players also find it easy to land. As a newcomer to flight sims it certainly wasn't as easy to land in IL2/Il21946.

[maxwellbest]

Agreed. It does seem easier to judge altitude when near the ground. In this, CLOD is to be commended. I still get a sense of dread that I am just maybe a little too high, a little to fast and the a/c will plop heavily, nose over etc. But. I am definately better at this now, thanks to '46 4.10. Practice. Lots of practice.

[baffa]

The shock absorbers seems to work here unlike in il2:1946, wont get those mad bounces here for a slight misstake.

[senseispcc]

I think that some of you do use the automatic rudder and it is I think very easy with it than without.
But it is true that because of the precision and beauty of the airfilds is a great aid. Now I can find a airfield from far away, I could not do it in IL2 1946.

[Extreme_One]

Originally Posted by senseispcc

I think that some of you do use the automatic rudder...

Not me.

Although I only have a twist-rudder it's not that awkward that I have to rely on that particular aid.

[Xiola]

Not sure if this is a factor or not, but early WW2 war planes had lower wing loading and were therefore much easier to handle during take off and landing, than their late war cousins.

The 1940 Spitfire Mk1 was described by Werner Molders as 'Childishly easy to fly'