Curtiss H-16 Large America Flying Boat

[aleatorylamp]

VC view of prop animation

Hello Folks,

It´s going well with the corrected prop animation view from inside the VC, either with individual
blades or with prop components. Due to maxed out components and structures, I managed to
put propeller components in AF99 by substituting radiator components for provisional 2D planars.
These will be substituted for structures via SCASM later.

To find the correct call for prop animations from the VC, once the props (or blades) and problurs
are identified in the SCASM listing search was with "engine 2 speed" and "engine 1 speed", and after backtracking 2 or 3 steps, I arrived at at the labels for the beginning of the animation calls.

In the attached screenshots, radiators are still 2D, but the correct prop animation is shown to be
working very well.

Cheers,
Aleatorylamp

 

[aleatorylamp]

Control surface deflection angle

Hello Folks,
I am noticing something rather curious during the SCASMing process:

Having placed deflection angles for ailerons, elevators and rudder at 22 deg. in Aircraft animator,
I proceeded to correct the VC chase view with SCASM, and everything was fine.

Then I started to add the 3D elements (radiators and MG´s) for which there were insufficient
resources within AF99 alone, and of course, after substituting the 2D elements of the 2
radiators and the 2 nose-guns, there came the point where SCASM could no longer update
the existing .mdl file, and it had to create a new one.

Testing the new .mdl file, everything seemed to display perfectly in order, but the 22 deg.
control surface deflection angle was replaced by the default 45 deg. one.

This is all very well if one could tolerate watching control surfaces flapping wildly at
exaggerated angles, but this can be remedied!

Surprisingly enough, Aircraft Animator can identify the new model file written by SCASM,
and can correct and re-compile it, and the model functions and displays perfectly in the
simulator.

So far, so good... However, this has to be the last step in the model finalizing process, as
from this point on, SCASM rejects the model file, and reports an End Of File Error, and no
further SCASMing can be undertaken, even thogh the model performs flawlessly in the sim.

I thought it was rather curious, to say the least.

Anyway, I´ll be uploading the Curtiss H-16 soon.
Cheers,
Aleatorylamp

 

[Ivan]

Hello Aleatorylamp,

Have you thought about changing the angle of the control surface movement YOURSELF in SCASM?
I have done this a few times and it isn't that difficult.

The place to look if you are curious about where I have done this is at the flap movements in some of my models.
Aircraft Animator doesn't offer a lot of choices, so sometimes the range and timing has to be adjusted.

- Ivan.

 

[aleatorylamp]

Angle of control in SCASM

Hi Ivan,
No, but I can try, thanks.
That way the model file will not be rendered useless for future SCASMing edits.
Also, perhaps I can increase the copilot´s turning head movement without having to
increase the rudder deflection angle...

Update: I´ve just tried to do it MYSELF in SCASM, but wasn´t successful.
I did a build just involving wings and copilot´s head, with 2 versions: One with a 22-degree rudder-turning angle, and another with a 45-degree angle. Each version had a separately named SCASM .scx file, but unfortunately they are identical, so I have not been trying to identify which part of the text refers to the turning angle.
Perhaps it is something elsewhere that defines the turning angle.
Now I´ll try and do it with ailerons and elevators, to see if they are the same as well.
I´ll also try some flaps. Perhaps it´s only those that are identifiable...

Results: Strangely enough, no difference is detected in the rudders.
However, the transformcall commands for flaps, elevator and ailerons, do have different values, although it only differes by 1.
Flaps: the second value is 1418 for a 45 degree deflection and 1419 for 90 degrees.
Elevators: the second value is 797 for 22 degrees and 798 for 45 degrees.
Ailerons: the third value is 499 for 22 degrees and 500 for 45 degrees.
(there is sometimes a + or - sign depending on whether it´s left or right).
Now I can try and see if the deflection angles of ailerons and elevators can be reduced...
The entries I found all seem to be hinge positions, not deflection angles, and seem to have
nothing to do with the difference of 1 in the values. So I´m getting nowhere fast, I´m afraid.

Anyway, as long as the plane works correctly in the sim, it doesn´t really matter to me if the .mdl file can´t be edited with SCASM after Aircraft Animator has put back correct deflection angles.

Cheers,
Aleatorylamp

 

[aleatorylamp]

Winglets?

Hello Folks,

I have always wondered about the vertical fins on the top wing of Curtiss´ flying boats.
Obviously, they were there for something, otherwise they wouldn´t have been on.
My deduction is that they could have been like winglets, so probably that option
should be activated in the ,air file.

Another interesting thing is the ability for sustained single-engined flight. There is a
report of one unit over the North Sea that flew on one engine for a number of hours
while the engineer successfully conducted repairs, enabling the aircraft to reach its
home base - RNAS Killingholme, I think it was - and he was condecorated for his feat.

I tried out the model to see if it was also capable of this, and indeed it is. With 2x400 Hp
engines and a gross weight of 10650 lb (MTOW 10978 lb) it is probably to be expected...
It can slowly climb, too.

Here are two screenshots of the model in single-engined flight, and two closeups as well,
just for eye candy.

Glenn Curtiss certainly did a good job with his beautiful designs.
They are absolutely impressive!

It´s nice when a model turns out looking good.

Cheers,
Aleatorylamp

 

[Ivan]

Hello Aleatorylamp,

It sounds to me that there is something that got changed in your "Container" (the MDL file format) rather than the SCASM code. Since I haven't ever done anything with a format other than Aircraft Animator either 64K or 133K, I can't speculate as to what exactly happened.
I know what I would try if I were in your place, but I hesitate to suggest you go that route because with these different MDL formats that I have not worked with, I have no idea if things would really work. You keep having to switch to different MDL formats which is something I have never needed to do more than once.

