Saturday, 31 March 2018

Westwall Thoughts And Plane Pains

During this last weekend of Operation Westwall in World of Warplanes, I have finally decided to summarize my overall experience during this event.


I don't like Invasion. I think concept of what they are trying to do with it would work much better in coordinated "teamwork" situation, like Clan Wars. As a mode for random battles, I found it to be frustrating as a solo player and marginally better while in a Flight. However, fill out both rosters with human players (on some kind of VOIP) and let them go at it and I bet that would be a show worth watching.


I liked Attrition. Although it is more of a varied theme of the current Conquest mode, I feel the stakes are higher, thanks to the removal of the Squall Line, limiting the respawns and hopefully promoting some more "smart" playing.


In the aircraft department, the Soviet tier VII Yak-9U has turned out to be a real performer for me....




Not too bad for the first battle of the day with it!


The tier VI MiG I-210 has become a "suffer plane" for me.

Top guns? Check. Top Engine? Check. Top Airframe? Check. Decent Pilot? Check....




My best defeat and despite all of my crafty efforts, this was the last battle of a three game streak.




I finished things off by finally collecting a win, but it wasn't an easy one by any means. A few times during the sortie, Bubba_Zanetti and I squared off, I dropped him, he dropped me and I could feel things were starting to get personal for me. Needless to say, the death-spiral above the open pit mine had me sweating, but thanks for the battle Bubba!

Friday, 30 March 2018

Back On Speaking Terms


Okay, with the family out of the house, I will give a proper battle review and commentary on the tier VIII premium Soviet I-260....

Thursday, 29 March 2018

Silence Speaks Volumes


A break from my usual video format. With family over and my computer in the shared room being co-used, here is a no face, no commentary demonstration of my newly acquired premium tier VIII Mikoyan-Gurevich I-260.

The first two snippets are server side false starts to the real battle....

Easter Comes Early


Imagine my surprise when I logged into World of Warplanes today and I saw this?

Needless to say, I clicked on the link and checked things out.


It's usually around the Christmas Season when planes (and packages) go on sale (and I make my "once a year big purchase"), but this early Easter surprise has some aircraft I want to see, select tier VIII premiums, advertised with some really deep discounts and bonuses. Not the 15% seen in the past, a whooping 30% off! Now, the process of elimination begins.

I already own the Messerschimtt Me 109 TL, so scratch that off the list. I am terrible with Heavy Fighters (the French SE 100 is kinda the exception, for....reasons) and despite coming with a rear gunner, I doubt I would do myself any favors with picking that up.


By and far my favorite tier VIII premium is the Curtiss XF15C. Good firepower and heatcycle, flexible playstyle thanks to very good maneuverability. For me, it's almost perfect.

So, I decided to compare that to the J8M (should have been the German Me 163), classed as a Fighter and the Multirole I-260 (the lovechild of a Me 262 and Gloster Meteor).


I reversed the order and put up both aircraft against the first tier VIII premium that landed in my hangar, the Messerschimtt Me 109 TL.

By the numbers, the I-260 and 109 TL should be equals, just a slight deviation on a few attributes, but a familiar feel between the two of them. For a Fighter, the J8M appears to cover disappointment very well in the survivability and maneuverability departments. One is showing some flexibility, the other is pretty much pure BnZ.

However, if I did acquire the J8M, I would have all but one of the Japanese premium aircraft in the game (I didn't set out to make a collection, it just happened through events, giveaways and purchasing one aircraft). On the flip side, the I-260 would give me an upper tiered premium presence for my Soviet pilots (crossing that threshold the Kostikov 302 can't breach).

I dunno, what are your thoughts?

Wednesday, 28 March 2018

Treading Through The Sky



During World War II, the F4U Corsair had proven itself to be such a successful design that Vought was not prepared for the demand for increased production of this aircraft. As a result, the work was licensed to out the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation, who built 4,006 total FG-1 designated Corsairs.

The Brewster Aeronautical Corporation also built Corsairs, but only 735 of their F3A-1 would make it off the assembly. After only one year, from July 1943 to July 1944, their contract was canceled due to manufacturing and mechanical unreliability issues.

While Vought was completing their contractual obligations and was willing to move on to other projects, Goodyear decided to develop the Corsair even further and in early 1944, test flew an extensively modified FG-1 airframe, coupled with an even more powerful radial engine, designated the XF2G-1.

Despite being awarded a contract for the new "Super Corsair," only five of the new F2G-1 (land-based version)and F2G-2 (carrier version) were completed by war's end. The Grumman F8F Bearcat had demonstrated similar performance figures to the F2G, while equiped with the less powerful original F4U engine.

Two "Super Corsairs" survive today (both F2G-1's) with one still in flying condition.

Monday, 26 March 2018

Bent Wing Reversal?


