Flight Réplicas Douglas Dc-4 and B-24 free Released

[FlakNine]

Here’s a link to the web version of my work-in-progress B24 flight manual. When it’s done I’ll include a PDF with the aircraft but until then the web version is always up-to-date as I make edits.

 

[Brian_Gladden]

interesting pic, looks as if they lifted the engines of a PBY

Most likely right. Being in corporate use, she most likely didn't fly very high for passenger comfort not being pressurized. So the low altitude PB4Y-2 engines would be available and a less costly option

 

[tgycgijoes]

Thank you so much for this.

 

[FlakNine]

We've been busy adding more to the B-24, although we aren't quite ready to reveal the next update yet.

One thing we are experimenting with is making the prop RPM switches behave closer to the real thing. In the real aircraft, the prop RPM is controlled by 3-way toggle switches as shown in this image from the flight manual.


We are evaluating 3 potential solutions for this, and would be interested to hear thoughts on which direction we should take this, especially regarding how it will interact with control bindings. Here's an overview of the 3 options:

1. (Experimental 1) The prop RPM switches will function as real 3-way toggle switches. If you have an axis bound to prop RPM, the direction you move the lever controls the switch position (i.e. move your axis up will flick the switch up). EDIT: correction from the person working on this code - rather than adding me as a middle man, here is his explanation: "There is a PROP LEVER POSITION target and also a currentposition. If you have an external axis, the movement adjusts a target % for an internal virtual lever position target. Similarly you can map PROP_PITCH_INCR and PROP_PITCH_DECR to buttons which again adjust the target up and down. When the target is moved away from the current position % the visible switches animate in the correct direction and hold that animation for the time required to adjust current to target. "
   1. Mouse interaction: if you drag with the mouse, the target is moved and the switches animate. If you click on the INC / DEC all plates, all the targets move.
2. (Experimental 2) The prop RPM switches will function as real 3-way toggle switches. If you have an axis bound to prop RPM, the lever position range controls the switch position (i.e. 70-100% = switch up, 30-70% = switch middle, 0-30% = switch down). This is similar to the FlyingIron BF109 manual pitch control.
   1. Mouse interaction: the switches will behave like a 3-way toggle switch. Click and hold of the INC / DEC all plates would hold all 4 switches in place.
3. (Current implementation)The prop RPM switches function like a lever, so if you have an axis bound to prop RPM, the lever position controls the prop RPM %, and also the switch position. If your lever is at 75% then prop RPM is 75% and the lever position is 75%. This is least realistic but perhaps most convenient and familiar since it's how we typically control RPM in other aircraft.
   1. Mouse interaction: the switches will behave like a draggable lever

We'll probably share an experimental build here soon-ish, and listen to user feedback before making any final decision. We've prototyped Experimental 1 solution already.

 

[tiger1962]

I would go with Experimental 1, but if there's a way to make the switch position override the lever position I'd go with that instead.
Lever position authority over switch position would ideally require an EFB configuration utility where the user can define their own limits as per the Experimental 2 definition.