DCS P-51D QUESTIONS

[Mike Busutil]

You probably had takeoff assistance and or auto rudder turned on when you were flying by yourself. When you went online, the online mission may of had those turned off which is why it felt more sensitive.

 

If you are holding the stick back during takeoff make sure it is only a small amount and only while the tail wheel in on the ground. Once the tail comes up you will need to relax the control stick. Too much up elevator during takeoff can get you airborne early and or cause a stall.

[BitMaster]

You will need some stick time to get adjusted, that's absolutely normal.

 

In general, when you begin to learn any control over input devices, people tend do overdo the input and while they advance and skills develop you will notice that most of the time people start to give less input with a better timing than before and it looks not only smoother but a lot more

functional for what you intend to actually control, whatever that is, airplane, helicopter or caterpillar, crane.

 

First you have to become aware of what it needs to fight this or that, like ahhhhhh I now need some right rudder to keep her on track...but not that much....now too little..arghh .. and there you wobble down the runway. After 50 to 100 take-offs you should see a clear advance in your skills. With 1000+ take-offs you either got the feeling or will never learn it unless somebody watches your inputs and advices you like a flight instructor.

 

 

I think you basically know what flying is about in simple terms and are now confronted with the sheer amount of external and internal influences that you have to sense, control and counteract at the same time to keep ahead of the plane. It is no good if your mind flies 10 yards behind the train, that's when the wobble and zigzag things come up and basically the plane flies you and not you the plane.

 

What I do to realx my take offs in the P-51 is to dial in 5° right ruddder, that's all.

It says, in the ED manual, that this is the value for the first phase after take off but I think it also perfectly matches the general right rudder input for take-off.

I only need minimal rudder input to keep her straight, no zigzag.

 

Give it a try,...or better as many as you want until it's 2nd nature.

 

 

Bit

[Tucano_uy]

...no matter how slow I went holding the stick back to keep the tail on the ground...

 

 

I believe you may be stalling because you're lifting the main gear from the runway too early. It may be that you're keeping the tail wheel on the ground for too long, and because of the nose up attitude you get airborne too soon at a too low airspeed. 99% of the times you'll stall immediately. I had that problem for a very long time.

 

I would advise to let the tail wheel raise and KEEP THE MAIN GEAR on the runway until you pick enough speed (115Mph+ from the top of my head). You may even have to apply veeeery slight forward stick. Don't rush her of the ground.

[Zabuzard]

I believe you may be stalling because you're lifting the main gear from the runway too early. It may be that you're keeping the tail wheel on the ground for too long, and because of the nose up attitude you get airborne too soon at a too low airspeed. 99% of the times you'll stall immediately. I had that problem for a very long time.

 

I would advise to let the tail wheel raise and KEEP THE MAIN GEAR on the runway until you pick enough speed (115Mph+ from the top of my head). You may even have to apply veeeery slight forward stick. Don't rush her of the ground.

 

Takeoff tutorial:

[Alkaline]

Quick question.. I need the manual for TF-51D I got in DCS: World, but whenever I search for it, the P-51D comes up... Is it the same aircraft?... Cuz I havent bought it, but appearantly, I can fly the TF-51D in instant action...

[kontiuka]

Quick question.. I need the manual for TF-51D I got in DCS: World, but whenever I search for it, the P-51D comes up... Is it the same aircraft?... Cuz I havent bought it, but appearantly, I can fly the TF-51D in instant action...

The TF-51 is free in DCS World. It's essentially the same aircraft as the P-51 except the TF-51 has no weapons or aiming sight and no fuselage fuel tank.

[Vinny002]

Hi, guys!

 

Question for you, I checked out the P-51 performance data. The P-51 engine has gotten up to around 75-90 MP. Is it possible to get the MP to around 75-90 MP in DCS P-51D? Thanks!

 

Cheers,

Vincent

[kontiuka]

what exactly is take-off assistance anyway?

 

I don't use it but I'm curious what it does.

[Mike Busutil]

Hi, guys!

 

Question for you, I checked out the P-51 performance data. The P-51 engine has gotten up to around 75-90 MP. Is it possible to get the MP to around 75-90 MP in DCS P-51D? Thanks!

 

Cheers,

Vincent

 

 

Where did you find 75-90" Mp?

 

War Emergency at 3000 rpm will give you 67' MP & 1,595 HP.

