Check Six

I had a lot of time over the weekend at work so I read so many threads. Solved my rudder pedal problems so they dont act as elevators and ailerons anymoe. Mapped some vital keys to my joystick and throttle to make it so I don't have to look down to the keyboard. Even enlisted a pilot and used a pic of me in full flying gear, leather helmet, goggles and all (standing in front of a Tiger Moth, but the pic is cropped strategically so all you can see is the wires and a bit of fuselage). My TrackIR5 is now working to my satisfaction, still needs a bit of getting used to (I don't know how I ever shot down an enemy on any flight sim before without it - sheer luck I suppose) Now I have to go to Flight Simulator X and learn how to fly using rudder pedals. Then I'll be ready to take them on. HAVE AT YOU! Seriously...the depth of this is bloody brilliant.

Duce, There is a "lesson" tab on the introductory screen. I shouldn't have gone there. I just proved to myself what a God-awful pilot I really am. So I'm punishing myself by forcing myself to go through ALL the lessons and fly a few missions as well, to teach me to be a better flyer technically. I'd recommend it to anyone so that they can better learn to turn and bank without losing energy in a turning fight. So much to learn. So many missions.

Pappy, Hope you have a seamless transition. Unlike RB or the other games you mentioned, you'll have to set up OFF. It concerned me at first, but don't worry, its easier than it looks/seems. If I might make a suggestion, you could begin just like I did. You should check out ALL the sticky threads at the top of "General Discussion" and "General Help" forums. There you will see invaluable guides to almost every question you can have about this game. Once you get a hold of it, if you have any trouble at all, come here and post your question. The very helpful and very friendly people here will assist you. Welcome Pappy, and ENJOY!

Hughseyman, This is a screenshot of the set-up for TrackIR5. On the left hand lower panel you can see Advanced Settings > Profile > "Over Flanders Fields". This is a profile I've added. This is set to "Default Profile" at start-up. To the right of the "OFF" profile is a "+" which allows you to add a profile. Rename this to "OFF". Then you can either tweak the handles and adjust the curve as you like, choose "one:one" or "smooth" profiles, and save it as "OFF". Try running that one, then launching OFF and see if that works. Good luck.

I've read a few threads where people have had trouble with their rudders and not being able to get them to work. Fortunately, mine worked right out of the box, but I didn't notice until much later when I was adjusting my seating position that I had a problem. I hit my "toe brakes" and it actually operated my elevators. Has anyone experienced this problem before? (Using Saitek Pro Flight rudders). Can anyone help me out of this jam? I also notice that I can apply more left rudder than right. I'm guessing there's something in the software to adjust that, but the elevator problem is a mystery to me.

Capt. Winters, You're right on the money. I should have posted it here as well, but I got the rudder problem solved last night. You were right. Pause > drop down menu > Controls > then select the drop down menu under Saitek x-52 FCS joystick. That gives you the Saitek rudder pedals control system. Then, to make it easier, select the "control surfaces" drop down menu...that limits the number of choices available. You'll see there's a choice "x axis", a "y axis", and (I think) "rudder axis". You delete the x axis and the y axis and then save that profile as "Mine" and voila!

Duce, I'm a Security supervisor, and work mostly nights, but actually was during the day this weekend. And if you can handle the stress and multitasking and responsibility *IF* and *WHEN* things go wrong...WELCOME ABOARD! Seriously. I thought I'd look at the flight training type schools in FSX because they teach you how to use "up" rudder during tight turns etc, even if a Cessna or the like might NEED more rudder, and therefore be a better aircraft to learn rudder operation on. Maybe I can fly my new Tiger Moth add-on. (Stunted in one once before [interestingly enough over an aircraft crash site and the grave of the pilot - who flew for RNAS] and that was waaaay cool). Just tooling around the sky without some fokker in an Albatros shooting at you and I might learn some tricks, but I think being taught might teach me technical skills.

