Flying and Skip Bombing the Blenheim on Cockpit Instruments

[Feathered_IV]

I'd been following the ATAG video and opening the rads once I hit 200-230 degrees and 40+ for oil temps. Props are in fine pitch and the engines start to kill themselves as soon as I throttle up more than half way. Just laboriously re-downloaded and installed the game anew, so pretty positive the issue is with me. I'm about to surpass Hartmans tally of allied aircraft though, so I'm hoping to get it figured out before Fatty asks me to spend the weekend at his hunting lodge...

[jimbop]

Originally Posted by Skoshi Tiger

Just one question, I've been playing with my Kane Dead Reconing Computer (a very dangerous thing for a dyslexic person to do!) and was wondering how you came about geting your TAS? What temperature did you use?

I like the look of that toy! To be honest I am only just coming to grips with IAS vs TAS vs GS and simply use the conversion table at the back of the manual. This is adjusted for the temperatures used at in-game altitudes I think.

However, I find that if I actually use GS instead of IAS I end up hitting short of the target. If I just use IAS as on the instrument panel I get my best results. This does not hold true for the HE 111 so I may just be doing it wrong in the Blenheim rather than a game bug. But anyway, I can still hit the target!

A bigger difference seems to be the altitude. Make sure you adjust before takeoff since the pressure seems to vary according to the time of day in-game and you can be a few hundred feet out on startup.

[jimbop]

Originally Posted by Feathered_IV

I'd been following the ATAG video and opening the rads once I hit 200-230 degrees and 40+ for oil temps. Props are in fine pitch and the engines start to kill themselves as soon as I throttle up more than half way. Just laboriously re-downloaded and installed the game anew, so pretty positive the issue is with me. I'm about to surpass Hartmans tally of allied aircraft though, so I'm hoping to get it figured out before Fatty asks me to spend the weekend at his hunting lodge...

Try opening them a bit earlier, maybe at 175 degrees, but start gradually throttling up at 150. As you can see in the vid up you start rolling as soon as the temps allow then you can be in the air much sooner than if you do a full stationary warm-up. Not correctly modelled...

[Skoshi Tiger]

Originally Posted by jimbop

I like the look of that toy!

Ha! Standard issue in the Kent St Senior High Aviation course in 1982! (They're propbably still using them!

Originally Posted by jimbop

To be honest I am only just coming to grips with IAS vs TAS vs GS and simply use the conversion table at the back of the manual. This is adjusted for the temperatures used at in-game altitudes I think.

However, I find that if I actually use GS instead of IAS I end up hitting short of the target. If I just use IAS as on the instrument panel I get my best results. This does not hold true for the HE 111 so I may just be doing it wrong in the Blenheim rather than a game bug. But anyway, I can still hit the target!

A bigger difference seems to be the altitude. Make sure you adjust before takeoff since the pressure seems to vary according to the time of day in-game and you can be a few hundred feet out on startup.

It really looks like we need Met reports! To work out the GS using vectors you use side 'B' of the computer and a chinagraph pencil!

Cheers!

[ATAG_Dutch]

Originally Posted by ElAurens

Now I just have to try to get it off the ground in a combat situation and drop some HE on Jerry.

Now we're talkin'!

The ambient temperature issue is an interesting one. I thought it was my imagination, but there does seem to be an ambient temperature factor modelled in the game.

For instance, it seems to take much longer to warm the engines in an early morning scenario than a mid-day one. Anyone else noticed this?

Love that computer Skoshi!

[Skoshi Tiger]

I've also noticed that in a 'cold' unstarted Blenheim there can be couple of degree difference between each of the engines on both the oil and CHT guages.

Interesting I wonder if variation in the accuracy of the guages is modeled or something else?

[ATAG_Dutch]

Originally Posted by Skoshi Tiger

I've also noticed that in a 'cold' unstarted Blenheim there can be couple of degree difference between each of the engines on both the oil and CHT guages.

Interesting I wonder if variation in the accuracy of the guages is modeled or something else?

Yeah, sometimes juggling rads/pitch/oil rads around to compensate during warm-up is a real pain in the youknowwhat. Maybe gauge error, maybe a lousy ground crew.

[ATAG_Dutch]

Originally Posted by Feathered_IV

I'd been following the ATAG video and opening the rads once I hit 200-230 degrees and 40+ for oil temps. Props are in fine pitch and the engines start to kill themselves as soon as I throttle up more than half way. Just laboriously re-downloaded and installed the game anew, so pretty positive the issue is with me. I'm about to surpass Hartmans tally of allied aircraft though, so I'm hoping to get it figured out before Fatty asks me to spend the weekend at his hunting lodge...

Try this mission out for practice Feathered and El. I made it myself in FMB with 50% fuel from the word go. If the engines make an uncomfortable rattling sound, just throttle back slightly, wait a couple of secs then try again.
You can't alter fuel load in a quick mission yet I don't think.
The mission is my level bombing practice mission, but should be ok for engine practice.

[ElAurens]

Just flew the mission Dutch.

Did it as a low level attack.

I didn't know what the target was, guess I should have zoomed in on the map before take off, but none the less I bombed a factory building and got back in one piece. Aircraft sustained no damage, either from the enemy or my management of it.

[jimbop]

Nice mission, Dutch. Did it at 3000 and hit the vehicles.