C-97G Stratofreighter Uploaded

[mjahn]

Good morning all, and many thanks again for the posts here, especially those by fellow developers and repainters. This project would still be a gleam in the eye if it weren't for the massive knowledge base made freely and generously available here and elsewehere. When I started out constructing an aircraft for FS9 I didn't even know how to do a prop blade, until looking up Milton's files showed me how...

Taking up some of the comments made here, perhaps I can say something about the hidden rationale of some features. Yes, the Monitor gauge uses the left, right and middle mouse buttons in a variety of ways, and I particularly hope mid clicks are possible even if the mouse wheel is set up for zooming. One of these functions is to 'arm' the Reverse function. Once REV is armed (highlighted under Monitor > Engines > Throttle) you can activate it even in the air (strongly forbidden and guarded by a lock in the real plane, except for extreme emergencies). To experiment, try it at a safe height and speed, then arm, activate, open throttles, and watch your speed decay at an alarming rate. Then mid-click the Throttle value to go back to 100 percent and recover. Now, for a more realistic emergency scenario, choose a really short runway, do an approach, arm Reverse, and when still a few feet above the runway, activate reverse and open Throttle. You won't need more than a few hundred feet to come to a full stop. Now, the reason why we have a 'water rudder' setting in the aircraft cfg is that this a programmable key which you can assign to a joystick button. While the Strat doesn't have a water rudder you can 'capture' the water rudder keypress and make it do something else -- and for the Strat we have programmed it to activate guess what -- Reverse. Now you can forget about fiddling with the mouse in an emergency landing. Just concentrate on your approach, and hit the 'water rudder' joystick button to engage reverse when you feel the time is right.

Admittedly, the current tendency in the Monitor gauge is that it is overpermissive to an extent that sometimes borders on absurdity. Of course there is some discussion about this in the team. For instance, if you want to fly without pilots, hit the Avionics master switch and they are gone. Or if you want to taxi or even fly with steps and chocks set, okay, be our guest. Or if you want to let down the rear ramps spang through the rear doors, go ahead, it'sa your lookout. The reason the ramps are sometimes blocked and not showing is this. We want to be able to fly the Strat with the rear doors open in order to drop parachutists or equipment -- don't want any ramps obstructing the doors then. That is why if we need the ramps we must make them show up first (by a mid-click, again), and then they will unfold via tailhook etc. (in flight, too, if you insist on it).

Of course, at some later date we are going to implement some sort of error sensitivity and punishment, perhaps as an optional level of expertise. (Ranging from 'entry' level to 'masochist'?)

Now I'll have to run and check whether my hints above on clicks and keys are really accurate...you'd be surprised to see how often I have to check my own tool tips...

[glh]

[QUOTE]... Now, the reason why we have a 'water rudder' setting in the aircraft cfg is that this a programmable key which you can assign to a joystick button. While the Strat doesn't have a water rudder you can 'capture' the water rudder keypress and make it do something else -- and for the Strat we have programmed it to activate guess what -- Reverse. Now you can forget about fiddling with the mouse in an emergency landing. Just concentrate on your approach, and hit the 'water rudder' joystick button to engage reverse when you feel the time is right. ...
========================
Ingenious. Thanks for the reply.

[Duckie]

Just uploaded my 1st C-97 Stratofreighter. Should be available soon. Thanks to Bill Davidson (WND) for the information regarding an aircraft his brother flew and the inspiration for this repaint. Salute to Bill, and his brother Donald for his service.

[Aharon]

Duckie, AWESOME LIVERY!!!!

[gray eagle]

Hint...Hint.....

[gray eagle]

Emblem of MATS

[Duckie]

GE, you mean like this?

[gray eagle]

GE, you mean like this?

Ohhhhh Yeah!!!!......Yowza Yowza Yowza

[TiAr]

Thank you Manfred for info update and your repaint-kit. It is very usable. I didn´t noticed any issues with my very old photopaint. Wonderful!

In the meantime, the Stratofreighter C-97G Balair HB-ILW repaint is finished. I will upload it the next days.








Thomas

[dmq]

[Alan_A]

Thanks to all the repainters, but @TiAr, huge personal thanks for the Red Cross paint. I've been hoping somebody would take that on since long before Manfred started on the (K)C-97 project, back when there were a couple of improvised freighters being done for the A2A B377. I love doing relief flights, and I'm much happier to have this paint available for an authentic, functional C-97. Most appreciated! Looking forward to downloading and flying.

