Southside Bucky

Ah, the old one note solo with screaming feedback...A speciality of mine, often utilised during my band years, circa '84-'88 :yes: The other band members would often ask me if I could give it some variation now 'n again..."Any more notes would be overkill, man", I would reply. Happy days.

On an OP in my Bristol Scout, with one wingman in a Morane N, circa July '15, I saw 5-6 Eindekkers about 2000ft below us escorting a couple of Aviatiks. My wingman must've cursed me when I pressed 'TAB + 1' to engage... I picked out one straggler and swooped down, engine off, upper wing Lewis blazing...One drum later he was falling in flames...He didn't know what hit him. Not wanting to push my luck I put the nose down and dived for the lines with four Eindekkers in hot pursuit. By the time I reached NML there were just two still with me. Friendly Archie took out one of 'em, but the last one, obviously incensed by the loss of a couple of his mates, just wouldn't let it lie... Fancying my chances one on one, I pulled the Lewis down (I still can't get over how cool that is!), reloaded, then turned to meet the tenacious bounder. We hurtled towards each other, all guns blazing...Till we collided head-on at a combined speed of 170mph. So yeah, totally disregard what I said about being safe once you cross the lines.

That just HAS to be stickied! :yes:

In my (admittedly limited) experience, I reckon if you make it back across No Mans Land, you're home 'n dry... Regarding the RPG thing: I've convinced myself that it's historically accurate, so I've just upped the 'MaxAmmo' entry in the 150 hp Camel's Data.ini from 250 to 300 per gun. ONLY for the 150 hp though. If I find out any different I'll let you know. :yes:

Good question, and strange as it might seem, that info is not easy to come by, but as far as the Camel's concerned, it would appear that when it was first introduced in mid '17, 250 rounds per gun would be correct. This is confirmed in two books: 'Windsock Datafile No.26: Sopwith camel', by J.M. Bruce. 'Early Aircraft Armament', by Harry Woodman. Which kinda infers that at some stage the RPG was increased...What to, I don't know ...300 per gun maybe? Regards. Bucky EDIT: Hey! post No. 500...I'm a Senior Member now!...

Thankfully, that's not a problem us old fashioned 'FE1'ers' have to worry about anymore. FE1 has now, to all intents and purposes, reached the apex of its development. There are some guys new to FE that won't know about the major setback Peter had to contend with when the EP was released with all the changes to the FM code. He could've given up at that point and no one would've blamed him either. But thanks to Peter's dogged perseverance (and no little talent), we now have a game with arguably the best AI ever seen in any flight simulation. Peter, thank you for all your efforts...I take my hat off to you mate

Sounds great, old boy! 'Specially the generic one. Y'know, I'm really pleased you've made your way back to this game...I know you've got the other two, and it says a lot that you (being a pilot 'n all) rate FE as highly as you do.

Skinning a walfisch?...Does your cruelty know no bounds? Actually, man, I'm looking forward to seeing that! Without giving too much away, may I ask; is it a specific scheme or generic?

Yeah, but just think of the tremendous satisfaction you'll derive from dropping one in my yard without any visual aids...

You 'ain't wrong, Wilches...That 3D object viewer is most excellent! Thanks for the heads up.

