Opinions on the performance of the TU2S

[Rich46yo]

I'll start with mine. First off the plane is everything I could have hoped for in all the years of begging for it. Beautifully modeled, very flyable, sometimes sluggish but with good all around characteristics. Not top of the line defensible but remember its KD is not much worse then very defensible bombers like the 17, the 24, the KI67. Also many of its death i suspect have been caused by noobs in it, like me, dropping 1,000kg bombs to low on GVs "which will kill you like you were fried chicken as it will the GV".

I also suspect there is a fair amount of bomb and bailing in it because of what its good at.

And what its good at is taking a 19841.6036 lb bombload to a respectable Alt, and then getting that bombload to a target fast, and then walloping the snot out of that target. I find this airplane in formation absolute murder on CVs and town centers with its biggest load. 3 formations of them with ease will shut down a medium base and probably give you a good head start on a town with a bomb or two. The bombs are so big they leave you margin for error. Add a 4th, and use the emptys for strafing, and the base is yours.

And the thing is it does it fast before the enemy can react. It has a generous wep that gets you to its sweet spot, 15K, fast. And starts you off to its target....fast. With almost 6,000lb of ord then the 26s it climbs far faster and flys far faster. No its not a great defensive bomber but speed is its defense, and its not helpless either.

Im really surprised I dont see it more. its everything I wanted and i consider it the premier medium bomber in the game. 

[Ack-Ack]

From an attacker's perspective, as I mentioned before in another thread, I find the TU-2 to be weak and not able to withstand much punishment at all.  That surprised me, I expected it to be a little bit more rugged considering the Soviet design philosophy, not IL2 flying tank tough but at least able to withstand more than a burst of .50 calibers.

One thing I have found amusing is how many have tried to fly it like a fighter and think it's actually decent in that role.

ack-ack

[Karnak]

One thing I have found amusing is how many have tried to fly it like a fighter and think it's actually decent in that role.

For a bomber it is pretty decent at that roll.  But "for a bomber" is a pretty big caveat.

[icepac]

It does good as a fighter but only because the victims don't expect it to aggressively attack them......and then it's too late.

That will change once fighters give it a little more respect.

All but one of the fighter kills was a dogfight and often was 1 tu2 vs 3 enemy fighters.........ask the victims.

It's also able to run down B29s if you are in perfect position and altitude.

[bozon]

I've already seen several players that take it in a formation, bomb the target from alt, ditch the drones to explode while they dive with the lead to get some kills or strafe. Dogfighting with the TU2 after bombing is fine by me - if you brought the one plane. I hate it when formations are used as mules with no intention for them to survive. This is so gaming the game.

One more reason why formations should be perked. Get at least one out of the three home and you get your perks back. Ditch the drones and go get killed with the last one and you pay the perks.

[icepac]

Can't stand drone ditchers or map leavers.

[Chalenge]

I fought one for five minutes with a goon in wide open ground. Tutu didn't survive that one.

[artik]

IMHO it is great bomber when flown right...

It one of the top rides to bring a bomb load, make a damage and RTB safely. What is most important it does it quite fast. Its turn around time roll/climb/transit/bomb/transit/dive/land is relatively short which gives it sort of power multiplier.

I had flown it several times, there were attempts to intercept it each time, but the at its high speed they all were able to come from dead 6 which make them very vulnerable. So it is great bomber.

I think it may be better to fly it without formations at all. It allows you to stay less time over target as you can do harder turns for each bomb run and than escape. The 1,000KB bombs can get almost any target so bringing a formation is generally does not help a lot.

That surprised me, I expected it to be a little bit more rugged considering the Soviet design philosophy, not IL2 flying tank tough but at least able to withstand more than a burst of .50 calibers.

IL-2 was very different from any other planes, it was heavily armored by design - it was one of the most heavily armored planes of WW2 if not the most armored one.

