Dev Blog #42
Hello, comrades!
In the Korea. IL-2 Series project, we are adding a new layer of interaction between the player and their aircraft. For the first time in the series, you will be able to see the pilot's body, exit the plane, and climb back in. This means that the requirements for pilot models have also increased. Now, we are paying special attention to refining the characters and considering various nuances of their equipment. Today, we will review all the pilots featured in the Korea.IL-2 Series project.
In the Korea. IL-2 Series project, we are adding a new layer of interaction between the player and their aircraft. For the first time in the series, you will be able to see the pilot's body, exit the plane, and climb back in. This means that the requirements for pilot models have also increased. Now, we are paying special attention to refining the characters and considering various nuances of their equipment. Today, we will review all the pilots featured in the Korea.IL-2 Series project.
We’ll start with the faces. While working on the pilot models, we naturally drew inspiration from real people. We can’t say these are exact copies of specific individuals, but in certain features, you might recognize some historical figures. The faces reflect the traits of each country the pilots belong to. The main challenge was to capture the diversity of those involved in this conflict while keeping the number of models within reasonable limits, because creating such models is quite labor-intensive.
The equipment for the "red" side pilots will depend on the type of aircraft (piston or jet), the season (summer or winter), and the country. The country determines the type offlight helmet (SHL-50 or Type 50). The season and type of aircraft determine the main outfit. For piston aircraft on the "red" side, summer attire consists of a jumpsuit and black chrome boots, while winter attire includes an insulated jacket, trousers, and boots. For jet aircraft in summer, it’s a Chinese-style flight leather jacket, trousers, and red chrome boots, and in winter, insulated trousers and a jacket, along with lace-up warm boots. The parachute suspension system for all these equipment variants is the standard PLK. However, jet pilots have a difference—they were equipped with a modified MPLK system that includes an inflatable dinghy.
Previously, in Dev Blogs #9 and #12, we discussed and showed you the equipment of naval aviators and U.S. Air Force jet pilots. Let’s continue this topic. The summer U.S. jet pilot differs from the winter one in that they wear only a flight suit without an insulated jacket. The U.S. piston aircraft pilot differs from the jet pilot in the color of their suit: the former has a greenish hue, while the latter’s is blue. The main difference, however, lies in the suspension system—for piston aircraft pilots, it’s the B-10 model with a central lock.
For American AI-flown B-29 bomber crews, two models have been implemented: a commander and a crew member. Both wear insulatedtrousers, a jacket, and A-1 zip-up boots. All crew members are equipped with A-11 flight helmets, A-13 oxygen masks, and B-8 goggles. Their gear includes a bulletproof vest (M1 chest plate and M2 back plate) and a helmet (M5 for the commander and M4A2 for crew members), worn over the main equipment when approaching the target or during aerial combat. Interestingly, crew members have additional groin armor in the form of an apron. The commander also has an armored apron, but it’s the M-5 model with extra knee protection. In safe conditions, crew members wear aviator goggles and caps, while the commander, of course, wears a peaked cap :-) The parachute suspension systems also differ: the commander has a B-10 with a permanently attached parachute, while crew members use the A-5 system with a detachable parachute pack, which they attach before bailing out of the aircraft.
As you can see from this diary, many of the details we are recreating in our new simulator can only be noticed when closely examining the models. To learn more about these lovingly and respectfully recreated details, stay tuned for updates.
