AI parachutists?

[shotgunneeley]

This is an eyecandy wish, nothing important.

My wish is that if you bail out of a multi-seated plane, then the corresponding number of parachutes for each of the crewmen would also appear. Similar to how parachutists jump from a c-47, maybe in a 1-3 second delay. After a certain length of time, or when you decide to end sortie, the AI parachutists will vanish. 

(e.g., you bail from a b-17 which contains 7 crew positions in game. If you bail, 6 AI parachutes would jump out of the bomber in addition to your own.)

Plus side: Would enhance the realism of seeing a large aircraft going down with multiple crew members bailing out instead of just the one pilot. Down side: Players might mistake the parachutists for troops

[LLogann]

This would be cool!!!  +1

(e.g., you bail from a b-17 which contains 7 crew positions in game. If you bail, 6 AI parachutes would jump out of the bomber in addition to your own.)

Plus side: Would enhance the realism of seeing a large aircraft going down with multiple crew members bailing out instead of just the one pilot. Down side: Players might mistake the parachutists for troops

Don't forget the engineer, nav/bombardier & radio man....   

[guncrasher]

I will shoot all people that bail.  It seems heartless to see them fall alone in the sea or in land the squirrels are known to take pictures for ransom.  God only knows what people do in the bushes.  On the brightside more people that bail decreased the chance somebody will steal my kill.


Semp

[Ack-Ack]

This is an eyecandy wish, nothing important.

My wish is that if you bail out of a multi-seated plane, then the corresponding number of parachutes for each of the crewmen would also appear. Similar to how parachutists jump from a c-47, maybe in a 1-3 second delay. After a certain length of time, or when you decide to end sortie, the AI parachutists will vanish. 

(e.g., you bail from a b-17 which contains 7 crew positions in game. If you bail, 6 AI parachutes would jump out of the bomber in addition to your own.)

Plus side: Would enhance the realism of seeing a large aircraft going down with multiple crew members bailing out instead of just the one pilot. Down side: Players might mistake the parachutists for troops

Would be a cool bit of eye candy.  I would also have it so any gunner positions that have been destroyed won't be able to bail out.


ack-ack

[shotgunneeley]

This would be cool!!!  +1

Don't forget the engineer, nav/bombardier & radio man....   

I thought about that, but since these positions aren't specifically designated in the game, I figured it would be simpler to just to code the mannable positions to bail. After all, crew positions varied throughout the course of the war

[Letalis]

+1

I'd like a see a more significant delay in all aircraft between Enter x3 and actual bailout. http://www.303rdbg.com/bailout.html Egressing a B-17 for example was not instant. A nice touch would be a requirement to open the bomb bay before bailout on applicable aircraft

 As for the number of chutes it could be randomized between and and total chutes possible and halved if the aircraft is under G. (An approximation since I don't know of any studies that noted what % of bailing aircrew had issues with G forces while attempting bailout)  Many WWII aircrew were unable to bail out due to stuck canopies (Robert S. Johnson) or due to centrifugal forces from a lost wing etc. (Many bomber crews had this problem)

All easier said than done of course! 

[Boxboy]

Hmmm last time I checked B-17's carried 10 crew??

[shotgunneeley]

Hmmm last time I checked B-17's carried 10 crew??

yeah the b-17 carried 10 crew. Got confused on perspective (10 total, the pilot and 9 others). Also had the notion that crew responsibilities were tried in different ways in order to be as efficient as possible. Oh well, might be true for Axis countries who could afford less manpower in the air? (especially japan, when the focus turned from defending their betties to the kamikazi attack)

[Avanti]

+1

so if a gunner gets killed 1 less jumps?

[flatiron1]

deleted

[Knite]

I vote +1. 

Once chutes hit the ground, they should dissapear, and not be "troops" IMO. It'd cause too many bomber pilots to do a bombing run, circle around and bail.
Also, I think it should happen even if the bomber pilot doesn't bail, as keep in mind, the 1st 2 bombers of the formation, the pilot just "warps" to the primary bomber spot. So because of that I'd say maybe 50% max crew as parachutes? (simple calculation without having to determine who lived, who died, and who made it to the egress points)

[BaldEagl]

+1 

[kvuo75]

i like the general idea, but i have a question.. is it possible to collide with a chute right now? I can't seem to remember if it is possible..  if so, this could be problematic.. end up behind a bomber and he just bails to take you out with chutes! LOL

[shotgunneeley]

No, I'd say you could fly through the parachute. To distinguish them from base capping troops, they should not have a green "P" icon. All they would be is a white parachute and airman, but would soon disappear like empty rocket boosters off of a ar234.

[EDO43]

I like the idea too.  Shotgun is partially correct.  Yes, the B-17 had 10 crew positions but late in the war they started flying missions with 9 crew members.  In my research on one particular 91st BG B-17G (42-31333) LG*W, "Wee Willie" (You know the one that loses a wing over Stendahl on April 8th, 1945...direct flak hit took it off.  Contrary to popular opinions of her being shredded by a Me262, combat reports (which I have on 16mm microfilm...along with the entire combat history of the group from 1942 - 1945) from other crews say she took a direct hit by flak over the target although there were 262's reported in the area at that time.)  I digress....  Wee Willie was carrying 9 crew ( I believe the records indicate one waist gunner was omitted from the crew roster) when she was hit by flak over Stendahl and 9 crew were buried in the cemetary on the Continent...no survivors...so to  a certain extent, he is correct in saying crews varied during the war.

On another note, the B-17G in the game is "missing" one gun.  I know, hard to believe it but the radio operator's .50 is not modeled.  Yes, late in the war it was removed (or eliminated from the production line), along with the cheek mounted .50's.  The cheek mounted .50's are modeled (and cannot be manned separately)...no, we don't reallly need it, the fort is deadly enough w/out it but it should really have it.  There's no radio position in the ship to man but....  Might make those diving attacks from above a little more difficult