Cunctator

I will welcome the AV-8b+, but I am not holding my breath. Most likely very far away. Both the Sea Harrier FRS.1 and the especially the F-15E can keep their current team occupied for years and seems much higher on their list. Until they can do the Plus the current Harrier will be in need for a full overhaul to fully utilize the new DCS 3.0/Vulcan engine anyway.

The only carrier I know of deployed to cover the Normandy landings was the escort carrier HMS Emperor, former USS Pybu, but it carried Hellcats not Corsairs (Squadrons No. 800 and 804) . HMS Victorious had two Corsair squadrons (Squadrons No. 1834 and 1836) embarked at that time, but was attacking Norway just a days before (31.5.1944). The next carrier to receive Corsairs was HMS Formidable in July, but her squadrons were still in the US during Overlord.

TBF/TBM Avenger: As AI eventually a must have, but it would also be very interesting as flyable module. While the upcoming F4U-1D is already very potent in the ground attack role and a decent dive bomber, the Avenger would add so many more possibilities: torpedoes, a bombsight for level bombing and in late aircraft even surface search radars. Hopefully there is no need for an extensive introduction here. A 3 seated carrier based attacker, maybe best called a single engine medium bomber. An extremely versatile and important aircraft that could carry almost the entire arsenal of ground attack weapons, widely used even after WW2. A torpedo, various bombs up to a 2000 pounder or a 1600 pound AP bomb internally, depth charges, rockets. Good defensive armament, especially the hydraulically operated turret, very uncommon for an aircraft of it’s size.

The G4M Betty would be my first choice. Long range, land based level and torpedo bomber operated by the IJN. Can double as transport. It does not require the presence of an aircraft carrier but can threaten any allied fleet while realistically operating from outside the map if necessary. As an AI plane the G4M would be hugely valuable until the Japanese fleet can be modeled. Since Magnitude is already developing the A6M5 Model 52, I would also opt for its predecessor A6M2. Refitted older A6M2 Zero models were used as (also carrier based) dive bombers in the 1944 time frame, as supplement and replacement for the dwindling number of D3As.

The Hellcat is must have, at least as an AI plane. F6Fs were even deployed for D-day (aboard HMS Emperor) protecting the flanks of the invasion fleet. It uses a variant of the same P&W R-2800 engine than the F4U and P-47, thus if ED or Magnitude would be modeling it they can hopefully reuse same work and even sounds (for AI).

It would be great to have correct skins for infantry and vehicles eventually, but despite CA this is still a flightsim first. Especially since we won't see much armored warfare on the island maps. Out of the cockpit of anything without a Tpod I can barely correctly identify what kind of vehicle I am attacking, not if it has the correct color scheme or exhaust stack.

Most excellent Great to have a dedicated DCS Pacific forum now!

It will be interesting to see if MAC is open to third parties. I would think that it could be a very interesting platform for companies like Razbam, which have more 3D modelers than coders and a lot of very hot aircraft on their plate.

Excellent news indeed :)

I don't know how to feel about the Channel map, but the rest of the newsletter is absolutely awesome!

No, the other one. Last year they announced two new WW2 maps. One is a Europe map and will be released next together with the P-47, as we now know. The other map is still a mystery.

I doubt anybody at Razbam has sleepless nights because of this. Outside of this forum people are generally talking very favorably about the DCS Harrier. I would be surprised if any noteworthy fraction of Harrier customers has read anything in the real tacman. Despite its flaws this is still the most in depth simulation of the AV-8B ever released for the consumer market and people appreciate this.

+1

I hope the second WW2 map currently in development will be a dedicated WW2 Pacific map. The Mariana screenshots look gorgeous, would be a waste if this will stay the only tropical region. Hopefully such Ocean + islands maps can be done rather quickly now, with the foundations build.

They might not be the largest communes, but all exist where they should be. Heurtevent and Sourdeval were merged with their neighbors into new communes recently. Also Sourdeval is maybe placed too much to the east on our map. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranchy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heurtevent https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sourdeval-les-Bois

Now almost two decades ago somebody made an add on with fully functioning USS Macon and USS Akron flying carriers for CFS 2. It came with a Sparrowhawk fighter you could land on the airships. Would be cool to see something like it again in a flight sim, but I don't hold my breath.

+1 for more prop planes. I would love to see more PTO planes.

Merry Christmas! My best wishes for 2020. I hope it will be a productive and successful year for Magnitude. Can you say why this modification order was issued to remove the stall warning and water injection lights? I assume they did not function correctly and given false readings to the pilot?

It works for me. In the Fw 190 A8, the "COMM Push to talk" button (Ralt + \) brings up the com menu while being airborne. I've mapped it to my stick, but the default key command functions too.

If not in the next, than in their New Years news letter for sure. ED is always talking about their plans for the coming year at this time.

Great read! No, MFG 2 was equipped with the Tornado IDS, but the German Navy fighters trained for all missions. Germany did not purchase any ADVs.

:megalol: I wonder if his scheme worked and Mr. Melville Peter Ten Cate found enough simpletons with a few millions to spare.

No drop tank either. The cockpit got much improved since release, no more "bar" blocking half of the gunsight.

Fields with the usual resolution and forests that look correctly shaped, but no paved roads, railroad tracks or other infrastructure and very few villages. So no edge of the world feeling, good enough for transfer flights or aerial combat, but not for ground attack missions.

Merry Christmas!