Update is now live!---=== FL2049 UPDATE: QUALITY DESIGN FROM ITALY ===---By: Robert, Grumpy, Idunno and Bollok.
3D Art: Madcat and Iart7
All made possible by: Bcamel (creator of the program used to model the airplanes)
--= The Macchi series =--Complete rehaul for all the Macchi flightmodels. See below for details.
--= Spitfire wing break issue =--The root cause has finally been found to be in the elevator authority settings, allowing even small joystick flicks to spike the G's well past the breaking point at high speeds. The elevator authority curve vs. speed has now been set to more realistic levels. This fix applies to all Spitfires.
--= Yak-3 and Yak-9D =--Further tweaks to handling (pitch drag), making the Yakovlevs more agile.
--= P-47D-22 =--The armament loadout options menu when in tower has been fixed.
--= Minor power jump fixes =--Engine power when using boost will no longer make a small jump between 80-81 mph IAS. This applies to the: Buffalos, Fokker D.XXI, I-16 and MiG-3.
--== THE MACCHI SERIES REHAUL ==--While the P-40 has been described as "A poor man's Spitfire", the Italian C.202 and C.205 could be described as "A rich man's Messerschmitt", especially since they were fielding license built German engines. After flight trials the Germans even considered to replace their Bf 109's with either the Italian Macchi, Fiat or Reggiane airplanes. They scrapped the idea though due to the Italian planes requiring nearly 15000 man-hours to produce, whilst the production of a Messerchmitt required less than 5000 man-hours. This was also why the Italians had difficulties supplying their frontline squadrons with enough of the newer fighter versions.
The Macchis all use the same wing design and are quite fast and agile interceptors. The main achilles heel of the Macchis is their quite weak armament, which wasn't solved until the C.205 had 2x20 mm cannons added. All in all they should be found to be very competitive fighters. Squadron leader D.H. Clarke was a ww2 P-40 pilot who got to test fly many planes from different countries during his career. This is what he had to say about the Macchis:
D.H. Clarke on flying a captured C.200 Saetta:
"My impression was, and still is, that she was as fast as a Hurricane I, and certainly more manoeuvrable. The take-off run was fantastically short after being used to our heavy P-40's. The handling qualities were finger-light under all conditions. I had some practice dogfights with Hurricane IIs, Kittyhawk III's and Spitfire V's and found I could turn inside all of them. Although they were faster - the Hurricane only just - the Spitfire was the only one which could outclimb the Macchi 200."D.H. Clarke on the C.202 Fulgore:
"Sleek, supremely fast - the sight of their high, white-crossed fin would have struck fear into our hearts had the Italians pressed home their attacks. The odd pilot proved that the 202 was capable of mixing it in a dogfight - out-turning our P-40s with ease; but the majority would pull away effortlessly into a climbing roll or a roll off the top when things became at all hectic. There is nothing more exasperating, when you are caning fifty-four inches of boost out of an engine, than to see your enemy indulge in carefree aerobatics; but although we did our damnedest to get near enough to shoot at them, we seldom succeeded. Their aircraft was superior to ours on all counts. No wonder we wanted to fly one."--= C.200 Saetta =--The Saetta (Arrow) fields a Fiat radial engine capable of 960 hp. The all around view is excellent, and it is a quite agile bird able to mix it with any early ww2 fighter. The C.200 carries 2x.50 cal machine guns which is at least decent for it's era.
--= C.202 sIII Folgore =--The Folgore (Thunderbolt) has a licence built DB 601 engine like the Bf 109E. The C.202's superior aerodynamical design however allows it a higher top speed than the Messerschmitt. Fielding only 2x.50 cals it is quite under armed for the 1941-1942 era, often requiring the pilot to hit an enemy with several bursts, and attacking bombers with it can be a daunting task. The C.202 is a very fast and agile plane though, and a dangerous opponent.
--= C.202 sVII Folgore =--The sVII had two extra 7.7 mm machine guns added to the wings in order to deal with the weak firepower. While adding 306 lb extra weight, it does provide a small increase in lethality. The drawback is a decreased climb and turn rate. Opinions of the C.202 versions were split among the Italian pilots, with some preferring the sVII, while others preferred the more agile sIII version.
--= C.205 Veltro =--The Veltro (Greyhound) is the pinnacle of the Macchis and entered service in February 1943. It fields a license built DB 605 engine like the Bf 109G's. The C.205 is faster than the Messerschmitt though due to it's sleeker airframe design. While the earlier Macchis were under armed, the C.205 instead boasts 2x.50 cals and 2x20 mm cannons. This plane is fast, agile, climbs well and can pack a good punch. The Veltro is in every aspect "A rich man's Messerschmitt". It should be very competitive in the mid/late era, and also able hold it's own against later era planes.
SPEED, CLIMB AND ROLL DIAGRAMS FROM TESTING THE FLIGHTMODELS
PERFORMANCE VS OTHER FIGHTERS 1943-1944
PERFORMANCE VS OTHER FIGHTERS 1939-1940
TURN RATE COMPARISONS
<S>
/Robert
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