Hauksbee Posted July 2, 2009 Posted July 2, 2009 In trying to come to grips with B/Z fighters, an Artificial Horizon Indicator would be a great help. Particularly when you're clawing for altitude and all you can see is white cloud. I tried the CTRL_SHIFT, +1,2,3,4,& 5, but it didn't respond. I found some instruments with one of the 'F' keys: two copies of the same compass, and what appears to be an altimeter. Most of what I need I can get with the 'Z' key, but an Artificial Horizon would be nice. Quote
+Olham Posted July 2, 2009 Posted July 2, 2009 Press "F5" - if you don't see any instruments then, press Control+1,2,3,4,5 or Control+Shift+1,2,3,4,5 One of that should do. Quote
+Olham Posted July 2, 2009 Posted July 2, 2009 (edited) Maybe it was "H", Strg+H or Strg+Ctrl+H If you have a compass and a copy of another, you can make one of them into the horizon by pressing Strg+1,2,3 etc. or Strg.+Ctrl.+1,2,3 etc. Edited July 2, 2009 by Olham Quote
Hauksbee Posted July 2, 2009 Author Posted July 2, 2009 "Strg" = ??? (please explain) I was just about to ask the same. Must be an 'Albatros thing'. (LOL) Quote
+Polovski Posted July 2, 2009 Posted July 2, 2009 "Ctrl" I believe that is on a German keyboard. Quote
+Olham Posted July 2, 2009 Posted July 2, 2009 Unc, the gauge for the upward/downward angle is also swaying, when you bank, right? So it's much like an artificial horizon, as it shows you your banking angle. Not in numbers though. And yes - Strg. = Ctrl. Quote
Rickitycrate Posted July 2, 2009 Posted July 2, 2009 I used to drive a Mitsubishi Montero. It had one of these in the dash. Made passengers worry after seeing me fly RB3D. Quote
Mr. Lucky Posted July 3, 2009 Posted July 3, 2009 I'll put in my two cents here. It wasn't invented yet. But if it helps your enjoyment of the sim, good luck. There are other instruments (not German) that could help as they teach you when learning to fly. Watch your altimeter to guage your attitude. Generally, if it's going up, your nose is up, and vice versa. the airspeed indicator helps in this as will engine noise. Ascending and slowing down, nose is up. Descending and speeding up, nose is down. Also, watch your compass. Generally, if your wings aren't level, then you'll be turning, i.e. your compass will be moving. That's how I fly through clouds. Altitude, airspeed, heading. I still avoid going deep in the big ones due to turbulence and wind shear. Quote
Check Six Posted July 3, 2009 Posted July 3, 2009 I have found myself (on more than one unfortunate occasion) to exit warp in the middle of a large cloud bank and in a spiralling nose-dive. Mostly all you can do is go and maks a cup of coffee and await the certain news that your pilot is dead. There is one thing you can try. Turning on your labels (mine are always on, I'm a newbie) at least lets you know the direction of your spin. I don't think this is a "cheat" to turn on your labels temporarily whilst in this predicament, after all, if you were actually in the cockpit you could feel the direction of your spin. (hell...if you were actually in the cockpit in this predicament, you'd try ANYTHING, cheating or otherwise, to survive). At least, once you know the direction of your spin, you can apply opposite rudder and hope that it can bring you out of it before you experience coming out of the clouds, totally nose down, 200 mph at 200 ft. Somewhat fatal. This is, I believe, about the closest you will get in a WW1 sim to an artificial horizon. Sure, watch your altimeter, listen to your engine cough and splutter as you become inverted, watch your ground labels. Quote
NS13Jarhead Posted July 3, 2009 Posted July 3, 2009 (edited) Kind of like the rolling little steel ball that was supposed to be an incline monitor. When I put my 85 CJ on it's side, it woked, of course I only looked at it after the fact . . We had one of those little things on the bridge of a Navy ship I was on. I stopped looking at it and started looking for a life jacket when we hit 45 degrees during a storm! Edited July 3, 2009 by NS13Jarhead Quote
Hauksbee Posted July 3, 2009 Author Posted July 3, 2009 There is a gauge that shows your upward or downward pitch in degrees, but the same information is obtainable in ( Z ) I tried the 'Z Option'. There's just too much information in there, the type is small, the lines are packed close, and if that were not enough, the numbers are rapidly changing because the plane is moving. Quote
