Armanment for the P38L

[Traveler]

I wish that the armament options available  for the P38L included all the available options that were flown at the time in the P38L.

From the Specifications (P38L)

Armanment

M2 Machine Gun in the nose of the P38
   1 x Hispano M2(C) 20 MM Cannon with 150 rounds
   4 x 50 caliber machine

Inner Hardpoints
   4 x M10 three-tube 4.5 in rocket launcher or
   2x 2000 Lb bombs or drop tanks or 2 x 1000 lb bombs or drop tanks, Plue either
             4 x 500lb bombs or 4 x 250lb bombs or 6 x 500lb or 6x 250 lb bombs on the outer hardpoints    

Outer Hardpoints
   10 x 5 in HVARs or 2 x 500lb or 2 x 250 lb

[Ack-Ack]

Due to the limitations of the current ordnance system, I don't think the all the ordnance packages the P-38 was capable of using is possible.  However, Pyro did mention that a perked ordnance system was in the planning stages or under development that would allow for different ordnance packages that currently can't be used.  For example, with a perked ordnance system it would be possible for the B-25H to carry HVAR rockets or AP rounds for the 75mm cannon.

ack-ack

[Traveler]

Due to the limitations of the current ordnance system

ack-ack

What limitation is that?  I wasn't aware that there was an ordnance system limition.  Or do you just mean that all the historical ordnance packages were never programmed in so that it would require a coding change?  if that's what you mean, I thought that's what the Wish forum was all about.

[morfiend]

Traveler,

  There was a 16 hardpoint limit,it has since been quadrupled to 64 I believe.

 As it is there been a small glitch with the 38L as it exceeded the 16 point limit already.

 Once the change is implemented I'm sure we'll see many differences ingame.


  If you look back at the update announcements you'll see it all explained by much more knowledgable people than I.

   

[Krusty]

Also, AH seems to frown on field-modified weapons setups. The 4-bomb-hardpoints setup is a field-rigged thing. From the factory they only have the 2 bomb pylons, so maybe (?) HTC is just modeling that.


P.S. But a pair of 2k eggs would reinvent suicide dive-bombing in this game, hehehe. With rockets and your 20mm you could take out 2 hangars! I'd like to see that option (perhaps perked, as mentioned)

[Saxman]

For example, with a perked ordnance system it would be possible for the B-25H to carry HVAR rockets or AP rounds for the 75mm cannon.

ack-ack

Or Tiny Tims! Or the centerline 2000lber or DT for the F4U-1D!

[Krusty]

Not to hi-jack, but I'd LOVE the center rack on corsairs... it's very much needed to mix bombs and DTs for the models without wing tank options.

[Traveler]

Also, AH seems to frown on field-modified weapons setups. The 4-bomb-hardpoints setup is a field-rigged thing. From the factory they only have the 2 bomb pylons, so maybe (?) HTC is just modeling that.


P.S. But a pair of 2k eggs would reinvent suicide dive-bombing in this game, hehehe. With rockets and your 20mm you could take out 2 hangars! I'd like to see that option (perhaps perked, as mentioned)

The 2000lb bomb  was not a field-rigged thing or the 4x 500 lb. Those were in the original factory specifications.

[Krusty]

I don't mean the 2000lb bombs themselves, I mean the fact that folks in the field bolted external shackles onto the bottom of the wing to carry said bombs. Didn't come from the factory that way.

That's all I meant.

[Ack-Ack]

What limitation is that?  I wasn't aware that there was an ordnance system limition.  Or do you just mean that all the historical ordnance packages were never programmed in so that it would require a coding change?  if that's what you mean, I thought that's what the Wish forum was all about.

Don't have time to search through the threads to find Pyro's post about it but the gist of it was that the current system couldn't take a ordnance package beyond a certain limit.  Which is one of the reasons why we can't have bombs more than 4,000 pounds or load out such as HVARs on B-25Hs.  From what I recall of Pyro's post, it would require a reworking of the ordnance system and that's when it was mentioned about a perked ordnance system.  At the time, it appeared as though it was something that was either actively being discussed at HTC or actually in some stage of development.  It's been at least a year or two since that post so I don't know what the status is.  I hope it's something that didn't drop off due to lack of a high priority.  


ack-ack

[Guppy35]

The 2000lb bomb  was not a field-rigged thing or the 4x 500 lb. Those were in the original factory specifications.

The 2000 pounder was rarely carried. The pilots didn't much care for it and a 1000 pounder was more then enough bang for the buck.  I'd like to see the 4 500 pounder rack system that wasn't a field mod too.  Lots of photos of in the field mods, but I haven't seen any of a standard 4 rack set up on the 3L8

[Traveler]

Don't have time to search through the threads to find Pyro's post about it but the gist of it was that the current system couldn't take a ordnance package beyond a certain limit.  Which is one of the reasons why we can't have bombs more than 4,000 pounds or load out such as HVARs on B-25Hs.  From what I recall of Pyro's post, it would require a reworking of the ordnance system and that's when it was mentioned about a perked ordnance system.  At the time, it appeared as though it was something that was either actively being discussed at HTC or actually in some stage of development.  It's been at least a year or two since that post so I don't know what the status is.  I hope it's something that didn't drop off due to lack of a high priority.  


ack-ack

I'll bet its part of combat toure.

[Krusty]

Just in case you were being serious, they cancelled the "Combat Tour" part of game development. Moved on to general improvements and other gameplay development that didn't include AI-loaded historical missions.

We have many advancements in-game today thanks to that long development process, but overall they stopped it and moved on.

[Traveler]

Just in case you were being serious, they cancelled the "Combat Tour" part of game development. Moved on to general improvements and other gameplay development that didn't include AI-loaded historical missions.

We have many advancements in-game today thanks to that long development process, but overall they stopped it and moved on.

I was being serious. And that's my point.  I doubt that there is a change to the armanment system for perks in development right now.  I have no way of actually knowing.  Because HighTech Creations changes directions when they feel the need to, none of us customers really knows what the long range plan is.  I know that they have a lot of screen shots of the WWI aircraft on the web page right now and I'm guessing that is where their priority is right now.  Just like it was their priority with Combat tour.  That's why I'm asking for the historical armanment packages to be added to the game now. 

[Guppy35]

I was being serious. And that's my point.  I doubt that there is a change to the armanment system for perks in development right now.  I have no way of actually knowing.  Because HighTech Creations changes directions when they feel the need to, none of us customers really knows what the long range plan is.  I know that they have a lot of screen shots of the WWI aircraft on the web page right now and I'm guessing that is where their priority is right now.  Just like it was their priority with Combat tour.  That's why I'm asking for the historical armanment packages to be added to the game now. 

Can you show me a photo of a Lockheed production 38 that came out of the factory with the 4 hardpoints for the 500 pounders?

I've only ever seen them on MTO 38L's that were modified in the field.  The largest loadout  carried in the ETO were 2000 pounders on a couple of occasions and they didn't use them more because of the special bracing needed and they were not more effective then the 1000 pounders they normally carried on the 9th AF 38s from October 44 til the end.  I've never seen a PTO 38 carrying 4 bombs or with 4 hard points for them.  They didn't carry the rocket trees much either.  And I've never seen anything to show the rocket trees made it to the ETO, just some 49th FG P38Ls in mid 45 in the PTO.

I have all the 38 group histories available, and everything else written on the 38 that I can get my hands on and I've not seen 38L's, outside of the field modified birds in the MTO with the bomb loadout you talk about.