Seaplanes, armed and S&R

[Iron_Cross]

Bring the Rufie to defend the ports!!!!:D

Seriously, seaplanes would make ports worth going after.  Even if you don't get the CV group that is attached to a port, it is still usefull as a  launching point for seaplane attacks.

[cambria]

Sounds cool. I believe they would add a new (if small/niche) dimension to the game. As was already mentioned, the floatplanes could have the ability to launch from Port bases as well as Carrier Task Force groups (and, in some cases, normal airfields). The Northrop N-3PB would actually give the Ports the ability to launch fighters (albeit, slow ones).

Arado Ar 196 – Light Attack Floatplane (Germany)
Max speed: 200mph
Armament: 2x 20mm cannon in the wings, 1x 7.92mm MG on the fuselage, 1x 7.92mm trainable rearward firing MG, 2x 50kg bombs.

CANT Z.506 Airone – Bomber Floatplane (Italy)
Max speed: 217mph
Armament: 1x 12.7mm MG in dorsal turret, 1x 7.7mm rearward firing MG, 2x 7.7mm trainable lateral-firing MGs, 1200kg of bombs.

Heinkel He 115C/D – Torpedo Bomber Floatplane (Germany)
Max speed: 215mph
Armament: 1x 15mm forward firing cannon, 2x 7.92mm fixed rearward firing MGs, 1x 7.92mm trainable forward firing MG in nose, 1x 7.92mm trainable rearward firing MG in dorsal position, 2000+ lbs of torpedoes/bombs.

Northrop N-3PB – Convoy Escort Floatplane (USA)
Max speed: 260mph
Armament: 4x .50cal MGs in wings, 2x .30cal MGs (one in rear, one in ventral)

Consolidated PBY-5A – Bomber Flying Boat (USA)
Max speed: 180mph
Armament: 2x .30cal trainable forward firing MGs, 1x .30cal trainable rearward firing MG, 2x .50cal trainable lateral-firing MGs, 4500lbs of bombs.

[Denholm]

The AH community would like to thank you for searching.

[muzik]

Its a great idea. Ive had the same idea for some time.  And spoken with a couple of others about it who agree.  Its not much different from guys that supply bases or gvs.  And for the guys bashing the idea.  Go piss in your own coffee whiners.  This idea doesnt serve any strategic purposes but this is a game and its meant to be fun.  And If SHawk wants someone to save him and his kills dammit he deserves it.   

I havent read all the posts on this subject, but Ill add this if no one else has.  I dont know how many times Ive had to ditch kills just outside a base or even on it but not on the pavement.  The SAR would work here as well if a guy could bring a jeep out to pick you up.  Pilots didnt lose confirmed kills just for ditching or bailing and neither should we.

It would be great fun to have the float planes for SAR and be able to save your kills by being picked up and both the rescuer and rescuee both could benefit from the acts.  And if the pilot and rescuer want to take the time out to do this thats their choice.  I may not choose to do it every time, but I would certainly do it. 

[Karnak]

Sea planes would be freaking kewl!

then we coulg get the fatsarse Kawanishi H8K "Emily" a big fat four engined IJN sea plane studded w/ 20mm cannons, so yes it can defend itself

http://www.combinedfleet.com/ijna/h8k.htm
-quote from above link:

armament: 20 mm Type 99 Model 1 cannon in bow, dorsal and tail turrets and two beam hatches, and 7.7 mm Type 92 machine-guns in ventral, port and starboard fuselage sides and cockpit hatches (H8K2, H8K3 and H8K4).

Accommodation: Crew of ten (H8K1 to H8K4). Crew of nine and 29 passengers or 64 troops (H8K2-L).S&R would be freaking fun as well! I've seen it tried in the H2Hs rather fun trying to find the speck of a downed pilot in a canyon.

You forgot to mention the warload of eight 250kg bombs or two 1500kg bombs or two 800kg torpedoes.  You also didn't mention the 1,800fpm climbrate.

Y'know, for all the talking up the H8K gets over the Catalina, a bunch of them were actually shot down by PBYs during the Guadalcanal campaign. The Emily can't boast the opposite...

Actually, I think those were H6K "Mavis" flying boats, not H8Ks.  I understand the H8K was known as "the flying porcupine" by US fighter pilots.

[Ghosth]

Yes Yes Yes and YES.

Yes we need real water. Yes we need Rufe's at ports for scouting,defense.

Yes we need PBY's Mavis, Emily, Short Sunderland, etc.

This is the single most wanted thing on my list.
To be able to take a flying boat, or float plane, take off, patrol, bomb, etc and land again on water.
I've wanted it for as long as I've flown online, going back to 96.

Please HTC, PLEASE!

[Strip]

Ghost do you have 10 year old who knows your password?

I agree it would be cool....not my favorite but I would fly em!

Strip(er)

[pengu146]

Great idea seaplanes might be able to give pt boats supplies>

[Yossarian]

Neither one serves a purpose in AH. We have no shipping, no ASW, no need for fleet escort or SAR. None of these are aspects of this game. Really no reason to put seaplanes in.

Krusty, I have to disagree with this.  I was in an F6F mission a few weeks ago, and we upped from a CV just offshore from a base.  There were about 25-30 people flying this mission, and it was being led by a very experienced player.

Anyway, an enemy CV turned up right next to our CV, and we sunk it quite quickly.  Finally, we upped from our carrier to hit this base.

Then, I noticed that about 3 miles off our CV's front left, there was yet another enemy CV.  It seemed that no one else had realised this thing was there.  So I began yelling in Caps on the country channel about this CV.  No one notices, and the mission leader's still on vox about hitting base.  Anyway, I HO this CV's cruiser with my Hellcat, sink it, and get shot down during my egress.

Finally, the others notice this rather conspicuous cruiser sticking up a few hundred feet into the air, and sink what's left of that CV group.

If we had a PBY, this would most likely not have ever happened.  Whilst the number of players who would be willing to wait to be picked up by one, or to fly them around friendly CVs would doubtlessly be a minority, I think there would still be enough of such people (for instance, me) to make this a worthwhile addition to the game.

<S>

Yossarian

[ShrkBite]

good idea, but it'll be a while..

[angelsandair]

After reading some posts, It seems like a good idea. I like it, you got my support 

[Ghosth]

No 10 yr olds here strip.

Just this particular topic I tend to get a bit excited about.

[DPQ5]

i wouldent mind having some sea planes, such as the zero with floats wich i forgot its name, of corse

[ECHO44]

there seems to be ALOT of we need seaplanes threads in the forums
 i am totally a supporter of the whole seaplane idea
hopefully AH noticed that people really want this addition to the game

[hulk31st]

 

Please, please add seaplanes and S & R !