Corsair Tailhook

[Stickshaker]

Thanks indeed, Fliger! Until now keeping the speed as steady as you suggest is too much for me, at lease in combination with chasing the moving landing spot…<o></o>

 

[Bomber_12th]

Tom, what happened is that after it was taken over by A2A, the model was evidently shifted within the modeling software, as all of the ordinates within your Aircraft.cfg file for the model (contact points, weight and balance/reference points, engine position, tailhook position, fuel tank positions, cockpit viewpoint, etc) were no longer the same as in the A2A/AF model. All of my modifications have been to take your flight dynamics and re-introduce the correct ordinates for the A2A/AF model, while keeping all of your other work the same. For instance, compared to the original MV model and the A2A/AF modified model, because of the model being shifted, the tailhook ordinates/location differs by more than two feet forward/aft (and that seems to be the case with the other ordinates/points as well), so with the original MV tailhook entry, it was too far forward for the modified A2A/AF version, causing a nose-over every time no matter how good your carrier landing is. Another example, because of all of this, is that when someone installs your original MV FDE into the A2A/AF model, the cockpit viewpoint is also located about two feet in front of where it should be with the A2A/AF model, and the model sits with the tires sunk into the ground.

Here is a most recent copy of your FDE, Tom, with all of the necessary modifications to match it to the A2A/AF model. Some of these are newly included:

- Weight and balance reference points to match the A2A/AF model
- Contact points to match the A2A/AF model
- Cockpit viewpoint to match the A2A/AF model
- External viewpoints to match the A2A/AF model
- Fuel tanks are positioned to match the A2A/AF model
- Engine location points to match the A2A/AF model
- Increased normalized starter torque to that of the A2A/AF model, so that when pressing the starter switch the engine will start
- Adjusted tailhook entry to match the A2A/AF model (the exaggerated one I prefer, for more realistic trap results)
- The original lights and effects entries from the original A2A/AF model
- Added a smoke system for airshow flying (the smoke generator is connected to the starboard-side exhaust).

 

[TARPSBird]

I've been reading the various posts here regarding the tweaks to the AF Corsair tailhook entries in the .cfg file, so I thought I'd check my F4U's out and see what I had. I looked in the .cfg file for the F4U-1D and could not find a tailhook entry. I believe I'm using the default .cfg file that came with the planes. Yet I've been successfully landing aboard the USS Leyte (CV-32) since last night. How am I doing this???

 

[Adrian Petford]

Thanks for your work John and Tom. This is why I love SOH... so many experts on hand to make great aircraft even better.

The updated FDE is fantastic, so much fun to fly!

 

[dhasdell]

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.

This is true of the Just Flight Wildcat, too, and there's a similar fix for the aircraft.cfg.

 

[DaveB]

Indeed.. do you know where the fix is Dave?

ATB
DaveB

 

[fliger747]

There was an excellent tutorial by an online carrier group, not sure if they are still alive and well. The racetrack pattern is the key to repeatable arrested landings. Critical is the distance on downwind from the carrier which will control the turn to final. Depending on the speed of the carrier and wind the final turn, fully configured should be made somewhere abeam the bridge for a strong wind, but more likely abeam the LSO platform. Speed should be stable around 90 knots, full flaps, aircraft trimmed (especially rudder) hook and gear down. I have a second hat on my X52 which I can use to slide my viewpoint around. Having a dogs view down the side of the cowl is quite helpful. Pattern altitude no higher than 600 ft. Steady descending and curving approach important to keep power and speed stable. Having to add power getting slow or too tight a turn to the very short final (< 1 ship length) caused the demise of many inattentive naval aviators. Pay no attention to the water, just judge the relative position between you and the carrier. If everything is on speed, alignment and altitude correct, the cut should come just before the ramp. Ease the stick back to thump the plane on in the landing zone, it should want to quit flying, being behind the power curve. and hook a wire.

Michael Davies Leyte is a great ship!

Regards: Tom

 

[WarHorse47]

Got one small favor to ask.

I've tried both FDE's and noticed the addition of two VC Camera Definitions. Unfortunately, [CameraDefinition.3] doesn't work for me.

Is it possible to get an adjustment of [CameraDefinition.3] for the VC switches?? When I switch to that definition, it places the view on top of the panel and has a weird angle on the right hand switch panel.

