If you don't want to believe me that's fine--go stick your head in the sand and maybe it'll all go away. Some people never let fact stand in the way of their preconcieved notions. I find it simple to ID quite a lot of different types of planes at just under 3 miles And you can't? Perhaps you can't see the forest because of all the trees in the way.
To identify aircraft, you don't need to be able to see individual markings or rivets. It's a process of elimination. Is the plane high or low-wing? Fixed gear? What kind of tail? Single or multi-engine? Trike or taildragger (there's a few Cubs at Skypark including a cool one painted in olive drab with circa-1941 USAAF markings)? Engine type?
Can I tell apart very similar aircraft at 3 miles? Of course not. Can I tell a Cub from a Cessna? Heck yes! There used to be a Yak-18 at Skypark (first time I saw it I thought it was a Kate, except it has an engine fan like a FW-190), and it was highly distinctive from the usual aircraft to say the least.
In terms of WW2 aircraft, I'd say it'd be EASY to tell say a P-47D from a Bf-109 at 3 miles from virtually any angle. Telling that 109 from a Macci 205, though, might be a bit trickier and likely impossible from several angles.
Rendering all AH players legally blind isn't the answer.
J_A_B