Hughseyman, Don't know if you've seen it, but I seriously recommend Homeboy's great set-up guide here: http://snomhf.exofire.net/trackIR.html (sorry Forum Moderators if posting an URL is a no-no...I don't know how to make it go there with just an underlined comment like in Homeboy's thread). Start with that. I have TrackIR5 so I'm uncertain whether I can be of too much assistance. If youve got it working with other games, that seems to me that you've got it partially right. Did you get TrackIR up and running, checking your head movement etc. before launching OFF? Have you tried (as a last resort) copying the default set-up, not necessarily adjusting it YET until you have actually got it up and running with OFF, and then you rename this copy of the default to "Over Flanders Fields" or "OFF", then make sure THAT copy of the default version of TrackIR is running (with head movement etc) before launching OFF. Once you have OFF up and flying, do you see a virtual cockpit, or are you in a "chase" view? Have you tried hitting F3 (cockpit view)? Next you could try pausing the game whilst on the aerodrome. Go to the drop down menu, select "Controls", then looking at the window provided. Scroll down all the key assignments until you get to the key assignment for "Virtual cockpit". You'll see it is unassigned. Try assigning it an unused key (I'm using "v"). Don't forget to save this new assignment as "Mine" (without the quotation marks of course). See if that works. Next you could try profiling your joystick with a Virtual Cockpit-type view (either with the key assignment set-up I've described or another assignment - F4 cycles through views...sure it's "messy" but you might just figure out what the problem is in running TIR4). Like I said, spend a bit of time reading Homeboy's excellent guide. If you still can't get it working, get back to us...maybe someone with the same version as you has also had the same trouble.

I kind of like the gun jams, though it terrifies you in the game. I think the hitting of the "U" key a few times and your gun is cleared can almost equate to carrying a hammer aloft and using it to clear your gun(s), but I don't suppose that worked every time either. A few times I've jammed my guns (as new pilots will do) and desperately started to turn towards home and thinking that I should have followed Boelke's Dicta a little more closely, especially the one about never forgetting your line of retreat. Running and constantly checking your six while pulling your trigger, performing high G manoeuvres (as best you can without losing energy cos you still got a fokker on your tail...a fokker in an albatross!), ANYTHING!!! And then...a miracle...one single round! Then two, and three, then a burst. I'm going to turn and give this guy the biggest surprise of his life (and will hopefully end it). It is actually better I think to have that...uncertainty.

I'm not able to toggle my "padlock target" view, and I'm having trouble understanding what is (or isn't) happening. I generally fly around enjoying the view either in chase mode or in the cockpit looking over the sides etc with TrackIR5 (seriously...get one! your enjoyment of this sim will vastly increase). As an enemy enters the general area and a target appears on the TAC, I select him (or one of them) with TAB key. Then I hit F4 a few times until I'm looking at my target, which I assume gives you his orientation in relation to you (higher, lower, moving away etc) and also tells you how you should approach it (underneath for a two-seater or overhead for a fighter). If I decide he looks innocent enough and I'm looking for a fight, I'll move towards him. Having read Mark's great Key Command Chart (thanks Homeboy) - (and I've still got my original CFS3 key command chart too), it tells me to hit the Accent "`" key (the one to the left of the "1" key). I'm assuming this is just the accent key, and NOT the Tilde key (which is the Shift function of that key. I hoped this would show my aircraft oriented towards the target so I knew which direction to fly (left or right, up or down etc) and then switch back to virtual cockpit with TrackIR for close-in combat. (I MUST say, I've never been able to fight better or as effectively in any flight sim until I got the TrackIR - it really helps a GREAT deal to be able to fly whilst looking directly at your target, not where your Situational Awareness tells you he MIGHT be. Did I mention before to GET IT? Oh, yes, I did). What am I doing wrong? Should I select my target with TAB Key, then SHIFT+Key next to "1" (Tilde) or TAB then key next to "1" (Accent). Do I need to be in the cockpit view to select the "Padlock View"? I've not used the "target cone" ("I") command yet. Do you de-select it (toggle) by hitting the "I" key again? I need help on these as I've got two days off and plan to fine-tune OFF and program some key commands to my joystick (and later when I get my programmable keyboard, some keys there too - but that entails taking your eyes off the target). PS Took delivery of my Saitek Pro Flight Rudder Pedals today...first time ever flying with rudder pedals (found twisting the stick when in combat to be painful on my wrists - that'll larn me for riding a motorcycle - or more correctly, for NOT riding my motorcycle - after being assisted off by some inconsiderate @#$#^$& car/truck driver). Wish me luck with that. Any help would be gratefully accepted. How do YOU go about prosecuting an attack on your hapless foe?

