Virtavia B-29 Released
- Thread starter Sundog
- Start date
DaveQ
Charter Member
If I had a good enough colour photo I'd have a go at 'Jack's Hack'. I'm no artist so I have to use images and Photoshop. As for metallic finishes, it's always been one of the greatest challenges to get it even remotely right. Almost every photo looks different and, as Jens-Ole says, in service they were never as polished as museum pieces. However 20th AAF B-29's were kept pretty clean by ground crews who regularly polished them with gasoline; whether one was ever set alight as a result is not recorded....!
DaveQ
Has anybody done or is doing WWII scenery for the Northern Marianas btw? Would fit the Superfort beautifully!
Dave, I have just about completed most of the Marianas in WWII time frame. Over a year long project. Includes all the Islands north of Saipan, Tinian and Guam. Shouldn't be to long now. Finishing the north and northwestern airfields on Guam now. Shouldn't be to long. The scenery will include static B-29's with the proper tail identification for all islands. Tinian has an area were the A-Bombs were loaded. I will be using Mark Schimmers A-Bomb objects with complete underground pit and raising wenches. Back to work on it today. It is Called Marianas 1945.
Here is a very old video of some of the early scenery with the Shockwave B-29. Video HERE
Ian Warren
Charter Member
That dose look impressive Tom 
looking forward to it
looking forward to it
adi518
Charter Member
I had this happen but I'm pretty sure I wasn't overspeeding. Strange.
DaveQ
Charter Member
I had a stall recovery yesterday that put it into a steep dive and had the controls lock because of an overspeed. Fortunately I had just enough height to level off and recover. But one thing that puzzles me is that the aircraft needs full right rudder immediately after the wheels leave the ground, to maintain a heading. This diminuishes as speed builds up and once the flaps are up. And it doesn't occur on landing but can occur if you put on full power for a go-around; it almost behaves like a single engined fighter with prop torque. I would assume the real aircraft had props geared to eliminate prop torque but maybe not, and is that how this model is set up??
DaveQ
DaveQ
No particular logic, but why would you want to fly an aircraft well beyond it's rated maximum speed? That is unless you want to kill yourself and your crew, and tear the plane apart. 
But seriously, reading through the original B-29 Pilot's manual there were a ton of restrictions placed upon pilot and crew as to how this aircraft was to be flown. It was a beast and required careful attention regarding it's flight envelope and procedures. There were quite a few accidents and crews were lost because of it. Having said that, the overspeed/control issue was something I tried to eliminate but never did find the cause. Anyone who has ever worked on an airfile will know the frustartion of sorting those little bugs out. Finding the causes of things and then correcting them can be infuriating. In the end I ran out of time and had to move on.
DaveQ,
That's odd. How do you have your realism sliders set up? I know you already know this but I'll say it anyway, re-calibrate your controller, check your weather settings for crosswinds. The real aircraft did not obtain rudder control until 60-65 mph. Pilots were told to maintain directional stability through the use of the throttles. However, I think that's asking a bit much of the simulator pilot. I would like to hear a bit more about the issue, though. Maybe we can figure out what's going on.
View attachment 95190
But seriously, reading through the original B-29 Pilot's manual there were a ton of restrictions placed upon pilot and crew as to how this aircraft was to be flown. It was a beast and required careful attention regarding it's flight envelope and procedures. There were quite a few accidents and crews were lost because of it. Having said that, the overspeed/control issue was something I tried to eliminate but never did find the cause. Anyone who has ever worked on an airfile will know the frustartion of sorting those little bugs out. Finding the causes of things and then correcting them can be infuriating. In the end I ran out of time and had to move on.
DaveQ,
That's odd. How do you have your realism sliders set up? I know you already know this but I'll say it anyway, re-calibrate your controller, check your weather settings for crosswinds. The real aircraft did not obtain rudder control until 60-65 mph. Pilots were told to maintain directional stability through the use of the throttles. However, I think that's asking a bit much of the simulator pilot. I would like to hear a bit more about the issue, though. Maybe we can figure out what's going on.
View attachment 95190
DaveQ
Charter Member
Thanks for this Mal, it's fascinating to read the original notes and how they match with the FS experience. The yaw problem I know is at least in part down to the vagarities of my particular Logitech controller, which hangs to the left when I grip the stick. But it is just the sudden pull to the left on rotation that I've had to learn to correct for which I now can, and can fly a fairly straight course off the runway so I'm content. It's always to the left even in the absence of a cross-wind component, which is why I suspected a torque issue, but the controller grip twist is a significant compounding factor. Not to worry, I'm loving this beast!!
Thanks Dave for the positive words. They are much appreciated in that we usually hear about what's wrong rather than what's right so I am glad you're having a happy experience with the "beast". Now, as for the controller issues, I have a couple of thoughts; first, I've always had an aversion to controllers employing a twist grip for rudder function. To me they seem to lack a certain amount of precision because they attempted to marry 2 functions into one which to my mind is anti-ergonomic (made-up terminology). Realizing that one can get use to just about anything, I always felt uncomfortable twisting the stick while moving forward and back at the same time. That is why, when my old Saitek X-35/X-36 hit the skids I replaced it with an X-45. I preferred the older X-35-36 version but could not find any on Ebay. That's probably because I bought them all up. At any rate the thing I liked about the old Saiteks was there were 2 separate controllers that plugged into each other. One was a joystick, but the other was a throttle that employed a rocker switch on the underneath of the handle that activated the rudder. Very ergonomic, and very natural to use. The other issue with most controllers is the contacts wear out and as you have already mentioned with your twist grip you can end up with a pronounced pull to one side or another. I'm sure the Saitek or Windows software allow you to re-calibrate and center the rudder function but if the contacts are worn this will be a never-ending issue.
