warthunder German tech tree

Tony May
Okay, I just happened to stumble over this while looking for this magnificent Airfix Do-217J build & I had to chuckle over the Warthunder German Tech Tree project. lol If it's any consolation my son wants to build all the vehicles from a Roblox game very similar to WoT, called Steel Titans, so I've seen this before. 😉 Do you plan to build them in the colors they wear in the game; Perhaps with event or premium skins?

dragonmaster16
unfortunately this project has been put on the backburner I am extremely busy with school and work at the moment but I hope to get back to this soon and thanks for your interest with this project it makes me feel more motivated to continue.

Tony May
Yes, we often have to put our hobbyist pursuits on the back burner for our education, work, family & chores. However I think all the "real world" interruptions makes it all the more special when we do get the time to work on our modeling projects. Don't forget, if you start feeling overwhelmed with things that sometimes building something, anything, even if it's not your usual cup of tea can be very therapeutic in relieving stress. I wish you great luck when you are able to get back to it. You never did answer if you planned to paint these as they appear in War Thunder and/or perhaps with some of the custom skins?

dragonmaster16
if the skin is really eye catching maybe

dragonmaster16
update on this project I have bought the first three kits and I have figured out how I am going to do things if there is a folder vehicle I am going to choose the more special aircraft and I am starting with the latter four ranks and the I am going to do the former half.

Tony May
Starting with the latter ranks? As in jets first? Also I noticed that you don't have the big six engine flying boat I've seen featured on videos with war thunder players goofing off, the Bv-222, listed. Are you planning to add that? It was fun watching people trying to land on that beast in midair. lol

A folder vehicle? As in an aircraft where there are several versions of the same plane, for example the Bf 109 or Bf 110?

It's been so long since I've tried to play War Thunder. I barely have the minimum capabilities to play on this PC so I don't bother. Earlier this month though I tried a trial VR flight sim on my brother-in-law's computer. Both he & my sister complained that it made them nauseous; It made me excited! Does War Thunder have options to play it on VR? My son will be buying a new PC next month with better than necessary capabilities to play it. I wanna know if I need to start saving to get MY controls for when he's not on his PC & is off goofing around with something else? 😄 lol

dragonmaster16
for the first question in Australia, it is really difficult to find a Bv-238 kit for a reasonable price and I am about to finish high school so I'm not going to stress about it. For the second question I will go for the most available variant or one that is more visually different for example the trop version of the Bf 109f-4 but the BF 109G is my favourite prop fighter, so I'll probably do all of the G variants. for the final question it does have a VR option, but I don't have access to a VR headset to play the game in VR.

Tony May
Oh, that was the Bv-238 in War Thunder? I thought it was the Bv-222; My mistake. Congrats on the upcoming graduation! Does your family have anything special planned to celebrate it? Do you plan to go on to attend college/university afterwards?

Now I understand, the most common variant to represent the base type. That's an even better choice. Be careful with becoming more familiar with military aviation because "most visually different" will expand by leaps & bounds! Trust me on this, I know all about it, entirely too well!

The Bf 109G comes in a variety of "flavors." The early G-2 & G-4 don't look a whole lot different from the F-4. The G-5 & G-6 get the big blisters on the sides of the nose. The G-8 was a reconnaissance model with a lot of variation between them. Some of them included the motor cannon, while omitting the blisters for the nose guns, while others did the opposite & yet others were unarmed. The variety of cameras is a whole other story.

The G-10 is the next common variant, numerically in designation, but it was actually an ad hoc production while G-14s were already being produced elsewhere! Due to this nature, would it surprise you to learn that there are SIX separate versions of that one aircraft without even getting into the talk about field modifications?! It was produced using different components so as to keep production going in 3 different factories & each were slightly different based upon which factory made them. Later a new engine was introduced that changed the appearance of the nose slightly that again changed all 3 G-10s. The G-12, that's a fun one, because these were conversions of existing war weary Bf-109G-4/G-6 aircraft to be 2 seat armed trainers. There are models of both the one with the smooth nose & models of the one with the blistered nose. Then of course there's the G-14. I liked the change in that tall wooden tail fitted to that version. It gives it a look as though they infused it with a bit of Me-262 "blood."

The chaos in production of the G variant is what led to the K model. There were so many sub types with incompatible components that the German military demanded that Messerschmitt manufacture a "standard model" that would focus on maximum performance while maintaining commonality.

