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Post by brygun on Nov 13, 2019 20:18:51 GMT -6
This falls into the ahistorical plausible range of things.
In the current system the Floatplane Scouts never seem to get a firepower more than 2. Yet some can get into some really impressive ranges beyond 200 nm.
It would be plausible to have shorter range floatplane fighters tweaked toward dogfighting. These would be able to get firepower 4 or higher and some improved manuevering. In trade they would lose on range. they might possibly have bombs like the existing floatplane scouts.
In terms of deploying there would need to be an option to deploy them on ships vs the scouts. The best tactical way would be to allow the choice by ship so we could have BB with fighters or AV ships with fighters. That is more complicated to code and squeeze in the UI. Perhaps it could up as a choice like the "Air sea rescue" whether you will develop floatplanes as long range scouts or shorter range fighters.
If floatplane fighters are implemented it would be nice if they could included into the CAP system.
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Post by brygun on Nov 13, 2019 20:41:10 GMT -6
Or perhaps just unlock the limit of firepower 2 on the scout planes...
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Post by wlbjork on Nov 13, 2019 23:55:14 GMT -6
Floatplane fighters existed and were developed as late as the 1930s, but were always outperformed by standard aircraft.
The floats are the issue. They are large, bulky and increase drag massively - negatively affecting both speed and manoeurablity. Once we'd figured out how to produce retracting landing gear, it became even worse.
Check wiki - there's a list of all amphibious aircraft, including the floatplane fighters.
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Post by brygun on Nov 14, 2019 7:27:16 GMT -6
I agree float-fighters would have poor maneuver scores. They could increase the float-fighter forward guns though. Maybe 4 x 30/50 cal forward and 1-2 30 cal in the defense turret. RTW2 score 4-6 maybe 8 at max. Pure fighters break double digits in the mid 40s.
One proposal for float-fighters was to use them in defense role. A fighter, even a bad one, is better than none. A float-fighter could disrupt dive/torp bomber attacks. Its likely enemy fighter escorts would take out a float-fighter but its a nice supplement.
In RTW2 imagine a mid-game trade protection with you have a large cruiser chasing down a raider. Enemy port launches bombers out of a port. A hasty launch of 2 float fighters might do some disruption. If you knew you could have float-fighters you might have design-built 6.
I saw on the internet once a theory and design put forward. I'm trying to remember his name etc to link it. His float-fighter could be described as a single-engine, center-float, one-man, no-turret, multiple forward guns float-fighter.
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Post by tordenskjold on Nov 15, 2019 20:05:46 GMT -6
I agree. Confer the Arado Ar 196, armed with two 20 mm MG FF cannons. If that's not firepower, what is it then?
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Post by oldpop2000 on Nov 15, 2019 20:30:20 GMT -6
I agree. Confer the Arado Ar 196, armed with two 20 mm MG FF cannons. If that's not firepower, what is it then? Well, let's see. That cannon was very heavy about 61 lbs. It had a low muzzle velocity, and fired at about 9 rounds per second. Plane could carry about 60 rounds. Let's see, that's about 6.6 seconds of firing. The plane's maximum speed was 193 MPH. Firepower isn't just the number of cannons or the shell weight or the rate of fire, it is all of them and the aircraft's ability find the target and get into firing position. Fighter pilots generally only have about 2 seconds of time with the enemy aircraft in his gun sights if he can manage that. With a floatplane, there isn't much chance, now is there. I don't think the Arado AR-196 is a good example. The Japanese Rufe was though. |
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Post by wlbjork on Nov 15, 2019 23:39:04 GMT -6
The A6M-2N Rufe, a Type 0 fitted with floats, is a good example of a floatplane fighter. However, the conversion came at some cost - approximately 60mph top speed and the range was roughly halved. arawasi-wildeagles.blogspot.com/2017/10/nakajima-a6m2-n-pt-1.html - first of a series of 9 articles on the Rufe. It does not appear to have been a spectacular success, struggling to defeat medium and heavy bombers compared to land-based aircraft, and unsurprisingly outclassed by P40 and F4F fighters. |
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Post by oldpop2000 on Nov 16, 2019 0:19:21 GMT -6
The A6M-2N Rufe, a Type 0 fitted with floats, is a good example of a floatplane fighter. However, the conversion came at some cost - approximately 60mph top speed and the range was roughly halved. arawasi-wildeagles.blogspot.com/2017/10/nakajima-a6m2-n-pt-1.html - first of a series of 9 articles on the Rufe. It does not appear to have been a spectacular success, struggling to defeat medium and heavy bombers compared to land-based aircraft, and unsurprisingly outclassed by P40 and F4F fighters. The Rufe carried the Type 99 Mark 1 cannon which was their version of the Oerlikon FF. They had a low muzzle velocity and the plane only carried 60 rounds. As a fighter, it was very poor and without a second crew member, it was a lousy scout plane. It was developed and did not enter service until 1942. It was faster than other floatplanes but big deal. Floatplanes were developed for scouting, ASW and spotting shot. Eventually other weapons and electronic devices eliminated their need. |
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Post by brygun on Nov 16, 2019 17:35:07 GMT -6
Personally I envsion the aircraft firepower as 1 = 1 30 Cal MG and 2 = 2 30 cal MG. For a floatplane fighter that 2 is 1 30 cal forward and 1 30 cal in a defense turret. As the examples show there are floatplanes with much more just those!
As mentioned in the OP it is a bit a-historic but it is plausible.
The aspect of lower maneuvering and speed of float planes are already things the RTW2 game engine can account for.
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