TBM formation? curious why it does not have one.

[Arlo]

i may have been looking at the b25h and thinking b25c...could have swore the strafer didn't allow formations.

it's not a matter of complexity Arlo, it's actually a matter of simplification. limited choices makes it easier for choices to be made.  think about the actual role of the tbm (may as well consider the b5n too) versus typical bombers. the ju88 wasn't designed with the capacity for dive bombing, so comparing it with a tbm or b5n is a bit of a stretch don't you think?

I see you've caught up with the part of the thread that progressed to dive-bombing.

I've played devil's advocate on both sides, here. But when it comes down to it, I don't
see much need to give TBMs or Kates the drone formation option. Players can form
up and drop .... or dive. 

[Zacherof]

Then allow formations of storches   

[Arlo]

Then allow formations of storches   

Off aircraft carriers.   

[Zacherof]

Off aircraft carriers.   

STOL gone uber!!+100

[Ack-Ack]

the ju88 wasn't designed with the capacity for dive bombing, so comparing it with a tbm or b5n is a bit of a stretch don't you think?

Yes it was.

ack-ack

[Arlo]

Yes it was.

ack-ack

I'd like to see formations off carriers.

Along these lines, I've wondered how hard it would be to do dive bomber formations.

In the painting the SBD's have their dive brakes open. So, if there were a formation with two drones, as soon as you open your dive brakes the drones fall into trail, as in landing formation. Push over to dive and they follow within a specified low speed range (not full throttle!). Release your bomb, a timer starts calculating to let the second one release at about the same point, and then the third.

<Quoted Image Removed>

Just wondering...

 

[Ack-Ack]

I've seen footage of US dive bombers in a finger formation and when they get over the target, they would peel off and dive at the target.  Japanese would often use the Vic formation for their attacks.  In another thread about this, there were some pictures posted of Vals dive bombing in a Vic formation and what was left of some Kates also in a Vic formation on a torpedo run.  I can't recall the name of the USN ace, but there was one that scored multiple kills when he got behind and dove on a group of Kates diving in Vic formation on a target.

I wonder if TBMs making their torpedo runs would be in a finger formation when making their runs? 

Would be really cool if in these cases the formation would be different between the Japanese and USN planes but that would probably be a little too much coding, not hard but extra coding that could be spent on something else, like a P-38H.

ack-ack

[Zacherof]

H would be cool but it would maybe perked due to the ability to carry 1600lb eggs
And maybe we get the 51H, Hi alt 109's, and Sb2c

[Ack-Ack]

H would be cool but it would maybe perked due to the ability to carry 1600lb eggs
And maybe we get the 51H, Hi alt 109's, and Sb2c

Why would the H be perked?  All P-38s had the same bomb load capabilities, so the H is no different in that regards to any of the other Lightnings.  It would be like having the G with WEP.  The P-51H never saw any combat in any war.

ack-ack

[Arlo]

I've seen footage of US dive bombers in a finger formation and when they get over the target, they would peel off and dive at the target.  Japanese would often use the Vic formation for their attacks.  In another thread about this, there were some pictures posted of Vals dive bombing in a Vic formation and what was left of some Kates also in a Vic formation on a torpedo run.  I can't recall the name of the USN ace, but there was one that scored multiple kills when he got behind and dove on a group of Kates diving in Vic formation on a target.

I wonder if TBMs making their torpedo runs would be in a finger formation when making their runs? 

Would be really cool if in these cases the formation would be different between the Japanese and USN planes but that would probably be a little too much coding, not hard but extra coding that could be spent on something else, like a P-38H.

ack-ack

This thread is about the ability to peel off? That sounds like a fist full of coding to me, too.
How'd you like all the pics of the TBMs in formation that I posted? 

[Arlo]

Why would the H be perked?  All P-38s had the same bomb load capabilities, so the H is no different in that regards to any of the other Lightnings.  It would be like having the G with WEP.  The P-51H never saw any combat in any war.

ack-ack

I'm not sure what the last sentence meant, Ack. 

[Zacherof]

Why would the H be perked?  All P-38s had the same bomb load capabilities, so the H is no different in that regards to any of the other Lightnings.  It would be like having the G with WEP.  The P-51H never saw any combat in any war.

ack-ack

Then explain how the H is different? Only thing I see is getting to 20K in 6-7 minutes(which I love that idea), and having a top speed of 404mph, and more powerful engines, and having an M2 cannon.

[Getback]

Not a dumb question. However, great answers.

[Ack-Ack]

Then explain how the H is different? Only thing I see is getting to 20K in 6-7 minutes(which I love that idea), and having a top speed of 404mph, and more powerful engines, and having an M2 cannon.

Think of it as an evolutionary step between the early P-38s (F,G) and the later P-38s (J,L), like the P-51B we have compared to the P-51D.  On second thought, are you maybe referring to the test bed P-38K and confused it with the H?

ack-ack

[Zacherof]

No. I specifacally googles P-38H.
And looked for a site focasing on the H and compared.

By all means correct where I'm wrong