It dispensed with the ugly nose blisters but changed the main wing with a large fairing on top of the wing that was intended to deepen the wheel well. It kept the tall tail & was to incorporate a partially retractable tail-wheel with clam shell doors to cover what remained of the retracted wheel. Only the K-4 was produced in any significant numbers & so long as they weren't weighed down with field modification kits it was the fastest of all production 109s. When fitted with those field modification, underwing armaments, experienced pilots complained that it made it's performance sluggish. This also made it less forgiving for new pilots.

There is a model that portrays a K-12, basically a K-4 converted to a 2 seat armed trainer, but I'm not sure if it ever existed. There are unconfirmed reports that 2 K-14 aircraft, high-altitude fighters armed only with the MK 108 motor cannon & fitted with a four blade propeller were delivered to JG 52 in the Spring of 1945 but that cannot be confirmed either.

For me personally the blisters on the nose just spoil the good looks of this iconic fighter, at least, for me. I even made sure to obtain a G-4 based G-12 for my collection. I think my favorite version would be the E, as it has those lines that just echo of the time when the Messerschmitt could hardly be matched. In terms of pure appearance though my favorite would have to be the K-4. (The ultimate 1/72 scale model kit of this version is slated to be produced by Eduard next year.)

War Thunder DOES have the VR option?! I HAVE to get the headset & controls then! For the time being though it will have to wait. I have all sorts of stuff reserved with Super-Hobby in Poland that I am steadily buying. (Their shipping can't be beat, it's cheaper than domestic US shipping, if you make an order that is 100 USD worth or more & their prices are really good.) Additionally I need to save up for a new airbrush, compressor with an air tank, a regulator & moisture trap. (My old ones were stolen years ago.)

I haven't built many Bf-109s at all in recent years because I'm not satisfied with the results of trying to paint their unique mottled camo with a brush. This is true for many other schemes such as the USN WW2 3 color paint scheme where Non-Specular Sea Blue fades into Intermediate Blue which then in turn fades into Insignia White. Never mind 90% of Italian or French paint schemes!

After the airbrush/compressor is in hand, I'll start saving & when I get a few of my projects completed: Then I'll buy the headset as well as the hand controls. 😉

dragonmaster16
first question my family will plan an after party with my friends' and I'm going to go into the Raaf second question I'll be careful thank final statement good luck. final note this project is going to take me a while and is going to cost me around $3000 Aud so I'll have to take it slow but I have started and don't plan to stop until I'm done.

Tony May
That all sounds great! I hope the party goes well for you & you get some nice surprises! Joining the RAAF? Good for you, my young friend!

You are very fortunate to have a family that supports your desire to enter the armed forces of your nation. I was not as fortunate as you are so I genuinely envy you.
I was told in no uncertain terms that I would be disavowed & disowned entirely from the close knit family I'd grown up in if I joined the USAF as I had wanted. It's a long story, irrelevant to the topic of your future plans, but explains what happens when you take away the only career a child can see themselves in.

Thank you for the well wishes on my goals! My son is actually a bit older than you. I'm 46, I feel like I'm 76 & I act more like I'm 16. 😄 I'm used to budgeting & making long term goals though. Those goals don't always work out but a person can only do their best!

Yeah, model building today is NOT a cheap hobby. It used to be far cheaper when model kits were made with far less detail or attention to accuracy with a price tag intended to be within reach of a child's weekly allowance. (Up until I was 13 I was underpaid compared to what my peers were getting for doing chores so it generally took me 2-5 weeks before I could afford a model; At 14 I was responsible for 25% of the monthly household bills including rent, electric, water, sewer, garbage collection & the landline phone. Cell phones were a far different beast at the time, quite rare & I'd never even heard of the internet up to that point in time!) Now they are designed & priced for adults that wish to produce near-museum quality/detail models.

If you adjust for inflation I've probably spent tens of thousands in USD on model building over these many years & my wish list seems to constantly grow! The USD has lost half it's value over the past 20-odd years & only seems to be getting weaker. Unfortunately I spent most of my life from 14 onward performing jobs that required heavy physical labor so my body is a wreck. I can't just choose to take up a second job or anything like that when I need more money like I used to & my annual income is not climbing nearly as fast as the cost of living in the US is.

Still, like you, I will keep at the hobby until either my collections are complete OR I die trying! 😉