Tweaked Flight Models and Realism Pack for FE2 11.0

Thank you, this is great, incredible job, the most important mod ever for the FE2, a totaly new sim.

Thanks all for the kind words - it's a pleasure working on FE2. I look forward to tweaking more FMs for several other plane types in future updates.

Happy flying,

Von S

Great! Many thanks!!!

Great stuff! But a little hard to use. I converted it all to a JSGME format, if you're interested.

Also, are all the data files the same across folder?

Hi Cperleberg, I wouldn't have much use for JSGME since I install my mods on OS X and fly FE2 in WineSkin, but it's a great idea for FE2 loaded in Windows 7/8/10. The data files are organized by theater and are historical whenever possible, so dates of service are slightly different per theater, also some aircraft types are not available in certain theaters - otherwise the flight-model tweaks themselves are the same across the same data inis found in several theatres (for example, the Nieu. 17 C.1 in the Eastern theater and the Western theater are the same plane type, but have different service dates and different countries assigned). There are also a few theaters that include types special to those theaters, such as the Morane-Saulnier I for the Russ. front - while other theaters get the 80HP N type.

Happy flying,

Von S

Yeah, I just created a Morane I from your data!  

Question about your Nie17bis (early). I note you list it as having a 130 clerget engine, which the standard 17bis doesn't seem to have (you are correct). Are you calling it "early" because the later 17bis's had stringers on the sides and the model doesn't?

Hey, I also noticed that your British nieuport 17 apparently has a vickers gun. All Brit N17s had Lewis guns only. (I'm no having much luck removing the vickers and adding the Lewis, either!)

Hi Cperleberg, you are correct regarding my "early" 17bis - I'm referring to it as early since it has the boxy fuselage of the 17 C.1 type, it was later 17bis types that had the rounded Nieu. 24 fuselage and narrower cowling. Some 17bis types may have been armed with a 110HP rotary, as with the C.1 type, but I decided on the 130HP variant for the early 17bis since the 17bis was a test bed for the more powerful engine. This also allowed me to tweak some of its data differently - it is now faster than the C.1 type, also climbs better and weighs a bit more (more inertia in dives).

Yes, I added a British-flown Nieu. 17 C.1 into the Western theater for variety, problem is it still has the Vickers on it - so that is the historical inaccuracy with it. I think some British 17 C.1 types may have had a Vickers and Lewis combination, as on the Se5a, but I will look into it - perhaps a few rare Nieu. 24 types had the Vickers/Lewis combo, but not the 17 C.1. At any rate I've set the English 17 C.1 to "rare" so it shouldn't show up as much as the French-flown models.

The Morane I with its 110HP engine is fun to fly, fairly twitchy and also fast - top speed is around 175kph now. It's a good match for the Fokkers and early Albatroses in the Eastern theater now, and also carries more ammo. than the N type. I'd like to see, ideally, a Vickers Mk.I on it - not the Hotchkiss - hopefully some talented modders here who work on FE2 will look into this.

Happy flying,

Von S

Yeah, I changed the Brit 17C from vickers to lewis myself. It's my impression that all Brit 17s had the lewis gun. I rated it as "Common" -- mostly because pilots who flew it tended to last longer than those poor slobs trapped in the DH2 or (even worse) BE2.

Thanks again for all the hard work!

Aug. 30, 2016 Update: A few new plane types added (Fokk. E.IV, the late Nieu. 16 with Vickers, an early "radiator ears" Alb. D.II, the BE12 and 12a types), the Halb. D.V further tuned, and other tweaks such as a modified general aircraft ai data ini file included. Please consult the relevant section of the included "Read Me" file for more detailed info. and installation instructions.

Happy flying,

Von S

Dec. 25, 2016 Update: A few new plane types added (Nieu. 17 Lewis, Nieu. 23 Lewis, Nieu. 23bis, Nieu. 12), structural aspects improved on Morane monoplanes and the Nieuport family (damage rating, maxg limits, etc.), and other modifications included to help improve engine fire chances, also environmental tweaks for realistic cloud heights and better frame rates on low-end/integrated graphics cards. Please consult the relevant section of the included "Read Me" file for more thorough info. and detailed installation instructions.

Happy flying and happy holidays,

Von S

Feb. 5, 2017 Update: Farman types added, also MaxG limits for lift surfaces, and where relevant damage rating and structural factor tweaks, also ailerons/elevator/rudder tuning, across the Albatros line, the SPADs, Hanriots, early Parasol and mid-wing types (Morane, Fokker, and Pfalz), and the later Fokker types too. Tweaked parachute effects are also included. Please consult the relevant section of the included "Read Me" file for more info. and detailed installation instructions.

