Which P-40 to get?

[Rudyjo]

I have all of the A2A warbirds except for the P-40.
Now the Flight Replicas P-40 has been released.
If any of you have both versions, what are the pros and cons of each?
Thanks for your opinions.

[TheGrunt]

I don't yet have the FR P-40, mainly because I had to reinstall my sim, but those two are just complementing each other. A2A P-40 is early P-40B/C variants, which are very different from FR P-40E/N all the way. They don't overlap each other in any way. A2A P-40 offers very high quality systems modeling with accusim pack and it is one of my favorite aircraft to fly: rugged, powerful and yet simple early war machine.

All in all, get both. If you can afford just one of the models, choose what you like most: early or later models.

[JensOle]

For me it comes down to which P-40 model I would like. The A2A model is of the early P-40 and the FR models are for the "3rd" gen P-40. FRs attention to individual aircraft details and overall package covering a great deal of different N models makes my choice easy...

[Bomber_12th]

Just think, without both of them, you can't replicate this photo below: :redface:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/428772_10151441358728790_1541740753_n_zps070c0e9b. jpg~original (http://s7.photobucket.com/user/Bomber_12th/media/428772_10151441358728790_1541740753_n_zps070c0e9b. jpg.html)

[Bomber_12th]

To compare the real P-40B/C to the P-40N (let alone two different sim models), it's verging on comparing two entirely different aircraft designs altogether. Very, very little is shared between them - the wings, fuselage, entire engine area/cowls, wheels/tires, armament, cockpit, canopy & windscreen are all different. In my eyes, it's no where near having "one or the other", its having both exisisting together, just as with the real aircraft, each having their differences in looks and performance (and individual histories). Quality-wise, as I see it, no matter which one, you can't find better.

[roger-wilco-66]

I'd say get both of them, A2A and FR. The aircraft are different and unique, as well as the designers approach to model the aircraft systems (e.g. A2A Accusim). They are both a great joy to fly and to learn to operate them properly is a blast.

BTW, the FR version works well with the A2A Accufeel extension, which gives you some of the ambient (sound) Accusim functionality in the FR model.

Cheers,
Mark

[Barnes]

I'd say get both of them, A2A and FR. The aircraft are different and unique, as well as the designers approach to model the aircraft systems (e.g. A2A Accusim). They are both a great joy to fly and to learn to operate them properly is a blast. BTW, the FR version works well with the A2A Accufeel extension, which gives you some of the ambient (sound) Accusim functionality in the FR model. Cheers,MarkYes - may as well get both if your a P-40 fan

[huub vink]

This is a question you can't really answer for somebody else, as it it mainly personal preferences.

Personally I prefer Mike Flahault's (Flight Replicas) VCs and I'm not a huge fan of Accusim. As said these are just my personal preferences, but there are many here for whom Accusim is the most important thing when a model is released.

Cheers,
Huub

[WarHorse47]

I have a related question. I'm guessing this has been discussed before, but what is Accusim and is it needed for the A2A P-40?

Since getting my new computer last February, I've spent over $1,000 in addon aircraft and scenery for FSX (retirement budgeted, of course). I've become a little leery of making purchases that have an expansion pack - in other words you can buy the basic package, but if you want these textures or new models or new features, you have to buy this or that additional software.

I had been wanting to add a P-40 to my collection and did get the FR version which I like a lot. Everything I want is under one purchase. Cost wise the A2A P-40 with Accusim is quite a bit more than what I paid for the FR version. And what is confusing (for me) is that every A2A product has its own addon Accusim addition - or am I wrong??

Thanks

[Daube]

I have a related question. I'm guessing this has been discussed before, but what is Accusim and is it needed for the A2A P-40?

Since getting my new computer last February, I've spent over $1,000 in addon aircraft and scenery for FSX (retirement budgeted, of course). I've become a little leery of making purchases that have an expansion pack - in other words you can buy the basic package, but if you want these textures or new models or new features, you have to buy this or that additional software.

I had been wanting to add a P-40 to my collection and did get the FR version which I like a lot. Everything I want is under one purchase. Cost wise the A2A P-40 with Accusim is quite a bit more than what I paid for the FR version. And what is confusing (for me) is that every A2A product has its own addon Accusim addition - or am I wrong??