Hi Guys. Today, on the A Team's, Skunkworks site, I finally learned how to find and remove bits 'n pieces from existing models...Here's the result. Before the FE2b was introduced to the Western Front in early 1916, there was the FE2a, which was used in very small numbers from around June 1915. Although there weren't many of 'em (only 12 by Dec '15). Due to the fighting spirit of legendary airmen like Lanoe Hawker and Louis Strange, they were involved in numerous early combats in a desperate bid to end the infamous period known as the 'Fokker Scourge'. For that reason, I reckon this is a plane well worth adding to your early war, plane inventory. Here's how to create an FE2a from the A Team's most excellent FE2b, and make it appreciably different from the stock model. Make sure you copy any text exactly as you see it here, paying particular attention to spacing and high and lower case type. Also be sure to delete any entries this text replaces. 1. Make a copy of your existing FE2b folder and rename it: Fe2a 2. Delete all skins in the new folder, except: '6Sqn', which is an excellent early war, 'clear dope' scheme. 3. Rename the FE2b configuration file to: Fe2a 4. Open the newly named configuration file and replace the text at the top with the following: [AircraftData] AircraftFullName=FE 2a AircraftShortName=F.E.2a AircraftDataFile=Fe2a_data.ini CockpitDataFile=Fe2B_cockpit.ini HangarScreen=FE2B_Hangar.bmp LoadoutFile=Fe2B_loadout.ini LoadingScreen=FE2B_Loading.bmp 5. Rename the FE2b 'Data.ini' file to: Fe2a_DATA 6. Open the newly named Data.ini, and replace the existing entries with the following: (To make these changes easier to do, I've kept it in descending order) [MissionData] ServiceStartDate=06/1915 ServiceEndDate=01/1916 Note: Use this next entry ONLY if you're using my 'PropLoopEarly' sound file (available in the FE 'Sounds' downloads section). If so, replace the 'PropLoop' entry with this: [sound] EngineSoundName=PropLoopEarly This next bit (along with some other alterations further down), is to encourage your gunner to fire a bit more aggressively. [AIData] GunnerFireChance=90 GunnerFireTime=1.0 The reason we need a more aggressive gunner is because The FE2a only used one gun, So to make the 'A' different from the 'B', and for historical accuracy, we're now gonna do away with the pilot's Lewis. Also, I never did like the 'goalpost' in front of the cockpit, and I've never seen a photo of an FE2a with it, so if you want to get rid of that too, copy and paste all of the following text into the bottom of the 'AircraftData' section. The 'Component' numbers should be the same, but if not, make sure they're consecutive. [AircraftData] Component[020]=RemoveGun Component[021]=RemoveWindshieldFrame [RemoveGun] ParentComponentName=Fuselage ModelNodeName= DestroyedNodeName=Lewis_L ShowFromCockpit=FALSE DamageRating=DAMAGED MassFraction=0.001 HasAeroCoefficients=FALSE [RemoveWindshieldFrame] ParentComponentName=Fuselage ModelNodeName= DestroyedNodeName=WindshieldFrame ShowFromCockpit=FALSE DamageRating=DAMAGED MassFraction=0.001 HasAeroCoefficients=FALSE Back to that gun shy gunner...The following changes should make him just a tad more keen to pull the trigger: [Gunner] GunRange=750 PitchAngleRate=50 YawAngleRate=65 Now, in order to replicate the less powerful 100hp 'Green' engine used in the FE2a, we're gonna have to slow the old bus down a bit. Recently, Peter01 showed me an excellent way of doing this without having to alter loads of other entries in the Data.ini (which would adversely affect the FM). Add these 'Drag Area' values to the undercarriage entry and you should find that the plane will now cruise at around 75-80 mph, which would be accurate: [LeftMainGear] DragArea=0.63 [RightMainGear] DragArea=0.63 That's it!...Now go 'n give those Fokkers what for! PS. Thanks to Capun and Peter01 for the instructions and inspiration.

Sorry, one other thing: For those who like to fly with a nod to historical accuracy...When setting up your missions, the FE2a should only be used one or maybe two at a time. It would've been used to escort a few BE2's, or on offensive patrols, along with a couple of Bristol Scout C's and/or Morane N's.

Having tested the 'Drag Area' settings recommended by Peter (0.63, instead of 0.33), the plane now definitely feels like the lumbering beast it truly was...I've now edited the 'Drag area' values accordingly. Thanks again Peter.

Incidentally guys...I'm not 100% on this, but I think that hitting the 'Tab' key, then pressing '1' ('Engage Air') when about to go into action does help to remind your gunner what he's there for...Or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part, I dunno.

Ha!...Y'see? I told you I was innumerate! Blimey! 0.63, eh?...The old girl seems to chug along nicely around 75 mph with the drag area set at 0.33, but I'll certainly give 63 go. Thanks for the input. And whaddaya mean, you're keeping the Lewis?...Have you no faith in your gunner?