[Mike Busutil]

I don't use it but I'm curious what it does.

 

 

- Takeoff assistant, This will help to maintain the runway heading, not to get off from the runway. The rudder pedals can be used to add user's control. The assistant's main role is similar to an experienced pilot's role - it shows proper rudder input during takeoff and 2-points landing. As you gain skill the assistant's input can be gradually reduced up to zero.

[Vinny002]

Hi, Mike Busutil!

 

I found 75-90" MP on the P-51D in http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org. Thanks!

 

Cheers,

Vincent

[Mike Busutil]

As far as I know the DCS P-51D is limited to only 67" with WEP. I have seen it higher but that was only after getting shot up and breaking parts...

 

From the DCS web page.

 

 

"War Emergency Power (WEP) mode, nominally limited to 5 minutes of operation. WEP can be mechanically implemented in a number of ways. The first option is to artificially lower the pressure acting on the aneroid by opening an escape line, resulting in an opening of the throttle valve by the regulator so as to “maintain” pressure – while in fact boosting it beyond the value set by the throttle handle. This method was used on early Mustangs, which featured a special control handle in the cockpit to engage WEP. Another option is to design the throttle linkage assembly such that the relay piston is in the fully closed position when the throttle handle is set to full military power. The pilot would then push the throttle handle past this setting into the WEP position, further opening the throttle valve and the relay piston would be unable to act upon it to close it. And the final option is to design the linkage system such that the throttle handle position past full military power would produce manifold pressure up to 67 or even 75 in.Hg.

 

Given the limitations of most HOTAS controllers used by virtual pilots, DCS Mustang will model the first method. This allows us to avoid having to rely on throttle detents or limit their range of movement in the pre-WEP range. As such, we will have a dedicated input command to engage WEP as a simulation of a cockpit control handle."

 

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/dev_journal/dcs_p_51d_mustang/

[Vinny002]

Hi, Mike Busutil!

 

That makes sense! Thanks!

 

Cheers,

Vincent

[ctguy1955]

You will need some stick time to get adjusted, that's absolutely normal.

 

In general, when you begin to learn any control over input devices, people tend do overdo the input and while they advance and skills develop you will notice that most of the time people start to give less input with a better timing than before and it looks not only smoother but a lot more

functional for what you intend to actually control, whatever that is, airplane, helicopter or caterpillar, crane.

 

First you have to become aware of what it needs to fight this or that, like ahhhhhh I now need some right rudder to keep her on track...but not that much....now too little..arghh .. and there you wobble down the runway. After 50 to 100 take-offs you should see a clear advance in your skills. With 1000+ take-offs you either got the feeling or will never learn it unless somebody watches your inputs and advices you like a flight instructor.

 

 

I think you basically know what flying is about in simple terms and are now confronted with the sheer amount of external and internal influences that you have to sense, control and counteract at the same time to keep ahead of the plane. It is no good if your mind flies 10 yards behind the train, that's when the wobble and zigzag things come up and basically the plane flies you and not you the plane.

 

What I do to realx my take offs in the P-51 is to dial in 5° right ruddder, that's all.

It says, in the ED manual, that this is the value for the first phase after take off but I think it also perfectly matches the general right rudder input for take-off.

I only need minimal rudder input to keep her straight, no zigzag.

 

Give it a try,...or better as many as you want until it's 2nd nature.

 

 

Bit

 

 

Thank You to all of the people who did respond back to me.

I am going totally nuts as I have run into so many situations

and cant get the best of both worlds.

 

 

Either I start up the flight sim and my new X52 allows me to use the lower POV

tophat to look around the cockpit and when I take off I do everything nice and slow

but still turn to the left and crash. I am doing everything Im suppose to and not

holding back on the stick over 100mph and no matter what, I crash.

 

OR I download some profiles I have found online, and my POV hat is setup

for just the weapons sighting and I cant look around the cockpit but the same

pov in other instances will only allow me to use it in outside the plane mode.

When I use the other profiles where I cant use my POV to look around, I can

take off every time no problem. The Saitek Forum is not allowing any new

registrations and so there is only so many places I can get help. I have now

had DCS for about 9 days and my new X52 for 3 or 4 days and I have tried

to program the pov switch to work with the downloaded profiles that allow

me to take off ok, and nothing works.

