baffmeister

Don't forget, the TW P-51 is loaded with full internal fuel. I got rid of the fuselage tank for my install and it helps performance quite a bit. Even with wing tanks only it has more than twice the fuel capacity of the Spitfire. [ Agree, it still seems a bit sluggish]

...............too much work, project cancelled. I bought Battle of Britain II instead and it will probably work out OK. I say probably because I have been getting lot's of CTD's [surprise, surprise] but they are becoming less frequent as I adjust some settings. The AI seems very good in BoB2 and the graphics I can live with, after playing around with it quite a bit. I think I still prefer TK's flight engine and will probably work away at some SF-2 BoB fighter FM's but will do so at a reduced pace and release them for "do it yourselfers." Streakeagle made some interesting comments about BoB2 many years ago but it is worth a read. Some flight sims have a very long life. http://combatace.com/topic/24141-battle-of-britain-2-possibly-most-underrated-sim/

COOL! [but very weird]

I have been wondering if the German bombers had engine fire extinguishers but haven't found any information yet. If they didn't have them I would remove those statements from the bombers. Likewise for the fuel tanks. I think they were self sealing but as far as fire suppression, the only system I ever read about was the Russian filtered exhaust/inert gas injection into the fuel tanks. On the flip side, I have seen quite a few bombers crashing out of control with minimal damage which may be caused by the pilot getting killed. Maybe some more armor protection for the bomber pilots is worth experimenting with. Not sure what to do about hit boxes, is that model related?

Mass fractions, something else I haven't been paying enough attention to. Probably would me a good thing to set those up early in the FM development.

Unfortunately, I have no idea what that means. If it has something to do with editing the model Lod I can't do that. If it has something to do with the data.ini, I may be able to do something. Here is the edit I have done with the data.ini: [AircraftData] EmptyMass=4190 EmptyInertia=13191,8709,20184 ReferenceArea=26.0 ReferenceSpan=11.7 ReferenceLength=10.6 ReferenceChord=2.22 CGPosition=0.00,1.80,0.00//0.00,-0.10,0.00..........edited so I can place the XAC data at the correct spot. Also to avoid problems with external stores. I have set up the XAC points for wings and tail based on this adjustment and it seems to work OK. Cockpit had to be repositioned but no problem with the pilot position. I think when adjusting the CofG this way it only affects positioning data for the cockpit, the "pivot point" for aerodynamic forces and the lever arm [much reduced]for the external stores. This is only the second FM I've done from scratch and I want to avoid some of the problems/errors I made on the first one.

I will attempt to answer my own poorly worded question. The airplane I'm working on is a single engine propeller fighter and the fore/aft zero point is behind the wing, but at the center of the model. [equal distance to the nose and tail] I did a quick ruler check on the ThirdWire Spitfire and the fore/aft zero point is about where I would estimate the Spitfire main wing spar is located, quite similar to Raven's Hurricane. With my project, if I place the XAC points at about 1/3 of the way aft of the leading edge of the wing, it won't fly due to the large leverage effect caused by the present fore/aft zero point. [it goes uncontrollably nose up] So, if I want to place the XAC points at the correct spot on the model I will have to use a CofG setting something like 0.0,1.7,0.0 This will move the "Pivot Point" [good description Raven] forward so I can place the XAC entries at the correct position. One of the problems I had on a previous airplane with an aft pivot point was a strong nose down force when carrying external stores, due to the leverage affect. Adding a forward CofG solved the problem and also improved taxi behavior. One thing to remember, if you change the CofG you will have to adjust the cockpit position. Probably lot's of other things affected as well, such as nose down force when extending the landing gear, behavior when extending/retracting flaps etc.

Thanks for explaining that. I noticed some of the bombers running out of ammo after extended battles with fighters so it may be a good area for editing. Also noticed the A-Team bombers have some fire suppression settings for the engines and fuel tanks so will try eliminating those and see what happens.

One of the many things I don't understand. By centerline do you mean waterline as per the previous reference? If I apply FastCargo's ruler tool at the 0.0,0.0,0.0 point and it centers aft of the cockpit, does that mean the Y axis is too far aft? This is an area I have had some problems with regarding positioning the XAC points in a few FM's.

