Noob Question - CEM and Prop

[louisv]

Think you are drving a bicycle, propeller pitch is like your speeds on a bike...

If you are climbing, go to easy speed...fine pitch

If you are going straight and level, you will gain speed by going to harder speeds...coarse pitch.

There are 3 types of props (and the 2 pitch on the hurricane), fixed, variable and CSP (constant speed prop). The CSP automatically keeps the same RPM all the time, so its like an automatic transmission, no need to change it as often (ex: spit IIa)...generally not during a digfight. With the variable (non-CSP), there is more work to do (ex: Bf-109)

[AdamB]

Originally Posted by louisv

Think you are drving a bicycle, propeller pitch is like your speeds on a bike...

If you are climbing, go to easy speed...fine pitch

If you are going straight and level, you will gain speed by going to harder speeds...coarse pitch.

There are 3 types of props (and the 2 pitch on the hurricane), fixed, variable and CSP (constant speed prop). The CSP automatically keeps the same RPM all the time, so its like an automatic transmission, no need to change it as often (ex: spit IIa)...generally not during a digfight. With the variable (non-CSP), there is more work to do (ex: Bf-109)

Basically a higher prop pitch increases the displacement of the air in front of the propellor towards that rear of the prop. It does this by spinning through the air at a greater angle (in relation to the prop and the direction of the air flowing through the prop) However increasing the prop pitch cause more drag because more airflow will be rebounding off the trailing edge of the prop thus you should only use a high prop pitch when ascending because youll have a lower airspeed so you need more pulling force from the prop to maintain the climb and because of the lower speeds the effect of drag is limited because the force of the air hitting the greater surface area of the prop is less because of thhe lack of speed. >>> the opposite occurs when decending.

Hope this answers it for you, im not sure this is a gr8 explination but then again us physics lot are never good at explaining. Just take my word.

Adam

[Ataros]

Fine prop pitch (low) is indicated as 100% (highest RPM) in game info window.
Coarse (high) as 0% (lowest RPM).

[DoolittleRaider]

Originally Posted by Ataros

Fine prop pitch (low) is indicated as 100% (highest RPM) in game info window.
Coarse (high) as 0% (lowest RPM).

Okay. With a Spit, I move the pitch lever fully forward (with cockpit mouse control). Fully forward shows in info window as 100%. I can take off...etc. After MUCH trial and error, I have finally set a key command (#2 in my case) which in Controls is "Increase Pitch".Using that I can move the lever forward variably to 100%, decreasing pitch, for takeoff or at any time in flight when I need to go to Fine prop pitch..climbing, landing, etc.

So, moving to Fine Pitch, one is actually Decreasing the Pitch, but to make the Spit lever work correctly and to actually Decrease the Pitch to FINE, I have to use a "key" tagged as "Increase Pitch??? wtf I won't even ask why lowest , finest pitch is identified in info window as 100%? double wtf!

I am obviously missing something here.

It gets worse...or maybe better:
With the 109, I can use the mouse to move the Pitch lever upward [identified as "DECREASE Pitch], until the prop pitch gauge gets to 12:00...Which is Fine (low) Prop pitch. [The Info window gives no reading as to Percentage!] I can take off. VERY LOGICAL.

Also, in the case of the 109, the key I assigned (#1 in this case) to DECREASE prop pitch (to go to Fine) actually WORKS correctly. [In the Spit, that 'Decrease Pitch' key results in Increasing the pitch to Coarse!!!!!]

After many hours trying to sort this out, it appears therefore, that the Spit Controls assignment is Porked...Reversed for the Spit. To DECREASE Prop Pitch, one actually has to use the key assigned for INCREASE Prop Pitch. wtf

Does any of this make sense? help!

[Sokol1]

Originally Posted by DoolittleRaider

Okay. With a Spit, I move the pitch lever fully forward (with cockpit mouse control). Fully forward shows in info window as 100%. I can take off...etc. After MUCH trial and error, I have finally set a key command (#2 in my case) which in Controls is "Increase Pitch".Using that I can move the lever forward variably to 100%, decreasing pitch, for takeoff or at any time in flight when I need to go to Fine prop pitch..climbing, landing, etc.