Hmmm...Unfortunately, placing the pilot in the nose section has made no difference Peter. As an experiment, I edited all the different versions of the Albatros according to your instructions, then set up quick missions in mid '17, flying the Camel, which guaranteed meeting an Albatros of some description. The result: No change. I still have pilots remaining in the cockpit despite being barbequeued. Flying on for miles with a disabled engine. Just to add, I know you're very busy doing other stuff, so I'm not hassling you for more solutions. I just thought you should know, that's all. I'd be interested to know if anyone else has the same problem? Cheers.

Yeah sorry, man...I should've known you'd done all you could with it. Like I said before, considering the base model you're working with, you've done an amazing job on 'em.

Beautiful, Quack! The skins that is, not you...Although I'm sure you're quite a handsome devil. :yes: One thing that's just occurred to me that you might like to consider: The metal panels on the upper forward fuselage and the wood decking around the cockpit were usually painted grey. So, taking that last screenshot featuring 8578 for instance, the grey of the side engine panels should extend up onto the upper forward fuselage and terminate at the line behind the cockpit. The clear doped machines should be finished one of two ways: Either extend the grey as descibed above, or paint just the side and upper metal panels immediately behind the cowling in the grey, then have the wood decking in front and around the cockpit in a light brown wood colour. Sorry if I've done you up like a kipper again!

Well, I suppose the "good news" is that TK's finished with FE1 as far as changes and developments are concerned, so anyone wanting to implement those changes to every plane in their FE1 install can do it safe in the knowledge that they'll only have to do it once...Unless you continue updating FE1 FM's, of course! Thanks for the instructions Peter.

Is it an easy DIY fix, Peter?...I reckon a "dead" AI pilot and subsequent crash to earth is preferable to watching 'em nonchalantly fly off home engulfed in flames.

Can't say that I've come across any of those specific circumstances you mention there Bandy, but I have noticed a rather annoying tendency for AI planes to casually fly on for miles with blazing engine fires. Anyone know what's causing this or how it can be stopped?

Yep!...Just to confirm: You'll need the file; 'AircraftExplosionEffect' available in Laton's upload; 'Crash' or 'Crash 2' (two versions), available in this thread: http://forum.combatace.com/topic/42296-persistant-smoke-from-downed-aircraft/page__p__311980__hl__smoke__fromsearch__1entry311980 Use it in conjunction with the two files Bandy uploaded here. Place all three in your 'Effects' folder. Bandy. One other thought: Do you think the plumes might be too long? Maybe they'd look more natural if they rose, then dissipated at (say) fifty scale feet, rather than what looks like the 200 feet or more they rise to ATM?

Hi Bandy. Thanks for the detailed explanation. Personally, just by way of a suggestion, I think it might look a tad more natural if the plumes weren't quite so deeply black and dense. I've only actually seen the effect once in about 12-15 'Single Mission' scenario's, but what I did notice was that the smoke stood out a little unnaturally,...in stark contrast to the terrain colour fade towards the horizon. I'm wondering if by lightening the smoke plume colour a little, it might negate that effect somewhat?

After placing the 'Triplane_DATA.INI in the correct aircraft folder , I can now give you a slightly better informed opinion on it: Feels good to me...Not drastically different from the last version (Ver 2.0 April 2009), but less jittery or skittish somehow. I noticed a tendency for it to start buffeting quite easily, but I imagine that would be quite accurate considering the number of wings. Up against the Halberstadt D.II the Tripe is markedly (and I think, correct historically) superior. Gotta admit I've yet to fly it against the new Albatros DV/a's you just uploaded, but I suspect the Tripe will be quite evenly matched against them. IMO, another good'un...Well done!

Hi again Peter. After testing this one out for ten minutes or so, I was thinking the changes in this particular version were really, really subtle...So subtle in fact, that I couldn't tell any difference at all from the previous version. That's when I noticed you named this one; 'Triplane_DATA.ini', as opposed to 'FOKKERDR1_DATA.INI'...LOL! You got me good there, Peter! Also, when you said it was 95% complete, I thought you were referring to the FM, not the model itself...In the VC view, this one has no wings or forward fuselage. The view from the cockpit was awesome!