Fokker EIII Eindekker too maneuverable?

[GhostRiderHK]

I have flown the Airco DH2 in several WW1 sims.. favorite target being the EIII. Usually the DH2 has no problem outmaneuvering the wing warping EIII.. but in this sim, even with a novice enemy pilot.. he has no problem keeping up maneuvers and often flies donuts around my plane.

Now with the Pup or N11 I have no problem waxing the EIII with ease. The Airco DH2 was a very maneuverable aircraft even if it was a bit underpowered. It was definitely a better plane then the Morane Saulner Bullet which was also a wing warper like the EIII. The only real reason the EIII was so feared is because it was the first effective German WW1 fighter that could fire an MG through its propeller which helped it knock down recon aircraft.

The Airco DH2, along with the N11s, helped end the EIII "scourge" yet has trouble even keeping with maneuvering the EIII vs a novice pilot in this game.. any thoughts?

[GhostRiderHK]

Side note, I think this is a very good sim.. very comparable to the fun I still have with RB3D.

It would be nice to have more distinct MGs sound effects that are now drowned out by the engine though.

Thanks

[GhostRiderHK]

Almost forgot.. the option for imperial measurements for the cockpit guages does not work.. can't get them out of the metric system. Anyone else seeing this?

[Kuba_Q]

I don't know how it was in the real life, but in this sim, for me it is impossible to win a duel vs EIII when flying Airco. I enjoy piloting DH2 a lot, but it is really no match for Eindecker. I am a rookie pilot, but I have no problem outmanoeuvring DH2 when flying EIII. That was not possible when flying DH2. Less power, worse manoeuvrability and - what is probably the most annoying - a totally unreliable gun, jamming like every 5-10 rounds.

From what I've read, DH2 was developed to counter Fokker dominance and was not that bad at it. Therefore I think that something is wrong with the flight model in this particular sim. Either DH2 flight characteristics are worse than they should, or the EIII is too overpowered.

Like I said, I am a new player and certainly not an expert, but that is just my impression.

[GhostRiderHK]

You should try RB3D.. its on STEAM also, cheap price. The Airco DH2 had little trouble outmaneuvering the EIII. I take up the "MSN Bullet" against it just to improve the challenge as it is also a wing warper monoplane. You can definitely tell a big difference in maneuverability - especially in roll rate and lift.

Historically, the EIII was only feared due to the forward firing MG which made it the first effective WW1 fighter vs lumbering low maneuverability recon aircraft. The DH2 and N11s were developed directly to counter the EIII when it was realized that the EIII was not really any better then the Morane Saulnier N "Bullet" model aircraft in terms of flight capabilities, after that the "Fokker Scourge" was effectively over as their losses climbed rapidly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker_Eindecker_fighters
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_N
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airco_DH.2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuport_11

The early aircraft are my favorites.. my all time favorite is the Sopwith Pup.

BTW, try the DH2 vs the Halberstadt .. easier to bring down then the EIII.. which clearly shows that the EIII is not modelled correctly.

Thanks.

[Trupobaw]

Official answer I remember was that D.H.2 that developers choose to include is long range variant, overburdened with huge fuel tank (even if it's mostly empty...). Yeah, it is underperforming, especially in sustained turn, not really considered equal match for E.III and can fly for almost 4 hours.

A group of pilots woking as a team can still make them work, especially with advantage of numbers. 2-3 D.H.2 pilots are definetely dangerous to lone Albatros and two-seater pilots, let laone Eindeckers.

Which does match history somewhat - the chief reason why N.11 and D.H.2 ended German superiority was numbers. They were mass produced and deployed in squadrons, while Germans expected select few of their best pilots (1-2 in two seater squadron) flying limited number of Eindeckers keep the superiority by individual skill alone, ignoring their pleas for light biplanes and fighter units. Once N.11 and D.H.2 squadrns were operational, Eindecker pilots were usually outnumbered, 3 to 1 and worse.

On individual level, it was pilots skill and familiarity first; Boelcke has downed Guynemer flying a N.11, despite starting at disadvantage, in his Eindecker. So generalisations like "D.H.2 had no problem outmaneuvering E.III" should be taken with pitch of salt.

BTW, try the DH2 vs the Halberstadt .. easier to bring down then the EIII.. which clearly shows that the EIII is not modelled correctly.

Are you talking human opponent or computer? The AI can't fly the Halberstadt, but in hands of human pilot it's much more capable plane than E.III.

[GhostRiderHK]

The Halberstadt should be harder to shoot down, either being flown by AI or human.. but it isn't. The EIII turn radius is insanely too tight in the simulation.. even more so then some of the historically more maneuverable biplanes - that is simply not accurate. The N11 and DH2 were quite maneuverable aircraft and even if the reason given is "bigger fuel" tank.. then how does that answer for the Halberstadt being less maneuverable then the EIII? The only attribute the EIII had going for it was firing through the propeller with a fully auto MG.. nothing else, is was no more maneuverable then the MS.N "Bullet" which had very poor maneuverability and was mostly detested by its pilots - for that matter a captured EIII was put up against the MS.N and found it was no better of an airplane in ACM. Presently the EIII is one of the most nimble early war aircraft in the game.. and that is not accurate based on anything I have read over the years.

Thanks.