Technical information

[majorfailure]

Originally Posted by P-38L

Thank you Marabekm

That is exaclty my question, but how do I get that information from the airplane? How do I know when to hit the key combination to change the superchargers. I guess airplanes have this information as a technical data, not to have to fly the airplane and start doing trial and error to find out.

But thank you for your kind answer.

Trial and error works fine, doesn't it? Okay, that is for me, but if you want charger switch alts, use IL-2Compare, and in case you are not familiar with the max speed vs. alt diagrams, they are usually two triangles combined, peak of each triangle is full throttle height for each stage, and where the two triangles intersect, there is your charger switch alt.
Also engine FTHs can give you a rough estimate, first switch is usually a few hundred meters above first FTH.
And:
http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/
Lots of documents about aircraft, including speed vs. alt test graphs.

And all this is for 100%Power, for less the point to switch is at higher alt.
For mixture setting, as this concerns only a few mostly Russian aircraft, and as you can very easily detect the black smoke from the exhausts and the power drop off I never bothered to get any documentation, I just fly and notice.