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Hello everyone,

 

New to DCS world. I would like to start with the WWII warbirds.

Any recommendations on getting started? I saw the youtubes about the P-47 release, which looks great.

 

Is there a beginners path I should follow?

 

Any recommendations will be appreciated.

 

Thank you for your time and help,

 

-john

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Go for the plane that interests you the most. No point in going for the best/easiest one if you are not interested in it.
+10000000

This is straight up the best advice you can be given. No further replies after this needed

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Modules: Ka-50, Mi-8MTV2, FC3, F/A-18C, F-14B, F-5E, P-51D, Spitfire Mk LF Mk. IXc, Bf-109K-4, Fw-190A-8

Maps: Normandy, Nevada

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The best idea is try the TF-51D first.

It is free and you will see what it requires, except weapons.

F-15E | F-14A/B

P-51D | P-47D | Mosquito FB Mk VI |Spitfire | Fw 190D | Fw 190A | Bf 109K |  WWII Assets Pack

Normandy 2 | The Channel | Sinai | Syria | PG | NTTR | South Atlantic 

F/A-18 | F-86 | F-16C | A-10C | FC-3 | CA | SC |

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The best idea is try the TF-51D first.

It is free and you will see what it requires, except weapons.

 

@saburo_cz beat me to it... this is the No.1 piece of advice.

 

You get to check your hardware, your controllers, and the feel of the WW2 conventional-style landing gear (and all the issues with ground handling, etc. that this brings). If you can manage standard flights in the TF-51D on the Caucasus map you'll know what to expect when you buy a module.

 

Then, as @raz+or says, get the one that interests you the most. That way you'll have the enthusiasm to stick with it. All DCS aircraft required a lot of dedication to get out of them the depth and nuance that makes DCS so rewarding.

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Great advise from everyone. I appreciate all of the input.

 

I still haven't installed DCS on my gaming machine yet. I'm slowly transitioning back to work (from working at home). So I can remove all the work stuff from my desk and dedicate my desk monitor back to ME. I'll get it installed tomorrow, get a HOTAS ordered and get started.

 

Looking forward to learning-

 

Thanks again,

-john

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Great advise from everyone. I appreciate all of the input.

 

I still haven't installed DCS on my gaming machine yet. I'm slowly transitioning back to work (from working at home). So I can remove all the work stuff from my desk and dedicate my desk monitor back to ME. I'll get it installed tomorrow, get a HOTAS ordered and get started.

 

Looking forward to learning-

 

Thanks again,

-john

 

You will go nuts sometimes, just do not give up. It's very rewarding when you can finally land a bf109 or a spitfire with precision.

 

Also, i can say that a good rudder pedal makes a hell lot of difference. Keeping the ball centered with a twist joystick is not the easiest task (for me at least).

A-10C / AJS-37 / AV-8B / BF-109 / KA-50 / F-14 / F-16C / F-5E / F/A-18C / FC3 / JF-17 / F-86 / M-2000C / MiG-21bis / P-51D / Spitfire LF Mk. IX / UH-1H Huey

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as others have said id start with the tf 51 first because its free and teaches you the most about warbirds for the least amount of cash paid up front, it'll teach you ground handling, engine management, (rpm, fuel, mixture mags, oil and coolant) as well as the techniques for take off and landing. You will likely need to get good at managing the above manually, which can be done with fuel dilute switch and with 2 multi position switches on the left hand side that control the coolant and oil doors on the scoop below.

 

another peice of advice is to skim through the manual but have fun first and foremost, dont be afraid to crash, its not real life and you can respawn and restart which after a while doesnt take that long.

 

if you do wish to get into fast however i would suggest getting someone to show you the ropes as well as to look at videos regarding tail wheel techniques for wich i would be happy to give some advice on.

 

after all this then you can choose an aircraft and the fun of combat begins :).

 

an aircrafts difficulty is largely subjective as time spent in the aircraft will skew a pilots view of it though personally i would think the I-16 and Spitfire are the hardest on the ground to handle due to not having a tailwheel lock and the spitfire having a different system for braking.

 

the 109 has a lock and in combat is a real menace if flown well as the performance figures are out standing.

 

as for the FW190s i treat them like mustangs, they handle well on the ground and in the air but mustangs will have an advantage over them in some places.

 

one major difference between axis and allied aircraft is the engine management. for allied aircraft its a lot more hands on with regards to pitch control where as for axis aircraft it seems to be more automated.

