Fuel pressure

[Sammi79]

Hi, I was just flying a Hurricane online (ATAG server) - took off, climbed to 12000' , circled for 15 or so minutes and got into an extended turning game with another lone aircraft which eventually lost me (not sure if it was even an enemy or not, didn't get that close) after which I spotted a flight of Wellingtons on their way to France, with 109s in tow so climbed up, keeping an eye back for the one that lost me, when I got close to the bombers, my engine started spluttering, temps all good, oil pressure good, rpm fine, fuel pressure 0? hang on a minute? while I was pondering that a 109 latched on to my six so just before he fired I pulled back hard on the stick, my engine died completely and put me into a rather violent flat spin. did about 25 revolutions before I could get the nose down without power, and stayed in the dive until I was sure and thankful the 109 guy had not given chase. now I was roughly in the middle of the channel at about 7500' and fuel pressure was still 0. Aiming for England, I cycled the magnetos and fuel and ignition and after about the 4th time, bang, fuel pressure jumped up and she roared into life @ 5000'. Then I humbly flew home and landed (still with nearly full tanks) but a little bit too worried about my aircraft to carry on with it.

I have recently turned the damage display off, so does anyone here have any idea what might have caused this? blockage in the fuel line? is that simulated?

I learned the CEM by trial and error so I might be doing something wrong regarding mixture etc... would appreciate any pointers.

Regards,
Sam.

[Crumpp]

Sounds like vapor lock....

The Hurricane has pressurized tanks as it was susceptible to vapor lock. You have to flip the switch from Atmosphere to Pressure if the fuel pressure drops to zero.

Any pressurized fuel feed system is susceptible to vapor lock. Most low wing aircraft have an electric auxiliary fuel booster pump to overcome it.

Pressuring the main tanks is a unique and not ideal solution IMHO for a piston engined fighter. It is one of the reasons why the Hurricane had such a bad reputation for catching fire so easily. Most Drop Tanks have pressurized systems and use the dynamic pressure created by the aircraft's forward motion.

[TomcatViP]

Originally Posted by Crumpp

Sounds like vapor lock....

You have to flip the switch from Atmosphere to Pressure if the fuel pressure drops to zero.

How to ?

[Crumpp]

The real aircraft has a fuel pressure control switch between the Throttle controls and the elevator trim controls.

[Sammi79]

OK,well I can't find a switch anywhere nor a control to setup in the options, so I'm assuming vapor lock is not simulated - although actually the manifestation fits perfectly, but it never happened before. I normally climb to between 15-20k' and circle to spot targets and hopefully have the energy advantage. Still can't help but think maybe something I did, or didn't do regarding CEM was to blame but for the life of me can't think what. Landed with everything running normally, no damage. very strange.

[TomcatViP]

Originally Posted by Crumpp

The real aircraft has a fuel pressure control switch between the Throttle controls and the elevator trim controls.

rgr thx

@Sammi : I did experienced once something similar after a tail slide at med alt (after a vertical pull-up - yeah not a clever thing to do)

My guess is than you can somehow block the carb float completely.

But hvn't you lean your mixture too much ?

[Sammi79]

Like I said I learned by trial/error offline so got no idea if this is good practice or not really but with mixture it just gets leaner as i gain altitude til full lean at about 20k' + because this seems to prevent any vibrations from the engine.

Sometimes I forget though and it stays richer for longer.

[TomcatViP]

Don't lean too much. It does not seems so much necessary in game.

Before entering a fight, you can set it to full rich or if you are really high full rich minus half an inch

At cruise I use the "L" letters of the "Lean" indication as a mark with the lever of the mixture. Usually, both are aligned together at 20k Ft. With both boost and rpm at 12o'clock (rpm slightly less) I use to get 200mph cruise speed that way. The Temp stabilize itself around 3 o'clock. But I can lean even more but with a reduced boost to max out my range (over modelled IMOHO - I am sure I can go right to Berlin and be back with a case of schnaps for the poor German fellow that had to bail out and convert to green tea that way)

But I hve learn that it all depends of the plane you get and the way you warm your engine before taking off. I found that it both impact the way an engine temp raise. In the worst scenario you can then barely use full throttle before the temp start to coast raise to a critical value. Very disturbing in a fight.

So if I am committed in a fight while flying at cruise speed the scenario is the following :

Nose offset
Mix on rich
Temp check
Pitch lower
Throttle frwd
Boost check
Increase pitch
When Speed > 220/240 Rad on med

and then what you alrdy now
Gunsight On (the lamp of the gunsight were prone to fail hence the sight was illuminated only when necessary - not modelled)
Check 6!
Nose on target
Check 6!
Rock and Roll

I hope it helps.

~S

[Sammi79]

Ha yeah check 6 is about 2 out of every 3 steps in my current methodology for doing anything in online CLOD.

The funny thing about mixture seems to me if you don't change it from the start, it will never have an effect. Its only after you move the lever the first time that the effects of mixture seem to come into play. So essentially if you leave it alone from the start no problems regarding it will occur - possibly a bug.

Cheers for the replies though folks I think I might turn damage reports back on until we can be sure all the dials and levers are all working as they should.

Regards,
Sam.