Your favorite planes to fly in any flight sim.

Giles Habibula · Post by **Giles Habibula** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 1:13 am

Yesterday I fired up CFS 3 with the Firepower add-on and was inspired to try out a plane called the ME-262. Years ago, I had an 8-track tape of Blue Oyster Cult with a song on it named "ME-262". Up until recently, I had no idea what that song was about; only that it rocked. The lyrics were all but unintelligible. The only words I could decipher were "turbo-jet" or something like that.

Anyway, I'm going through the list of available planes in the sim and I see a Blue Oyster Cult song title. Apparently, it's a Nazi jet plane! So, I click it and get set to fly and see what it's all about.

Not knowing it takes like a full minute or more to get both engines started (They start one at a time apparently), I release the brake immediately after the first engine achieves full power...and I go sideways off the runway and crash horribly.

Anyway, once I figure out how to fly the damn thing, I realize it's actually a pretty damn fun plane! It's more akin to steering a semi-controlled rocket. Under full power, it's quite a challenge to turn the thing as it responds slowly. But once I got it figured out (slow down first; then turn), I began to have a blast.

It was a challenge to hit ground targets from low altitude, but damn it was fun! And I'd invariably crash in the attempt because the plane was so slow to respond because I'd usually have the throttle up pretty high. Easily the most fun I've had with any plane in this particular sim so far.

Now I'm anxious try some other cool planes. So, what is your favorite plane to fly? And why?

You can choose from any sim, since I own most of them, but have opened only a few. And if I don't have the sim by chance, if your description sounds good, I'll probably be convinced to track it down. Any sim from any era. I have 6 PCs ranging from a 486 on up, so I'd be curious about just about anything. It doesn't have to be combat either. Civilian is fine too, as are helicopters.

RookieCAF · Post by **RookieCAF** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 1:58 am

Can I list a few???

SVGA Air Warrior(RIP). A26 Invader. Can you say Bloodpig?

Flight Simulator (2004) Love the MAAM B25J Breifing Time and the Stock Piper Cub.

Aces High II Been flying the FW190 D9.

And in Pacific Fighters, The F4U Corsair. Its Big. Its Bad, Its Blue..

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 10:27 am

Vought F4U Corsair. Not because of its qualities, but because of the history behind the plane. Perhaps the Spitfire would come in second for the same reason. I grew up on stories of these planes - and that is the biggest appeal for me.

geezer · Post by **geezer** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 10:58 am

Love the Zero. Small, agile, light. I just try not to get shot. At all.

Ripstar · Post by **Ripstar** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 12:11 pm

My favourite was the Corsair as well. Solid, agile, graceful lines, and powerful.

My next favourite was the Mosquito. Twin engine, ugly, but powerful, agile for its class, and a multi-purpose aircraft, both fighter and bomber and good at both. Fun to fly in a sim, because of the extra weapon options.

I met a mosquito pilot once, and he told me that the only time the germans could catch him was on a bombing run when the bomb bay doors were open.

The Gloster Gladiator an all metal biplane is a lot of fun as well.

These planes are all from either Il-Sturmovick of Microsoft Combat FS.

Kratz · Post by **Kratz** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 12:46 pm

Hrm...

Well, in general...

USAAF: P47Dxx Thunderbolt, P51D Mustang
USN: F6F5 Wildcat
LW: Bf-109G6, Fw-190-A5
RAF: Spitfire MkIX
IJx: Ki-61-I-KAIc Hein
SAF: Yak-3, La-7

Napoleon · Post by **Napoleon** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 12:55 pm

Fokker Dr I.

That thing pwnd in Red Baron

Head · Post by **Head** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 5:25 pm

In any flight sim? ..... Well, I really loved flying that little red helicopter plane in Crimson Skies. Does anyone know the one I'm talking about?

~Head

Ummagumma · Post by **Ummagumma** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 5:36 pm

I really love flying the BAe-146. A solid, fast and stable jet that is really a dream to fly. There's several incarnations of it on AVSIM or flightsim.com. Air Canada Jazz has recently started replacing their clunker prop Dash-8's with these babys, so I tend to fly the Jazz livery. Nice planes.

EDIT: Oops, I forgot to mention that I fly this machine in MSFS:ACOF

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 5:50 pm

In Il-2 Sturmovik, I cannot get enough of the P-38's:

I don 't know what it is about that plane, but it's damn fun to fly.

Gromit · Post by **Gromit** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 7:22 pm

The only planes I really enjoy flying in a sim are WW1 era aeroplanes.

Give me a Royal Aircraft Factory SE-5 anyday over a jet. Anyone can fly BVR engagements...try a close-in knifefight sometime. There's really nothing like it.

(Edited because I spell like a three year old)

knob · Post by **knob** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 7:29 pm

I can't really pick out a favorite.

But I will say I greatly prefer Prop planes (Or WW2 era jets) over any of the modern stuff.

Although, it is fun to hop into the A-10 on LOT and just go crazy.

raydude · Post by **raydude** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 10:43 am

My all-time favorite was not even a fixed-wing aircraft. I feel in love with the Apache from Jane's AH-64D Longbow game. Always played night missions and it really gave my throttle arm a good workout, since I was constantly adjusting it.