I looked, I really did. Used the search engine, sticky threads etc. but no luck. The only screenshot thread I've found is a gallery of already taken shots...nice work BTW Mk2...don't think mine will be up to that standard yet, but with my screen resolution, I think they'll look ok. I just need to get in an "ace" skin and get involved in some drama. Once I've got one or two that I think is worthy of inclusion in that thread...how do I go about pasting that image here? Can anyone tell me WHERE any screenshots I've taken with the "Ctrl+;" commands are placed? When using this command, the game pauses (only time my frame rate drops so dramatically, so it MUST be doin' sumpfin)...so it appears to be successful, but I can't find them in any folders.

sitting_duck, I've never played any game in online mode, but this may very well be the first one. I recently (March) moved to a new place (downstairs to the "granny flat") and so lost my cable broadband connection, and now I have only got a USB wireless broadband, and don't really know if I'll be able to keep up speedwise, but I'm sure going to have a go. I believe it MAY be sufficient...I'll see. I have used a download/upload speed monitor sometime before and it gave what I think are acceptable sort of figures (I'm at work now, so I can't tell you the results till I get home). And...you guys won't have to get up at 3am at all. I'm usually up at that time. I'm a vampire you see. (Well, that's what the negihbourhood kiddies must think). I'm a security supervisor and I only work nights, so I'm generally asleep during the day (hence the vampire reference - I'm rarely seen in the daylight). Just last week, I also got heavy duty black plastic and covered my windows to keep out the sun and ambient light (another reason they think I'm a vampire), but truthfully, that was only to set up my recently-purchased TrackIR5. Anyhow, if I'm at work...no games, but I can spend as much time as I like here haunting this forum. When I get home, the TV shows are all infotainment, 3 hour ads for Guthy-Renker or evangelistic TV, unless I recorded something during the early evening. So I fire up OFF and fly a few missions. Generally, on my days off, I'm awake till all hours of the night to adjust my body clock till my next shift. So, in general, I will probably easily adapt to the time that you guys on the other side of the planet are playing. Also, its easy for me to take a day or two off. I'm waiting for the "MP Kit" being produced in here to see exactly what I need to get online and give it a go.

Pretty pathetic I know. I need to get a cool "ace" skin, and have an enemy in my sights. It's just to let you know that your assistance helped. I also was able to upload a screenshot of TrackIR5 setup screen due to your help (see homeboy's guide to TrackIR sticky). Thanks guys.

For all those interested, this is the setup screen for TrackIR5. I am still learning it myself as it's not quite the same as TrackIR4, so I can't as yet provide a guide for users to setup. But I can tell you that if you read and understand Homeboy's great guide, you'll probably be able to stumble through setting Ver 5 up without too much stress.. Thanks Mark.

Barkhorn1x, Here is the screen in TrackIR5. On the lower left of the screen is the "CENTRE" select button, and next to it, the key that currently executes that command. The large grid sphere that is graduated on the right spins around to display how many degrees left or right or up or down your virtual head movement creates, and on the extreme lower left is the little graph similar to those posted in Homeboy's guide. The three dimensional heads on the right also rotate and move around to look at the rear for instance when youre pointing at 180 degrees (check six). Hope that helps.

Barkhorn1x, I have TrackIR5 and from what I've seen from Homeboy's helpful set-up file, there are a few minor differences (I'll try to post a screenshot of that for all). In TrackIR5 the CENTRE button on the left hand side panel is where you can change the assignment for this key. In ver 5 it has a large sphere all around you that shows you by how many degrees your virtual view is moving, and is graduated in degrees. Underneath this are a few buttons, Centre, and a pause button amongst others. But on the left side panel there is a selectable drop down menu that asks basically if you'd like to adjust your Yaw, Pitch or Roll. On this window is another button very similar to the one under your main display, marked "CENTRE". I was just exploring (because like I said, Homeboy's very useful guide is unsuitable for ver 5 - though still a good guide). I double clicked on this, and the first click selected it, then the second click of the mouse button then told me that now I had mapped my CENTRE function to my left mouse click. I quickly reselected F12. It seems to me that if you can find a similar function for TrackIR4, that you would then click the joystick button that you have selected to perform this function. I guess that the first thing you should do then is to go to QC and see if it works in that fashion, and if it does, hit the escape key to bring down the in-game menu and map the key profiles to "Mine" again. I'll have a try and see if I can find out whether this works for ver 5, as I too have gotten close enough to shoot using my chase view, and then swap over to virtual cockpit (yes its messy as I need to cycle through other views first before I'm presented with my TrackIR -enhanced virtual cockpit view - oh, and isn't that GREAT?) only to find that my view isnt over my iron sights, and I have to guess where my rounds will land while squirming in my sight to attempt to get a bore-sight down my Aldis sight (is that what it's called in a SE5a?). Sometimes by then, the moment is lost, as it was only a fleeting deflection shot. Another thing you have to remember is that Homeboy mentioned in his guide that his set-up was VERY aggressive (as aggressive as he could stand). I think at first you'll have to tone it down a bit, then make it more aggressive after you've gotten more used to it. At first I couldn't even achieve 180 degrees to "check six" so I made a few adjustments, and now I'm comfortable with it. After a while I'll probably feel like it's a bit too "tame" and re-adjust. Good luck anyway, Barkhorn1x Blue skies

