New DCS Mustang WIP Screenshot

[Phantom88]

For those interested,DCS has made their P-51D Flight Manual available for download
http://files.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/178850/

[strykerpsg]

Pre-order open now for $39.99. Also states beta testing for Pre-order enrollee's.

Link:http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.co...r=shop&lang=en

Looking forward to a review by John, as the native Mustang SME. Getting this one payday. Now if only they'd release the Nellis scenery for A-10C as well....coup de grace!

[Barfly]

Holy C#$% this thing is impressive... once you get past the elaborate DCS view and control setup, flying this is an amazing experience. First thought was... totally Beta - until I spent a little time deconflicting controls and setting up some standard views on the stick. DCS claims to provide the most realistic P-51 flight experience in a PC environment, and it certainly feels that way. Stick and rudder guys will really appreciate this, and well as systems fanatics - I've only gotten into the systems enought to start the thing on the ramp; the rest was free flight. And not all systems functions are coded yet - things like switching from Auto to Manual radiator and oil cooler settings etc. But guns work, look and sound fantastic, K14 works great.

Don't be too flustered if you download this and hop directly into fast action without taking the time to set up your controllers... it will suck, lol. For some reason my saitek rudder pedals were automatically assigned joystick type functions so I had to delete some conflicting items, remove twisty rudder from Logitech Extreme 3D stick etc. But it is worth it if you take the time..

G

[Bone]

So far what has kept me from getting DCS is:

1. I don't care for the Blackshark helicopter.
2. The operating area limitations, and fictitious nature of it.
2. I like the A-10, but not so much that I needed a whole new game and learning curve for just ONE model.

The P-51, a new scenery area, and Barfly's opinion of it are moving DCS up closer to the 'I'm gonna get it' interest level.

[Barfly]

My experience with DCS so far, is I can't really get into A10C or Blackshark like Bone stated - I can't get past the time required to properly set those up, spend significant time to learn the operation, then be stuck trying to act within the virtual environment in realistically timely manner using a huge number of keyboard strokes and a 2d viewpoint you have to push around if you don't have something like track IR. (not a big fan of track IR either) Whew! It just isn't that enjoyable overall, since IMO there is too much going on that you can't address in a fashion that allows reasonable suspension of disbelief. That's why the Mustang is so nice - less complex, yet more involving, more of a pilot's experience, more fun. Just my opinion

Oh, and someone please post some tips on proper takeoff techniques, lol.

[Bomber_12th]

I'm really loving what I'm seeing with all of the recently posted screenshots and videos. They did a tremendous job with accurately producing the cockpit! One of the photos in the manual confirms what I knew about which particular museum example they used for research in the cockpit work. Having seen everything from the armor plate forward, I would love to see what they did with the area behind the armor plate (with the fuel tank, fuel tank liners, radio rack, and radio set). Having seen a complete look-around of the cockpit from the armor plate forward, it looks so incredibly all-familiar - a very good thing. : )

Edit: Speaking of take-off, you should only need 50" to 55" MP. Many guys can get by with using only 44" to 46" MP on take-off, but with very light-loadings (i.e. display type aircraft). The trim should be dialed in at 5-degrees to 6-degrees right rudder. The aileron and elevator trim should be left at 0 (though for a minimum take-off run, you can trim the elevator up to 6-degrees nose-up). Just as in the real aircraft, you should have to keep the stick well in the right side of the cockpit to counter-act the torque/p-factor, which will want to roll the aircraft to the left, especially just as you break-ground.

[Barfly]

Thanks for the tips Bomber; it's getting better

[Phantom88]

The .50 cals are incredible!!! This is alot of fun[not my video]I'm still trying to take-off!!
[YOUTUBE]yastQYz6PMk&feature[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]h_NKawEIZ2I&feature[/YOUTUBE]

[Bomber_12th]

That is really cool!! (I wish FSX/Prepar3D supported working mirrors!)

It sort of reminds me of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTYGDVrZQPI

(Keep your volume down, if you want to prevent a heart attack)

Edit: Linked to the wrong video, now corrected.

[Barfly]

Takeoff advice: hold full aft stick until just short of flying airspeed - not sure if that's realistic, but it dramatically reduced the amount of rudder needed.

[Bomber_12th]

Good point, Barlfy! Usually you want to keep the tail down until you reach about 65+ mph, otherwise the aircraft will be much harder to keep straight. In the old WWII instructionals, they actually advise to take-off in a three-point attitude with the P-51. Some of the 'old guys' still do that today. When the tail is up, the aircraft is also prone to weathervaning, so it is also highly encouraged to land with all three-points at once, as then you'll have better and more immediate control of the aircraft, though if visibility over the nose is important to you, then it just demands more attention on the rudder when the tail is up. They always say it is a sign of a good pilot, when he/she is quick with the rudder pedals.

[Bomber_12th]

Although I guess I could look at the manual they issued, have they reproduced the tail wheel locking mechanism with the control stick? If completely accurate, when you push the stick forward, the tail wheel will be un-controllable from the rudder pedals, but it will be full-castoring, allowing you to turn sharply using brakes and a bit of throttle. With the stick back, the rudder pedals control the tail wheel, but you only get 6-degrees of travel in either direction. Because of that, it is another good reason to keep the stick back and tail wheel on the ground as long as you can.

[Barfly]

Yes they modeled the locked / castoring tailwheel.

[JIMJAM]

Yeah a close second to the time I wasted,I mean spent tweeking Microsoft's sims would be DCS. Probably tied with the IL2 series.
Even at my peak of hardcore simming, configuring the HOTAS,remembering the keystrokes and tweeking the computer to miserably run them took alot out of me. The F-15 laughed at any system I threw at it while the flying the Blackshark, managing the systems,targeting,avoiding the terrain AND not being shot down made quantum physics string theory seem simple.
I feel like Homer Simpson... What was his quote... "Everytime I learn something new it pushes something old out." I think I am at that stage.

[strykerpsg]

Patrick,

Thanks for sharing the videos! they look absolutely fantastic bro. I see they have airborne AI targets, are there ground targets as well? I watched the second video and am suprised you didn't bring back some foliage with the low level passes. Anyway, payday's tomorrow...woohoo! Can't wait to give her a whirl.