DCS P-51D QUESTIONS

An aircraft engine is supposed to stay running at idle throttle position. This does not mean that it always will. Old engines (both ones which are themselves old, and newly-constructed ones of old design) can be pretty fussy about when they stay running and when they quit.

Real aircraft are supposed to be shut down by cutting the mixture, not the throttle. This has been true since the Great War, although--since aviation was new then, and humanity had much to learn about the subject--many fliers back then cut the ignition instead. This was a bad practice, never done today with any aircraft engine, nor during the Second World War, to the best of my knowledge; this is because doing so leaves unburnt fuel in the cylinders, which is dangerous. And, as far as I know, it's never been a remotely normal practice to try to shut down the engine by throttling back to idle, because (as others have already pointed out) idle setting still lets fuel through.

DCS: P-51D models a perfectly-maintained, pristine aircraft, as if it had just come out of the factory. This explains much of the discrepancies you're seeing between the real surviving warbirds' behavior and what happens in the sim. Even so, I'm not sure that the current simulation is entirely accurate--I'm not an engine expert, but it does seem to be slightly too predictable compared to the real deal.

As for the video: why did the pilot have the throttle friction set so low? I can't think of any good reason why you'd want the throttle friction to be so low that it'd slide back to idle as soon as you took your hand off of it. It doesn't allow you to make any measurably finer motions than if the friction's set high enough that it'll stay put.

" This was a bad practice, never done today with any aircraft engine,"

I'll give you an exception the M14P on the YAK52. :) .... Engine is shut down with Ignition switch i.e. mags off with throttle Idle.... mixture control is automatic without pilot input or control.

so what is happening in this video? i wasn't able to experience this in the DCS P-51D

If the engine is cold, though, this adjustment can be broken because of improper petrol evapouration, burning velocity, etc., so the engine can run roughly at idle.

He already answered your question.

DCS: P-51D models a perfectly-maintained, pristine aircraft, as if it had just come out of the factory. This explains much of the discrepancies you're seeing between the real surviving warbirds' behavior and what happens in the sim. Even so, I'm not sure that the current simulation is entirely accurate--I'm not an engine expert, but it does seem to be slightly too predictable compared to the real deal.

It has already been mentioned that the engine idle behaviour could not fully be implemented due to time constraints. That being said, i hope they can get to it one day, i'd like to see this as well.

Hi guys! Does anybody know an author of DCS: P-51D Flight manual? There are some questions to him.

Hi guys! Does anybody know an author of DCS: P-51D Flight manual? There are some questions to him.

Milit,

At the end of the P-51D flight manual starting on page 182 you will find:

1. Andrey Chizh

Assistant Development & QA Manager, technical documentation.

2. Matt “Wags” Wagner

Producer, game and technical documentation, game design

3. Alexander "PilotMi8" Podvoisky

Mission Editor Documentation

:thumbup:

Hi guys! Does anybody know an author of DCS: P-51D Flight manual? There are some questions to him.

Use the dedicated sub-forum:

http://forums.eagle.ru/forumdisplay.php?f=182

Real aircraft are supposed to be shut down by cutting the mixture, not the throttle. This has been true since the Great War, although--since aviation was new then, and humanity had much to learn about the subject--many fliers back then cut the ignition instead. This was a bad practice, never done today with any aircraft engine, nor during the Second World War, to the best of my knowledge; this is because doing so leaves unburnt fuel in the cylinders, which is dangerous. And, as far as I know, it's never been a remotely normal practice to try to shut down the engine by throttling back to idle, because (as others have already pointed out) idle setting still lets fuel through.

 

DCS: P-51D models a perfectly-maintained, pristine aircraft, as if it had just come out of the factory. This explains much of the discrepancies you're seeing between the real surviving warbirds' behavior and what happens in the sim. Even so, I'm not sure that the current simulation is entirely accurate--I'm not an engine expert, but it does seem to be slightly too predictable compared to the real deal.

 

As for the video: why did the pilot have the throttle friction set so low? I can't think of any good reason why you'd want the throttle friction to be so low that it'd slide back to idle as soon as you took your hand off of it. It doesn't allow you to make any measurably finer motions than if the friction's set high enough that it'll stay put.

I may be able to help here as I asked many of the same type of questions at legends to many P51 pilots (6 that I can think of that tried the sim with us)

Shutting down the engine in the stang normally involves putting the parking brake on, running the engine up to 2000rpm with the rpm lever full forwards (use manifold pressure to manage the rpm) and then after around 15-30 seconds cut the mixture.