[GScholz]

Drones shouldn't just explode when they get a certain distance away from the player controlled AC. They should just continue trying to formate within the limited performance they have, allowing interceptors to pick them off.

[Rich46yo]

I dont believe I ever shot down a fighter in one from a defensive position but Ive crippled almost every one to attack, with the rear 0.50s, and forced them to break off long enough for me to get some ords on target. I guess that makes it good enough. One thing I like to do is put the formation in a shallow dive at the attacker is heading in, building speed up, some ruddering, then going flat...ect making it hard for them to get in that perfect "6" position.

Ive tried it as a GV bomber and its OK. I prefer flying it in formation and attacking targets that matter.

So with all rear ammo expended its better to just die with your drones eh? Instead of trying to save one aircrew? I dont mind the thread being hijacked cause I find it funny when some think bombers should fly straight and level and die without a fight, any fight!

Where'as the little fighters once they get riddled a bit peel off for their base right under them to save their precious skins instead of fighting till the end.

Like little girls they run away.

[bozon]

So with all rear ammo expended its better to just die with your drones eh? Instead of trying to save one aircrew? I dont mind the thread being hijacked cause I find it funny when some think bombers should fly straight and level and die without a fight, any fight!

No, the intention is the opposite - to allow the bomber to maneuver for defense. The price to pay is no formations - one pilot, one plane.

Formations were added to AH when full manual calibration was implemented (NOT what we currently have in the arenas) and bombing accuracy was significantly reduced. The thought was that bombers will do carpet bombing and needed more lbs of bombs to do real damage. Formations also added to the survivability by:
1. Adding defensive firepower from the combined guns of the formation.
2. Giving "3 strikes" to the bomber player that spent a long time climbing and setting up his attack run.

Bombing accuracy is no longer a problem with the current implementation of the calibration mechanics. For a bomber that intends to maneuver and dogfight, formations make as much sense as giving P-47 the formation option. Shouldn't a P-47 player get "3 strikes" in case he gets intercepted heavy, or hit by puffy acks? Shouldn't a P-38 be allowed 3 strikes giving him the chance to lawndart into the target with at least one plane of the 3? If the P47/38 reaches the target, he can ditch the formation drones and go JABO/fighter with one of the three that is undamaged. Sounds silly? because it is.

Enjoying the formation option which is entirely a feature designed for gameplay, comes with gameplay limitations. The drones were limited in their maneuvers and the distance they are allowed to drift from the lead for a reason. The way to make players treat his formation like wingmen and not like "power-ups", or expendable replacements is to make him want to bring them back.

We already have perked formations: B29, Arado and Mossie XVI. If you take a formation with these planes you pay the perk cost for the formation drones as well as the lead plane. However, if you bring just one of the trio back to land, you get back the perks you deposited for all 3. This is how it should work for all bombers, except that the first bomber is free and you pay minor perks for the extra 2 you take. I am certain that this is within the coding ability of HTC.

Alternatively, give us P-38 and P-47 formations. Fair is fair. 

[LCADolby]

That will change once fighters give it a little more respect.

All but one of the fighter kills was a dogfight and often was 1 tu2 vs 3 enemy fighters.........ask the victims.

(Image removed from quote.)

Not sure why you have posted your kills so proudly, without your deaths no one can respect it with a straight face.

[Lusche]

We already have perked formations: B29, Arado and Mossie XVI. If you take a formation with these planes you pay the perk cost for the formation drones as well as the lead plane. However, if you bring just one of the trio back to land, you get back the perks you deposited for all 3.

No. If you bring back only one, you lose the perks paid for the other two.

[Lucifer]

I also suspect there is a fair amount of bomb and bailing in it because of what its good at.

Its really time for HTC to introduce perks penalty for those lamers who bail from 3 undamaged bombers... Ruining realism and others fun...

[bozon]

No. If you bring back only one, you lose the perks paid for the other two.

OK, thanks for the correction. It is even better this way.