Choice of planes for the next Print run?

[Shadowcat]

Not finding much on the Bleriot 10-2: Early

Best I can find is the Bleriot X was a unfinished Pusher design though there is a lot on the XI model. The plane was Pre war though so might not fare well in game let alone be unarmed.

Quick update, Shapeways has three different sculpts of the XI but nothing on the X-2

[Dom S]

I suspect it's a mix-up and the XI-2 was intended - ie. the 2-seater version of the Bleriot XI. To be honest I think anything pre Fokker scourge would be commercial suicide anyway - the game's about air combat, and before summer 1915 there really wasn't enough of it for the models to have much prospect of selling....

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Just a personal list but I would go for:-

Early. Pup, DFW CV.

Mid. Pomilio PC, LVG CV.

Late. Dolphin, LVG CV.

Although I already have three Pups, a Pomilio and a Dolph, they are so Iconic that I would buy more, and the Italians need the Pom.

Rob.

[flash]

....whatever is printed has to be playable on it's own and not just filling in. Hence our list has to be planes that can stand on their own and compete in the time frame we pick...

I agree with the principle but that may be harder to do than it sounds as it's not just the period, it can also be theatre related. They could put in an A-H scout v an Italian two seater of vice versa as well as something for western or eastern fronts.
Things can be fairly flexible as some aircraft served across more than one of our time frames so can be slotted in in more than one period.
One thing is certain though...they won't please everybody.

[LOOP]

As long as it contains some pupies. I'll be satisfied

[Timmo UK]

The Pup, Be2c, Vickers Gunbus and Dolphin for me even though they span the entire war years. Above this I would like them to get back to the quality we saw in the original sets with the fine wings. Sadly again Series nine have the flat slabs which has put me off buying any at all. I hope the reprints of S3 and the badly needed S4 are still using the original tooling. If you've been watching the sales on eBay the single most needed/desirable model is the Bishop SE5a. Prices are now around £80 per model. Ares could sell thousands and thousands quickly. If I were ARES I'd catch-up and put out S3 and S4 reprints back-to back.

[Jager]

Having a hard time finding design/role data on the Bleriot... this thread's the first thing that comes up on Google. Will add it to the table once I know where it fits...

On the Late 153: Use a Standard D.III sculpt mated to a 253 prop?

I didn't either; assumed it was early from Sven's posting.
Sven: do you have any more info on your Bleriot?

For the 153: if the spinner is a separate part from the body of the D.III, sure.......hmmm.......Clipper: any thoughts?
Karl

[Naharaht]

Another earlyish Central Powers fighter, which saw a little service was the Siemens-Schuckert D.I (Nieuport 17 clone). It is possible that we may see one of these when the Nieuport 17's are reprinted.

If more late war German planes are wanted there were the three Junkers machines:
Junkers D.I
Junkers CL.I
Junkers J.I

Another Austrian fighter could be the Hansa-Brandenberg D.I "Star-strutter"

[Dom S]

If I were ARES I'd catch-up and put out S3 and S4 reprints back-to back.

If I were them I'd do 4 before 3. The hot seller in Series 3 was the Nieuport, which is likely to see diluted demand coming straight after a Nieuport 11 release, while the Pfalz and above all the SE5a are by far the most in-demand OOP models. Series 4 also has 2 solid 2-seater models, rather than one solid one and one conspicuously poor seller....

[greenalfonzo]

I really hope we don't see the SS D.I, David. It's doubtful any saw combat, with their performance being so poor they were almost all used as trainers. A real waste to make one of the Nieuports painted up as one of these stinkers.

Doing Series 4 before Series 3 seems like a no brainer to me as well, with so many similar Nieuports probably still in shops. Hope Ares shows some flexibility!

[john snelling]

I disagree that the CP's are running out of aircraft. Amongst the others they still have all seaplanes/floatplanes to go. With only 2 planes per wave there is at least 7 more waves.
1. Brandenburg C.I
2. Brandenburg D.I
3. Albatros D.III 153
4. Albatros D.III 253
5. Aviatik C.I
6. Phonix C.I
7. Lloyd C.V
8. HB CC
9. HB KDW
10. HB W.12
This is the AH aircraft and 3 sea/float planes without any German land aircraft just off the top of my head. Do I need to go on?

