T-37 in P3D v2.5

Dumonceau

Banned
People,

has anyone succeeded in getting the Cessna T-37 Tweet to work in P3D? The Microsim Tweet that is?

It used to work in FSX, but allthough it flies and starts in P3D, there is something wrong with the textures.

Anyone?

Johan
 
Johan,

I did have it in P3D for quite awhile but rarely flew it and I already had another model (not as detailed but easier to fly) and so I deleted what I had. Wish I hadn't now because I don't remember what all I did to get it fixed up. Maybe I'll see if I can revive it. I have it on a DVD so it's not completely gone, but that one doesn't contain any of the fixes I did, so I'd have to retrace my steps in a way.
 
It would certainly be a treat to have the Tweet in P3D 2.5 and beyond. The last time I had it working fully was in FS9. I tried to install it to FSX but something always flagged it as a non-registered purchase and I could never get it started again.
From my experience in the T-37 there wasn't too much missing from the sim version. Aside from not having the wonderful smell of fuel in your house, squeezing Anti-G Strain Maneuvers in your chair at home for aerobatics, and for all practical purposes not turning the computer speaker volume to full when using the Tweet it did what was expected in FS9.
 
Ok, here's my report:

I was able to reinstall (actually I just dragged it off the DVD and dropped it into it's proper folder in P3D).
1) No texture problems that I can see (no Canopy Transparency problem).
2) The VC is Non-Functional (animations work but nothing is clickable)
3) You will not have any major systems functionality beyond the norm (landing gears retract, Canopy goes up and down, Flaps extend and retract and speed brake works).
4) trying to start the engines with the startup panel is futile. It relied heavily on all systems functioning and they no longer do (so don't bother using it beyond being sure that the battery switch/pitot heat is on and the Nav/Beacon lights work)
5) I have auto engine start mapped to a button on my joystick. . .it took holding it down for over a minute before the engines kicked in. . .give them time to start. . .they will eventually.
6) The attenuators remain extended (there is a keystroke that will retract them but I can't remember what it is right now). Also, they are non-functional within the flight envelope. . .in other words they look cool, but that's about it.
7) Some gauges work, but most don't

There was talk last fall by one of the developers that he would be willing to move it forward for at least a native FSX model. . .nothing has been said since that time (don't look for it to happen)
There is also at least one developer who was supposedly working on either just a T-37 or both the T-37 and A-37. . .again, don't hold your breath it will be years before we see anything like that. . .if at all.
 
Unable to get the attenuators to drop. I know this was either posted in a thread or imparted to me in a PM, but I can't find the correct keystroke to lower them. I've tried the concord visor, the tailhook, the wingfold. . .none of those work. Anyone remember how it was done?
 
Ok, here's my report:

I was able to reinstall (actually I just dragged it off the DVD and dropped it into it's proper folder in P3D).
1) No texture problems that I can see (no Canopy Transparency problem).
2) The VC is Non-Functional (animations work but nothing is clickable)
3) You will not have any major systems functionality beyond the norm (landing gears retract, Canopy goes up and down, Flaps extend and retract and speed brake works).
4) trying to start the engines with the startup panel is futile. It relied heavily on all systems functioning and they no longer do (so don't bother using it beyond being sure that the battery switch/pitot heat is on and the Nav/Beacon lights work)
5) I have auto engine start mapped to a button on my joystick. . .it took holding it down for over a minute before the engines kicked in. . .give them time to start. . .they will eventually.
6) The attenuators remain extended (there is a keystroke that will retract them but I can't remember what it is right now). Also, they are non-functional within the flight envelope. . .in other words they look cool, but that's about it.
7) Some gauges work, but most don't

There was talk last fall by one of the developers that he would be willing to move it forward for at least a native FSX model. . .nothing has been said since that time (don't look for it to happen)
There is also at least one developer who was supposedly working on either just a T-37 or both the T-37 and A-37. . .again, don't hold your breath it will be years before we see anything like that. . .if at all.

Well, I do have the texture problem. Weird! Maybe your version is a later one than mine?

Johan
 
Sent you a pm Ed!

But maybe someone else can shed some light on this problem:

Tweet_inside.jpg

Tweet_outisde.jpg


Johan
 
What is the name of that tool to change the alpha's again? By Martin Wright if my memory serves me right!

I guess I'll be able to see which files need to be changed right?

Johan
 
What is the name of that tool to change the alpha's again? By Martin Wright if my memory serves me right!

I guess I'll be able to see which files need to be changed right?

