Holysh*** - why didn’t you guys tell me?

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Slick09
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Holysh*** - why didn’t you guys tell me?

Post by Slick09 »

So I’ve been an A2A customer from back in the FSX days, the Cub, the C-182, and now in P3Dv5, I fly all the same aircraft and have added the Bo. LOve em all. I downloaded the P-40 when you guys offered it for free at the beginning of the pandemic, for one reason or another i never installed it. Well that changed this week, i installed it a week ago and then read up on how to get her up and running. I started her this afternoon and i was blown away by the sound. WOW!!! I had to run out so I didn’t get a chance to take off and fly, that will come tomorrow. Does the P-51 sound/look/ and fly as good as the P-40? If you guys say so, i will be adding her to the stable next week. Can’t believe I’ve been missing out on flying these fantastic creations.

Quick question on the ground steering for the P-40, i had a hard time turning without differential braking. When I looked in the mirror I noticed that if the aircraft is stopped and i apply left/right rudder pedals, the rudder moves accordingly, but once i start moving when i apply the rudder pedals the rudder barely moves left or right, and consequently, i can’t seem to steer with with the tail wheel. Is this correct or am I missing a tail wheel lock or something?

Anyway can’t wait to get this bird in the sky tomorrow.

Richard

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gulredrel
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Re: Holysh*** - why didn’t you guys tell me?

Post by gulredrel »

Yes, supercharger gearing whining of the Allison sounds great even at the ground.

Regarding steering and rudder, have you checked, that auto-rudder is turned OFF in P3D realism settings?

Regards
Jens
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TreeTops
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Re: Holysh*** - why didn’t you guys tell me?

Post by TreeTops »

Hey Richard,
So you are finally getting into the warbirds at last. You absolulely will love the P-51 if you love the P-40.
Some basic differences from the P-40 to the P-51 is that the P-40 being an ealier model is more manual controls than the P-51, like the gear pump and wobble fuel pump.
The P-51 has its very own sound and its every bit as awesome as the P-40. It has a monster engine and prop which sends most newbie pilots off into the weeds on the left side of the runway. This is to be expected and is actually easily controlled once you have the take off procedure sorted. There are a squillion posts about this experience and is quiet funny to read them when they pop up every few months. Dont let this put you off buying it as its a dream to fly.
I am guessing you have a set of pedals along with your yoke? Pedals are really a prerequisite for a plane of this performance.
The P-51 comes with 2 options, the civilian and military varients. Some puriest only want to fly the military version which has the gunsight installed, external fuel tanks can be added, but it has no autopilot. The civilian version has the autopilot, the instrument cluster is rearranged to suit IFR flying, but has no external tanks. Both versions have the auxilary tank behind the pilot, which if full, will really have you on your toes with stalls.
The civilian version makes for a wonderful cross country tourer with its capabilties of speed, distance and agility if you like to do some valley runs, yet has the autopilot for those longer legs where you would like a break.

Then there is also the T-6 trainer which you may not have looked at. It has amazing sounds from the radial. It only does 120 knots or so in cruise but feels lovely in the air.
The kicker with the T-6 is the landings with the tailwheel. It has been super tuned to behave just like the real ones and the tyres actually bite into the tarmac and can easily do ground loops if you are not careful.
It is said that if a pilot can fly the T-6, they can fly any of the fighter planes. The perfect plane for taking your aircraft handing to the next level.
Cheers
Trev

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MkIV Hvd
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Re: Holysh*** - why didn’t you guys tell me?

Post by MkIV Hvd »

Slick09 wrote: 04 Mar 2021, 21:34 Quick question on the ground steering for the P-40, i had a hard time turning without differential braking. When I looked in the mirror I noticed that if the aircraft is stopped and i apply left/right rudder pedals, the rudder moves accordingly, but once i start moving when i apply the rudder pedals the rudder barely moves left or right, and consequently, i can’t seem to steer with with the tail wheel. Is this correct or am I missing a tail wheel lock or something?

