War Wings: A6M5 Gameplay

Since I am playing Japanese aircraft in a few other games, it seems only fitting that I showcase the top of my current progression efforts in War Wings with the tier V Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero.

However, using a much more careful eye to detail, I wanted to see if the frailties of this particular nation of aircraft, as depicted in other titles, also transcended to this one....

Straight To Battle: Kawasaki Ki-61 Part 2

A continuation in progression from this previous World of Warplanes video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPBdtkD8PKU&t with the tier VI Kawasaki Ki-61.

War Wings - Sound Testing Another Bell P-39N Battle

Something I didn't notice (perhaps I was just too tired) until I uploaded the last War Wings video was how quiet the audio was. I think I have improved on that this time....

Still a work in progress.

Someone Called It Bruce: Kawasaki Ki-88

With just a day away from the return of Attrition Mode in World of Warplanes, I had better belt out one more familiar type battle while I can. This time, I went with a Japanese plane that defies the standard for how the nation is usually played....

Straight To Battle: Kawasaki Ki-61

The great experiment in "short and sweet." The brag board above, the video below....

Air Combat On The Go - War Wings

Sometimes, you just can't pack a computer around with you.

Portable gaming has come a very long ways since the days of the original Nintendo Gameboy (or if you go even further back, those cheap, LCD handheld time killers) and in this age of smartphones and tablets, the evolution continues.

Since this blog is aircraft themed, it would only make sense to mention one title I have on the go, War Wings.

As of right now, what I would consider to be the two major players on PC and Console in this genre would be World of Warplanes (Microsoft Windows) and War Thunder (Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, macOS, Linux and reported to be released on Xbox One in the near future). Neither one of them has put out a portable version of their game (WarGaming has the Blitz series, but only covers Tanks and Ships).

Based on the absence of a mobile WOWP and/or War Thunder version, I have downloaded, played and later uninstalled a fair amount of Android air combat titles. Some might have offered okay gameplay action, but was missing a certain....flavor I was looking for. Others were of the "pay to play" variety and I am not about to spend piles of money on possible disappointment.

It felt like I was looking for the impossible, a free to play air combat game with a progression system similar to WOWP/War Thunder, throw in some Gold and Token options?

A few months ago I stumbled across War Wings and my search was over. Easy to pick up gameplay, a progression system that I was familiar with, earnable premium aircraft, my list goes on. It might not have been published by Gaijin or WarGaming, but it had enough features from both of their titles that I could now get my air combat fix on the go through my Motorola Nexus 6 phone.

Best of all, I just happens to have one of my favorite fighters from World War Two (a plane the is also present in War Thunder/World of Warplanes)....

Sorry about the sound, seems I should have turned the volume up while recording.

Want to give it a try (for Android and iOS)? Check it out here.

The Grind Gauntlet: Kawasaki Ki-61

This is the idea I have considered doing for some time.

Load up World of Warplanes, select a progression aircraft from my current "Nation of Mood" and play til I win, up to and no more than three consecutive battles. Now, this isn't a new concept, some streamers on other media formats do this type of thing (with their own conditions) on a regular basis, but I haven't started it myself.

One of the reasons for doing it is to see in myself what psychological changes take place if the first or even second battle end in defeat. Does frustration and/or disappointment dull the nerves and senses? Does the weight of not winning one battle carry over into the next? Using myself as a test subject, I am curious to see the answers to those questions.

On the flip-side, the main reason for not starting this experiment is the length of time a person would have to sit and watch my serial performances, up to 45 minutes of me talking, flying and shooting up the sky. I am sure there are folks out there that have better things to do with their time (I do appreciate those who have tuned in thus far and have continued to stick around).

Nevertheless, I put the question to you, should I do this or not? Would you be willing to spend nearly and hour watching my adventures in World of Warplanes with a tech tree plane, no matter the outcome? Is there another way I could have asked a similar question?

While you consider that, here is the first video on that concept, demonstrating a more positive psychological change at the end....

月光の戦士 Nakajima Ki-8

In reality, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force didn't foresee a use for the problem ridden, two-seat Nakajima Ki-8 and after completing just five prototypes, the project was cancelled in 1934.

In World of Warplanes, it lives on as a tier II premium fighter and currently the only Japanese plane with a rear gunner in the game....

この初心者は学習しています Mitsubishi A6M3 (exp)

One Japanese plane I had early troubles with in World of Warplanes was the tier V premium Mitsubishi A6M3 (exp).

The major issue for me was the effective use and timing of those big 30mm cannons. Not only was I willing to give it another honest go, but I have also decided to try something I don't normally equip my planes....consumables.

All is explained in the following....

For The Second Time In My Life: Spitfire V DB 605

For once, I am at a loss for words, good thing I cover for this in my video....

Thanks trikke!

Krazy Hien: Kawasaki Ki-61

Like many other players from long ago, I had been eagerly anticipating the arrival of Imperial Japanese Army Air Service aircraft to World of Warplanes.

For far too long, all that was available was offerings from the Imperial Japanese Navy line (not that is a bad thing), with a few premiums sprinkled in over the years. Perhaps my patience finally ran out, or my interest had waned enough to not be overly enthusiastic when they finally arrived.

Granted, I managed to pull myself away from other projects and areas of interest to causally dabble with a few aircraft of the Army line, only to stop at the tier VI Kawasaki Ki-61 and then, I wandered off again.

Perhaps, I should see if I can re-spark that cold flame of lost enthusiasm....

Near Ruin Over Rome: Messerschmitt Me 1099B-2

Although it was my intention to try and fulfill a promise to LMG from the World of Warplanes North America forums to give the ground a good shake in his month long absence from the game, my tier IX Messerschmitt Me 1099B-2 battle took on a mind of it's own with an unexpected result....

