What If - CA Compatible ATC

Just a flavour of what could potentially be possible, following a discussion with some new friends:

Perfect. I did that with VPC's mod pack of airfield equipment but it would be much better if it was done in the mid from the beginning so people don't have to do it individually if they want to use it.

Will it have a damage model?

Very nice but only really found at permanent airfields like Tangmere. The ATCs in Normandy were more a large caravan with a flip up side and tenting to cover the plotting area and presumably the sensitive electronics etc in the van. Believe they were referred to as Group Control Centres by the 2nd TAF.

Any chance of something like that?

I seem to recall that the equivalent of RAF FACs used modified Matilda's (no gun) towing a trailer full of radio gear and supplies plus a jeep as a 2nd vehicle. Think I vaguely remember that it was 4-5 men with an ex pilot as the air controller, a radio operator and the rest to maintain the gear. Any chance of things along those lines?

PS Really did mean the "very nice" comment by the way in case I came across as sounding ungrateful. Definitely not the case.

Very cool work.

It looks great, and the overview of the airfield afforded by the tower is precisely what we need for coordinating ground movement at the start of the mission, before our JTAC-player switches over to a radar/fighter-director role.

As pointed out by others, the Advance Landing Grounds (ALGs) are fairly makeshift, without the larger permanent structures. I had suggested converting an armed watch tower. This gives some elevation and overview, but without looking quite so permanent. The problem with the tent concept, is that it is difficult to get spatial awareness of the aircraft movements. Likewise with just some radio equipment in a jeep.

However, this ATC tower would be fantastic for the UK-based fields, as others have already said.

It is a bit of a stretch, but perhaps with judicious placement, and some other appropriate scenery, it would probably work at Évreux too (the only German field on the map for the post-invasion time frame; ref). Évreux was bombed on the 13th, 15th and 25th June 1944. I can find no mention of a control tower per se, but there were 6 flak towers in 1943. Regardless, the increased playability makes this ATC tower mod a useful asset for operations there too. ref: http://www.ww2.dk/Airfields%20-%20France.pdf

Amazing work Suntsag . . again!

As per Dietrich's comment, what are the odds of having the "Armed watchtower" asset enabled in a similar way (player can stand in the watchtower and view field through binoculars).

Also.. this just further raises the question as to why ED cannot do this centrally, so that we don't have to rely on mods?

Potential CA Towers

You never cease to amaze me!

Bravo Mate!

I like the wood tower best

Perhaps with a antenna on top for the radio?

Potential CA Towers

 

Brilliant work, and after having only discussed whether or not this is possible 3 days ago.

This just further frustrates, wondering why the ED team cannot similarly enable this in an update. . .

Can same work for carrier ships (AV-8B, F-18C)? :D

Modified an old mod by Ranger79 I think it was.....it's not mine to share but simply proof of concept:

More lovely work.

If we had enough people with combined arms we could do some really nice airfield/ ground control using these assets.

More lovely work.

If we had enough people with combined arms that would rather sit in a tower than fly planes we could do some really nice airfield/ ground control using these assets.

Fixed it for you ;) While I agree this would be a welcome feature, you can already steer the free airfield camera wherever you want (including in the tower) and I don't see people lining up to do that or use any of the great 3rd party options like LotATC that are already available.

In my own experience this is one of those things that everyone wants someone else to do for them but are completely unwilling to do themselves. :dunno:

In my own experience this is one of those things that everyone wants someone else to do for them but are completely unwilling to do themselves. :dunno:

In my own experience it is something I have done myself (as recently as September this year for a DCS Storm of War event), and have participated with a team of 4 or 5 other controllers in Combat Flght sims who have done this for an entire campaign that lasted months. . .

:thumbup:

I have met a handful of people that say they're interested in the years I've been doing this...all of them have gotten bored and left inside of a month's worth of weekly events. Great that you've found so many people with a legitimate interest in this, but I would be very surprised if there were a legion of people champing at the bit.

If there are, and they are interested in running AWACS or ATC in a LotATC enabled server for a weekly event that usually hosts 10-15 pilots in a variety of airframes feel free to give me a shout and we'd be happy to put you to work. ;)

:thumbup:

If there are, and they are interested in running AWACS or ATC in a LotATC enabled server for a weekly event that usually hosts 10-15 pilots in a variety of airframes feel free to give me a shout and we'd be happy to put you to work. ;)

The chaps I know only do WW2-based controlling.. AWACS and modern controlling isn't their thing. The WW2 Squads tend to be more forgiving of a relaxed style of controlling and don't demand a high level of adherence to modern RT talk.

eg:

Hey Suntsag,

Did this work get released as a Mod?

I'm ery keeen to use the wooden Fort/ Tower as a control position at airfieds on the Storm of War server...

It did indeed......I included the tower as part of this Mod:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=222775

:thumbup:

It did indeed......I included the tower as part of this Mod:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=222775

 

:thumbup:

Fantastic! thanks.