Anyway can’t wait to get this bird in the sky tomorrow.

Richard
gulredrel wrote: 05 Mar 2021, 02:08 Yes, supercharger gearing whining of the Allison sounds great even at the ground.

Regarding steering and rudder, have you checked, that auto-rudder is turned OFF in P3D realism settings?

Regards
Jens
There is no rudder or control lock on the P40, so if it’s not what Jens suggested there’s an issue. The P40’s ground handling characteristics are really good and with the huge rudder it feels like power tailwheel steering to me :mrgreen:

You may want to move that question to a separate post in the P-40 Tech section if you haven’t resolved it yet. Just don’t try to fix it with multiple uninstall/reinstalls of the airplane before you get with Nick or Lewis to sort it out (which they certainly will), as that can apparently mask or create issues. :wink:

Cheers,
Rob
Rob Wilkinson
A2A: Civilian Mustang, T-6, Bonanza, Comanche, Cub, C182, Spitfire, P-40, Cherokee, P-51 - VATSIM P4 and some other stuff...

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Piper_EEWL
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Re: Holysh*** - why didn’t you guys tell me?

Post by Piper_EEWL »

The P-51 sounds different but also amazing! That Packard Merlin is an absolut joy to listen to! I’m sure you wouldn’t regret getting the Mustang.
B377&COTS, J3 Cub, B-17G, Spitfire, P-40, P-51D, C172, C182, Pa28, Pa24, T-6 Texan, L-049&COTS, Bonanza V35B

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Lewis - A2A
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Re: Holysh*** - why didn’t you guys tell me?

Post by Lewis - A2A »

Glad you are loving it!!! 8) 8)

For the rudder, yes check you don't have auto rudder on in the realism settings would be the first thing to double check.

thanks,
Lewis
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Slick09
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Re: Holysh*** - why didn’t you guys tell me?

Post by Slick09 »

I got my got my ground steering issue sorted out. I had copied the FSUIPC profile from the PMDG 777 profile and customize it for the P-40 but I forgot to kill off the tiller axis. I’m all good there.

I took her out yesterday for an evening flight - just cruising around 6000 feet, what a pleasure. One question though, I started her up and had the reserve tank selected. I never did switch to another tank and on final at about 1000 feet the engine sputtered and died on me (gear down, flaps down and all kinds of drag). I was able to quickly switch to the fuselage tank and she sputtered back to life. Is there a gauge somewhere for the reserve tank or is it a tank only used for startup? In other words do you only use the fuselage and wing tanks for flight planning purposes?

Couldn’t wait till next week, I bought the civilian P-51 yesterday. Haven’t flown her yet, haven’t even started her up, I just sat in the cockpit yesterday checking it out. Got some more reading to do and videos to watch before I take her out for a spin.

Richard

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ratty
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Re: Holysh*** - why didn’t you guys tell me?

Post by ratty »

The Reserve is the overflow tank for the excess fuel in the system, so with full tanks you use from that first to avoid pumping fuel overboard. (The P-51 is the same way.) After you've used "enough" you switch to the next tank. I go to the Fuselage tank, as the weight of that fuel has the most deleterious effect on handling. After you've used that and the Wing tank, the Reserve is what you have left. And no, there's no gauge.

There's discussion elsewhere in this forum about fuel usage that might help.

Enjoy the Mustang!
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MkIV Hvd
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Re: Holysh*** - why didn’t you guys tell me?

Post by MkIV Hvd »

ratty wrote: 07 Mar 2021, 22:41 The Reserve is the overflow tank for the excess fuel in the system, so with full tanks you use from that first to avoid pumping fuel overboard. (The P-51 is the same way.)...
As ratty said, there's no gauge for the reserve tank so the timer in your head must be working whenever you're using that fuel. Also as ratty said there's a good discussion or two around here on the most effective use of the fuel in the P40.