Happy flying,

Von S

I just downloaded it and I am eager to test v8.7!!! Great job, thanks!

June 16, 2017 Update: A few new planes added (200HP Alb. D.Va, Spandau-armed Fokk. E.II, Etrich Taube, early Morane Parasol types), also MaxG limits for lift surfaces, and damage rating and structural factor tweaks implemented across the rest of the data inis. Further FM updates to the Farman and Anatra types, and Halb. D.V, are included. As well added are modifications to wind speeds, for greater realism, and changes to wind speed sounds and speeds in the aircraft object ini file, for greater immersion and spotting of differences between indicated airspeed and speed relative to ground. New wind/stall sounds are included, also new sounds for the 100 and 200HP (auv) Mercedes engines. Please consult the included "Read Me" file for more thorough info. and installation instructions.

Happy flying,

Von S

Nov. 1, 2017 Update: Several planes added, such as the Gothas, the HP 0/400 (now player-flown), also player-flown SPAD 7 types, including by Dux for the Eastern front and Mann-Egerton built ones for the British in Mesopotamia and the Western front; also included is correct over-compression of the engines on the Viper-powered Se5a, the Ansaldo SVA.5, the 235hp variant of the SPAD 13, as well as the previously tweaked over-compression on the Alb. D.Va (200hp), Fokk. D.VIIf, AEG. G.IV, and the Pfalz Dr.1 (the Gothas III, IV, and V also feature subtle over-compression); also added are further tweaks to ailerons/elevators/rudders across the SPAD single-seater line, a couple of new engine sounds, larger sun size in the environsys files across the weather/wind types, and a simplified installation process with all previous versions being updated to 8.9 in a large, "consolidated" folder, and the ver. 9.0 tweaks featured in a separate folder. As always, please consult the included "Read Me" file for more thorough installation info., and more details about the FM tweaks.

Happy flying,

Von S

I am going to check in the next few days the new version. These updates make it even better.

Jan. 4, 2018 Update (Special Edition - Camels, Pups and Gasbags): Several plane types added, including the Nieu. 17 C.1 Dux variant, the A-Team Sopwith Pups (80 and 100hp), Tripes (early and late), and Bristol Scouts C.1 and D variants, also several subtypes of the Morane-Saulnier type G (25, 45, 60hp Anzani), and several other improvements, including realistic heights and service dates for Zeppelins, airships, and balloons, per theater, and improved stall and buffeting data in the aircraftobject ini file, for more realistic stall effects. Also included are new gun subtypes, for the Vickers Challenger gear, Birkigt gear, and field mods of Alkan-Hamy and Sopwith-Kauper gears. As always, please follow the info. in the included "Read Me" file for a more detailed overview regarding the FM tweaks and for thorough installation instructions. Also check over the pics. included and posted with this update pack for a quick overview of what's new.

June 15, 2018 Update: Several planes and airships added, including the mid-war Schütte-Lanz types 6 to 11, Zeppelin Q class and British R.23 type airship (all player-flown), the Spad A.2 110hp and "retrofitted" 80hp variants, the Lebed 7 (unlicensed Tabloid copy), an obscure, lower-compression 210-220hp variant of the Spad 7 possibly flown by Rudolf Windisch, a very rare Nieuport 16 for the eastern front (possibly DUX-built), lower-flying Zepps and R.23 type airships for the GroundObjects folder, new fire, explosion, and gun fire and smoke effects, reworked snow and rain effects by Stary, high- and low-variant cloud effects, new ambient sounds (more subtle), and other tweaks as explained in the included "Read Me" file. Please look over that file, and the included pic. of the ver. 9.5 FM updates, for more info. regarding what's new.

Happy flying,

Von S

Still working my way through all the files and Readmes, but I can already tell this is a major improvement.  Well done!

Many thanks, VonS - I'll have to agree with Geezer that there is a lot of stuff here to incorporate and see how it works!  Tried out some of the "Effects" modifications first, but No Joy on seeing the parachutists jump!  Had pretty dramatic flame and debris before (except it was the same explosion each time) when a balloon lit up, and I was interested in seeing your different balloon demise outcomes, but now it just disappears when I get a few rounds on target...guess I'll have to investigate these files a little further!  

On 6/25/2018 at 5:30 PM, Silberpfeil said:

Many thanks, VonS - I'll have to agree with Geezer that there is a lot of stuff here to incorporate and see how it works!  Tried out some of the "Effects" modifications first, but No Joy on seeing the parachutists jump!  Had pretty dramatic flame and debris before (except it was the same explosion each time) when a balloon lit up, and I was interested in seeing your different balloon demise outcomes, but now it just disappears when I get a few rounds on target...guess I'll have to investigate these files a little further!  

