We reached another Battle of Kuban milestone and present you 2.007 update. The main addition is Bf 110 G-2 that can carry a variety of strike weaponry. The result of the long work of our engineer department is also in: AI aircraft physics optimizations that allow to create more intense missions containing more AI planes. In addition, this update includes Fw 190 A-3 flight model corrections that were announced earlier (the result of additional available data analysis and historical references comparison). The full list of changes follows:
- Twin engine strike aircraft Bf 110 G-2 is available to all Battle of Kuban owners;
- AI controlled planes physics calculations were optimized. There can be more than twice the number of AI planes in a mission with the same level of physics performance (compared to August 2016 when we started this optimization work);
- Fw 190 A-3 flight model was reworked according to additional reference data. Now its stall speed is closer to historical instructions;
- 4 variants of a simple tank mission were added to Missions menu, they are available to all owners of the sim;
- AI won’t sometimes wobble the plane along the yaw axis in a level flight;
- AI dogfight and ground attack maneuvers became much more fluid;
- The last remnant in unrealistic AI control behavior - cheating alignment to a target - has been changed to realistic control method from mouse controls;
- AI aircraft aim rockets at ground targets better;
- AI aircraft take off correctly in QMB missions;
- A rare issue when La-5 or Bf 110 E-2 failed to appear on mission start (this could also result in black screen) has been fixed;
- Aiming help while using joystick can be enabled again;
- Rockets aiming help accuracy has been increased;
- Greenish smoke effects caused by disabling HDR are fixed now;
- Grey artifacts on airfields that were visible from high above were fixed;
- Pz38t and MG34 AA are correctly counted in statistics;
- Fw 190 A-3 engine cowling armor restored;
- Ju 52 pilot can’t be damaged by fire in wing engines;
- Mission Editor won’t randomly crash while deleting a large number of objects at once;
- MiG-3 oil on canopy effect made less severe;
- Ju 52 middle engine nacelle corrected (shortened);
- P-40E-1 fuel gauges show the amount of fuel left in imperial gallons;
- All found places where wells, fences and other objects were blocking the roads were fixed;
- Mission Editor correctly applies a weather preset depending on a selected season;
- Ju 52 info panel now displays the number of paratroopers left on board;
- Yak-1 Series 69 engine RPM control wheel rotation direction corrected;
- Aircraft bump textures can be edited by users;
- Viewer tool now supports 4K aircraft skins
Well all I have tested is the FW190 and I have to say that it feels like a real airplane now.
No. It won’t turn with a Yak1 or I-16. Not even with a well flown LA5. It can’t compete in slow speed turn fights!
Yes, it will still get into an accelerated stall if you pull too hard in a turn. But this is as it should be.
The difference is that you can recover from the stall or spin using a proper Stall/Spin recovery. You have more AoA available to bring your guns on target before you stall. This is also true for negative G Bunts. Impossible to do the in the last version(it would enter an inverted spin!!) Try to recover from that at 500m! Lol.
You will no longer just wallow uncontrollably at the apex of a zoom climb. Your controls are actually still effective at the top and your nose will come down without any Chuck Yeager test pilot skills.
I recommend giving her a try! Use energy tactics of course, but know that you can now bring your guns to bear at lower speeds than earlier.
I’m available for free lessons in this beautiful aeroplane if anyone wants some tips/pointers. We can learn together.
I’m very pleased with the FW190A3 now. Hope the don’t Butcher the Bird(pun intended), due to complaining slow speed flap fighters.
