One of the Joys of Multiplayer

[UK_Widowmaker]

Is learning to fly a formation!

 

Myself, and my two squadron friends, spend large amounts of our online time, just learning to fly in formation.

 

Shooting each other down for a little light relief is all good fun, but when you have 3 Sopwith Camel's in a vic formation, adjusting speed, taking wind into account..and then trying to watch for enemy aircraft.... You really get a sense of flying in the early 20th Century.

 

When it goes wrong, it's a real mess...and it is very hard to get it right...but when all three of you are in 'the zone'...it's one of my favourite parts of the sim!

 

(if you ain't got TrackIR... I wouldn't even go there!)

[Interlocutor]

Well, I haven't tried MP yet, but I'd assume, if you're flying in vee formation, that the leader would do the looking around for enemies, while the wingies would have their hands full just keeping formation .

 

IIRC, by early in WW2 the Germans, having had more combat experience, had abandoned tight formation flying in favor of the loose "finger four", and after the BOB starte the RAF soon gave up the vic as well.

 

Perhaps you MP types should invent the finger four early ...

[UK_Widowmaker]

what?.. with three of us??

 

Us Brit's usually give the 'Two Fingers!'

 

hahaha

Edited April 21, 2009 by UK_Widowmaker

[sitting_duck]

Ive tried mp formation flying several times, and only with one pilot. It was suppose to lead up to maybe 3 or 4 pilots doing some pretty nice manuvers in formation.

 

when i saw how hard it was just to fly straight and level with another plane, and almost impossible to keep a tight formation when they started even shallow turns, i kinda gave up on the idea. But im sure practice make perfect.

 

If you get a chance,,,make up a fraps...

[Rooster89]

Hey SD, you, Stumper and I did some pretty nice formation flying in the Dr.Is that one time. Yep, it is very hard to keep a close formation with real live people. At least thats what I gathered from my small experience of formation flying in mp.

 

-Rooster

[UK_Widowmaker]

I will do that SD..... Yes, it's about the hardest think I /we have ever tried in a multiplayer game of any description.

 

We get it all very wrong, many, many more times than we get it right I can assure you!!

[Parky]

Perhaps you MP types should invent the finger four early ...

 

 

what?.. with three of us??

 

Yes Widowmaker. It should work. Three of you in a finger four adds up to one finger left over. Might I suggest you reserve the middle one. You can then use it for special occasions, such as when one of your wingmen accidently runs up your arse and takes your verticle stabilizer off.

 

 

Cheers Mate,

 

 

Parky

[UK_Widowmaker]

Yes Widowmaker. It should work. Three of you in a finger four adds up to one finger left over. Might I suggest you reserve the middle one. You can then use it for special occasions, such as when one of your wingmen accidently runs up your arse and takes your verticle stabilizer off.

 

 

Cheers Mate,

 

 

Parky

 

I would Parky...but the poor buggers are already deaf from me shouting at them down the Mic!

[+Winder]

I would Parky...but the poor buggers are already deaf from me shouting at them down the Mic!

 

I am pleased to read that OFF MP is still happening for some of you guys!

 

 

Cheers

 

WM

[UK_Widowmaker]

I am pleased to read that OFF MP is still happening for some of you guys!

 

 

Cheers

 

WM

 

 

I actually really enjoy it...

It's basic, yes...but with just a couple of friends.... flying around, dogfighting, flying under Tower Bridge etc... fun

[griphos]

MP is a blast. I'm looking forward to having more time to join SD's sessions. And I think tight formation flying is for the airshow crowd. We just need to keep closeish to each other, so we can all wind up in the same place at the same time. I think some of those finger four formations often got a bit loose. Still, looking over at the other planes and knowing live pilots are in them is a hoot.