Consensus on Full Reno package?

[Victory103]

It has been enjoyable racing online although I have only had 4 at most in a session with me. Ran time trail in L-39, but race CTD. Trying to get through all the planes with quick test flights and small x-countries.

[Snurdley]

I bought the full deal mostly for the high-mod unlimiteds. They haven't disappointed. Those are two aircraft I thought I would never see in the sim. Same goes for the P-51A. However, the T-6 is surprising me and is becoming a favorite. They really did a nice job with it. Now with more rw liveries coming out, I feel like I'm getting value added. If you are mostly into GA stuff like Lanaircs, I would say just buy the Pitts.

[ryanbatc]

Thanks gents!

[Bomber_12th]

I posted this on the MSFS forum, but probably in the wrong spot. These are the key items I've found to have issue with, with the P-51 models. Many of these issues are quite small, but that I would still love to see fixed in a future update or two. Overall, I've been quite impressed with the product. The Mustangs with the least amount of visual and animation issues are 'Goldfinger', 'Voodoo', and 'Strega' (though the latter two have way over-boosted performance flight models, without any greater manifold pressure).

P-51A ‘Mrs. Virginia’:

• The wing airfoil, at present, is incorrectly portrayed as a standard airfoil rather than the correct laminar flow airfoil it should be. The wing airfoil and thickness should be identical to the P-51D (which is very accurate on those models). The only significant three-dimensional difference between the A and D wing is the leading edge (not considering the difference in landing gear doors and wheel well shape).
• The upper and lower portions of the inboard wing sections are distorted when viewed from the front and back, with a ‘kink’ where they start out at one angle from the fuselage, and then stops and starts a new angle out toward the wing tip. With the wings, when viewed front and back, it should be a straight line across the top and bottom of the wing, from the fuselage to the wing tip joint.
• Right now there is a prop issue with the P-51A, where the still prop, slow spinning prop, and fast spinning prop models/graphics all show at shared times, rather than individually at the right times (reported to be updated soon).
• The landing gear clam shell door animation is currently faulty (reported to be updated soon).
• There is a little model artifact that shows up just outside the left side of the cockpit in external view, when viewed from certain zoom/distance (an LOD-related issue I believe).
• The rudder trim placard is wrong. It should be no different than the aileron trim placard and just like the P-51D rudder trim placard. ‘0’ should be dead center, with 5 and 10 degree positions both left and right.
• The max manifold pressure setting for a stock Allison engine, running today’s fuel, is 52"-MP - that’s the takeoff setting red line. Unfortunately, right now it maxes out at only 38-inches manifold pressure. However, the performance has been over boosted to compensate, so the performance of the aircraft doesn’t match the manifold pressure settings - thus, for normal climb and cruise performance, you also must use lower manifold pressure settings than what it is in reality.
• The engine manifold pressure to RPM ratio is well off the mark right now too. The RPM gets up to 3,000 too early, when only powering up to 27-28-inches of manifold pressure. In reality, with the prop lever full forward/high RPM, the following Manifold Pressure to RPM should be seen (noted from real Allison V-1710 operation):
  2000 RPM reached at about 22-in MP
  2300 RPM reached at about 26-in MP
  2500 RPM reached at about 30-in MP
  3000 RPM reached by about 40-in MP

All P-51D Models:

• The main landing gear legs on all of the P-51D models are currently bowed outward when viewed head-on. They should however, when viewed head-on, be straight up and down, forming a 90-degree angle with the ground (not with the wing dihedral, as is at present).
• The tail wheel strut/arm is reversed 180-degrees from how it should be.
• The pitot tube is not modeled accurately/correctly.

‘Base/Stock’ P-51D

• The emergency hydraulic release t-handle animation is reversed/opposite to the function.
• The “button” tip of the flap handle is missing.
• It would be nice to have the stock/original antenna mast on the rear fuselage spine.

‘Goldfinger’

• The emergency hydraulic release t-handle animation is reversed/opposite to the function.

‘Voodoo’

• The emergency hydraulic release t-handle animation is reversed/opposite to the function.

‘Wee Willy II’

• The emergency hydraulic release t-handle animation is reversed/opposite to the function.
• The fuel tank selector visually chooses between the right and left drop tank selections rather than the correct left and right internal main/wing tank fuel selections.
• The landing light doesn’t extend.
• Diameter of the main wheels is too large.

‘Bunny’

• The emergency hydraulic release t-handle is not select-able.
• The fuel tank selector visually chooses between the right and left drop tank selections rather than the correct left and right internal main/wing tank fuel selections.
• The textures are not displaying correctly for several of the gauges.
• The landing light doesn’t extend.
• There is a leftover/partial section of a modern VHF antenna, behind the left main wheel well, that shouldn’t be present.

‘Lady B’

• The fuel tank selector visually chooses between the right and left drop tank selections rather than the correct left and right internal main/wing tank fuel selections.
• The landing light position and animation is faulty - it’s not displaying correctly, and sticks through the left landing gear doors when gear is up.