An old favorite, a new era and a battle in World of Warplanes that showed signs of going right south for the good guys....

Sunday, 25 March 2018

Delivering Chaos With A Curtiss


It would seem the more desired prize during this Operation Westwall event in World of Warplanes is the tier VIII Dornier Do 335 A-1 German Heavy Fighter. However, there is another plane being offered that I believe is worth some serious consideration....

Saturday, 24 March 2018

Dora the Exploder


Can the reckless be rewarded (Disclaimer: not recommended usual gameplay)?

Come back with your answer after watching this tier VII Focke-Wulf Fw 190D battle.

Friday, 23 March 2018

Das 217 Mmmm


Although the German Bomber line in World of Warplanes is a rather short one for now and many other players have progressed past this point, moving on to other areas of interest, I have finally arrived at tier VI with the Dornier Do 217 M.

However, I was a bit surprised at some of the less than subtle changes from playing same classed, but lower tiered aircraft I have gotten used to....

Thursday, 22 March 2018

Yeah, I Can Boom And Zoom


In most aircraft combat games and if the physics allow it, there are two general playstyles that can be used.

Turn and Burn, or better known as TnB, is what I would call tactical maneuvering combat. Think of it as a high speed chase in the sky, twisting and turning to get the best bead on the targeted enemy plane in front of you.

Boom and Zoom, BnZ for short, is strategic strike combat, in my opinion. Climb high and wait for a target of opportunity at a lower altitude to present itself, then dive down with guns blazing and fly away to a safe, out of range distance. Rinse and repeat until the target is destroyed or a new one is chosen for engagement.

In World of Warplanes, BnZ was the dominate playstyle in the pre-2.0 days, while TnB took a back seat in regards to have any major influence on a battle. Here, I demonstrate the very basics of BnZ in this post-1.9 era, under the most ideal of circumstances that I have ever experienced in a upper tier battle....

Wednesday, 21 March 2018

Hohe Energie 100


Let's say that you like German aircraft, but are having troubles with the playstyle required to use those as presented in World of Warplanes. Perhaps you aren't interested or even like the aerial roller-coaster of Boom and Zoom techniques. Is there an alternative so that one can get their fill of German plane action and be unlike the typical choices available?

Yes, there is....

Tuesday, 20 March 2018

Came For The Show, Then The 209 Had To Go


I wanted to showcase more of the strengths and shortcomings of the premium tier V Messerschmitt 209 V4 Fighter during this battle in World of Warplanes, but my team had other ideas and cut my time short to do so.
Not that I am complaining too loudly....

Monday, 19 March 2018

Good Golly Gustav


There has always been something about the look of Messerschmitt 109 series I have found appealing.

As a kid, I thought it was the quintessential German fighter, since anytime I opened a book, magazine or watched a TV/Movie based on a World War II theme, one seemed to always make an appearance. When I got older and took on a more cerebral interest in aircraft, I was rather impressed on just how far the function of this aircraft had evolved, without compromising it's classic lines. In reality, it has to be the top of my list for favorite German planes, from the era.

In World of Warplanes, the 109 has carved out being a legend of it's own. Starting at tier IV, this aircraft had been to "go to choice" for a lot of players, some have even turned flying it as a career in the lower tiers. For me, I saw the loss of flexibility around tier V or VI (yeah, it's been that long to remember clearly) becoming more of the BnZ terror made successful by very skilled players.

However, that was in the pre-2.0 days and after perceiving some new behaviors from a few players and bots flying the Gustav in this post-1.9 era, I had to check things out....

Sunday, 18 March 2018

A Told After St. Patrick's Day Picture Story


A flighted battle with LMG in World of Warplanes and the results, told in a few pictures.




Friday, 16 March 2018

Just LaGGing Around


Not knowing how this St. Patrick's Day weekend is going to turn out for me, here is a "catchall" video to cover for my potential absence....

Thursday, 15 March 2018

Dornier Do 335 A-1 First Flight and Review


I know some folks have been waiting for this, so here is my first flight and review of the tier VIII Dornier D0 335 A-1 German Heavy Fighter from World of Warplanes....

Wednesday, 14 March 2018

I Spy 210 (MiG)


Despite the mic fading out during the recording of this video, I think it was a pretty good first battle in the tier VI Soviet Fighter, the I-210.

Tuesday, 13 March 2018

Yak-9ME? Yak-9U!


I have decided to continue on with Soviet aircraft, at least until the next March of Nations is announced.

So, I bought back the tier VII Yak-9U Multirole, put my previously trained pilot into the cockpit and took to the skies, despite the environment of chaos I currently dwell in, thanks to a real life move across town....


Sunday, 11 March 2018

One Of Our Planes Is Missing


I admit, I was tempted.... 

