Originally Posted by
tppytel
Some F2.B questions... I'm not that well-versed (yet!) in WWI aviation history and find that my Google results are often just recycling the same Wikipedia text. I'm sure you all have better sources than I do...
1) What was the difference between the A and B models? As best I can tell, the B was distinguished by the Rolls-Royce Falcon III engine and the accompanying design to utilize it. Is there more that I'm missing?
2) When did the F2.B enter operational service? Numerous sources cite the weak debut of the F2.A, though it's not clear they agree on the date. The Ares preview article states the F2.A debut was in April 1917, and that the F2.B was a response to that. But then I've seen other sources that say the F2.B entered service in March 1917, which doesn't jibe with the earlier statement. Still other sources suggest that the F2.B didn't get orders in quantity until October 1917, and presumably was delivered even later. There seems to be a very wide range of dates here.
3) What do the various fire ratings (A/B, B/B, B/A) given to the different F2.B models represent? I've read about different variations involving the second Lewis gun. It sounds like the B/B is the relatively standard (?) version with a single Vickers in front and a single Lewis in the rear. The B/A would presumably be one with dual Lewis guns in the rear? And does the A/B represent a variation with an extra Lewis gun mounted forward? That sounded uncommon. Scenario balance aside, what would be considered the most common variation? I like to construct scenarios that are at least "historically flavored", though I recognize that any but very early war scenarios would require many more planes and models than 2 players can realistically handle.
Thanks for any insight you can provide.
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