21.04.2009, 22:23
Requests are fine, but there is a huge range of WIP threads already going and among them a massive backlog of necessary inclusions for a historic WW2 sim. For example there is still a number of cockpits awaiting attention due to the All Aircraft Flyables Mod, you could spend years of tedium just doing those (and warm kudos to Ranwers for the awesome work he's been doing achieving just that along with some great historic plane additions like the P-24 and Fairey Battle).
There are a lot of refinements to existing aircraft, from Me109s to Thunderbolts and Mustangs. The Griffon Spits have been requested since day one and have just seen the light of day, I can only imagine the amount of work involved and it will continue as minor bugs are discovered/fixed. The Whirlwind, the Hornet. Later model Corsair (nightfighter and F4U-5 variants), the Sea Fury. People want hotrods that were built like the P-51H Mustang and P-47M. There is game balance to consider and the Ta152C and H which were also built but needed an historic expansion and refinement without stepping into "Fantasy-Waffe" or "Paper-Waffe" territory like the Lerche, Ta183 and worse. The Go229 requires the same treatment as it was flown very successfully and technically entered production; which the He162 "carbon-fibre version" doesn't deserve. Luftwaffe needs the He177 and Ju290.
The Japanese planes have been screaming for attention. Pacific Fighters has been largely passed by but there is plenty of interest there, and a few modders working hard to refine those such as the great work done on small visual bugs for the A6M series. The N1K is getting attention. People have been asking for the Ki44. The P-40E and M need refinements, there are the Rolls Royce versions and the N variant to make. The Hawk needs its own cockpit. The Buffalo could use some expansion/refinement. Cyclone engine F4F-3s could be made (Martlet MkI). Earlier model Lightnings for Europe and the British version without turbochargers.
We don't even have a MkII Spit or a proper RAF MkI Hurricane hosted by AAA yet. Or the Yak-9DD, the Yak-UTI trainer. What about the poor Frenchies? D-520 is conspicuously missing, some Potez and Amiot medium attack aircraft and bombers. There still isn't a proper bubble canopy Spit and people are going to start requesting the Mk21 in droves. Hawker Typhoon still needs an FM. There is the Hurricane MkIV with the "universal wing." The Beaufort. The Boulton Paul Defiant. Dornier Do17/217 and Do18/24 and Blohm and Voss Bv138. The Wiking, Short Sunderland, Supermarine Walrus, Martin Mariner, Kawanishi H6K. Heinkell He115. N1K seaplane needs an FM and a new slot. Italians need half a dozen new planes.
Ships for Pacific Fighters as well as western Europe are strongly wanted by all. More accurate USN Battleships, additional IJN carriers and more historic looking battleships and heavy cruisers, the IJN desperately needs their huge cruiser subs. A QE class battleship would be nice, also British cruisers, early carriers, converted escort carrier, CAM ships. The Kreigsmarine needs cruisers and destroyers, like an Emden class, Admiral Hipper, Scharnhorst and pocket battleship, a Type IX sub would be nice.
A few new vehicles and artillery pieces, particularly coastal defence and heavy emplacements would really expand historical mission building.
Speaking for myself, "what if" planes are way down the list of luxuries. I'd only begin to examine them in the event postwar Allied a/c mods are unbalancing the AAA mod sim, to provide a more fair but reasonable 1946 environment. Fixed German jet reliability would be higher on the list of priorities there however, as the 1946 campaign states a continued industrial and import capacity for Germany which is the only reason substandard materials were used in jet engine manufacture, engines which operate with excellent reliability when rebuilt by the Russians postwar for example. So I'd go new slot Me262 and Go229 well before drawing board what ifs.
There are a lot of refinements to existing aircraft, from Me109s to Thunderbolts and Mustangs. The Griffon Spits have been requested since day one and have just seen the light of day, I can only imagine the amount of work involved and it will continue as minor bugs are discovered/fixed. The Whirlwind, the Hornet. Later model Corsair (nightfighter and F4U-5 variants), the Sea Fury. People want hotrods that were built like the P-51H Mustang and P-47M. There is game balance to consider and the Ta152C and H which were also built but needed an historic expansion and refinement without stepping into "Fantasy-Waffe" or "Paper-Waffe" territory like the Lerche, Ta183 and worse. The Go229 requires the same treatment as it was flown very successfully and technically entered production; which the He162 "carbon-fibre version" doesn't deserve. Luftwaffe needs the He177 and Ju290.
The Japanese planes have been screaming for attention. Pacific Fighters has been largely passed by but there is plenty of interest there, and a few modders working hard to refine those such as the great work done on small visual bugs for the A6M series. The N1K is getting attention. People have been asking for the Ki44. The P-40E and M need refinements, there are the Rolls Royce versions and the N variant to make. The Hawk needs its own cockpit. The Buffalo could use some expansion/refinement. Cyclone engine F4F-3s could be made (Martlet MkI). Earlier model Lightnings for Europe and the British version without turbochargers.
We don't even have a MkII Spit or a proper RAF MkI Hurricane hosted by AAA yet. Or the Yak-9DD, the Yak-UTI trainer. What about the poor Frenchies? D-520 is conspicuously missing, some Potez and Amiot medium attack aircraft and bombers. There still isn't a proper bubble canopy Spit and people are going to start requesting the Mk21 in droves. Hawker Typhoon still needs an FM. There is the Hurricane MkIV with the "universal wing." The Beaufort. The Boulton Paul Defiant. Dornier Do17/217 and Do18/24 and Blohm and Voss Bv138. The Wiking, Short Sunderland, Supermarine Walrus, Martin Mariner, Kawanishi H6K. Heinkell He115. N1K seaplane needs an FM and a new slot. Italians need half a dozen new planes.
Ships for Pacific Fighters as well as western Europe are strongly wanted by all. More accurate USN Battleships, additional IJN carriers and more historic looking battleships and heavy cruisers, the IJN desperately needs their huge cruiser subs. A QE class battleship would be nice, also British cruisers, early carriers, converted escort carrier, CAM ships. The Kreigsmarine needs cruisers and destroyers, like an Emden class, Admiral Hipper, Scharnhorst and pocket battleship, a Type IX sub would be nice.
A few new vehicles and artillery pieces, particularly coastal defence and heavy emplacements would really expand historical mission building.
Speaking for myself, "what if" planes are way down the list of luxuries. I'd only begin to examine them in the event postwar Allied a/c mods are unbalancing the AAA mod sim, to provide a more fair but reasonable 1946 environment. Fixed German jet reliability would be higher on the list of priorities there however, as the 1946 campaign states a continued industrial and import capacity for Germany which is the only reason substandard materials were used in jet engine manufacture, engines which operate with excellent reliability when rebuilt by the Russians postwar for example. So I'd go new slot Me262 and Go229 well before drawing board what ifs.