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A2A/Scott

My engineer told me #1 engine lost oil pressure and the cowling was shaking with heavy black smoke. As a precaution I shut down #1 engine and attempted to taxi back to the hanger. To my surprise the B-17 would not taxi correctly with the engine shut down. I had to use max power on the other three engines to get the plane to start moving. The plane of course wanted to turn into the dead engine, so I retarded the #4 throttle and attempted to lightly use the right brake to keep the plane going straight. When I retarded the #4 throttle the plane quit taxing. I tried to see if the plane would taxi with the inboard engines shut down and the outboard engines at max power; the plane would not taxi. I next tried to see if the plane would taxi with the outboard engines shut down and the inboard engines at max power; once again the plane would not taxi. I contacted the Collins Foundation and the Liberty Foundation and this is not a correct taxi characteristic for the B-17. The B-17 should be able to taxi on two symetrical engines. The parking brake was off and the tail wheel unlocked. Please look at the movie footage of a B-17 taxing with just the outboard engines running at the following link:

http://www.encyclopedia.com/video/DLs0B ... ss-16.aspx

Has anyone else notice this problem? If so, do we have a fix coming?

Keep the shiny side up and the dirty side down!

Ret SMSgt Cliff Lord - C-130 Flight Engineer

I would check your brake calibration on your controller. I have no trouble getting the B-17 moving on a frisson of throttle on four, a tickle on three, and only on two or one does the bird need some revs to move.
The only other reasons would be
1: You have an addon airport with a modified taxiway where the developer has individually altered the drag coefficient of the tarmac - unlikely.
or
2: You had retarded the props and forgot to put them back up HIGH again.
or
3: You were grossly overweight.

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Simon Evans

Simon

Thanks for all the suggestions. Your suggestion to check the RPM was the problem. I assigned the copilot to take care of the RPMs, Cowl Flaps, and Intercoolers. In this case the copilot will not set the RPMs properly for two or three engine taxi. I simply changed the copilot assignments to Cowl Flaps and Intercoolers only and managed the RPMs myself. I think I'll fire the Copilot for not doing his job!

Keep the shiny side up and the dirty side down!

Ret SMSgt Cliff Lord - C-130 Flight Engineer

Yea I have noticed similar taxiing issues. With a light load sometimes you need like 80% power to get the thing just to MOVE. Kinda nuts.

Also notice (off topic) that when you shut down and save your flight immediately, and close/re open the sim and re load the flight, everything is cooled off within like 2 minutes and the Radio, Ignition, Inverter, and control locks aren't in the positions I left them

Otherwise I love this thing. Engine det. problems gone for me after Scott gave me a fix.

_________________

"A good landing is one you can walk away from... A great landing is one when you can reuse the plane!"
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Repeat the mantra:

"When on the ground, Fine Pitch ALL ROUND..."

As co-pilot seems fixated no matching rpms to manifold pressure, avoid letting him have control of the props on the ground, prior to starting the take-off.

Problem solved!

_________________
Simon Evans