Weapons.lua&Bf-109K-4.lua-missing loadout round

ok...i tried to improve my "mk108 tracer" mod and had a closer look at the weapons.lua file again...and there i noticed that the ED devs have modeled three different rounds for the mk108 cannon:

-- 3 cm M-Gesch. Patr. 108 m. Zerl Ausf. A

-- 3 cm M-Gesch. Patr. L.Spur 108 m. Zerl

-- 3 cm Brgr. Patr. 108 m. Zerl

the second one: -- "3 cm M-Gesch. Patr. L.Spur 108 m. Zerl" means:

3cm Minengeschoss Patrone Leuchtspur 108 mit Zerleger.

=>so its a mineshell with tracer.

...so i wondered why we dont see any tracers in the 109 by default...

looking into the Bf-109K-4.lua file though, i quickly noticed why...

the loadout in the 109 only takes advantage of the first and third type of shells.

-- Nose MK 108
       MK_108({
           muzzle_pos_connector = "Gun_point_0",
           effect_arg_number = 350,
           [b]mixes = {{1, 3}},[/b]
           azimuth_initial = 0,
           elevation_initial = -0.069,
           supply_position = {0.024, 0.0, 0.0},
           drop_cartridge = 0,
           ejector_pos_connector = "eject 1",
           ejector_dir           = {0,5,0},
       }),

^^changing the line 300 from: mixes = {{1, 3}}, to mixes = {{1, 2, 3}},

gives us a nice tracer round in every third shell....

so i really wonder why, if it was developed by the devs, it isnt used at all?mistake?

That's good that you found that...as far as why the devs did that, maybe the weapon historical was used only for a handful of rounds at a time at close range, no need of the tracer...just a guess

Maybe is not a mistake, the nose mounted MG-131's serve, with their tracers, as an help on aiming, IMHO theres no need for MK-108 tracers in the K4.

For the Me-262, with 4x nose mounted Mk-108, maybe Mk-108 tracer will be usefull and added to the combat-mix.

Irrelevant, there should be a loadout option for a belt with tracers or no tracers. Or any other belt loadout used.

But even the Pony doesn't have a tracerless option yet, so might be an engine limitation.

As I was discussing with Davidred on teamspeak... What we really need is some clever codemonkey to write a little program that can read the relevant .lua file and allow us to alter the belting and even use the ballistics data to help set the convergance (if it was adjustable on the real aircraft, and using realistic limits)

With just an amount of 86 cartridges, having 29 (i suppose) less effective bullets IMO is a waste.

With just an amount of 86 cartridges, having 29 (i suppose) less effective bullets IMO is a waste.

The 109 has 65 shells and the tracer shell is literally the same mineshell it alreayd has, with a tracer.

E: It does have less explosive content.

3 cm Minengeschoss Leuchtspur mit Zerleger (day tracer) / 3 cm Minengeschoss Glimmspur mit Zerleger (night tracer)

 

Mineshell with tracer, fuzed with ZZ1589 B. After firing the tracer ignites, allowing the pilot to observe the flight path of the shell. Day and night versions were available, the latter to prevent the pilot (who had his eyes adjusted to night) being blinded by the fiercer day tracers. The shell is coloured yellow overall, with a 5 mm wide green band just under the fuze, meaning self destruct. Just above the driving band is a light or dark red 5 mm wide band, the light red meaning (fierce burning) daytracer, dark red meaning (low visibility) night tracer. Explosive charge exists of 73 grams HA41 and 3 grams of nitropenta (pink core under the fuze). Weight of the shell : 330 +/- 8 grams.

Irrelevant, there should be a loadout option for a belt with tracers or no tracers. Or any other belt loadout used.

 

But even the Pony doesn't have a tracerless option yet, so might be an engine limitation.

tracerless option is there if you adjust one line in one file...unfortunately, it doesnt help frames one bit....

With just an amount of 86 cartridges, having 29 (i suppose) less effective bullets IMO is a waste.

the tracer round are exactly the same, except that it has a tracer.nothing less or nothing more effective.

if the km108 didnt have such ballistics, you could use the tracers of the 131 mgs as a reference.but as it is, they are not helpfull at all as you will fall short with your cannon if you hit with your mgs.

Just for interest; identifying the MK 108's shells:

they are not helpfull at all as you will fall short with your cannon if you hit with your mgs.

From the Bf-109K-4.lua:

MG 131:

Nose MK 108:

Maybe changing this we can afford to armonize both weapons.

Edit: found this

IRL I believe the Motorkanon was unable to set convergence, per se.

Of course you could adjust the sight line to whatever distance you wanted the shells to "hit at".

Then adjust the MG131 accordingly.

This glorious mod no longer functions, wish ED would stop ruining all the great modding work people do...

yes the aircraft.lua files for all the aircraft except the 51 are now compiled in some way which means you can't just open and read them. Ran into this trying to find out what the new MG belts composition.