Recently, Karnak posted useful list of planes he wanted to see in AH, and there were also some good comments by Mitsu and others. In my spare time over the last couple of months I'd been pondering what planes should be added to Aces High. So here it is:
ALREADY ON THE WAY:
Me-163 "Komet"
Tiger I
M4A3 Sherman tank (Isn't it otw? Did I read that?)
PRIORITY:
B-24 D & J
B-25 C, D, H, & J
Ju-87 B, D, and G
P-39 D & Q
These are priority because all saw service on several fronts in large numbers. Making an additional model is probably almost as much work as making a whole new plane, but if each of these planes came in two models, they would add a lot, especially to the coming Mission Theater.
**The B-24D has one gun in a big glass nose. It should have desert camoflage. The J model has a turrent with twin .50s in the nose.
**The B-25C was Doolittle's plane. It lacked adequate defensive guns and was replaced by the B-25D, which had dorsal and ventral twin gun turrets. The H model eliminated the bombardier, putting 8 x .50 cal. guns in the nose, and was used for ground/sea attack. The B-25J, constructed in the greatest numbers, was a level bomber that became operational in (early?) 1944, as did the H.
**Gotta have the Stuka. In fact, come to think about it, I think it's on the way, too, according to HTC. Or did I hallucinate that? Ju-87B is the early war model used in the Battle of Britain. The D came out in 1941 and had a much higher speed and bomb load. The G model is the tank buster.
**The P-39 Aircobra is in much demand by AH pilots, I think. The D model is early-mid war Pacific with the USAAF. The Q should come with a red Russian star.
PACIFIC PLANE SET
Ki-84-Ia "Hayate" or "Frank"
Ki-43-II "Hayabusa" or "Oscar"
P-38F "Lightning"
B5N "Kate"
G4M2 "Betty"
B-29 "Superfortress"
**After the Zero and the Oscar, the Ki-84 was Japan's most common fighter plane. Gotta have it and lots of people want it.
**The Ki-43 had only two pea shooters, but was pretty fast and could turn on a dime. This is the mid-war model suggested by Mitsu because it will be useful in the Mission Theater. Gotta have it, even though almost no one wants it.
**Early model Lightning to use in Mission Theater against the Ki-43. It appeared in 1942, and was deployed in large numbers in Europe and North Africa.
**B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers opened the attack on Pearl Harbor.
**The G4M was Japan's most numerous bomber. Two engines, very fast, but exploded easily because it had no self-sealing fuel tanks.
**Finally, a perk bomber worth flying! How about a cost of 100 to 150 perks each? Or reduce the Ar-234 to 30 perks and make the B-29 60 or 80 perks? Atomic bombs not included.
RUSSIAN FRONT SET
Polikarpov I-16/10 "Rata"
Yak-1b
Yak-3
Mig-3
Petlyakov Pe-2
Ilyushin IL-4
T-34/76
**The Soviet Union built, and lost, about 20,000 of these stubby little I-16's. Useful for early war scenarios, Spanish Civil War scenarios, and even in the Pacific where about 200 were supplied to the Nationalist Chinese who used them against the Japanese. For its time, it was quite a plane.
**Early and mid-war Yaks and Migs are a huge hole in the AH plane set. Techinical data is hard to get, it seems. Any one of these planes would be a great addition. I'd go for the Yak-3 first.
**The Petlyakov (accent on last syllable) Pe-2 served in great numbers during the entire war. Different models were used as dive-bombers, ground attack, recon, and even as a heavy fighter. It was fast, lightly armed and lightly armoured.
**Not as common as the early war SB-2, the IL-4 twin engine level bomber saw wide service starting in mid-war, after it's production facilities could be relocated farther east, away from the invading Wehrmacht.
**Simply got to have the T-34/76 (that's with a 76mm gun).
Western Europe and Mediterranean Plane Set
Beaufighter
Me-410
Dewoitine D.520
Heinkel He-111 H-3
B-17F
S.M. 79
**Lots of people screaming for both the Beaufighter and Me-410. Give the masses what they want.
**Not many asking for the D.520, but if we're going to have a French plane, this is the one. Was a good performer for its time.
**How can we have a real Battle of Britain scenario without the menacing outlines of He-111 formations overhead?
**The B-17F had a single nose gun, inadequate to stop head on attacks.
**The S.M. 79 is the commonly seen "hunch-backed" three engine Italian bomber. It would add a lot to Mediterranean scenarios.
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ALSO RANS
Fighters:
P-36
Cr. 42 (biplane)
Bf-109K (very fast)
Ki-44-IIb Shoki
P-61B
Brewster Buffalo
Ki-45
Ground Attack:
Henschel Hs. 129B-1 (tank buster, heavily armoured; East Front)
P-63A (Soviet markings)
Bombers:
Ju-88A-1 (for Battle of Britain)
Mossie Mk IV (level bomber)
Ju-52 (German transport with defensive guns)
Wellington
Blenheim MK IV
Devastator
Helldiver
Recon/Pilot rescue:
Fieseler Storch Fi. 156E2
GVs:
Panzer V "Panther"
******
So, what you all think?
MRPLUTO VMF-323 ~Death Rattlers~ MAG-33
