I love these long lists we get..... we've seen 1 jeep, the F4U-1A, and a makeover of the B-17 in the past 2 years. How many additions and make overs do you expect over the next 2 years? We'd like to see every plane used added to the plane set, but we are not going to see that. And it has been stated that one future priority is the makeover of existing planes (like what was done with 1A and B-17), rather than new additions.
Think carefully; if we are only going to
possibly see a very few planes possibly added in the foreseeable future, what should they be? What roles should they fill?
* First of all, both the bomber pilots and GV drivers could each use an additional perk ride added to spend perk points on.
* Lots of Early War suggestions often are made.
Maybe good for some early war senerios, but really, neither the SEA events, nor either the Early War or Late Ware Arenas, get anywhere the draw that the 2 LW arenas do. So, is directing limited development time to a Spanish Civil War or Early War era plane which won't see use in LW a very good use of this limited resource? If we were going to see an effort from HTC to add to the plane set a number of planes, then sure, some EW planes would be great. But if we might only see 1 to 3 planes added over the next 2 or 3 years?
A few comments on those mentioned:
B-25 we need for Doolittle raids
Which is why you won't see it. People will want CV-launched ones, no matter those planes were running chopped with light loads. Nothing a standard B-25 can do that B-26 or B17 can't do in game now.
Catalina Flying Boat
Nothing more than a Hangar Queen. After a few fun little trips, you would not see them again. We don't do S&R missions. No Maritime Patrols. No subs to depth charge. Go load up a Catalina in FS 9 or X.
Fw-200 Condor
A dedicated long range Maritine Patrol Plane? No formations the way they operated. 4,600 bomb load. Henschel Hs 293 anti-ship guided missiles are not going to be modeled. Anti-shipping operations not a big deal in-game.... a few drone barge convoys is all. Doubt they will model the airborne radar. Very limited nitch use and ultimately a Hangar Queen. Any heavy bomber formation can do the job this could in arenas.
He-111
Nice Spanish War edition. Obsolete by Battle of Britain. Might see some use in EW, and some senerios... but EW does not see very many pilots, and is not taking off as a war arena. Ultimately, another Hangar Queen except some limited use.
P-61 Black Widow
We don't have night time in the arenas. This was a night fighter and bomber interceptor. Made use of radar to make attacks - model airborne radar in-game? Doubt it. Nothing in game presently supports the operational environment this thing operated in. Hangar Queen.
Ju188A-2/Do217/He177A-5 (fills mid/late war bomber hole for the Luftwaffe)
* Guided missiles Henschel Hs 293 or Fritz X will prevent addition of He-177 like nook will prevent the B-29.
* Ju188A2 would be LW only, minor improvement of Ju88. A high altitude fast heavy bomber with poor defensive armaments. Late Ju-188's were very high altitude high speed bombers..... which is yet another reason given as to why the B-29 will not be added to the game.
* Do217 Fritz X missiles might axe this idea. Heavier load and faster than Ju-88.
Ultimately though, buff pilots need a perk ride other than the Ar-234, and none of these really rate, except maybe the He-177 with guided munitions.... which we are not going to see..... rate perk points.
Of note:
D4Y (fills mid-late war CV dive bomber gap for the Japanese)And it gives the CV force a decent dive bomber. Faster than other CV attack planes offered now. Could carry half the load of a TBM.
P-36 Airacobra or P63 Kingcobra - This could be added, but I'd give it Russian skin and put in Russian plane set. They got more use out of them both, and second highest Allied Ace was Russian flying the P-36 (and possibly P-63). A decent EW addition that could see LW use.
The two I push for the most:
A-26 Invader One of the few WWII perk-worthy bombers that could be added for buff pilots to spend perk on (especially since we aren't going to see the B-29 or He-177). Both the glass-nosed C-model penetration bomber and pathfinder and solid nose B model attack bomber could be done. B-model also has option for a 75mm nose cannon, manually loaded, with 20 rounds held in racks. 14 forward firing .50's another option for B-model. 6K bombload, rockets, even 2 torpedos as load out options.
Much more than just another A-20 Havoc. 50% more power, 50% more ord and more ord options. Ultimate strafer. Ultimate penetration bomber. And buff pilots need something other than the Ar234. And for the investment of development time, you get TWO perk worthy bombers.... a cheaper C-model, and a more expensive B-model.
And the one not seen here yet.
German 88mm Flak36 Early War, but useful through LW. Manned puffy ack for field defense and force buffs off deck, and able to defend against high buffs. Manned indirect artillery. Long range direct fire weapon vs GV's. Even against TGs that roll up on the shore line. Strong offense, multi-use, weak defense, poor maneuverability and fire only from stopped (deployed) position. Lightly perked to prevent overuse.
