[Pibwl]

Aircraft

Most info concerning aircraft 1946-50 is taken from a Czech article in (Polish) Lotnictwo Wojskowe magazine.

General note: in many cases (not only aircraft), price of units should change, if armament changes are applied, but I generally don't deal with prices.

127 Yak-9B - Czechoslovakia didn't use Yak fighters at all (with exception of Yak-23).

It can be replaced with Spitfire LF.IXE - eg. French #162, used in 1/46 - 12/48, armed with 2x20 mm, 2x12.7mm and two bombs 100 kg (I don't think, that they bought 113 kg (250pdr) bombs. Maybe they could be used with one German or Soviet 250 kg? - my guess). Icon 514 is OK, without signs.

128 La-5N - proper name La-5FN, used until 1948. But it's better to rename it La-7, with the same stats - used in bigger number and until 1950 (now: 12/54). Picture and icon are OK. According to Russian sources, both could only take 2 x 100 kg bombs, not 4 x 125 (I have no information on bombs, but 125 kg was not typical in German/Soviet inventory which Czechoslovakia might have used and this weapon should be rather changed to standard 100 kg).

129 Avia S-99 - not numerous unit (radio=1), used from some mid-46 until some 1953 (now: 1/46-12/54). "Avia" could be omitted, since they were Bf 109, only assembled and restored in Avia.

130 S-92 (Me-262) - withdrawn from service already in 1951 (now: 12/59 - hard to imagine how to keep operating ex-German WWII jets so long). It could be available earlier (now 1/49) - there were several available in 1948, although they were used for experiments and training and only in 10/50 there was created the first jet fighter unit. Size should be rather 4.

131 S-102 (Mig-15) - first delivered in 6/51 (now: 1/51).

132 MiG-17F - MiG-17 didn't carry obsolete RS-82 rockets, and moreover, CS used only two MiG-17F (http://www.valka.cz/clanek_10547.html ). I suggest to change it to an interesting Czech attack variant MiG-15SB (see http://www.valka.cz/clanek_10543.html ). Data and guns like MiG-15 (above), but speed = rather 10 due to increased weight. Used from 1959 until 1983, armed in following variants:
- 40 rockets 55 mm LR-55 (Czech design, probably equivalent to Soviet 57 mm S-5 with HE warhead)
- 4 rockets 130 mm LR-130 (Czech design, HEAT warhead, probably similar to Western 5in rockets)
- 4 bombs 100 kg (6 without fuel tanks)
- 2 cluster bombs RBK-250 (#199, I don't know, if anti-personel or anti-tank and don't know since when)
In addition to rockets it could take 2 x 100 kg bombs, if without fuel tanks.

(BTW: I don't know why MiG-15 and MiG-17 have in the game different ammo loads: 4 vs 6 x 37 mm and 8 vs 9 x 23 mm, while they both had 40 rounds 37 mm and 80 rounds 23 mm)

133 MiG-17F - see above - I suggest to change it to MiG-15SB armed with same guns and 4-6 bombs 100 kg (see above).

134 MiG-17PF - MiG-17PF didn't carry obsolete RS-82 rockets. I suggest to remove this unit (or change to MiG-15 SB).

135 MiG-17PF - it should have the same ammo load for 23 mm guns, as MiG-15 and 17F, which have 8 or 9 shots (it has 6). Speed could be 12 - max 1123km/h.

136 Il-10 Sturmovik - name could be changed to B-33 or Avia B-33 (technically, Avia was a proper name for licensed production B-33 since 1952, but Avias constituted a great majority). According to a Russian book on Il-10 [Aviakollektsya 5/2004], used from 8/50 until 1960 (now there is 1/50-12/58). It could take only 4 rockets (now it has 2x4) [same source].

137 Il-28 - delivered only in 1955 (now: 1/53), withdrawn from bomber units in 1965 (now: 12/71) - until 1973 they served for reconnaissance. In 1960 fixed guns were dismounted in Czechoslovakia, though [source Aviakollektsya 6/2006]. So there could be another unit in 1960-65, without guns (as a level bomber?). I'm not sure, if it should be fighter-bomber class at all - in Soviet oob they are only level bombers or COIN, and were rather not fit to strafing. As a level bomber, it would need new formation.

138 MiG-21PF - PF used from 8/64 (now there's 1/66) (http://www.valka.cz/clanek_10769.html ).

139, 140 S-105 - Czechoslovakia used S-105 (licence MiG-19) from 1958 (now there's 1967!) [Source: MiG-19 In action]. Armament of unit #140 seems OK, though typical for MiG-19 was 8-rocket 57 mm launchers on only two pods (and two tanks or bombs).

141 MiG-21PFM - RS-2US was AA only missile, so it must be an error. It could use unguided S-24 240 mm missiles instead (weapon #176 240mm S-24 Rkt).

(Note: RS-2US was only experimentally used against ground targets by the Russians, in a process of development of Ch-66 missile, but it had only 13-kg warhead and couldn't do much harm, with low precision. Anyway, it should be removed - unless somebody finds a source, that the Czechs meant to use it against ground. A special air-to-ground missile Ch-66 (Kh-66, AS-7) was developed for MiG-21PF, but I have no confirmation, that the Czechs had them (basically an earlier version of Ch-23 Kerry). Maybe it's meant to be this missile? Data for Ch-66: HE/HEAT warhead 103 kg including 51 kg of explosive (Ch-25 has warhead 108 kg, RS-2 has 13 kg), max range 8 km, accuracy 40 seems ok. It was commissioned in the USSR in 1968, so earliest possible date of export seems some 1969).

142, 143 MiG-21M, MF - armament of these aircraft should be in fact swapped (or names and everything else should be swapped, leaving armament). According to Czech page http://www.valka.cz/clanek_10769.html, version M (also known locally as MA) could carry up to 4x 250 kg bombs, "Theoretically 2x 500 kg could be carried after strengthening of wings". Version MF could carry 500 kg bombs without problems.

There could be also variant of M with 64 (4x16) 57mm S-5 rockets. There is also mention on parachute bombs on the page. Apart from latest times, they were just silver (icon 2757)

144 L-29 - better name is L-29 Delfin. Correct picture is 23032 (currently it is Hawk). 2 x 16 rockets is probably twice too much - it had two hardpoints up to 100 kg (http://forum.valka.cz/viewtopic.php/t/6443 ), while loaded launcher for 16 rockets weighted around 138 kg. Contrary to some Western designs, it wasn't meant an attack aircraft, just a trainer. More appropriate is silver icon 1106.

145 Yak-23 - Czech spelling is Jak-23 (it also carried designation S-101). According to this Russian page http://www.airwar.ru/enc/fighter/yak23.html they were delivered only in the end of 1950 and used until 1956 (now: 1/49-12/51). According to article on the Czech post-war aviation, only in October 1950 there was created the first jet fighter unit, so it's the earliest date anyway.