A beginner's guide to the planes

[Widar]

Good initiative Ancient Seraph and nicely presented at that!

Hope your thread helps the new players on their way to getting to know the aircraft as they are depicted in BOP!

[Ancient Seraph]

Originally Posted by mattd27

He-111
(...)

Thanks for another description mattd . I've edited it a bit, as always, but I liked the original .

Originally Posted by Widar

Good initiative Ancient Seraph and nicely presented at that!

Hope your thread helps the new players on their way to getting to know the aircraft as they are depicted in BOP!

Thanks! That's the intention of the thread, I hope people are actually learning something of it .

P.S. I like your politically correct 'as they are depicted in BoP'

[mattd27]

IL-2M
The IL-2M is a heavy plane, but when used right it's deadly in a dogfight. Don't try to get into a turning fight with a Spitfire, as you probably won't win. Instead hover above the dogfight, and wait until you see a straggling plane. Then come down on it hard. The best merit of the IL-2M is it's phenomenal machine guns. Line up your shot right and you should have no problem lighting up enemy planes. When being pursued, it's best not to try and out turn enemies. Use your rear gunner, but don't come to depend on it as smart pilots will come up under you and put holes in your belly. When being targeted by multiple planes, using the rear gunner is essential to knock some of them off, or at least scare them a bit. The IL-2M can also dish as much damage as it deals, so you don't have to be overly cautious when your in a scrap.

He 162A-2
This plane is arguably the best of the jets, mainly because it has the best turning radius (although the bar is already set pretty low). Still, this plane is in no shape to be turning with any propellor powered fighter. It's best use is in Strike, you can catch up to bombers easily with it's superior speed, than take them down fast with your cannons. Although they aren't the most devastating weapon, they'll bring down a bomber fast if your a good shot. Make sure you line it up perfect though, as your probably only going to get one chance. It will be hard to take another pass at the bomber with the terrible turning radius. If you end up with another fighter behind you, the best option is to run away, get to full throttle and they'll never catch you unless they're in another jet. But try to outmaneuver them and your going to get burned up instantly. The only way to take down other prop fighters if you're already on their six.

Couple of really long ones there so feel free to edit and trim as you see fit.

[Soviet Ace]

Damn, got beat to the Il-2M. Ah well, it's alright. I don't use it that much anyways.

[mattd27]

Originally Posted by Soviet Ace

Damn, got beat to the Il-2M. Ah well, it's alright. I don't use it that much anyways.

If you fly any of the other IL series planes, they could use some descriptions. We really need some more contributors, there are a lot of planes the 3 of us don't fly.

[Soviet Ace]

Originally Posted by mattd27

If you fly any of the other IL series planes, they could use some descriptions. We really need some more contributors, there are a lot of planes the 3 of us don't fly.

I already PM'd Seraph the La-5FN and La-7. Giving them more description, rather than just the "La Series".

QUICK EDIT: Also Seraph, you may want to put the I-16 Rata/Mosca and I-153 Chaika under "Polikarpov Series". Just for reference.

[Ancient Seraph]

Originally Posted by mattd27

IL-2M
(..)

He 162A-2
(..)

Couple of really long ones there so feel free to edit and trim as you see fit.

Thanks for even more descriptions mattd! I didn't use the 162 though, since it doesn't fit with this guide. The more I'm adding planes, the more this guide turns into a 'how-to' guide. In the descriptions there's usually a reference like: it's good in T&B, but no detailed description of it's best use. I'd like to see a description of the 162 more in the lines of: low rate of turn, although the best among jets, fast, blabla armament, etc., and then coat it with a flowing text.
No offense, it's just how I'd like this guide to be. It's tough to have this topic maintain it's style when editing others' descriptions, but I'd still like to have it so.

[mattd27]

Originally Posted by Ancient Seraph

Thanks for even more descriptions mattd! I didn't use the 162 though, since it doesn't fit with this guide. The more I'm adding planes, the more this guide turns into a 'how-to' guide. In the descriptions there's usually a reference like: it's good in T&B, but no detailed description of it's best use. I'd like to see a description of the 162 more in the lines of: low rate of turn, although the best among jets, fast, blabla armament, etc., and then coat it with a flowing text.
No offense, it's just how I'd like this guide to be. It's tough to have this topic maintain it's style when editing others' descriptions, but I'd still like to have it so.

haha no offense taken. It's not like it takes me hours to type these things up, and the guide looks great so I've got no problems with however you want to run it.

EDIT: If I have any more of these things, I'll PM them to you as not to clutter the thread. But I honestly think I may have gotten to the bottom of the barrel on planes I know strategies for. I guess I'll have to learn something from the guide too.

[PapaBoon]

Awesome post Ancient!

[Ancient Seraph]

Updated La series, explaining the difference between the 5 and 7 more. The differences are still subtle, and there are not too many, so I still think it's not reason enough to split the two.