How many ways to die in flight?

[Helmut_AUT]

Hi all

May sound like a strange question, but here goes:

Yesterday I lost my BoBII Day-by-Day pilot. The aircraft recived some defensive fire, the screen started to shake (more like a bug, not like turbulence, very violent shaking) but I could still bail out. Yet my chute did not open.

So I was wondering: Can the player ALWAYS bail out? Is there any visual representation of actually getting shot in cockpit? Can the player AC explode in flight?

In short... what ways are there to die?

[Buddye]

The player can not always bail out (like with canopy damage or the pilot is killed). Also, there is a case when the rudder is damaged and the pilot is shaken and subjected to large forces and the view is locked in the cockpit and the pilot can not bail out.

When you are hurt in the cockpit or as a bomber gunner the screen takes on a red color (red your dead).

The A/C can explode (both fighters and bombers) from gas tanks and gas lines being hit/damaged or from A/C collisions with other A/C, ground, cables, flak. A/C can also have a collision and not explode depending on the speed of collision and force of the collision.

There are many ways to die like collisions (ground/object, A/C in air, baloon cable), fire, A/C stress, bullet damage from A/C or AAA guns, and flak hits. When two A/C have a collision then both A/C are killed if they explode.

I may have list somewhere.

When a A/C is damaged many strange things can occur (shaking, buffeting,strange controls or loss of control, controls not working very well, etc.) depending on the amount and type of damage.

[Helmut_AUT]

Quite elaborate list, thanks. So the shaking view would indicate damage, but if I can bail, it's not dead yet...

[JamesB]

Yes Helmut, quite likely the case. Sometimes the chute just does not open as in reral life. The first time that happened to me I found it genuinely chilling. I try to stick with the plane where possible these days!

[Tako_Kichi]

The first time the chute didn't open for me sent a cold chill right down my spine. It was several minutes before I felt calm enough to continue. A very moving experience.

[Helmut_AUT]

I've had it happen in IA missions before, so it wasn't quite the suprise... but it is positivley ironic to have a pilot suvrive 30 days, with the occasional entire squadron being wipped out but him, to see him plunge to death because the damn chute doesn't open.

[Buddye]

I agree it was bad luck just like the real thing.

The percent of times the chute does not open is small (sorry I do not remember the exact percent and too lazy to look it up unless there is an issue).

[stickman]

When I enlisted in the US Navy, 1972, to get rid of that cursed draft card
the (SIGNALMAN) Recruiter offered me only a small set of choices as to what guaranteed Specialty Rating he could offer me:

BOILER TECHNICIAN
HULL TECHNICIAN
MACHINIST MATE
BOATSWAINS MATE
AVIATION BOATSWAINS MATE
PARACHUTE RIGGER
OPTICAL MAN

"I know what some of these jobs are.. What's a Parachute Rigger do?" I asked the Recruiter.
"Packs parachutes for the Officer fly boys on Carriers." he informed me.
"Do you mean to tell me that an Officer pilot does not pack his own parachute, and depends on somebody else to do it for him!?" I was amazed.
"Yeah, they don't have time to do that menial slave work. Beneath them to do so.
You'll serve on an aircraft carrier doing that. Trust me, you do not want aircraft carrier duty. Pick another." he advised.

"What's an OPTICALMAN do?" I asked.
"Repairs navigational gear like sxxtants, binoculars, telescopes, compasses, stadimeters and if on a Submarine Tender, periscopes.
Sweet duty. Aboard a Tender, which mostly sits in a port repairing Destroyers & Cruisers, you'll get a 6 month deployment overseas, every year,
or Submarine Tenders which never go out from port, until refit time. Shore duty maybe." he offered.
"OK.... I'll take OPTICALMAN." I signed the lines.

"Aha! You did score well on your ASVAB test. Smart lad. Welcome Aboard!" he shook my hand.

[Toonsis]

I rarely bail out, but I should. In the sim world I dont smell the smoke or feel the heat of a damaged aircraft. Didnt the english aircraft of the day not have sealing fuel tanks ?

As gamers we dont have the motovation to know when its time to bail out