C-97 BETA now available for download!

[falcon409]

As someone who rarely flies Military Aircraft anymore, I was hesitant to try the C-97 assuming it would have a complex startup procedure and be heavy on system monitoring that would, for me, take the fun and enjoyment out of flying the Big Bird. I appreciate that there are those who hold to flying by the numbers, monitoring all systems, using proper start procedures and even testing the aircraft for correct in-flight responses/flight dynamics. Supplying feedback to Mjahn will no doubt make the C-97 and any future variants that much better. However I'm also thankful that this Classic Aircraft can be started with one button, taxi's easily and lift's off into the wild blue almost without assistance. I enjoy the presets on the monitor and the ease with which those can be changed to the needed settings as well the ability to see at a glance what the general engine readings are. The C-97 is easy to fly, easy to turn, easy on the eyes and easy to enjoy. Ted's sounds are awesome and add an extra level of authenticity to an already magnificent flying machine. Thanks to Mjahn and the Team for a great, great airplane and I look forward to any future updates, upgrades or new variants in the future.

[DaveB]

Well said Ed

If it never had another update.. I'd still be more than happy. It does everything exactly as you describe and is very pleasing on the eye. I've taken it up to the cruise a few times and just looked at it from outside.. mile after mile. Other versions planned can only enhance what is already a very fine package

A slight diversion.. and thinking along the lines of non-TacPackers like myself. John Young's AI Victors deploy baskets when at a pre-determined altitude. Would something along these lines be possible at some point in the future for the C-97 tanker.. a cut-back AI version that would deploy it's boom in the cruise? Just thinking aloud.. please don't banish me

ATB
DaveB

[thunder100]

As someone who rarely flies Military Aircraft anymore, I was hesitant to try the C-97 assuming it would have a complex startup procedure and be heavy on system monitoring that would, for me, take the fun and enjoyment out of flying the Big Bird. I appreciate that there are those who hold to flying by the numbers, monitoring all systems, using proper start procedures and even testing the aircraft for correct in-flight responses/flight dynamics. Supplying feedback to Mjahn will no doubt make the C-97 and any future variants that much better. However I'm also thankful that this Classic Aircraft can be started with one button, taxi's easily and lift's off into the wild blue almost without assistance. I enjoy the presets on the monitor and the ease with which those can be changed to the needed settings as well the ability to see at a glance what the general engine readings are. The C-97 is easy to fly, easy to turn, easy on the eyes and easy to enjoy. Ted's sounds are awesome and add an extra level of authenticity to an already magnificent flying machine. Thanks to Mjahn and the Team for a great, great airplane and I look forward to any future updates, upgrades or new variants in the future.

Ed you are not allone with that

From time to time I ask myself wether that high real realism is so realistic after all

On a C-97 you had at least a Captain a Co-Pilot and a flight engineer to operate it and upon start and landing all of them were busy

So thi and also because I am lacy tester( didnt find that altimeter thing-explains how often I look on it) of the team there are some easiness help.

Enjoy it while we iron out the bugs and then go to the next challenge the hybrid prop jet FDE KC-97L

Roland

[mjahn]

MJ and Team
First standard WIN7 64 bit system with FSX Acceleration. ORBX and REX.

The altimeter code corrected the operation of the barometric altimeter, not the RADALT. The pop up panel works as expected and no significant issues for bug testing etc.

Some questions re the simulated systems and the obvious for this generation of aircraft:

No ADF

Will engine controls provide for magneto checks and propeller checks and full operation?

No issues with speed hold or general autopilot operation. Seems smooth and does what is expected.

I did some sim flights to check out the aircraft performance in some critical areas, noted the following:

Aircraft stalls at the placarded speeds BUT visible and hence or simulated behaviour requires correction. Stall buffet is evident via visuals, so correct there. Pre stall and approaching the stall angle (about 14 degrees) aircraft then appears to stall correctly with increasing rate of descent and no increase in forward airspeed NOW the aircraft model does not un-stall as expected or cleanly when power and pitch attitude is changed to provide angle of attack below critical angle and power applied to increase speed, in all aircraft that response is virtually instantaneous but it appears with this model that the stall buffet recommences when un-stalling and the speed change with the angle of attack or pitch change applied and power produces little forward acceleration and a lot of height loss before control and hence a positive rate of climb in an un-stalled condition is achieved. Not sure why this is so as the model behaves correctly when power is brought back to idle in level flight, that is nose drops and yaws to left and pitches up and rolls to right when power is applied in climb, both are correct control responses and nicely done.

I also thought the control column steering wheel movement left and right to be limited and would expect full deflection of the wheel left and right to be normal not the current about 30 degrees. The panel layout and positioning is excellent, it is a weird setup the instrumentation of the C-97 and it does not even follow the basic T set up and the control column in line with the left of the panel, this will take some getting used to.

Will look at assymetric flight later. Hope this helps.

You bet it helps. Many thanks!
ADF will be added, radio-altimeter and engine smoke is in the works, and Wayne will surely adress the flight dynamics points you mention. I might add that the Strat had a pronounced nose-down attitude on landing, often to the point of the nose wheels touching ground first. It would be nice if we could replicate that, too.

We'll have a first patch soon, I'll post it here as soon as it's available.

[TuFun]

Here the engine smoke is subtle in cruise as it should be and advancing the throttle will give a short burst of rich smoke. Advancing the throttle to 45'+ will develop a slightly darker smoke.

