baffmeister

Thanks for volunteering! Once I start posting updates for the new Hurricane and BF-109 models it will probably be time to start the package. Will troll for some more volunteers at that point. For WW2 FM's I plan on slowly working back in time to the Battle of France and slowly [emphasis on SLOWLY] working forward into more ETO 1941 FM's. MTO and PTO FM's are just a distant dream/nightmare. [so many planes!]

I am starting to think about putting together an "All in One" BoB package but really don't think I could put it together before next winter. I still have to get Ravens' newer Hurricane model in game and it has different mapping [i think] so probably not many skins available for it. I would also like to get Russos' newer BF-109 E series model going but it has a different model center so requires some edits for decal positions. I think the skin mapping remains the same. Would also like to get the Dunkirk campaign working but haven't had much time to work on it. Still, the idea might be worth thinking about as a longer term project.

Attached are new BoB fighter FM's that have been updated using Mues' LodViewer. The ETO fighters will get updated next and then the BoB bombers. Installation instructions assume you have installed the previous pack. Some other changes: BF-109-E's: The bomb carrying versions have been set up to use the ETC50 rack and have new LoadOut ini's. All versions have had the drag re-balanced a bit. They turn a bit better now but not as good as the F-series. BF-110's: Cannon rounds have been reduced from 240 to 120. The plane used 60 round drums that could be reloaded by the gunner but it was a difficult task in a dogfight so I think 1 reload is plenty. The aerodynamics have received a minor edit. The rear gunner accuracy has been adjusted. HurricaneIIA: The previous HurricaneIIA had a Merlin XX engine table that represented 16lbs boost, which wasn't available until November, 1942. The new engine table is for 12lbs boost, low blower only. Defiant: Rear gunner accuracy has been adjusted as well as the aeodynamics. Here is the 0.97 BoB fighter package: BoBfighters0.97.zip

It's that time of year.....................I found an easter egg! After a short nap, my Defiant gunner wakes up, finds a big enough target, and shoots it down. [ Drinks all around!]

I thought ThirdWires approach with SF2NA was well thought out with the new features that merge with the previous releases. I guess it didn't sell as well as they hoped. For multiplayer, I think a stand alone multiplayer game at a low price point might work. Maybe just include two well matched aircraft types for the player flyables and a few AI attack aircraft on a small terrain map. Lock the game down tight except for skins and maybe terrains but have lots of options for setting up controllers. Sell the games for 20 bucks a pop and make them mergeable as well. [ I wouldn't buy them but I think many would.]

The Mirage F-1 team are busy working on some major updates for the entire F-1 series. Prior to releasing the new versions some public testing on the updated FM may avoid future issues. The attached FM's are for the following aircraft: F-1C_73 Ver. 1.1 available here: http://combatace.com/files/file/14580-mirage-f-1c-73/ F-1C_80 Ver. 1.1 available here: http://combatace.com/files/file/14581-mirage-f-1c-80/ F-1C200 Ver. 1.1 available here: http://combatace.com/files/file/14583-mirage-f-1c200/ NOTES: The new FM is less departure resistent than the previous but the stall warning sound should give adequate warning under most circumstances. The Min/Max extents have been updated with the LodViewer so damage modeling should be improved. Take off / combat flaps can be deployed at 320Kts IAS and will auto retract at 335Kts IAS. They can be useful if you get drawn into a low speed turning fight as they will add about 1G [for awhile] to the turn capability. If you need to accelerate quickly from a slow situation consider retracting the flaps manually instead of waiting for the auto retract. The purpose of this release is to get feedback regarding any problems with the AI behavior or with the flight model. Some things to watch for: AI accuracy with dumb bombs, rockets and cannons. Trying to set these items up can be very frustrating because of the variable AI pilot quality built into the ThirdWire game engine so the question to ask is: "Is the AI weapon delivery accuracy comparible to stock TW aircraft?" Are there an unusual amount of AI aircraft crashing? When player flown, are there any areas of the flight envelope that seem objectionable? This isn't a HiFi FM but it has had some tweaking to meet some performance data points. If you find any areas of significant over or under performance feel free to pass along the details. The new FM has received quite a bit of testing but there is always a chance something slipped through. Please post any questions, comments or suggestions regarding the AI or FM on this thread. Other Mirage F-1 questions can be asked on Ludos pinned Mirage F-1 thread. Thanks in advance for the help! Here are the new FM's: MirageF-1_0.959PublicTest.zip