I think I have become a Prop Head. After wrestling through multiple CTD's and assorted other issues that can only be described as "Bizarre" I have a sort of functioning Battle of Britain install at the SF-1 final patch level. I have seen some quite impressive AI behavior in the dog fighting realm but when attacking bombers the AI is extremely unimaginative and just goes into a trail position and shoots away. I am quite doubtful whether the AI can be made smarter when attacking bombers but maybe it's possible to make the gunners on the bombers dumber? I haven't tried to adjust the gunner behavior on bombers before but suspected the AI for bomber gunners is contained in the AIRCRAFTOBJECT.INI. It's in the AI section of said .ini and looks like this: from aircraftobject.ini GunnerFireChance=80 GunnerFireTime=2.5 GunnerAimOffset=0.0050 I have been trying a few different settings to reduce the accuracy of the gunners but it doesn't seem to have much affect. Anyone have any ideas or suggested settings? Considering the rather primitive defensive armament on the early bombers I would like to see a lot less accuracy! Another thing I noticed is the lack of incendiary ammunition on the Hurricanes and Spitfires. What I did notice was a setting in the gun section of the A-Team He-111: [RearGun] SystemType=FLEXIBLE_GUN GunTypeName=7.9MM_MG17 MuzzlePosition=0.0000,-1.8872,1.4181 TracerLoading=5 BurstAmount=50//..........................WHAT? GunnerID=1 MaxAmmo=1000 I didn't know you could edit gun behavior outside the gun editor but it seems to work. I edited two of the guns on the Hurricane and Spitfire to try and replicate the incendiary loadout that was used at the time but using bursting shells and it seems to generate more wing fires etc. on the targets. Example below: [GunL04] SystemType=FIXED_GUN GunTypeName=303CAL_Browning InputName=FIRE_PRIMARY_GUN MuzzlePosition=-1.75,1.76,-0.479 AimAngles=0.3342,0.0,0.0915 BurstAmount=100 MaxAmmo=334 EjectShells=TRUE So, the next question is, are there other settings I can use such as "Incendiary" that the game will recognize? It's going to be a long road.

View File Update pack for Geo's F7F Tigercat This package is for SF-1 final patch level. It requires Geo's Tigercat upload available HERE. The update includes a new FM, some new drop tanks, and a modified F-86D cockpit by Cliff11. The FM is getting further development for SF-2 but the included FM will work fine in SF-2 if you want to do your own conversion. CREDITS: 1.] Geo! For making the Tigercat models. They still look good to me. As per his wishes, I haven't included the lods etc. with this update. 2.] Cliff11, for putting together the modified F-86D cockpit. Also Lex Luther, SabreDog Team, and Zura for previous work. 3.] Cliff11 again for putting together the new 150Gal drop tanks. 4.] FM credits: Baffmeister, Cliff11, Charles for the original, a lot of which is still there, and ThirdWire. WAIVERS: The items contained in this package can be used for freeware projects only. Submitter baffmeister Submitted 06/27/2012 Category Allied Fighters

I think there is still some good WW2 potential at the SF-1 final patch level. I have been playing around with the AvHistory FM's and plan to try some narrow focused installs for my own use. Probably a Battle of the Bulge install and maybe a Pacific install. I am presently building a Battle of Britain install but that requires quite a few new/modified FM's to work at the SF-1 final patch level. Working in a "Patch Free Zone" is a good feeling, however.

For what it's worth, I plan to release an SF-1 update pack for the Grumman Tigercat in a week or two. It will have an updated FM and won't include the lods etc. but those are now available here at CombatAce. Thank You Geo!

Would be nice if there was a view option to raise the cockpit viewing angle during landing. Some of the cockpits can look a bit weird though if the angle isn't just right.

You're welcome!