[Duckie]

Beautiful job, TF! I like it.

[DaveB]

Me too.. very nice indeed

ATB
DaveB

[Duckie]

...will try a fresh download and install later on...I'll post the results on the new install as soon as its done.

Cheers!
Steve

OK, fresh download and fresh install and the result is much better, albeit inconsistent. I can now start individual engines, both through the Monitor Panel and the Shift 9 "Gray Box". However, about every third or forth boot into sim the start up will not work. Quite by accident I discovered that on the no start occasions if I use the short cut start then the short cut shut down I can then restart individual engines as described above. This particular technique did not work on the previous install as I did try it. Go figure!

The AP now works consistently as advertised with the ability to make adjustments to all settings while it is activated.

In any event, this is a fun to fly model, handsome to look at, and one of only two 4 engine prop jobs I have and will keep in my sim. Eagerly awaiting updates and new models! Thanks to every one involved with the development of this very enjoyable model.

Steve

[Roger]

For a quick and dirty vc light I used Manfred's C47 vc light. Add these lines to the Lights section of the aircraft.cfg:

light.6=4, 35.0, -1.65, 5.2, fx_c47_vclight
light.7=4, 35.0, 1.65, 5.2, fx_c47_vclight
light.8=4, 35.0, 0.00, 5.2, fx_c47_vclight

Controlled by Shift/ L

[Aharon]

In Israel being converted to KC-97 from cargo C-97.

Israel had 10 KC-97s in service from 1960s to 1980s seeing combat action in 2 wars for Israel. Unless I am mistaken, Israel's ten Israeli air force KC-97s were the only 10 out of all 881 KC-97s built that saw combat action.

Hoping that anybody would paint this livery for KC-97.

[Maj Kong]

Do you mean C-97? I ask because the photo is a C-97, Not a KC. I am quite familir with the KC-97 having logged about 1400 hour 1958-1963 (yes. I am really that old) in three refueling squadrons.

[Aharon]

Do you mean C-97? I ask because the photo is a C-97, Not a KC. I am quite familir with the KC-97 having logged about 1400 hour 1958-1963 (yes. I am really that old) in three refueling squadrons.

Yes but like I said Israel bought ten C-97s and converted some of them to KC-97s. Here is my sentence in my previous post with photo "In Israel being converted to KC-97 from cargo C-97." In other words, in Israel awaiting conversion from C-97 to KC-97.





Smiliing

Regards,

Aharon

[papab]

For a quick and dirty vc light I used Manfred's C47 vc light. Add these lines to the Lights section of the aircraft.cfg:

light.6=4, 35.0, -1.65, 5.2, fx_c47_vclight
light.7=4, 35.0, 1.65, 5.2, fx_c47_vclight
light.8=4, 35.0, 0.00, 5.2, fx_c47_vclight

Controlled by Shift/ L

Roger,
Thank you very much!
I could not figure why your VC lights did not work
Duh, did not have the C-47 installed since I reloaded FSX a while back...
They work great!!!

Thanks again
Rick

[Dumonceau]

You could of course also do this:



Johan

[papab]

You could of course also do this:



Johan

Can you explain?
Thanks
Rick

[DaveB]

I had to look a couple of times but I think he means.. zoom out to get more light into the flightdeck

ATB
DaveB

[papab]

Thanks
Try Rogers fix
Works great
Rick

[falcon409]

I had to look a couple of times but I think he means.. zoom out to get more light into the flightdeck
ATB
DaveB

I thought he was saying. . .don't bother with night flying, just fly during the day, lol.

[Butcherbird17]

Looks like he merged the A2A 377 VC to the KC-97, could be wrong.

Joe

[falcon409]

Looks like he merged the A2A 377 VC to the KC-97, could be wrong.
Joe

Right you are Joe. I don't have that airplane and never really gave the image much of a look see but it's certainly not the same VC that's in Mjahn's C-97.

[DaveB]

Ah.. my bad. I don't have the A2A model and at that zoom.. a bloke would be forgiven for not recognising his mother!

ATB
DaveB

[falcon409]

Ah.. my bad. I don't have the A2A model and at that zoom.. a bloke would be forgiven for not recognising his mother!
ATB
DaveB

lol, very true!

[usafvet]

a red tail perhaps?

Jan, do you know what unit this paint is based on? Just wondering....

[TuFun]

Jan, do you know what unit this paint is based on? Just wondering....

Here you go...

http://users.vermontel.net/~tomh/AIRCRAFT/UNITS/4050ARW/4050_AREFWG_5758.html

[BendyFlyer]

Unable to bring up GPS. Note that there is no entry in panel.cfg for GPS (as yet).

Unable to confirm operation of nav mode on autopilot without GPS and mini panel selection of GPS does not bring up GPS (not yet listed?) but all other functions such as kneeboard, ATC and Map.

Comment: Think the minipanel arrangement is actually very good solution to simulation control and activity and the compromises of full fidelity (lots of 3D gauge modelling etc) and is probably and for me as once becomes used to it, a very good arrangement and simulation solution, as the controls on the minipanels do what other crew members would do, not the Pilot Flying so the switches and clickable controls become not redundant but superflous. Most of the work in managing this aeroplane in flight from start to shutdown was done by the FE and I am not sure anyone wants to created a Flight Engineer station sim for an aircraft with as complex and critical engines and multiple advanced electrical systems, as Ernest Gann once described them, 'a mechanical monstrosity' requiring 3 people to fly them.