[akdavis]

From the readme included in HSFX (and presumably UP):

About Bombs.

Bombs now have a 2.5 second arming time (not selectable by player). If they travel in the air after being dropped for less than 2.5 seconds, they will not explode. So, suicidal Jabo and skip-bombing attacks, where the player drops the bomb at 5 or 10m height, will not be possible anymore. Minimum drop height is about 35m for aircraft in level flight, even less for aircraft diving.

Also a random (gaussian) dispersion is introduced for bombs. This will have almost no effect for jabo/skip bombing, but will be noticeable for high altitude bombing. For example, from 4000m, bombs will have an average error of the order of 40m. This applies both to AI and players.

These modifications have been done to improve realism, but nonetheless to keep still a good playability. But, taking everything in account, I think it will be much more difficult to hit a ship. Now in IL-2, hitting a ship it's laughably easy, either by torpedo bombing or skip bombing. In real life, it was terribly difficult. With this mod, it's about half-way, not too easy, not too difficult.

So yes, you can still skip bomb; you'll just have to do it with a bit more care.
:cheers:

Well, the real solution is not artificial arming time that invalidates real world tactics, but adding those factors that made it dangerous and difficult in the real world, i.e. more dangerous flak and unpredictable behavior of bombs when striking a surface at low angles. The "realistic" mod completely invalidates the real-world tactic of mast-height bombing and forces the player towards even less realistic skip-bombing attacks (from higher levels and at lower speeds). Skip-bombing from higher altitude is now the easiest way to attack a ship, as all you have to do is get around the arming time and you will still have a bomb that behaves exactly the same way every time it strikes ground or water.

The realistic torpedoes are a huge improvement. The arbitrary bomb arming is a step backward.