As for the handling of the Mustang, All of the pilots who flew the sim commented on how close the aircraft behaves to the real thing. All of them tried little tricks to catch the sim out and in every occasion the sim modeled what the pilot expected, normally surprising them in the process.

I have never flown a Mustang, but I have flown other prop aircraft inc high performance tail draggers and it performs close to what I would expect.

To quote Dan Friedkin "This is as close as you will get, unless your in my airplane"

Pman

Milit,

 

At the end of the P-51D flight manual starting on page 182 you will find:

 

1. Andrey Chizh

Assistant Development & QA Manager, technical documentation.

 

2. Matt “Wags” Wagner

Producer, game and technical documentation, game design

 

3. Alexander "PilotMi8" Podvoisky

Mission Editor Documentation

 

:thumbup:

:doh: Thanks!

THis is exactly what I meant - it is a COLD engine.

 

And yes, we planned to extend engine model to take in account this cold engine behaviour.

It's not that hard to do but as we released the P-51 module we had more important things to finish.

Oh how I would love to see what you guys could do with that extended engine model. :joystick:

Have the carburetor air controls been made functional yet?

Thanks

Thank's Yo-Yo.

I ask because I had a flight where my carb temp was dropping, I turned on the carb heat but did not see a change in carb temp.

I don't remember, I doubt it though...

Is there currently a Gun Cam view? Possibly with the option of saving the recording's? If not are there any plans for it in the future?

EDIT* Yes there is a gun cam. (Shift+F4)

On page 43 the flight manual say's "The maximum normal charging rate of the generator is 100 amperes."

Then there is a caution note that says:

"The ammeter should be checked prior to takeoff. Takeoff should not be attempted if the generator is charging over 50 amperes."

Am I reading this incorrectly? If 100 Amps is normal, is the caution incorrect to state 50 Amps? Or is the 100 Amps incorrect?

When I check the system I am seeing a max of 50 Amps after the generator kicks in around 1500-1700 RPM and I throttle up.

EDIT*

I found more info on page 131.

"Check all of your instruments for proper function within normal parameters. In doing so, be sure to check the ammeter indicator showing proper charging form the generator. Immediately after takeoff, the rate of charge should not exceed 100 amps, dropping back to the normal 50 amps or less after 5 minutes of operation. If the charge does not reduce, turn the generator disconnect switch to OFF and return to the airfield."

:D

I've got one, how do you close the canopy as my mouse won't move the canopy at all, symbol changes but nothing happens at all (no I haven't read the manual yet).

Love the sound of this baby when it's cranked, just stunning.

I've got one, how do you close the canopy as my mouse won't move the canopy at all, symbol changes but nothing happens at all (no I haven't read the manual yet).

Love the sound of this baby when it's cranked, just stunning.

You have to turn the canopy crank with your mouse.

You have to turn the canopy crank with your mouse.

Yeah tried that but doesn't work. I ended up checking the key bindings in options (why I didn't do that in the first place). Its mapped to my speedbrake switch isn't it : )

Thanks though Ich...

Point on the crank an roll the mouse wheel.

Wingman won't attack

I have a short SP mission where myself and an AI wing man follow three 109s. When I command him to attack he always replies " Negative" or " No Can Do"... sometimes when he is right behind one. I have checked loadout, and he has 100% guns, so what is the holdup? Thank YOU!

*EDIT* Just found the DCS manual inside the .doc folder of the game... will be up ALL NIGHT ... ( unnnhhhhh )

*Edit again* ... Followed all information, still no response from wingman except "NO". Also the Nazi AI run for home, regardless if flag is locked on IAS. Anyone?

*Edit again* ...OK, so apparently since Germany is now an ally, the 109 is a friendly AC. Who knew?

Hi all, this is a question for Yo-Yo.

I observed that one can lower the landing gear at any speed without any significant effect on the airframe. The only difference noted was that the nose pitches down a bit and the speed decreases somewhat. However, after testing this on a dive from high altitude, it seems that the aircraft can reach up to 500mph with it down, without any major effect on maneuverability. I was able to pull 8G's on the zoom turn, and then raise the gear up again.

Shouldn't there be at least a vibrating airframe with the gear down at high speeds (and a pretty severe one)? And shouldn't the gear sustain damage at these speeds? In the checkertails documentary, there are pilot accounts of a P51 accidentally dropping the gear during a high speed dive, with a result of the whole airplane being ripped apart :

watch from 1:53' onwards. It has shots of the ripped apart P51.

thanks