Photo Real DCC P-38J Cockpit by Captain Kurt!

[Captain Kurt]

I'm working on a new 2D cockpit for the P-38J model. Morton has a nice one for an P-38F and G, but the P-38J panel was totally different. I still have the engine controls and radios panels to do, BUT,,,,

I'm conflicted whether to include a moving control yoke or not (get it? nudge, nudge, wink, wink) So this is a bit of an opinion poll. What is your preference?

Panel without a yoke.




Panel with a yoke.




Also as a part of all this, I am giving the stock P-38 gauges a face lift. They are possibly the worst looking of the stock M$ gauges and I just couldn't use some of them as is for the P-38J panel. I will release them separately for those who want to use them.

[Rami]

Kurt,

I prefer a yolk. Egg-beaters just don't cut it for me.

[Shadow Wolf 07]

The yoke, man... the yoke!

[Worthless]

Can't you just make the yoke a separate entry in the panel cfg. so anyone that prefers "no yoke" can eliminate it.

[Ravenna]

Can't you just make the yoke a separate entry in the panel cfg. so anyone that prefers "no yoke" can eliminate it.

I agree with Worthless on this one. Your burden may be heavy, but your yoke can be light.

[Cody Coyote]

I vote for the yoke (bacon too if available)

[No Dice]

Always a yoke.............

And as stated the yoke in the panel cfg can always cooked and eaten for lunch.

[braveheart77521]

Yes! The panel looks great, especially with a moveable yoke. I am using a altered P-38 panel with a movable yoke, but yours looks better.

Braveheart

[Rami]

Kurt,

Well, I guess we know where the "bad eggs" are in this thread. Now all we need is Veruca Salt and that weighing machine.

[Captain Kurt]

I've never run into this problem before. Anyone know how to fix the issue?

Before adding windows for controls and radios, I had the CFS2 gun sight reticle centered in the 2D gun sight glass.



As soon as I add the windows for the controls and radios, the CFS2 horizon line and the reticle shifts waaay down and is now buried behind the panel. The horizon line and view parameters are the same for all windows, but it doesn't seem to make any difference when I try to adjust them. The reticle postion just seems to be stuck like this.

[baldy]

Have you saved the original panel.cfg? ( without control and radio windows )

using the original cfg

try raising the reticle using the default view SIZE_Y= XXXX ( lowering the number raises the sight ) so that it appears higher than you want it then add the other windows and check the result to see if it has dropped ( you may have to do this a couple of time to get it how you want it )

don't know if this will work but it's all I can think of off the top of my head

good luck

baldy

[bearcat241]

I use yoke setup in my OH P-38F. Although i have 6 other windows in it, i'm posting an abbreviated copy of the panel.cfg to only show the main panel and the yoke:


[Window Titles]
Window00=Main Panel
Window01=Yoke


[VIEWS]
VIEW_FORWARD_WINDOWS=MAIN_PANEL,51

VIEW_FORWARD_ZOOM=0.500
VIEW_FORWARD_DIR=1.100, 0.000, 0.000



//--------------------------------------------------------
[Window00]
file=vp38_640.BMP
file_1024=vp38_1024.BMP
size_mm=640,480
position=4
visible=1
ident=MAIN_PANEL
sizeable=1
render_3d_window=1
window_size= 1.000, 1.000
window_pos= 0.000, 0.000



//--------------------------------------------------------
[Window01]
file=p38yokev01.bmp
size_mm=1024
window_size_ratio=1.000
position=7
visible=1
ident=51
render_3d_window=0
window_size= 0.880, 0.950
window_pos= 0.060, 0.110

I haven't experienced your problem at all with this cfg. I'm guessing it may possibly be related to the render_3d thing and/or the visible=X line. Could also be related to the window sizing and positioning. Try these lines for the yoke, but note that i've only used this model in XP. Haven't tried it in Win7 or Win10, and we know how weird these platforms can be about 2D panel work.

[Captain Kurt]

It's weird for sure. Thanks for the responses guys. I had already tried all of your suggestions to no avail. I was hoping there was some magic bullet out there but it doesn't appear there is. So I bit the bullet and stayed up until 3:00 am last night repainting the panel to match the new reality. Yeah I know, obsessive, but I was PO'd about it and got the bit in my teeth.

Work moves forward this morning. On the first window, I am adding active prop feathering, the throttle/mixture console, and figuring out on/off switches to use as closely to the real switch panel as possible. Some allowances need to be made here. Many of the real switch functions are not available in CFS2 and will have dummy switches, plus two will bring up the second and third windows.

The second window will have radio and ADF. Also even though not historical, a GPS. You will have a choice to install either the MTO (new,my programming), the PTO, or the ETO version.

And the third window by popular vote, the control yoke.

[Worthless]

Cool! Thanks CK. Can't wait.

[No Dice]

Great Job sir

[msfossey]

Looks great, thank you Captain Kurt.

msfossey

[Ravenna]

Lovely work! Thanks Kurt.

[No Dice]

Rox,

I have a custom moving yoke with hand in my A-20 Boston Panel if you want to check it out.


