Time to express my ignorance

[Puck]

I've run into rseveral references to rearming...how does one go about that?  I've checked the help file and sucessfully missed it.  To date I've gone back to the tower and grabbed a new plane when it was time to refuel/rearm/fix all the bullet holes.  

[Ripsnort]

YOu cannot fix an aircraft at the rearm/refueling pad (Located near the end of each runway, steel grating with little fuel hut, at either end of runway)  Shut engine off, note the text buffer, after 30 seconds, you'll be notified that your ready to go.

[bikekil]

you don't need to cut your engine off, while sitting on refuel pad, just make sure that you STOPPED your plane there
if you are damaget seriously, just exit plane and get barnd new

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by bike killa
you don't need to cut your engine off, while sitting on refuel pad

Ah, yeah, forgot they changed that a couple versions ago..

[Puck]

Thanks.  That should make a bit of difference in the number of hops I take.

Seems to me the way I fly there should be an Aircraft Medic with a barrel of bubblegum and a couple spools of bailing wire, though.  Slap a couple quick patches on the most agregious holes, replace the missing empennage, drop in a new engine...you know, minor repairs.  It could be like a pit stop at Indy.  

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Puck
Thanks.  That should make a bit of difference in the number of hops I take.

Seems to me the way I fly there should be an Aircraft Medic with a barrel of bubblegum and a couple spools of bailing wire, though.  Slap a couple quick patches on the most agregious holes, replace the missing empennage, drop in a new engine...you know, minor repairs.  It could be like a pit stop at Indy.  

Hehe, I just want that "one shot of medicinal brandy after each sortie" I've read so much about!

[Honch]

I think there actually is an advantage to shutting your engine off.  
I could be wrong, but LW planes use NO to get more performance out of thier engines (WEP)

While the allied planes' WEP consists of just over revving the engines until they get too hot.  If you are in an allied plane and you shut your engine off, it will "recharge" your WEP faster because your engine will get to cool for 30 sec.  It may not make a big difference, but I'ts not a bad habit to get into.

[Oldman731]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
Shut engine off, note the text buffer, after 30 seconds, you'll be notified that your ready to go.

I've finally figured out how to do this.  Here's MY question:

What the heck is the advantage of doing this, instead of simply exiting the plane and getting a new one?  Takes about the same amount of time - in fact, it's probably quicker to exit the plane.

- oldman

[Honch]

What if your base had had it FHs destroyed? or ORD? or fuel?

The rearm will set your plane's ord/ammo/ and fuel back to what it was at the start of your sortie - regardless of base condition.

Beyond that, sometimes you like to keep those kill numbers counting up.  When you re-arm your kills don't reset.

[Lephturn]

The main reason is to keep your "Kill # by SomeDweeb of  SomeSquadron" instead of having it reset.  However, you also risk losing out on landing the kills you already have.  Some folks enjoy trying to run up big kill streaks, so they like that.

Honcho,

The allied planes that use radials mostly use water injection.  In fact, planes like the Jug should probably have a lot more WEP time than they really get.  AH simplifies the WEP scenarios by simply using the same system for all planes, and just varying the ammount of time planes can run on WEP.  Basically, you get somewhere up to 10 minutes of WEP during wich time your engine will "overheat".  After that, for as long as WEP is not used, you engine will cool enough for 1 minute of WEP every 2 minutes.  If you shut your engine off, it cools much faster, so it's a good idea to shut down when you re-arm to cool your engine off.  Also, if you are at high altitude, you can feather your prop by decreasing RPM all the way (number pad -) and then kill the engine and glide for a minute or two and cool it very quickly that way.  Just remember to increase RPM again (number pad +) when you restart or you won't get much thrust.

[john9001]

another reason to land and rearm, if your side has just captured a base and your side wants to push on to the next base they can all rearm/refuel with out regards to the damage of the caputured base, this happens in missions allot, for example, c-47's can reload troops even if troops are not avable at the newly captured field

[Honch]

Thanks Lephturn

That was very valuable information.  So If I am reading this right, even LW aircraft can "recharge" their WEP by letting thier engine cool.  Interesting!

Oh and btw its just Honch not honcho. . . I am nobody's boss.

Definately not the head honcho.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by john9001
another reason to land and rearm, if your side has just captured a base and your side wants to push on to the next base they can all rearm/refuel with out regards to the damage of the caputured base, this happens in missions allot, for example, c-47's can reload troops even if troops are not avable at the newly captured field

Bingo!  

You can tell that Leph doesn't join many successful missions.

[Oldman731]

Originally posted by john9001
another reason to land and rearm, if your side has just captured a base and your side wants to push on to the next base they can all rearm/refuel with out regards to the damage of the caputured base, this happens in missions allot, for example, c-47's can reload troops even if troops are not avable at the newly captured field

Thanks, all, this makes sense to me now.

- oldman