B-26 Marauder

[Ivan]

Has anyone built a good B-26 Marauder for CFS1?

- Ivan.

[smilo]

I thought you would never ask.
yes, but it is nowhere near good enough.
I'll try to find a link...
but it would be a heck of a good project for you to honor your friend who flew the thing.
he said, not so subtly :icon_lol:

there are two of them on this page;
http://www.simviation.com/cfs1aircraft8.htm

[Ivan]

Hi Smilo,

I believe I have both of these B-26's. If this is the best that is out there for CFS, then there is plenty of room for a better one.

I actually began the equivalent of building jigs for some parts for a B-26 this morning. The B-25 needs finished before the B-26 really gets started, but I figured this was a good opportunity to test an idea in AF99.

By the way, no need to be subtle. If you are looking for something in particular, just email me. You already know about the monster lead times to get a complete project through my shop though.

- Ivan.

[smilo]

Great News!!
Time to put on my patience shoes.
I have often wondered why there wasn't a decent B 26.
I am sure that it would be a welcome addition to all of us.
although I still mostly fly the Fw190, I am taking an interest in the Medium Bombers.
love those low level bomb runs at full throttle.

[Ivan]

Hey Smilo,

Still no metal cut, but the jigs are almost done. This has taken the better part of three evenings.

- Ivan.

[Ivan]

Hey Smilo,

I'm working on this one too, but the issue here is mostly the AIR file. I am having trouble getting the roll rate high enough and still have the AI be able to fly this thing.

- Ivan.

[Dave Cumming]

Ivan
I copied this a while ago about AI control:

"Yes, I know about that method of differing AIR files for AI to fly. Problem was that I was not quite sure what it was about AIR file that was causing the crashes. Why is a plane reasonably easy for a Human to fly and causes computer AI such problems. Easy way to test this idea is to set up a Helicopter as AI opponent. The controls are so radically different for a Helicopter that AI does not know what to do with it. It's standard responses do not work.

I have since figured out what the problem was though. It is NOT the nasty stall characteristics. Turns out it is the high control force of the Ailerons. Once I turn that down a bit, the AI flies the plane as well as any other. It still crashes once in a while but usually because it put itself into a silly position such as a dive at high speed and low altitude. Control factor for Human should be 1850 and down at 1250 for AI to work OK. AI still tries to fly it as a TnB aircraft though. It's the only style AI knows.

I turned down the control force at about 180 knots and reduced some of the nasty stall on this version. Plane is still an interesting opponent. Not hard to evade but hard to chase since it changes directions so fast"

Maybe this means something to you.

D

[Ivan]

Hey Dave,

I believe the second and third blocks in your message are quotes of something I wrote a couple years back. It describes the problem but does not solve it. What I am trying to do is to have a single AIR file that both AI and human can fly well. The numbers correspond to my earlier AIR file versions but it is possible someone else has an AIR file with the same parameters.

I am not sure if the first block about AI helicopters was written by me or not.

I guess this really DOES mean something to me!
;-)
- Ivan.

[hubbabubba]

I am trying to do is to have a single AIR file that both AI and human can fly well.Well, Ivan, I sincerely think it is a mistake -and a "dead en"- to try to do so.

When stock AI a/c are made "flyable" without changing their AIR files, they're a pain in the a:censored:s to fly!

In QC, I can't use the FW 190A while manning a ship because, quite simply, they keep ramming me! AI a/c simply do not fly like humans do and, as Dave says, fighters will keep T&B, even when the situation demands to act otherwise.

I think that we should write "Ai" rather than "AI"; very artificial flying with very little intelligence.

I also believe that some entries in the AIR file act differently in the AI a/c. Proof of that would be in the fact that AI used as "bomber" in QC can be caught by the same a/c piloted by you. If they would be on the same footing, distance should stay the same, no?:kilroy:

This means that bomber AI does not go full throttle, and I suspect that AI -bomber or fighter styles- plays with other AIR files entries as well.

So, what is the point of making equal two things that are not to begin with?

[Ivan]

Hello Hubbabubba,

I don't necessarily disagree with you (surprise!), but my goal is different. I already created what I believe is a reasonable simulation of a FW 190A for human pilots to fly. The problem is that the AI simply can't fly it at all. I am trying to alter some settings to get the same roll rate in a manner that the AI pilots can handle. It isn't very high on my priority list though.

BTW, you mentioned the Jeep in another thread. This afternoon, I finally figured out what was making it not move.

Because the jeep is fairly low to the ground, I figured I would change the propeller diameter to something small. I figured 3-5 feet would work, but in combination with the reduced power of the engine (I get 60 hp but 40 is more reasonable), there apparently isnt enough thrust. I still need to tune the engine to a VERY large extent. It's response and power curve isn't reasonable yet.

- Ivan.