Nothing beat that sensation of trying to maintain <30 ft of ground clearance at cruising speed. Not to mention always thinking two steps ahead, slowing down before coming up to a hill, then pushing down on the throttle to keep from popping up, then pulling up on it to regain my lift.

After that the most fun I've had was flying a Zero in Combat Flight Sim 2 in multiplayer. Seems most of my friends wanted to get into a turning fight with me instead of using "boom and zoom" like they were supposed to. Oh well, more kills for me

.

Jag · Post by **Jag** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 1:25 pm

Nothing elaborate here, but i just love the Spit IX, P51 and Dauntless. They have always been my 3 favorites.

Incendiary Lemon · Post by **Incendiary Lemon** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 1:29 pm

He 162A-2

The frame looks strangely modern for something fifty years old. It went from paper to factory line in seven months reaching squadrons in march of 1945. The plane was fitted with a single turbojet mounted up and behind the cockpit. Exhaust blasted directly to the rear between the two tail fins. Given how crucial the remaining pilots were in 1945 the Volksjager was fitted with an ejection seat.

Its included in Shockwave's CFS addon.

Riker's Beard · Post by **Riker's Beard** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 2:29 pm

P-38 is cool, and I like the P-51 Mustang too.

Zekester · Post by **Zekester** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 5:15 pm

There's a 3rd party old floatplane for FS2002, over at avsim.com

It's name escapes me right now, and FS02 is installed on my other computer, but it's a pleasure to fly nice and slow and sounds great.

Ok, got the name of it now:
Felixstowe F2A Seaboat

BTW, anyone seen Wilco around yet?

Bakhtosh · Post by **Bakhtosh** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 12:27 pm

If it doesn't break the sound barrier or make tanks blow up real good, then I'm not interested.

is_dead · Post by **is_dead** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 12:46 pm

Since I'm an MFS type I'll say 737-400, maybe 737-700 downloaded. It's a great plane to fly, the most popular airliner ever built.

El-Producto · Post by **El-Producto** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 2:02 pm

She's fast baby. And if you can enter a furball with this baby you've got skills.

Eduardo X · Post by **Eduardo X** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 4:46 pm

I hung out with the guy who designed the F-14 two weekends ago.
I was quite suprised to learn we had similar politics.
And he says, regardless of how many missles and planes and "weapons of destruction" (as he calls them) he's designed, he says he sleeps like a baby.

I like the P-38. I just love how quick that thing dives!

Grundbegriff · Post by **Grundbegriff** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 12:40 am

Eduardo X wrote:I hung out with the guy who designed the F-14 two weekends ago. I was quite suprised to learn we had similar politics....

Is that you, Drazzil?

em2nought · Post by **em2nought** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 6:16 am

Red Baron 3D Albatros DIII just on the edge of losing its upper wing after it ubered.

It had to be one of CdT's great mod models as well of course.

Gromit · Post by **Gromit** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 1:01 pm

As someone who flew exclusively for an allied squad online in RB3D (RAF 209), I absolutely abhorred the Albatros DIII and it's never-ending spiral über-climb once it was wounded.

Quite frustrating, needless to say...

Eduardo X · Post by **Eduardo X** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 1:26 pm

Grundbegriff wrote:
Eduardo X wrote:I hung out with the guy who designed the F-14 two weekends ago. I was quite suprised to learn we had similar politics....
Is that you, Drazzil?

God, did I just name-drop? I'm such an asshole!
And he was one of several guys, obviously. Damn, I suck.

But so do the rest of you, so piss off!

Biyobi · Post by **Biyobi** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 2:36 pm

Eduardo X wrote:I hung out with the guy who designed the F-14 two weekends ago.

He was telling tall tales. The F-14 was designed way the hell longer than two weeks ago.

Some people are just so gullible.

ChaoZ · Post by **ChaoZ** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 7:39 pm

The Piper Cub has been my favorite in FS2004. The simplicity of it is just great.

Hrdina · Post by **Hrdina** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 11:51 pm

In MSFS, I usually fly my Dreamfleet Piper Archer II.

Lately I've been playing IL-2 Forgotten Battles. Having just started (and being not very good) I still do a lot of training with the early Russian planes.

I used to like the P-38 back in Aces of the Pacific.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 10:59 am

The ME-262 was the first thing that came to mind when I saw the thread title. They've got one on display at the US Air Force Museum out here and I grew up in awe of it, though I'm not really into aircraft. It's a damn cool looking machine up close.

I think Dirk Pitt's got one in his hangar, doesn't he?

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 11:55 am

I should add flying a C-47 with Airborne livery from England to France is one of my favorite flights.

moss_icon · Post by **moss_icon** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 2:32 pm

the biplane in 'biplanes'.

Jag · Post by **Jag** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 9:31 pm

Blackhawk wrote:I should add flying a C-47 with Airborne livery from England to France is one of my favorite flights.

Actually that reminds me, i used to love to fly the C-47 in Aces High. Nothing like struggling to get that bird to altitude with a full load troops ready to drop over an enemy base.