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76.IAP-Blackbird, in IL-2 Series / Pacific Fighters / Cliffs of Dover: News
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By 76.IAP-Blackbird
Dear Friends,
The huge update 5.201 is live. It contains three major additions and a number of other fixes and improvements.
Flying Circus Vol.III is now officially released and is available on our website and on Steam.
Most of the Flying Circus Vol.III aircraft were already available via the Early Access program - the last one is the R.E.8 two-seater, a very versatile aircraft for its time (it began to reach the front in late 1916). It was designed to carry radio and photographic equipment for reconnaissance and artillery spotting, and a small bomb load on underwing racks. For more information on this airplane, please read our Dev Blog#354.
In total, Flying Circus Vol.III contains 8 early Great War aircraft: the Albatros D.II, Halberstadt D.II, Nieuport 11.C1, French Nieuport 17.C1, Nieuport 17.C1 adapted for British service, and Hanriot HD.1 fighters, and the R.E.8. and F.E.2b two-seater reconnaissance planes.
Updates to the Western Front map to include the entire frontline, many new objects and settlements, and five seasons - Summer, Autumn, late Autumn, Winter, and Spring.
The WWI Pilot's Career mode has also been updated - it now starts earlier, in 1916, includes all available WWI era aircraft including FC Vol.III and Collector, takes advantage of the updated map and uses all of its seasons.
Please note that the updated map and career mode are also available to owners of any Flying Circus volume (If you don't see the new map seasons immediately, please wait a few hours - they are being assigned to eligible accounts on the server). It is recommended that all FC players start a new WWI career, however we have been able to keep the old FC careers playable - they don't include the new additions and are unsupported, but you should be able to finish an existing WWI career if you wish.
Another fascinating addition is a new aircraft type, something we haven't had in the sim before - a player-controlled military glider.
In our simulator, the visual model of the CG-4A glider was restored with great care, and our engineers recreated in its new virtual life all the main features of its control and use. It should be noted that this is a new class of objects for our simulator and we have developed a number of technologies to make its realization possible - for example, a flexible towing cable. In addition to the Quick Mission Builder and multiplayer modes, if you have the Normandy and/or Bodenplatte modules, you can fly them in career mode on the Western Front during the major airborne operations - Overlord, Market Garden, and Varsity.
The third major addition in this update is the short version of the long-awaited IAR-80/81 Collector Plane (the long version is also included in the purchase and will be made available in early 2024 in January or February). We have covered it extensively in our Dev Blog#355.
The I.A.R.80-A fighter series 106-150 is the base model for the short version - it has six 7.92 mm FN Browning machine guns that fire German ammunition. Its flying capabilities were comparable to those of the Yak-1, but later versions of the IAR had more powerful weapons and bombs:
I.A.R.80-B series 181-200 has four 7.92 mm machine guns rather than six, as well as two 13.2mm FN Browning machine guns that fire 13.2 mm Hotchkiss rounds. The I.A.R.80-M has two 20 mm MG-151/20 cannons and two 7.92 mm FN Browning machine guns. The I.A.R.81 series 151-175 is equipped with six 7.92 mm FN Browning machine guns and can carry up to three bombs weighing up to 400 kg. The underbelly bomb rack has a distinctive parallelogram mechanism, similar to the Ju 87 dive-bomber, preventing bombs from hitting the propeller during dive bombing.
In addition, the Achtung Spitfire! campaign that previously was only available on our website is now released on Steam.
