LET L-40 Meta Sokol: Maybe a little known Czechoslovakian aircraf

[Jozef Košík]

Description
Single-engine low-wing cantilever monoplane of a metal construction. A fuselage built of a frame in front part,
semi-monocoque in rear part, duralumin covered. Trapezoid three-part wing, duralumin covered, fitted with split
flaps. Conventional tail, steering surfaces were covered with canvas. A tail fin was high, trapezoid. The plane
had four seats in two rows, with twin controls in front. All were placed under a slim partly glazed canopy,
sliding rearwards. At the rear, there was some luggage space. Inline engine in front, with two-blade tractor
propeller V-410 of a variable pitch. Retractable inverted tricycle gear. The main gear's wheels are only half
hiden in wings, making emergency landings safer. Fuel tanks were in wings, there could be also fitted small
teardrop tanks to wingtips.

P.S.: I am one of the authors FSX and FS9 to (and I'm sitting on the right seat.
On the left sits author Jozef Vrabec model. Although not very successful portrait of my) ::icon_lol::salute:53841538425384353844

[Killbilly]

Interesting landing gear configuration. It looks nice. Is it available somewhere? Does the FSX version use an FSX-native model?

[Daube]

This model is part of my hangar since months already :)
It's quite nice, actually, I fly it from time to time for my low and slow flights.
I believe the model I have is not FSX-native... but I'm not sure anymore.

[Jozef Košík]

Interesting landing gear configuration. It looks nice. Is it available somewhere? Does the FSX version use an FSX-native model?

There is here, I have to load

[thefrog]

I found this at Flightsim.com - is this it?

Search for

l40_fsx.zip

Regards

Frog

[Jozef Košík]

I found this at Flightsim.com - is this it?

Search for

l40_fsx.zip

Regards

Frog

I do not know which version is Flightsim.com, wait for the version that I Uploaded by today here at SOH, this is the FSX and there is also OK-NOR, which has additional tanks on the wings.

[Killbilly]

I do not know which version is Flightsim.com, wait for the version that I Uploaded by today here at SOH, this is the FSX and there is also OK-NOR, which has additional tanks on the wings.

Thanks! Very generous of you to share. :salute:

[Jozef Košík]

Thanks! Very generous of you to share. :salute:

It's here: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/index.php

[Daube]

Downloading as I write. Thanks for uploading it.
Indeed the package on flightsim.com is an older one, that doesn't contain this variant with the tanks on the wings.
I'll post some screenshots of this new version.

[Daube]

I have just made a test flight with the variant that has the fuel tanks on the wings :) The plane is really nice, even though i's in FS9 format and there are a few minor issues in FSX, as you will see in the screenshots below:

The virtual cockpit is quite nice. The textures are not so high resolution, but they look quite good and the gauges are readable. However, it seems that the lowest part of the panel is not textures, it's all black on my computer, so I cannot guess what the switches do until I put the mouse on them to see the label. Also, I could find the generator switch, but not the battery switch :/ Fortunately, the plane starts with CTRL+E, so it's ok.
http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image1630.jpg


The external model is really cool. The pilot and passenger are animated, and they move the heads depending on how you much you bankroll. The gear is very interesting and well animated too.
http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image1631.jpg

http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image1632.jpg

http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image1633.jpg

The virtual cockpit windows are too opaque, the visibility in flight is not so good. I don't know if this comes from the textures or the material.
http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image1634.jpg

Despite these issues, the plane is quite interesting. I'm pretty sure the FS9 pilots will love it, for example.
http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image1635.jpg

[Jozef Košík]

I have just made a test flight with the variant that has the fuel tanks on the wings :) The plane is really nice, even though i's in FS9 format and there are a few minor issues in FSX, as you will see in the screenshots below:

The virtual cockpit is quite nice. The textures are not so high resolution, but they look quite good and the gauges are readable. However, it seems that the lowest part of the panel is not textures, it's all black on my computer, so I cannot guess what the switches do until I put the mouse on them to see the label. Also, I could find the generator switch, but not the battery switch :/ Fortunately, the plane starts with CTRL+E, so it's ok.
http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image1630.jpg


The external model is really cool. The pilot and passenger are animated, and they move the heads depending on how you much you bankroll. The gear is very interesting and well animated too.
http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image1631.jpg

http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image1632.jpg

http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image1633.jpg

The virtual cockpit windows are too opaque, the visibility in flight is not so good. I don't know if this comes from the textures or the material.
http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image1634.jpg

Despite these issues, the plane is quite interesting. I'm pretty sure the FS9 pilots will love it, for example.
http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image1635.jpg

Do you have FSX SP1 or SP2?

[Daube]

I have FSX Acceleration, which is more or less the same as FSX SP2. That implies that the meaning of the Alpha Channel is inverted compared to FSX SP1 and FS9. A black Alpha Channel means a totally transparent texture, and a white Alpha Channel means a totally opaque texture. I guess your plane's texture are set for FS9, right ?

[Jozef Košík]

I have FSX Acceleration, which is more or less the same as FSX SP2. That implies that the meaning of the Alpha Channel is inverted compared to FSX SP1 and FS9. A black Alpha Channel means a totally transparent texture, and a white Alpha Channel means a totally opaque texture. I guess your plane's texture are set for FS9, right ?

FS 9 and FSX SP1. FSX SP2 if not yet. Now I have other urgent work, but until I get to it, do something about it and I'll update here.

[Daube]

Ah don't worry about this Jozef, I'm pretty sure somebody here will do a fix for the aircraft anyway.
Also, when the textures are not too complex, I can do it myself too (sometimes). I'll take a look at the plane textures when I have some time. Do you confirm the transparency of the windows is linked to a texture ? If yes, fixing it will be very easy, even for me :)

[Jozef Košík]

Ah don't worry about this Jozef, I'm pretty sure somebody here will do a fix for the aircraft anyway.
Also, when the textures are not too complex, I can do it myself too (sometimes). I'll take a look at the plane textures when I have some time. Do you confirm the transparency of the windows is linked to a texture ? If yes, fixing it will be very easy, even for me :)

O.K., I love you. Then it can be published here or send me also.
Thank you.

[Daube]

I have made some experiment with the textures of the aircraft.
There are two problems:

1- the canopy: it could be fixed easilly, I just had to make the Alpha Channel darker of course. The problem is that it's the same texture for the VC and the external model, so if you make the VC glass transparent enough, then the glass in the external view is almost invisible, which is not so nice. But I could find a good balance anyway.

2- the labels for the switches in the lower part of the panel: the texture is ok. The problem is that there is some transparency issue in FSX SP2 that is linked to the model: a transparent part is "masking" the labels. But if I move the view point close enough, then I can see them. This issue I cannot solve.

So I guess this aircraft should be labelled FS9 + FSX + FSX SP1 :)