Voting on new AC

[daddog]

You guys might want to check out this thread.
http://forums.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=201767

[Simaril]

We're a squad that uses the main arenas, but also does more in the Special Events, FSOs, and AvA.


From  that perspective, what plane do you guys think would be most fun for the Mongrels?

[daddog]

He-111 would be sweet. The Japanese plane set needs a lot of help. Also the P-39 can be used in every theater.

[Simaril]

Originally posted by Pyro on HTC BBS
My synopsis IMHO.

P-39 - Who doesn’t love a big gun except for the guy who gets hit by one? Even slow ones with low fire rates. Good variant potential and use on multiple fronts in scenarios. Lack of performance at altitude not a huge minus in the arenas. I find the P-39 to be peculiarly endearing despite or perhaps because of its flaws and reputation.

Brewster Buffalo – My sentimental choice to win. For nearly 12 years, Finns have asked me for this. Their passion for this plane is contagious. I’ve wanted to give them one ever since I read Double Fighter Knight about 10 years ago. That really gave me an appreciation of the FAF and the sturdiness of Finns in general. Of course, now that I’ve said it’s my sentimental favorite, if it happens to win it will provoke more conspiracy theories than Patrick Ewing going to the Knicks in the first NBA draft lottery.

Me 410 - I think this plane has the biggest cool factor. It would be the most fun to build. From cockpit to armament to gunner position, it’s atypical. I’ve always wanted to do one of these.

He 111 – Iconic plane. Hard to really get fully immersed into a BoB scenario without them but its utility doesn’t really extend far beyond that.

B-25 – Cool plane, one of my favorites as a kid and another sentimental favorite for various reasons. Good for several variants and who wouldn’t want to fly a plane that has a 75mm cannon and 14 .50s?

Pe-2 or Tu-2 – There’s a gaping hole when it comes to Russian bombers. The Tu-2 is a really nice plane but the Pe-2 is certainly more definitive of the type.

Yak 3 – I put this in here because I don’t believe we can make this as a Yak 9 variant. Although it looks the same, its fuselage is dimensionally quite different IIRC. This is a really fun plane. It’s like a little sports car roadster.

G.55 – Italians seem to love this plane like Finns love their Brewster. A nice plane although somewhat boutique. Going off on a tangeant, if I could add only one more Italian plane, it would be the SM.79. Of course, the SM.79 would have no chance to win in the voting but it still should be done one day.

Japanese fighter - Ki 44, J2M, Ki 45, or Ki 43 – There’s fun to be had here that most people don’t realize. I have to group them together so as not to split the votes for people just wanting to see more Japanese planes but each of these are interesting in their own right.

A-26 - Honestly, this plane will end up as a light perk but more things to spend bomber perks on are needed. Helluva plane that would completely upstage every other medium bomber in the game.


__________________
Doug "Pyro" Balmos
HiTech Creations

That's Pyro's take.

Since it's going to be a vote, we actually have soem input into the process -- whcih is nothing but awesome. If we Mongrels all end up liking the same thing, we might even be a swing voting block, hanging chads and all.

Also have to consider the B-25. Pyro already talked about varients like the 12x 50 cal hard nose strafer. ("Convergence? I dont need no steenkin convergence!") Or how about the 75mm HE cannon nose for taking out towns, ack, and softskinned vehicles?

<Pauses to imagine a formation of 12 Mongrels NOE with strafer B-25s, hitting a town and vaporizing any plane that passes in front....>

<snaps back to reality>

Also, the 25 would be useful in all time frames of the war, a plus for AvA and SEA. Dont recall it being used in Europe, but I honestly have no sure knowledge either way.



The fighters, other than the P-39, are definitely niche planes. The most MA fun would probably be from the Yak -3, which was the most advanced version of the Yak series to fly in the war. (Remember that the Russians write their "R"s backwards, and you'll understand how the Yak-9 was refinied into its descendent, the Yak-3) The Centauro G.55 could also develop fans. The Brewster would be a sentimental choice, but very little use in the SEAs and FSOs. The Yak 3 would only fit in LW, and in the last year on the russian front for scenarios; the Brewster would only work in EW finnish front.