5.201 Changelist
The CG-4A Collector Plane has been released; Flying Circus Vol. III has been released - R.E.8 two-seater airplane is added to the sim; Romanian I.A.R.80/81 fighter is available in Early Access (short version, long version will be added in the next update); Added Autumn, Late Autumn/Early Spring, Winter and Summer seasons for the Western Front WWI map (available to either Flying Circus module owners); All Flying Circus Vol.III airplanes have been added to the Pilot's Career mode during WWI timeframe; The accuracy of AI gunners on player-controlled aircraft matches the "Ace" level on AI-controlled aircraft; AI won't turn on the landing light during a daytime approach; A tactical number set by the player is saved; The send message button in multiplayer chat matches the team color; A 100% setting on a control axis should result in 100% value displayed in the technochat instead of 99%; T-34 mod. 1942 and PzKpfW III Ausf. L won't be erroneously listed as part of the Bodenplatte module in the equipment selection menu; Pilot's Career: new options have been added for fine tuning the difficulty level; Assault guns with indirect fire capability (SU-122, SU-152, Stug III Ausf. G, SdKfz 184 Ferdinand) have panoramic sight leveling features to ensure accurate shooting. Ballistic tables added to the Description tab for Stug III Ausf.G and SdKfz 184 Ferdinand ; New training scenarios added for SU-122 (firing at stationary targets and indirect fire); Removed extra aftersounds from the SHKAS machine guns firing sound; Airco DH.4 stabilizer fixed camera position corrected; Pilot protection from the shrapnel corrected on British planes when the canopy is closed; Albatros D.II lower wing aerodynamics data corrected; Li-2 altitude throttle lever function inverted according to its label (forward - poor mixture, reverse - rich); La-5 ser. 8 wing sturdiness corrected; Overlord campaign is updated and translated into French. -
By 76.IAP-Blackbird
Dear Friends,
The next update, 5.108, is in the works and today we are starting its beta testing. The next version will include further improvements to the career mode - for example, ground support will be added to the Normandy theater for both offensive and defensive missions. There will be other additions if they are ready in time, but one of the highlights of the next version will be the next Flying Circus Vol.III aircraft - the F.E.2b two-seater.
The F.E.2 was a biplane with a pusher propeller and a sprung landing gear with a front support wheel to minimize the risk of overturning during a bad landing. The entire trailing edge of the upper center section was hinged along the rear spar and could be lowered to act as a flap-type air brake. The forward cockpit was occupied by the observer gunner, with the pilot sitting behind him at a higher level. The engine was almost completely cowled and drove a two-blade pusher propeller.
Interestingly, in February 1915, this type of plane was tested with a brake parachute. This was probably the first time in history that a braking parachute was used on an airplane. A newly designed air brake that had been used on the first F.E.2a was also tested, but the air brake was eventually abandoned.
During testing, the performance of the 100 hp Green engine was found to be unsatisfactory, mainly due to its poor power-to-weight ratio, and the machine was modified to be fitted with a new in-line six-cylinder water-cooled Beardmore engine rated at 120 hp. The center section of the upper wing was made in one piece and the air brake was removed. The aircraft with the new engine made its first flight in March 1915, but the first deliveries to the Royal Flying Corps did not begin until May. The first F.E.2b to go to France was flown to the No. 6 Squadron airfield at Abeele by Captain L.A. Strange on May 20, 1915. By September 25th the squadron had four F.E.2b's in its strength.
Production of the F.E.2b was undertaken by a number of contractors, but it took some time before the machines were available in sufficient numbers; by the end of 1915, a total of thirty-two had been delivered. The first R.F.C. unit to go to France fully equipped with F.Es was No. 20, which arrived on January 23, 1916. No. 25 Squadron followed on 20 February, No. 23 on 16 March, and No. 22 on April 1st.
The F.E.2b was mainly used for the needs of the army: for reconnaissance and for the escort of other aircraft, and it proved to be very worthy in the battles against enemy aircraft. Often grouped with D.H.2 fighters, the F.E.2b fought back against the Fokker monoplanes that dominated the skies at the time. The success of its use in combat was due to the wide sector of fire of the machine guns in the nose of the plane. The plane was also occasionally used to attack ground targets on the front line and in actions on the enemy's rear communications. In the second half of the war, the F.E.2b was widely used as a night bomber; for this purpose, the aircraft were painted black and equipped with night take-off and landing equipment.
