WWII Fighters - Initial impressions

[damunn]

Hi Scott,

I have been flight testing all the aircraft, and have found a couple of small niggles:

The Mustang seems to have a rudder problem. The authority on the ground is 'spongy'. I use CH stick(s) and pro pedals and there is definitely something awry here. When taxying you need to 's' turn to see where you are going, but the rudder response seems to 'lag' big time so you can't see where you wan't to go. Take off compounds the problem with violent yawing. In the air and with more speed it doesn't seem as bad.

To confirm my suspicions I loaded up the WoP P-51D and tested for the same effect. It worked fine. As do all the other aircraft in WWII Fighters.

Also on the Mustang. The flap retraction sound effect seems to run on longer than the surface takes to move on flaps 20 thru 50.

And lastly the Bf109E seems to have Merlin engine sounds!

On the whole a thumbs up, even though I already own the P-51 and P-47 packages. The Zero is brilliant and it is not even my favourite aircraft!

As I live in the U.K. I have installed the v1.1 patch, but I don't know what it's for!

regards,

Damunn.

[John Pimlott]

Same here with the rudder problem. I can turn but not very easily straighten up again. I tend to just go round in circles.
Best wishes.
John.

[Point-man]

Use your differential brakes to turn on the ground. I haven't gotten mine yet since I live in the U.S. Also on take off try using the tail wheel lock and don't just throw the throttle from 0 to 100% if you haven't tried that already I mean.

[SD_Research]

The new P-51D flight model is more accurate in terms of ground handling and rudder response; you will need to use differential braking as you would with the real aircraft, or use a blast of throttle, to get the thing to turn on the ground.

[John Pimlott]

Thanks for the tip guys. I was using the differential brakes and with practice it's coming together (slowly). It's a lot of fun, like the wonky bicycles you used to get at fairs. Am I showing my age?
Best wishes.
John.

[ICDP]

I just got mine today and the Bf109 and Spitfire are simply stunning, absolutely stunning. The P51D and P47D-20 have been given a much needed make over, very impressive. The cockpits in the new aircraft are superb, the detail and attention to detail is second to none IMHO. The sounds are also amazing, great work all round.

My only issue is that the A6M5 external model is quite wrong in some places but it is still an unmistakably a Zero.

Well worth the money, thanks shockwave. Yet again you deliver the goods

[ICDP]

Hi,

Can some one tell me where the battery switch is in the Spitfire virtual cockpit? I can't find it and it isn't shown in the documentation but it is mentioned in the startup procedure.

Thanks

Oh, did I say outstanding work on the new aircraft. I am enjonying flying them

[richardaero]

Had mine for a couple of days and I am very impressed.
Excellent value for money and I am looking forward to getting home for another sortie in my favourite of the package, the 109E. A decent 109E has been missing from FS2004 and this a gap well filled.
P-47 and 51 nice updates looking and performing great.

Only gripes are 51 could still do with a tad more dihedral, looks a bit stilty on the groud still. Zero wings a bit chunky (bit like the 47 before the update!) and Spitfire model externally. Internally all models are fantastic, better than anything else out there. But the Spit is just not quite right.
Mainly wing shape, in plan view they haven't got the true eliptical shape, also if you have ever stood at the tip of the wing looking at the fuselage on a Spit, there is quite a curve from the root to the tip of the wing. The dihedral lessens on the top surface of the wing, and it is very flat on the bottom surface. Looking at the wing from the cockpit in the real aeroplane also gives a nice view of the eliptical wing, the FS model doesn't.
Fin leading edge also a bit overdone.

I know what your thinking, there' no pleasing some people!!
Just thought I'd mention it for a possible future update.

Anyway I'd still recomend this to any FS user it's marvellous.

Richard

[Bradburger]

Glad you are all enjoying it!

Looks like excellent value for money to us UK folks, as I believe it's up at Amazon UK for £16.99.

Gonna hopefully order mine soon.

As regards the Spitfire, it always struck me that there where lots of things that were not quite right with the shape when I saw the shots from BoB and it seems that they are still the same (i was hoping they might be corrected) for the WWII fighters pack. I'll take a closer look when I get the package!

As you say, it might sound like you can't please everyone, but I think your points are valid (remember all the fuss over the JF pack), as I believe it's such a shame when an aircraft is so close in one area, but off in others.

It would be nice if these could be fixed in a future update.

Cheers

Paul

[John Pimlott]

Hi,

Can some one tell me where the battery switch is in the Spitfire virtual cockpit? I can't find it and it isn't shown in the documentation but it is mentioned in the startup procedure.