[Diamondback]

Updating the table for a new page:

Timeframe	Entente Single	CP Single	Entente Tandem/Float	CP Tandem/Float	Entente Special	CP Special
Early pre-1/1917	Bristol Scout RAF FE8 Sopwith Pup	Fokker D.I H-B D.I Fokker D.III	Bleriot XI two-seater RAF BE2 family Voisin III Vickers FB5 Gunbus RAF FE2 family Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8	Hansa-Brandenburg C.I Etrich/Rumpler/et al Taube Lloyd C.II DFW C.V Albatros C.VII Aviatik C.I H-B KDW H-B CC
Mid 1917	Nieuport 24bis/27	LFG Roland D.II Alb. (Oef.) D.III Ser. 153	Salmson 2 A2 Anatra DS SAML S.2 (mod. Aviatik B.I) Pomilio PC AMC DH5 SPAD XI	H-B W.12 LVG C.V Lloyd C.V
Late 1918	Sopwith Dolphin SPAD XII	Pfalz D.XII Alb. (Oef.) D.III Ser. 253 LFG Roland D.VI SSW D.IV Junkers D.I Junkers J.I		(A-H) Anatra C.I (=DS) H-B W.18 Junkers CL.I Phonix C.I

I can easily see three more sets out of this, Entente fighters being the weakest link.

[flash]

Missing Bristol Scout & RAF FE2b for early war DB



And although the Gunbus is a tandem it was the first aircraft purpose-built for air-to-air combat to see service, making it the world's first operational fighter aircraft so maybe that could slide into a scout/fighter berth..?

[LOOP]

Though a very cool plane. Doesn't the Junkers DI fall in the "Snipe" category
Too few, too late...

[Diamondback]

Dave, one might think so on the Gunbus, especially since it can only use one fire-arc at a time... But Ares's calls aren't always known for making sense. (For example, I would have right out of the gate on restart set SKU's 101A-C through 110A-C and 201A-C through 206A-C aside for rebooting the Nexus releases, making Series 5 111A-C to 114A-C and making say the Dr.I new releases 104A, D and E.)

My bet is "two seats = 200-series", floats being kicked up a pricepoint for their extra manufacturing cost.

[milcoll73]

Dave, one might think so on the Gunbus, especially since it can only use one fire-arc at a time... But Ares's calls aren't always known for making sense. (For example, I would have right out of the gate on restart set SKU's 101A-C through 110A-C and 201A-C through 206A-C aside for rebooting the Nexus releases, making Series 5 111A-C to 114A-C and making say the Dr.I new releases 104A, D and E.)

My bet is "two seats = 200-series", floats being kicked up a pricepoint for their extra manufacturing cost.

so when is ares going to break away from the 2 scouts-2-2 seaters per release format? theyve said theyre going to do it. personally, i think they and the game would be better served by releasing 1 new aircraft each month or every other month instead of the months long waits between releases we endure now and then a glut of new designs all at once.

[Diamondback]

There is also the "Four Scouts" alternate format... we also have to consider the matters of cash flows and factory scheduling--even if they have design sitting in the can ready to go, it's still a matter of when they can book the factory in China--and that's Cash Up Front, and oh by the way if Hasbro or Mattel make a better offer for that slot they'll laugh in your face, toss you the finger and say "So Sorry SUCKS TO BE YOU!" without even giving your money back.

Speaking for myself... well, the four-at-once format works nicely for me because most e-tail does free shipping at $100--but smaller releases of two sculpts at a time would be more helpful for those in the "a little here a little there" budget category. (AS LONG AS there's sufficient output that things don't sell out before I get mine...)

[csadn]

Having a hard time finding design/role data on the Bleriot... this thread's the first thing that comes up on Google. Will add it to the table once I know where it fits...