‘Man O’ War'

• The fuel tank selector visually chooses between the right and left drop tank selections rather than the correct left and right internal main/wing tank fuel selections.
• The parking brake handle does not animate.
• There are two doubled-up VHF antennas displaying at the same time, behind the main landing gear wheel wells.
• The landing light doesn’t extend.
• Diameter of the main wheels is too large.

‘Miss America’

• The fuel tank selector visually chooses between the right and left drop tank selections rather than the correct left and right internal main/wing tank fuel selections.
• The “button” tip of the flap handle is missing.
• The angle of the landing light is wrong (facing toward the nose, where as it should be facing out to the left).

‘Dolly’

• The fuel tank selector visually chooses between the right and left drop tank selections rather than the correct left and right internal main/wing tank fuel selections.
• The “Landing” decal/stencil on the emergency hydraulic release t-handle is not connected to the animated handle.
• The wheels only display as spinning, even when sitting still.
• The landing light doesn’t extend.

‘Strega’

• The angle of the landing light is wrong (facing toward the nose, where as it should be facing out to the left).

P-51D Flight Models

• The greatest issue I have with the flight models is that none of these Mustangs should be performing all that much differently between each other when using the exact same power settings (Manifold Pressure and RPM). Unfortunately, the flight models for some of these aircraft, like ‘Strega’ and ‘Voodoo’, have been significantly boosted performance-wise without any actual tie-in to manifold pressure/power settings. On those aircraft, the only way they can reach the 450-500+ mph speeds is when running highly modified Merlin engines, pushing up to 120-inches manifold pressure, running the extremely high octane fuel available at Reno. By contrast, 55-inches of manifold pressure is the most that can be achieved with a stock Merlin, running the standard 100-octane low-lead as found at most airports. The flight dynamics for these MSFS models doesn’t replicate that, so that when flying examples like ‘Strega’ and ‘Voodoo’, you’re reaching incredible performance/airspeed all while using unrealistically-low manifold pressure to do so. The reality is that all of these P-51D’s, modified or not, should all be performing very closely to one another in performance, when using the same manifold pressure settings. (This same issue also applies to the AT-6 flight dynamics, of stock vs. racers - the extra performance needs to come from higher manifold pressure, not imaginary boosted acceleration, as is depicted right now).

[ryanbatc]

Thanks for the in-depth writeup John!

[StormILM]

I second that, John your work and expertise/keen eye has always been welcome and of great benefit to many of us, Thank You!

[Fnerg]

Just to add the to John's list of 'anomalies' although not sure if this is in the Reno package as well but, I purchased the individual planes I wanted, the AT-6 'Gunslinger', and 'Bunny'. Taxiing Bunny last night I heard a hanger door alarm. Went to exterior view, nothing. Back to cockpit view, yep, a hanger door alarm and then I swear I heard a voice. It happens as you progress the throttle a few notches from idle. I guess when the sounds were recorded, it was an active space, with ambient sounds all bleeding onto the recording. Also the right rudder pedal isn't animated.

[Twice43]

• (This same issue also applies to the AT-6 flight dynamics, of stock vs. racers - the extra performance needs to come from higher manifold pressure, not imaginary boosted acceleration, as is depicted right now).

[/QUOTE]

Asobo really should employ you as a Beta Tester.
& AH!

T43

[SteveDra]

Does anyone know how long it will be on sale?

[ak416]

I don't think it's actually on sale, just the pricing is represented poorly. The normal price is $59.99, I don't think they ever intend to charge the few hundred dollars or whatever the price is that's crossed out. I think it's just meant to convey "If you buy all this stuff individually, it's stupid expensive, buy this bundle instead and save hundreds of dollars!". I could be wrong.

[K5083]

I think you are right, the $60 is just a bundle deal, not a limited time offer. Revenues would drop to zero pretty fast if they charged much more than $60 for this product.

You guys see Into the Blue's T-6 trip on YouTube today? It's interesting, he treats the T-6 like a fully functional sim aircraft with the systems checklists and everything, and for the most part, it rewards that treatment.

August

[Javis]

You guys see Into the Blue's T-6 trip on YouTube today? It's interesting, he treats the T-6 like a fully functional sim aircraft with the systems checklists and everything..

He does that with every MSFS aircraft that he reviews. In my MSFS book he is THE best aircraft reviewer you wouldn't want to miss. Hard to find an MSFS add-on aircraft, freeware or payware, that he didn't review. It's only the T-6 review for now but i'm sure he'll do all other aircraft from the Reno package as well.

Here's his T-6 review : https://youtu.be/QaD-OV5FnZo

And here the complete collection : https://www.youtube.com/c/IntotheBlueSimulations

You wouldn't want to miss these !

[K5083]

Yes, I haven't missed them, he is quite good. Sometimes a little too kind to mediocre products IMO, but at least he shows you how everything works so you can decide for yourself.

August

[jankees]

I still find the P-51D's very disappointing (i.e. hard to paint), but the P-51A is not too bad..
I just uploaded Lynn:
jk10961 by JanKees Blom, on Flickr