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Corsair Tailhook

gray eagle

SOH-CM-2025
Corsair Tailhook (Fixed)

Is there anyone else that can not fully deploy the tail hook? What you see is fully extended.


attachment.php



I have the latest FDE replacements installed fliger747_edited_corsair_fde_12_31_14.zip



Edit: It comes down fully when airborne and wheels are down.

Couldn't delete this so I posted this edit
 
Last edited:
Is there anyone else that can not fully deploy the tail hook? What you see is fully extended.


attachment.php



I have the latest FDE replacements installed fliger747_edited_corsair_fde_12_31_14.zip



Edit: It comes down fully when airborne and wheels are down.

Couldn't delete this so I posted this edit

I dont have a problem with the tail hook that I know of, other than I cant extend it unless the gear is down. I have noted that when on the carrier deck, the tail wheel does not touch the ground. main gear are ok, tail wheel no.
 



My issue is as stated http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?91713-Aircraft-Factory-Corsairs/page2, #42 namely, upon landing, with the tail hook extended (that means full out), it will retract fully (that means raise).
I HAVE made the tail hook entries and I have previously. Don't know why I was referred to another thread as I made the changes to the tail hook.

Normally, when you extend the tail hook and land, the tail hook remains out until you manually raise it. It is not supposed to raise automatically. That is the whole point
of this in case you missed what I was trying to convey.



Using any Razbam aircraft, and on the ground, I can raise and lower the tail hook on any of their products that come with a tail hook.
This one from A2A, the hook will not extend while on the ground; it will extend when airborne (At least this is what I am experiencing).
Then after a landing whether it's on a carrier or shore base runway, the hook will pop in like a turtle's head. While on the ground, the hook will only
partially move out and not come it contact with the ground. That's about as lucid as I can be.
 
It's not a problem with the model, Gray Eagle, it is the way the tailhook entry in the Aircraft.cfg file is setup - by default with the original Aircraft Factory product files, the tailhook will extend all the way to the ground (but then again, as it comes, it doesn't have a tailhook entry in it). So no blame is to be made on A2A/Aircraft Factory. The tailhook entry written in the original Tom Falley (Fliger747) FDE was for the original MV model, and thus wasn't properly setup for the Aircraft Factory model, and will cause the nose-overs every time when catching a wire.

On most any taildragger aircraft in FSX, even if the tailhook information is entered accurately to actually match the model correctly, it will almost always still cause the aircraft to flip onto its nose when landing, or very near to it. The tailhook system in FSX was never designed with taildraggers in-mind. As a result, you usually always have to play with the position and length of the tailhook in the Aircraft.cfg file, to a location that is farther back, and usually also with a shorter tailhook arm length, to decrease the nose-over effects. With the tailhook entry I provided for the Aircraft.cfg file, it was simply a quick modification (probably much too far exaggerated) that will allow you to land the aircraft and catch a wire without nosing over, but the side-effect is that the tailhook won't extend all the way down when on the ground.

To accurately match the Aircraft Factory model, allowing the tailhook to drop all the way to the ground when on the ground/carrier, the tailhook entry should look fairly much like this instead:

[TailHook]
tailhook_length = 4
tailhook_position = -17.2, 0, .6
cable_force_adjust = 1


With that entry, however, expect the nose to dip down more than in my previous tailhook mod, but it shouldn't cause any damage to the aircraft. A way to ensure the littlest-amount of nose over is to make sure you are landing slow enough, with a near-to-full stall landing.

Furthermore, you can experiment with something more like this, which will still allow the tailhook to extend all the way to the ground, and will do a little bit more to dampen the tail from rising as high when catching a wire.

[TailHook]
tailhook_length = 2.52
tailhook_position = -22.5, 0, .6
cable_force_adjust = 1
 
Thanks for the time and effort you're putting into this John.. it's much appreciated:encouragement: The tail hook (and/or it's setup) is often overlooked on what are to all intents, carrier models.. I've a few I don't use for carrier ops because of this darned nose-over as the wire gets taught which is not only a shame but a waste of money in my opinion.

Tks again:very_drunk:
ATB
DaveB:)
 
Not a problem, Dave. I went through all of this trouble when tuning-in the carrier habits of the Navy-modified P-51D "Seahorse" that we did through Warbirdsim, matching the original aircraft. A whole other problem arises when you want to setup these aircraft for catapault launches, as they were also originally configured for and used with during WWII and after. For that, there is a quick FSX.cfg file modification that improves things considerably (together with a required Aircraft.cfg file section, just for cat-launches).

(BTW, I've updated the tailhook entries in my last post, ever-so-slightly.)
 