Thanks.

 

[Bomber_12th]

Here, I thought all of those camera definitions were from the original Aircraft Factory product, but instead they are from Tom's FDE and made for the original MV model.

Try these and let me know what you think regarding the VC views (replace all of the existing definitions). I adjusted them so that you get a full view of both the right and left control consoles, and you can work all of the switches and levers.

[CameraDefinition.0]
Title=Tail
Guid = {5c1df273-034b-4e7f-953a-9d5e26f1646c}
Description = Looking forward from behind the aircraft
Origin = Center
SnapPbhAdjust = Swivel
SnapPbhReturn = FALSE
PanPbhAdjust = Swivel
PanPbhReturn = FALSE
Track = None
ShowAxis = FALSE
AllowZoom = TRUE
InitialZoom = .75
ShowWeather = Yes
InitialXyz = 0, 5.5, -20.0
InitialPbh = 10, 0, 0
XyzAdjust = TRUE
Category=Aircraft
MomentumEffect=TRUE
ClipMode=Minimum

[CameraDefinition.1]
Title=Right Wing
Guid = {C690EAFD-223A-42d0-99E0-681ADF93BB59}
Description = View from the right wing tip looking at the cockpit
Origin = Center
SnapPbhAdjust = Swivel
SnapPbhReturn = FALSE
PanPbhAdjust = Swivel
PanPbhReturn = FALSE
Track = None
ShowAxis = FALSE
AllowZoom = TRUE
InitialZoom = 0.5
ShowWeather = Yes
InitialXyz = 15.8, 1.3, 0.0
InitialPbh = 8, 0, 270
XyzAdjust = TRUE
Category=Aircraft
MomentumEffect = FALSE
ClipMode=Minimum

[CameraDefinition.2]
Title=Left Wing
Guid = {f25dfa2e-fd2e-4b89-81e2-0575cbcb60de}
Description = View from the left wing tip looking at the cockpit
Origin = Center
SnapPbhAdjust = Swivel
SnapPbhReturn = FALSE
PanPbhAdjust = Swivel
PanPbhReturn = FALSE
Track = None
ShowAxis = FALSE
AllowZoom = TRUE
InitialZoom = 0.5
ShowWeather = Yes
InitialXyz = -15.8, 1.3, 0.0
InitialPbh = 8, 0, 90
XyzAdjust = TRUE
Category=Aircraft
MomentumEffect = No
ClipMode=Minimum

[CameraDefinition.3]
Title=Right Console
Guid = {195EAB58-9E4A-3E2A-A34C-A8D9D948F078}
Origin = Virtual Cockpit
MomentumEffect = No
SnapPbhAdjust = None
SnapPbhReturn = False
PanPbhAdjust = None
PanPbhReturn = False
Track = None
ShowAxis = FALSE
AllowZoom = TRUE
InitialZoom = 0.8
SmoothZoomTime = 2.0
ZoomPanScalar = 1.0
ShowWeather = Yes
XyzAdjust = TRUE
InitialXyz= -0.25,0,0.2
InitialPbh= 48,0,90
ShowLensFlare=FALSE
Category = Cockpit
PitchPanRate=20
HeadingPanRate=60

[CameraDefinition.4]
Title=Left Console
Guid = {777EAB58-9E4A-3E2A-A34C-A8D9D948F078}
Origin = Virtual Cockpit
MomentumEffect = No
SnapPbhAdjust = None
SnapPbhReturn = False
PanPbhAdjust = None
PanPbhReturn = False
Track = None
ShowAxis = FALSE
AllowZoom = TRUE
InitialZoom = 0.8
SmoothZoomTime = 2.0
ZoomPanScalar = 1.0
ShowWeather = Yes
XyzAdjust = TRUE
InitialXyz= 0.25,0,0.2
InitialPbh= 48,0,-90
ShowLensFlare=FALSE
Category = Cockpit
PitchPanRate=20
HeadingPanRate=60

 

[gray eagle]

Other views

John,

The new camera views are nice but I did notice that a couple of the older views were super ceded (read eliminated) and not included with your latest and greatest.
So, I just selected some of your new views that were not previously included. Bear in mind to replace all the camera defs you would lose following camera views:

