Author Topic: HOLD THE PHONE!! B-26 change?? (Read 1463 times)

Krusty · « **on:** August 29, 2007, 02:42:20 PM »

Latest patch lists:

"Fixed a bug in the B-26 that kept it from attaining full throttle at higher altitudes."

What the heck? What are we talking, here? This wasn't a high-alt bomber. I'm hoping we're talking only a little bit, and not some sweeping change.

moot · « **Reply #1 on:** August 29, 2007, 03:02:07 PM »

Sweeping change to what to a more historical 26 sounds good.

Krusty · « **Reply #2 on:** August 29, 2007, 03:10:53 PM »

Well, the question is "How much are they changing it?"

Obviously they modeled it (originally) off of historic data in the first place. It never was a high-alt bomber.

Ack-Ack · « **Reply #3 on:** August 29, 2007, 03:38:42 PM »

Regardless if it wasn't a high altitude bomber, if there was an error that prevented it from operating at a speed it should be able to at higher alts then it is good it was fixed.

ack-ack

KTM520guy · « **Reply #4 on:** August 29, 2007, 03:54:19 PM »

Are we talking real life high alt. or AHII high alt?

Krusty · « **Reply #5 on:** August 29, 2007, 04:07:34 PM »

I agree it's good it gets fixed, but the question still remains: WHAT was fixed?!

We're talking "real life" high alt, btw.

Lusche · « **Reply #6 on:** August 29, 2007, 04:12:45 PM »

He's just upset that a AH2 bomber may have gained some speed

Ack-Ack · « **Reply #7 on:** August 29, 2007, 04:16:21 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Krusty
I agree it's good it gets fixed, but the question still remains: WHAT was fixed?!

We're talking "real life" high alt, btw.

From the patch notes:

Quote

Fixed a bug in the B-26 that kept it from attaining full throttle at higher altitudes.

Pretty much explains itself.

ack-ack

Hornet33 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 29, 2007, 05:18:07 PM »

Specification of Martin B-26 Marauder

Powerplant: Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-5 Double Wasp air cooled radial engines, rated at 1850 hp each.

Performance: Maximum speed 315 mph at 15,000 feet. Cruising speed 265 mph. An altitude of 15,000 feet could be attained in 12.5 minutes. Service ceiling 25,000 feet. Range was 1000 miles at 265 mph with a 3000-pound bombload.

Weights: 21,375 pounds empty, 32,025 pounds gross.

Dimensions: Wingspan 65 feet 0 inches, length 56 feet 0 inches, height 19 feet 10 inches, wing area 602 square feet.

Armament: One flexible 0.30-inch machine gun installed in the tip of a transparent nose cone and operated by the bombardier. Two 0.50-inch machine guns in a Martin-designed dorsal turret located behind the bomb bay just ahead of the tail. One 0.30-inch flexible machine gun was installed in a tunnel position in the lower rear fuselage. One flexible 0.50-inch machine installed in a tail position. The maximum bombload was 5800 pounds.

Glad they fixed it because I have never gotten a B-26 in the game to break 300MPH unless I had it in a dive.

Widewing · « **Reply #9 on:** August 29, 2007, 05:29:19 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Hornet33

Performance: Maximum speed 315 mph at 15,000 feet. Cruising speed 265 mph. An altitude of 15,000 feet could be attained in 12.5 minutes. Service ceiling 25,000 feet. Range was 1000 miles at 265 mph with a 3000-pound bombload.

The best I could get out of a B-26 at 15k was 28" MAP. This resulted in a speed of 258 mph. Climb at 15k at MIL power was a mere 200 feet per minute with 50% fuel. It was porked... Now it's fixed.

My regards,

Widewing

Krusty · « **Reply #10 on:** August 29, 2007, 05:29:47 PM »

Ack-Ack.... I posted that very line myself.

You're just not understanding me.

Never mind.

Edit: Thanks WW, Hornet.

Hornet33 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 29, 2007, 05:58:43 PM »

Just tested it off line and maintained better than 1200FPM climb rate up to 15K and achieved a top speed of 302MPH

This was with a 50% fuel load and 2000lbrs of ords. Took the 20 100lbrs.

Nice improvement. I've always liked the B-26 but never really flew it all that much in the MA's because the performance wasn't there.

I think I'll be flying it more now.

Rich46yo · « **Reply #12 on:** August 31, 2007, 10:10:23 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Hornet33
Just tested it off line and maintained better than 1200FPM climb rate up to 15K and achieved a top speed of 302MPH

This was with a 50% fuel load and 2000lbrs of ords. Took the 20 100lbrs.

Nice improvement. I've always liked the B-26 but never really flew it all that much in the MA's because the performance wasn't there.

I think I'll be flying it more now.

I fly it a lot. As I do the KI-67. I think both are under-rated. The 26 has a fine bombload and is very survivable. It will take a lot of hits and spit a lot of lead back. After reading this I think I'll go jump in one for a quickie.

DaddyAck · « **Reply #13 on:** September 04, 2007, 02:29:31 AM »

I usually make runs in a B-26 @ 20K just because that is where I like to, coincidentially this is the altitude where i take my Ki-67s as well. In reguards to speeds, I find 20K is a fair altitude to attain a decent speed in both birds. Of course I will say that bombing Rooks requires me to take more fuel and climb to 25K-30K in some B-17s and even then they have some how out altituded me, on the other hand bombing the bish 15K - 20K is usually sufficient. I have never been one to fly bombers on the deck for a suicide run, nor am I a fan of the suicide corps of dive bombing lancasters that have plagued AHII lately. I have however tried (with little sucess) to use the Ju-88 to make torpedo runs agaist task groups, but the lazer ack always tears me up shortly after I drop or some obscure variant of a spitfire saddles up and kills my under 200FT under 200MPH plane.

Rich46yo · « **Reply #14 on:** September 04, 2007, 06:00:39 AM »

The B-26 is almost an entirely new aircraft after the fix. Thats how important 30 mph is and a better climb rate. Yesterday I had a 109 make an ill advised run at me at a bad angle. While he probably made it back to base he sure got hosed pretty good. Why the bad angle? I'm guessing that he didnt expect a B-26 to be so fast and it took him longer then expected to catch me, while leaving himself less altitude and energy then he wanted. I also suspect he was running out of gas, and or ammo.

Whatever the reason we can at least agree that good things happen in bombers when the speed indicator passes 300 mph.

The last few days Ive developed tactics to hopefully help with the one attack profile the 26 has problems with. Using the available cloud cover is part of the strategy.