Cheers John:encouragement:

I'm almost embarrassed to say I bought Mustang Tales in the pre-Christmas sales but have yet to install it though to offset this.. I did spend some time whizzing up and around Gibraltar in 'Frankie' this afternoon:biggrin-new: Note to self.. install Mustang Tales!

I tried the first of the two entries above (pre-edit) and found the 1A was still nosing over. After 3 attempts and me thinking I'd got away with it on each occasion.. it 'just' tipped each time:banghead: I'll try the edit above and if all fails.. the second entry above.

I was light too.. sub 100gals. Perhaps I need to be yet lighter?? It wasn't possible to go slower without ditching!
ATB
DaveB:)
 
Yeah, I like the second tailhook entry in my post much more - and hopefully it makes everyone happy. ; ) The tail will still lift up, but no where near a nose-tip. I usually try to get over the threshold of the deck at about 95-100 KIAS and then chop the throttle, setting down over/onto the wires.

In order to quickly do some carrier practice, I've been loading up the carrier practice mission, with changes allowed, and switch over to the corsair.
 
Much Better

It's not a problem with the model, Gray Eagle, it is the way the tailhook entry in the Aircraft.cfg file is setup - by default with the original Aircraft Factory product files, the tailhook will extend all the way to the ground (but then again, as it comes, it doesn't have a tailhook entry in it). So no blame is to be made on A2A/Aircraft Factory. The tailhook entry written in the original Tom Falley (Fliger747) FDE was for the original MV model, and thus wasn't properly setup for the Aircraft Factory model, and will cause the nose-overs every time when catching a wire.

On most any taildragger aircraft in FSX, even if the tailhook information is entered accurately to actually match the model correctly, it will almost always still cause the aircraft to flip onto its nose when landing, or very near to it. The tailhook system in FSX was never designed with taildraggers in-mind. As a result, you usually always have to play with the position and length of the tailhook in the Aircraft.cfg file, to a location that is farther back, and usually also with a shorter tailhook arm length, to decrease the nose-over effects. With the tailhook entry I provided for the Aircraft.cfg file, it was simply a quick modification (probably much too far exaggerated) that will allow you to land the aircraft and catch a wire without nosing over, but the side-effect is that the tailhook won't extend all the way down when on the ground.

To accurately match the Aircraft Factory model, allowing the tailhook to drop all the way to the ground when on the ground/carrier, the tailhook entry should look fairly much like this instead:

[TailHook]
tailhook_length = 4
tailhook_position = -17.2, 0, .6
cable_force_adjust = 1


With that entry, however, expect the nose to dip down more than in my previous tailhook mod, but it shouldn't cause any damage to the aircraft. A way to ensure the littlest-amount of nose over is to make sure you are landing slow enough, with a near-to-full stall landing.

Furthermore, you can experiment with something more like this, which will still allow the tailhook to extend all the way to the ground, and will do a little bit more to dampen the tail from rising as high when catching a wire.

[TailHook]
tailhook_length = 2.52
tailhook_position = -22.5, 0, .6
cable_force_adjust = 1



John,

All the above is now in the fliger747_edited_corsair_fde_12_31_14.zip ? If so, I seem to of lost the link.

Thanks
Butch


Edit: I used the first set of figures and the hook goes all the way down to the deck. Thanks John:adoration:
Sorry to of been a pain. I had a feeling it was something in that tail hook entry but I didn't have a clue as to the line/line that needed
changing and parameters to use. :encouragement:

attachment.php
 
I tried the revised first entry with around 70gals onboard and was just about to cartwheel around the front room when the b1oody thing tipped over again just as it stopped:dizzy: Tried once more and finally trapped:jump: I found that rather too close to death mind you so I'll try the second entry now. I already have it in the cfg.. just need to remove the // . Now I know it can be done.. I'm a much happier chappie;)
ATB
DaveB:)
 
Seems like tailhooking in FSX is much more "user-friendly" for postwar tricycle-gear aircraft than the taildraggers of the 1930's and WWII. There are several tailwheel planes that I simply could not get to land without nosing over, no matter how slow I was over the ramp or how I tweaked the tailhook values. I ended up cheating a bit by moving the main gear contact points forward by about 1.0-1.5 ft. This doesn't usually change the aircraft's appearance on deck but it seems to resolve the nose-over problem for me.
 
Seems like tailhooking in FSX is much more "user-friendly" for postwar tricycle-gear aircraft than the taildraggers of the 1930's and WWII. There are several tailwheel planes that I simply could not get to land without nosing over, no matter how slow I was over the ramp or how I tweaked the tailhook values. I ended up cheating a bit by moving the main gear contact points forward by about 1.0-1.5 ft. This doesn't usually change the aircraft's appearance on deck but it seems to resolve the nose-over problem for me.



