Question/Wish.

[trigger2]

So, I ran a search for this, and it came up dry...

My question is, did the WEP really kill itself off once you hit the 'red'? If not, I'd love to be able to run my WEP well within the red, and possibly overheat my engine, causing it to die. Of course this would cause some grief on the newbies, but they'd catch on soon. I think the switch it and forget it nature of most of our controls (gas tanks [I perfer the manual control ], WEP, engines etc...) makes the game seem even more... gamey. So, how about adding in some of our switch-it-and-forget-it controls to manual?

Hell, I remember a story of a p-38 pilot who got so caught up in getting engaged that he dropped his tanks and forgot to switch his fuel, first and only pilot to make a kill in 'glider mode' of a powered aircraft...

[Delirium]

My question is, did the WEP really kill itself off once you hit the 'red'? If not, I'd love to be able to run my WEP well within the red, and possibly overheat my engine, causing it to die.

Hell, I remember a story of a p-38 pilot who got so caught up in getting engaged that he dropped his tanks and forgot to switch his fuel, first and only pilot to make a kill in 'glider mode' of a powered aircraft...

No, it didn't... some a/c had a limited run of 'wep' however.

Robin Olds is the P38 pilot.

[Karnak]

WEP in a P-51 or Spitfire, for example, was just running the engine at a higher boost level.  There was a slight increase in the chance of engine failure, but it did mess up engine maintenance schedules.  The is one account of a Spitfire MK V pilot panicing and running his aircraft at WEP for about 30 minutes with no adverse affect on the engine.  Pratt & Whitney ran an R-2800 (P-47, F4U, F6F, ect) engine at WEP power for more than 24 hours in a factory test.

For aircraft that used an additive for WEP (Fw190s, later Bf109s, P-47s, ect), WEP would only last as long as the additive did.

[ImADot]

I think the switch it and forget it nature of most of our controls (gas tanks [I perfer the manual control ], WEP, engines etc...) makes the game seem even more... gamey. So, how about adding in some of our switch-it-and-forget-it controls to manual?

I'm all for realistic flight simulators...but this is a game.  Many may think it's a simulator, and there have been many arguments to that point, but in the end it's a game.  If people were forced to manually adjust fuel mixtures, adjust engine cowlings, flip the oxygen feed at altitude or risk blackout, etc., etc., there would probably be a dozen people with active accounts, and a lot more messing with switches and buttons and a lot less fighting.

[caldera]

Think of the trouble a new player would have with the extra cockpit chores. It is not a bad idea though. Perhaps make an "in-flight controls" feature that you can select (like stall limiter). This would put you at a disadvantage against others, but no different than choosing a non-uber ride to compete with.

[trigger2]

I'm all for realistic flight simulators...but this is a game.  Many may think it's a simulator, and there have been many arguments to that point, but in the end it's a game.  If people were forced to manually adjust fuel mixtures, adjust engine cowlings, flip the oxygen feed at altitude or risk blackout, etc., etc., there would probably be a dozen people with active accounts, and a lot more messing with switches and buttons and a lot less fighting.

Well, take fuel tanks for example, shift + f to switch tanks, by how many people use the manual fuel? Only time most people use it is when they're flyin a spit to drop off that bottom fuel. I'd just like to see a bit less start it up, and you're good to go, and a bit more keep an eye on your controls, find out what everythings set at.

Just a slightly higher level of attention.

[SectorNine50]

I was actually going to post this exact same thing the other day.

Making it so that WEP actually overheated your engine would probably change the dynamics of the game a little bit.  No longer would people turn on WEP for a fight, and then run it til it runs out.  They would actually have to pay attention to it, would make people think twice before using it.  I think it would be a nice change, other WWII fighter games allow their engine's to overheat and there isn't any complaining about it there...

If no to this in the MA, then I say please in at least Special Events?

I also would like to see the auto flap-retraction removed and a flap speed panel added to the cockpits, but I think one of the fearless leaders has already said no to that one.  Would make the fights more realistic as pilots in WWII never actually used flaps as aggressively as we do in-game, probably because they were afraid of jamming them.