Menestrel HN-433 in the starting blocks

lagaffe

lagaffe

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Moderator Edit: This is now released - link to download: http://frenchvfr.free.fr/download.php?lng=en&pg=782&tconfig=0

Hello,

Started in 2010 for FS2004, I first worked on Gmax on what was my first creative project for FS.
This project was unfortunately put aside for various reasons and last August, after having seriously started using Blender at the beginning of the year, I finally decided to port this old dream to MSFS.
A lot of work and study to learn the good things but after tree months results are here.

Some pics of this new challenge on my FS2004 post: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforu...trel-HN-433-in-progress?p=1260938#post1260938

The project for the HN-433 is bear to be released ... a week or two before the release. A simple screen of various repaints which are planned in this freeware:


M-nestrels.jpg

The last few weeks have been spent finishing the paintkit and developing the PBR textures of the different models planned. All the graphic work was done with Gimp 2.10, ArmorPaint v8 dev (Avril 21) and Materialize 1.7.8.


As Microsoft/Asobo has planned some changes on the flight model in the next update package (Mai 21), this version will be delivered in advance without all the initial functions (configuration via a tablet, etc) and depending on what will be found in this new version, a patch or an updated version is already planned for June.


Lagaffe
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I gotta admit, besides looking amazing, it looks like it's going to be a lot of fun to fly. Thanks for the previews. :)
 
Looking forward to this! Always had a soft spot for VW single-seaters. Such fun flying! I was promised a flight in one of these in France once, but sadly it never came off. There aren't any single-seat Menestrels in the UK to my knowledge, but the Menestrel II is quite popular over here.
 
Hi,
Sure, I will give you informations as soon as possible ... Let me some days to finish the last points.
 
Some news:
- I have had a tablet in order to manage some points:
- statics elements exterior (realized)
- cold & dark situation (realized)
- ready to take off situation (realized)
- ready to park the plane (realized)
- visibility of the pilot and his passager (in progress)
- refueling (in progress)


Vue-du-ciel.jpg
 
Well, release time is occured !

The story of Menestrel HN-433/434:

Henri Nicollier, a young glider pilot, planned to build an airplane at the age of 16 after having discovered Mignet's famous book: "Le Sport de l'Air".
He reviewed the few possible airplanes of the time, and decided to design (and build) his own airplane; he elaborated several projects, and his choice settled on an all-wooden single-seater, with curved shapes. Above the very first drawing of what will become the Minstrel. Henri launches into the construction of his prototype with confidence. His workshop: a corner of the hangar on the ground of Besançon/Thise, but he runs up against the general skepticism of the members of the local club. He will manage to finalize his construction and it is in the general indifference which will carry out the first flight of F-PKXO in Thise, on November 25, 1962. The plane has not been modified since.

The HN 433 "Ménestrel" will also be built in amateur with 6 specimens. Among the builders, two friends of work: Bernard Cintrat and Jean Claude Afflard who will build the N°37-PYJZ and 43-PYKA. They completely modernize the plane to make it very attractive to the eyes of the amateurs of the time (1982). Thus modified the plane will take the name of HN 434 "Super Minstrel". It will be more comfortable with an enlarged cabin and also simpler to build by removing several useless wing reinforcements.

This plane, I started it in 2010 for FS2004 and then transformed it to be FSX/P3D compatible. Nevertheless, it remained unfinished in my eyes because I could not go to the end of my ideas.

With MSFS, I decided to take it back completely and make it a native addon.
So here is the current version, which I call a Beta since there are two or three little things missing (radio) which should be solved in June 2021

You can find 5 livreries in this release :
- F-PYKA (HN433 model) of my friend Jean-Claude AFFLARD, who help me during 2010-2013 with a lot of documentations (he was the constructor of this aircraft),
- F-PGRB of Mr Lamglait which is a HN434.
- and three fictional livreries


The direct link to download this addon

WARNING:
- French-VFR is provided with an english version (clik at the Left top on the english flag)
- For those who don't know our site, the links are protected by an "account/password" which are not those of your registration account if you ever registered on French-VFR: it is not mandatory to register to be able to download.
- Theses "account/password" infos are just above the link, they are highlighted in yellow and the infos are in red !!!
 
Bravo! Lagaffe



Note, there are undercarriage and flap sounds in the sound set if you happen to select them.
 
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Very nice, Lagaffe! Really enjoying flying around in this little guy. Great to see some excellent native freeware, and such an unusual and cool little homebuilt.

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Many thanks thank you for your answers, it's very nice :jump:
Thank for your advice jetstreamskyI will see this more carefully !
References: http://www.acaatlantique.fr/2017/10/nicollier-henri-concepteur.html

I had forgotten to add these few lines yesterday, when publishing, so I correct my oversight

Knows bugs, in spite of numerous tests by my testers:

  • the texture of the F-PYKA has some defects on the top of the fuselage (this will be corrected with Inkscape)
  • the movement of the ailerons is reversed :banghead: (a lot of testeurs have maded remarks about the blade and this point ... has been forgetten, sorry)
  • the radio is not yet modeled (I will change the old VHF Badin-Crouzet 360 channels by an ICOM owned by the last proprietary of the plane)

First Patch: In some situations and airports the plane appears with gears underground.
=>Try to edit the flight_model.cfg in the TAB [CONTACT_POINTS] and remove the two ";" before " the lines static_pitch" and "static_cg_height"

=> The patch has been uploaded on French-VFR,archive for download is correct now !

Some years ago, I have also begin to modelize his "big brother" the HN-700 which have two-seater. I think that the next release will be this HN-700

M-nestrel-HN-700-Paint.jpg
 
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Hi,

Last week I have been contacted by an another user: the son of the owner of the F-PYXE. With the help of some photos sent by this user, I have add an another repaint at this addon.

MSFS-F-PYXE.png

The radio has been finished :
- model 3D
- XML codes to manage a single COM1
HN433-Radio.jpg

In order to be able to use this radio in the absence of battery on the aircraft as well as switches for the battery, avionics and alternator, I have made some modifications in the XML code of the gauge to bring a solution.

Second Release: Yesterday, I have release the v1.0.0 of this addon which containt now:
- 6 repaints
- a radio with a single COM1
- a few modifications in the code (removal of the sounds for the opening/closing of the landing gear, etc) to take in accounts some remarks (SOH, AVSim, pilote-virtuel).

=> The new version has been uploaded on French-VFR, which cancels and replaces the previous version !
The link is unchanged: http://frenchvfr.free.fr/download.php?lng=en&pg=782&tconfig=0
 
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