-
Please see the most recent updates in the "Where did the .com name go?" thread. Posts number 16 and 17.
F7F Tigercat SOH Project
- Thread starter Milton Shupe
- Start date
Here are a few photos of a 4 door bomb tank control head, from a Firecat. I'll write up a description of how it works when I get some time.
View attachment 14848View attachment 14849
View attachment 14848View attachment 14849
thunder100
Charter Member 2010
Thanks a lot-->Also looking forward to the explanation-->which has time
Just to mot create unfullfillable expectations
Real working(several loads) can be only FSX-->FS9 will have 2 loads-->IF(This is a bigger IF) we can make all working
Roland
delta_lima
Charter Member 2015
Looks gorgeous - will keep one FS9 install alive - just to savour this gem ....
Sorry this took so long to get back to you guys, here's a simplified description of how the four door tank computer works. There are a number of tricks and shortcuts that the guys used but trying to include that would simply confuse things.
The digital readout tells the pilot how many doors are selected.
Auto, arms a full string (1, 2, 4 and or 6 doors in series), so if you hit X1 and then auto, your armed for a single door string for a total of 4 (with a four door tank, if you did this in a twelve door tank you would get a twelve door string) The photo above is the same computer used on a twelve door tank, the white button without and lettering would have a X6 on it if it was installed on a 12 door tank. If you selected X2 and then auto you would be armed for a double door string (2 doors at a time for as many doors as the tank has)
Hit auto then advance and safe together to arm 2 and 3 door strings. Each time you hit advance and safe another door arms for the string. So if you wanted a 3 door string you would hit X1, then auto and then advance and safe together, three times.
The safe key is used to prevent the doors from opening. On takeoff the tank is armed for a full string drop In the event of an emergency the pilot will drop all the doors on the tank in sequence. A salvo drop (all doors at once) isn’t used on takeoff because it causes the aircraft to pitch up rather quickly. Once in cruise flight the tank is made safe (hitting the safe button) to prevent an accidental release of the load.
The re-load button tells the computer that the tank is empty and resets the computer. The reload button is also used when the Air Attack officer changes their mind on the type of drop that is required and the tanker pilot needs to re-arm the tank for something different.
The numbers at the bottom of the computer set the interval between doors. 0.5 is the standard but anywhere from 0.3 to 0.7 can be used. Above 0.7 you will start to see obvious breaks in the footprint of the retardant on the ground.
There is an audible tone when the doors open, if it was a 4 door string the pilot would hear 4 separate beeps as the doors open.
The doors are triggered with a button on the left side of the yoke, it’s a guarded pushbutton, very similar to the PTT button. I have been speaking with a pilot, asked him a question and instead of a reply I got a single door.
If you guys have any questions please feel free to ask, were pretty busy with fire here in BC but I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
NOTE: These tank computers are still in use today and probably weren't around during the days of the Tigercat, there is an older bomb computer that is basically a rotary dial that selects 1, 2, or 4 doors and the pilot simply used his thumb to time the interval. We had a firecat in BC years ago with this tank configuration and when you needed a string drop you usually asked the pilot for a 4 door string with a slow or fast thumb.
The digital readout tells the pilot how many doors are selected.
Auto, arms a full string (1, 2, 4 and or 6 doors in series), so if you hit X1 and then auto, your armed for a single door string for a total of 4 (with a four door tank, if you did this in a twelve door tank you would get a twelve door string) The photo above is the same computer used on a twelve door tank, the white button without and lettering would have a X6 on it if it was installed on a 12 door tank. If you selected X2 and then auto you would be armed for a double door string (2 doors at a time for as many doors as the tank has)
Hit auto then advance and safe together to arm 2 and 3 door strings. Each time you hit advance and safe another door arms for the string. So if you wanted a 3 door string you would hit X1, then auto and then advance and safe together, three times.
The safe key is used to prevent the doors from opening. On takeoff the tank is armed for a full string drop In the event of an emergency the pilot will drop all the doors on the tank in sequence. A salvo drop (all doors at once) isn’t used on takeoff because it causes the aircraft to pitch up rather quickly. Once in cruise flight the tank is made safe (hitting the safe button) to prevent an accidental release of the load.
The re-load button tells the computer that the tank is empty and resets the computer. The reload button is also used when the Air Attack officer changes their mind on the type of drop that is required and the tanker pilot needs to re-arm the tank for something different.
The numbers at the bottom of the computer set the interval between doors. 0.5 is the standard but anywhere from 0.3 to 0.7 can be used. Above 0.7 you will start to see obvious breaks in the footprint of the retardant on the ground.