With this weekend's March of Nations: U.S.S.R event, premium aircraft (but oddly, not the regular tech tree offerings) went on sale. Although I wasn't overly interested in the lower tiered stuff, my eyes did fall on the last four planes on the list.

The P-39Q-15 has always called to me, but with the recent acquisition of the American P-39-N, that call has been answered by another. The La-9RD struck me as something different to try, however the Kostikov 302 rips through the sky and distracts me. For a fleeting moment, I consider the I-260, then the very similar in role and specification Me 109TL taps me on the shoulder and that thought passes. Finally, the RB-17 could bring a very big change in playstyle, racing at the upper limits of the atmosphere, dropping explosive packages to earthbound targets. I pass on this too, since I have this strange feeling that something has happened with bombers that certain folks aren't discussing (I could be wrong).

Despite all of that, there is a premium plane from the former Soviet Union I would like to get my hands on..


It was called the La-150.

During Update 0.4.3, back in May 2013, the La-9 was moved to Tier VIII (the La-7 was introduced to tier VII, previously a La-5 upgrade) and the La-150 was pulled from the game, never to be seen again. Rumors have been circulating ever since about the La-150 possibly returning as a premium, still sporting 250 hitpoints and armed with 2X 23mm cannons.

Perhaps someday....

A Lack Of The Attack In The Yak


I think I was pushing my luck in World of Warplanes this morning.

After a few successful warm up battles under my belt in other Soviet aircraft, I decided to take a trip to the upper tiers with the Yak-19. Turns out that lead to a disappointing experience....

Saturday, 10 March 2018

Operation Westwall Attrition


The second gamemode being offered for the Operation Westwall event in World of Warplanes is called Attrition.

I decide the Soviet Tier VII Lavochkin La-7 Fighter might be a good choice to try things out with....


Friday, 9 March 2018

Victory Doesn't Have To Kostikov Alot


In keeping with this March of Nations: U.S.S.R weekend, I take to the skies in a plane I don't see others fly very often in World of Warplanes these days, the tier VII Soviet Kostikov 302 premium fighter.

Thursday, 8 March 2018

Curtiss XF15C First Flight and Review


An excerpt from my Twitch stream, where I take out this new tier VIII premium fighter for a seat of the pants test flight....

Wednesday, 7 March 2018

No Boogeyman Today


Have a look at this screenshot from World of Warplanes and take note on some of the more obvious things you might see.

Perhaps you noticed this Spitfire is above it's optimal operational altitude, or it is attacking one of the most fearsome, new planes in the game, the tier VIII premium Myasishchev RB-17 Soviet jet bomber. Maybe it's the healthbars on both aircraft that caught your eye or some other detail worth mentioning. In any case, some players might call this a "foolhardy venture (or another term that better sums up "You'll be sorry" or "What where you thinking?"), while others could make the claim, "Pfft, I do this sort of thing everyday" or similar comments along those same lines.


In the end, I finished off the task that was presented to me, with credit to the help I received to do it.

Granted, it wasn't a player controlled aircraft and that alone could prompt certain remarks from those in the community. However, that doesn't diminish two things, taking one down with a Supermarine Spitfire XIV flown by me and literally living to tell the tale. In fact, I would repeat this twice more before the end of this sortie, for a total of three RB-17 kills/assists to add to my tally wall.

My point? Yes, I do have one. 

I viewed the RB-17 as a menacing, almost "untouchable" Boogeyman, since everytime I attacked one before, it didn't end well for me. There were a few times since it was just introduced that I survived it's powerful and very long ranged rear cannon, but that was enough to instill a "leave that one alone" attitude when I saw them on the enemy team. Today, I wanted to make things different and pushed my plane past it's limits in altitude, performance and durability.




If only for today and during that one battle, I scared the Boogeyman back into the darkness.

Tuesday, 6 March 2018

The Flying Lazy Tiger


John Wayne made it look good for Hollywood, Claire L. Chennault made them real legends versus the Japanese and I just fly it for making credits in World of Warplanes.

Monday, 5 March 2018

Dunkirk, Oscars and Invasion


Over the weekend, the movie Dunkirk  took home three Oscars (Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Film Editing) from the 90th Academy Awards. Congratz to them!

To be perfectly honest, I watched the full movie only once and wasn't really interested in a lot of it, mostly the fiction-based-on-fact human drama taking place on the boats and the beach.

Thanks in part to TV trailers and early reviews, I knew what I wanted to see and that was the aerial action.

With so few operational World War II aircraft left in the world, it was a real treat to see some real, physical warbirds on the Silver Screen (I know there were a few large scale models built to stand in for stunts and other aircraft that just don't exist in flying condition) and not a obvious CGI special effects fest.

So, I was inspired to make a tribute of sorts and flew my tier V premium "Dunkirk" Spitfire to mark the occasion. Little did I know I was going to make some drama and action of my own....