Johan
It's "DXTbmp". . . .for the canopy, what you can do once you get that program and open it is to load t37_parts_T.bmp. That's the texture that holds the canopy glass. To the right side of the program you'll see a small window with the alpha channel displayed. There are several icons under that window, the fourth one (a folder with an arrow) will let you save the alpha channel to a location. Save it to your desktop. That way, when you load one of your textures that has that problem you can use the first icon (folder with an arrow) to load the saved alpha. Then you just save the texture and the alpha is applied. Hope that makes sense.

Also, you can change the color of the fwd windscreen as well if you have a paint program. just load the main texture, select the color of the main canopy and then apply it to the gold section. I'm doing that on mine.

UPDATE: I should have thought this through before I posted, lol. Actually, that part/texture is the same for all aircraft. Once you make the change for one you can just copy that texture and drop it into each of the other liveries and overwrite. Much less work.
 
Last edited:
Outstanding! Now one other thing I did was to move the "C-Model" (Camo version) to a separate folder, renamed T-37_Dragonfly. I moved a copy of the panel, sound, airfile and cfg file over and the model.2 folder. Then I applied the following changes to the [Light] section of that cfg file to move the nav lights to the outside of the tip tanks. If you notice on the original, because the other model has no tips the settings remained the same and the lights weren't visible on the camo version. This moves them to the outside of the tips. I don't care for the light effect really, I think it's too fuzzy, but for now at least the lights are visible again.

[lights]
//Types: 1=beacon, 2=strobe, 3=navigation, 4=cockpit, 5=landing
light.0 = 3, -11.50, -18.24, 1.0, fx_navredm,
light.1 = 3, -11.50, 18.24, 1.0, fx_navgrem,
light.2 = 3, -28.50, 0.00, 1.0, fx_navwhih,
light.3 = 1, -13.70, -0.151, 2.3, fx_beaconh,
light.4 = 1, -12.60, 0.00, -1.13,fx_beaconh,
light.5 = 2, -11.57, -18.24, 1.0, fx_strobeh,
light.6 = 2, -11.57, 18.24, 1.0, fx_strobeh,
light.7 = 4, -7.90, -1.07, 2.41,fx_vclighth,
light.8 = 5, 0.10, 0.00, -0.05,fx_landing,
light.9 = 6, -0.15, 0.35, -0.01,fx_navwhi,

Thanks to Bill (WND) for the info on moving the light effects and setting up a separate folder for the Camo version.
 
Last edited:
Ed, just out of interest: did you redo the textures? They are A LOT bigger than the originals that I have!

But one thing: it appears to me that P3D handles portovers a lot better than FSX.

Models like this one, or the AMX used to bring FSX to its knees. These give me a constant 50 FPS. (locked to 60 FPS in Nvidia Inspector)

And thanks for the hint on the Dragonfly! I'll give that a try! Are there USAF Vietnam A-37 skins available for this gem that you know of?

Johan
 
Ed, just out of interest: did you redo the textures? They are A LOT bigger than the originals that I have!

But one thing: it appears to me that P3D handles portovers a lot better than FSX.

Models like this one, or the AMX used to bring FSX to its knees. These give me a constant 50 FPS. (locked to 60 FPS in Nvidia Inspector)

And thanks for the hint on the Dragonfly! I'll give that a try! Are there USAF Vietnam A-37 skins available for this gem that you know of?

Johan
No I didn't redo the textures, unless saving them as 32bit increased the size some. I agree about P3D handling these port-overs better. A shame the clickability is lost, but the frame rates are better than I ever expected.

One more change. . .I fixed what I saw as a problem in the VC. The left side panel was floor to canopy sill, but the right side was almost completely black, supposedly from shadows. I fixed the right side to look more like the left, so try these textures to see if you like it:
 
And here she is!

Thanks Randy and Falcon409 for making this beauty work again!

Johan

You are most welcome,:wavey: Johan. While I don't have P3D, I'm enjoying the "Tweety Bird" in FSX. It and my Cessna 140 are what I mostly fly these days. I enjoy the 140 because I have many "real world" hours in N77121. I've shared with you :running:my reasons for loving the T-37.

RD
 
Even more improvements! :jump:

You guys are simply the best! People like the both of you are the main reason why I come over to SOH so much!

Oh and Randy, mind showing us some shots of your beloved 140?? ;)

EDIT: this is NOT an easy plane to fly right! Lots of trimming going on!

Cheers,

Johan
 
Last edited:
Just wondering if those who are flying this jet see this "problem" also. I think there is a texture that either isn't loading or was never mapped. The area aft of the seats and catapult on mine is black, but there's a texture (circled on the texture sheet) that I'm pretty sure is supposed to go there. It doesn't appear anywhere else on the airplane that I can see and it's certainly the right configuration.
 
Back
Top