As far as control lockup, there was a condition known to pilot's and aeronautical engineers alike called compressibility. Here is a brief description of the phenomenom: "virtually all of the high performance a/c would enter compressibility in a dive, speed depending on Critical mach number of the wing. The complications that arose were formation of a shock wave at the point where the velocity was greatest over the wing - leading to separation, change of center of lift, turbulent flow over stabilizer, etc"
Here is a page from the B-29 Pilot's Operating Manual as it pertains to putting the B-29 in a dive (pg75)
View attachment 95206
At any rate the thing I liked about the old Saiteks was there were 2 separate controllers that plugged into each other. One was a joystick, but the other was a throttle that employed a rocker switch on the underneath of the handle that activated the rudder. Very ergonomic, and very natural to use. The other issue with most controllers is the contacts wear out and as you have already mentioned with your twist grip you can end up with a pronounced pull to one side or another. I'm sure the Saitek or Windows software allow you to re-calibrate and center the rudder function but if the contacts are worn this will be a never-ending issue.As far as control lockup, there was a condition known to pilot's and aeronautical engineers alike called compressibility. Here is a brief description of the phenomenom: "virtually all of the high performance a/c would enter compressibility in a dive, speed depending on Critical mach number of the wing. The complications that arose were formation of a shock wave at the point where the velocity was greatest over the wing - leading to separation, change of center of lift, turbulent flow over stabilizer, etc"
Here is a page from the B-29 Pilot's Operating Manual as it pertains to putting the B-29 in a dive (pg75)
View attachment 95206
Hi Dave,
All engines and propellors turn the same way so the torque is not eliminated in any way unlike the P38. I have the Haynes manual for the Avro Lancaster and there the BBMF describes the same: enormous torque (rudder) corrections needed during take off. At go-around the same: lots of torque and prop wash at low speed with little stability. I try to counter the effect by frequent rudder input and differential throttle settings.
Paul
DaveQ
Charter Member
Thanks Paul - very interesting. I fly the B-29 exactly that way; splashes of left rudder down the take-off roll keeps her on the centre line and plenty as the nosewheel comes off. Because she responds slowly to the rudder I centre it as soon as she starts to turn, then re-apply if she drift out to the left again. Flaps up incrementally from about 160mph, turn on heading when airspeed tops 200mph.
Mal - I read or heard somewhere that dive recovery can be achieved using the trim tabs if the elevators are locked by compressibility , though clearly you need enough altitude. Can't see the attachment atm.
Still enjoying flying her - if I can get permission to copy artwork there are two Korean War 19th Bomb Group repaints on-going though the models are strictly speaking inaccurate for that era because the radome only appears on the model without the turrets. Still they look great and it is only a hobby after all...........!!
DaveQ
Ian Warren
Charter Member
Looks Great Dave , strangely with all the reference material I have here i am very limited in regard to the Superfort tho Dragon Lady is one i do recall .
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DaveQ
Charter Member
Hi Ian
Dragon Lady was a B-29-50-BN, 44-61835, of the 30th Bomb. Sqdn., 19th Bomb.Group, flying out of Kadena, Okinawa. A great reference for Korean War B-29's is this one - http://home.comcast.net/~b29sinthekoreanwar/Units.htm. Dragon Lady was lost on 31st October 1951; about 40 miles out from Kadena No. 3 engine caught fire and caused an explosion that ripped off the right wing. There were no survivors. There are many such stories and references on the website above.
DaveQ
Dragon Lady was a B-29-50-BN, 44-61835, of the 30th Bomb. Sqdn., 19th Bomb.Group, flying out of Kadena, Okinawa. A great reference for Korean War B-29's is this one - http://home.comcast.net/~b29sinthekoreanwar/Units.htm. Dragon Lady was lost on 31st October 1951; about 40 miles out from Kadena No. 3 engine caught fire and caused an explosion that ripped off the right wing. There were no survivors. There are many such stories and references on the website above.
DaveQ
Cirrus N210MS
Charter Member
is this B-29 really worth it?? i was thinking about buying it Looks like a Nice Model
Ian Warren
Charter Member
Cheers , Thanks for that Dave
, I do have a scheme that has not been done yet is "The Big Stick" Z-44 of the 500th been plugging away at, surprised "Eddie Allen" has not popped up on the radar yet. <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><input jscode="leoInternalChangeDone()" onclick="if(typeof(jsCall)=='function'){jsCall();}else{setTimeout('jsCall()',500);}" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
DaveQ
Charter Member
Yes definitely. It's likely to be the only FSX-native B-29 in the forseeable future and is an excellent overall representation of the aircraft. There are holes to be picked I guess but that's true of pretty much every add-on ever published. I only have two very minor gripes; firstly it would be good to be able to move the gun turrets, and secondly the range of external models is limited. That aside it flies well and looks great.
DaveQ