Online combat flight sim; Warbirds
WARBIRDS
By John Mai
For those who have a love of World War II aircraft and the history that goes along with these planes during their service in the war, Internet Entertainment Network (IEN) has developed the site for you.
Called Warbirds, this multiplayer flight simulation has sixty aircraft from both Allied and Axis countries that battle it out in the virtual skies over Europe and in the Pacific.
Every aircraft has its history as well as the history of its top pilot available in the game site, making the choice of aircraft one of interest as well as entertainment.
The replication of these planes, the flight characteristics, along with the cockpit displays, markings and ammunition loads is well done and concise. Taking one of these virtual birds up gives one a greater appreciation of the skill that the pilots of that era had.
IEN uses different terrain maps cycling through several tours of duty, including the Battle of Britain, the Midway campaign as well as the air war over Europe. Sea power is not forgotten, as aircraft carriers roam the waters off the shores, escorted by destroyers whose anti-aircraft cannon seek out those foolish enough to attempt to sink one of the behemoths.
Flying solo into the thick of combat is possible, but not recommended since players have formed squadrons, many based on real fighting units the war, and take pleasure in sending an unwary pilot back to earth with the burning wreckage of his plane. Having someone to watch your six o’clock position while you are chasing down a ME 109 or Spitfire can be invaluable.
Joining one of the squadrons in Warbirds is as simple as requesting to fly with them, since squad leaders are always on the lookout for new pilots to aid them in their campaigns. Flying a B-24 or a B-17 Flying Fortress in formation with anywhere from five to fifty other pilots is an almost nightly event. If flying is not quite your thing, you can also climb on board and man one of the gun positions available on any aircraft with gunners.
Bombing campaigns are flown to destroy fuel depots, bridges and to close down an enemy base so the troop transports, German JU-52s, can get close enough to drop their “drunks” who rush in to capture an airfield. Capturing an enemy base is difficult as the timing must be accurate, and coordination between the bombers, their escorts and the pilots flying the troop transports is critical. Many a JU-52 goes down in flames, shot down by an eager enemy pilot because the base was not closed, or the escort pilots had not had the chance to “cap” the field. The JU-52 is armed, but its 7.9 mm machine guns are almost useless against the armored fighter craft.
Arial combat is energetic and fun. IEN provides a training arena where instructors teach the novice basic flight maneuvers with names like the Immelmann, split S, in addition to the more prosaic barrel roll, reversals and flips. Training is free, and the instructors are friendly and helpful.
Air combat is fairly realistic, with different aircraft having their own handling and maneuvering abilities, air speeds and structural limits, just as in real life.
IEN also provides ways for the pilots to communicate, via a “radio” bar on the bottom of the screen. The “radio” allows fliers to speak to their own squadron, or to taunt an enemy on a public frequency. Typing into the radio bar while in combat, however, is a good way to get shot down, and many pilots suffer such a “typing death” mid taunt.
One way around the typing problem is a Roger Wilco voice communication program many squadrons use during missions. The Roger Wilco download is free and features different channels to prevent other squads-as well as the enemy-from listening in.
To add more verisimilitude to each tour of duty, IEN starts every new terrain with the “early war” time period, meaning that only the aircraft that were actually in use during the beginning of the conflict are available. As the conflict progresses to “late war,” all the planes in the game are used.
IEN offers several arenas to virtual pilots, depending on your personal taste and experience:
Air Combat Arena, a purely dog-fighting arena in which pilots can learn the characteristics of different aircraft.
Fighter Ops, where pilots are introduced to the bombers and the strategies that are needed for a successful mission.
WW II Arena, in which the handling characteristics of each plane is most pronounced, and the skill of the pilot makes the difference between successful completion of a sortie and a very abrupt death.
The creators of Warbirds will soon create an updated version of the game that improves on the graphics and adds details to enhance the realism of wartime conflict.
For more information on flying with Warbirds, pilots can log onto www.ien/warbirds.com,or click on the link below.
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IEN's Warbirds
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