sitting_duck/Erik, Thanks for the assist. You guys are extremely helpful to newbies here. I really DO look at the old threads because, like now, I'm at work, and unable to play OFF, so I find useful tips and hints and write them down and go home and try them. Every now and then I see something that gets me curious as to how that works, and have to ask questions here, and the members of this forum are always helpful. Thanks guys. I owe you one. Now I suppose I'll check out my screenshots I've already taken to see if I can upload it. Hope I can achieve the same levels as some of your better screenshots.

Yes, we all lost a lot of pilots early on (didn't we?). I found out it was time consuming writing down flight members names every time we took off (in case I made a claim). Occasionally you kept the same guys for a time, but sometimes they get killed, go on leave etc. I actually came up with the idea that I'd write my flight members names down on individual post-it notes and I'd then place these guys on my cupboard on the flight members' side, and would then record them as witnesses if I was fortunate enough to beat an enemy. If a team member goes on leave, you can simply place his name on the squadron side of the door, if one is KIA, you can remove him totally, and write up the name of his replacement. It just saves writing the same names down a few times I guess. Maybe it will save you some time or effort too.

I finally got around to programming my Saitek X-52 FCS. I think there's some "complex" key strokes that should be a lot easier than having to hold three keys whilst keeping your eyes on your enemy. Fire button: Drop Ordnance Fire A: Select Weapon Fire B: Cycle Views Fire C: Toggle Info Fire D: Mixture Idle Cutoff Fire E: Screenshot Pinky Switch: Heads Up Display Toggle 1: Next Target Toggle 2: Previous Target Toggle 3: Auto Trim Toggle 4: Auto Pilot Toggle 5: Accelerate Time Toggle 6: Decelerate Time Hope that helps anyone with that type of joystick, or at least the key commands that IMO need to be macros/mapped/profiled/programmed

Shrapnel, There is an autopilot for "fly straight and level". The key command is Ctrl+Shift+A. You might notice that your craft will bob up and down a little, and this might be disconcerting at first, but keep a sharp eye on it, and you'll find that it's not going to result in you falling from the sky. After you are confident that you're not in any danger, go ahead and have a good look around. Enjoy!

Polovski, I simply wasn't "in" the cockpit, and now I understand what a "padlock" view is, and what it does. I had a QC in padlock mode last night. I also ploughed into the ground due to target fixation. Like I said earlier, I do have TrackIR5 and that is undoubtedly the way to go once you have visual contact and are close enough to jockey for position, whether or not you achieve this by "cheating" by using the TAC. I have installed my new rudder pedals (Saitek Pro Flight), and they worked straight off the bat without any need to adjust and save as "mine" and I've mapped several buttons on my joystick (Saitek X-52 FCS) to "necessary" functions, so that I can keep my eye on the target and not have to look down. (waits for the inevitable tirade from the "you can't use that stick to fly a biplane" brigade) Barkhorn1x, So now I fully understand your feelings about the padlock, like I said above, I CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain) because I was target fixated. Don't think I'll be using it too much (certainly not under 5000 ft). Good luck with your TrackIR. You'll LOVE it! von vaun, I know padlock isn't a cheat, but the "immersion" brigade here believe it to be so. I can just picture them...in their loungerooms or whereever sitting in fug boots and full sidcot, leather helmet and goggles, sidearm strapped to their waist, and probably strut around the house with a swagger stick under their arms, telling their pets to "suck that gut in, shoulders straight".