Hauksbee Posted July 4, 2009 Author Posted July 4, 2009 (edited) Well then, looks like soimething finally shook loose. As I said in the original post, CTRL>SHIFT +1, etc. wasn't giving me anything. But tonight it did. AND...I got the CTRL>H to bring up artificial horizon [of a sort]. This is in a SPAD. Mayhap it won't work on other planes. But it's a start. Thanks for all the patient help. One other thing. Why, when I'm sitting on the field prior to take-off, is my Health Level only 59%? [it's hard to see in the pic.] Edited July 4, 2009 by Hauksbee Quote
Hauksbee Posted July 4, 2009 Author Posted July 4, 2009 (edited) That 'Health' Level Trash is pure CFS3 .. Forget it. I feel better already. Edited July 4, 2009 by Hauksbee Quote
+Olham Posted July 4, 2009 Posted July 4, 2009 Hauksbee - the instrument will be available on every craft, looking the same. You can make them smaller, but I forgot, how; maybe it's in Uncle's thread "Tipps & Cheats". Also can you click and hold them, and move them elsewhere. And you can switch on so many only, as you want, by the numbers. Have fun, and stay aloft. Quote
JimAttrill Posted July 4, 2009 Posted July 4, 2009 That 'Health' Level Trash is pure CFS3 .. Forget it. The Only usable information from the printed part of the HUD is the Digital Fuel Gauge, and the Ammo counter, most folk just slide the whole mess off screen . . . your choice I didn't know I could do that! It would be nice if the devs could get rid of the whole thing and give us some sort of fuel gauge. Though I don't think aircraft of that time had fuel gauges (?). I flew in a SAA Ju 52 3m a couple of years ago, and that had sort of floating dipsticks protruding above the wings. And the DH Chipmunk had mechanical gauges on top of the wings. The Harvard also had some sort of sight gauge IIRC. So using the digital fuel gauge is rather like using the Artificial Horizon which was invented by Elmer Sperry in 1929 .... Quote
+RAF_Louvert Posted July 4, 2009 Posted July 4, 2009 So using the digital fuel gauge is rather like using the Artificial Horizon which was invented by Elmer Sperry in 1929. Good Morning All, If you are looking for a period correct artificial horizion, here is a very simple field modification that can be done PDQ and is very much in keeping with a WW1 flyer's ingenuity. I will show how I have it installed on my DH2, but it will work with any aeroplane. You will need a half-empty pint whiskey or scotch bottle. Which kind and how you get it to the half-empty stage is entirely up to you, but I recommend a 12-year-old blend and a bit of tonic to properly do the job. Now then, be sure to tightly recork the bottle, then set it on a level surface and mark two lines on the bottle; one exactly at the level of the liquid, and the the other about a 1/2" above the first. After this is accomplished, fit it to your instrument board in any convenient location with a few bits of brass strap and some screws. The following illustrations show how to properly utilize and read the gauge. YOU ARE FLYING TRUE AND LEVEL YOU ARE BANKING LEFT YOU ARE BANKING RIGHT IF AIR SPEED IS DECREASING YOU ARE CLIMBING IF AIR SPEED IS INCREASING YOU ARE DIVING YOU ARE UPSIDE DOWN (you will want to correct this immediately) YOU ARE BEING SHOT AT (you will want to change direction immediately) IT HAS BEEN AN EXCEPTIONALLY STRESSFUL FLIGHT (you will want to go to the pub after landing and prepare several more pint bottles for your mates to use as AH's in their kites) There you have it. A simple and effective Great War era artificial horizion. Cheers! (hic) Lou Quote
+Olham Posted July 4, 2009 Posted July 4, 2009 Lou - did you really make this functionable for BHaH? I mean: could everyone post-install this? Quote
+RAF_Louvert Posted July 4, 2009 Posted July 4, 2009 Olham, no Sir I did not, but if I knew how to I would do it in a heartbeat! Not only would it work, it would be something likely tried back in 1918. I was just having a bit of fun whilst I enjoyed my morning coffee. Food for thought for those who know how to create functional instruments. Cheers! Lou Quote
+Olham Posted July 4, 2009 Posted July 4, 2009 Yes, it's agreat idea! I wonder if the "Horizon" we have among the instruments, could be replaced by something like this. Clever, really! Quote
+RAF_Louvert Posted July 4, 2009 Posted July 4, 2009 Aaaah, but a half-full liquor bottle is specific to niether WW1 or WW2. It's practically timeless. Cheers! lou Quote
+RAF_Louvert Posted July 4, 2009 Posted July 4, 2009 Must have been a stressful flight then, eh Olham? nyuk nyuk nyuk Cheers! Lou Quote
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