Thanks

Oh, did I say outstanding work on the new aircraft. I am enjonying flying them

I have taken the battery switch to mean the generator switch. I see no sign of a battery switch in the real Spitfire Pilot's manual or the Shockwave map. If you create a cold start condition by starting the flight in the default Cessna and shutting down the aircraft, then switching to the Spitfire 1a, then it doesn't seem have any power at all.
Start a flight in the Spitfire with the engine running and following the shut down procedure as per the Pilot's manual.

Set the airscrew control fully back.
Pull the slow-running cut-out back until the engine stops. (mixture)
Turn off the fuel cocks and switch off the ignition system.

Save the flight or just go through the engine start-up routine as necessary.

This is what I have found to work best for me. I'd happily listen to any corrections if I'm wrong somewhere in the above.

I totally agree that this is outstanding work.
Best wishes.
John.

[ICDP]

Thanks John.

I checked the Spitfire MkIX and MkVIII manuals and there is indeed no mention of a battery. I can work around it by assigning battery on/off to a key or button.

[Bradburger]

Thanks John.

I checked the Spitfire MkIX and MkVIII manuals and there is indeed no mention of a battery. I can work around it by assigning battery on/off to a key or button.

I think what you are looking for is the MASTER switch.

Usually placed next to the mags.

I don't have the WoP Spit yet, but this is were it should be.

[EDIT]

Just dug out my set of early MKII Pilots Notes and there is no mention of a MASTER switch as on the later MK's. From the cockpit diagram, the mags are also placed further across the panel than later MK's as they are in the WoP MKI.

I notice during the pre start notes, it says to "Switch on the light indicator and check by the green lights that the undercarriage is locked in the down position".

Cheers

Paul

[edema]

Hiya my first time here.

First off it's an excellent package. I'll have to agree with damun on that yawing issue. I had to adjust my rudder trim to 2.0 and still experienced that sudden yaw to left or right depending on where you pushed the rudder. I used the slightest touch and it worked that way too.

I have to say it's educational too. I had no idea that Bf109s had no rudder or aeilron trims till I flew the one in your package. Lovely magnifi plane.

I have one drawback on the Zero. The tail wheel seems extremely weak for carrier landings. I have tried coming in in abacus carrier ops enterprise even just above stall speed but it always bangs up the tail wheel. I've adjusted the settings on arr cables and have tried many different approaches with the same effect.

All my other navy birds work fine. Other than that the zero is perfect. An excellent addition to my hangar.

Cheers and good show. Looking forward to more of your excellent products

[Scott - A2A]

edema,

Open the aircraft.cfg file in the \Flight Simulator 9\Aircraft\WWII_FIGHTERS_A6M5 Zero folder and change:

point.0 = 1.000, -20.500, 0.000, -0.700, 1500.000, 0.000, 0.320, 45.000, 0.200, 2.000, 0.800, 7.500, 5.000, 0.000, 0.000, 120.000
point.1 = 1.000, 1.200, -5.877, -5.700, 2200.000, 1.000, 1.050, 0.000, 0.400, 2.500, 0.300, 2.500, 4.000, 2.000, 0.000, 120.000
point.2 = 1.000, 1.200, 5.877, -5.700, 2200.000, 2.000, 1.050, 0.000, 0.400, 2.500, 0.300, 2.500, 8.000, 3.000, 0.000, 120.000

To this:
point.0 = 1.000, -20.500, 0.000, -0.700, 3000.000, 0.000, 0.320, 45.000, 0.200, 2.000, 0.800, 7.500, 5.000, 0.000, 0.000, 120.000
point.1 = 1.000, 1.200, -5.877, -5.700, 6000.000, 1.000, 1.050, 0.000, 0.400, 2.500, 0.300, 2.500, 4.000, 2.000, 0.000, 120.000
point.2 = 1.000, 1.200, 5.877, -5.700, 6000.000, 2.000, 1.050, 0.000, 0.400, 2.500, 0.300, 2.500, 8.000, 3.000, 0.000, 120.000

[edema]

I've developed another way of coming in with the zero(I have faith in your products realistic feel)

Bring her in and try to get an exact if not close 3 pointer in between 70 and 80 knots just before touch down and hook up. Push forward on the stick to reduce impact on the tail wheel. MAGNIFICO!!! I just wish I had an up to standard WW2 jap carrier out there some where to land her on with arr cable settings. Thanks for the quick reply scott.

As for the mustangs violent yaw I just use acombination of the diff brakes and rudder while she's on the ground till she picks up speed and I can rudder steer her. She's an absolute sexy , seductive babe. Could it be she's yawing due to the realism in design? I would choose realism over ease Scott.

Hope your next product is WW2 Dive Bombers with a Stuka, Val, Helldiver and Dauntless (and maybe addin a Brit Bird, I dunno if they have any dive bombers)

Cheerio and straighten up and fly right!!! )