Hi,

So I have lost my last two pilots due to engine failures.
One in his second mission and the most recent on his third.
Flying the strutter.

I do not have any damage mods enabled.

Both happened on a long return home flight after patrols with no enemy contact.

Both happened during time compression with autopilot and I was not quick enough to get autopilot turned off and the engine turned off.

Is this just a coincidence?

Probably... did the engine really blow up, like your pilot died from fire or did it just konk out and the autopilot botched the landing? You will get warnings about system failures but if you are on time compress you don't have much time to react. If you have to fly with time compression for real life constraints (family, work, etc.) you can cut yourself some slack and restore your pilot if you use Robert Wiggins' backup utility from the WOFF website under user mods...

Hello Stache,

The Clerget engines in the early RNAS Sopwith Strutters, made by Gwynnes under licence, were prone to overheat, particularly on longer flights, so it might not be a coincidence - this may have been built in to the sim to give the Strutter a higher than average chance of engine failure.

B.

If I time compression/autopilot I have one finger on the pause key at all times, mostly in case I spot baddies but it's saved my 'life' more than once when my engine caught fire

Of course it's co-incidence as engine failure is a random event.
Some aircraft engines are more prone to failures than others - that is built in to WOFF.

Some people have never seen a failure, some seen many, some none for a long time then a few in a row.

If you turn on time acceleration then you are open to not being able to react in time to turn engine off or land.
Fly with less time acceleration, or watch it more carefully if you care about your pilot.

Okay thanks for the feedback, it's just those 40-50nm transits take a long time....

Yes the engine blows up - the prop is damaged and some of the cylinders are missing.
Not sure which happens first - blowing up or catching fire... (not that it makes much difference )

I have heard of the backup utility - with only a couple missions these pilots were not that important, now maybe after 20 + missions....

Still loving WOFF - got so much to learn.

Yes try the Robert Wiggins' backup utility on the user mods page on the website. But maybe easier to make your pilot never die in workshop settings, and then you decide when he is dead.

Yeah that's you Olham

I did fly 34 French campaign missions in my Esc48 MS parasol. I had faced only one serious engine damage, which did glide me over the front back to the first airstrip, where I did land safety, without any engine power. So I was very proud and thinking this game will generate only a few and then it is over.
This weekend I did face two, engine was now still reacting but a strange metal sound was heard from the engine, so I did turn back to the airfield.

And that is what I do like on Woff.

yeah like buses sometimes you can wait for hours and none come, then suddenly 3 at once keeps you on your toes.

Randomness of life or death..

I had my first engine fire for no reason the other day in a BrisFit.

I need better mechanics.... 13 missions with my latest pilot... 4 forced landings due to engine issues.

I am getting good at picking up the symptoms.

This last one, was the clattering sound.
https://youtu.be/lpq1e98Q8Eo

I managed to nurse it 5 miles back to base without the engine destroying itself.

This is not a complaint... tis nice to get something interesting after an uneventful patrol.