Iris Curtiss P40

djs1

djs1

Charter Member
Thanks to a happy coincidence at the weekend I found that the Iris P40 was now freeware so, obviously, went to their site and did the deed. Within 10 minutes it was downloaded, installed and sitting on a runway ticking over.
Don't know if any of you out there have tried this P40, but here's what I found and how I got round it.
Visually spot-on, plenty of variants, some nice eye-candy effects so I was more than happy.
Time to put the power on which resulted in a definate pull to the left, quite happy to live with this, torque effect of a big V12 perhaps. Into the air and a marked tendency to fly very much port wing down, OK, slight right hand pressure on the joystick.
What did surprise, and annoy, was what happened at about 180mph: the whole thing just vibrated alarmingly. Back off on the throttle and it subsided, but once the magic number was reached, off it went again. Tried flying through it in level flight, shallow climb and various degrees of dive - nothing. Very disappointed. Lost interest and removed it from the programme.
What saved it from the recylce bin was the fact that it is such an excellent visual model and it seemed a shame to discard it so I decided to try a bit of experimentation.
Quite simply I replaced the config file with that from the FDG P40 (retaining the Iris aircraft of course) and after a lot of trial and error and copy-and-pasting, I cured all the problems. The retained elements from the original config file were contact points, lights and effects.
Since there is no 2D cockpit, I used that from, again, the FDG P40. The resultin VC view was quite weird, so pasted in the Views (eyepoint) element from the original config. Result, good 2D panel and functioning VC since both aircaft use the same gauges.
This is not meant to be a criticism of Iris Simulations who I thank most heartily for this visually excellent aircraft, so if I had to do a bit of (guess)work to get it to fly to my liking, then it's a very small price to pay.

David
 
Hi, David!

Claudius already was so kind to provide some fine tweaks here:
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?t=35549&p=408448&viewfull=1#post408448

My (FDG2 based) panel looks like this:
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?t=20503&p=411673&viewfull=1#post411673

I found an other workaround to avoid the buffet flutter:
Staying within the limits! :d

The original aircraft.cfg entry allows a max MAP of 58.
I have a reference on the power settings of the Allison V-1710-33 telling a max takeoff MAP of 40,6 (2800 RPM) and a military rated power of 37,2/3000.
That's why I rated my Kitty to a
max_design_mp= 42
providing a smooth ride.

It's definately not the fastest plane around and I won't take her out to the Reno races...

Cheers,
Markus.
 
I tried the same approach using files from the FDG P-40E when the Iris P-40 first came out, but I never did get it to straighten up fly right. It's been a hanger queen as a result. I was hoping its release as freeware would shake something like this out so that it is flyable as it is a very nice model with lots of texture options of one of my favorite aircraft.
 
I've had the P-40 since it was first released by IRIS. It is still one of my favorites. :wiggle:

Over the years I've made a several tweaks you may want to consdier.

The first tweak was to solve the problem with the high speed oscillations. There was a fix posted that suggested a change to the Aircraft.cfg as follows:
;Moments of Inertia
empty_weight_pitch_MOI = 8182.0
empty_weight_roll_MOI = 4834.0
empty_weight_yaw_MOI = 10113.0 //was 5113.0
empty_weight_coupled_MOI = 0.0
​
The second tweak was to the panel. You need to find and download gauge that skips the 2D view. You will never miss it.
[VCockpit01]
size_mm=256,256
pixel_size=256,256
texture=$dummy
background_color=0,0,0
gauge00=p40_gauges!Effect Controller, 0, 0, 1, 1
gauge01=dsd_view_skip!no_2d, 0, 0 ,5,5
​
After awhile I tired of the IRIS sounds and found some different ones for the Allison and Merlin engines to make them more distinct. I settled for some great Allison sounds by LawDog.

The most recent change was to de-shine the models and give them a flatter look to all the textures. I used the MDLC Converter by Ivan Hsu and set the rgb specular to about 0.5.

As always, make a backup of anything you change from your aircraft.cfg to the individual models just in case. A lot of what I did was by trial and error.

:ernae:
--WH

 
I paid good money for the P-40 from Iris a couple years ago. I vowed to never buy another IRIS product again after that. I tweaked it several times trying to get it somewhat flyable and finally gave up. I wouldnt even leave it as a hangar queen- I pushed Mine out back, drove over it a couple times with the Dozer and then set fire to it!!!!
 
sctybdy said:
I paid good money for the P-40 from Iris a couple years ago. I vowed to never buy another IRIS product again after that. I tweaked it several times trying to get it somewhat flyable and finally gave up. I wouldnt even leave it as a hangar queen- I pushed Mine out back, drove over it a couple times with the Dozer and then set fire to it!!!!
Click to expand...
Musta made a real mess of your puter. :jump:

--WH
 
Warhorse,

Thanks for those tips. My P-40 flies quite well now with just that "moments of inertia" fix.