The P-39 could show up in all theaters, in all time frames, and still succeed in low alt fights. The gun was a stinker, and that could be a problem, but the view over the nose would be the best of any fighter we have...since the engine sat behind the pilot. It could be a tough target to hit, due to its small size and low alt maneuverability.

[Dichodog]

I like the B25 and would love the opportunity to 'fly' one.  That said I really haven't flown online enough to feel like I have enough knowledge to really throw my opinion out there.  I jokingly posted that my vote was for sale but if the squad in general says 'lets vote for abc plane' I'll throw a vote out there.  If it's not something I'm bonkers over I'll stick to my pony, spit, Goon, and B17 for another year or so excepting in squad nights or special events. 

[d0gma]

I don't think anyone is going to say '332nd should vote for xxx plane'.

But I'm going to vote for the B-25.   I almost didn't sign up for this game because it wasn't here.  I think that this game NEEDS this plane. The H and J, maybe a C.

My take:

The Brewster is a pig, I don't understand (other than national pride) why anyone would actually want it. If you want a crappy, slow plane that looks like a fishing lure, fly the F4F. I like Finnish people (I see you there, Harppa), but this plane would be a hangar queen outside of Russian/Finn scenarios faster than you can say 'vodka buzz'.

P-39: will probably win, I personally don't care for it, think it's a fugly plane and I think the views are really going to suck (except forward).  Have you looked at the glass framing? HUGE.  It's got a door from a 39 Ford on it, for crying out loud.  It will probably be fun for a little while but end up used rarely.. Could be a decent furballer, but I have a bad feeling about lateral instability when turn-fighting and also engine hits.

HE-111: Cool plane, very limited usefulness outside of Spanish Civil War and BOB scenarios.  Slow, vulnerable and not so great at high alts.  Not sure what the bomb load is. (4400 lbs internally)

ME 410: Weird looking plane, totally outclassed by lighter fighters. Think of a really, really fast 110,  but with less guns.  Might find a niche with the 12 guys who fly in MW regularly.

Pe-2/Tu-2: There's a reason you haven't heard much about Russian bombers.  These two would be hangar queens the first day. I can see having an iconic plane like the Stuka, even though it really stinks, but outside of really hardcore WWII aviation nerds, who's heard of these?  I have, but still.

YAK-3:  Could be the new uber ride. It probably flies easier than the LA7, is nearly as fast, has great guns (depending on the packages available, but they tend to arm late war rides to the teeth).  That pesky plywood wing-top might be a problem though. Watch out for this one, it might be a surprise contender.

G.55: They built like what, twenty?  There's like four G55 fanbois spamming the forums, driving me nuts. Even if I wanted this plane I wouldn't vote for it just because of those guys.  It is a pretty plane, it looks like it's got a DB605? engine and the gun package is downright scary (3x20mm, 4x12.7mm).  It might be hard for them to find reliable flight model data for this plane... definitely a niche fighter, and if nothing else might find some use in MW.

A-26:  Very deserving and iconic plane, could be a lot of fun to fly.  Depending on the armament config could be great for knocking the tar out of GV parties.  Has a lot of potential.

Anywho,  I'm voting for the B-25, because I love that plane more than cheddar cheese.

[d0gma]

That said I really haven't flown online enough to feel like I have enough knowledge to really throw my opinion out there.

That doesn't stop anyone else, don't let it stop you, brotherman.

[Dichodog]

good points d0gma..... thoughts gents?

[Simaril]

I'd never suggest a block vote...sorry that my post kinda sounded like that. Suppose that's the danger of spewing stuff off the top of my head....



One point about the Brewster: the finnish version is very different than the Buffalo fielded by the US. The version we deployed was substantially heavier than the export version sent to Finland, so it suffered greatly in combat (especially against the zero). Of course, the Finnish version (lacking the armor and self sealing fuel tanks) would be more likely to burn and give pilot wounds....

