4.13 development update discussion and feedback

[KG26_Alpha]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Looks like good things are coming for fans of Soviet and German bombers in the next patch!

Don't worry , there's a special treat for US bombers too.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Sita

it very interesting thing ... in VVS RKKA in some special cases AAA projector was used like some support equipment for night mission ...
that video is example of some of that equipment ...
ground crew take AAA projector and put it on ground to target direction with some time periods ... or make some figure by light ray from projector .... like arrowhead in video ...

So, searchlights were used to form a "pointer" which guided the bombers along the correct flight path to the target?


I thought that it might have something to do with the way that searchlights were used to track aircraft for night fighters and AAA guns.

Historically, searchlight batteries were ordered to search particular sectors of the sky, possibly guided by radar or sound ranging equipment.

Once one searchlight detected a plane, two or more other searchlights in the area would then quickly focus their beams on the same plane.

The multiple converging beams made it almost impossible for the plane to escape the searchlights by taking evasive action, and clearly identified the plane to flak and night fighters.

So, to get night AAA ops right, you'd need to have searchlights randomly sweep the sky (or sweep certain sectors of the sky, with some aid from radar) until they detect a hostile target.

Searchlights can also detect a target when it silhouettes itself under clouds or against the moon, or a target makes itself visible (fire or turning lights on).

Then, 2+ searchlights converge on the target, and all the lights track it until the plane is out of range.

AI planes will attempt evasive action (typically by "corkscrewing") while the searchlights attempt to follow it.

Flak automatically "sees" and preferentially targets planes being tracked by searchlights. (Even if they can't see the plane, they can still aim using the converging searchlight beams. Later in the war, some flak was radar directed.)

Night fighters automatically "see" and home in on planes being tracked by searchlights.

Night fighters with radios can command flak batteries to stop firing once they begin their intercept.

[RPS69]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Night fighters with radios can command flak batteries to stop firing once they begin their intercept.

Actually, there were known safe positions for the fighters to attack.

Many searchlights got more range than the Flak batteries they support, and also, searchlights blinded navigators. not allowing them to aim on their targets.

[Fighterace]

Can't wait to see the new P-40's, they're going to be awesome.

[Buren]

Originally Posted by Fighterace

Can't wait to see the new P-40's, they're going to be awesome.

B-24D!

Hope to see a sneak peek of the "special treat for US bombers", too!

[mothergoose870]

Are there new P-40 models being introduced with 4.13? this interests me greatly

[wWwebBrowser]

Is it too late to request Anti lock brakes. I have destroyed more planes after landing because my brakes locked up.

[Tolwyn]

Well, if you have it as a button, it's 100% on or 100% off.
You COULD assign it to an axis...

In the upcoming (uh... who knows when) patch, there will be differential braking and stuff.

Originally Posted by wWwebBrowser

Is it too late to request Anti lock brakes. I have destroyed more planes after landing because my brakes locked up.

[ZacharyB]

Some planes already have differential braking, it's just not seen as a message on the HUD. It's activated by turning the rudder and braking at the same time. You can see it in the Mosquito and the jets.

[Buster_Dee]

I haven't looked, but I think some brake gauges back that up (differential braking). By the way, the B24 did not have differential brakes; they had a dual brake system that let each pilot contribute to the brake strength. Both left brake pedals operated one system that fed both mains, and both right brake pedals operated a second system that fed both mains. I think the idea was that, if all systems were functioning, both pilots pressing both brake pedals could apply 4 times the pedal pressure. I don't know if that translated into 4 times the total pressure at the main wheels. In R/L, turning was done by throttles and prop wash against the rudders. The gauges in our model respond the way they should, but I think our programmers made it more of a differential system for those not having the benefit of multi-axis quadrants. I find it hard to turn just the same. But I'm sure there will be experts soon after we release--which I don't control