High level bombing questions

[Woke Up Dead]

Thanks for the replies, I don't use mods though, and the servers I fly on may not allow that specific mod anyway.

"use BombsightTable2 for IAS-TAS conversion and then input the accurate data into the OP-1 bombsight through in-game interface rather than dropping on a preset angle"

Do you mean use BT2 to figure out the TAS, then ignore the angle BT2 gives and just line up the two needles on the sight? Unfortunately this does not always work, hence my problem from my first post. Different sizes of Soviet bombs do seem to fall differently, I think you found this yourself when you added different correction angles for the big bombs (BB) and medium bombs (MB) in your guide. But the OP-1 always gives the same angle given the same altitude and speed, regardless of the bomb size. And there also appears to be variation from plane to plane (Pe-2, IL-4, Pe-

[T}{OR]

Target elevation (the correct term ) is very important when level bombing. You need to input the relative altitude above ground or AOG, not altitude above sea level or AOS for your target. In IL2, due to its terrain, those targets usually will not be above 200m AOS and that is rare since the terrain is mostly flat on all maps with very few exceptions. The highest target I ever bombed was MonteCassino on Italy map (600m AOS).

Originally Posted by Woke Up Dead

... But the OP-1 always gives the same angle given the same altitude and speed, regardless of the bomb size. And there also appears to be variation from plane to plane (Pe-2, IL-4, Pe-

Could very well be so. Bear in mind that the angle value needed is a decimal number, i.e. in 1/3 that needs to be entered into the bomb sight. Depending on what the sight gives you. Three clicks are needed with OP-1 to switch to a higher angle. That may also be important.

[KG26_Alpha]

Originally Posted by T}{OR

Target elevation (the correct term ) is very important when level bombing. You need to input the relative altitude above ground or AOG, not altitude above sea level or AOS for your target. In IL2, due to its terrain, those targets usually will not be above 200m AOS and that is rare since the terrain is mostly flat on all maps with very few exceptions. The highest target I ever bombed was MonteCassino on Italy map (600m AOS).

Altitude deviations at airfields on a few of the common stock maps.

~@ Woke up Dead
Its important to know terrain elevation on parts of the maps you are intending to use altitude bombing.

Moscow
North 90m
South 140m

Crimea
South 200-240m

Smolensk
East 160m
North 90m
South 110m
West 40m

Stalingrad
North 200m
South 30m
East 50m
West 100m
Central 110m

[Woke Up Dead]

Thanks again guys, but I think you're assuming I'm more of a novice at this than I really am. I'm aware of the importance of target altitude; for my recent tests I either targeted objects at the coast line or along rivers, or took target altitude into consideration.

I'm also aware that it takes multiple clicks to increment move the Soviet bombsight by angle integers. Not three, but five; increments of 0.2 degrees: 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, etc.

Given all this, I still can't get accurate results, even if I read my TAS from the wonder-woman view. I input the correct speed, correct altitude, match the two indicators on the bombsight, and still can't hit my target. The error is consistently the same if I use the same bombload and drop it from the same plane, but different if I take another bombload or another plane. For example, a FAB-500 dropped from a Pe-2 from 4000 may always fall a little bit long, but the same FAB-500 dropped from in IL-4 may always fall very long.

In other words, the Soviet bombsights in this version of the game are inaccurate, or to put it bluntly, screwed-up. I hope they get fixed for 4.13, in the meantime I may create a chart of corrections for the Pe-2, IL-4, Pe-8, and maybe the Japanese bombers as well.

[KG26_Alpha]

Originally Posted by Woke Up Dead

Thanks again guys, but I think you're assuming I'm more of a novice at this than I really am. I'm aware of the importance of target altitude; for my recent tests I either targeted objects at the coast line or along rivers, or took target altitude into consideration.

I'm also aware that it takes multiple clicks to increment move the Soviet bombsight by angle integers. Not three, but five; increments of 0.2 degrees: 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, etc.

Given all this, I still can't get accurate results, even if I read my TAS from the wonder-woman view. I input the correct speed, correct altitude, match the two indicators on the bombsight, and still can't hit my target. The error is consistently the same if I use the same bombload and drop it from the same plane, but different if I take another bombload or another plane. For example, a FAB-500 dropped from a Pe-2 from 4000 may always fall a little bit long, but the same FAB-500 dropped from in IL-4 may always fall very long.

In other words, the Soviet bombsights in this version of the game are inaccurate, or to put it bluntly, screwed-up. I hope they get fixed for 4.13, in the meantime I may create a chart of corrections for the Pe-2, IL-4, Pe-8, and maybe the Japanese bombers as well.

I use the bombsite table as a guide to correct airspeed, but nothing beats experience in these situations, you need to experiment a bit with the sight and different speeds.






Using the Russian sight I drop the bombs at the start of the target they then hit the middle allowing for altitude deviation at ground level.

Just done a 3930m drop with

Pe2 (1942)
FAB 500's x 2
IAS 270kph
TAS 330kph
Target altitude (elevation) 30m

Perfect drop with a direct hit on the target using the @ 60kph speed difference as indicated on the bombsite table above.

Track attached.

[T}{OR]

Do you have wind on the maps you tested (I presume not)? In todays IL21946 it plays a key role when level bombing.

[Woke Up Dead]

Originally Posted by KG26_Alpha

Perfect drop with a direct hit on the target using the @ 60kph speed difference as indicated on the bombsite table above.

No Alpha, you clearly missed. You released the bombs when the bombsight was over the nearest plane, but the bomb hit the ground and destroyed the middle/farthest planes on the airfield. The nearest two planes remained intact.

Perhaps it's because you didn't input the correct TAS: you put in 330km/h, but the TAS at the time of your drop according to the wonder woman view on your track was 345km/h.

Your track is inconclusive.

I made my own tracks of a similar target in Crimea. The target is about 20m above sea level, I'm always aiming for the nearest (easternmost) plane, and I always used the TAS according to wonder woman.

My first run was in a Pe-2 with 2x500 bombs. I had the speed, altitude, and angle pretty much perfect, yet the bombs dropped long, the first plane was not damaged.

My second run was also in a Pe-2 this time with 2x500 bombs. Again everything was as close to perfect as I could get it, and this time the bombs were almost on target. Just a bit long, but still close enough to destroy that first plane.

My third run was in an IL4 with one 500kg bomb. It's steadier than the Pe-2 so I think my altitude and speed were closer to perfect than in the first two runs, but the bomb went way, way, waaaaayyy long. I didn't even hit the rectangular tarmac. In fact, I think the tarmac could have been twice as long, and the bomb would still have missed it. Check for yourselves:

[KG26_Alpha]

I missed ?

I hit where I aimed

Its simple 270kph ias @ 3900m = TAS 330kph whats wonder woman TAS got to do with anything just use the bombsite table settings and it works

The bombs dropped in the center of the target that's the way I use the sight and have for years the TAS is correct that's why I hit the middle of the target.

The point of aim is between the 0 and 5 indicator 2.5 being the target center.

NB

All consideration taken from actual pilots using these crude bombsites back in WW2 we do better than they probably ever did,
they were never designed to be precision bombing devices just a general aiming sight.