Thanks for the comments Coupi. During turning fights against the Mig-17 I can sometimes get a temporary firing solution by trading speed for turn rate and using the combat flaps. If it doesn't work out it's full speed ahead and try something else. Interestingly, the power to weight ratio of the Mig-17 and Mirage F-1 are almost identical assuming 50% fuel for both, but the Mig-17 has only about half the wing loading of the F-1. With a relatively modest power to weight ratio compared to modern day fighters I think the main strength of the F-1 is probably sustained G during high speed turns. I find speeds above 400kts IAS or 0.9 mach at higher altitudes works best most of the time.

Attached is an F-80C beta test FM that I have been messing with for quite some time. It is the usual combination of some new stuff [CDL table] some of the original FM, some ThirdWire tables and a whole bunch of tinkering. I recommend backing up the original FM then just drop this new one into the F-80C folder. Cheers.

Here are updated KAW specific FM's for some North Korean prop planes. Included FMs: Yak-9P available here: http://combatace.com/files/file/13431-kaw-yak-9p/ [ Starys Yak-23 pit works quite well with this aircraft.] La-9 & 11 here: http://combatace.com/files/file/14213-lavochkin-la-9-fritz-la-11-fang/ [ this package includes Starys very nice La-9/11 cockpit.] Il-10 here: http://combatace.com/files/file/14565-il-10-beast/ All these aircraft have had the Min/Max extents updated using Mues' LodViewer so the damage modeling should be much improved. The Yak-9P gets a bit of an aerodynamic update. The La-9 & 11 aerodynamics get a more or less total overhaul. Also included is Wilches' prop fix. Here's the update package: NKpropFM's.zip

This didn't end well.

I've been reviewing some min/max extents and hit boxes with the Lod viewer and it may be worth mentioning the lod viewer is "Case Sensitive" regarding nodes so if you have a missing hit box that may be the reason. It's happened to me a couple of times already. The Lod viewer is proving to be very useful finding typos/mistakes within the data inis. Great tool!

Thanks Svetlin, Crusader has sent me some documents from that site which have been very helpful. [ got some good info on max speeds at various altitudes.]

If I remember correctly, your Hurricane model had very good damage modeling. I think I experimented with a few things to reduce the flammability of the fuel tanks. Good stuff Do335, thanks.

One of the big problems I had with the BoB FM's I've worked on was getting the Browning machine guns to work against the Luftwaffe aircraft. I ended up harmonizing the guns a bit to concentrate the hitting power. It wasn't done in a scientific fashion, I just angled in the Spit and Hurri wing guns one half degree. It helped quite a bit. I also increased the aim accuracy for the AI and increased the burst length a bit, as well as reducing the firing distance. It's enough that the AI can occaisionally "flame" a Luftwaffe bomber and the bombers have some armor protection. The other area to look at is min/max extents, fuel tank positions and things like that. Lot's of the old models are really messed up in that regard. Every BoB FM I've done has had the Min/Max extents modified using Fastcargos' ruler tool. It worked quite well but now I get to do them all again using Mues' Lod viewer which is a big help and something you should look into.

Any chance you can send me the La-11 performance graphs via PM? Graphs are sometimes worth a thousand words.

Wow! Thanks Crusader!

I found a bit more engine data online so the engine table I have now is a composite of different sources but probably reasonably accurate. The later fuel injected versions of the ASH-82 engine seem to have used the same 10 minute WEP rating as the previous version. WEP power is limited to about 10000ft with 1850hp available up to 5400ft. It's almost as fast at 8000ft as it is at 20000ft. Do335s' min/max extents have been installed, they look real good in the [Totally Awesome!] Lod viewer. Nothing new on the fuel tanks.

