CR42 (1940)

[+Geezer 3,569]

View File

CR42 (1940)

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Updated files to reflect user inputs - see change log. The SAVE SELECTION AS CHANNEL button in my copy of Photoshop has stopped working, so I cannot fix the bullet holes alpha channel problem. I have placed the _Holes files in the Graphics Pack. If you can make your own .tga files with alpha channel, just drop the resulting four .tga files into the CR42_1 folder.

 

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The CR42 was Italy's most numerous fighter in 1940, and fought over North and East Africa, plus briefly in the Battle of Britain. Export versions operated in the Battle of France (Belgium) and on the Eastern Front (Hungary). Immensely strong, its license-built Pratt & Whitney engine drove a license-built Hamilton-Standard constant speed propeller, giving the CR42 a performance edge over Allied biplanes in early WW2.

 

This is the first of many 1930s aircraft intended for FE/FE2. The planned selection of aircraft will cover the early desert war in North Africa and also the Spanish Civil War. Whenever appropriate, an SF2 version will also be developed for Baffmeister's BoB mod.

 

A number of modders have assisted me in developing this aircraft, particularly Stephen1918. Additional thanks to Wrench, Baffmeister, Sully, gambit168, Nixou, and Viper63a. I've probably forgotten someone - if so, my apologies.

 

Special thanks to professional illustrator Jim Laurier for use of his instrument art for the cockpit.

 

The only known problem is the extended take off run - once in the air, no other problems have been observed. When Baffmeister returns in the autumn, he said he will tweak the FM a bit more to his satisfaction.

 

The current FM lists the CR42 as a German aircraft so it will drop into most First Eagles' mods. You can change the nationality by opening the CR42_DATA.ini and editing the first two lines of the Mission Data listings.

 

THIS MODEL IS ONLY TO BE DISTRIBUTED AS FREEWARE AND IN NO OTHER CIRCUMSTANCE SHALL IT BE USED, EVEN IN PART, OF ANYTHING THAT IS PAYWARE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMBAT ACE MODDERS AGREEMENT.

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• Submitter
  Geezer
• Submitted
  06/20/2015
• Category
  First Eagles - Golden Era - Axis Add-On Aircraft

 

[+Geezer 3,569]

Three pilot choices are included in the Pilots folder.  One option is a hot weather desert pilot in shirt sleeves, while the default Euro pilot wears a flight jacket and kapok life vest.  A third option is a high altitude version of the Euro pilot with oxygen mask.

 

A 1940 graphics pack, with templates, artwork, and alternate insignia and markings, will follow shortly.  Sometime in the future, I will probably release a 1941-42 version, with appropriate graphics pack.

 

Tonight, I'm gonna celebrate with a bottle of wine.     Tomorrow, I'll resume mapping my next project, the Gloster Gladiator Mk2.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Geezer

[+NeverEnough 78]

Geezer, enjoy that bottle of wine because you have certainly earned it!  I have been really looking forward to your CR42, and want to thank you for your extraordinary efforts.

[Wrench 9,429]

Excellent Work!!

[Gatling20 748]

Great looking aircraft, thanks Geezer, she flies really well, and looks just right.

Templates would be great - there are quite a few different skins for this bird.

 

Couple of small bugs to report:

 

I found the lights a bit off. Fortunately Mue's new LODViewer makes finding these things easy, so make the following changes to position the lights:
[LeftLight]
SystemType=LIGHT
Position=-4.174,0.52,1.155
LightSrcOffset=-0.0,0.00,0.00
Color=0.88,0.25,0.25
Brightness=0.025
LightSrcRange=0.5
CanFlash=FALSE

 

[RightLight]
SystemType=LIGHT
Position=4.174,0.52,1.155
LightSrcOffset=0.00,0.00,0.00
Color=0.25,0.88,0.25
Brightness=0.025
LightSrcRange=0.5
CanFlash=FALSE

 

[TailLight]
SystemType=LIGHT
Position=0.0,-6.15,0.18
LightSrcOffset=0.00,0.00,0.00
Color=0.88,0.88,0.88
Brightness=0.04
LightSrcRange=0.3
CanFlash=FALSE

The MG shell ejection positions were way off, over on the left wing. The following changes makes them more central:

[Gun1]
...
EjectPosition=-0.20,0.55,-0.65
 

[Gun2]
...
EjectPosition=0.20,0.55,-0.65
 

 

And lastly, the model doesn't seem to have any bomb pylons under the wings, so if you load bombs they hang in the air, clear of the wings. I made the following change to get them closer to the wings:

[LeftBombRack]
...
AttachmentPosition=-1.94,-0.073,-0.330
 

 

[RightBombRack]
...
AttachmentPosition=1.94,-0.073,-0.330
 

 

[+Geezer 3,569]

Great looking aircraft, thanks Geezer, she flies really well, and looks just right.

