Aeroplane Heaven Helldiver released

[DaveB]

Hi Chaps,

Any Helldiver fans out there will be pleased to know the AH model has been released.. https://www.justflight.com/category/latest-releases

If you live on the Trump side of the pond, you can buy it direct from AH - http://www.aeroplaneheaven.com/ - and in doing so, qualify for a free copy of their F3F. This doesn't apply to purchases outside the U.S. I'm afraid.
ATB
DaveB

[Paul K]

Great to see it released. As soon as beta testing is completed, I'll be getting it.

[blanston12]

Great to see it released. As soon as beta testing is completed, I'll be getting it.

I though beta testing was done yesterday?

[DaveB]

No.. not quite yesterday. Reports are already coming in that there's little or no flap animation

ATB
DaveB

[Paul K]

Looks like there's a hotfix out for the flap animation. I don't think I'm going to get past Easter without buying this - it looks superb. A what if ( almost if ? ) FAA paint too.

[DaveB]

Yes.. I saw that. Still.. it's gonna have to be in a sale and mighty cheap before I part company with dosh. I already have as many U.S. carrier aircraft as were produced and I rarely fly any of em

I could get it for nowt with the points I have at JF but that aint the point

Nah!!
ATB
DaveB

[SkippyBing]

Looks like there's a hotfix out for the flap animation. I don't think I'm going to get past Easter without buying this - it looks superb. A what if ( almost if ? ) FAA paint too.

1820 NAS flew the Helldiver for a bit (1 Apr 44 - 16 Dec 44) but they kept breaking/not pulling out of dives. I believe it was the version without holes in the dive brakes/flaps, obviously it was such a glowing success that the rest of the squadron numbers allocated to operate it (1821 - 1829) were never formed...

[Paul K]

Thanks for the info, Skippy. Nice to know Britain didn't have the monopoly on shite carrier aircraft.

Nooo, that's way too harsh - the SB2C went on to 'perform well in experienced hands'. So that's all right then. Here's my 'experienced' hands taking her for a flight near Port Moresby, but not so experienced that they could find the bloody prop pitch control.



Found it eventually ( it's down out of sight on the left ). The VC isn't bad at all.



Initial impressions - priced about right, flies nicely, needs separate pilot and rear gunner canopy opening, and I've heard beefier engine sounds from a moped. No doubt someone will suggest a better sound set soon. All in all, so far, so good. Glad I got it.

[Paul K]

This time, over the Solent in the FAA repaint. Much enjoying it, but that engine sound really needs a replacement ASAP.

[blanston12]

Thanks for the info, Skippy. Nice to know Britain didn't have the monopoly on shite carrier aircraft.

Certainly the early Helldivers were awful, they eventually improved it to a very effective aircraft, well after the FAA decided against it. But by then the need for a dedicated dive bomber was going away, hard to recover from those bad first impressions.