 

You have no idea how frustrating it is to spend so much time and not be

able to get ahead. I finally uninstalled the X52 software and just hope

I can use the DCS world control configure to help me.

 

Once I get up, Im doing pretty well with looping and turning and

enjoy my flight time, but I wish I could just put my whole system back

to stock config as then I have my POV switch to work. Trying to use

the right control shift and keypad numbers to start up the plane is a pain

 

************************* EDIT *****************************

 

 

I am happy to report that I was able to take the good things from one and put it in another profile

once I got rid of the saitek software it seems to be working now.

 

I have my POV switch setup and I have been able to take off 3 out of 5 times now

and I landed once really nice too !! ( I saved that trk for prosperity ).

 

I even was so bold as to go on a online server and take off and fly around

but on return I took a turn too sharp when landing and crashed.

 

I think the saitek software was really messing me up and now Im much

happier and just need tons of practice.

 

Thank You everyone !!!! Clear Skies !!!

Edited September 15, 2014 by ctguy1955

[ctguy1955]

- Takeoff assistant, This will help to maintain the runway heading, not to get off from the runway. The rudder pedals can be used to add user's control. The assistant's main role is similar to an experienced pilot's role - it shows proper rudder input during takeoff and 2-points landing. As you gain skill the assistant's input can be gradually reduced up to zero.

 

 

Thank You !!!

[98abaile]

Do I still need to lead with the gyro sight? I'm still struggling to hit anything.

[Buzzles]

Do I still need to lead with the gyro sight? I'm still struggling to hit anything.

 

Nope, providing you set range and size properly, all you need to do is get the centre dot on target.

 

Personally, I've assigned range increase and decrease to my stick for easy use when fighting as you adjust it constantly. Size is only really set rarely.

[kontiuka]

Size is only really set rarely.

Well, should be set before entering combat but you shouldn't have to touch it otherwise unless you're going up against wildly different target sizes like a mix of fighters and bombers.

[98abaile]

Nope, providing you set range and size properly, all you need to do is get the centre dot on target.

 

Personally, I've assigned range increase and decrease to my stick for easy use when fighting as you adjust it constantly. Size is only really set rarely.

Thanks. So how exactly does the gyro work then?

I assumed that it would show you where in space your rounds would go at the set range when you pull the trigger; the reason I asked about leading being that if you are shooting at a target flying oblique to you, the target would no longer be at that point in space when the rounds get there. I assumed that the gyro was only capable of computing your own inertia not the lead on the target.

[ZaltysZ]

Thanks. So how exactly does the gyro work then?

I assumed that it would show you where in space your rounds would go at the set range when you pull the trigger; the reason I asked about leading being that if you are shooting at a target flying oblique to you, the target would no longer be at that point in space when the rounds get there. I assumed that the gyro was only capable of computing your own inertia not the lead on the target.

 

Sights know your acceleration (from gyros) and distance to target (sight setting). They calculate the lead assuming that target has exactly (or almost) the same acceleration. In practice, if you want gyro sight to be useful, you have to set correct distance, get into the same plane of motion as target and match the Gs by steadily tracking the target (having dot on it). Then rounds will land directly on it.

 

P.S defense against such sight is simple - non uniform 3D maneuvering.

[Altflieger]

Think that sight gives 1 time of flight of bullet behind, i.e. if bullet is at target it will hit but if you fire now and target moves, you may miss depending on distance to target. This is further complicated by gun convergence settings. From memory P51 guns arranged to lands hits within 2m x 1m box at 250 yards, shorter or longer they should be less effective?

[ctguy1955]

P-51D Graphical User Interface Manual

 

Why do all of the other planes seem to have a GUI manual, but

not the P51D ????

[Flagrum]

Why do all of the other planes seem to have a GUI manual, but

not the P51D ????

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=2173412#post2173412 :huh:

[Zabuzard]

Why do all of the other planes seem to have a GUI manual, but

not the P51D ????

 

Thats not quite correct. Some like A-10C and Black-Shark have. The main reason is that these where selled as single standalone products back then (DCS World didn't exist there). So they need a manual to cover the GUI, now where all modules are covered in the game DCS World you would use the manual of DCS World.

 

The P-51D existed also as standalone but it was selled only as CD there and the manual did actually cover the GUI (have it here^^).

[ctguy1955]

Thank You all for answering my questions. The P-51 manual sure is very informative.