[winslow33]

In QC, I can't use the FW 190A while manning a ship because, quite simply, they keep ramming me!
I just had a random, wild, and somewhat unrelated idea--- If the Fw190 keeps ramming us, what if we put it's AIR file into the stock V1 and enabled it for QC? We would have a somewhat crude guided missle like the ones dropped from Fw 200 Condor's at allied ships late in the war!:costumes::costumes::isadizzy::isadizzy: I think I'm going to try that tonight just for fun...

[Johnny]

~S~ Hubbabubba,

Do you still have the Vehicle with reverse/ Helicopter air file?

J.

[Ivan]

Hello All,

After minor adjustments to the jigs for the B-26 Cowl, I put one together. Here are the results. Developers take note: This is ONE component with 62 individual parts. The result is not quite as clean as I would have hoped for, but IMHO isn't bad for the resources used.

- Ivan.

[hubbabubba]

To Ivan; my first concern with the jump between FS98 to CFS1 AIR files was for the prop entries. The AAC ships I made with a FS98 style AIR files because start-ups and shutdowns were of little importance.

Not the same with a jeep, of course! I thought I could work on other things around the jeep while waiting for your attempts but I found out that about everything else depends, to some extend, on the AIR file. Can't make a panel if I don't know what gauges I will have to use for start-ups. Can't make a DP if I don't know how many engines are associated to it. Can't do the sounds as I have no idea of the kind of RPM I will get.

Anyway, personal matters are keeping me away of the PC right now, and they're is no rush.

Your B-26 cowling attempt is very promising. Do you intend to paint it while keeping the concavities? The two "humps" are probably representing the supercharger's fairings? It goes without saying that SCASM techniques would do wonders with that kind of component.

To Johnny;I don't recall using a chopper AIR file for a ground vehicle. If you're thinking of that idea of a reversed speed, it never worked!

To winslow33; Just try it, we never know. But be reminded that FW 190A don't always ram the ships. Some do fly for a while and do fancy maneuvering. This would make the V1 look like a "rogue missile".

[Johnny]

~S~ Hubbabubba,

I was working in an air file for Khloee and happened upon a combination that allowed me to back up, but I had no need for it, because tanks turn in one spot. I probably have it saved to a disk, one of about fifty, in a file marked Tank Factory. It was three computers ago.

Ce le vie,

j

You may want to correct the spelling for me. French never was my strong suit, in fact I do not not know if a have a suit?

[Ivan]

Hi Hubbabubba,

My current status with the Jeep AIR file (was working on it last night) is that it moves. It hits a top speed of about 45 knots but that can be adjusted. I am attempting to use stats as close to a real Jeep as I can get. It is prop driven (sounds like a sopcamel). RPM should be max about 4500. Starter is conventional piston engine. Brakes are too strong. I only put in one engine. No idea why I would use more than one.

Prop is 10 feet in diameter sitting about 5 feet above the CoG and offset about 25 inches Left so far to counteract engine torque. Prop effect on Rudder has been totally eliminated. It was the source of even greater pulling to the left, but no more.

The track of the vehicle is +- 60 inches or so. It needs to be extra wide in order for the vehicle to resist rolling over because of the high thrust line and the high CoG.

The propeller efficiency curves are totally wrong. Until I fix that, I can't tune the engine. The prop is from a Mustang and expects 1300 hp or so. It is getting about 50 hp right now but can't exceed 2500 rpm because of the resistance of the prop.

Acceleration is poor, very poor. The yaw stability is also very poor. It seems to want to keep turning whichever way it is currently turning. I believe I improved it somewhat by putting th rear wheel back from -60 inches to -220 inches, but there is no weight on the rear wheel.

I also need to adjust the spring rates and damping to let it dive on braking and bounce a bit. My standard spring rates make this way too steady.

Regarding the B-26 cowl, I think this is quite promising also. The beautiful thing is that this single component is not very expensive resource wise, so it leaves enough resources for building the rest of the bomber in a better fashion. I believe this cowl can be textured as a single component as a Top / Bottom arrangement. It can't be textured Left / Right because on the later B-26s, only the inboard half of the cowl was painted anti-glare olive drab. If it is textured Left / Right, the inboard side of both carburetor intakes would get the same colour. The problem with that idea is that I can't put emblems on the sides of the cowl. I'm still working on ideas. This was just the first attempt to prove the concept.

If I had figured this out when building my P-40E, I could have saved probably two components to be used elsewhere. That area is a patchwork to avoid bleeds due to the concavities. I was also planning to build a P-40B/C, so perhaps I will try it there.

- Ivan.

[Ivan]

Hey Johnny,

Tanks need to back up also!!!

- Ivan.

[Johnny]

~S~ Ivan,

Why back up when you can turn on a dime. Most accidents happen when you are backing up.LOL

j:costumes:

[Ivan]

Why back up?

1. You find that you are engaged at short range by something that bounces shells off your front armour but can easily pierce your side and rear.