La-9 FM version 1.0 attached. It includes the improvements that were introduced on the La-11. No more updates planned for the medium term. La-9_DATA1.0.rar

The attached FM is for Wrench's recent La-11 upload available "Here." This FM contains all the original Wrench tweaks so you can just drop it in and go fly. I would suggest backing up the original though, just in case I missed something. The easiest way is probably just to rename the original to something like La-11_DataOrig then drop the new one in. This FM has a few more improvements than the current La-9 FM so I may be updating the La-9 sooner than I expected. La-11_DATA1.0.rar

La-9 beta 0.99 FM attached. I don't plan any updates in the near future but please post any improvements or fixes on this thread so I can check them out. For newbs, when flying the prop planes you will probably want to activate the rudder trim work around. Just have a look in the control.ini and scroll down to this section: [RangedControl002] AxisControl=YAW_CONTROL MaxValue=1000.000000 MinValue=-1000.000000 DeadZone=10.000000 Saturation=153.000000 ReverseJoystick=FALSE MouseScale=1.000000 UseMouseRate=FALSE ReverseMouse=FALSE LimitValue=TRUE SelfCenterRate=0.000000...............Do this and you can use the coma and period keys to trim the rudder. KeyControlRate=1.000000 AllowKeyControl=TRUE IncreaseControl=YAW_RIGHT DecreaseControl=YAW_LEFT CenterControl= Alternatively, you could just scroll down to the engine section in the La-9 data.ini and disable the Moment of Inertia entry: MomentOfInertia=//4.00..........do this I noticed the TW Spitfires and Mustang have some armor around the cockpit so I added some to the La-9. I am also using Wrench's entries for fuel tank protection which seems to be a good generic approach for the later WW-2 aircraft. This FM also has a generic mach tuck effect that I've been playing around with. It's easy to recover from but is a reminder that the WW-2 prop planes would get into trouble at the higher subsonic mach numbers. I expect to have a drop in La-11 FM available in a few days for Wrench's recent upload.

I read somewhere the La-9/11 used the filtered exhaust/inert gas injection into the fuel tanks to provide some fire suppression. Not sure about self sealing but I would also assume that would have become common by at most the mid war years. I will probably just do the tanks as they are on the La-11. The result seems quite realistic to me.

Question Time: I noticed Wrench's La-11 had some armor around the fuel tanks so have tried the same thing on the La-9. The results are quite interesting. It makes the plane much harder to bring down in a dog fight although I think the armor could be reduced somewhat. Instead of "steel" as the armor could I just use "aluminum" to simulate some structure around the tanks? Here is an example of the La-9/11 fuel tank entries: [FuselageFuelCell1] SystemType=FUEL_TANK FuelTankID=1 MaxFuelAmount=400.0//557.928 SelfHealing=TRUE FireSuppression=TRUE MinExtentPosition=-0.5,1.0,-0.5 MaxExtentPosition=0.5,3.0,0.5 HasArmor=TRUE ArmorMaterial=STEEL Armor[FRONT].Thickness=2 Armor .Thickness=2 Armor .Thickness=2 Armor[REAR].Thickness-2 Armor[TOP].Thickness=2 Armor[bOTTOM].Thickness=2 The TW Spitfires and Mustang have no armor nor self sealing tanks, which seems kind of strange. The Mustang does get some FireSuppression.Examples: TW Spitfire [FuelCells] SystemType=FUEL_TANK FuelTankID=1 MaxFuelAmount=296.88 SelfHealing=FALSE.........................Not a self sealing tank! FireSuppression=FALSE MinExtentPosition=-0.33,-0.39,-0.77 MaxExtentPosition= 0.33, 0.22, 0.30 TW Mustang [LeftWingFuelCell]mustang SystemType=FUEL_TANK FuelTankID=1 MaxFuelAmount=283.77 SelfHealing=FALSE..........................Also, not self sealing. FireSuppression=TRUE MinExtentPosition=-0.70,-1.03,-0.68 MaxExtentPosition=-1.95,-0.20,-0.40 With the intent of keeping things fair, should I just do the La-9/11 tanks the same way as the Mustang/Spitfire or should I add some protection and leave it to the "PropHeads" to adjust their TW Mustang and Spitfires in a similar fashion? At present, the Spitfire in particular is a bit of a "One Flick Lighter".

Does the extra line disappear at higher zoom levels? [having a somewhat similar issue with a mod of the stock Desert terrain.]

Looking forward to this one. Time to think up some "Colonial Difficulties" for the RAF.