Drop tanks: unfair advantage?

[gatt]

We all know how most people use drop tanks in combat. They fly with 25% and drop their tanks before engaging.

As you know, a/c like Yaks, Lavochin and Macchi dont have drop tanks. They have to take off with 100% fuel and most of the times they engage with 60-70% fuel. If you dont t/o with a huge fuel load you'll often have to ditch.

Now, I know that those fighters didnt or seldom used drop tanks (recce types, like the C.205, or field modifications) ... but in AH drop tanks, IMHO, give an unfair advantage when used the way most "smart gamers" do.

What about the possibility to carry drop tanks only if you have 100% fuel in internal tanks?

[Ripsnort]

Doubt it would change much, one burns internal fuel down before switching back to external.

The only unfair advantage I see is limiting ones self to one A/C type, instead of broadening ones scope.

[martello]

Yes the drop tanks are very important also for the strategic and tatics decision of the pilot.
The choiche of a field that give you the opportunity of climb at altitude and arrive in combat zone whit E advantage,then after the release of the DT,take your time for combat and the fuel for RTB to your field.
We,poor and outnumbered italian pilot,must leave the macchi in hangar 80% of the time
for lack of range.
This is the only sim whit italian fighters,
and is really annoying take another AC only
because we dont have DT for fly to an enemie field that is'nt very near at your base.
Recce italians planes in WW2 haved Drop tank.
After 8 september MC205 whit field modification haved DT.
Thank and sorry for my English.  

[MANDOBLE]

gatt, my personal experience:
DT + 75% fuel.
IMO, the situation you describe (25% + DT) has sense only with P51, nikki, P47 or Ta152.

[Sturm]

I am only hoping they can rectify the problem with the introduction of the Fiat G-55 or 56 or the Reggiane 2005.  Being a german plane lover even these planes are sweet as hell looking "and performance wise" which merit introduction into AH.

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Sturm6 StaffelKapitän
JV44 Platzschutzstaffel
Airfield Defense Squadron
"Did we give up when the Germans bombed Pearl harbor?"  Famous quote from Animal House, John Belushi.

[Citabria]

I fly with 100% fuel + Drop tanks gatt.

many others do too.

however i suspect most n1k2 and chog dweebs are the 25% + drop tank crowd so i kill them first  

[Lephturn]

I usually fly a Jug with 75% + a drop, or 100% internal.  If I'm flying to a close furball, I may use 50% and a drop, but that's pretty rare.  On WEP the Jug sucks gas pretty quick.  25% and a drop isn't enough for more than one fight before you RTB.  It would really only be useful for point defense, and in that case you'd be choosing a different plane or just 25% with no drop tank.  I use no drop tank much of the time, simply because the tank adds drag and weight, and hurts my climb to altitude time.  I'm better off to use 75% or 100% internal and just time it right than I am to use a drop.  The only thing the drop tank gives is flexibility, so if I get engaged in combat earlier than I expected, I can punch it off and be at a reasonable fighting weight.

BTW, I don't call this an "unfair" advantage.  Planes with efficient fuel use and drop tanks should take advantage of it, just like a G-10 driver should take advantage of his great acceleration.  These are attributes of the real planes, and it's great that we have a sim that models all these variables.

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Sean "Lephturn" Conrad - Aces High Chief Trainer

A proud member of the mighty Flying Pigs
http://www.flyingpigs.com

Check out Lephturn's Aerodrome for AH articles and training info!

[Jochen]

I fly my Dora almsot always with 100% internal fuel, even with DT.

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jochen / Gefechtsverband Kowalewski

Units: I. and II./KG 51, II. and III./KG 76, NSGr 1, NSGr 2, NSGr 20.
Planes: Do 17Z, Ju 87D, Ju 88A, He 111H, Ar 234A, Me 410A, Me 262A, Fw 190A, Fw 190F, Fw 190G.

Sieg oder bolschevismus!

[whels1]

mybe code it that ifu choose DTs it loads
100% fuel automaticly.

whels

 

Originally posted by gatt:
We all know how most people use drop tanks in combat. They fly with 25% and drop their tanks before engaging.

As you know, a/c like Yaks, Lavochin and Macchi dont have drop tanks. They have to take off with 100% fuel and most of the times they engage with 60-70% fuel. If you dont t/o with a huge fuel load you'll often have to ditch.

Now, I know that those fighters didnt or seldom used drop tanks (recce types, like the C.205, or field modifications) ... but in AH drop tanks, IMHO, give an unfair advantage when used the way most "smart gamers" do.

What about the possibility to carry drop tanks only if you have 100% fuel in internal tanks?

[Citabria]

thats a marvelous idea whels

[GRUNHERZ]

Great idea, shouldnt be hard to do.

[Rocket]

Flying the 1D I take 100% fuel and no DTs.  There is a trade off for using a DT and that is climbrate is affected by the drag of the tank.  I can get to alt quicker if I take a full fuel load and no external tanks vs partial load with 1 or 2 tanks.
If I fly a G10 I use 100% fuel and a DT.  I try to plan my flight to burn down to at least 75% fuel before I engage.  50% is my avg. fuel load in a fight.  Anything less than 50% and I might not make it back home  

S!

Rocket

[Karnak]

Gatt,

I fly the Spit 9 with 75%-100% of internal fuel + droptank.  If I take less internal fuel I risk not being able to return to base after fighting.  I've taken 50% and not made it back before, so I don't do that anymore.

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We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother

Bring the Spitfire F.MkXIVc to Aces High!!!

Sisu
-Karnak

[funked]

I don't game the fuel.  You think any WW2 pilots would intentionally take off with less than full tanks?

[mx22]

Now now Mike, I remember us flying with tanks, but not full internal fuel load


 

Originally posted by funked:
I don't game the fuel.  You think any WW2 pilots would intentionally take off with less than full tanks?