However, I don't believe that the P51 has that same fuel return characteristic, rather simple tank to engine operation from whichever tank is selected. I am certainly willing to be proven wrong about that, but I've never seen anything about it in a manual on the airplane...of which I have skimmed quite a few! :wink:

Do enjoy the P51!! It's initially a handful, but getting comfortable with her has been the most satisfying sim experience I've ever had...and it's ongoing and still "To be continued"...!! 8) :mrgreen:

Cheers,
Rob
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ratty
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Re: Holysh*** - why didn’t you guys tell me?

Post by ratty »

MkIV Hvd wrote: 08 Mar 2021, 08:53
ratty wrote: 07 Mar 2021, 22:41 The Reserve is the overflow tank for the excess fuel in the system, so with full tanks you use from that first to avoid pumping fuel overboard. (The P-51 is the same way.)...
As ratty said, there's no gauge for the reserve tank so the timer in your head must be working whenever you're using that fuel. Also as ratty said there's a good discussion or two around here on the most effective use of the fuel in the P40.

However, I don't believe that the P51 has that same fuel return characteristic . . .
I think you're probably right, Rob, even the A2A manual says to start on the Fuselage tank if there's fuel in it. However, I just did a little test hop with empty Left and Fuselage tanks, 30 gallons in the Right. I got back ten minutes later with 20 gallons in the Right tank - and one gallon in the Left.

Some years back as I was flying the Cherokee around the world, I noticed that fuel in the left tank could increase in flight. I pointed this out in the forums and they told me it had been modelled on the Mustang and they fixed it. Could it be that the 'Stang got modelled on the P-40 and "inherited" this characteristic? Do you want to tell them, or shall I? :D
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WB_FlashOver
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Re: Holysh*** - why didn’t you guys tell me?

Post by WB_FlashOver »

Welcome to the best simming around :D . If A2A did one GA to every two Warbirds that would be best. Sure the GA's hold my interest for a while but flying history is where it's at for me. There is nothing like the sound of a radial engine or a giant V12. Of the A2A Fighter squadron I think I enjoy the P-40 the most. She's a hands-on aircraft that will not let you trim out and then go make a sandwich. You gotta stay with her and encourage her to stay the course 8) . Yet she is like a sports car that handles like a dream.

Enjoy
Roger
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MkIV Hvd
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Re: Holysh*** - why didn’t you guys tell me?

Post by MkIV Hvd »

ratty wrote: 08 Mar 2021, 18:58 I think you're probably right, Rob, even the A2A manual says to start on the Fuselage tank if there's fuel in it. However, I just did a little test hop with empty Left and Fuselage tanks, 30 gallons in the Right. I got back ten minutes later with 20 gallons in the Right tank - and one gallon in the Left.

Some years back as I was flying the Cherokee around the world, I noticed that fuel in the left tank could increase in flight. I pointed this out in the forums and they told me it had been modelled on the Mustang and they fixed it. Could it be that the 'Stang got modelled on the P-40 and "inherited" this characteristic? Do you want to tell them, or shall I? :D
Well I'm certainly always willing to be proven wrong because it's a poor day when you don't learn something!

By the way I did my own test last evening by accident. I took off from Monterey and visited a bunch of airports on the way to Fortuna and I forgot to switch tanks :oops: I didn't run one dry but I took off with 60 gallon per side and after :45 minutes I had 15 in the right tank and still 60 in the left. That seems to indicate no fuel transfer but at the rate you mentioned, it would have been only 2 gallons anyway...likely not noticeable on the gauge and I didn't look at the Shift4 menu...

Anyway, I'm confused so ya, now that you mention it I think that's a good point and there's very likely an issue and I think you should be the one to tell them... :mrgreen:

Cheers,
Rob
Rob Wilkinson
A2A: Civilian Mustang, T-6, Bonanza, Comanche, Cub, C182, Spitfire, P-40, Cherokee, P-51 - VATSIM P4 and some other stuff...

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