Aircraft Not on List

C

Colonial

Guest
My apologies firstly, I just found out about this event from my usual haunt and I don't stop by SOH enough. /excuses off

Looked through the list and am wondering if the Savoia-Marchetti SM-81 can be flown? I know you have the SM79 and the earlier SM73, so my apologies for doing this so late to the table.

If its too late to verify, I appreciate it and will cope ;)

Here are the relevant files on Flightsim

s81_v10.zip
s81_ep1.zip (expansion with the pre-war VIP livery)
s73_up21.zip (update)

Thanks for your consideration.

Regards,
 
Good to have you back in mix.

Pretty sure the S.81 will be fine. We'll do a quick test to give you the handicap numbers.
 
The SM.81 "VIP Transport" is good to go.

A quick test shows a top speed of 203mph (177KTAS @ 11,480', range 720nm). Same performance as the SM.73 of course as it was based on it.

According to the specs in the Italian aircraft bible- Italian Civil & Military Aircraft 1930-1945, J. Thompson, the top speed closely matches what is given for the Alfa-Romeo 125/RC35 engines (196-214mph).

Nice looking ship!

Moses
 
Thanks MM, thanks Moses for checking it out, appreciate it!

Now don't tell the wife, but I think its an attractive bird myself. *snicker*

Seriously though, I do want to say I am highly impressed with the style and substance of how you chaps put these races on, they are well thought out, appreciative of the history, well managed and provide some good creative 'oompff' to the usual flying.

I was quite disappointed I wasn't able to finish the trip to Argentina last round, this time I am going to find a co-pilot to share the load. The trick now is to wean somone off of the usual Dougs, Connies and other assorted stuff to try out the Eye-talian bird.

Will have to work on my Italian persona now.....

Regards,
 
Colonial said:
My apologies firstly, I just found out about this event from my usual haunt and I don't stop by SOH enough.

I was quite disappointed I wasn't able to finish the trip to Argentina last round, this time I am going to find a co-pilot to share the load. The trick now is to wean somone off of the usual Dougs, Connies and other assorted stuff to try out the Eye-talian bird.

Regards,
Click to expand...
Ama I gonna hafta come over wit Gino and da boys to knock onna you door and tell youse that we gotta go flying?

You COULD buy some vino for a neighbour and try to convince me to play (or we might kidnap you for ransom...)

Rob
 
No stealing my right seat! :)

Looking forward to taking this on with you Bud!
 
Hi,

would the FW-200 Condor be eligible? The first type that came to my mind - fast, long range and the right period.

Best regards,
Volker
 
Nice to see you here Volker! Do you happen to know the date that the Condor went into service? Also would this be the Hauke Kietel version?
 
The Condor prototype first flew in either July of Sept of 1937 (depending on your source). It's looking like it wasn't in service with Lufthansa until 1938 which would make it ineligible for the race. That said this one might possibly squeak by depending further review. Thanks.
 
Hi,

Moses, I believe your data are right - first flight July 1937, in service from 1938 on. These few years after Mildenhall-Melbourne make quite a difference in aviation. However, if it were eligible, it would be great of course. I'd have to look into the details of the race again.

In real life, the critical point would probably be the landing gear. Once seriously damaged, a Condor would be very difficult to repair. No modular design at all. But I like flying the plane - fast in the air, and comfortably slow landing speed.

Willy, yes, it'd be Hauke Keitel's plane.

Best regards,
Volker
 
Volker- Try as I might I just can't find any evidence that the FW-200A was in general service before 1938. Close, but not close enough. Sorry!

Moses
 
If any of you have pondered the Dewoitine 338 for this event, it would make an interesting entry, but...

The model as it exists is a teeny bit fast ( 6 or 7 knots) but the fuel is all wrong. Full tanks only get you to the edge of town ( 260nm or so) and the panels are not good. I spent the morning working on it (got the range up, but the contact points need work now) but the panels will be another issue. No, it won't be an option for the MacR unless you want to do 250nm hops.

Quite a shame in a way... it's an intriguing beast.
http://corporate.airfrance.com/en/m...-france-cultural-heritage-division/index.html

but THIS is not the aircraft registration you'd want to fly :icon_lol: --------->
dewoitine338.jpg


Rob
 
SrG,
In the cfg there's a fuel scalar you can tweek, might want to quarter what you currently have, or maybe 1/3 your current number. That should bump the range up to where you expect it to be.

It looks like dis here : "fuel_flow_scalar =1.38000"

LOL, just noticed the reg number :monkies:
 
We need to find some real world data on the fuel tankage for the aircraft.

The file from Flight Sim has two main tanks of 100 gallons each and another tank with 31 gallons.

The figures I found say the max fuel range I can find says 1,243 miles - presumable NM. But the aircraft was challenged payload wise - with a range of just 528 miles at max payload.

The model list the empty weight as 11,770 lbs and the max gross weight of 19,470 lbs. The specs I found say it should be 15,344 and 24,471 lbs.

That is 60.45% of max weight and 62.84% respectively.

This plane has 231 gallons of fuel - the fuel section appears to have been lifted directly from the default FS2004 Ford Trimotor - the same size tanks at the same locations.

For example the SM.81 above has 667 gallons
The SM.73 - 746 gallons

A description at EADS list the range of the D.338 as 1950 km and a cruise speed of 260 km/h - top speed 315 km/h. It also list the weights as 6,960 kg and 11,100 kg - the higher weight above.
 
Yeah Reggie, I found all that and as far as I'm concerned the .cfg was built from the limited knowledge available.
I surmise that the fuel tanks are basically wrong... fine for a short-hauler but not for the route planned. Similar a/c have much larger taanks for similar range and even Milton's Beech 18 has 280 gals. for two engines. The period-appropriate Bloch 220 has 530 gals (2 eng.). Manipulating the fuel tanks to 400/131/400 and 12 pax (what Air France listed on the Hanoi run) puts the current .cfg weight at gross for takeoff with full fuel so it's essentially a no-go air/cfg file for now.

I tweaked the fuel scalar and at .34 it was about right, but that's too far off what should be right the way I see it. Until I get into the airfile and see what else is there I'm not going to bother and that will NOT be before the event.

We'll let the support crews use it to deliver beverages to the checkpoints.

Nuff said.

Rob
 
Work commitments are likely to interfere, but how about the DH-91? Jens' model is the passenger version, although I have the fuel tank data for the longer range mail version too. The mail version had fewer windows, but who looks out the side windows anyway?
 
Hi arl-

The prototype took to the air on May 20, 1937 but wasn't in service with Imperial Airways until Oct 1938. Lots of teething troubles with the type. So unfortunately it is ineligible. (Cutoff date is Dec 1937 for our purposes). You have good taste though!

Info pulled from De Havilland Aircraft Since 1915, Jackson.
 
Teething troubles?? You mean the fuselage that broke in two on landing? Such minor inconveniences should really be ignored when flying a piece of art. :icon_lol:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top