DCS: P-51D Basic aerobatic maneuvers, video tutorial

[kobac]

I checked YT and nowhere could I find a decent video tutorial that explains - display (with speech or subtitling) from the cockpit, how to make Basic aerobatic maneuvers - a loop, roll, barrel roll, split-S, etc. What is the minimum altitude, which is the speed at the beginning of the maneuver, how much load "G"should be kept during the maneuver, what is done - how to move flight controls? ...

 

Would someone like to make something like that?

 

To me sometimes succeed loop, and sometimes fall into a tailspin, and because of that, I wanted to see how it's done properly.

 

I hope that this title will have an nice epilogue ...

[ShuRugal]

for any looping maneuver, I always start with at least 300 MPH IAS. The P-51 has a corner-speed of about 280, so 300+ will give you enough overhead that you should be slowing down into your cornering speed as you approach vertical, which will let you pull over the top fast enough to not end up tailsliding. The real trick with a loop is to not pull too much elevator, as you'll end up snap-rolling (or even torque-rolling) out of it.

 

of course, this makes for a very pear-shaped loop. I have no idea how to fly a nice pretty circular loop.

 

Rolling is easy: nose up 5-10 degrees, full left aileron (no need to fight the engine torque), then feed in right rudder, down elevator, left rudder, and up eleavtor as you come around (IE: keep the nose from dropping under the horizon).

 

Barrel roll is similar, but with back elevator throughout, might need a little opposite rudder, definitely will at the start.

 

Split S is crazy easy, any speed, roll inverted, lots of back elevator. Just don't pull so much elevator you end up snapping out of it. expect to lose 500-1000 ft minimum (more if you enter at higher airspeed).

 

Immelman... also easy. 300+ IAS, half loop up, roll out on top with ailerons. again, don't overdo the elevator.

[Blech]

Hi,

 

I learned a lot from this video - with extern / cockpit views

 

DCS: P-51D/TF-51D Mustang - Aerobatics (Tutorial)

[VH-Rock]

Hi Kobac,

 

Aerobatics in the P-51 is great fun when you get the hang of it!

 

Aerobatics in the Mustang is all about energy management and being smooth with the controls. For the record, I usually use max constant (46" Manifold Pressure, 2700 RPM with the radiators set to automatic). When flying loops, or anything vertical for that matter, I usually use an entry speed of 350Mph and pull up from about 150 feet. The altitude on top of the loop should be 3500 ft. Rolls are relatively simple - Pitch nose up 5 - 10° at 250mph or above and use full left / right aileron.

 

I've attached a video of me flying aerobatics in the P-51 with both external and helmet cam views.

 

[kobac]

Thank you all for the explanation, and Blech & VH-Rock on YT video, nice flying. But I had in mind video tutorial. Something like that is made VH-Rock, but just vice versa look - a large view from the cockpit and possibly a small screen - external view. Additionally it would be good either an voice explanation of: how much fuel set, speed, altitude, MFP, RPM, how to move the flight controls if and when you add a left-right rudder in maneuvers, also press RCTRL+ENTER so we can see what you do with the joystick, throttle and pedals.

THX

 

Edit: Ah now I remembered, it would be good to put your pictures for joystick axis control and curve adjustment. :joystick:

Edited June 22, 2014 by kobac

[Zabuzard]

Strange you didn't find some, there are some! I did one too covering all maneuvers that came to my mind:

 

 

Watch with annotations turned on (there are 2 extra maneuvers linked at the beginning and end)

Edited June 23, 2014 by Zabuza

[Python]

Hi Kobac,

 

Aerobatics in the P-51 is great fun when you get the hang of it!

 

I love your videos man, I've always wished you would make more tutorials etc and you should certainly double up your videos... one from the cockpit view, and a second video for third person, I'd love to see both perspectives in full view. I love the P-51 but am still very much trying to learn how to manage the engine, especially when in Combat or trying to display the thing. It usually ends in a non spinning prop for me...