 

personally im waiting for the mosquito, p47 and corsair to release.

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...

one major difference between axis and allied aircraft is the engine management. for allied aircraft its a lot more hands on with regards to pitch control where as for axis aircraft it seems to be more automated.

 

personally im waiting for the mosquito, p47 and corsair to release.

 

 

Well, for starters, it helps to know that you do not control the pitch on the current allied aircraft (Spit/Mustang at least), you control the RPM. The systems on the aircraft control the pitch. Realizing the difference will go a long way in understanding the aircraft better.

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Well, for starters, it helps to know that you do not control the pitch on the current allied aircraft (Spit/Mustang at least), you control the RPM. The systems on the aircraft control the pitch. Realizing the difference will go a long way in understanding the aircraft better.

 

I will add that only planes with ability to control pitch is BF-109 K-4 and FW-190 A-8.

So statement that allied planes have pitch control is just wrong right now.

In allied planes pitch control is part of the governor mechanism, and the pilot has no option to change it directly.(not all allied planes has this system, but planes we have in DCS are RPM governor type)

As Shahdoh said, thinking that allied planes has pitch control will impact very much your understanding of how this system works.


Edited by grafspee

System specs: I7 14700KF, Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Elite, 64GB DDR4 3600MHz, Gigabyte RTX 4090,Win 11, 48" OLED LG TV + 42" LG LED monitor

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Once again - tons of great advice. I moved my monitor last night, just to update my machine and get everything loaded. This looks like it's going to be a handful, but exactly what I'm looking for. I did find videos on the FT-51. All of this looks amazing. Zcrazyx - thanks for the offer for help - I'll definitely reach out if I get in a bind. I should have everything running this weekend.

 

Thanks again -

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Tail dragging makes Warbirds "special" for take off / landings. There's also a difficulty step TF-51D to Spitfire or I-16. It is a muscle memory hand eye coordination thing that can/must be learned.

 

I went TF-51D -> Spitfire -> I-16 and had great difficulty with each in order. Funny, going back from I-16 suddenly the Spitfire was very very easy and how did I ever have a problem with it?

 

Also funny. Every single person who have flown the real things (not just Warbirds and including helicopters) agrees the real things are easier. No biofeedback, limited vision (VR significantly better or so I'm told), short table joystick are limitations of simulations.

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Well, for starters, it helps to know that you do not control the pitch on the current allied aircraft (Spit/Mustang at least), you control the RPM. The systems on the aircraft control the pitch. Realizing the difference will go a long way in understanding the aircraft better.

 

yeah i was hastily typing and was thinking two seperate things at once, i meant prop pitch for different configs while flying, i.e cruise, landing, take off. while the governer will mantain the pitch once set it will only do so until the engine isnt at a high enough rpm to mantain it. hence it drops.

 

in the example of the spitfire it is very noticable on landing how much of a difference landing with the correct prop setting can make, the landing roll is further then with full prop setting.

 

took me a couple years to actually use the right setting cause i didnt bother to read the manual lol.

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Tail dragging makes Warbirds "special" for take off / landings. There's also a difficulty step TF-51D to Spitfire or I-16. It is a muscle memory hand eye coordination thing that can/must be learned.

 

I went TF-51D -> Spitfire -> I-16 and had great difficulty with each in order. Funny, going back from I-16 suddenly the Spitfire was very very easy and how did I ever have a problem with it?

 

Also funny. Every single person who have flown the real things (not just Warbirds and including helicopters) agrees the real things are easier. No biofeedback, limited vision (VR significantly better or so I'm told), short table joystick are limitations of simulations.

 

tend to agree with that sentiment in all aircraft, flown a few tiger moths, an extra, cessna 152/aerobat, 172, pa-28, t-6 harvard, dh chipmunk and a super cub in real life and if im being honestly its a similar situation with all regardless of if i use VR in the sim or not.

 

for me at least judging distances, height and airspeed is much easier in real life due to the feed back.

 

one thing i will say though is simming is very good for teaching you to fly with one or more senses dampened.

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yeah i was hastily typing and was thinking two seperate things at once, i meant prop pitch for different configs while flying, i.e cruise, landing, take off. while the governer will mantain the pitch once set it will only do so until the engine isnt at a high enough rpm to mantain it. hence it drops.

 

in the example of the spitfire it is very noticable on landing how much of a difference landing with the correct prop setting can make, the landing roll is further then with full prop setting.