In real life, it had an insanely high kill per death ratio, which is partly why it's remembered so foundly in Finland. Unfortunately, that came against woeful opposition, the air equivalent of Stalin's unarmed east front cannon fodder foot soldiers. I'm afraid the Finns would be disappointed to see how it faired against equal opponents in AH.


Realistically, it will be hard for a non-US plane to win. That stinks, but its reality -- since the electorate includes every subscriber who logs in, less motivated, less knowlegable members get the same weight as Widewing. Hordes of them will vote based on name recall, regardless of plane capability. I expect the B25 or the P39 to win. The Yak might have an outside chance, since Yaks are capable in the MA, but the lower model number will likely fool many into thinking its a weaker version of the Yak-9. The G.55 will lose because...well...because if the manufacturer didn't know that real planes have dashes instead of dots before the number, they couldnt very well make good planes!

[Dichodog]

oh come on comrade Sim... we are all part of the collective

I'm probably going to vote for the 25.

[daddog]

Good points dogma. Had not seen that post by Pyro. A shame they can't kick out the AC like they used to. Back in 2001-2002 they cranked out 3 to 4 new AC every 3 months. Wish they would just build the top three favorites.

Still not sure what I will vote for.

[Dichodog]

Honestly I seem to have more luck in the light bombers so I'm probably going to go with the 25.  I'd like to see it be able to take off from carriers because that would open up some snapshot / scenario opportunities. 

[SunKing]

I really hope a non USA plane wins. The game needs variety and comparable planes to the already full USA hangar.

From the looks of it , it's coming down to the P-39 vs A-26.   

[Dichodog]

a-26 wouldn't break my heart.  Give me a tanker version so I can put out town fires and declare my undying love for holly hunter

[TicTok]

I personally have flown the B-25 INA in Pacific Fighters....SWEET !

[Teedog]

My Order (IMHO)
#1 B-25 (should have already been in the game)
#2 P-39 (Can be used for both USSR and USAF)
#3 HE111 (We need another German Bomber)
#4 A-26 (Great Ground Attack Aircraft)
#5 Yak-3 (Maybe should have been in the game before the LA5)
#6 ME-410 (Don’t know if anyone would really fly it)
#7 G.55 (It doesn’t do much for me)
#8 Pe-2/Tu-2 (Why should we have a USSR bomber of a JPN “Betty”)
#9 Brewster (It does something for me, but nothing good)

[d0gma]

My Order (IMHO)
#1 B-25 (should have already been in the game)
#2 P-39 (Can be used for both USSR and USAF)
#3 HE111 (We need another German Bomber)
#4 A-26 (Great Ground Attack Aircraft)
#5 Yak-3 (Maybe should have been in the game before the LA5)
#6 ME-410 (Don’t know if anyone would really fly it)
#7 G.55 (It doesn’t do much for me)
#8 Pe-2/Tu-2 (Why should we have a USSR bomber of a JPN “Betty”)
#9 Brewster (It does something for me, but nothing good)

B-25 could have skins from at least 5 different countries off the top of my head (US UK CA NED FR USSR) as it served in large numbers with all those forces, even Poland in exile.

[Ghosth]

Well personally I'd love to see the Yak3, however I'm looking beyond what I want.

P39 gives us a plane for 2 countrys, over half the P39's ever made went to russia.

A26 would give us a place to spend bomber perks. Bigger load than the a20, depending on which one we get up to twice the forward fireing guns. This is one plane that can hold its own in the late war. Long term it has the best potential to be used.

Axis really are going to need the 410 for CT. The only plane currently in the set that can even get to 30k is the TA-152. And the P-47's outclass it badly up there.

First round I voted p39. Second round I voted a-26. I'm thinking its going to come down to
the b-25 vs the A-26 myself. In which case I'll be voting A-26 all the way.

[outlaw]

in the end we may get luck enough to get one that will help get the plane set a little fuller but it will just be a plane that won't contribute much to the over all game if they go by popularity over need. the g.55 he111 or me410 is needed over the rest. the p39 could be used the most. but in the end we are talking about birds that will make snapshots and fso better and have little to no impact on the MA's with the exception of the g.55 to which even it would have little impact.