[kobac]

@zabuza TY, but c'mon man rudder turn! :music_whistling:

 

I know my english is not the best, but how do you not understand what I want?! I want cockpit view with controls indicator enabled. Something like VH-Rock is made but reverse view (big cockpit view, and small external view).

 

You all give me links with external views. :doh:

 

I guess I'll have to find VH-Rock online and to be stick to his wing :pilotfly:

[VH-Rock]

Hi Guys,

 

Sorry, it's been a busy couple of days.

 

I'm afraid we've never really looked at teaching aerobatics before. I have trained people to fly formation aerobatics before, but that is usually on an individual basis and depends entirely on how much time I have. The reason I've never looked at tutorials before is that, for me atleast, aerobatics is more about flying with feel and not by numbers... I'll be honest, when we fly our routine, I only really look at the entry speed for the first loop. The rest of the time, I'm flying by feel. Generally, I can tell when something isn't right or if we're a little slow and, if that becomes apparent, I'll look at the gauges to see what we can do.

 

I'll explain a little further... During our routine, we fly 2 loops; one at the start and one right near the end. When we first run in, we're still holding roughly 50% of fuel. By the end of the routine, we're down to around 30%. That means that we have 25% fuel in the right hand tank and only 5% in the left hand wing tank. The process for doing a perfectly straight loop is quite different at the start and end of our routine. The other thing is that the entry speed, how much you pull, how quickly the onset of the pull is, when you choose to apply the rudder etc... can all effect the outcome of the loop.

 

Simply put, there is no simple way to say do X, Y or Z and you will fly a perfect loop every time. Perhaps in older sims it was possible, but certainly not in DCS. The best tip you can possibly give you is to just get time in the aircraft and develop a feel for her. Once you understand the Mustang, she's so easy to fly :)

 

I'll be happy to fly with you guys if you can catch me online. If you don't know, along with Pman, I own the Virtual Aerobatics Public Server that's up 24/7. Our teamspeak is virtual-aerobatics.teamspeak3.com. There are some very experienced P-51 pilots that frequent the server and our teamspeak server who are more than happy to help new pilots (on all aircraft), along with myself and Pman when we get time to fly.

 

One thing we're looking at doing is adding much more cockpit footage to our videos and live displays.

[Zabuzard]

@zabuza TY, but c'mon man rudder turn! :music_whistling:

 

I know my english is not the best, but how do you not understand what I want?! I want cockpit view with controls indicator enabled. Something like VH-Rock is made but reverse view (big cockpit view, and small external view).

 

Well the vid goes 20min, theres plenty more than just a rudder turn... (it's covering all maneuvers that came to my mind and even 2 extra maneuvers are linked). The video shows external view AND internal view with instructions how to do it (turn YT annotations on).

Sry thought the video might help you^^

[kobac]

@Zabuza: I didn't meant no harm. Your video is very instructive, and I looked again. In fact, the tutorial is great just missing controls indicator. Does some maneuvers should not end at approximately the same altitude, speed and heading? I'll have to study, all amount of height losses in vertical maneuvers, to see what are the minimum height at which could to safely begin maneuvers.

By the way I wonder how you turn on smoke. I haven't seen in controls there is the button for smoke.

 

I'll definitely have to visit one of the virtual aerobatics servers.

[Zabuzard]

Nevermind :)

Yeah the video is meant for beginners, if you like to go pro you definitely should visit virtual aerobatics and train with someone there!

 

You can turn on the smoke via the 'Bomb arming switchs' it toogles between on and off if you switch to 'Arm'.

