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Something different/wacky - Dragonfly!

Allen

Allen

Styles Editor/Admin
Staff member
I kicked around the idea of a purpose built float plane fighter after F4F-3S "Wildcatfish" but never came up with a way to make it work with out it being a complate brick. My main idea was hull/fuselage much like the Saunders-Roe SR.A/1 but prop clearance was a prob. Mounding float/floats like done to others (Rufe/Wildcatfish) wasn't a option.

Than it came to me. There alreay was a plane that over came a prop clearance prob, the F4U Corsair and I had already built a plane that at the time kind of looked like a float plane if it' wasn't for the lack of prop clearance, the Japan 1946 Mansyū Ki-98.

View attachment 33300View attachment 33299View attachment 33301

I first built the aircraft with a Allison V-1710 but it was just too underpowred so I went back and and cut in a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 and re-shaped the fuselage Rads. Over all I'm not sure I did any better than any other float fighter but I tired!
 
:encouragement: I like the Navy mount better...needs a little more blending at the color line for that classic authentic look. What does your radial 'pull prop' version look like?
 
bearcat241 said:
:encouragement: I like the Navy mount better...needs a little more blending at the color line for that classic authentic look. What does your radial 'pull prop' version look like?
Click to expand...

Yes the paint hasn't been blended yet. Just something basic I took in Model Converter X to make sure I had the "fuselage" and the intake textures lined up.

For the "Pull" engine just flip the "fuselage" 180 degrees
 
I have it just about done however I didn't quite think thing thought as the low center of gravity and high mount engine cause the aircraft to push down and push down harder under power.
 
Allen,

CFS2 water can prove to be a little sticky with floaters sometimes depending on aircraft size and weight factors. A couple of things you might try:

* In the aircraft.cfg, bump the thrust from 1.0 to 1.2 and raise the COG --

empty_weight_CG_position = 0, 0, 0 (longitudinal, lateral, vertical positions from datum (feet)

* Under [Propeller], the entries should include the 3 blades because the sim's flight dynamics algorithm defaults to 2 blades unless you specify more in the cfg. This default can wreck flight modelling when trying to attain accuracy in performance --

[propeller]
thrust_scalar = 1.20
propeller_blades = 3

* In the air file under record 1101, decrease the Airspeed Weight Factor by 90-95 percent (the standard default of 32767 represents 100% adherence to the noted empty weight specified in the air file and the cfg). By decreasing here you tell the sim to deduct a small percentage from the weight in overall flight dynamics and performance. This lightens the flight model under power, which translates to airspeed on the sticky water. This is a cheater which allows you to reduce weight in a roundabout way without directly editing the empty weight outside of specifications.

One or all of these is sure to make a difference...
 
I know of the CG setting and had to lower it to make it more real. My guess is that the CG is down 2 or 2.5 feet. This whould put the CG just above the floats.

CFS2 dosen't support propeller_blades= It only supports thrust_scalar= and rotatior=. All you need is a HexEditor and open the sim1.sim file and seach for thrust_scalar. You will find only 2 keys related to propeller.

View attachment 33632
 
Allen said:
CFS2 dosen't support propeller_blades= It only supports thrust_scalar= and rotatior=.
Click to expand...

Actually CFS2 does recognize this entry in the cfg. I think that information you're quoting may be a little dated. Rami can confirm this also. We've had some conversations here in the past regarding this when using Airwrench to get to historical performance specs. Airwrench also defaults to two blades, so no matter how authentic you make the other engine and propeller specs in the program, if you fail to edit this tidbit it throws everything else off. In the distant past this data was omitted from the standard CFS2 aircraft.cfg before the widespread use of Airwrench.

I first discovered the difference when i was tweaking the 1% F4U1B years ago in Airwrench and found that it was set at three blades as with the stock *U1A, which is incorrect. On a whim i decided to test the difference by adding a 4-blade entry in the cfg and it made a notable change in power and thrust with an added reduction in induced drag, which bleeds airspeed in extreme aerobatic or combat maneuvering. And the difference holds throughout the altitude range as well. I have to say that i was pleasantly surprised, since the 1% AvHistory crew holds a solid rep in flight modelling and had somehow overlooked or omitted this, probably working with same info you mentioned. Everything i've tweaked from that point since has the correct number of blades per engine in the cfg. I never fly anything seriously without this.
 
I just spend the last 2 hours checking the sim1.sim and all of the MODULES folder .dll files. propeller_blades= is not a CFS2 strings/key. I used Process Explorer to seach each files strings and did it by HexEditor. propeller_blades isn't there.

I did however find a number of prob FS02/04/FSX/MSFlight things. Mostly related to [Electrical] but I didn't test this.

However I did find something I have never seen and "teh googles" seem to never seen it as well. So this may be a new thing for CFS2. A throttle reverse, if pluged into the aircraft.cfg 100% power become 0% power and 0% power become 100% power. This effects Joystick throttle and keyboad throttle keys. This should be usefull for aircraft that had a pull back throttle to give power. I think the French used pull back throttle.

[Controls]
throttle_reverse= //0 normal and 1 reverse

I'm also attaching a text list of all keys that I have found that related to the aircraft.cfg.

View attachment 33655
 
Yes I know its not super cool but since CFS2 has been more or less picked over by peeps much smarter than me I'm excited to see something I never seen and no one left has ever seen as well.
 
Dragonfly gMax.zip

502514540575262819.jpg

A new entry has been added to Add-Ons Library, category CFS 2 Other Add-Ons

Description: This is the gMax model of my Dragonfly Float Plane fighter for CFS2. Scrach built but Micosoft Pilot, Props virtual cockpit seat and gunsite. Model is Multi LOD with working virtual cockpit and has CFS2 style breaking parts plus damage texture logic.

I'm putting the model up for download for some one if they wish can mess with it.

To check it out, rate it or add comments, visit Dragonfly gMax.zip
The comments you make there will appear in the posts below.
 
Dragonfly.zip

410414540574101979.jpg

A new entry has been added to Add-Ons Library, category CFS 2 Aircraft - American

Description: My attempt to make purpose built float plane fighter out it being a complate brick. The twin boom idea came from the Mansyu Ki-98 project and to get the needed prop clearance bent wings like the F4U Corsair. However I didn't quite think thing thought as the low center of gravity cause the aircraft to push down. The engine is mounted at an angle to counter the pull down of the lower center of gravity. The fuselage is a P-38 Lightning blended into the P&W R-2800-10W.

Fully animated. Breaking parts plus damage texture logics as well. Model is Multi LOD with working virtual cockpit. Skin template is included in the textue folder for your painting pleasure. You will need a program that can read .PSD to use them.

To check it out, rate it or add comments, visit Dragonfly.zip
The comments you make there will appear in the posts below.
 
410414540574101979.jpg

A new entry has been added to Add-Ons Library, category CFS 2 Aircraft - American

Description: My attempt to make purpose built float plane fighter out it being a complate brick. The twin boom idea came from the Mansyu Ki-98 project and to get the needed prop clearance bent wings like the F4U Corsair. However I didn't quite think thing thought as the low center of gravity cause the aircraft to push down. The engine is mounted at an angle to counter the pull down of the lower center of gravity. The fuselage is a P-38 Lightning blended into the P&W R-2800-10W.

Fully animated. Breaking parts plus damage texture logics as well. Model is Multi LOD with working virtual cockpit. Skin template is included in the textue folder for your painting pleasure. You will need a program that can read .PSD to use them.

To check it out, rate it or add comments, visit Dragonfly.zip
 
Reply...

Allen,

You did an outstanding job on this, thank you for all of your hard work!
 
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