The Odd Humor Of Fate And Luck

So, it's the day after picking up a tier VII North American Mustang P-51K to top out my Chinese line in World of Warplanes.

Naturally, as with a lot of people having something new, I was....giddy to take it out for a flight or two. Turns out that two was needed to collect a victory. The first battle was an epic facepalming event that I was merely another target for the enemy team to toy with. Needless to say I didn't bother with screenshots (nor a video) to keep a record of just how bad things went for the good guys. However, the second battle was a lot better overall, but still a bit lacking in the personal results department.

In the grand scheme of things, coming in second isn't so much a bad thing, but I am disappointed the results weren't more favorable to how I perceived the battle.

If I was to end my session, especially with Chinese themed aircraft, taking the tier V Tomahawk IIb seemed to be the right choice to make. Since I got a good warmup with the Mustang, how bad could things get with the Curtiss?

You would have a hard time convincing me that Lady Luck and Fate didn't conspire to prank me today.

中国战争小马 North American P 51K

With World of Warplanes holding a Victory in Europe event, I saw they were handing out discounts on both tech tree and premium aircraft.

Since the one I have been eyeing up for a very long time was finally on sale, I decided to make a video of it, from purchase with my banked gold to the final results of the first battle with it (including a few mistakes along the way)....

Silver Clawed Kitty: Grumman XF4F-3

Ace pilots are those aviators who have been credited with shooting down five confirmed enemy aircraft.

During World War Two, the United States Navy turned out some notable pilots like Charles R. Stimpson, Lt. E. Scott McCuskey, Stanley W. Vejtasa, Lt. Edward L. "Whitey" Feightner, Donald E. Runyon and Lt. Cdr. Edward "Butch" O'Hare who cut their "Ace Teeth" on the Grumman Wildcat.

In World of Warplanes, the tier IV premium XF4F-3 is the pre-production version of this "Ace Maker" and has transitioned rather well into this post-1.9 era....

Prelude To Fame: P-36C

Almost overshadowed in history by it's successor, the Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk/Kittyhawk/Warhawk, the P-36 Hawk/Hawk 75/Mohawk still saw service in World War Two, seeing combat in American hands for the first time in retaliation of the Pearl Harbor attack.

In World of Warplanes, this tier IV premium C version is a capable performer, for those who are patient to collect from it....

Blackhawk Watch for April 2018

Starting today, I will try my very best to bring you this new monthly feature I have called "Blackhawk Watch."

The purpose of this ongoing blog series is to document the progress this project for posterity and share media links, information and commentary concerning the upcoming Steven Spielberg produced (and possibly directed) Blackhawks feature film. Also, I will post some personal comments from my own previous Blackhawks experience and thoughts on the film, as it develops.

First off, just who were/are the Blackhawks? The short answer is the Blackhawks was a long running comic book title, originally depicting a fictional, privately run and operated squadron (a forerunner of a modern Private Military Company that offers nothing but aviation services) made up of international pilots, mostly coming from German occupied countries of World War Two.

The Blackhawks first appeared in the Quality Comics title, Military Comics #1 in 1941. Fifteen years later, the rights, names and likenesses were first leased to and then eventually sold to DC Comics. Major changes came in 1964 and then again in 1967. Despite reversing these changes, the Black hawks were cancelled in mid-1968. A brief, six issue revival was seen on the racks for 1976-77 and gone again, just as quick.

 

Outside the realm of comics, Blackhawk was adapted into a 15 chapter movie serial (one of the last of this type, since TV was slowing taking over as a more convenient form of entertainment)....

Who is Steven Spielberg? His list of film credits include (but not limited to): Jaws, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, Gremlins, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler's List and Ready Player One. Needless to say, he is behind a lot of the most profitable and easily memorable movies (and a hand in TV shows, like Amazing Stories, Falling Skies and Bull) of the last 40 years.

And these are two of the film companies he is involved with, producing quality entertainment (in my opinion, at least).

A little known fact that during the early 1980's, he expressed interest in a Blackhawk project, which in turn, promoted DC Comics to bring the title in late 1982 (if you click the link, use "Blackhawk" in your browser search function).

It's also during this time period I enter the scene, but more on that at later.

Here are a few links concerning the initial Spielberg/April 2018 movie announcements: Variety Hollywood Reporter CNN Polygon

For further reading, take a look at this exhaustive and fantastic fan made Blackhawks site, which has nearly everything you would want to know (and more) on the subject and can be found here. Sadly, it hasn't been updated in years. 

Almost A Blackhawk: XP-50

A screenshot from long ago that shows off a special skin created by Claudio67 for the tier VI XP-50 premium American Fighter in World of Warplanes.

Sadly, there are issues on roundels correctly installing in this post 1.9 age....

The Lead Turkey: XP-75 Eagle

Although the battle in World of Warplanes produced a favorable outcome, the struggle to fly and fight in the premium tier VII Fisher XP-75 Eagle was very real for me....

The Great Goblin Surprise

Just a few days ago now, World of Warplanes received a minor update that included the files for a new aircraft, the first premium tier IX in the game, the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin.

I was among those speculating on just how a player could lay their hands on one. Theories I offered up consisted of a mission (like the recent Operation Westwall for example), a series of tasks (see Personal Missions from World of Tanks), or even an XP Grindfest (Missouri/Musashi from World of Ships). However, I didn't dismiss a last minute fourth option that I couldn't think of at the time (in other words, no clue what rabbit will be pulled from the hat).

Today, it turns out you could just buy it, something I never even saw coming.