Flying "By the book"

[Romanator21]

I'd like to devote this thread to Operating Manuals that correspond to their respective aircraft. I enjoy flying in Il-2, but I feel that it could use more authenticity and realism in some aspects of complex systems management. Currently it's quite shallow (which is ok considering the breadth of subjects we can fly). And we all know FSX is boring without guns

Hopefully DT can take a look at these charts and, if they have time, at least adjust the "cosmetics" of CSM so that we can fly "by the book" (I realize that IL-2 will never model temps at each cylinder, etc). I also hope some features such as switchable fuel tanks can be implemented (no more unstoppable burning or leaking of all one's fuel). Instead of selecting fuel by percent, it would be nice to select by tank and volume/weight, etc to keep within real life restrictions.

If you guys have any suggestions/corrections or manuals, post 'em!


Installment 1: SBD-3 (1942)
http://www.mediafire.com/file/j2y9nzlmkxvu1mn/sbd3.pdf

Weight: non-combat condition
Empty weight: 5669.5 lbs

Weight: combat condition
Oil tank protection: 30 lbs
Center Fuel tank protection: 232
Outer Fuel tank protection: 218
Armor plates: 212

Fuel capacity combat condition:
2x main tanks, 75 gal each.
2x Aux tanks, 55 gal each.
Reserve [included in left main tank] 37 gal (I imagine this is properly implemented).


Startup:
- throttle set for 600-800 rpm
- prop: low RPM
- mix: auto-rich (SBD is fully manual mix in IL-2)
- fuel selector: right main or reserve
- carb air: direct
- ignition switch: "off" (I haven't found this in the game's pit)
- cowl flaps: open for warm up
- operate wobble pump (?) slowly until 6-7 psi indicated
- prime approx 3 strokes. (meanwhile starter is "energized". flywheel?)
- throttle should be pumped while starting or in attempt to keep engine running.
- after engine has fired, operate primer as necessary to keep it running until it operates smoothly on carburetor.

Warm up:
- prop pitch high (still low RPM)
- 800-1000 Rpm.
- oil pressure should be 30lbs in 30 seconds.
- shift to high RPM pitch
- 1000-1200 RPM
- check magnetos (no function in Il-2)
- move prop pitch low to high to warm up oil in prop hub
- for ground tests, manifold pressure shouldn't exceed 30".
- Never exceed 41". (This is not even close to being possible in Il-2, max pressure I can get is 33" even at 110%)

Takeoff:
- Prop: max RPM
- mix: auto-rich
- fuel: right tank
- check trim
- carb air: direct (currently no function in IL-2)
- tail wheel: locked (there is no animation in the pit)
- cowling flaps: open
- oil cooler: open (no function or tied to cowling flaps?)
- blower: low
- Flaps can be extended to approx 15 degrees for takeoff (Il-2 has 3 stops, but in reality, any could be chosen based on how long the switch was held).
- After take-off the pilot should apply brakes to stop rotation of wheels before raising undercarriage. (Seems to be automatic in Il-2. Notice how wheels will quickly stop turning after takeoff).

Cruise:
- mix : this has a range of fixed positions ranging from auto rich, auto lean, and idle cutoff as well as manual control along its range of motion, indicated by marks. Auto-rich should be used for 70% power or more, although it can be leaned for smooth operation. However, this can increase cyl. head temps.
(In il-2, we have the simple 20-40-60-80-100-120 scheme. Maybe this could be updated?)

- supercharger: higher blower can be used at 10,500 feet. However, it shouldn't be used at altitudes where sufficient cruising power is available [ex. you might still be in low blower at 12,000 feet if you're cruising at low power] (In IL-2 we have simple supercharger control).

