Razbam a-7e fde

Mal and I have been chatting off line about this one. Dusted her off and brought her out of the hangar into P3Dv4. Looks and flies well. Yes, Henk did a much improved FDE and trapped her on the Midway and Oriskany without too much fuss. There are loads of repaints, many by some of the very best painters around. Neither of us however have had any luck with getting the load out UI and gauge - the ASCU - to work in P3Dv4.

 
There's a Tacpack mod that fixes some of the issues, but if you're not concerned with actual weapons delivery, there are a couple of things you have to do to get the A-7 payload manager to work in P3D v4.

The instructions I was given was in a P3D post, basically what they said was: With the proper lines added to dll.xml, the load configurator works on Razbam A-7s. Tanks need to be de-fuelled before they can be removed and weight needs to be added manually for the added stored.

This is the XML code that needs to go into the dll.xml:

<launch.addon>
<name>A7 Ordnance Weight Manager</name>
<disabled>False</disabled>
<manualload>False</manualload>
<path>X:\<P3D Install Path/Root>\Addon Modules\A7_Ordnance_Mngr.dll</path> <- need to change this line to be path specific for your PC.
<dllstartname>module_init</dllstartname>
<dllstopname>module_deinit</dllstopname>
</launch.addon>

I know it works,

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...PM me if you have any trouble.
 

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  • LTV A-7D Corsair II, 70-940, LV, 4450th Tactical Group, Tonopah Test Range Airport, KLSV.jpg
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That load manager dll will not work in P3dv4. The XML part of the load manager works OK, so you may see the stores appear, but you won't see any weight added to the payload.
 
That load manager dll will not work in P3dv4. The XML part of the load manager works OK, so you may see the stores appear, but you won't see any weight added to the payload.
Docjohnson did say in his post that:
and weight needs to be added manually for the added stores.
probably in the Fuel and Payload menu.

Does that help?
Pat☺
 
I know, I was pointing out that there was no point in adding the dll entry to the dll.xml as it won't work in v4. :untroubled:
The loadout gauge could be modified to use xmltools or TacPack to add the weight relatively easily.
 
Actually, it does work in P3D v4 (above screenshot is in v4), with the dll.xml entry. But I can't remember if I could release the weapons or not other than jettison. But as the image I loaded in my previous post, You can get rid of the tanks and load up ordnance. I'll load one up tonight and see.

There are also TP mods for the A-7 that restore the A-7s TP ability. You can find them over on the VRS forums under Tacpack Integration.

Personally, I would like the A-7 to be fully compatible, but the individual who produced the A-7 has moved on and only does DCS stuff, like the AV-8B, as I understand the grapevine.
 
SOH member Mike71 was a SLUF driver, besides other USN aircraft. Maybe if he sees this thread, he will chime in about FDE improvements.... NC
 
I would be interested in an FD assessment by a pilot who actually flew the aircraft.

On the issue of the non-tacpacked version working in P3DV4, I installed the non TP A-7s back into v4 and as I thought you can load the ordnance up. You just have to zero out the fuel on the externals and the left and right aux tanks (used for the outer pylon tanks). Don't forget to shut down the engines and set the brake. Everything seems to work but the release. I tried several different ways to get the ordnance off the bird but ended up having to jettison everything but the pylons. Maybe someday when I'm not building new payware airplanes I'll take a whack at figuring out how to tacpack them.

I also have the RAZBAM TP version and I will install next and see what happens. All weather attack training, 174th Fighter Squadron, KSUX:

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  • A-7D 174th FS, 185th Operations Group, Sioux City Air National Guard Base, Iowa - 1978 II.jpg
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  • A-7D 174th FS, 185th Operations Group, Sioux City Air National Guard Base, Iowa - 1978 VI.jpg
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Actually, it does work in P3D v4 (above screenshot is in v4), with the dll.xml entry. But I can't remember if I could release the weapons or not other than jettison. But as the image I loaded in my previous post, You can get rid of the tanks and load up ordnance. I'll load one up tonight and see.

Yes, but is it adding weight? I bet you would have exactly the same results without the dll entry.
Anyway, I spent a bit of time yesterday afternoon recoding the load manager to use XML Tools to handle the weight and fuel, so it works properly.
 