[Hanimichal]

by me only one, for civil flights

[gray eagle]

Nice!

[TiAr]

Thanks to all the repainters, but @TiAr, huge personal thanks for the Red Cross paint. I've been hoping somebody would take that on since long before Manfred started on the (K)C-97 project, back when there were a couple of improvised freighters being done for the A2A B377. I love doing relief flights, and I'm much happier to have this paint available for an authentic, functional C-97. Most appreciated! Looking forward to downloading and flying.

For all relief flying pilots, the Balair HB-ILW repaint is uploaded in SOH lib, see FSX Civilian prop skins.

[fsxar177]

Some of you guys might appreciate this;



- Joseph

[DaveB]

Nice find Joseph

I didn't hear any sound on that clip. Did the crew get out?
ATB
DaveB

[WhiskeyEcho]

Sound fine here Dave.

[Aharon]

Did KC-97 or C-97 ever operate in USAF bases in Puerto Rico and if so, did they wear Puerto Rico liveries? USAF jet fighters used to be based in TJSJ along with USAF cargo planes and USAF tankers.

Regards,

Aharon

[txnetcop]

Nice find Joseph

I didn't hear any sound on that clip. Did the crew get out?
ATB
DaveB

According to this newspaper the crew was rescued:

[DaveB]

Cheers Ted Difficult to tell from that if they were all rescued but there's no mention of fatalities. Good work from the rescue teams by the looks of it

ATB
DaveB

[manfredc3]

Very nice video.

[DaveB]

By some coincidence.. we had a guy (Mike) who registered at CBFS today who was involved with diving on that wreck. I've pointed him here and he's registered but can't post at the moment. Here's his first post at CBFS..

Hi-
I stumbled across this website looking for information on color schemes for KC-97 Stratofreighters (Stratotankers?). We recently dived an unknown wreck off Cape Canaveral, Florida, that turned out to be a Boeing KC-97F-17-BO Stratofreighter. Due to the rarity of crashes of this aircraft type in this area, we were able to quickly identify the airframe as USAF Serial Number 51-363 (Manufacturer's Serial Number 16430) that was lost during a ditching due to engine issues on March 30, 1960. Unfortunately three crew died in the event.
In any case, I am trying to learn more about this aircraft, and in particular what she may have looked like before her demise. You can see Dayglo paint on the nose, which I read was introduced by the USAF on its tankers in the late 1950s to increase visibility.
It seems quite a few members here are experienced at producing brilliant renderings of aircraft. I am not sure if this is appropriate, but would anyone be interested in trying to do a period-correct rendering (perhaps with the actual serial and squadron number) of this particular KC-97? I would love to be able to see what this exact aircraft might have looked like in her prime, and perhaps gain permission to use that image for presentations I may give on this wreck.
Right now, we are researching the aircraft and looking to reach out to potential surviving crew members and their families to learn more about this incident, as well as inquiring about archival information, crash reports, etc.
For those that might be curious, here is a link to footage of the wrecked aircraft:

<!-- m -->https://youtu.be/5uOXPgiIkbA<!-- m -->

She rests in 111 meters of water and is quite a challenging dive.
Thanks in advance for any information anyone can share on this aircraft and its color schemes, etc.
Cheers,
Mike

Painters standby
ATB
DaveB

[DaveB]

Cheers Ted Difficult to tell from that if they were all rescued but there's no mention of fatalities. Good work from the rescue teams by the looks of it

ATB
DaveB

Seems there were 2 fatalities but that in itself is remarkable.. http://aviation-safety.net/database/...?id=19600330-0

ATB
DaveB

[DaveQ]

51-0363 probably operated with the 376th Air Refuelling Squadron which was on rotation to Stephenville-Ernest Harmon AFB in Newfoundland from Barksdale TX at the time. The nose clearly shows Arctic Red paint which is consistent with use out of S-EH. Aside from the standard red wing-tips and rear fuselage band, any other decoration would have to be speculative though. As an added 'geeky' thing, the F's didn't carry under-wing tanks so a paint would be on the basis of nearly right...!

Going away at the weekend and still working on the HH Tempest VI, but will do one soonest since it only involves changing numbers.

DaveQ

[Roger]

By some coincidence.. we had a guy (Mike) who registered at CBFS today who was involved with diving on that wreck. I've pointed him here and he's registered but can't post at the moment. Here's his first post at CBFS..



Painters standby
ATB
DaveB

What's his handle Dave? I'll sort out his posting issue if I have a name.