Thanks

No, you are right.
Each A2A aircraft has its own Accusim extension.
The only exception to this rule is the Mustang, because the military Mustang and the civilian Mustang share the same Accusim extension, if I'm not mistaken.

Without Accusim, an A2A aircraft is already a great aircraft. However, it's a 'normal' plane, it has no special features at all, just like any other regular FS plane made by other companies.

Accusim brings in some very interesting features, most of which don't exist at all anywhere else. Along with custom sounds for every single switch or system, the Accusim package also provides an accurate simulation of the engine of the plane. This simulation includes the wear and the damage caused by incorrect handling, as well as the independent modeling of several "organs" of the engine like the fuel lines. A good summary would be that Accusim makes your engine work like an actual engine. Other systems like hydrolic organs, gears flaps, brakes etc.... are also accurately modelled, alongside with related animations.

Another interesting aspect of Accusim is that the state of your plane is automatically saved from a flight to another, which means your airplane will actually accumulate (thus accu-sim) the flight hours, as well as wear and damage. Even if you leave the sim and reboot the computer, your plane will be in the same state as it was when you left it. If you break something, it will still be broken when you return. If something got worn out, like the cylinders for example, then they will still be worn out when you return (making your engine a hell more difficult to start, for example.... and it will burn quite a lot of oil, too...).

The failures are not pure ON/OFF, things get worn out progressively. And it's not random, it purely depends on how brutal you are with the plane. You'll have to take care of it.

Finally, if one day you want to just jump in the cockpit and enjoy your time doing crazy handling without caring, you can simply deactivate Accusim with just one click in one of the 2D popup panels (in which you'll find an autostart of the engine too, in case you don't want to go through the checklist).

[WarHorse47]

Thanks for the explanation, Daube.

In looking at the A2A products offered on Flightsim Pilot Shop, there are Accu-sim Explansions for individual aircraft and Accu-Feel for FSX. The later costing less than the individual expansions, so in the long run it would be more cost effective AND be applicable to all FSX aircraft?? Did I read that right??

Thanks again.

[Daube]

Indeed, AccuFeel is a module which automatically applies some effects to any aircraft in your hangar, including freeware birds of course.
However, AccuFeel offers only "environment" related effects. For example, the sound of the wind on your fuselage (varying with the angle of attack), the sound of the water on the floats, the shaking of the cockpit when you're about to stall, the behavior of the aircraft on ground, the behavior of your plane on the water, etc.... everything for visual and sonic immersion.

AccuFeel will not provide any functionnality which is related to your engine (or other mecanical organs of the plane) operation. No wear, no damage, no accumulation of flight hour, no impact on the aircraft performance. These are only in Accusim. AccuFeel was made to offer a small "Accusim feeling" for other aircrafts. It's a nice addon which I strongly recommend to anybody.

Of course, the aircrafts which have an Accusim extension will not benefit from AccuFeel, since all the AccuFeel features are already included in the Accusim extension.

[Mach3DS]

I would agree that it's a great add-on. However, be sure to actually fly the aircraft of choice with it disabled first as to understand how it *should* be performing. I've encountered a few *bugs* with addon payware, that was simply resolved by turning off Accu-feel as a whole or in part for a few aircraft. I find that for much simpler FDE's such as GA aircraft and many Warbirds, Accu-feel runs flawlessly. But I do run across the occasional aircraft where in some parts of the envelope, it has generated some odd behavior that ceased when I disabled it and ran the flight under the same conditions. I couldn't tell you why, but this was simply my experience.

I tend to fly with accufeel enabled on most aircraft, as I really love the overall enhancement it brings. This is just food for thought as you navigate the FSX add-on world.

[Cleartheprop]

This is a question you can't really answer for somebody else, as it it mainly personal preferences.

Personally I prefer Mike Flahault's (Flight Replicas) VCs and I'm not a huge fan of Accusim. As said these are just my personal preferences, but there are many here for whom Accusim is the most important thing when a model is released.

Cheers,
Huub
I subscribe to this point of view. + I think the Flight Replicas aircraft sounds are really terrific and external textures just perfect. Only a very personal opinion.

[stiz]

hhmm depends, if your a systems nut and dont really care which p40 version you get, i'd go for the a2a p40 with accusim, however if you love p40s or just want an early and late version, get both.

At the end of the day you cant go wrong with either or em :)

[jankees]

Both of course, what a strange question