You got a point. I remember watching those old WW2 Victory at sea movies and those old Navy Prop jobs (Tail draggers) landing on pitching deck of carrier in rough seas, and once in awhile
a plane would nose over. Some would split in half and the cockpit would go toward the island with the pilot still in it and miraculously crawl out of the cockpit unscathed.
 
I'll be the first to admit that my "getting aboard" technique is not that great and the LSO would always have some nasty comments for me down in the ready room when he made his rounds. Planes do nose over for a variety of reasons (like excessive brakes, landing gear or structural failure), but not usually on a routine trap when you simply out the wire. Kinda takes the fun out of the sim when it happens all the time.
 
If you're not happy with those.. try the second entry:encouragement:

@TARPSBird..
Yeah.. and it's so annoying! Some models will catch the wire with consummate ease.. the VS_SBD and Avenger are dead certs every time. The Hellcat on the other hand is a handful and will nose-over like the 'default' cfg Corsair and the JF Martlett/Wildcat for that matter. Tricycle gear models have other problems of course but you don't have to worry about visiting sickbay just as you come to a stop:biggrin-new:

ATB
DaveB:)
 
To accurately match the Aircraft Factory model, allowing the tailhook to drop all the way to the ground when on the ground/carrier, the tailhook entry should look fairly much like this instead:

[TailHook]
tailhook_length = 4
tailhook_position = -17.2, 0, .6
cable_force_adjust = 1


With that entry, however, expect the nose to dip down more than in my previous tailhook mod, but it shouldn't cause any damage to the aircraft. A way to ensure the littlest-amount of nose over is to make sure you are landing slow enough, with a near-to-full stall landing.

Furthermore, you can experiment with something more like this, which will still allow the tailhook to extend all the way to the ground, and will do a little bit more to dampen the tail from rising as high when catching a wire.

[TailHook]
tailhook_length = 2.52
tailhook_position = -22.5, 0, .6
cable_force_adjust = 1

Hey John, thanks for the mod work on fliger747's FDE, and for the tail hook position mods. The second mod above works great for me. Upon catching the wire the tail is snatched up to about parallel with the deck and as the bird is hauled to a stop it teeters for a split second in this attitude then the tail flops down on the deck.

Much appreciated. :encouragement:
 
I am not sure what if any modifications A2A made to the Milviz Corsair after they purchased it. The original was tested with perhaps 300-400 arrested carrier landings and was as accurate as I could make it in this flight regime. If you are nosing up on landing you are landing with too much speed over the deck. (1) the ship should be moving 25 knots or so and it is helpful if you have some wind to head into. Ideal wind over the deck would be 35-40 knots. In landing the Corsair make sure you fuel is reduced, landing at max weight is not recommended. Make sure you approach speed is between 87-90 knots, no faster or slower. This will seem really slow, lots of torque and rudder required, at this point you will get the full Corsair experience! About 10 deg rt rudder trim and 1 deg nose up trim will be helpful. A circular approach with a VERY short final and viewpoint moved left to site down the cowl are helpful.

As noted earlier almost any FSX taildragger will nose up if landed with too much relative ground speed. FSX ships vary somewhat in their arresting properties. If you have a specific ship you use you might try adjusting the cable force scalar in the acft.cfg file.

Anyway, have fun with the hose nose-ensign eliminator.

T
 
I am not sure what if any modifications A2A made to the Milviz Corsair after they purchased it. The original was tested with perhaps 300-400 arrested carrier landings and was as accurate as I could make it in this flight regime. If you are nosing up on landing you are landing with too much speed over the deck. (1) the ship should be moving 25 knots or so and it is helpful if you have some wind to head into. Ideal wind over the deck would be 35-40 knots. In landing the Corsair make sure you fuel is reduced, landing at max weight is not recommended. Make sure you approach speed is between 87-90 knots, no faster or slower. This will seem really slow, lots of torque and rudder required, at this point you will get the full Corsair experience! About 10 deg rt rudder trim and 1 deg nose up trim will be helpful. A circular approach with a VERY short final and viewpoint moved left to site down the cowl are helpful.

As noted earlier almost any FSX taildragger will nose up if landed with too much relative ground speed. FSX ships vary somewhat in their arresting properties. If you have a specific ship you use you might try adjusting the cable force scalar in the acft.cfg file.

Anyway, have fun with the hose nose-ensign eliminator.

T

Great tutorial Tom. Thank you. :encouragement:
 
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