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IL-2 Sturmovik The famous combat flight simulator. |
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Thread Tools | Display Modes |
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If you want realism, remember that British decorations weren't just given for X number of aerial victories or bombing sorties and that you could get a lesser medal after receiving a more prestigious one. So the medals shouldn't just progress from "mention in despatches" > DFC > DSO/M > VC as you score points.
Instead, consider a career track more like Wing Commander Douglas Bader's - DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, plus numerous mentions in despatches. Meaning two decorations for extreme heroism given on two different occasions, and two awards for heroism given on different occasions. The game should track your overall performance in the campaign and your "single mission" performance when deciding which decoration to give you, as well as the difficulty, damage and injury you suffered while achieving your goal. Also, as with any decoration, your chance of being decorated depends on whether anyone else saw you performing the deed. For example, shooting down a single Bf-110 might merit a mention in despatches if it was an ordinary kill on a fighter sweep over enemy territory. On the other hand, if you attack a superior formation on your own, just as it is attacking a target over your home territory, then refuse to bail out of your burning aircraft, suffering severe wounds in the process, in order to shoot down a single Bf-110 you might perhaps get the Victoria Cross. If you must use a simple linear, point-based score system to assign awards, at least use the language "you have been RECOMMENDED for"; [Decoration] for every decoration other than mention in despatches. |
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There's one other award that hasn't been mentioned, although it was unofficial.
RAF pilots who successfully baled out of an aircraft would become members of the "Caterpillar Club". A pin was awarded to the pilots by The Irvin Air Chute company- a gold caterpillar with ruby eyes. (This is because the parachutes were made from silk produced by silk worms - i.e. caterpillars). Later in the war, after much protest from the many pilots who received such pins, the RAF reluctantly agreed that pilots would be able to wear these pins on their uniform - under their jacket lapels! This might be a fun unofficial award to include in a campaign. What do you think? Here's a link: http://www.caterpillarclub.org/irvin/irvin.htm |
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PPanPan |
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One other award I've not seen so far mentioned in this thread is the Air Force Cross and the Air Force Medal.
![]() The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy". A bar is added to the ribbon for holders who are awarded a second AFC. History The award was established on 3 June 1918. It was originally awarded to Air Force commissioned officers and Warrant Officers, but this was expanded after World War II to include Army and Navy aviation officers, and again in 1993 to enlisted personnel after the discontinuation of the Air Force Medal. [2] During World War II, 2,001 medals were awarded, with 26 bars awarded. One unique second bar was awarded to Wing Commander H J Wilson in 1944. 58 honorary awards were made to aircrew from other non-Commonwealth countries. Post-nominal letters Recipients of the Air Force Cross are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "AFC". A bar is added to the ribbon for holders of the AFC who received a second award. Description The medal is a silver cross 60 mm high and 54 mm wide, representing aircraft propeller blades, with wings between the arms. The obverse depicts Hermes riding on the wings of a hawk holding a laurel wreath. At the top of the upper arm is the royal crown while the other three arms bear the Royal Cypher of the reigning monarch at the time of issue. [2] The suspender is straight and decorated with laurel wreaths. [2] The ribbon was originally white with red broad horizontal stripes, but changed in 1919 to the current white with red broad diagonal stripes at a 45-degree angle. The Air Force Medal was (until 1993) a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Royal Air Force (United Kingdom) and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy". The medal was established on 3 June 1918. It was the other ranks' equivalent to the Air Force Cross, which was awarded to commissioned officers and Warrant Officers (although WOs could also be awarded the AFM), but ranked below it in order of precedence, between the Distinguished Flying Medal and the Queen's Gallantry Medal. The AFM was awarded 259 times during WW2. Recipients of the Air Force Medal are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "AFM". In 1993, the AFM was discontinued, and since then the Air Force Cross has been awarded to personnel of all ranks. Herewith some details: he Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy". A bar is added to the ribbon for holders who are awarded a second AFC. History The award was established on 3 June 1918. It was originally awarded to Air Force commissioned officers and Warrant Officers, but this was expanded after World War II to include Army and Navy aviation officers, and again in 1993 to enlisted personnel after the discontinuation of the Air Force Medal. [2] During World War II, 2,001 medals were awarded, with 26 bars awarded. One unique second bar was awarded to Wing Commander H J Wilson in 1944. 58 honorary awards were made to aircrew from other non-Commonwealth countries. Post-nominal letters Recipients of the Air Force Cross are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "AFC". A bar is added to the ribbon for holders of the AFC who received a second award. Description The medal is a silver cross 60 mm high and 54 mm wide, representing aircraft propeller blades, with wings between the arms. The obverse depicts Hermes riding on the wings of a hawk holding a laurel wreath. At the top of the upper arm is the royal crown while the other three arms bear the Royal Cypher of the reigning monarch at the time of issue. [2] The suspender is straight and decorated with laurel wreaths. [2] The ribbon was originally white with red broad horizontal stripes, but changed in 1919 to the current white with red broad diagonal stripes at a 45-degree angle. The Air Force Medal was (until 1993) a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Royal Air Force (United Kingdom) and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy". The medal was established on 3 June 1918. It was the other ranks' equivalent to the Air Force Cross, which was awarded to commissioned officers and Warrant Officers (although WOs could also be awarded the AFM), but ranked below it in order of precedence, between the Distinguished Flying Medal and the Queen's Gallantry Medal. The AFM was awarded 259 times during WW2. Recipients of the Air Force Medal are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "AFM". In 1993, the AFM was discontinued, and since then the Air Force Cross has been awarded to personnel of all ranks. Also worthy of explanation, and applicable to all British medals, when ribbons only worn, ie everyday working dress, the award of a bar, eg AFC and bar, was signified by a silver rosette sewn to the ribbon. See picture above for example. Pete Edit: Apologies to PeterPanPan. AFC included in your post of 03/03/10. But AFM for other ranks also valid so not all in vain. Pete
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Puffer_2 Last edited by peterwoods@supanet.com; 08-01-2010 at 08:43 PM. Reason: Correction and apology. |
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PPanPan |
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If I was in charge of the British award system, it would look something like this:
-Mentioned in Despatches -Distinguished Flying Medal -Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (though, it apparently didn't become an RAF award until 1943) -Air Force Cross -Distinguished Flying Cross -Distinguished Service Cross -Victoria Cross |
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