England to Australia Race

It's been an interesting read so far.

A couple of thoughts about general flying characteristics:
1. the race-ready comets were heavy (~2000 lbs of fuel) in a light (2900 lb) aircraft made it a handful.It's essential to roll in power slowly and judiciously until ( like most powerful taildraggers) sufficient airflow allows for positive rudder and elevator control. Being fairly short-coupled in pitch, it takes a bit (think trim) to get the tail up but then it's controllable with gentle inputs.
2. In most peoples' sim setups the lack of multiple (dual) throttles is a severe handicap. Many real twins are best handled on the ground and during takeoff with differential throttle.
3. In many cases, because sim pilots rarely explore slow-speed handling and stall entry there is a tendency to be too fast on approach and landing.. leading to unpleasant arrivals.

Here is a link to a set of pilot notes for the MSFS Comet: http://www.borzov.net/Pilot/FSWeb/LearningCenter/Aircraft/FlightNotesDeHavillandComet.htm

The two-position Ratier props were pneumatic:
"[FONT=Verdana, Arial][SIZE=-1]Two high compression de Havilland Gipsy Six R engines were installed, driving Ratier two-position propellers which were set to fine pitch before each flight. These went into coarse pitch automatically at 241km/h, when a sealing disc in the spinner opened to release the unit's internal pressure and thus activate the control mechanism.[/SIZE][/FONT]" Apparently the pneumatic cylinders were pressurized by means of a 'bicycle pump before takeoff. Seems one should be ready on the throttles as there was no guarantee that both would cycle at the same time :icon_eek:
http://www.aviastar.org/air/england/havilland_dh-88.php

While not available to FS9 folks, someone made a module for x-plane to emulate the Ratiers.
http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=5656

To while away the flying hours, here is a lengthy articles/blogs about the Comet and other MacR entries---
http://airminded.org/2009/10/18/imperial-airways-now-with-extra-airmail/comment-page-1/ (scroll down to the Oct 20 soo9 entry to start. Be warned, it gets contentious :kilroy:

In addition, there is a long thread on CalClassic about controllable pitch props if anyone wants to know more about a project:
http://calclassic.proboards.com/thread/3770?page=1
 
JD & Sirgalahad, thanks for the info, very interesting. I found one of the links last night written by Clousden, but I suspect that a lot of what he was describing referred to the VP prop Gipsy six II engines that were fitted later.
Very interesting thread...
Keith
 
Quick update - just run the model through ACM2.5 & it appears that the engine & the mainwheels should be at 4.8 ft either side of centreline, assuming of course that the model is drawn correctly! I note also that Vne is quoted in the .cfg as 261 Knots, = 300 mph.
Srgalahad - read all your links - thanks for those - the forum was very explosive!!
Just wish I had spoken more to my uncle about CSS as he was largely responsible for getting her airworthy, ( & I believe gathering info & giving advice on the US replica) . I do remember seeing the wings being rebuilt by the RAE Chippies at Farnborough when I worked there in the '80's. The wings she has now are probably better than the originals, but I think quite a lot of the originals were incorporated. Apparently some parts of the spars were rotten due to leaks when she was suspended in the Science museum.
Keith
 
The Ratier props were set to self adjust at 150mph, the first flight with them fitted after the Hamilton props were removed due to overheating issues saw one prop adjust at 110mph and the second not until 160mph, introducing randomness to each prop might be a nice touch if it's even possible.

The book I have is out of print now and probably the best available (got mine a couple of years ago for 28 PENCE, £2.80 P&P, excellent condition). There is one other noteable book, forget it's title, but it is made entirely of on-line material put to print.

Jamie
 
JDTinballs said:
The Ratier props were set to self adjust at 150mph, the first flight with them fitted after the Hamilton props were removed due to overheating issues saw one prop adjust at 110mph and the second not until 160mph, introducing randomness to each prop might be a nice touch if it's even possible.

The book I have is out of print now and probably the best available (got mine a couple of years ago for 28 PENCE, £2.80 P&P, excellent condition). There is one other noteable book, forget it's title, but it is made entirely of on-line material put to print.

Jamie
Click to expand...


This appears available but is very pricey. Too Bad.

Roger55

Beware the Stork
 
Freeware London-Melbourne Air race for FSX

I hope it's OK to promote this freeware package (for FSX) in this thread .
It's brilliant :salute:. Distributed through FSAddon.

