Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
Guys, the proper way to operate the landing gear and flaps in the P-40 is as follows:
To raise/lower the gear:
- Put the gear lever up/down (G-key or assigned joystick key)
- Activate the hydraulic system by pressing and holding in the switch on top of the control stick (assign this function to a key on your joystick using the A2A P40 Input Configurator)
- Test to ensure the landing gear is locked by trying to move the backup manual hydraulic pump lever on the right side of the cockpit (you'll know that the gear is locked up or down when the pump lever no longer moves)
- Return the gear lever back to neutral (G-key or assigned joystick key)
To raise/lower the flaps:
- Put the flap handle up/down (F5/F8 keys or assigned joystick keys)
- Active the hydraulic system by pressing and holding in the switch on top of the control stick until the flaps are in the desired position (assign this function to a key on your joystick using the A2A P40 Input Configurator)
- Return the flap lever back to neutral (F5/F8 key or assigned joystick keys) whenever not being raised or lowered.
If you just assign a button on the top of your joystick to the hydraulic pump within the A2A P40 Input Configurator, this will allow you the most realistic and natural experience of operating the landing gear/flaps on this aircraft.
The flaps, just like in the real aircraft, deploy very fast, and just like in the real aircraft expect to only use two flap settings on landing - half down on base and full down on short final (within 500 ft of the runway).
There are a number of other aircraft of that period that also had the landing gear/flaps operate in a similar manner (1930's technology) - for instance, the hydraulic system in most AT-6/SNJ/Harvard types operates like this as well.
To raise/lower the gear:
- Put the gear lever up/down (G-key or assigned joystick key)
- Activate the hydraulic system by pressing and holding in the switch on top of the control stick (assign this function to a key on your joystick using the A2A P40 Input Configurator)
- Test to ensure the landing gear is locked by trying to move the backup manual hydraulic pump lever on the right side of the cockpit (you'll know that the gear is locked up or down when the pump lever no longer moves)
- Return the gear lever back to neutral (G-key or assigned joystick key)
To raise/lower the flaps:
- Put the flap handle up/down (F5/F8 keys or assigned joystick keys)
- Active the hydraulic system by pressing and holding in the switch on top of the control stick until the flaps are in the desired position (assign this function to a key on your joystick using the A2A P40 Input Configurator)
- Return the flap lever back to neutral (F5/F8 key or assigned joystick keys) whenever not being raised or lowered.
If you just assign a button on the top of your joystick to the hydraulic pump within the A2A P40 Input Configurator, this will allow you the most realistic and natural experience of operating the landing gear/flaps on this aircraft.
The flaps, just like in the real aircraft, deploy very fast, and just like in the real aircraft expect to only use two flap settings on landing - half down on base and full down on short final (within 500 ft of the runway).
There are a number of other aircraft of that period that also had the landing gear/flaps operate in a similar manner (1930's technology) - for instance, the hydraulic system in most AT-6/SNJ/Harvard types operates like this as well.
Looking forward to getting a copy when available.
