Костиковский когти

Project 302 was a mid-War Soviet mixed-power fighter/interceptor concept that would have used a liquid fuel rocket for take-off and ramjet engines for flight.

Originally designed by Mikhail Tikhonravov over a two year period, the project was later taken over by the politicaly motivated AG Kostikov, credited by some as the father of the Katyusha, the mobile, repeating rocket weapon system. Tikhonravov would be later become infamous for coining and popularizing the term Cosmonaut, both inside and outside the Soviet Union.

In November 1942, Kostikov presented Tikhonravov's design concept to Joseph Stalin (some sources claimed he passed the project as his own) and was appointed chief designer and given funding to build two prototypes. Two air-frames were eventually built, one was used for static ground tests, while the other would fly, as a towed glider, in August 1943.

Despite the promising performance numbers of the air tunnel and glider results, the ram jet engine tests were falling short of expectations and the calculated flight time of an all rocket version was too short to be considered an effective option. The project as a whole was falling beyond schedule.

In in early 1943, the delays in the project were investigated by a commission, headed by Alexander Sergeyevich Yakovlev and the following February, Kostikov was found to be fully at fault, removed and imprisoned.

Later, Semyon Alekseyev would rediscover the design and research data of the Kostikov 302 and combined it with captured German engineering findings, creating the Alekseyev I-211 and I-215 fighters.

In World of Warplanes, the Kostikov 302 is a premium, tier VII Soviet Fighter, with an exceptional climb rate, thanks to it's tail-rocket engine. The ram jet engines are capable of getting the aircraft up to speed quickly, but require some time to cool down. The nose mounted cannons should be fired in short bursts, due to accuracy and heat issues. Avoid taking damage as much as possible, since the 302 isn't very durable in combat and relies on speed as it's main strength.

Here is a video that tried to cover all of these points, both the good and the bad ones....

The High and Low Ground

Sometimes, unspoken teamwork takes place to win the day.

Case in point: a sortie from this very morning, where I took to the skies in the Mustang H. Low and behold, I spot pyantoryng in a same tiered Me 329 on my team for the battle. With cameras rolling, a video where the first part of this engagement was mine, the last part was theirs, the victory was ours....

Icy Encounter

Color me surprised, it's been three months already?

Honestly, it feels like it was just a short while ago since I put the Mustang H into my hangar in World of Warplanes. I can certainly say the last ninety days in this aircraft has been both and exciting and educational experience. Educational to the point from watching and reading how others have mastered the Boom and Zoom playstyle, importantly using high altitude to a tactical advantage, to adjusting my old habits to experiment and embrace this "different" way then what I am used to flying.

The exciting part comes from the biggest attractant for me to this game....the chase....

A Score of Four

Making Ace in World of Warplanes, that is getting five kills in a battle, can be as easy as blinking your eyes, or as challenging as juggling multiple flaming objects and not burning yourself (no gloves for protection either).

There have been times where I have seen other players just fly through the sky and the enemy aircraft just drop dead around them, like some strange sorcery was used. I have the fortunate experience of this happening to me as well, on rare occasions. Other instances, I have to really work my controls to just stay alive, let alone remove a single enemy aircraft from the battle. I am not going to even mention those frustrating times when that fifth kill was just about to happen, only to be claimed by an ally or a game crash.

Like it's almost reliant on the roll of the dice. Not an Ace, but here is my throw of Double Deuces....

Von den Wolken zum Boden

Once considered the most over-powered aircraft of the lower tiers in World of Warplanes, the German premium Messerschmitt Bf 110C-6 Heavy Fighter has weathered well the changes brought with nearly update since it's introduction. Despite heavy, sluggish controls at low altitudes (not recommended) and a slow rate of fire from it's 30 mm cannon, it is still a very dominant solo aircraft in the right hands. In a Flight with a identical twin and highly skilled players, the results can almost be predictable for the team their are on.

Long ago, this plane gained some lasting notoriety for establishing the longest wining streak of any aircraft in the game, while in a three man Flight. Even now, after not flown it in I have no idea when, a rusty solo player can still make a unforgettable presence in the aerial battlefield....

How Low Can You Go?

Just like certain times in real life, some rules can be broken in video games. Okay, let's bend a few in World of Warplanes, specifically this battle....

I have spent a great deal of time practicing the "Boom and Zoom" playstyle, climbing up and beyond the optimal operational altitude with the tier VIII Mustang H, circling from up high and waiting to pounce on one or multiple enemies below. Far from an expert in this endeavor, but I do believe my proficiency has improved this past while.

However, I still suffer from the odd relapse and slip into a playstyle which is a total and complete opposite to what I have been practicing, other times, like this one, the canopy has to be flung open and the rule book thrown out while in a dive....

The Jousting Jet

During a sortie in World of Warplanes, I was using the tier VII Gloster Meteor over the Mediterranean Coast and get into a high altitude tangle with a very evasive enemy Bf 109G....