airattackimages
September 8th, 2010, 06:21
I don't know if anyone does requests, but I figured I'd ask. :) There's a real nice Buffalo DC-4/C-54 air tanker model (visual model in particular) but it flies like a brick. Here's a link to the model, unfortunately I couldn't find it here so please excuse me for using a link to another simulation site:
http://www.flightsim.com/file.php?cm=INDEXCALL&sPos=0 It's the 5th one down the page. dc4_v21.zip (http://www.flightsim.com/kdl.php?fid=121481)
Obviously, it's a heavy old piece of vintage iron and I don't expect it to perform out of character, but this pig can barely get off the ground. The flight dynamics (specifically takeoff performance) are definitely unrealistic. I don't have the exact performance numbers myself, but I know that fully loaded DC-4 air tankers used to take off from Hemet-Ryan Airport all day long.
So I use that as a benchmark to show how far off the performance of this model is. Not only can I not get off the ground at Hemet-Ryan without overrunning the end of the strip by 50 meters, but the thing claws for every foot of altitude you can get until you finally get up to 130 KIAS. To show how far off this is from the real aircraft, the runway in FSX depicts the current runway at Hemet-Ryan, which has actually been lengthened since the DC-4s used to fly there.
The rest of the flight model's aspects seem fine. It's the takeoff and initial climbout where the performance is totally unrealistic. So I'm not sure where one would start, but since it flies fine once airborne and up to speed --I wonder if just giving the engines a smidge more power would do the trick. I have no clue if it's a lack of speed or a lack of lift... but when I take off, I'm holding the brakes and allowing the engines to reach full song before I start my takeoff roll. Even with that, I'm only at 93 KIAS by the end of the runway. Flaps are extended fully and I still can't get off the ground until 98 KIAS which occurs well after I'm in the dirt.
The next problem occurs once finally leaving the ground. Any attempt at gaining altitude results in the airspeed bleeding off. You're stuck trying to maintain 20 feet of altitude with an aircraft that refuses to accelerate in anything but level flight. Obviously cleaning up the aircraft needs to happen because you need to get some airspeed, but you can't because anything less than full flaps puts you right back on the ground. It is POSSIBLE to get into the air after much wrangling, but it's an unrealistic struggle for altitude that leaves you traversing the countryside under 100 feet for two or more miles.
Anyone want to take a crack at it? I will salute you! :salute: :D
http://www.flightsim.com/file.php?cm=INDEXCALL&sPos=0 It's the 5th one down the page. dc4_v21.zip (http://www.flightsim.com/kdl.php?fid=121481)
Obviously, it's a heavy old piece of vintage iron and I don't expect it to perform out of character, but this pig can barely get off the ground. The flight dynamics (specifically takeoff performance) are definitely unrealistic. I don't have the exact performance numbers myself, but I know that fully loaded DC-4 air tankers used to take off from Hemet-Ryan Airport all day long.
So I use that as a benchmark to show how far off the performance of this model is. Not only can I not get off the ground at Hemet-Ryan without overrunning the end of the strip by 50 meters, but the thing claws for every foot of altitude you can get until you finally get up to 130 KIAS. To show how far off this is from the real aircraft, the runway in FSX depicts the current runway at Hemet-Ryan, which has actually been lengthened since the DC-4s used to fly there.
The rest of the flight model's aspects seem fine. It's the takeoff and initial climbout where the performance is totally unrealistic. So I'm not sure where one would start, but since it flies fine once airborne and up to speed --I wonder if just giving the engines a smidge more power would do the trick. I have no clue if it's a lack of speed or a lack of lift... but when I take off, I'm holding the brakes and allowing the engines to reach full song before I start my takeoff roll. Even with that, I'm only at 93 KIAS by the end of the runway. Flaps are extended fully and I still can't get off the ground until 98 KIAS which occurs well after I'm in the dirt.
The next problem occurs once finally leaving the ground. Any attempt at gaining altitude results in the airspeed bleeding off. You're stuck trying to maintain 20 feet of altitude with an aircraft that refuses to accelerate in anything but level flight. Obviously cleaning up the aircraft needs to happen because you need to get some airspeed, but you can't because anything less than full flaps puts you right back on the ground. It is POSSIBLE to get into the air after much wrangling, but it's an unrealistic struggle for altitude that leaves you traversing the countryside under 100 feet for two or more miles.
Anyone want to take a crack at it? I will salute you! :salute: :D