Subscribe to download
Polikarpov Po-2 (U-2M) Night Bomber Twin Float Plane by Uncle T

My version of the Polikarpov Po-2 (or U-2M sort of) float plane night bomber.

Though the bi-plane design was antiquated already before WW2 began the Soviets made good use of its strenghts and turned this slow but manoeuverable trainer plane into a capable night bomber.

This floatplane version is armed with one rearward facing 7.62×54mmR (0.30 in) ShKAS machine gun and carries 6 x 50 kg bombs.

The plane was famously used by the 588th Night Bomber Regiment with all female crew and ground crew. They got the nickname Nachthexen or Night Witches by the Germans. Though the material damage caused by these light aircraft with relatively small bomb loads, the psychological menace they posed, always attacking at night, usually with engies off and gliding the last bit to their target, and disrupting the enemies' sleep time after time should not be underestimated. The Germans were apperently further disheartened by the fact that they were being attacked by women.

UPDATE!
The actual top speed of this plane was only 150 kph which means I've had to increase it by some 100% for the plane to be able to take off and fly in the current disastrous aerodynamics.
To overcome the extreme friction of the skid, the extreme lack of lift at low speeds and even lack of ground speed in the game with as weak an engine as this I have deviced a double throttle system.
1. When taking of use the Turbo Boost (X/Disabled steering) to use the full power of the engine.
2. Once you're airborne turn this OFF! The power needed to get the plane in the air makes it go 950+ kph if you leave this on, and it's not realistic (duh!) nor is the plane designed or trimmed to go that fast. But feel free to have fun with it of course. :)
3. This solution makes you fly with the engine maxing out at about 2,100 rpm, but it's a lot better than cutting the engine out completely IMO.

To make the plane be able to take off from the water it needs an engine strong enough to pull it from the water with no help from aerodynamic lift (since there currently is none under 100 kph) and literally just brute force from the propellers. This makes the plane take off more like a rocket out of the water with almost no run-up needed, so be careful.

Sadly landing is nearly impossible since the water acts like glue as soon as you touch it and these realistic floats are too short to compensate for the forward momentum in the game.

Alt controls to fly.
W/S: Variable throttle.
S: Ground brake.
A/D: Ground steering/Yaw.
Up/Down arrows: Pitch.
Left/Right arrows: Roll.
Fire action 1-6/Num 1-6: Bombs.

Rear machine gun (from rear seat)
Alt + Mouse or Arrow keys to control.
Fire action 1/Num 1: Fire.

Feel free to edit, but if you reupload publically in any way, please acknowledge the original creation and creator.

Have fun!