 

If you want to have more colors for smoke than just red you need to change sth. in the P-51Ds data files:

 

Goto DCS World\Scripts\Database\planes\P-51D.lua

Add the following to every pylon you want to

 

{ CLSID = "{A4BCC903-06C8-47bb-9937-A30FEDB4E741}" },

{ CLSID = "{A4BCC903-06C8-47bb-9937-A30FEDB4E742}" },

{ CLSID = "{A4BCC903-06C8-47bb-9937-A30FEDB4E743}" },

{ CLSID = "{A4BCC903-06C8-47bb-9937-A30FEDB4E744}" },

{ CLSID = "{A4BCC903-06C8-47bb-9937-A30FEDB4E745}" },

{ CLSID = "{A4BCC903-06C8-47bb-9937-A30FEDB4E746}" },

 

The weapon data is located at DCS World\Scripts\Database\db_weapons_data.lua

 

This will add the smoke pods from the other planes to the pylons of the P-51D. In the weapons database you can look up which name which pod is.

Edited June 24, 2014 by Zabuza

[kobac]

Thank you Zabuza. :thumbup:

[Buckeye]

Nevermind :)

Yeah the video is meant for beginners, if you like to go pro you definitely should visit virtual aerobatics and train with someone there!

 

 

The video will be great for me as a new pilot, thank you for posting! :thumbup:

[Pman]

Just to build on what Rock was saying.

 

Your best bet for abit of flying tutorial is to jump into the Virtual Aerobatics teamspeak and just ask someone.

 

Rock and I are normally on the server a couple of times a week throwing the Mustang around.

 

Speed control is crucial to accurate aerobatic displays. Getting the correct rudder trim set is also crucial as without it you will be slipping and sliding round everything increasing the drag of the aircraft and screwing up your speed control.

 

Practice makes perfect, Sadly I dont have time to make videos as you suggest, my evenings are busy enough as it is haha

 

Pman

[Pman]

Does some maneuvers should not end at approximately the same altitude, speed and heading? I'll have to study, all amount of height losses in vertical maneuvers, to see what are the minimum height at which could to safely begin maneuvers.

 

Loops should have the same entry speed and exit speed, altitude and heading.

 

Barrel rolls should have the same heading, speed and altitude as well, although you will be 100ft to the left or right of the plane of travel.

 

Aileron rolls (what you were speaking of before) 5-10 degrees nose up and slam the stick one way or the other. Balancing with push and rudder just negates the slight incline. You dont have to do this to pull a good Aileron roll.

 

Things like 4 points etc you just have to pull up enough to give yourself time to perform the turns. Trying to balance the rudder etc on one of those is a waste of time which is why the real display pilots just pull up abit before doing them.

 

Hammerheads and Cubans are abit more complicated and best explained as being performed.

 

Pman

[kobac]

When you mention setting commands, here's how I found that best suits to me. Is that right, or did you set up differently?

[too-cool]

Strange you didn't find some, there are some! I did one too covering all maneuvers that came to my mind:

 

 

Watch with annotations turned on (there are 2 extra maneuvers linked at the beginning and end)

how do I copy your video's to view offline? Thanks TC

[Zabuzard]

There should be some extensions for your browser or programs to download videos from youtube onto your disk. Just google around :)

[kobac]

VH-Rock & Pman, I've been coming for three days to your server and can't meet with you. It would be good if mission makers set up TWR frequency for P-51D, and if each plane had a different skin. TY

[Shahdoh]

H'lo Kobac,

I help admin on the VA server. The VA server uses Easy comms so setting up twr frequencies are not required, just open the comm menu and select the appropriate tower and it should work. In that regard though, the in game ATC really does a poor job dealing with a multiplayer situation like the VA, so I recommend using F10 map view, and look at the airport in question yourself to see what the traffic is like, and go when it is clear.

 

As far as skins go, each aircraft does have a unique skin, but we use a lot of custom skins, showcasing some of the best skins out there. They need to be downloaded from either the VA site, DCS user files or Lock On download section. Also note, any custom P51 skin also works on the TF-51, just need to copy the applicable folders/files from your P51 livery o the TF51 livery. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

The problem with this is, if people do not have the custom skin, they see the default one, thus looking like they are all the same.

 

Happy flying, Salute!

Shahdoh

[kobac]

OK, TY Shahdoh.