Not much to know -- it's essentially the same as a Bleriot XI, but with two seats. (There was a "Bleriot X", but it never flew.)

[Diamondback]

Surprised some gasbags aren't screaming for more gasbags... lol :P

[Tonx]

Wouldn't mind if reprints are included if Ares re-released the SE.5a as I have noticed the prices which the Nexus versions sell for on the E-Bay ... On the Central Powers side the Eindecker E.1 could do with a re-run too because these are just rare.

In terms of something larger a Vickers Vimy would be rather appealing IMHO.

[Diamondback]

"Eindecker E.I"? Whatchoo talkin'bout, Willis? :P Think you mean the Fokker E.III, amigo...

SE5 looks like sometime next year, if Ares holds to the "one new, one old, one special" annual pattern.

[Tonx]

"Eindecker E.I"? Whatchoo talkin'bout, Willis? :P Think you mean the Fokker E.III, amigo...

I certainly do My Friend - very jetlagged at the moment and it's starting to show! Thanks for putting me right there

['Warspite']

We need the Sopwith Pup, the FE2, BE2 and the Bristol Scout.

On the 'other' side we need a Fokker biplane and another German two-seater. DFW?

In the longer term the Armstrong Whitworth FK8 ('Big Ack') and a Junkers monoplane such as the CL I would be interesting.

[greenalfonzo]

You just have to fill out the allied ranks with the less common & popular, but still extensively combat used planes like the FE.8 (early), DH.5 (mid), and SPAD XII (late, and featuring the sweet 37mm cannon)

[Mike George]

1) Sopwith Pup
2) BE 2C
3) Fokker DII or DIII
4) Albatros C.VII

[Diamondback]

So, with the SPAD XII (of which less than two dozen were built and piecemealed out to individual aces, around one per squadron at most) that gets us up to six more sets.

[Shadowcat]

Lots of interesting ideas and planes but remember we need planes that were flown in combat in reasonable numbers. Some of the smaller powers may have ones we are missing or the Russians.

Edit: If I were going for low number aircraft the Sopwith Salamander might have been a choice for very late war (2 in service less then 200 made by wars end)

[john snelling]

Lots of interesting ideas and planes but remember we need planes that were flown in combat in reasonable numbers. Some of the smaller powers may have ones we are missing or the Russians.

Edit: If I were going for low number aircraft the Sopwith Salamander might have been a choice for very late war (2 in service less then 200 made by wars end)

I would rather say "a reasonable percentage" of the aircraft made. For example HB C.I made up 25% of the total output of the AH aircraft industry (4,500) but comparing it to the number of French aircraft produced (68,000) it would have been small run.

['Warspite']

1) Sopwith Pup
2) BE 2C
3) Fokker DII or DIII
4) Albatros C.VII

What he said!

[BraselC5048]

As long as the Central Powers fights have special maneuvers of some sort. I'd think the DFW might be a better choice for a 2 seater. For special packs, they could do a balloon re-release.

[Teaticket]

As long as the Central Powers fights have special maneuvers of some sort. I'd think the DFW might be a better choice for a 2 seater. For special packs, they could do a balloon re-release.

DFW C.V and LVG C.V produced ~5000 where Albatros C.VII ~400, so I see DFW/LVG as a very widely used plane that should be represented.

[Jager]

DFW C.V and LVG C.V produced ~5000 where Albatros C.VII ~400, so I see DFW/LVG as a very widely used plane that should be represented.

Very true; for the next mid-late period CP 2 seater, this one is a must.
Karl

[Dom S]

Inclined to agree, especially having had an Albatros C type in Series 9....

[Diamondback]

I'm with either reasonable percentage, or other historically significant--like how the SPAD XII's were few in number but all assigned to top pilots, or the Pfalz Parasol that Otto Kissenberth cut his Combat Air teeth on.

That or, take one or two top scorers per country and focus on unreleased planes needed to tell their stories...

[csadn]

"Eindecker E.I"? Whatchoo talkin'bout, Willis?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker_E.I :)

[Shadowcat]

Like where this thread has gone but seems we are down to bolt counting details now. Issues I have seen crop up are...