The performance of the F.E.2b with the 120 hp Beardmore engine was not outstanding and from time to time attempts were made to improve its flight characteristics. At the end of March 1916, a new version of the Beardmore engine with an increased power of 160 hp appeared, and as it was essentially an improved version of the previous model, it could be fitted without the need for major design changes. Between 1915 and 1918, 1,939 F.E.2b aircraft were produced.
After the release of the previous update and the new La-5F Collector Plane, some players asked us to provide more details about the changes made to the existing Lavochkin family aircraft. Our Lead Engineer "Gavrick" has personally explained the changes.
The La-5 is one of the oldest aircraft in the IL-2 project, it was created during the development of the Battle of Stalingrad 10 years ago and many of the modern approaches and techniques we're using now were just being introduced. The La-5FN was modeled several years later, and while it was built on the basis of the La-5s, certain things were reworked: for example, the effect of engine cowl flaps on aerodynamics was modeled in a different way (but the resulting aerodynamic coefficients remained almost the same). It became obvious that the older La-5 should be reworked to the new technology standards, but we didn't have the time to do it at that time - however, some improvements made to it (the physical models of the constant pressure regulator of the boost manifold and the propeller were made more precise).
And finally, recently the new La-5F was created on the basis of the FN. We finally had time to update everything - the airframe aerodynamics modeling of the old La-5 and the La-5 engine modeling with the modern technique used in the La-5F. So what actually changed for the old La-5 characteristics?
The lift-drag polar diagram remained mostly the same. Engine power and propeller thrust were corrected - but the resulting speed change remained less than 10 km/h. The aircraft became slightly faster at low altitudes and slightly slower at high altitudes, which is historically more correct than the unmodified model. The effectiveness of the stabilizers and controls also changed slightly, so the handling of the aircraft became "sharper", more like the La-5FN.
Therefore, these changes weren't an FM overhaul per se, but rather a list of small corrections and improvements that were necessary to give all three Lavochkin aircraft a common technological base, so that all their differences are caused by design features and not different modeling methods.
That's it for today. Please stay tuned for the 5.108 update - it is planned to be released this month!
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By 76.IAP-Blackbird
Dear Friends,
Our team has finished the development of the new update 5.004, and it is released. Sopwith Snipe and many updates.
The year 2022 is drawing to a close and we did our best to bring you a new update on Christmas Eve. It bears the number 5.004 and adds the Great War Collector Plane Sopwith Snipe to our series. It is a late war aircraft equipped with the most powerful Bentley BR2 rotary engine, producing up to 234 horsepower. By comparison, the Sopwith Camel fighter's Clerget 9B engine produced 130 hp. At the same time, however, the Snipe is 200 kilograms heavier than its predecessor (more than a quarter). Overall, the new fighter is more stable in flight and has better speed and climb characteristics. Everyone who has purchased an airplane now has the opportunity to master it and use it in combat.
In addition to the new vehicle, in update 5.004 we are releasing two AI armored vehicles for the Normandy and Bodenplatte projects - the M8 Greyhound and the SdKfz 234/2 Puma. You'll find new scenario missions for Churchill and StuG III in this update, they were created by community enthusiast super-truite and his friends. More than 80 improvements were made to the "Western Front, Spring 1918" map, which is in the early access phase and is currently being finalized. There are a number of other improvements and fixes to player controllable aircraft, tanks and artificial intelligence. A complete list of changes in the version 5.004 follows:
5.004
1. The Sopwith Snipe, a Royal Air Force collector aircraft from the final phase of the Great War, is now available to its owners;
2. Battle of Normandy AI armored vehicle M8 Greyhound added;
3. Battle of Normandy AI armored vehicle SdKfz 234/2 Puma added;
4. Scenarios for collectible vehicles Churchill and StuG III added (super-truite);
5. Mk.37 rig model for the 5'/38-gun Mk.12 on the Bayfield and Liberty ships updated;
