Quickest/best way to get some more Japanese strike aircraft into the game

[Macwan]

IMHO the Nell, Lily and Helen are the most needed attack bombers by Japanese side. It's a lot of stuff to do for release as they're all twin engines planes, by the way.
Sub-variants of the Val and Betty could be a plus, sure.

[Pershing]

Quickest/best way is a mass donation to make all essential models for money.
Quickest/best way = to pay for it)
Sorry for me English

[shelby]

Originally Posted by IceFire

not a bomber but the most produced Ki-61 variant was the Ki-61 Tei which was missing from Pacific Fighters (another odd and glaring omission).

Also Ki-43iii and Ki-44

[1984]

oh, these ki-44, i'm only recently understood about this very interesting plane (not bad performance if this true, especially, for serial production)... for a start, sensibly be version Ki-44-IIb, right? new p-40 + mustangs with allison + ki-44 + any chinese map etc... and ki-67, ki-43 and other planes, all japanese weapon, etc, how much need do in this game (good what sometimes it's easy)...

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by HarryKlein

You could also add to the list the Ki 30, Ki 51, G3M, P1Y (or the Helldiver for the USN ) but none of them are easy additions.

By trying to cover the whole war, PF was simply too ambitious from the start.
The question is IMHO : what can DT do with their limited means ? (supposing they want to )

Knowing that no matter how, gaps are inevitable.
Should they keep trying to cover the whole war,
or should they focus on a limited periods in order to get at least something complete for all sides ie : pre, early, mid or late war ?

You're right that some specialization might be a good idea. I think, if some sort of Pacific specialization were to occur that they should focus on China/Burma/India and focus on one or two major battles where lots of air power was used and fill in the maps and aircraft types that are missing. It's not actually a lot ... most of the work has been done already but it might fit the more tactical nature of the IL-2 engine better than large island hopping campaigns... although with the Solomons and N-G maps we should have the majority of that covered.

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by Macwan

IMHO the Nell, Lily and Helen are the most needed attack bombers by Japanese side. It's a lot of stuff to do for release as they're all twin engines planes, by the way.
Sub-variants of the Val and Betty could be a plus, sure.

Those would obviously entail more work for sure...

In the short term the D3A2 might be a good quick addition. It doesn't look like the cockpit is any different than the A1 and the gunner station would be the same too from the looks of it except for the canopy glass which would need a remodel.

In terms of use the D3A1 is very slow but the A2 gives it some speed and climbing power. Unfortunately no further armament options.

[HarryKlein]

Originally Posted by IceFire

should focus on China/Burma/India and focus on one or two major battles where lots of air power was used .

This would make an excellent choice.

Originally Posted by IceFire

In terms of use the D3A1 is very slow but the A2 gives it some speed and climbing power. Unfortunately no further armament options.

While waiting for a possible D3A2, you can use the A6M2 as an alternative in your missions,
although this solution lacks of variety.
Around february 44 a unit of A6M2 was embarked on the Ryuho. The aircrafts fitted with 250kg bombs were used as shallow dive bombers.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Macwan

IMHO the Nell, Lily and Helen are the most needed attack bombers by Japanese side.

I haven't seen good 3-view drawings or interior photographs for the Nell and no planes of the type exist.

There are decent 3-view drawings for the Lily and Helen, and replicas or wrecks which could be used to get interior views, but I haven't seen good pictures of the interiors.

So, these planes could possibly be modeled as AI planes, but it would be very hard to make them flyable - at least to TD standards rather than as mods.

[gaunt1]

Then it looks like there arent many choices for making flyable japanese bombers.
It seems the only planes we can have with cockpits:
- Aichi D3A2
- Mitsubishi G4M2 (with modified G4M1 cockpit)
- Nakajima B6N
- Yokosuka D4Y

There are very few pictures about the latter two, but I think it is still possible to model the pit, based on scale models. 1/48 is detailed enough for that.

Examples:

B6N:

http://s362974870.onlinehome.us/foru...howtopic=55842

D4Y:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling...rt=ASC&pi240=1

EDIT: + maybe the Aichi B7A, and the Nakajima C6N, although the Saiun was a recon aircraft.

[Buren]

Don't forget that there are few very detailed japanese monograph series (e.g: Maru Mechanic, Famous Aircraft of the World etc.).

Most Maru Mechanic issues have detailed drawings and/or paintings of cockpits not found on google image search for example.

Just need to get hold on the issues...