A first look at the F.E.2b

The Royal Aircraft Factory’s F.E.2 series was initially designed by legendary aircraft developer Geoffrey de Havilland. Several versions of the aircraft design were built and then rebuilt. A third version, with the same overall layout but sharing none of the originals components, was intended as fighter or machine gun carrier type with pilot and observer positions.

This version entered into service in 1915 as a Fighter/Reconnaissance aircraft with the Royal Flying Corps. The type, together with the Nieuport 11, were among the first two aircraft to fight back against the Fokker Scourge with the Fokker Eindecker finally meeting a match in the skies. Later, as its usefulness as a fighter receded, it was used as a night bomber.

This is one of the next aircraft coming to the Flying Circus Vol 3 series as Vol 3’s aircraft list nears completion. The only other aircraft we haven’t seen yet is the R.E.8.

La-5 series FM updates and other tidbits

It escaped my notice in the last update that 1CGS have tuned the flight model for the La-5 Series 8 at the same time that the La-5F Series 38 came out. This latest developer blog gives us some broad-strokes details on the what and why.

Changes to technologies and research behind the scenes have lead the team to tune the older aircraft’s flight model. Introduced 10-years ago with IL-2 Battle of Stalingrad, not too much has been done to the La-5 Series 8 in the intervening time (except for the addition of the M-82F engine). The introduction of the La-5F gave them time to update the older type’s flight model while introducing the newer model.

Here’s what the diary said about some of the detail changes:

The lift-drag polar diagram remained mostly the same. Engine power and propeller thrust were corrected – but the resulting speed change remained less than 10 km/h. The aircraft became slightly faster at low altitudes and slightly slower at high altitudes, which is historically more correct than the unmodified model. The effectiveness of the stabilizers and controls also changed slightly, so the handling of the aircraft became “sharper”, more like the La-5FN.

They say that this isn’t an overhaul but instead a series of smaller corrections. In any event, the La-5 Series 8 is apparently flying differently these days. It’ll be on my list of airplanes to check out at some point in the future to be sure.

The only other bits of information we’ve gleamed is that the next update is going to include more evolution to the Career system with ground support in both offensive and defensive missions coming up. Other updates are in the works but may not be ready in time.

Read the full update here.