-
![LANG-CODE-KEY]()
LANG_NAME_KEY
Pilots!
CrashTailspin has been with us since the beginning. You have seen his awesome game guides, and you have seen him ingame as Flight Coordinator, and tournament master. We wanted you to get to know this guy a bit better, as we feel he is an excellent part of our community here at World of Warplanes.
Wargaming: How long have you been a gamer?
CrashTailspin: I’ve been playing some sort of video game for almost as long as I can remember. It started with my family’s first console games on IntelliVision (which even had a few airplane games – see Mission X). We then graduated to the original Nintendo, then Super Nintendo, and then PC-based games. Somewhere in there I purchased a PS2 as well. All told, that’s somewhere around 25 years.
WG: What are some of your hobbies/ activities?
CrashTailspin: When I’m not flying, I enjoy working on my house, playing with my daughter and our dogs, reading, and knocking pubbies out of the sky (oh wait, did I say that out loud…)
WG: What was your first MMO experience?
CrashTailspin: You’re gonna laugh, but honestly – World of Tanks. I never really got into the whole MMO thing until a friend at work introduced me to his online “tank game”. I was thinking that it was some sort of Flash-based browser game. Boy was I wrong. That was back when WoT was still in closed beta, with only two tech trees, the Panther and T-44 were the feared Medium Tanks (at Tier 8, the highest-tiered medium you could get), and the Hummel / SU-14 were the top tier arty.
WG: Where are you from?
CrashTailspin: Originally, North Dakota. I currently reside in a small town just outside of Portland, OR.
WG: Do you have any military/ aviation experience?
CrashTailspin: Over the past 14 years I’ve accumulated over 7,000 hours of flight experience. I started my flying career going the college route, earning a four-year degree in Aeronautics. My first paying (although not much) flying job was as a flight instructor. During that time I also did some aerial surveying and photography, ferry flying, airplane rides for kids, and even had some time to squeeze in a few joyrides here and there. Once I had accumulated enough flight hours, I was hired as an airline pilot in 2005, and have been doing that ever since.
Here's my background, for those of you who are curious:
WG: How long have you been playing WoWP?
CrashTailspin: I’ve been playing World of Warplanes since it first debuted in public Alpha testing in October 2011. World of Tanks held a contest involving player feedback on the Xfire and Overwolf programs. I was one of the few lucky ones who were chosen from that contest.
WG: What are some recent accomplishments you had ingame?
CrashTailspin: Due to the recent soft wipe, I was able to use my stockpiled XP to unlock every aircraft in-game. I also had a blast (pun intended) participating with some WG Staff pilots in a previous “Wargaming Takes to the Skies” event.
WG: What are your favorite planes?
CrashTailspin: In real life, I love the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. It was absolutely revolutionary for its time. Fast, heavily armed, durable, with an effective range that few could beat at the time it was put into service. The top two US Aces of World War 2 flew them, completed the longest fighter intercept mission during the war, fought in every theater of combat, and was in production from the start to the end of the war. Those are some impressive accomplishments.
In-game, I have so many favorites. I like flying the mid-tier German heavy fighters for their all-around versatility. They have very potent firepower, which allows them to dogfight using fast slashing attacks as well as taking out ground targets. I also like flying the P-51s and Me.109s of the game. Their combination of firepower, speed, and maneuverability makes them some of the best pure dogfighters of the game.
WG: What are your favorite aspects of the game?
CrashTailspin: I like the fact that you can jump into an aircraft, join a battle, and within seconds you’re in the middle of the action. There’s no lumbering to the target for what feels like hours, no waiting to spot a tiny speck in the sky. You’re in, and it’s on!
I also like how I can easily switch from one control scheme to another. I sometimes play using a joystick, but other times I’ll switch to a mouse / keyboard combination. From my experience, one control scheme has no advantage over another. It all boils down to player preference.
WG: What about WoWP appeals to you?
CrashTailspin: I like how Wargaming has placed the historical aircraft in the mid-tier range, making the famed aircraft of World War 2 (Mustang, Corsair, Zero, 109, etc.) easily attainable for the average gamer. For the more serious player, there’s the first-generation jet to fly, each with their own play style.
Coming from World of Tanks, I like the concept of upgrading your aircraft. It gives the player a goal, something to strive for. When you can improve your aircraft’s performance, whether it’s with a better engine, or armament, or whatever, you feel like you’ve accomplished something.
WG: Do you have any advice for new players?
CrashTailspin: My recommendation is to not get frustrated. Everyone has to start somewhere. Find a control scheme that works best for you. Take your time getting used to how each aircraft branch performs. Try to keep an eye on how the battle is developing, rather than focusing on one specific target. And don’t be afraid to call for help when you need it!
WG: What’s your favorite map/ Why?
CrashTailspin: I really enjoy flying on National Park. The drastic variations in terrain height allow pilots to use it to their benefit, whether it’s for concealment as they move to a target, or to shake a pursuer. Also, the altitude at which battles occur varies, giving aircraft that perform best at either high or low altitude an equal advantage.