Landing:
- Wheels down: max 140 kts (emergency: 200 kts "without danger". In Il-2, gear breaks off at ~250 kts. Maybe it should just jam first? I'm not familiar with kind of damage one could incur)
- Prop: max RPM
- Fuel: on reserve
- Mix: full rich
- Carb air: direct
- Blower: low
- Flaps: 140 kts max ("combat" flaps do not ever jam. "landing" flaps jam at ~220 kts)
- oil cooler: open
- cowl flaps: closed [open after landing] (one should also incur damage from going too fast with the flaps open. Currently there is no such effect in Il-2).
- Arrested landings can be made with any bomb loading provided the fuel load has been reduced such that gross weight does not exceed that of fully loaded scout condition (I'm assuming that's in reference to 8986.8 lbs. In Il-2, heavy landings are only moderately challenging in this plane).

Shutoff:
- idle at 1000 RPM for 30 seconds, prop in high pitch (low rpm) if possible.
- mix: full lean (idle-cutoff. Possible in Il-2 for this plane, but not possible in many other aircraft.)
- ignition: off

Systems:
- Flaps: move landing flap selector lever to "down" position and depress engine pump control valve handle. When indicator shows desired position, move the selector valve to neutral. To raise, same process: move landing flap selector lever to "up"...

If the engine pump was inop, flaps could be hand-pumped. flap selector had to return to "neutral" to lock the flaps in any position. Also, return this to "neutral" to operate landing gear, or flaps could close. "Warning": make sure dive flaps are completely closed before extending landing flaps.

- Dive flaps: move selector to "open". Depress valve handle until desired position shown, then move selector valve to neutral. When diving with dive flaps, the handle should should be kept at "open". After closing them, handle should be kept at "closed" position. Dive flaps can be opened at any speed up to max level flight speed. "Warning": don't open dive flaps unless landing flap selector valve is in "closed" position.

- Cowling flaps: move selector handle to "open" and depress engine pump valve handle. When in desired position, move selector to neutral To close, move selector to "close" position.

- Landing Gear: Well, you get the idea. It should be apparent that one cannot open flaps, raise gear, etc at the same time as they share one pump. This is not modeled in Il-2. However, landing gear can extend and lock without hydraulic pressure. If the gear doesn't latch down withing 2 minutes (!) one should maneuver to force the wheels down. (According to the text normal use of the pump should allow any system to cycle in just 5-10 seconds).

- Carb Air control: permits air to enter carburetor intake after passing engine cylinder fins. Normal ops require "direct" position. When entering heavy rain, and icing conditions, "Alternate air" should be used. (As we know, hot air entering the carb causes a drop in manifold press).

In diving, carb air should be "direct", and enough throttle to prevent shock cooling (which isn't modeled in Il-2 yet).

- Electrical distribution panel: controls approach lights, nav lights, etc. (wont go into detail here. This has no function yet in Il-2).

- Arresting Hook: Is not operated hydraulically. The pilot simply moves the lever forward or aft to raise or lower the hook, respectively. Tail hook has a simple lever too. It can swivel 360 degrees but has a centering spring.

- Auto-pilot: (Currently no true auto-pilot in Il-2.) This is controlled hydraulically! If the pilot wants to operate flaps, etc, he has to depress engine pump lever to send fluid to right location. In this case, AP is rendered inop until pump lever is released! However, if the pilot uses the hand pump, AP will not be affected.

Prior to engaging AP check: oil pressure, set gyro compass to magnetic heading, uncage the gyro, turn course setting knob, uncage climb&bank gyro, turn trim knobs to 0, trim for "hands off", engage AP.

- Fire-extinguisher: sprays CO2 into engine and carb intake. (Not modeled in Il-2. I wonder if engaging it would also kill the engine?) Rear gunner also has an extinguisher.

- Floatation system: built into outer wings and horizontal stabs. Activated by CO2 gas automatically when pressure increases, or manually. (Not in Il-2. SBD sinks like a stone...I doubt these would work if punctured though).

- Landing light: extended by switch and turns on automatically. max airspeed of operation is 140 mph (In Il-2 landing light is tied to landing gear).