2. A bridge partially collapses as you are crossing.

3. You put the nose of the tank into a trench / river bank / ditch.

4. You are in a street or alley that isn't wide enough to pivot in place.

5. You are on terrain that will churn into a swamp if you pivot in place.

I'm sure you can think of more reasons.

- Ivan.

[smilo]

yeah but,
what about the Marauder? :jump:

[Ivan]

Hi Smilo,

Yes, I will eventually build a Marauder. As you already know, I always have too many projects going at the same time. I just finished doing some more tweaking on the B-25C AIR file. Earlier today, I was researching the fuel tank arrangement on the Marauder. Then again, there is this little AIR file thing for Hubbabubba's Jeep....

Funny thing about the B-26 being an immediate follow-on to the B-25C: These two aircraft were radically different designs. The B-26 is sleek, The B-25 is not. Both have similar bomb loads, maximum speeds, and ceilings with the advantage in all three going slightly to the B-25. The B-26 had a much higher installed power but also had all kinds of ways to catch the unwary.

WinZip also just stopped working on my development PC.

- Ivan.

[Ivan]

I just tried a reinstall of WinZip. The install failed twice, but WinZip is working again. Still have no idea why.

- Ivan.

[Ivan]

I just spent most of my free time yesterday and today trying to tune the engine power on the FW 190A-8. If I get the low altitude power correct, the ceiling is too high. Neither one is correct right now, so I guess the result will be a compromise.

The screenshot is actually of the older model. The cowl opening is too large and the rear antenna attachment should not be on the rudder.

- Ivan.

[smilo]

I am having a problem believing what I just read.
I did not think that "compromise" was part of your vocabulary,
especially when it comes to CFS Aircraft.
I am shocked and amazed by this untimely turn of events...


.......:jawdrop:

[Ivan]

Hi Smilo,

Everything I have ever built for CFS has been a compromise. The question is just how close I can get within the limits of the system. In this case, it isn't very close. Then again, just about everything about this plane needs some attention, so perhaps when I finish the first pass, things will look better.

:banghead:
- Ivan.

[smilo]

you're a good sport KW.
thanks for letting me push your leg.
but I need to remind you to stay on task.
this is the Marauder Thread. :icon_lol:
how does this sound for a compromise?
one component a week.

okay, I'll compromise.
one component every 2 weeks.
with Christmas and New Years Off.

[Ivan]

Hey Smilo,

I take it that this Marauder really IS a good idea? I do plan on building one, but I was just using the cowl as a reasonably complicated component to test an assembly technique.

The FW 190A made it to the front of the list because I believe the visual improvements are done and I found it disappointing that I did not have working version of my favourite fighter. The Fokker Eindecker is also moving around because I finally found a photograph of a E.III "Panel".

As for subject matter, the Marauder will be a B-26B painted up to look like a B-26G from the 320th BG. Tactical number 06. Serial number 334252 or
43-34252. The nose art is a reasonably educated guess. The problem that I ran into was that the commander of the aircraft did not quite remember the actual markings, and unless there is someone out there who remembers, I have no better information.

In any case, it still sits behind the B-25C in the queue.

- Ivan.

[Johnny]

Hi Ivan,

I found this, I do not know if it will help. Anything I can do to make smilo happy.

http://320thbg.org/photoaircraft.html

j.

[Ivan]

http://320thbg.org/phnoseart_002.html

This link is a picture of my friend and neighbour.
I built a 1/72 scale Monogram Snap-Tite model of the B-26 for him. This was not the aircraft he normally flew though. This was tac number 9 or 09. I thought it was 09, but pictures on the site show it as simply 9. A painting showed it as 09 though.

- Ivan.

[smilo]

I hope you don't mind my saying,
that is the best reason for putting the Marauder at the top of your list.

[Ivan]

Hello Johnny,

Success! I had been to this site before, but it seems that more and more information is gathered over time. Before Col. Boblitt died, he and I discussed what the nose art on his aircraft B-26G S/n 43-34252, Battle Number 06, might have been. There were no photographs linking the nose markings with the tail markings that were conclusive. The original photos we were working with were much better quality than the scans on the 320 BG site and from a couple of them, we came to the conclusion that the nose lettering looked like two blocks of cursive with the "Finis Pendet Origine" emblem in front of it. The white banner MAYBE was there. I was guessing it was "Sandra Lee" and Col. Bobblit did not disagree.

A couple years ago, I exchanged a series of emails with the folks running the site. No one seemed to have the information I was looking for. It seems like more information has been accumulated since then because in a list of aircraft serial numbers with Battle Numbers, the name "Sandra Lee" was listed with BN 06 and S/n 334252.

http://320thbg.org/phcrews_001.html

Note that my Bubbletop P-47D-27 has carried that particular serial number for the last couple years.

Thanks Johnny.
:ernae:
- Ivan.