Herr Prop-Wasche

From one newly minted grandpapa to another, Congratulations, Cameljockey!

I am finally ready to present to the flying public my 1.5 revision (and first official release) of HPW's Flight Model for the Nieuport 28, flown by several U.S. squadrons in early to mid 1918. This FM is meant to be used as an alternative to the official OFF FM used by the N28. Major changes to the FM include: slightly higher top speed, better high altitude performance, slower dive speed, increased susceptibility to upper wing damage from prolonged high speed dives (just as in real life), and improved handling with fewer nasty stall characteristics. The most significant improvement from 1.0 to 1.5 includes better AI performance--less climbing and stalling during combat and less "bobbing" up and down of the aircraft at low altitudes. This should make AI opponents tougher to shoot down and make your AI wingmates more likely to survive their mission. Installation is via JSGME. Simply unzip the file into the MODS folder, open JSGME, enable the mod, and fly! The mod has been tested and works for both QC and campaign missions. The mod has been uploaded to the downloads forum and should be available soon after admin approval. Notes: Please be sure to write to me about any comments or criticisms of the new mod. Also, please note that this mod is based substantially on the existing official OFF FM for the N28 and would not be possible without OBD's and Polvoski's previous work on this and the other planes currently available in OFF. Thank you OBD! P.S. If this FM mod is successful and well-received, I will probably release FM mods for a few other aircraft in OFF. However, because I have found that FM modding is a long, tedious, and occasionally frustrating process, I will not be able to release FM mods for every aircraft. Therefore, if you feel a certain plane is in need of modification, be sure to let me know. If enough people agree that a particular aircraft would benefit from some "work," I will consider making adjustments to that aircraft. Thank you, and I hope everyone who uses it, enjoys my FM mod!

They say the waiting is the hardest part. I'm also looking forward to the beautiful pictures.

Any good news from CompUSA today, Hellshade?

OK, Hellshade. You have talked me into it--to a point. I looked more into the xdp files and noticed a few areas where certain components, such as the nose and fuselage, can be strengthened. They are probably set too low right now. I can also increase the "failure" level for the wings so they won't get shot off anymore. After that, we can evaluate if we need to increase the hit levels for anything else. Deal?

I'm gonna take the next few days to try and tweak the N28 just a little more to see if I can make the upper wing fabric come off a little more easily without sacrificing some other aspect of performance. Currently with the revised FM, the wing fabric will come off, but only after dives of more than ** feet if the plane is undamaged. I would like to shorten that distance a bit. **EDIT: removed reference to number of feet in order to retain the mystery for a little while.**

A few years ago, just after I had put together my new (at the time) computer, I went looking for the necessary files to install and get RB3D Full Canvas Jacket and/or Hell's Angels mod running on my system. While looking for files, stumbled across a reference to OFF phase 3. The rest is history... Welcome to OFF, you won't regret it!

This is what can happen if you dive at top speed for too long in a Nieuport 28 using the revised FM!!

Hellshade--PM sent. Enjoy!

No, I haven't found the exact cause of the problem yet. However, even if I can't figure out what is causing the problem, if worst comes to worst, I can always create three versions of the program: one for Dead is Dead, one for Normal, and one for Pilot never Dies. The only difference in the three programs will be in the Workshop setting and not in the .xdp or .bdp files.

You are welcome!

As you are probably reading this in the morning then, I hope you are enjoying a nice, hot cup of coffe or tea. How do you drink it Sir? I prefer mine black, although I have been known in the past to sweeten it a bit with sugar. Glad you are flying the "new" N28 sent by our boys at the supply depot. As always with new mounts, be sure to report any problems to the riggers and guys in the repair shop!

Stratos--send me a PM and I will hook you up with the beta version, which should not change that much in the release version.

The differences in the old and the new N28 are pretty small, Olham. No major game-changing changes. The main differences you should see are 1) Less likely to suddenly go into a stall or a spin at relatively easy turns, 2) slightly slower dive speed, 3) will not break up in most tight turns, 4) somewhat higher top speed in game conditions, 5) more likely to suffer upper wing damage in high speed dives, but this should be a very rare event most likely to be seen after your aircraft has already been damaged. To compare the new FM with the old, try completing a loop with the old FM. Then, load the new FM and try the same manuever. You should be able to complete a loop now.

Some of the game files are read-only. Right-click on the sound file in question and click on Properties to see if the read-only box is checked. If so, uncheck it and then apply your copy and paste.

Thanks vonOben. I hope to have a fix ready for the latest version of my DM sometime over the Thanksgiving weekend. However, I am attending my gradson's christening on Saturday, so I may not be able to meet the deadline. Soon, though!

Good news! The first of my fine testers has reported that he can use my FM mod in the campaign! Hopefully, the others will also have a positive report and I can make the mod available for general release! Any comments about the dive speed of the above planes? The first seem a little high to me, but anyone with access to hard data on this is more than welcome to correct me!

It's one thing to call those that fly Albatros, Krauts. It's quite another to call us Fokkers!

I'm the first to admit I am not an expert, but this sounds historically accurate to me if you are flying the Se5 and not the Se5a. The "a" version has the Hispano-Suiza engine, not the Se5. Pilots were initially unimpressed by the Se5--particularly those that were used to flying the Camel, I'd imagine!

Are those tulips for you or for the enemy? Beautiful work on the skin. Maybe I will ask for a skull with a rose between his teeth, or is that too morbid?

I am making good progress on the N28 FM and just sent out a beta version for testing to a few helpful volunteers. If all goes well, I hope to be able to release my new version that works in the campaign in just a few days. The new version should turn better without stalling quite so easily and should not break up so easily in a tight turn anymore. However, watch out if you tend to ignore your speed in high velocity dives! Speaking of dives, here is a brief comparison of the fastest planes in a dive. The first list shows the planes as they currently are in OFF. Notice that both the Tripe and the DrI are near the top of the list. The second list is a preliminary ranking of the planes speed in a dive with a few of my FM adjustments. Let me know what you think about my proposed changes, assuming I can get to all of them. Plane Dive speed (mph) Se5a Viper 272 Sopwith Tripe 271 Sopwith Pup 256 Spad XIII 255 Se5a 247 Nieuport 28 241 Spad VII 240 Alb Dva 200 238 Alb Dva 237 Fokker EV 233 Fokker DR1 231 Plane Dive speed (mph) Spad XIII 255 Se5a Viper 253 Se5a 247 Spad VII 240 Fokker EV 232 Alb Dva 200 231 Pfalz 229 Alb Dva 229 Bristol Fighter 228 Alb DV 227

I have to admit that I probably spend more time viewing this forum then I do actually flying OFF. Almost sounds sacreligious to say it.