Yes, but is it adding weight? I bet you would have exactly the same results without the dll entry.
Anyway, I spent a bit of time yesterday afternoon recoding the load manager to use XML Tools to handle the weight and fuel, so it works properly.

Dave, would you be making this mod available to others? Weight affects flying the Sluf in a major way.
 
Actually, if I remember right, it did change the GW to the point I had to lose some fuel to get off the ground safely. No xml.dll entry, no loadout manager. But as you say, the thing can be tweaked. When I tested it before, I could not get the load manager to function if the XML entry wasn't made xml.dll. I had a look at the XML code for the A-7 Tacpack version. Its functionality requires no DLL. But I have gotten errors that CTD the sim and Tacpack is the faulting module.

I'll be testing the TP version again this evening.
 
I don't have the dll.xml entry and load gauge works except for fuel and weight.

I'll upload my modded version soon, just got one bit to sort first.
 
Glad the thread sparked up some interest in this model. I'm following as I wait to add the TP Beta version into P3D4.2 and move more mud around.
 
Hi Guys,

just curios if there's anything new to report? Some FDE improvements for the 2-seater for example :encouragement:

best regards,

Edwin
 
Those Slufs scare the heck outta me!

They EAT people! Not a lotta room up on the flight deck to dodge them, either. I think they have a malicious streak... :a1089: :a1310:

Looks great though. Looking forward to a TP version!
Pat☺
 
I have the A-7D/E/H pack 1 only and patched it to v1.20/SP2 as of June 2011 - these are the timestamps of some of the updated files:

RAZBAM_A_7_GAUGES.CAB = 7-Jun-2011
A7OWM.exe = 11-Apr-2011
A7_Ordnance_Mngr.dll = 11-Apr-2011
Aircraft.cfg = 11-Apr-2011

If anyone wants to try, attached my FDE mod for pack 1 - A-7D/E/H. Ground steering and low speed handling/engine responsiveness should be easier with this mod. It also addresses a minor issue with the contact points to make the jet sit on the ground with more nose up attitude like the real sluff.

Hi. Thanks so much for the new .air file and aircraft.cfg file. Yes, much improved!

One thing I can't find, though, is the other files you mention here, as the files that came with the A-7D-E models don't work in the original package. The FSX section of the Razbam forum seems to be gone now, and I have no idea who to ask or where to get them. Where can I get the repaired RAZBAM_A_7_GAUGES.CAB, so the entry in the associated Panel.cfg will work? Is there a download available somewhere? I haven't been able to find it anywhere. I do realize I'm a bit late to the show, having just purchased these planes.

Oh, I have the other two packages of the Corsair II and the load manager in each of those works just fine.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

In the meantime, I have discovered that i can switch between the D/E model package and the A/B/P model package to change the fuel and load on the plane, then switch back to the D/E paint I want to fly and parts stay assigned. I guess that will do til I can resolve this.

I dropped a note to Razbam via Facebook, but I don't know if they look for messages there or not.

Thanks again.
 
Hi. Thanks so much for the new .air file and aircraft.cfg file. Yes, much improved!

One thing I can't find, though, is the other files you mention here, as the files that came with the A-7D-E models don't work in the original package. The FSX section of the Razbam forum seems to be gone now, and I have no idea who to ask or where to get them. Where can I get the repaired RAZBAM_A_7_GAUGES.CAB, so the entry in the associated Panel.cfg will work? Is there a download available somewhere? I haven't been able to find it anywhere. I do realize I'm a bit late to the show, having just purchased these planes.

Oh, I have the other two packages of the Corsair II and the load manager in each of those works just fine.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

In the meantime, I have discovered that i can switch between the D/E model package and the A/B/P model package to change the fuel and load on the plane, then switch back to the D/E paint I want to fly and parts stay assigned. I guess that will do til I can resolve this.

I dropped a note to Razbam via Facebook, but I don't know if they look for messages there or not.

Thanks again.

The following file:

RAZBAM_A_7_GAUGES.CAB = 7-Jun-2011

Can be found in Addon Modules folder (in P3D root folder).

Mine however differs from what he shows.

Mine:

A7_Ordnance_Mngr.dll Date modified 06/25/2015 5:44PM 232KB
 
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