Spitfire cockpit lights

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flash2
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Joined: 12 Feb 2016, 15:50

Spitfire cockpit lights

Post by flash2 »

I can't get my cockpit lights to work. The two rotary knobs at the low center position of the instrument panel. They rotate on and off but the side lights don't illuminate.
Any clues?

John

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Nick - A2A
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Re: Spitfire cockpit lights

Post by Nick - A2A »

Hi John,

Please can you let us know which host sim you have the Spitfire installed in.

Also, is the generator switched on to keep the battery charged? What's the voltmeter on the panel showing?

Thanks,
Nick
A2A Simulations Inc.

flash2
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Joined: 12 Feb 2016, 15:50

Re: Spitfire cockpit lights

Post by flash2 »

Nick.
Host is MSFX Steam, Generator is on, voltage is 12 .5
It use to work but bulbs may need changing - hah!

John

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Nick - A2A
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Re: Spitfire cockpit lights

Post by Nick - A2A »

Okay, thanks John.

When you load FSX, are you using one of the stock aircraft for the default flight? Saving complex add-ons for your default flight can sometimes have odd side effects.

Nick
A2A Simulations Inc.

flash2
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Joined: 12 Feb 2016, 15:50

Re: Spitfire cockpit lights

Post by flash2 »

Thanks Nick,

That was suggested once before for another problem and I have since gotten away from it. Cockpit lights are missing on MK I and MK II so I'm sure you are right. Will try now.

John

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Nick - A2A
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Re: Spitfire cockpit lights

Post by Nick - A2A »

Thanks John,

Hopefully reverting your default flight will fix it, but let us know how you get on.

Nick
A2A Simulations Inc.

flash2
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Posts: 148
Joined: 12 Feb 2016, 15:50

Re: Spitfire cockpit lights

Post by flash2 »

Nick,

Nope! It didn't work and I was certain it would. Installed P51 MSFX plane and set as Default and tried multiple ways. Turned off MSFX and on again and P51 does come up as default plane and opened up to fly and closed again and restarted computer and tried MKII again turning on nav. lights and cabin/panel lights with no success. Stumped!

John

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Nick - A2A
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Re: Spitfire cockpit lights

Post by Nick - A2A »

John,

Could you try just reverting your FSX flight back to the original default? You can do this by going to the "Documents\Flight Simulator X Files" folder and then deleting any files except Logbook.BIN. (In fact, best to just move the files rather than delete them, in case you wish to restore them.)

If this doesn't work, the next step would be to try resetting the Spitfire back to its default state. To do this, you can delete (or just move) the files in "Documents\A2A\FSX\Spitfire".

Thanks,
Nick
A2A Simulations Inc.

flash2
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Posts: 148
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Re: Spitfire cockpit lights

Post by flash2 »

Nick,

I am totally embarrassed as I decided to fly the plane at night in total darkness before going any further and find that the cockpit lights do work in red and not very bright and that there are no instrument lights other than the gear up or down indicator. Sorry for causing you additional work. I wondered however why the landing lights are port and starboard only and not both. I have been flying at Dusk on occasion when the cockpit lights are too dim to notice if on or off. Is there any control of the lighting intensity or instrument lighting for low light conditions? I do not intend to fly the Spitfire at night in total darkness and assume it was not designed to do that.

Thank you for your patience and efforts.

John

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Nick - A2A
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Re: Spitfire cockpit lights

Post by Nick - A2A »

Hey, no worries John. :)

To be honest, it's been a while since I've flown the Spit in FSX so I can't be sure of the night lighting intensity, but perhaps it's a bit less than in P3Dv4 with its dynamic lighting.

In terms of the design of the landing lamp switches and the overall panel lighting in the real aircraft, I'm afraid I'm not well qualified to answer, but I don't believe the type was ideally suited or that widely used for night flying in the war. Geoffrey Wellum memorably writes in First Light about pranging a Spit when trying to make a night landing.

Maybe Darryl will drop in with a historical perspective on the question...

Cheers,
Nick
A2A Simulations Inc.

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Killratio
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Re: Spitfire cockpit lights

Post by Killratio »

Historically, the instruments faces contained a radium highlight on some of the numbers and the needles. That was sufficient for night flying by which I mean, it was as good as it got. The Spitfire was notoriously unsuited to night flying as the exhaust flames tended to kill any and all night vision. Flash shields were mounted over the exhausts for testing but not very successful. The cockpit lights are also of limited value, not covering anything like the full panel and whilst somewhat adjustable on the port side, very limited movement on the starboard, restricted to choosing between fuel and engine gauges really. In general, avoid flying at night like the plague.

Wellum had a lucky escape pranging at night and I believe the deep depression in Bob Doe's face was due to a night landing accident.

My own pet project K9817 suffered a crash in a night landing at Leconfield in August 1940. This necessitated a trip to AST Limited for repairs in excess of what could be performed on Squadron.

Landing lights... I suspect classic British over engineering.... we need a light on each wing. We have one pneumatic system to put them down, so both at once.We have limited current available in the system. We have some old centre off, three way car switches. Bingo!
<Sent from my 1988 Sony Walkman with Dolby Noise Reduction and 24" earphone cord extension>


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Nick - A2A
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Re: Spitfire cockpit lights

Post by Nick - A2A »

Thanks Darryl. :) Always good to read your insights on topics like this one. :)

Nick
A2A Simulations Inc.

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Killratio
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Re: Spitfire cockpit lights

Post by Killratio »

For interest's sake Nick... Brian Lane:

"Even in good moonlight and when conditions were favourable all the senses need to be alert"

"I throttled back as I came down the left hand side of the flare-path and as I reached the end, checked the speed on the luminous airspeed indicator and pulled down the flap lever.
The aircraft slowed and the nose dropped as the flaps came down, and feeling for the rheostat control I turned it until the faint orange glow from the hooded lamp lit up the the
airspeed indicator and altimetre so that I could read them more easily."
<Sent from my 1988 Sony Walkman with Dolby Noise Reduction and 24" earphone cord extension>


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