Making the radar screen into a porthole

[GwynO 16]

Is it possible to somehow make the space where the radar screen is in a cockpit into a window, just to make it vanish somehow? If so, would it still be able to display data when turned on and otherwise work just as a window?

Edited May 18, 2009 by Kopis n Xiphos

[+EricJ 4,244]

Like an MFD concept?

 

I think Craig Brierly got somewhere with that in his EF2000.

[GwynO 16]

Ok, what got me wondering about this is that the B-1 doesn't have a HUD according to all the pictures I have seen online, yet I have found the combination of flightpath marker and zoomed in view on the HUD a very good tool for ultra low level hand flying and wanted to develop the concept for use in a non HUD aircraft such as the B-1. My thought was first to make the radar disappear, to become a window, and to place the HUD over it and altering the view angles for a special low level nav view, giving the impression of being in the cockpit still but staring straight in front through the little radar "window". That would be like having a FLIR image display with flightpath marker I suppose. However that means loosing the radar screen data which is not good, unless there is some way of toggling the radar between window mode and radar mode. I thought it might just be a case of removing the radar bmp but apparently not.

 

Another use would be for Russian style avionics, by placing the see through radar in those aircraft higher, where the HUD is, that is if radar icons might still show up on top of the HUD without the radar background showing.

 

Another thought was to just have the radar screen as normal, with a TV/EO system display, again the idea would be to have a view toggle specific to use this screen for NOE flying where the pilot's eyes are looking straight at it and out, the camera would have to be pointed straight ahead and not zoomed in at all, and the HUD again would have to be placed over this system, assuming the HUD symbology would show over the TV image, so long as all the angels match up it might work.

[zmatt 2]

You could just give the B-1 a HUD.

[GwynO 16]

You could just give the B-1 a HUD.

 

Could do yes but the real one doesn't have one. There are a lot of things that aren't really simulated e.g.the fully automatic terrain following radar flight profile of something like the F-105D, B-1, Tornado, Jaguar, TU-160 and so on and on and on. The point is to try and make the best of what is there by whatever means possible, to try rather than not to try, for example just look at what the OFF guys have done with CFS3. Give me the choice between something really hard but closer to simulation, or easy and available out of the box, I will choose the first option every time. I'm fed up of complaining all the time about avionics shortfalls so I am determined somehow or other to personally batter the crap out of this to find a solution, just like Siberian Sun, Widesky, ODS, and a lot of other mods have done something with the game that didn't look possible, those are a source of motivation and proof that it is possible to make things work given enough talent, time, resources and effort.

 

I don't have the talent (not artistic or clever in the ways of the game), or the time (work crazy hours and soon to start another post grad course), I don't have the resources (can't afford 3d modelling software) BUT... I can certainly put in a lot of effort!! Could do with a hand though!!

[FastCargo 412]

KnX,

 

Any of your ideas for the B-1B aren't realistic either. The TF system doesn't work that way or look that way in a Bone. The EO thing would be good when you mount a sniper pod, for targeting weapons...but again, not used for TF.

 

In other words, you're trading one unrealistic way for another. It's actually more realistic in a Bone to have the ground mapping radar going and be looking outside to hand fly.

 

FC

[GwynO 16]

Therein my other recent probe into this focusing on getting the autopilot to turn better when the altitude is set very low. Perhaps I'm better off looking into that for this problem, however, I will keep plugging away at this anyway just in case it proves useful for something else. I'm sure at least some aircraft use a FLIR image to aid night flying at low levels, I imagine such systems would have a flightpath marker and all, however I'm probably wrong. Having Russian style avionics with radar superimposed on the HUD is probably wrong too, but I'll keep dreaming

[Lexx_Luthor 57]

Plugging is good. I was thinking if its possible to make a window showing things outside. U-2 had a panel screen that showed stuff under the airplane. In at least one case I read, a pilot could see MiG pilot helmet in the MiG far below. First thing I thought was angling a cockpit mirror. That would work guarunteed but only if the game models angled mirror reflection. I have not tried rotating a mirror yet heeh.

 

You have used Siberian Sun? Brave soul. Tip: In my short time trying PATCH 2008, I had to exactly double the sun and moon sizes, as well as double the sizes of the sun glares. Something went down there over at the Thudwire haaah..