6. Fixed a bug in the aircraft AI leading to incorrect maneuver choices and incorrect aircraft behavior in aerial combat, which was especially noticeable on WWI airplanes;
7. AI pilots correctly climb while maintaining formation;
8. AI pilots controlling high speed capable aircraft are less likely to use risky high-altitude maneuvers at lower altitudes (previously these could led to a collision with the ground);
9. AI pilots should better avoid collisions in some maneuvers, especially in a frontal attack;
10. The tail section damage texture has been fixed on all Bf-109s;
11. The placards were corrected along with other minor improvements on Bf-109 E7, He 111 H6/H16, Ju-87 D3, Spitfire Mk.Vb/IXe/XIV (Oyster_KAI);
12. Incorrect operation of GUI information bar in player controllable tanks has been fixed;
13. C-47A: a number of visual inaccuracies and technical problems with the aircraft model has been fixed, including the shape of upper air intakes on engine nacelles;
14. C-47A: phosphorescent cockpit instrument illumination restored;
15. C-47A: fixed a bug with a broken window when the landing door is opened for bailing out;
16. C-47A: fixed a bug in the bail out animation that caused crew members to visually appear outside the cockpit for a moment;
17. C-47A: added a feature to align engine flaps with the flow;
18. C-47A: a fixed bug with radio compass working on powered off aircraft;
19. Me 262A: fixed reflections in cockpit instruments;
20. Stug III Ausf. G gun now takes more time to reload if the loader is unbuttoned;
21. Crew gestures have been added for the Churchill IV and the Stug III;
22. Stug III Ausf. G - fixed an incorrect position of the machine gun after loader's death, if it was in anti-aircraft position;
23. Stug III Ausf.G. - corrected wrong animation of the side correction input control;
24. Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.G - main gun reloading sound aligned with the visual animation;
25. Mission editor: skins which consist of several textures are correctly displayed in the skin list;
26. It is possible to shoot off the trunk behind the turret on Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.M, Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.G, Pz.Kpfw.VI Ausf.H and Churchill IV;
27. It is possible to shoot off the commander cupola on the Tiger;
28. Range of smoke grenade launchers corrected for all player controllable vehicles;
29. Improved sorting of visual effect particles;
30. Western Front map, Spring 1918: Treizennes airfield added;
31. Western Front Map, Spring 1918: Clairmarais airfield moved;
32. Western Front Map, Spring 1918: Ferme airfield is renamed Filescamp Farm;
33. Western Front Map, Spring 1918: Droogland Airfield moved to square 0205-8;
34. Western Front Map, Spring 1918: removed second Epehy;
35. Western Front Map, Spring 1918: added bridge to the fortress in square 0408-9;
36. Western Front Map, Spring 1918: Hoog Huys manor added;
37. Map of Western Front, Spring 1918: added Ferme manor;
38. Western Front Map, Spring 1918: Removed flooded railroad track;
39. Western Front Map, Spring 1918: corrected railroad tracks in square 1202;
40. Western Front Map, Spring 1918: Hoog Huys Airfield moved;
41. Western Front Map, Spring 1918: Filescamp Farm airfield moved;
42. Western Front Map, Spring 1918: added homestead near Droogland airfield;
43. Western Front Map, Spring 1918: corrected wrong track crossing in quadrant 0305-8;
44. Western Front Map, Spring 1918: improved appearance of Thionville Steelworks East and Thionville Steelworks;
45. Western Front Map, Spring 1918: the village of Crochte has been renamed Merckeghem;
46. Western Front map, Spring 1918: Hondschoote village renamed Esquelbecq;
47. Western Front map, Spring 1918: Droogland village moved to square 0205-8 and renamed Winnezeele;
48. Western Front map, Spring 1918: Kemmelberg village moved to square 0207-5 and renamed Kemmel;
49. Map of the Western Front, Spring 1918: Aire is renamed Aire-sur-la-Lys;
50. Map of Western Front, Spring 1918: 25 obstructions on road network removed;
51. Map of the Western Front, Spring 1918: 15 wrong dead ends on the road network were removed;
52. Western Front map, Spring 1918: corrected 18 problematic entrances to railroad bridges.
And to see the Snipe in action, check out our Youtube channel:
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By 76.IAP-Blackbird
Dear friends,
The Sturmovik Team and Ugra-Media have completed the Sopwith Triplane which is the final aircraft planned for Flying Circus Vol.II. The new Western Front map is still in development.
