Pragr

You're right. The end of the engine gondolas are different. More and more I incline my first idea of de Havilland Mosquito. It's the only plane I know with exactly the same triangular flat end of engine. If you compare it with this picture it fits the shape of that plane quite well.

I looked at the video once again and I doubt it's Ta-154. 1) Ta-154 is high-wing plane. The one on that gun cam seems more like middle-wing plane. 2) There is something visible on the top of the fuselage like ventral gun position or something like this. That's something Ta-154 should not have. Compare the rear view silhouette of Ta-154 with the one on the vid. I would say it could be a variant of Ju-188 rather than Ta-154. EDIT: Actually I would bet it's fighter version of Ju 188 or Ju 88 G-6. According to the picture below I bet it's Ju 88 G-6

The Ta 154 is the only logical explanation. If so, it's more unique than the Me-163 Komet. At first I had suspected it's a friendly fire on de Havilland Mosquito, but later I realized it's the other WWII Mosquito Anyway nice guncams.

Experience, opinions and comments after one week of BoS play or why I think the game is successful after all. Let me say that I was really disappointed after releasing the game. Flight model is not what I would expected exactly, strange rudder authority and the absolutely PoS needs of offline play to unlocking mods of individual planes. These are my biggest complains about the new Il-2 Battle of Stalingrad. My depress became even deeper when I had joined the multiplayer for the first time. But as I play it more and more, my frustration is smaller and smaller. I had to remember all the times I switched from one sim/game to another and there were many things done a different way. My virtual life of serious pilot began with Falcon 3.0 (I don’t count the games like F-19, Aces over Europe, Pacific, or even the 8-bit stone age era of Tomahawk). Than the Falcon 4.0. And this was my first problem. This game from 1998 set my expectations so high that when Il-2 was released, I was really pissed. OK, it was the “sim†of planes from WWII but that was the only thing on the positive side. Everything else was worse. Static campaign made from preplanned missions? No clickable cockpit? And the graphical representation of cockpit itself? It all was like return to pre Falcon 4.0 era, in general 4 years old in time it was released. My first thoughts were like “YGBSMâ€. This game is big obsolete piece of sh.t and I don’t understand why so many people are so excited about. Are they blind? But the Il-2 survived next ten years and became the most successful sim. Then in 2003 I discovered the online world. It was thanks to the good old WWIIOL. In those days 1000+ players on the ONE server was common practice. Some in the air, some on the ground in tanks, ground powders, AAA gunners, truckers and so on. There was nothing like AI. The flight model was different than in Il-2 (it used the continuously computed FM instead of table based FM in Il-2). Il-2 fans claimed their sim is better, WWIIOL fans claimed theirs better. Still WWIIOL was way more excited to play (for me) just because of the multiplayer experience Il-2 could not compete. When the WWIIOL died slowly I switched to the Il-2 once again. And once again I feel like in very bad joke. How the hell can so many people like this game? Strange FM, sometimes very strange DM (I could repeatedly shot down B-17 with single 20 mm hit into the wingtip), no online campaign (it became better later), very simple terrain, these stupid forests instead of every single tree modeled and so on. But after first disappointments I realized I can live with and spent some funny years with that game. I think similar thing happened to me during my first experience with BoS. I play CloD, I play DCS and now there is BoS. Both the other games are better in some way. But they are worse in the others. For the first I saw these cons but now I’m discovering the pros. I try to summarized it. BoS cons: - flight models feels like ultra light plane with overrated engine. It’s my personal opinion, maybe this is how it should work in fact. I don’t know. It’s different, but I can live with; - rudder authority. It rolls the plane rather to made it side slipping; - visualization of cockpit gauges seems a bit obsolete. But this is another thing I can live with; - unlocking mods. This is something irritating me a lot. It is unacceptable thing unless the it should be finished during multiplay. BoS pros in compare with DCS and CloD: - it offers multiplayer experience. This is where the DCS loosing a lot; - this even stands for the CloD especially with the features BoS offers for future online campaigns; - DM. Maybe it isn’t so detailed like in the CloD but still I think it’s better. According to my experience the E-1’s armament in CloD (2 MGs in wings) is better and more effective than 20 mm canons (including MG-FF/M). The number of 20 mm hits needed to destroyed planes like Spitfire is ridiculous. Especially if you compare it with the historical sources (3-4) hits needed to single engine fighter destruction. Or the current presumption that ten 20 mm hits from M-61 are needed for MiG-29 size plane destruction; - the whole environment and ground war in BoS offers deeper immersion than either DCS or CloD. Now few thoughts about the multiplayer. My biggest mistake came with my RoF experience. Because Syndicate server was always one of the best there, I joined it on BoS. It was huge mistake. There is the one and only mission, running on that server (or I have just a bad luck?). And even this mission is not on the top of what you would expect from these guys. I named the enemy icons on briefing maps while you are in the air and so on. So I joined a different server, the Heavy metal or something like this and whoa, it’s totally different story. Different missions with highly detailed plans, moving ground units, air supply made by players and lots o other features. Something I haven’t seen for a long time (never in CloD and last time in the ADW in old Il-2). With 130 pilots limits it’s the best what we can find on the whole internet. (it is limited to 33 atm due removing some bug in the game). Still there was no sign of lagging under the full stress of 130 people on the server. It offers probably the best multiplayer experience of WWII combat available, with all respect to the CloD. One last thing. BoS and CloD are hard to compare. CloD became playable after ten years of development and like two years hard work of Team Fusion (which made a damn good job). BoS has like two years of development from zero to current (IMO) very good and competitive status. That’s my personal up to date experience from BoS. Sorry for wall of text and more detailed description.

