What has that to do with me? 
It's a simple fact that the utter majority of complains about Il-2 F3 mode did NOT come from GV players, but were a result of A2A action. Both in game as well as on the BBS. The threads and posts about it are still there 
So if you KNOW (with period!) that only the far less frequent GV complaints are responsible for F3 removal, you must have some special sources not available to us yet. Care to share? 
I will finish my part in this, tho I have said it many times. First off I started the thread with a light touch as I have no illusions anybody is ever going to bring back F3 in the IL2 because hardly anyone flys it and I bet even less care. I did and since I pay my $15 too I'll explain my meaning one last time.
The only "special sources" Ive ever had have been comments in the forum and 'Waaaaa's" in the arena from the planes ability to open any tank at the time like a tin can in a near vertical attack where its NS37s were able to shoot point blank into the thinnest armor sections of tanks. OK, who likes to die, Ive Waaa'd once or twice too.
But the real butt buster is with all the flying ive done in it I have never understood how anybody was ever able to use it in F3 and effectively shoot other airplanes with it. And I tried it many times, both offline and on. It was just impossible for me to aim without the pilots sights and from what I can tell almost impossible for everyone else.
Barring one, who we will not name.
Its like only a very few guys have ever been able to fly those 234's around firing effectively out the arse end and hitting anything. I have no idea how they do it, nor do i think most everyone else does.
Your statement lusche implied that even you feared the F3 gun mode of the IL2 while in a fighter. If I never did I very much doubt you ever did. So thats what I meant by that.
Heres what F3 did do, for those of us who used it as it was supposed to be used. An anti-armor aircraft to protect airbases. Being in F3 mode allows one to line up the aircraft center line to the tank and gives you the extra SA and position to come down in a near vertical dive and hit the thin upper armor point blank with very little shot angle to bleed off ballistic energy. It was basically the equivalent of the way you turn inverted before diving into bomber groups from right over them which disorientates the gunners and gives you the edge. Just exchange that "disorientation" for 'thin armor sections"/"shot angle" and you know what I mean.
And i was damn good at it. I used to set convergence to 250 and kill almost any tank with 2 to 6 shots in one or two volleys of semi-auto fire, NS-37 only. I never carried any bombs cause i never needed any. The only tank that became a problem was the King when it came out. Every other one was meat, which shouldnt surprise because they were actually attacking an air base and it wasnt like i was flying to their GV bases with guns and ords to grief them.
F3 also gave one a little extra SA to the rear to use the one or two moves the plane had to evade fighters. It was, and is, no fighter plane and is hopelessly outclassed by every fighter in the game. Every other medium bomber with F3 and/or bombs/guns has the same advantage the IL2 had. If your able to center your target in F3, start a bomb drop from close to vertical, your going to be able to bomb more accurate. The IL2 was NOT a special case. That it was the best tank killer in the game shouldnt have surprised cause it WAS the best tank killer in the war. Imagine if we could load PTABs in them?
So thats my theory. This game has turned more and more from a flight game to a Gv game. The IL2 was to good at what it did while in F3 against GVs. The GV'ers had the votes. The IL2 lost, and it was stripped of F3 while every other plane like it kept theirs.
There it is, spoken as a gentleman, I'll even throw in a smiley.
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