Early....Too many aircraft wanted that just did not perform or were unarmed and would get shredded in the current take what you want type atmosphere. The game would need period guidelines to makes things more even.

Mid....not seeing any real issues here but bound to miss something

Late.....Biggest issue is planes that either did not show in time or in numbers needed to make a difference. Lots of interesting choices but number was way too low.

ALL......there is also the issue of aces flying said planes for us to get the neat paint jobs. By late war most aces seemed to be concentrated in a few planes so we would need more generic or unit aircraft prints.

Seen lots of good comments and new aircraft I never heard of here so this thread seems to be helpful, hopefully it will get the notice of the powers that be.


On that note...carry on..

[zenlizard]

this thread seems to be helpful, hopefully it will get the notice of the powers that be.
On that note...carry on..

On that note, rest assured...the powers what is do listen to us.

...and many of us are quite capable of carrying on.

[Boney10]

Ill join in with

Pup and Fe8 and Fe2

Roland D3 or even Dvi

Saml 2 seater for the Italian front And HB D1

[Ken at Sunrise]

I would love to see Balloons. Also Nieuport 16 (w/rockets) and RAF SE5a. Oh and Balloons.

Yes please!

[Shadowcat]

Balloons are possable still....Been into the game a little over a month and already scored a WoW Balloon box with Nieu 16 For a real good price. So just keep watching E-bay and scouting old Hobby stores.

[flash]

Early types:

Morane Saulnier BB - two seater. The type equipped a number of RFC and RNAS squadrons both in its original observation role and, equipped with a forward-firing Lewis gun mounted on the top wing, as a fighter.


Morane Saulnier L - single or two seater - The Type L was a parasol type & became one of the first successful fighter aircraft when it was fitted with a single machine gun that fired through the arc of the propeller, which was protected by armoured deflector wedges.


Nieuport 12 - two seater - used by France, Russia, Great Britain and the United States, armed with one or two Lewis guns it seems & engines various.

[Ken at Sunrise]

Balloons are possable still....Been into the game a little over a month and already scored a WoW Balloon box with Nieu 16 For a real good price. So just keep watching E-bay and scouting old Hobby stores.

Let me know if you see another. I would LOVE to get a Balloon and plane with rockets.

[The Young Guard]

For early war I would go with

BE2
Fokker DII
Pfalz EI etc
Bristol Scout

Mid war
Sopwith Pup
Roland DII
FE2
DFW CV

Late war
Pfalz dxii
Junkers CL1
Salmson 2
Sopwith Dolphin

Other fronts

Austrian albatros
Ansaldo A.1
Pomilio PE
Hansa Brandenburg D-I

[Max Von Below]

A lot of great ideas.
If I had my way as for reprints, I'd want: SE5a, DH 2, Fokker EIII.
Was there as Ansaldo?

[BraselC5048]

For that matter, what series was the SE5a in, and as for re-releases, what's been confirmed? Also, how often do they release series anyway? New to the game.

[Carl_Brisgamer]

For that matter, what series was the SE5a in, and as for re-releases, what's been confirmed? Also, how often do they release series anyway? New to the game.

Welcome Brasel. The SE5a appeared in Series 4. It will be reprinted but I am not sure when.

[LOOP]

A lot of great ideas.
If I had my way as for reprints, I'd want: SE5a, DH 2, Fokker EIII.
Was there as Ansaldo?

I'll have an EIII or two if reprinted.

[Tonx]

I'll have an EIII or two if reprinted.

I'm next in the E.III queue then!

[LOOP]

Welcome Brasel. The SE5a appeared in Series 4. It will be reprinted but I am not sure when.

Hopefully series 3 gets reprinted late this year and then series 10 and if we are lucky, a reprint of series 4 is due.
So hopefully next year but I think 2018 is more likely.

[flash]

Try and stay on target chaps - this is about the next print run not about reprints - for that go and have a look at DB's poll thread he's after suggestions for paint schemes etc