Published October 8, 2011

Jaap van Hees, the author of our VFR Guide series for FS2004, has released a wonderful freeware package, depicting the London-Melbourne Air race of 1934, where the Dutch Uiver (A DC-2) won the handicap section.
“…. With this package you can fly the MacRobertson Air Race, also known as the London-Melbourne Race, held in October 1934 exactly the same way the winner of the handicap section, KLM’s DC-2 PH-AJU “Uiver”, did.
This package contains everything you need: Flightplans, weather conditions, flight situation files (*.FLT) for every leg, detailed 1934 scenery and maps of all of the aerodromes where a stopover was made, 1934 enroute scenery, per leg flight descriptions also containing information and facts about the London-Melbourne race itself and the other competitors and much more.
In both Dutch and English. See the Readme.txt and the installation instructions. This package will keep you busy for a while. Enjoy….”.
We of course encourage you to get the donationware DC-2 by Rob Cappers to make this race really realistic. All proceeds go to the Dutch Aviation Museum the Aviodrome, flying one of two remaning DC-2′s. You can purchase the DC-2 here.
Available as a free download from our webshop here. And if you don’t like to register with us, you can also get it from Avsim.
 
I'm not clear here and about a texture

You can purchase the DC-2 here.
Available as a free download from our webshop here. And if you don’t like to register with us, you can also get it from Avsim.

I thought the DC-2 was payware? FSX package wouldn"t help since I never bought FSX.


<for anybody else>

Is anybody aware of a Lockeed Vega texture/repaint for Puck one of the starters in the race and damaged at Allepo. That's for FS2004. Seems one existed but the site seems dead. Puck was flown by Australians I think.

Roger55
:cost1:
BEWARE THE STORK !
 
It is payware. But for $20 for the FS9 version, you can't go wrong with it.

Your link there looks to be for a set of flights to recreate the race route.
 
Hi,

Garry Smith's and Edward Moore's site has the Race version for the Vega, reg VH-UVK, on his downloads page 2 I-P for the Vega.

Andy
 
THanks

Thanks, Willy, I misread.

I found the texture (thanks!), but I have a blank spot on the Right Wing.

[fltsim.2]
title=Vega 5C PUCK
sim=Lockheed_Vega
model=
panel=
sound=
texture=2
kb_checklists=Lockheed_Vega_check
kb_reference=Lockheed_Vega_ref
atc_id=1-VH-UVK
atc_id_color=0xffffffff
ui_manufacturer=Lockheed
ui_type="Vega 5C"
ui_variation="Puck"
description="In the hands of pilots such as Amelia Earhart and Wiley Post, the Vega set many flying records during the 1930s. Wiley Post flew his Vega "Winnie Mae" around the world in 1931. In 1932 Amelia Earhart, piloting a Vega, became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. The Vega's power and speed also made it a top choice for early commercial airline operations. The Puck flew in the 1934 MacRobetson Race from England to Australia."

This is from the config file. I can't see that I did anything wrong. The side decal is there. It's weird I can only see the bit maps in some aircraft folders.

Not to mention the the trouble I've always had with Sperry Autopilots.

Anyway the texture file is completely invisible. Just a bunch of Bit map symbols.

Roger55
 
Did you check it in FS or just in the aircraft menu preview? I've seen those blank spots on repaints of aircraft before and they were fine when you actual start up your flight.

The seeing of the textures in folders is probably due to how they were saved. If they were saved as DXT 3, then you're not going to see them. But 32 bit textures & normal bitmaps can be viewed in the folder. I use DXT/Bmp to view and work with textures.

What kind of difficulties with the Sperry? It's usually not as precise as the more modern APs, but it will get the job done.
 
Ok, I see your pic now. I'd say that it has to be missing a texture in the texture folder.
 
Just dug around in the Vega textures that I have installed (don't have Puck). All have a decal texture that covers that spot for the registration numbers. Now there is some naming differences between the two models that are different.

decal_vega_5B.bmp

&

decal_vega_5C.bmp

I'm betting it's using the 5B decal with the 5C model or vice versa. Whichever one it is named, rename it to the other and I bet it'll work.

The decal is a DXT 1 with alpha layer. The pure black color on the decal will be invisible in the sim. I've got one decal for a Standard Oil Vega that has no number and is just all pure black with no numbers so none will show on the wing and still not leave that blank spot.
 
Sperry auto pilot

What kind of difficulties with the Sperry? It's usually not as precise as the more modern APs, but it will get the job done.

The Pannel on this Vega, Willy, drives me nuts. The guide explains nothing about it. There is a button on the Sperry to adjust rudder trim (at least I think that's what it's for) does it turn on with the auto pilot?

I can find no trim controls in the VC.

There is a switch that Cages and Uncages the Gyroscope. I would think a caged Gyroscope would be non operational. The auto pilot uses the Gyro to hold the heading. Why does the thing always start uncaged?

There are two buttons and dials that set heading.

I want to turn after take off to 112 degress. I don't want to set the heading to before I've gotten to it. So I have to hold the stick while while I set the true heading on one and the heading I want to hold 112 on the other. IU don't have three hands. And which is which?

I suspect the off/on button has some glitch in it. Unexplicably the controls will freeze?????

There is not a word anywhere that I can find explaining the thing.

The ADF is in some of Bill Lyons' planes. I dont think it is a problem.


Roger55
 
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