There are some " over the nose" visibility issues with the Wyvern pit. Maybe include both options?

Quote: The only oddity I'm experiencing is on the Fleet Carriers (Victorious type), it don't catch the wire. Neither AI or player on autopilot (this is the BIG thing -- the AIs has to land themselves). Let me check my install, I recall adjusting the aim point on an aircraft carrier in my KAW install but don't remember which one. I adjusted the parked planes on the Colossus class as well due to some issues. Edit: Here's some data from the Victorious carrier I have installed. It looks like I was messing with the aim point and probably the parking as well. Might be worth a try. [Deck] SystemType=FLIGHT_DECK FlightDeckHeight=15.3340 FlightDeckLenght=216.41 FlightDeckWidth=40.48 LandDeckAngle=0.0 LandingAimPoint=0.0,-85.2220 //LandingAimPoint=0.0,-85.2220,15.3340 //CollisionMesh=FlightDeck CollisionMesh=Illustrious\Formidable_DECK.LOD ParkingChance=90 ParkingMaxSpan=8.50 Parking[01].Heading=-40 Parking[01].Offset=5.102,27.309 Parking[02].Heading=-40 Parking[02].Offset=5.5,40.0 Parking[03].Heading=-35 Parking[03].Offset=10.5,54.0 Parking[04].Heading=-35 Parking[04].Offset=10.5,68.0

So, basically, it's just a lower res tileset for Baltikas' iceland terrain?

Here is a bit of a work around for anyone suffering Lightning Woes. I haven't been flying that plane much due to the noted "hyper sensitive opposite roll response" to rudder imputs. If your using a swizzle stick like me it's next to impossible not to automaticly start feeding in some rudder when the Lightning starts rolling out of a turn so the simple approach is: Lock out the rudder! After extracting the data.ini just add this line at the bottom of the Rudder section: ModelNodeName=Rudder RotationAxis=Z-Axis ReverseModelOrientation=TRUE LockoutSpeed=154.42//....................................Add this In this case, I have the lock out set at the same speed as the landing gear, 300kts. It's like planting your feet firmly on the floor once the gear is retracted. I remember reading an article somewhere on the internet about the low speed test airplane they built to test the Lightning wing. The opposite roll response to rudder imputs was noted in that airplane at very low speeds but I really don't know if it was as noticeable at high speed as ThirdWire has modeled it. By most accounts I've read, the Lightning was "above average for the time", in the air to air realm. Cheers.

Max speed at sea level is down to 360MPH with the new engine table. If I use the one minute wep power once it hits 360mph I can get it up to 380MPH. If anyone finds any reliable test data for La-9 / 11 max speeds that would be appreciated. A bit off topic but after looking into it the weight for JP-4 is probably the one to use for military jets, especially the old ones I work with. The weight of JP-4 is about 4-5% lighter than JetA and was more common for military use. My sources indicate 1.77 lbs/liter for JP-4 and 1.85 lbs/liter for JetA. Both at 15deg C.

I'm going to stay away from that bird for awhile and let you and Wrench do your thing. [ that's a relief!]

It would look good?..........................I was right, it does!

Quote ASh-82 1700 hp at lift-off horsepower of that ASh-82FNU 1850 horsepower, a very short time in the takeoff limited (usually 1 minute) use only mode. Rated horsepower in the mode that can be used in flight (emergency) is ASH-82 SL: 1450Ps 2050M: 1540Ps 3600: 1280Ps 5400 m: 1330Ps ASH-82FNU SL: 1550Ps 1650 m: 1650Ps 3200 m: 1380Ps 4650M: 1450Ps Interesting. The info listed for the ASH-82FNU looks more rational for an engine with a two speed supercharger when compared to what I got from Wikipedia. The only matching point between the sources is the 1450PS / 1430HP at 4650 meters. I'm going to build an engine table using this new data and a take off / WEP one minute limit and see how it does.