Good News first

A 1906 Farhman with a 75 horsepower engine (plane originally mounted a 45 horse) can mount 2 7.62 Italian Light Machine guns each weighs 15 pounds full load out, fly for one and a half hours, and fire them both at stationary targets to decent effect (I strafed the hell out of a truck) It can also carry one 50 pound bomb (not sure how affective this would be still haven't hit anything with it stupid truck).  It can also attain a top speed of 58 mph in level flight (speed listed is maximum stable speed plane actually achieved 64 mph before pilot error led to loss of control) and climb to an altitude of 3500 feat in 15 minutes (note plane becomes very unstable above 2500 feat Recommend not exceeding 2500 feet).  Balloon Busting is entirely effective (Machine guns were used to rupture the balloon in enough places to crash 5 of the 6 I went after)

Bad News

Ground Fire Plays HELL with it even at maximum speed.  Attempts to use it in strafing runs in combat situations resulted in the loss of 6 aircraft (5 to ground fire, 1 to pilot error).  Intercepting a Zeppelin while technically possible proved very difficult (I attempted it with rockets which led to lighting 3 planes on fire and using the guns which led to crashing 4 planes into zeppelins) All attacks on zeppelins could be termed successful if loss of interceptor asset is felt acceptable.  Intercepting other airplanes..... don't try it (if you are lucky enough to be approaching head on to the other craft or have a high angle on him its no problem, but if any aerobatics are required you will crash 3 aircraft lost attempting this)

All this information will be in the 1908 H2 News for Italia but I thought it would be better to put it here in a easy to interpret format (instead of piecemeal and all spread out like it will be.


Now the Plane (well a pic anyway)

Another problem with Zepplin interception is altitude.  The Zepplin can get above your 2,500 foot ceiling pretty easily.  Even if they are only operating at 5,000 feet they can still be out of your effective range.

Air to Air combat....I would suggest using a passager with a non-fixed weapon, like say a repeater carbine or pistol.  For Zepplin and Balloon attacks your fixed weapons work, though for the rockets I would suggest a mounting that allows the flammible aircraft to be at least somewhat protected from the flames, or using a hand-held flare gun/"pop" flare and hope for the best.

I have actually achieved 10,000 feet in a late 1906 aircraft.  the same plane achieved a stable 110 mph in level flight on my 75 horse triple W and is fairly aerobatic (note don't try to dive in it you will tear the wings off at more than a 2g load) However Im not exactly where I would put a MG or weapon of any type on it.... it is really just an engine wings and very limited control surfaces. 

If you approach a zeppelin from astern you should be able to shoot it down with guns without crashing into it. Zeppelins can climb higher but it should be possible to get a 1910 AC up to 10,000ft, I know a few cross the Pyrenees.

As for Air to Air, I still feel fixed weapons work better. A well designed plane should be able to handle aerial maneuvers pretty well. I mean if you can race a car at 50ft without crashing you should be able to dogfight.

But for know NS planes will remain strictly Air to Ground with bombs.

The general problem with zeps is if you do manage to shoot one down they have a nasty habit of exploding.  2 of my rocket attacks were actually successful but the zep retaliated by catching my plane on fire (note these were the last 2 rocket attempts).  The MG against them you generally either crash into the zep or it catches you on fire when it blows up.  Either way you can shoot one down if you can get high enough, but odds are you are going to loose the plane.

Quote from: Desertfox on October 10, 2007, 01:38:37 PM
If you approach a zeppelin from astern you should be able to shoot it down with guns without crashing into it. Zeppelins can climb higher but it should be possible to get a 1910 AC up to 10,000ft, I know a few cross the Pyrenees.

As for Air to Air, I still feel fixed weapons work better. A well designed plane should be able to handle aerial maneuvers pretty well. I mean if you can race a car at 50ft without crashing you should be able to dogfight.

But for know NS planes will remain strictly Air to Ground with bombs.

The problem is that in 1906 these aren't well designed aircraft.  Well most of them aren't anyway.  These are Kites with engines attached lol.

Not in 1906 but there's quite a few by 1910. From research planes in 1910 could reach 8,000ft, fly at 70mph, for at least 150miles. By 1913 a Frenchman was doing loops and tailslides on a Berliot XI which was a 1910 plane. A lot of the early WWI planes where simply updated pre 1910 planes. So if you have the tech for 1910 planes you can get a decent fighter. Only problem is that so far there is no need for a fighter.

And for anyone wondering it's a 1908 historic aircraft.  This is the first efficient zep buster/air to air I could come up with.




11000 foot ceiling, can handle a 3.5g wing load, fairly acrobatic, and can get up to 112 mph in level flight.  I still wouldn't try to strafe with it though ground fire is a killer.

LOL DF you were on the same page as me, the XI actualy flew for the first time in 1908 just didnt get famous till 1910, I chose first flight for my prototype, i even included the early bugs like Quirky control surfaces

Quote from: Tanthalas on October 10, 2007, 04:18:59 PM
LOL DF you were on the same page as me, the XI actualy flew for the first time in 1908 just didnt get famous till 1910, I chose first flight for my prototype, i even included the early bugs like Quirky control surfaces

This is the type of plane that the CSA is experementing with now.
Tanthalas and I have been talking a bit about them already.

Quote from: Carthaginian on October 10, 2007, 04:33:37 PM

Quote from: Tanthalas on October 10, 2007, 04:18:59 PM
LOL DF you were on the same page as me, the XI actualy flew for the first time in 1908 just didnt get famous till 1910, I chose first flight for my prototype, i even included the early bugs like Quirky control surfaces

This is the type of plane that the CSA is experementing with now.
Tanthalas and I have been talking a bit about them already.

Yup im just not ready to release the full report on them yet.  I only have around 10 hours work up time on this one compared to 20 or so on the older model.