The unforgiving skies of World War I demand mastery of both aircraft and pilot skill. This guide delves into specific aircraft of Flying Circus, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses to give you a bender’s will 2 guide for dominating the aerial battlefield.
Sopwith Dolphin: The Versatile Team Fighter
The Sopwith Dolphin is an aircraft that divides opinions on aesthetics, but its performance speaks for itself. This “jack-of-all-trades, master of none” excels in team-based combat due to its exceptional visibility, heavy armament (enhanced with modifications), and well-rounded handling.
- Strengths: Supreme visibility, excellent armament (with mods), very stable gun platform, good maneuverability, good climb, good dive, good turn, fast.
- Weaknesses: Terribly prone to wingshedding, very prone to enter stalls and nearly unrecoverable spins, requires careful engine management (mixture), prone to flip on hard landing.
The Dolphin’s stability and speed make it a formidable gun platform. However, caution is paramount when approaching stall speed, as it’s susceptible to spins. Wing shedding, particularly after damage or during dives, is a significant concern. While the myth of the Dolphin flipping on landing persists, it’s less of an issue in-game than its other limitations.
SPAD VII (180hp): The Discount SPAD with a Dive Advantage
The SPAD VII, particularly the variant with the 180hp Hispano-Suiza engine, is a predecessor to the SPAD XIII. While less refined, it possesses some unique qualities. Consider this your a bender’s will 2 guide to understanding the SPAD VII.
- Strengths: Supreme dive, excellent climb, very fast.
- Weaknesses: Single gun (without mods), very poor visibility, requires careful engine management (mixture), prone to wingshedding, poor energy retention, poor maneuverability, poor turn.
This SPAD is undeniably fast in all flight phases. Its supreme dive allows escape from most threats, even outdiving later models. However, it lacks horsepower, impacting altitude performance, energy retention, and overall combat endurance. Limited visibility, maneuverability, and firepower add to the challenge, demanding considerable pilot skill to achieve kills. Despite these limitations, its resilience makes it likely to get you home.
Fokker Dr.I: The Clown Wagon Turnfighter
The Fokker Dr.I, or “Clown Wagon,” remains a dominant force in turning engagements. Its exceptional maneuverability and energy retention make it a formidable opponent in close-quarters dogfights. Here’s a bender’s will 2 guide to mastering the Dr.I.
- Strengths: Supreme turn, excellent energy retention, excellent maneuverability, excellent durability, good visibility, good climb, parachute.
- Weaknesses: Very slow, unstable and requires finesse on the controls to fly, requires careful engine management (mixture and blip switch), difficult landing and ground handling, prone to enter stalls and spins, prone to G-LOC.
Despite its strengths, the Dr.I is slow, making it vulnerable to Entente inline scouts who can disengage at will. The aircraft’s instability demands constant attention to the controls, requiring significant forward stick to maintain level flight. Ground handling is particularly challenging, necessitating caution to avoid ground loops. Although withdrawn from service, the Dr.I features a parachute, a welcome addition considering its propensity to lose wings.
Fokker D.VII: The Vanilla All-rounder
The Fokker D.VII is renowned for its ease of handling and durability. However, its performance is somewhat underwhelming compared to other aircraft. Let’s consider this a bender’s will 2 guide to understanding its capabilities.
The Fokker D.VII, known for its ease of flight and robust build.
- Strengths: Supremely easy to fly, excellent durability, good maneuverability, good visibility, good climb, parachute.
- Weaknesses: Underpowered, poor energy retention.
At sea level, the D.VII struggles to maintain energy, especially against Camels. At altitude, it lacks an advantage against rotary engine scouts or Entente inline engine scouts. While tough and easy to fly, the standard D.VII is considered irrelevant compared to other variants due to its lack of engine overcompression. However, a parachute provides a degree of safety.
Fokker D.VIII: The THICC Boiii Generalist
The Fokker D.VIII, a successor to the Fokker Eindecker, is a generalist aircraft that performs admirably across multiple roles. This a bender’s will 2 guide explores the versatility of the D.VIII.
- Strengths: Excellent durability, good energy retention, good maneuverability, good acceleration, good visibility, good climb, good turn, parachute.
- Weaknesses: Requires careful engine management (mixture and blip switch).
The D.VIII extracts maximum power from its aging engine, outperforming the Fokker Dr.I in many respects. It retains rotary snappiness, improves visibility, and boasts excellent durability. While maneuverability and turn are similar to the heavier D.VII, the D.VIII’s overall performance falls slightly short of the Sopwith Camel, SPAD XIII, and S.E.5a. Its small size makes it a difficult target, potentially making bailing out more dangerous than staying with the aircraft.
Pfalz D.IIIa: The Pfalzcoptertank
The Pfalz D.IIIa, affectionately known as the “Pfalzcoptertank,” prioritizes durability over raw power. Its robust construction allows it to withstand significant damage, making it a resilient opponent. This a bender’s will 2 guide will illuminate its unique characteristics.
The Pfalz D.IIIa, a durable but underpowered aircraft known as the “Pfalzcoptertank.”
- Strengths: Supreme durability, excellent dive, very easy to fly, good energy retention, good maneuverability, stable gun platform, good turn, parachute.
- Weaknesses: Underpowered, difficult to enter but nearly unrecoverable spin, poor forward visibility, slow.
Although underpowered and slow, the Pfalz D.IIIa is a difficult target to bring down. Its lack of elevator authority makes it easy to fly and resistant to G-force induced loss of consciousness. The Pfalz excels in turnfights and rolling scissors if it starts with an energy advantage. It can withstand extreme stress during dives, often exceeding 10g without shedding wings. However, entering a spin requires significant effort and is nearly unrecoverable.
Halberstadt CL.II & CL.II (200hp): The WWI IL-2
The Halberstadt CL.II, a German two-seater, excels in ground attack and escort roles. This a bender’s will 2 guide examines both the standard and 200hp variants.
- Strengths: Excellent armament (with mods), very easy to fly, good energy retention, good maneuverability, parachute.
- Weaknesses: Underpowered / Very poor climb (200hp), Very slow / Slow (200hp), Requires careful engine management (200hp), difficult to enter but nearly unrecoverable spin, prone to flip on hard landing, poor field of fire (gunner), prone to wingshedding.
While it struggles to climb and keep pace with scouts, the Halberstadt effectively escorts other Halberstadts and wreaks havoc on ground targets. Its ease of handling and maneuverability allow it to defend itself against enemy fighters. However, the gunner’s limited firing arc makes it vulnerable to attacks from above. Deploying in large numbers is a common tactic. Both the pilot and gunner are equipped with parachutes.
Mastering the Skies: A Final Word
Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each aircraft is crucial for success in Flying Circus. This guide provides a foundation for mastering these aerial machines and dominating the battlefield. Adapt your tactics to the specific aircraft you fly, and always be mindful of its limitations. Good luck, and happy flying!