 

took me a couple years to actually use the right setting cause i didnt bother to read the manual lol.

 

There we go, Governor is not maintaining pitch, governor is maintaining RPM via pitch.

This is example, how this miss idea(of changing pitch not RPM) making hard to understand constant speed props.

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The pitch still changes constantly, depending on your speed. Speed increases, pitch will increase. All to keep your requested MP AND RPM for the current speed.

 

MP doesn't matter. RPM is only governed thing. It will keep set rpm as long blade's pitch range will allow to.

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MP does matter, if it cant maintain the MP and RPM, the pitch will decrease. MORE MP will allow for more pitch.

 

But Governor is maintaining RPM only not RPM and MP.

Pitch will change with MP but, throttle is controlled by pilot not governor.

Pitch is changed only in order to prevent over speed or under speed set rpm, nothing more.


Edited by grafspee

System specs: I7 14700KF, Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Elite, 64GB DDR4 3600MHz, Gigabyte RTX 4090,Win 11, 48" OLED LG TV + 42" LG LED monitor

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All to keep your requested MP AND RPM for the current speed.

 

This is not governor's job.

Governor is only for RPM.

Automatic boost regulator, this one is maintaining requested MP.


Edited by grafspee

System specs: I7 14700KF, Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Elite, 64GB DDR4 3600MHz, Gigabyte RTX 4090,Win 11, 48" OLED LG TV + 42" LG LED monitor

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Ok, I realise we are actually saying the same thing, but from different perspectives.

 

In my statement, I am saying prop pitch is automatically controlled (did not say by what though) depending on 3 conditions: RPM requested, MP available and current speed of the aircraft.

 

You appear to agree to this but seem to have interpreted my statement as having stated exactly what is controlling the pitch.

 

If you still do not know what I mean, I suggest taking the mustang up and flying from F2 view. On the far right side of the data tape at the bottom of the screen, you will see your MP and Prop pitch values. Now, fly along at a set airspeed and take note. Then, throttle back and you will see the prop pitch decrease, not much, but it will, and as speed bleeds off, it will change some more. Increase MP (throttle) and you will watch that prop pitch increase again. All without changing RPM, whatever it was set to.

 

Now, climb or descent, not changing MP or RPM, and watch the prop pitch values change accordingly.

 

So, again, pitch is automatically controlled, depending on the combination of 3 values: RPM, MP available and speed of the aircraft.

 

Maybe this is an over simplified explanation, but it does react this way. There are plenty of articles out there that can go into the full explanation of how/why this works.


Edited by Shahdoh
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So, again, pitch is automatically controlled, depending on the combination of 3 values: RPM, MP available and speed of the aircraft.

 

 

This is wrong statement :).

Governor has only one input, which is engine RPM nothing more.

Blade pitch is affected by airspeed and MP but not controlled.

Governor has no idea what speed is or what MP engine is running.

I would add that AOA will impact pitch too, but there is no reason to find complete list of things which is affecting pitch.

Governor will govern set rpm for prop within pitch angle range which is 26-65 degrees i think, when blade pitch hit its max or min then we can expect over rev or under rev, what is exactly happening at landing approach as example.

System specs: I7 14700KF, Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Elite, 64GB DDR4 3600MHz, Gigabyte RTX 4090,Win 11, 48" OLED LG TV + 42" LG LED monitor

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Sigh, yes, you are getting to the very specifics. I am stating generally. Change ANY of the 3 values and you will see the pitch change. This is what I am getting at.

 

 

Did you do the test I suggested? What did you see?


Edited by Shahdoh
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Sigh, yes, you are getting to the very specifics. I am stating generally. Change ANY of the 3 values and you will see the pitch change. This is what I am getting at.

 

 

Did you do the test I suggested? What did you see?

 

Nah i am at work right now. But i know how it will react.

I will agree to this partially because not in every flight regine those variables will impact pitch. For exmaple when plane is on the ground and engine is idling rpm change will not affect pitch.

So the way how you explain it, makes it very difficult to understand that system.

I just throw every thing, and leave only important thing. Governor will govern speed within available blade pitch range, that's it, nothing more to add.


Edited by grafspee

System specs: I7 14700KF, Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Elite, 64GB DDR4 3600MHz, Gigabyte RTX 4090,Win 11, 48" OLED LG TV + 42" LG LED monitor

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