Off-Runway Takeoffs in the IL2 FMB
You've probably seen IL2 movies where several aircraft have taken off from fields in the middle of no-where. It must be a special technique that's only for hardcore mission builders, right? Ah, no. It's SIMPLE! But there is a little proviso: this works easiest with AI. Human pilots need nice and flat ground, which is not always easy to find. Details in the vid below:
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Side-by-Side Off-Runway Takeoffs: Summary of the Vid
Test it with one aircraft. The goal here is to takeoff from a field, like near a forest, as was often done.
- Set a couple of waypoints, the first in an open field, the 2nd tracing an unobstructed path, which is the path the plane will takeoff, if AI.
- Set the 1st waypoint to TAKEOFF. If you're near an airfield the TakeOff waypoint may snap to the airfield. Don't worry, just drag it to your chosen start point. Yeah, you can!
- Hit fly and Shift-F2 or Cntrl-F2 to that aircraft. Check that it takes off okay. Some locations make result in the plane exploding. It's just a matter of finding an area that's flat enough and clear enough; usually not too difficult.
- Once that aircraft takes off okay, add some more. Each 'flight' will consist of only 1 aircraft for a single wave side by side takeoff. There's no reason why there can't be more though.
- Check that all the aircraft take off okay.
Can you believe it? That's all there is to it. Sweeeet.
Things to note
- It can be a bit tricky to find a flat and smooth enough area for human pilots. The AI find it easy to takeoff from almost anywhere.
- AI can't land, but just design your missions around that. Human pilots still can.
- Having a lot of single plane flights adds a lot to the mission making workload, so you'll probably want to keep the numbers pretty small.
Feedback & Questions
Did this tutorial help you? Was something missed? Jump down & write now
Please remind me how to set ia planes taking of aircraft carrier and landing on.
Thanks
Frank
Thanks FNC... how are new fmb folders saved in say the single if you named them something other than the 3 default folder names ? ( IJ,UN,RN) I want to build a campagin of the 8thFG and have named the folder USAAF but does now show up on the game , only in FMB .
thanks
paperkite29@verizon.net
Any one know how to make waterplanes takoff from the water ? everytime i try they are in air and after ladning i cant press relfy
Excellent , super, thank you very much for the effort to show us " NUGS" the FMB basics. Just great !!!! wtg
Is it possible to clear trees?
hey mr nutcase, your tutorials are great, thank you!! i do have a request, id like to see a tutorial on bombing, ive been playing il2 for a few years but not in depth, just flying and shooting other planes and so forth,i have no idea how to keep my bombers level when im bombing a base , i dont even know how to set the bombing run and so forth so if you made a tutorial showing how to set it up it would be nice, the game shows a tutorial but is not really explanatory, thanks again for all your help
Hi
I was wondering how you can make enemy planes escorting enemy bombers. Can you tell me?
Thanks
Emiel
I havent bough IL2 1946 yet, but i have a question about the FMB. I wanna know if you can place down an enemy aircraft on an airfield and set a trigger so that as you fly over to destroy it, it takes off.
Most of the online arenas begin on the ramp and you have to taxi. How can I set that up in FMB?
It doesn't work no more with 4.09 patch...
Your info is cool! And you rocks!!!!
Similiar problem to _AH_Jonny. I am trying to place the player aircraft either in or just outside the hangers on the smolensk map but when you go to play the mission it always jumps to an airfield marker.
In a coop,I want the planes to spawn in at the little hardpoints around the airfields. I have drug them to spot I want, if i'am far from the airfield it all works fine, but if i'm close, no matter where i move the takoff icon to it still puts me on the runway...? any suggeations?
Thanks S~
I'm brand new at this so don't hurt me. I want to have a flyable plane parked on the tarmac or off the runway that I can get into (or select), start the engines, taxi where ever I want to, and take off. If no one mans it then it will just sit there.
Hi Nimrod,
Try adding a Home Base object. Just click on Objects | Home Base near the TestRunway.
Hi, I wanted to make a mission where a flight takes off from a frozen lake. I put 4 "Test runway 4" paralel to create an invisible smooth runway. Player controlled aicraft takes off and lands fine, but how can i make my AI wingmen land safely? (I've tried to order them "return to base") No success, they fly off somewhere else or chrashes.
Cheers,
Nimrod
WOW Thks this is perfect for my custom North Africa airfeilds.
I've done a few "In the Field take-off" missions and a flight of 4 spawn in "echelon right" formation ; when not on a base.
Cheers Bruce. Yeah, it's a nice little extra for some missions.
Certainly, this is an interesting idea for missions which wasn't something I'd ever considered, or even knew was possible.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge so generously!
I'll try this one soon.