Templates would be great - there are quite a few different skins for this bird.

 

Couple of small bugs to report:

 

I found the lights a bit off. Fortunately Mue's new LODViewer makes finding these things easy, so make the following changes to position the lights:

[LeftLight]

SystemType=LIGHT

Position=-4.174,0.52,1.155

LightSrcOffset=-0.0,0.00,0.00

Color=0.88,0.25,0.25

Brightness=0.025

LightSrcRange=0.5

CanFlash=FALSE

 

[RightLight]

SystemType=LIGHT

Position=4.174,0.52,1.155

LightSrcOffset=0.00,0.00,0.00

Color=0.25,0.88,0.25

Brightness=0.025

LightSrcRange=0.5

CanFlash=FALSE

 

[TailLight]

SystemType=LIGHT

Position=0.0,-6.15,0.18

LightSrcOffset=0.00,0.00,0.00

Color=0.88,0.88,0.88

Brightness=0.04

LightSrcRange=0.3

CanFlash=FALSE

The MG shell ejection positions were way off, over on the left wing. The following changes makes them more central:

[Gun1]

...

EjectPosition=-0.20,0.55,-0.65

 

[Gun2]

...

EjectPosition=0.20,0.55,-0.65

 

 

And lastly, the model doesn't seem to have any bomb pylons under the wings, so if you load bombs they hang in the air, clear of the wings. I made the following change to get them closer to the wings:

[LeftBombRack]

...

AttachmentPosition=-1.94,-0.073,-0.330

 

 

[RightBombRack]

...

AttachmentPosition=1.94,-0.073,-0.330

 

 

Thanks for spotting that.  Will fix with an update soon-ish. 

[Gatling20 748]

Any chance of posting the templates?

(I would like to have a go at creating a blank skin with decals applied, instead of all the aircraft having the same serial number painted  on).

[+Geezer 3,569]

Any chance of posting the templates?

(I would like to have a go at creating a blank skin with decals applied, instead of all the aircraft having the same serial number painted  on).

 

The graphics pack is nearly ready.  When you see it you will understand why it took so long. 

 

Also, an update for the aircraft is nearly ready.

[Gatling20 748]

Thanks a lot mate, I am looking forward to it. I am having a blast flying this aircraft - the model is superb and the flight model very good.

[+Geezer 3,569]

Thanks a lot mate, I am looking forward to it. I am having a blast flying this aircraft - the model is superb and the flight model very good.

 

Tweaking the flight model is one of several reasons why the CR42 has been a lengthy learning experience.  Many thanks to Baffmeister for the new FM.  However, he works in SF2 so there are some differences between his FM and the final FM for FE2, which is due shortly.  Thanks to Ojcar for the FE2 specific FM that is now being finalized:

 

 

It's a very good FM (much better than mine, believe me), but it has two issues in FE.

 

-It has very long take off.

-It's a little slow (about 321 Km/h sea level against 343 of the real thing)

 

I think the problem it's in the engine. If you look at the engine data

 

HasWEP=TRUE

SLPowerDry=544361.0

SLPowerWEP=639811.0

 

And there's the problem. FE is built for very old planes. They don't use the WEP (war emergency power). They use it in Strke Fighters. In FE you haven't  the real engine power. You are only using 544361.0 Watt instead 639811 Watt.

 

So my little mod of this is:

 

SLPowerDry=639811.0

//HasWEP=TRUE

//SLPowerDry=544361.0

//SLPowerWEP=639811.0

 

This give you about 341 Km/h at very low height. Very close to the real 343Km/h

[+Geezer 3,569]

And lastly, the model doesn't seem to have any bomb pylons under the wings, so if you load bombs they hang in the air, clear of the wings. I made the following change to get them closer to the wings:

 

[LeftBombRack]
...
AttachmentPosition=-1.94,-0.073,-0.330
 

 

[RightBombRack]
...
AttachmentPosition=1.94,-0.073,-0.330

 

 

 

The late-war version - with bomb racks and dust filter - is the SF2 version that Baffmeister is working on.  It will be released later this year.  Historically, bomb racks weren't installed until 1941, so my 1940 version for FE2 does not carry bomb racks.