Glad you're enjoying testing out the new ver. 9.5 FM pack Silberpfeil. The parachutists show up a few seconds after balloons are destroyed, if the correct balloon debris effect file is installed, also one of the included parachutes. Try to look back over the tail section of your aircraft or to turn around gently after having destroyed a balloon and you should see the fellow slowly gliding down. After June of 1918 approximately, you can install the modified aircraft explosion file from the parachute effects folder too - and this will give pilots parachuting out of their exploding aircraft as well - works well from about mid-1918, although both Germans and Allied flyers will get the same effect (even though Allied flyers didn't use parachutes in WWI).

The balloon fire effects are now more varied and historical (sometimes balloons wouldn't even light up when destroyed but simply gas would escape). If you like more consistent balloon explosions, that are slightly smaller but still noticeable, in relation to the stock effects, I recommend the ones from the ver. 8.9 folder included with my update pack - but a more convenient link to the older balloon effects is located at the post below:

https://combatace.com/forums/topic/87403-tweaked-flight-models-and-realism-pack-for-fe2/?page=7&tab=comments#comment-744973

Happy flying,

Von S

Feb. 9, 2019 Update ("The Early Berg Special"): Several tweaks re-applied to the Rumpler C.1, the HF.20 and 20U variants, also the Voisan type 5. As well included are three new winds for the environsys files, to mimic more realistic turbulence effects hopefully. Also included is Crawford's rotating fuel pump trick for Geezer's Martinsydes. More major tweaks include reworking of the early Farmans, types 7 and 11c, of the Caproni Ca.3, of the entire line of Fokker Dr.I, D.VII, and D.VIII aircraft, including the addition of an OAW variant of the Fokk. D.VII. Further, now included is a transformation of Geezer's Halb. D.V into a D.III variant, a reworked Aviatik C.I from the A-Team, also of their Siemens-Schuckert D.III. Stephen's latest SAML S.2 has been tweaked as well. Also tweaked is the Roland D.VIa, and a new engined-up type, the D.VIb variant. Four sub-variants of the Aviatik Berg D.I are now included (160 hp, early and late 200 hp, and 230 hp). The Phonix D.IIa has been re-tweaked, and the earlier D.II variant is now included too. Have also re-visited and re-tweaked the Hansa-Brandenburg D.I. For more detailed info. and installation instructions, and other updates not mentioned here, please look over the latest READ ME file that's located in the update pack, and also the included pic. of the ver. 9.7 FM updates. Happy flying to all.

Von S

Feb. 22, 2020 Update ("Early Aircraft Lockout Speeds"): Several improvements included to the flight engines for FE2 and SF2, as well as further atmospherics and cloud tweaks for FE2 and SF2. Also tweaked further is control surface sensitivity on the Oeffag Alb. D.II, as well as damage realism improvements on the Fokk. B.II. Further changes include lockout speed implementation on control surfaces for several early aircraft types, ranging from the Longhorns and Shorthorns to the M-S Parasol family and imitations, as well as early Pfalz and Fokk. Eindeckers. Package also includes fixes to rolling coefficients and elevator for slightly easier takeoffs in the Spad 12. And as well included are a few new sounds, wind sound strength improvements, and the various data inis for Stephen's Da Vinci flyer and variations on the Da Vinci. For more detailed info. and installation instructions, please see the included READ ME file. Happy flying all.

Von S

May 31, 2022 Update ("Rare Types & Sopwith Snipes"): New types added are the 110 hp (Lewis-armed) Nieuport 21, the early (Benz-powered) Albatros D.I 150 hp, the SPAD XVII 300 hp, as well as the Sopwith Snipe 230 hp and a re-tweaked (Bentley) Camel 150 hp. Ver. 10.0 also includes further minor tweaks to some files, improved (ReShade) shader presets for FE2, more streamlining of documents and folders, and a simplified, all-in-one "consolidated" folder that updates all files to the latest ver. of the FM/realism package for First Eagles 2. As always, check over the included, main READ ME file for more info.

Happy flying,

Von S 

June 10, 2022 Update (Addon - "Stock Strutters Overhaul"): New types added are overhauled stock Strutters in FE2, as well as a Sop. 1B1 that is a lovely aircraft for sightseeing, recon., as well as light fighting duties (when it has no bomb load). Also added to all Strutters now are functioning and animated air brakes. As always, check over the included, main READ ME file for more info. and details.

Cheers all and happy flying,

Von S