Matrix Games Forums

So i was just looking at the editor & had a brain fart[:-]

How do you modders out thier with lots of experiance in modding/adding aircraft feel/think about adding helicopters to the game. I was thinking mainly the late 40's early 50's era choppers, no later than that!!! Now i think the best way to go about this would be to MOD them into the game under the transport or patrol category. However, if players wanted a very crude attack helicopter (like the early attemps to arm H-21 Shawnee's) armed with 2-4 MG's, like .30 cals or .50 cals & maybe 4-6 rockets then in that case place them under the level bomber category & check the attack bomber option & walla...a crude attack helicopter. How do you think the game engine would act using the low speeds, altitudes, and so on of early era helicopters? Now I fully relize that helicoters would be sluaghtered in any air to air combat.(which would be historcally correct). However, it would have to be the players responsibility to use them at his or her own risk. I would use them as I would use transports or the Navy Blimps. IN AREAS OF COMPLETE AIR SUPREMACY!!! Also a player could base crude attack helicopters on the US Navy's CVE's and use them for ground support of invasions. Helicopters could also be used to some good effect i think in the transport role. You could use them in the Solomons to transport small amounts of supply to small friendly bases that are only 2-3 hexes away. Plus you could use them to transport those small land units between bases or even to attack a base. Patrol Helicopters could be used in the AWS role around small rear area bases thus freeing up more vauluable PBY's for longer range missions at front line bases. I think the game engine could handle helicopters but, i am by no means an expert on the games mechanics or the game engine. Im at the best an arm chair modder. Thus i wanted to throw this idea out thier to the experianced modders to get thier feeback. If this brain fart of mine stinks, just tell me & I'll role down a window & let it air out.

Nonetheless thanks for any & all feedback, thoughts, suggestions.....[&o]

Jason

I don't think this is a good idea. I'd like to keep WiTP AE as close to reality as possible. Helicopters had very little use in WWII. I think this mod offers a some complications with almost no value.

Depending on your mod...

I believe the Bell Model 47 (H-13 Sioux) or HTL-4 in the Navy...the 'M.A.S.H' helicoptor, first flew in 1945 as a prototype. It went into service in 1948 for the Air Force.

If one were to fudge the arrival date a bit, or extend the war a bit, then it would be a viable option. Granted they were only be useful in the unarmed search role or as a light cargo transport. Arguably, one could make the HTL-4 Navy version into an ASW platform by replacing the litter racks with a couple of depth charges or light ordnance.

A quite reasonable mod.
From wikipedia   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopter
Despite the success of the Gyroplane Laboratoire, the German Focke-Wulf Fw 61, first flown in 1936, would eclipse its accomplishments. The Fw 61 broke all of the helicopter world records in 1937, demonstrating a flight envelope that had only previously been achieved by the autogyro. Nazi Germany would use helicopters in small numbers during World War II for observation, transport, and medical evacuation. The Flettner Fl 282 Kolibri synchropter was used in the Mediterranean, while the Focke Achgelis Fa 223 Drache was used in Europe.[citation needed] Extensive bombing by the Allied forces prevented Germany from producing any helicopters in large quantities during the war. In the United States, Igor Sikorsky and W. Lawrence LePage were competing to produce the United States military's first helicopter. Prior to the war, LePage had received the patent rights to develop helicopters patterned after the Fw 61, and built the XR-1.[30] Meanwhile, Sikorsky had settled on a simpler, single rotor design, the VS-300, which turned out to be the first practical single lifting-rotor helicopter design and the best-flying one since the Soviet TsAGI 1-EA flown nearly a decade before.[citation needed] After experimenting with configurations to counteract the torque produced by the single main rotor, he settled on a single, smaller rotor mounted vertically on the tailboom. Developed from the VS-300, Sikorsky's R-4 became the first large-scale mass produced helicopter with a production order for 100 aircraft. The R-4 was the only Allied helicopter to see service in World War II, primarily being used for rescue in Burma, Alaska, and other areas with harsh terrain. Total production would reach 131 helicopters before the R-4 was replaced by other Sikorsky helicopters such as the R-5 and the R-6. In all, Sikorsky would produce over 400 helicopters before the end of World War II.[31] As LePage and Sikorsky were building their helicopters for the military, Bell Aircraft hired Arthur Young to help build a helicopter using Young's two-blade teetering rotor design which used a weighted stabilizing bar placed at a 90° angle to the rotor blades. The subsequent Model 30 helicopter showed the design's simplicity and ease of use. The Model 30 was developed into the Bell 47, which became the first helicopter certificated for civilian use in the United States. Produced in several countries, the Bell 47 would stand as the most popular helicopter model for nearly 30 years.

Well for whoever may be interested, I have created the Sikorsky H-5 Navy version Side Art & have attached it in the post below. I also am including the stats that i used with the editor. Haven't really tested it out much yet in game so i hope it works out ok.

Disclaimer!!!!! this is pure fiction only by adding this heli into the game!!!!!!!!!!
If the Jap AI is programed to raid Southern Austraila, then i figure i can add helicopters into the game, my game my rules, im just posting this for others who may be interested. If you dont agree with adding Helicopters into the game, then dont download this artwork & stats & dont complain about them.

Thank you & i hope this may add a new fun twist on a great game.

zipped artwork for H-5 Sikorsky in US Navy colors, used as a ASW patrol platform

P.S. this is only the side color artwork, doesnt include top artwork or alpha artwork. I could use any & all help in creating those!

thanks & enjoy[:)]

Zipped aircraft data for the H-5, I tried to get the stats as close as historical possible using the data i have, if anyone has diiferent stats or numbers that might be better, please post them!!! Im kinda shooting from the hip here.

Sikorsky R-5 transport, in USAAF colors

Note: use the same stats as the H-5 just make it a transport instead of a patrol type & without any armament.

I hope you know, that Japan have Kayaba Ka-1 autogyro already implemented?

It have even specified engine, and factory all for itself. And is used IIRC in whole ONE unit [:)]


The main problem is to set it to operate from decks, I think it is both CV, and float-capable now.