So, moving to Fine Pitch, one is actually Decreasing the Pitch, but to make the Spit lever work correctly and to actually Decrease the Pitch to FINE, I have to use a "key" tagged as "Increase Pitch??? wtf I won't even ask why lowest , finest pitch is identified in info window as 100%? double wtf!

Workaround: Think in this (pitch) lever as "Rev" control instead o "pitch" control, so make sense:



Increase (rev's) to (100%) maximum.

With the 109, I can use the mouse to move the Pitch lever upward [identified as "DECREASE Pitch], until the prop pitch gauge gets to 12:00...Which is Fine (low) Prop pitch. [The Info window gives no reading as to Percentage!] I can take off. VERY LOGICAL.

Different of Spitfire Bf.109 use two push button to (electrically) control pitch.

Although seems logical in pitch control (press "-" key to DECREASE, press "+" key to INCREASE) the way that information of these momentary control has modeled in game - "HUD" show only UP or DOWN - has a downside:

Because the same way of HUD info are use for radiator, flaps, bomb bay doors.

Since HUD only show (momentary) UP or DOWN when "+", "-" are pressed, one don't know how many % pitch are set (in this case aren't problem because the "clock" monitor), or how many degrees of flap are set or how many radiator are open, or if bomb bays are open or closed.

OK, are different devices but the game use the same way of HUD info for devices controlled by push buttons - in fact some these are crank controlled, but for mouse control are turned in "+", "-".

Instead, if HUD work like in Spit, showing how many % (by slider or digital info) of control (pitch, flaps, radiator, doors...) are applied, would be more useful.

But now all this "are water under the bridge"...

Sokol1

[DoolittleRaider]

Sokol,

Thanks for the response.

I still have a question, though. I'll rephrase what my experience with "PROP PITCH" Key Controls has been:

Again, with the 109E-1/3, I have assigned a key to "Decrease Pitch" and when hit repeatedly it does Decrease pitch as indicated by the Pitch Clock-Gauge....even though the Info window does only show DN for Down as one does so, then nothing when you stop; The clock-gauge does respond accordingly and correctly to show you what pitch you are at.

However, for the Spit I, in Options/Controls, I still have to assign a key to "Increase Pitch"...which I then hit repeatedly to incrementally raise Spit to "100%" (100% of something) which is Fine Pitch...thus, this key is actually Decreasing the pitch! In-Cockpit, this key does move the Pitch Lever forward, and accordingly actually does decrease the Pitch, appropriately, to Fine Pitch. Of course, looking at the Pitch lever, one can always see what pitch is set (no gauge).

Similarly, in the Hurricane, the "Increase Pitch" key must be hit to jump to 100% of something (which is Fine Pitch...or low pitch) and "Decrease Pitch" key to jump to 0% (coarse...or High Pitch). This seems A$$ backwards.

Sooo....if they were correct, shouldn't the Options/Controls settings work so that the Decrease Pitch control/key would decrease all/any variable pitch aircraft (Spit I's and 109-E1/3's) prop pitch?


Bottom line question: Is/was this a Bug in the COD Options/Controls settings? Was it discovered but not fixed? People just learned by trial and error (or used only interactive cockpit)?

OR....Am I still very stupidly missing something?

[Sokol1]

OK, keys assignments are inverse for Spit. Period.

But the lever animation in cockpit are correctly, lever ahead fine pitch (max rev). I think that in first release of game are in wrong way...

And, since different planes and aircraft system use the same (key) commands, if the game have "correct" keys operation for Spit, have inverted operation in Bf 109...

The problem it's all in core code - in game concept/design, Luthier/MG aren't not able to fix this (and more). I dont expect that TF fix it someday.

It's all "Typically CloD": unfinished, bugged, confuse... What we do now is matter to learn and adapt.

Another examples: when you hit the key (O) to close Spit cockpit side door - that are the same key used to close canopy - you see in HUD:

Hit to close side door:

Hatch door: Open <<< ??? And see the side door moved to closed position...

And when hit again to close canopy, see:

Hatch door: Closed >>> And see canopy moved to closed position...

Or engage WEP in 109/110 and see in HUD: Afterburner:ON...

Or drop a single bomb from internal bomb bay of Ju-88 and door (hand crank ("+", "-") controlled) closed without command...



Sokol1