[CameraDefinition.4]
Title=Machine Guns <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< I kept this one
Guid = {777EAB58-9E4A-3E2A-A34C-A8D9D948F078}
Origin = Virtual Cockpit
MomentumEffect = No
SnapPbhAdjust = None
SnapPbhReturn = False
PanPbhAdjust = None
PanPbhReturn = False
Track = None
ShowAxis = FALSE
AllowZoom = TRUE
InitialZoom = 0.8
SmoothZoomTime = 2.0
ZoomPanScalar = 1.0
ShowWeather = Yes
XyzAdjust = TRUE
InitialXyz= -0.00,-0.0,-0.10
InitialPbh= 38.5,00.00,0.00
ShowLensFlare=FALSE
Category = Cockpit
PitchPanRate=20
HeadingPanRate=60

[CameraDefinition.3]
Title=Switches <<<<< Kept this one too
Guid = {195EAB58-9E4A-3E2A-A34C-A8D9D948F078}
Origin = Virtual Cockpit
MomentumEffect = No
SnapPbhAdjust = None
SnapPbhReturn = False
PanPbhAdjust = None
PanPbhReturn = False
Track = None
ShowAxis = FALSE
AllowZoom = TRUE
InitialZoom = 0.8
SmoothZoomTime = 2.0
ZoomPanScalar = 1.0
ShowWeather = Yes
XyzAdjust = TRUE
InitialXyz= -0.30,-0.20,0.50
InitialPbh= 38.5,00.00,90.00
ShowLensFlare=FALSE
Category = Cockpit
PitchPanRate=20
HeadingPanRate=60

 

[Bomber_12th]

The "switches" view (which was not in the original Aircraft Factory product) is the one I've corrected, and re-named "right console", so that you get the full view of all of the switches and levers on the right-side. The "machine guns" view (also not included in the original product) isn't needed as it doesn't provide anything of value. Instead, I modified that one into the "left console" view, which is just an opposite/companion to the right console view, providing a full view of all of the switches and levers on the left-side.

Here is a most recently updated version of the FDE files, incorporating the camera definition and brakes updates/corrections:

 

[WarHorse47]

Thanks guys. Much better and very appreciated.

 

[gray eagle]

Thanks to John for his patience with us all and his time in honing this plane into a much better performer.

I sure do like that 214 Marine repaint, I fly that one a lot as of late

 

[roger-wilco-66]

Great tutorial Tom. Thank you.

Ditto! Thanks, Tom!

Hey, and thanks John, for the new FDE!!



Cheers,
Mark

 

[Bomber_12th]

No problem, guys, and again, all of the credit for these FDE files should go to Tom (Fliger747), having provided the original work in the first place...I've just tried to provide them with the modifications that anyone else would have to do in order to get them to work with the Aircraft Factory model (if anything, I've probably ruined his work...). : )

 

[gray eagle]

No problem, guys, and again, all of the credit for these FDE files should go to Tom (Fliger747), having provided the original work in the first place...I've just tried to provide them with the modifications that anyone else would have to do in order to get them to work with the Aircraft Factory model (if anything, I've probably ruined his work...). : )

I managed to install the latest FDE files and everything is working very well. No complaints here. I sent Tom (Fliger747) a thank you PM as well.

 

[fliger747]

Most happy to see the Corsair see deserved attention.

Regards: Tom

 

[dhasdell]

Indeed.. do you know where the fix is Dave?

Ow yiss, DaveB. Here are Rich's original instructions:

Make a copy of your aircraft.cfg as a backup.
Locate this section in the working cfg.
[TailHook]
Delete the whole section = 4 lines.
copy paste this replacement in its place,
[TailHook]
tailhook_length = 2.50
tailhook_position = -20.100, 0.000, -0.500
cable_force_adjust = 2.0

 

[DaveB]

Yowm a goodun Dave.. tar

ATB
DaveB

 

[expat]

I finally got around to getting the Racers Expansion Pack, which it says has a number of model and FDE improvements and realism features (engine failures?). I have added some of my favourite repaints to the racer model. Not sure the extra shine of the model made a difference and still testing flight handling.

Question: should I use the FDE in the Racers package or the most recent mod's of Tom posted above?