- Landing gear warning: sounds when throttle is less than 1/8 open, and wheels aren't down and locked. (In Il-2, only Bf-109 has a warning horn, tied to flaps).

- O2: (Not modeled in Il-2. This manual doesn't go into operation, just says to keep it clean and clear).

- Pilot and gunner have seat adjustment. Could be useful for take-off/landing and overall visibility. Gunner also has his own pedals and stick.

- Windshield hot air: Exhaust air can be diverted to prevent fogging (Is this even possible to model in Il-2? I heard it was present in the original game...)

- Bomb arming lever: (Not present in Il-2)

- Bomb release lever: (present, but simple) pilot can control selective release of right or left racks, or salvo. Wing bombs should always be released first (this is default in il-2).

- Parachute flare release: (not present in Il-2. I wonder about use?)

- Rounds counter: (not modeled, but I think this wasn't installed on all planes).

- Chartboard: (I have no idea how this can be implemented I guess we can just press "M" )


CEM Notes:
Cylinder Head Temp limits: (Base temp is listed, but there is no such gauge in the pit in IL-2)
Take off - 260 C [5 min] (red line on instrument)
Normal power continuous - 218
Normal to 90% normal [1 hour]- 235
at and below 70% [cont] - 205 (In il-2, once temp exceeds this, we get "overheat message").

Oil (oil temps and pressure seems to have no function in IL-2):
- emergency: 102 C
- desired: 70-80 C
- normal pressure: 65 psi

Prop pitch: Some discussion in this manual...(In Il-2, we have a simple system. Even though prop governor holds RPM constant in most situations, diving could still over-speed the propeller.)
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _________

As a non-CEM side note, shooting the inner-most portion of the left wing causes the oil cooler to start leaking. This is an old bug since at least 4.08.

[JtD]

Can you put all that into a working java file and send it to the Team, please?

I totally agree that the planes could use a lot more character. 1C has figured that out years ago and their solution was CoD. It very hard to do with il-2, which has a lot of "old" planes that could use an update, and there's also a lot of old code that simply was never intended for that. Much, much work.

[Romanator21]

Yeah, it's mostly a pipe dream...I don't own ClOD, and I don't plan to get a new computer for at least another year, so....

This is a lot to ask for, but if maybe just one or two features get implemented, I'll be happy. Not to brag, but I have flown, and I love it, but I don't have the money or time right now. Il-2 is the next best thing, at least in terms of FM. But in other aspects, it leaves me wanting more.

If this stuff was programmed at least superficially, I could at least pretend I'm doing real systems management . I already make sure never to run at 100% power for more than a minute, even online. I make sure the cowling flaps are closed when I'm going fast, I never push power past rpms... Am I crazy? Lock me away!

So, if I had to distill this list into something a tiny bit more manageable for a modder/DT member, then I would ask for:

- fuel tank selector.
- fire extinguishers where applicable.
- toggle between auto/manual mixture where applicable.
- realistic power limits (DT has gone one step in this direction with engine reliability feature)
- accurate visual representations of manifold press. and prop rpm. I can't use the engine instruments for many planes because they don't match the literature.
- bomb arming & open bomb doors with consequences for opening doors at too fast of an airspeed.
- consequences for opening cowling flaps when going too fast.
- AP where applicable.
- limit the ability to toggle flaps, gear, etc at the same time, where applicable.
- more as I think of it

Anyway, I'll try to post as many of these as I can and see what happens.

[MrBaato]

A ki-44 manual, lets hope it will come to use one day

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by MrBaato

A ki-44 manual, lets hope it will come to use one day

There's been an accurately done version of the Shoki available as a mod for a while now. I just hope that JapanCat and the other Japanese modders are working with DT to get it, and all the other new and reworked Japanese aircraft into the game.

[EJGr.Ost_Caspar]

Thank you very much for the manual, MrBaato! It is very useful!

Yes, JapanCat is working with us as 3rd party developer.

[MrBaato]

That's great news, it would be a wonderfull addition to the game !