There is a poll on BoS forum related to the unlocking system. http://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/11694-campaign-system-unlocks/ Anyway I tried the game a bit on Syndicate server yesterday. While there are some improvements in the game itself (like the rudder in 109) there are still serious problems. I mentioned the unlocking system so far. Another one is the rudder (or the whole FM probably). Ok, it's better than it used to be but still, 3 ton plane (109) flying 500 km/h IAS and when I touch the rudder it starts moving like paper plane on minimum speed. As Klaiber wrote it's like Fokker on steroids. I'm new in the BoS world but what seems strange to me are Laggs and Yaks able to dive at +700 km/h making quick barrel rolls (faster than 109 is able) without any structural damage. Actually when I tried to catch the Russian fighters in the dive I destroyed my engine due overstress. Few moths ago I was able to dive more than 850 km/h in Lagg-3 without any damage. Seems it's still possible. And the last but not least. Icons on map, including enemy planes? On the server marked as full realism? What the hell is that? All planes are flying back and forth, but this could be problem on my end of connection. Still I don't have such problems in any other online game. I considered to try the game more but to be honest I'm not much enthusiastic about.

I stopped playing BoS a while ago, when I found there is always thick cloud layer from like 500 m to 1.5 km on the servers. It's boring for fighters and almost killing playing bombers except you are dedicated Il-2 pilot. The weak point of most simulators/games like BoS, former Il-2, RoF or CloD is almost no connection between aerial battles and ground war. Since Falcon 4.0 I've never experience the feel of "I'm part of the war". And from my point of view BoS is becoming pure dogfight focused more and more.

Great plane to fly. The only problem I have is taking off but I hope it'll be better. Compare to BoS's 190 the DCS version is totaly different plane and "feels" more like real aircraft.

So I do not have the dilemma anymore Actually I'll wait with buying Dora, 'till there will be any meaningful online community and servers

I'm thinking of buying Dora but Sabre takes all my time at this moment. The fifty bugs option seems ok for me, but then I shall choose between the D-9 and K-4. Since the P-47 is "must have" for me. It's my personal love affair On the other hand I pay for BoS last year and more I read and fly the game the less enthusiastic I am about. So I became more suspicious about any kind of "starters".

First 6 minutes hop with take off and land. It's nice plane to fly and I have to say that I enjoy DCS more than Battle of Stalingrad. Looking forward to another flying and hope we'll see in the air

I've finnished my order and become lucky owner of F-86. I'm really looking forward to test it, though I have to wait 'till next week. It'll be a looong weekend

F-86 is one of my most favorable jet. Together with LTV A-7 Corsair II and AV-8B Harrier. Both I hope will be a part of DCS World. The only negative is that DCS modeled so few planes from so wide era that the online campaigns I like the most of online flying are almost impossible to set up.

Thanks and congratulation to all.

If I would need a new card nowadays, it would be nVidia G760 or ATI 270X. Few years ago I used to have few ATI cards, but I was tired that like 1 out of 3 drivers were working without problem (I hope this is not a case today). Another thing is, that most of the game I play are better suited for nVidia. At least it seems to me. So if I would need new card, I'd choose the G760. It should have slightly better performance (what I saw on Tom's hardware it's up to 10-15 per cent) but on the other hand the R9 270X could has better price to performance ratio slightly. All depends on specific model and vendor. So as I said my choice is more about personal preferences than anything else. Anyway neither of these two types of video card should be wrong option.

Can you add the resolution you use and the price range? In example, I bought new card year ago. I chose nVidia 660 Ti because there was a tiny difference between that card and higher models on the relatively small resolution I use (1680x1050). But if I'd use something like 2560x1440 it would be a different story.

Starting today, the BoS will be open for 24/7 access, including multiplayer servers. http://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/168-developer-diary/page-2?do=findComment&comment=106600

You can find more details about the Finnish swastika here http://www.virtualpilots.fi/feature/articles/honorable_swastika/ The origin of the Finnish Air Force insignia could be seen there: It's the first plane of the new FiAF bought by vor Rosen.

Actually the 109 is the only plane not affected by this issue. But just because it doesn't have the real trim but the whole elevator positioning. If I'm right, you can find it right below the trim controls. It's something like "adjustable stabilizer" I think.

Yep, fps are way better since they decreased the players limit per server. But still, it needs optimization a lot. And yes, these SW tracers are huge killers of any immersion.

I've tried it yet. EU expert server, 50 people online, graphical settings high. Less than 20 fps and in any fight there are drops to single digits numbers. I'm unable to play it in such a state.

How many of you are playing this game? I play it when I need a break from flying but I've never seen anyone online nor on TS channel

The next stage of BoS begin today. Four servers for multiplayer will be available two in NA and two in EU. http://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/168-developer-diary/page-2?do=findComment&comment=99332

It seems they renamed the patch for 4.3 http://vimeo.com/88809767

Everytime I see Barton's video, I'm thinking of installation of Il-2 once again Great movie.

Oh, I think I got it. I has to be some kind of tax in Europe/Czech Rep then. My page shows 16.2$ for paperback and 14.51$ for Kindle. That's not fair!!!