Geezer

Gterl is still tinkering with it, so we might see an update someday.

Snippets from a PM on the subject: Geezer: The 30/303 rounds fired in WW1 could devastate early aircraft, but lost effectiveness when fired at more modern aircraft with metal structures and improved systems. The Osprey pub CR42 Versus Gladiator points out that early production batches of both aircraft had self-sealing fuel tanks, but lacked pilot armor or bullet resistant windshields. Unless you got lucky and hit vital parts, such as pilot/fuel valve/oil pump/etc, you had to pour a LARGE number of rifle caliber bullets into a CR42/Gladiator to bring one down. If an experienced pilot closed to WW1 gunnery range - less than 100 meters - he could probably hit vital parts. Many historical accounts suggest that is what happened - one careful burst and the target went down. But you had to get CLOSE. Again, the 1940 desert war was more like WW1 than WW2. While still a novice with TW data files, it looks to me like there is no good way to simulate the effectiveness of short range gunfire as opposed to long range gunfire. Any ideas? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ LloydNB: From memory there may be a way to reflect the effect of firing from close and long range by changing the stability of the guns in the data files. I think that the 303s on a Hurricane produce a cone of fire that is less effective at range and this done through the vibration caused by firing. That vibration means that not every bullet flies down the same path as the one before it, no mater how steady the aircraft is in flight. But I might be wrong. The cone seems to be determined by the accuracy set for the gun. Higher accuracy produces a smaller cone. I've been thinking that one of the reasons that early fighters seem too effective in the game is how synchronized gun fire is (or rather isn't) represented. You set the rate of fire for each type of gun and then in the aircraft data.ini file you set that a particular gun station is synchronized. Problem is that setting a gun as synchronized doesn't seem to effect the rate of fire and it should lower it significantly. Important for CR42s that fire through the prop arc. To get the 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT to fire at the correct rate it might be necessary to produce gun.data entries for a synchronized version. As a guide, I have seen a reference to the wing mounted guns on the Gladiator firing at 2.5 times the rate of the CR42's synchronized guns. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Geezer: Woodman's Early Aircraft Armament touches on the rate of fire problem in several places that describe the various synchronization systems used in WW1. While the different systems used by different countries varied in efficiency, they were all similar in that they were an interface between the engine and the guns. The synchronization systems didn't regulate the rate of fire, the propeller speed did because the guns had to shoot between the spinning propeller blades. The higher the engine rpm, the higher the rate of fire with efficient systems - the inefficient systems arbitrarily limited the rate of fire regardless of engine rpm. The introduction of three-bladed props in the 1930s sometimes slowed down the rates of fire because of the "extra" prop blade. At the end of the day, we may have to just arbitrarily reduce the rate of fire of some aircraft? Does anyone know of a file tweak that varies machine gun rate of fire?

Lookin' good, Steve. I can see why you aren't real happy with the gunner - TW code doesn't give model makers much flexibility when making gunners!

Here ya go. Note it is an FE/FE2 map. http://combatace.com/files/file/14440-italian-terrain-incl-1915-1917-campaign/

While not an SF2 guy, I have been following this thread with great interest. The comments about a more cohesive, collective mod effort have a great deal of merit. The modest numbers of talented modders working on WW2 stuff and First Eagles stuff could make real contributions so long as the subject matter was not confined to jets. If some sort of accommodation could be worked out, I would happily contribute my graphics talents to such an effort.

Outside the small First Eagles community, gterl's Italian front map is not well known. It is an outstanding example of TW map making.

Good looking stuff!

With assistance from Wrench, Stephan1918, and Stary, it looks like rear view mirrors work in FE2 and can be added to the CR42. Concept demonstration shots below, using Wrench's CR42 files as place holders while I develop my own files. Setting is gterl's excellent Italian front map for First Eagles. EDIT: I've tweaked some of gterl's colors. Because of the art training I got in my miss-spent youth, I unconsciously use the color theories of the European masters (Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Rembrandt, etc). I'm contemplating a couple of how-to articles for modders, explaining how to adjust colors for pre-computer realism.

Heh - so do I. I have six biplanes planned, plus some early monoplanes.

Got it flying - temporarily using Wrench's CR42 files. Still a bunch things to tweak, such as the pilot.