I'm afraid that I also put Iris on my "no buy" list after the P-40. After flying these recent releases, it seems I was a bit hasty in that action. While I'm not a fast jet fan, that F-14 is a marvelous piece of work. It's interesting how the wings sweep automatically and the jet nozzles contract and expand with various power settings.
 
WarHorse47 said:
I've had the P-40 since it was first released by IRIS. It is still one of my favorites. :wiggle:

Over the years I've made a several tweaks you may want to consdier.

The first tweak was to solve the problem with the high speed oscillations. There was a fix posted that suggested a change to the Aircraft.cfg as follows:
;Moments of Inertia
empty_weight_pitch_MOI = 8182.0
empty_weight_roll_MOI = 4834.0
empty_weight_yaw_MOI = 10113.0 //was 5113.0
empty_weight_coupled_MOI = 0.0
​
The second tweak was to the panel. You need to find and download gauge that skips the 2D view. You will never miss it.
[VCockpit01]
size_mm=256,256
pixel_size=256,256
texture=$dummy
background_color=0,0,0
gauge00=p40_gauges!Effect Controller, 0, 0, 1, 1
gauge01=dsd_view_skip!no_2d, 0, 0 ,5,5
​
After awhile I tired of the IRIS sounds and found some different ones for the Allison and Merlin engines to make them more distinct. I settled for some great Allison sounds by LawDog.

The most recent change was to de-shine the models and give them a flatter look to all the textures. I used the MDLC Converter by Ivan Hsu and set the rgb specular to about 0.5.

As always, make a backup of anything you change from your aircraft.cfg to the individual models just in case. A lot of what I did was by trial and error.

:ernae:
--WH
Click to expand...

Where do you get the "DSD_View_Skip" gauge?
 
Where do you get the "DSD_View_Skip" gauge?
Click to expand...
I was afraid someone would ask. :salute:

I've had it for such a long time I couldn't remember where, but after some research I confirmed that it came with Warwick Carter's P-51 which doesn't have a 2D, BTW.

I wasn't able to located a freeware download of the gauge, but maybe somebody else might have a link.:jump:

--WH
 
Hi,

You can also find this gauge (skip 2D) in this panel plane ...

FS2004 (ACOF) - FS2004 Warbirds FS2004 Republic P-47M-1 Base Package
[SIZE=-1] [ Download | View ] [/SIZE]
Name: p47m_923.zip Size: 34,696,419 Date: 01-24-2008 Downloads: 4,919
[SIZE=-1]
p47m_923.gif
fcq1.gif
fbq1.gif
FS2004 Republic P-47M-1 Base Package v2.3. The Republic P-47 M-1 was the fastest of the production Thunderbolt models built by Republic based on a design from Major Alexander de Seversky. An installation 'Wizard' will help you install the multi-resolution P-47 Gmax model, including clickable virtual cockpit, full animation, reflective textures with dynamic shine, backlighted VC gauges, custom effects, HTML checklists and documentation (enhanced with pages from original Pilot Operating and Training Manuals) as well as droppable tanks. The archive contains two different 3D models - one classic 3D cockpit based on a D-28 and a modernized one with mostly Concorde instruments - a 2D panel for those who want (by hand activation necessary). It includes a 'bare' aluminium base texture set. Sound package included. DXT3 as well as high resolution 888-type 32-bit textures are included. Liveries done for earlier versions up to v2.2 should fit this version. For more changes vice versa v2.2 see included change log. Package by Tom Kohler. (Previous version had 3781 downloads.) (See also P47M_P79.ZIP and BXKAP301.ZIP)[/SIZE]
Click to expand...
Gauge from Doug Dawson
dsd_view_skip.gau
You can at choice use this gauge for skip the panel 2D or VC when you shift (toggle) views
Be aware this gauge don't desactivate the 2D or VC panel .. it's just skiping :)
 
One of the problems with the Iris P-40, (at least when I tested it a number of years ago) is the engine, which can put out something like 4000 hp at SL but with altitude bleeds off power to a realistic figure. It is a nice plane. Henry and I did the flight dynamics for the Outhouse one. The P-40 is apretty aerobatic airplane, it just didn't fit quite into the right category being against the highly manuverable zero with out enough speed advantage and against the Bf 109 with a speed deficit.

I'll have to have another peek at it!

Notorious as hard to land.... Cheers: T
 
Was there a fix for the mirrored slip-skid ball gauge somewhere as well. I don't mind the rudder pedals being backward as I don't need to look at them to keep things coordinated but without the actual "seating area sensory glands" the ball is sort of important.

With the above mentioned fix applied she is much better behaved but I think still a bit on the slow side vs the real thing. Unless the ASI is marked in MPH but reads KTS ...then we'd be a little closer to the mark.

Stefan
 
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