observations of the damage models

[caldera]

Different planes seem to routinely take damage in different locations.  This is anecdotal and a small sample size of planes, but with enough experience, pattern recognition isn't just unsubstantiated imagination. 

What's really interesting is these two sets of planes have the exact opposite results.  For the record, I can't remember ever losing the main gun in the Yak and know for a fact (as it's only recent memory) I've yet to get one single pilot wound in the A-5.  I got a LOT of broken guns in the 39 (posted at least 40 screen shots of the gun being the only damage - what are the odds?) and P-38 pilots can corroborate that the pilot is a lead magnet.


Yak-9T : indestructible 37mm cannon
P-39Q: 37mm cannon made of very thin glass

P-38J: pilot wound is standard equipment
190A-5: bulletproof pilot


And I'm not even going to mention the titanium/balsa wood Yak-3.  Yes, nothing will be done about these things.  I just felt like venting.

[hazmatt]

Don't forget the D9 with a radiator the size of a barn!

[Dadtallica]

Two nights ago in a Ta152 I was tangling with people and flew close to a town for three consecutive passes. I heard one ack hit me each time… they took out all my guns one by one. I had yet to fire a shot.

I was made and chuckling all at once! 

[Wiley]

Two nights ago in a Ta152 I was tangling with people and flew close to a town for three consecutive passes. I heard one ack hit me each time… they took out all my guns one by one. I had yet to fire a shot.

I was made and chuckling all at once! 

One ping nose cannon destruction happens a L O T to me in that plane, frustrating as hell on your first pass on bombers.

Now Caldera's got me thinking about the A5...  It feels like it has to have happened, I've flown it a bunch, but I can't think of an instance. Thinking I might have to put in a couple days flying it to see.

Wiley.

[caldera]

One ping nose cannon destruction happens a L O T to me in that plane, frustrating as hell on your first pass on bombers.

Now Caldera's got me thinking about the A5...  It feels like it has to have happened, I've flown it a bunch, but I can't think of an instance. Thinking I might have to put in a couple days flying it to see.

Wiley.

If you do get a PW, remember to get a screenshot of the damage list.

[oTRALFZo]

One ping nose cannon destruction happens a L O T to me in that plane, frustrating as hell on your first pass on bombers.

Now Caldera's got me thinking about the A5...  It feels like it has to have happened, I've flown it a bunch, but I can't think of an instance. Thinking I might have to put in a couple days flying it to see.

Wiley.

Same here. I have to deal with it regularly especially when tasked to deack town guns. Usually 1 hit and my 30s are jammed.

[Wiley]

If you do get a PW, remember to get a screenshot of the damage list.

Sorry, happened too fast before tower.  I did receive a PW tonight in a 190A-5 though.

Wiley.

[Animl-AW]

Facing the nose of a fighter plane the cockpit and engine are the biggest targets, your nose is first in. All the guns are shooting right there. It's when you're passing through you take on other types of strikes,... now you're broadside. The damage model is not a randomizer, it's surface strikes. Hitting a certain part triggers a damage animation and effect for that area.

D9 the radiator is in the nose, in front of the engine like a car, and usually the first thing to go, that or an oil leak, sometimes both. Biggest objects in front view.
In a 38 the engines and cockpit are the largest parts, more likely to be hit first.

[Devil 505]

Facing the nose of a fighter plane the cockpit and engine are the biggest targets, your nose is first in. All the guns are shooting right there. It's when you're passing through you take on other types of strikes,... now you're broadside. The damage model is not a randomizer, it's surface strikes. Hitting a certain part triggers a damage animation and effect for that area.

D9 the radiator is in the nose, in front of the engine like a car, and usually the first thing to go, that or an oil leak, sometimes both. Biggest objects in front view.
In a 38 the engines and cockpit are the largest parts, more likely to be hit first.

Makayla did some testing on the P-38 years ago. The pilot hit box is larger than the cockpit.

[Animl-AW]

Makayla did some testing on the P-38 years ago. The pilot hit box is larger than the cockpit.

How much bigger matters. I wonder why.

How did he determine that? Because online films can be inaccurate.

I know in the D9 I get a lot of PWs.
I wonder how it’s applied to all planes.

[Devil 505]

How much bigger matters. I wonder why.

How did he determine that? Because online films can be inaccurate.

I know in the D9 I get a lot of PWs.
I wonder how it’s applied to all planes.

He tested it by sitting in a parked P-38 while another player in a jeep fired single rounds into it.. From what he said, the pilot hit box was most of the area between the engine nacelles.

[caldera]

Sorry, happened too fast before tower.  I did receive a PW tonight in a 190A-5 though.

Wiley.

Interesting.  Thanks for the info.

I've been killed in the A-5 about 70 times recently and had many other sorties end by escaping with various damage.
Ailerons, V-stab, wing tips and cowl guns are the most prevalent.  Aft fuel and inboard cannon a few times and one time fwd fuel.  Sometimes blown up outright.  Had the engine insta-killed by a Spit XVI but still no blood. 

It's really weird coming from the P-38 to the 190.  Lots of pilot wounds to none.
Maybe it's just luck that's about to run out.  If I do get a PW, I will update here.

[Wiley]

Interesting.  Thanks for the info.

I've been killed in the A-5 about 70 times recently and had many other sorties end by escaping with various damage.
Ailerons, V-stab, wing tips and cowl guns are the most prevalent.  Aft fuel and inboard cannon a few times and one time fwd fuel.  Sometimes blown up outright.  Had the engine insta-killed by a Spit XVI but still no blood. 

It's really weird coming from the P-38 to the 190.  Lots of pilot wounds to none.
Maybe it's just luck that's about to run out.  If I do get a PW, I will update here.

My suspicion is it's in the vicinity of what Animal was talking about.  Different planes and their components and geometry having different stuff get hit first/often.  Dora's glass jaw radiator is well known, the front(?) fuel tank almost always gets hit as well.  What Devil mentioned about the 38 doesn't surprise me either.

Interesting that you're finding it difficult to get a PW in the A5.  I only flew a couple sorties before I got mine.  It's probably the 190 I fly the least, other than the F8, and PWs are not at all uncommon in the A8, D9 and Ta.  It just had me curious because I couldn't remember a specific instance.

Wiley.

[hazmatt]

Makayla did some testing on the P-38 years ago. The pilot hit box is larger than the cockpit.

Ya I suspect that it's the same with the D9's radiator. I don't recall other planes like the P-51 getting hit in the radiator near as often in the same situations (like de-acking a town for example) I suspect it's the same for the TA-152s cannons.

[hazmatt]

  Dora's glass jaw radiator is well known, the front(?) fuel tank almost always gets hit as well. 

What I always found interesting is how often I took a hit in the radiator on the D9 when somebody was firing at me from behind. One would think that would be one of the last things to be hit if the rounds are coming from your 6.