There is an audible tone when the doors open, if it was a 4 door string the pilot would hear 4 separate beeps as the doors open.
The doors are triggered with a button on the left side of the yoke, it’s a guarded pushbutton, very similar to the PTT button. I have been speaking with a pilot, asked him a question and instead of a reply I got a single door.
If you guys have any questions please feel free to ask, were pretty busy with fire here in BC but I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
NOTE: These tank computers are still in use today and probably weren't around during the days of the Tigercat, there is an older bomb computer that is basically a rotary dial that selects 1, 2, or 4 doors and the pilot simply used his thumb to time the interval. We had a firecat in BC years ago with this tank configuration and when you needed a string drop you usually asked the pilot for a 4 door string with a slow or fast thumb.
thunder100
Charter Member 2010
Hi
Thanks a lot
(Start to ) Understand-->we will try to reflect it accordingly
In I like the fast thumb version
If by any chance there is a picture of the fast thumb version would be greatful(has time)
Also to understand the pitch up once you release all (maybe you know one of the F7F jockeys would be vcery helpful for the FDE
thanks again
Roland
Thanks a lot
(Start to ) Understand-->we will try to reflect it accordingly
In I like the fast thumb version
If by any chance there is a picture of the fast thumb version would be greatful(has time)
Also to understand the pitch up once you release all (maybe you know one of the F7F jockeys would be vcery helpful for the FDE
thanks again
Roland
We never flew F7F's on fires here in Canada so I don't know anyone who's flown one, I do have a firebombing book at home written by an F7F pilot, I'll take a look and see if he mentions anything about the flight dynamics. The pitch up when dropping a load is different with every aircraft and is a simple matter of getting rid of a good deal of weight in a very short time. Less weight equals more lift and the aircraft starts to climb, some aircraft experience a rather dramitic nose up attitude that has to be countered with some forward pressure on the yoke. The Firecat is one aircraft that would pitch up rather dramatically when dropping the entire load all at once. I will also look for some photo's of older style bomb tank computers for you guys. From talking with a long time Firecat pilot the oldest style selector he could remember was simple a rotary dial that allowed you to select 1, 2, or 4 doors, once selected you dropped the load by pressing the button on the yoke. So if you selected 2 doors on the selector and hit the drop button twice (say 1 second interval) you would get two doors opening simultaneously and one second later the last two doors would open.
Terry
SOH-CM-2016
If any of you happen to live near Paine Field, Wa, the Flying Heritage Collection is having what they call round engine day this Saturday the 28th. They will be flying the F7F, F8F, and P-47D.
WWW.FLYINGHERITAGE.COM
WWW.FLYINGHERITAGE.COM
Dang!!!
that would be worth the day trip.
pity I have a previous commitment,
wife's Birthday get together.
BIG Trouble if I miss that.
not worth it
I hope to snap some pix of the event. It's FREE!
The F7F and the Bearcat belong to the "New Museum" at KPAE,
Historic Flight Foundation (Kilo-6)
John T. Sessions Historic Aircraft Foundation
10727 Bernie Webber Drive
Everett, WA 98204
They are hangared across the runway from the Flying heritage collection.
Bernie webber drive is a right turn off 525W, for those who know the area.
The F7F and the Bearcat belong to the "New Museum" at KPAE,
Historic Flight Foundation (Kilo-6)
John T. Sessions Historic Aircraft Foundation
10727 Bernie Webber Drive
Everett, WA 98204
They are hangared across the runway from the Flying heritage collection.
Bernie webber drive is a right turn off 525W, for those who know the area.
stealthshadow1
Members +
I was glancing through my youtube videos and realized that I have some footage of 2 F7F's flying together at POF 2009 among a few other Grumman Birds. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg58DpcTFYw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg58DpcTFYw
Even more so for me Huub. As a team project, I would really like someone else to take on the VC interior part of the project, to be fair to me. And, we need a panel/gauge designer. I suspect the issue is most designers are no longer interested in doing the FS9 side of the work. We do have someone who will do the FSX panel and 3D gauges and make it FSX native if we get that far.
I am willing to upload the gmax source and research data and pictures, and donate my F7F manual to any designer who wishes to do a quality FS9 VC for this project.
Flyboy208
SOH Staff
Milton, I think our saviour would be Bill Ortis, have you contacted him?
Mike :salute:
Thank you for your interest Mike. Bill has a lot of irons in the fire trying to make a living. We would all be honored if he had the time to do this, and I know he could do it 3X faster than me and have an excellent quality product. I would not ask simply because I would not want him to feel obligated in any way to do this taking him away from revenue producing work.