A20/Boston MKIII for CFS2
By No Dice
*Close to authentic gauge layout
*featuring a rear gun station panel
*7 "on panel" toggled pull down menus
*Custom Moving Yoke
*custom gauge package included
*Download****

http://thefreeflightsite.com/Panel3.htm

[Roxane-21]

Rox,

I have a custom moving yoke with hand in my A-20 Boston Panel if you want to check it out.

Thank you No Dice.

I have been using this panel for a while with TR's Boston/Havoc series... but I got rid of the yoke for the same reason I stated above.

It doesn't matter if there is a hand on it or not, the fact is that a "virtual" yoke/stick moving in front of my own joystick has always been a visual nuisance to me.

I can only agree with Worthless' answer :

Can't you just make the yoke a separate entry in the panel cfg. so anyone that prefers "no yoke" can eliminate it.

[braveheart77521]

Fellows:

Sometimes I like a moveable yoke, but it can obstruct my gauges. Therefore, I assign my yoke the SP button from FDG switches, so I can remove the yoke as needed. Yoke must be separate from the panel. Here is the panel configuration from No Dice's A-20 panel;

[Window05]
Background_color=0,0,0
size_mm=800,600
window_size_ratio=1.000
position=4
visible=1
ident=61
sizeable=1
render_3d_window=1
window_size= 0.640, 0.230
window_pos= 0.000, 0.780


gauge00=A20_yoke, 483,0,288,811

Braveheart

[No Dice]

Rox,

Getting rid of the yoke on the Boston Panel is in the gauges,
the 3 rd from the left black on off toggle of the 7 switches will add or remove it.
on or off. Each of the seven control a different pop up window.

[Fibber]

........no matter how you crack this the opinions will always be scrambled. Some may want the sunnyside with the yoke showing while others taking the over easy side of no yoke. So it is a omelete of choice. So why not have no hardboiled choice and just have the two cfg configs for the user to take two minutes to beat their way.

[Captain Kurt]

Actually, you all will have your scrambled eggs and sunny-side up too. In the same panel, you will be able to fly with or without the yoke, your choice.

It's not as simple as it sounds though. It has taken some work and experimentation to get the panel stable so the horizon and gun sight reticle isn't popping up and down when a sub window is opened, getting the gauge image to show up on command, etc. But in the end, the yoke will have a separate window you can open and close either with a switch on the engine controls panel, or the F9 key.

Getting switches to show up/or work has also been a pain - among other small detail things. I'm currently on the 10th panel bitmaps revision and the 59th panel.cfg revision, (literally) but I think I'm almost there.

The time it is taking, besides fighting the technical glitches, is mostly my own fault. My goal is a near photo real P-38J 2D main panel per the official 1944 'Pilot Training Manual for the P-38 Lighnting', AAF manual 51-127-1. At least as accurate as I can make it with what is out there to work with.

So I am doing things like repainting and or modifying all the instruments to be much closer to the real thing, and little details like changing all of the instrument mounting screw heads to flat heads instead of Phillips heads. The x slot Phillips head did not exist back then, something M$ and most gauge designers have missed.

When I am finished, the panel will have 4 additional open / close sub-windows:

Panel 2 for the throttle quadrant and switch panels: Semi- authentic
From this panel, an accurate engine start procedure can be followed. Each engine can be started individually. In fact, it won't start unless you follow the procedure although you can over-ride the panel with the standard CFS2 press E to start. You can also stop and feather one engine in flight if you need to. This panel has switches to take you to the other three windows

Panel 3 for Navigation - radio, a working ADF and although not authentic, 3 GPS for the ETO, MTO and PTO.

Panel 4 for control surfaces trim and an auto-pilot for those long 7 hour missions. Not authentic

And finally, Panel 5 for the control yoke. Authentic.

[Captain Kurt]

A new entry has been added to Add-Ons Library, category CFS 2 Panels Add-Ons

Description: Photo Real Cockpit for the DCC P-38J-15-LO Lightning with Selectable Control Yoke
by Captain Kurt

This panel was developed from photos of the NASM P-38J before restoration, period P-38 cockpit photos and the USAAF official Pilot Training Manual for the P-38 Lightning, AAF manual 51-127-1. The panel painting and all panel development are mine. The gauges used are repainted and in some cases re-purposed to match the actual gauges as installed in the P-38J.

The panel has four sub windows:

1) Throttle, mixture, prop, flaps and main switch panel. From this panel you can start and control engines separately replicating the real aircraft start procedure. It has a prop feathering / engine shut down feature for single engine flight.

2) Navigation and radio panel. It has a functional ADF radio and gauges and 3 period (non-authentic) GPS's for the ETO, MTO and PTO.

3) Control Yoke. This panel can be turned on or off to fly with or without the yoke.

4) Trim and auto pilot.

The panel includes the VC specifically for the DCC P-38J-15-LO CFS2 conversion.

It includes detailed instructions for how to operate the panel and an immersive P-38J operation instruction for how to start, fly and land the P-38J in the most realistic manner possible in CFS2

To check it out, rate it or add comments, visit Photo Real DCC P-38J Cockpit.zip
The comments you make there will appear in the posts below.

[Rami]

Kurt,

Outstanding, thank you for all of your work on this!