The "Tripe" as it was famously called, has three beautiful wings! Each wing has its own ailerons making it quite maneuverable in battle with enough armament to allow its pilots to be confident in a dogfight with any adversary of the era. We think you will enjoy her!
In addition to the new aircraft there are many changes and additions in this update that will improve your gameplay experience:
1. Sopwith Triplane is available to all owners of Flying Circus Vol.II;
2. Distant buildings visualization system has been improved, single medium sized buildings that are viable targets are displayed from farther away;
3. Shadows rendering in the hangar is more detailed;
4. Tank gun firing visual effects are further improved;
5. Fire effects are improved for various vehicle types;
6. Additional optimization of the landscape rendering system reduced the potential stutters while moving on the map;
7. Loading times of larger maps were improved a bit;
8. Sensitivity settings for the pitch axis, the vertical guidance axis of the tank turret and other similar axes, now have correct namings for hte axis limits;
9. Adjusting the axes control settings was made clearer thanks to better dead zone visualization;
10. Second and third engine axes response settings have correct labels;
11. GUI instrument panel turns off after bailing out;
12. A rare GUI issue that sometimes could lead to generating a Quick Mission Builder scenario without a player flight if the player flight count has been set to random has been fixed;
13. Balloons now have markers like aircraft do;
14. Bombs dropped from a bomb bay backwards (tails first) won't visibly jerk along their axis;
15. Simple ground vehicles and ships will correctly engage the targets assigned by MCU_CMD_AttackTarget command with High priority;
16. Square visual artifacts on the water surface that were visible from high altitude at certain sun position won't appear on Rheinland map anymore;
17. AI pilots will switch off their navigation lights when engaged by the enemy during the landing;
18. All German gauges have been redrawn to be as historically accurate as possible. Different gauges are assigned to each model variant (Oyster_KAI);
19. Colors of all German interior equipment/placard have been checked and repainted to their correct color or design (Oyster_KAI);
20. New different throttle quadrant markings & pitch control switch for Bf-109 F/G/K.
21. New drop tank placard & oil cooler placard for Bf-109 E-7 (Oyster_KAI);
22. New headrest for Bf-109G6 (Oyster_KAI);
23. New details for He-111s (Oyster_KAI);
24. New rudder pedal belt texture for all German planes (Oyster_KAI);
25. In the Me-262 exterior view, the 2 pixelated circular holes behind the seats have been redrawn (Oyster_KAI);
26. Added circuit breaker markings on the instrument panel for Bf-109s, Fw-190s, and the Me-262 (Oyster_KAI);
27. Added screws for the Fw-190A's left & right canopy frame (Oyster_KAI);
28. Bf-110s, M.C202, and P-51D external views now have visible instrument reflections (Oyster_KAI);
29. P-51D placards won't glow at night (Oyster_KAI);
30. Scrollbar in the aircraft selection menu in Dogfight won't overlap with the aircraft images
31. A minor issue in the tactical number selection menu has been fixed;
32. Mission Editor won't crash during loading of the Prokhorovka map;
33. Aircraft lists in the Mission Editor are sorted correctly (alphabetically).
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By 76.IAP-Blackbird
Hello Everyone,
Today’s DD brings us some very cool renders of the Me 410 A-1 cockpit. It’s a very unique cockpit and has been a challenge to build, but it’s looking great now and heading into the final stretch. We continue to work on our next update which we hope will be next week. It will be a good one with the new sky and new airplanes like the Ju 88 C-6, Gotha G.V. and we think possibly the Handley Page O/400.
Me 410 A-1 Cockpit in Development
And our colleague =DED= Rapidus just handed me a link to a short video of our new sky and Ju 88 C-6 in action that he filmed while testing the Beta. You may want to check out. Has some funky beats. 🙂
*Any artifacts are caused by YouTube compression.
Enjoy.
The Sturmovik Team
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