JimAttrill, You're correct in that Little was a Lieutenant RN (not RAN - as he flew for the British, he and fellow RNAS pilot, Stan Dallas are pretty much obscure here in Australia and there are very few records of their service in this country). Little became a Captain when the RFC and RNAS merged to form the RAF. As far as flying Majors go, the aforementioned Stan Dallas was a Lt Col at the time of his death (KIA in June '18), but his promotion to Major had been promulgated and the letter was sitting on his desk. You can go to "The Aerodrome" Forum and see any of a number of tirades from a mate of mine, Adrian Hellwig, (who wrote Stan's biography - Australian Hawk over the Western Front) about how the Staff "Wallahs" removed his original grave marker with his new rank of Major and replaced it with Lt Col. Stan had a habit of breaking the rules and flying despite being ordered not to (as Sqn leader), and would often "take Xxxxx up to test the xxxxx that the mechanics had been working on" only to come back from the other side of the lines (for a test flight?) and with a black face (from the cordite of his ammunition) and with a grin on his face. He often did not make claims. The figures are no great research effort either...all obtained from "Above The Trenches" - Shores, Franks, Guest - the Bible of all Commonwealth aces. As far as Rudel goes...the most highly decorated soldier of German Forces in WW2 had, at war's end... "519 Soviet tanks (17 of them in a single day) and among others, one battleship, one cruiser, one destroyer, 70 landing craft, 9 attested aircraft, hundreds of motor vehicles, numerous artillery, anti-tank and anti-aircraft positions, as well as armoured convoys and bridges. Twelve comrades - six Stuka crews - were saved by him from capture or death. When he tried to rescue another crash-landed crew in 1944, he was taken prisoner, fled with a bullet in his shoulder, covering 50 km through Soviet hinterlands, and reached his lines. Shot more than thirty times by ground fire - never once by a fighter plane - wounded 5 times, the fervent sportsman took a direct anti-aircraft hit and lost his right leg. Just six weeks later, despite being forbidden to, the stump of his leg still bleeding (he flew with a four x two taped to his stump so he could operate the rudder) he was back in combat." "Rudel takes the place of an entire division" Field Marshal Ferdinand Schorner. "What a shame he wasn't wearing our uniform" Pierre Clostermann. After the war, and with an artificial leg, Rudel became the first man to scale the peak of the 6920 meter Llulay-Yacu in the Andes, the world's higest volcano. (That's just from the fly leaf of his biography by Gunther Just). A truly remarkable man.

I have entered a claim form before as I had one presented to me after a flight, but my pilot was KIA before the claim was investigated. On my last flight, I got the message at the top of the screen that I had destroyed a DFW CV. I made it back to my aerodrome, but to my horror, I just seemed to taxi at landing speed (in a Sopwith Pup - in other craft, I just cut my throttle back to 0% and it taxis to a halt). So I set my mixture to Idle cutoff (Ctrl + Shift + F6) and it rolled to a stop. Relieved, I returned to the duty room, but it did not present me with a claim form to fill out. I went to review the mission, and sure enough it informed me I did indeed destroy this aircraft. It also told me I crashed on landing and my plane was destroyed. Is there a place I needed to go to fill out my claim form or are they always presented to you upon landing IF you have actually destroyed an enemy (not if you think you did)?

Still waiting on my copy of OFF BH&H. Today I received my (2nd) copy of MS CFS3 and TrackIR 4 with clipset. I have on order: Logitech G19 Gaming Keyboard, Plantronics Gamecon 777 surround sound gaming headset, Saitek Pro Flight Rudder Pedals And my ninja stealth beast to connect all these peripherals up to. Total cost so far: (Australian Dollars) Computer $3100, CFS3 $62, OFF BH&H $63, TrackIR $225, Logitech G19 $337, Plantronics Headset $108, Saitek Rudder pedals $300. Grand total: $4195 I already have Saitek X-52 Joystick (found the software) and running a Benq 24" HD Monitor. All to get airborne Over Flanders' Fields. I have never played it. But if you ask me if it's worth it, the answer is that I'm certain it will be. Dug through all my old games boxes and found my MS FSX and a few PCPilot mags with aircraft add ons, a Tiger Moth add-on (yay)and IL-2 1946.

JimAttrill, My research some time ago into Australia's highest scoring pilot, Capt. Robert Alexander Little, led me to look exactly at this question. Here are my results: Highest Individual Scores in a Single Aircraft (Commonwealth Pilots Only): 1. Barker, William. Major 46 claims in Camel B6313 (20/10/17 to 18/09/18) Squadrons 28, 66 and 139 2. McCudden, James. Major 32 claims in SE5a B4891 (6/12/17 to 26/02/18) 56 Squadron 3. Bishop, William. Lt. Col 29 claims in Nieuport B1566 60 Squadron 4. Woollett, Henry. Capt 23 claims in Camel D6402 (24/03/18 to 19/07/18) 43 Squadron 5. Little, Robert. Capt 20 claims in Sopwith Triplane N5493 (28/04/17 to 10/07/17) 8N Squadron Interesting to note that Barker took his beloved Camel with him when he changed Squadrons, others changed Squadrons and must have left their much-loved craft behind (or crashed them!). Makes me wonder how he "got away with it". The other pilots on the list were no less deserving of that kind of special treatment.