I would show you examples of what I do when the Flap Angle is something like 60 degrees, but obviously I don't have access to any of my SCX files at this point.

- Ivan.

P.S. You might want to look at what the difference is between a Winglet and a Fence.

 

[aleatorylamp]

Hello Ivan,
Thank you for your reply and suggestions!

Strange... I suppose it must be a case of a different type of .mdl file that my SCASM 2.01 creates.
Well, I´ll just have to have the model with non-re-SCASMable .mdl files, although I will include a SCASMable backup copy in the model directory.

I looked up the wing fence, and in the case of the Curtiss Flying Boat, it seems to have served to
help direct the air flow for the ailerons, preventing it from spilling sideways in a slip.
Thus, in the .air file, the winglet effect will have nothing to do with this.

Right now I´m getting a bit more ambitious with my gun barrels, and I´m going to see if I can make them rounder. Let´s see if my SCASM will be able to do that to the .mdl file!

Update:
It worked!
Now gun barrels and muzzles are all rounder, including the sideguns, and it definitely looks better on the model, as can be seen in the screenshots. The .mdl file is now 72462 bytes.

Cheers for now,
Aleatorylamp

 

[aleatorylamp]

Curtiss H-16 uploaded

Hello folks,
I have just uploaded the Curtiss H-16 Large America Flying boat. Here´s the link:

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...id=19&id=27787

The aircraft will be available as soon as it has been approved by the warbirds library.
I hope you enjoy the airplane, and do let me know if there´s anything amiss.

Now I´ll see if I can produce the British equivalent, the Felixstowe F2A, which was practically
identical except for the 345 Hp Rolls Royce Eagle VIII engines.

Cheers,
Aleatorylamp

 

[aleatorylamp]

CFS1 Curtiss H-16 Large America Flying Boat 1918

A new entry has been added to Add-Ons Library, category CFS 1 Aircraft Add-Ons

Description: The Curtiss H-16 "Large America" flying boat was introduced in 1917 and represented the final step in the evolution of the Curtiss Model H flying boat design.
With longer-span than the H-12, and improved, reinforced hull by Lt. Cmd. Cyril Porte, the H-16's were powered by 400 Hp Liberty 12A engines, achieving a top speed of 95 mph at sea level.
The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company in Hammondsport,and the Naval Aircraft Factory in Philadelphia built a total of 334 H16 units.
They were armed with upto 7 Lewis MG´s, and could carry 2x230lb depth charges or 4x100lb bombs.
Includes SCASM corrected virtual cockpit, Dp files (4 bombs), CFS1-type .air file, simple custom panel for mainly default gauges. By Stephan Scholz

To check it out, rate it or add comments, visit CFS1 Curtiss H-16 Large America Flying Boat 1918
The comments you make there will appear in the posts below.

 

[aleatorylamp]

CFS1 Felixstowe F2A Large America Flying Boat 1918

A new entry has been added to Add-Ons Library, category CFS 1 Add-Ons

Description: The Felixstowe F2A was the English built version of the Curtiss H-16 "Large America" flying boat, introduced in 1917 and which represented the final step in the evolution of the Curtiss Model H flying boat design.

With longer-span than the Felixstowe F2, and the improved, reinforced hull by Lt. Cmd. Cyril Porte, the F2A's were powered by 350 Hp Rolls Royce Eagle VIII engines, achieving a top speed of 92 mph at sea level.

100 F2A units were built at the Naval Air Station in Felixstowe. They were armed with upto 7 Lewis MG´s, and could carry 2x230lb depth charges or 4x100lb bombs.

Includes SCASM corrected virtual cockpit, Dp files (for 4 bombs), CFS1-type .air file, and simple custom panel for mainly default gauges. By Stephan Scholz

To check it out, rate it or add comments, visit CFS1 Felixstowe F2A Large America Flying Boat 1918
The comments you make there will appear in the posts below.

 

[aleatorylamp]

Felixstowe F2A uploaded

Hello Folks,

And now for the English version, the Felixstowe F2a!
Here´s the link, as soon as it is approved by the library:

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...id=18&id=27792

As the H-16, the F"A has the SCASM-corrected virtual cockpit chase view, and also,
5 of the 7 MG´s have been added via SCASM.
As it has a different .air file, the model file had to be different as well, and I didn´t want
the two different texture sets to have identical names, so I have opted for separate uploads.

I hope nothing is amiss, and that you will enjoy the model.

Cheers,
Aleatorylamp

P.S. A curious thing I noticed while running the 2 SCASM processes:
As soon as I had added two of the 5 MG structures, the existing .mdl file
couldn´t be updated, and SCASM had to create a new one.
Interestingly enough, if the new model is done in Aircraft Animator 133K format,
it won´t work in the sim, but there is no problem with the FSDS short format 133K,
which works fine.

 

[kdriver]

Great work Stephan - thanks very much for these beauties!

Kevin

 

[aleatorylamp]

Hi Kdriver!

I´m glad you like them. Thanks!
Now I´ll take away crew and weapons and hollow out the gunner wells
and the cockpit prepare them for the CFS2 Gmax conversion magic that
Martin Klein specializes!

Cheers,
Aleatorylamp

 

[aleatorylamp]

Hi Rami,
Thanks for re-directing the screens of the upload index to this thread!
Cheers,
Aleatorylamp

 

[Klein]

Great thanks Stephan for those two lovely ducks, I'll work on a vc for both CFS2 versions with a great pleasure

Cheers
Martin

 

[aleatorylamp]

Hi Martin,
Thanks a lot for your offer.
For our purposes one model will be enough, as they are virtually the same.
I´ll send it as soon as it´s donw.
Cheers,
Aleatorylamp