P-40 engine management

[senseispcc]

P-40 engine management

I have many difficulties to manage the engine of the P-40!

First of all, the fact that there are no keys for the setting of the auto rich or auto lean in the game?! So the only way to do it is to fuel pressure keys but it is not the same! Is it? “Auto” does have no meaning like in the German aircrafts?

Second it is the only plane that I know where the combat speed is slower than the continuous speed?! Strange is it not?!  Before the last patch this was not the case or was it?

And last this plane in the game is so heavy it does not climb at all it needs a long time and distance to reach the same altitude than even bombers?

Even if I do not touch the propeller pitch or fuel pressure the engine does destroy itself in less than five minutes.

It is the only plane I have this difficulty with so maybe it is me or maybe it is the plane?!

[Jade_Monkey]

Im learning to love this plane.

 

 

You have to watch the pressure constantly because it will change drastically if you go into a climb or a dive. So unlike the other planes, you have to have your hand on the throttle and keep the pressure between the two green lines in the indicator.

 

I try keeping the needle as close to the upper bound as possible.

 

As Rekt said, RPM should be around 2600 to keep the engine from exploding.

[BlitzPig_EL]

There are a couple things going on here.

 

One is how the developers have chosen to model exceeding engine operating limits.  In the real world if you use the 5 minute emergency power, for example, your engine did not seize like it was controlled by clockwork if you went beyond that five minutes.  It meant that when you got back to base your engine would require more extensive maintenance.  Engines in real life are NOT on a timer that causes them to blow up if a certain time limit at a certain power level is exceeded.

This is a gamey solution to a problem only seen in flight sim games, that is people flying around at full throttle all the time.  Unfortunately it affects some planes much more than others.  The real Allison engine in the P40 was very robust and would not blow up as it does in the game.

 

The other are the very low limits the devs chose to model the P40's Allison V1710 at.  The manifold pressure/rpm limitations they used are what the US Army Air Corps used for training limits here at home.  In use by the US and the Commonwealth nations, the Allison V1710 was run continuously at more than 40" of manifold regularly, and reliably.

 

And lastly the P40 was not a great climber, as it was heavy compared to the point interceptor types like the 109 and Spitfire, which did not have the range of the P 40, for one, or it's robust construction.

 

I am hopeful that if we move to other theaters that the P40 will get the proper engine limits, and that the devs can find a better solution that simply putting a time bomb on the engine to restrict their use above the arbitrarily low limits that are on them now.

[6./ZG26_Gielow]

P40 ?!

 

OP40 !!     

 

The plane is awesome now. A real killer.

 

But you really need to have a muscle memory on throttles and propellers.  

 

Look for the green bars on the dials for climb and cruise.  I usually keep 2600 rpm and yellow arc most of the time.

 

 

Combat settings: you can go 3000 rpm (100%) and 42 inches. Dont worry about propellers in combat, just push it foward.

The trick is about throttle. It changes with altitude/attitude.  When diving reduce it a little. When climbing push foward. A throttle quadrant like the saitek one is a great tool for the OP40.

 

Dont forget to keep your cowl flaps between zero and 10%.

 

Trimming is another challenge. This plane needs trimming all the time. To recover from long dives you will need trimm for sure.  

 

Imagine if devs power up the engine a bit more as some people claim. The only weak spot for me so far is the climb rate, everything else is OP. 

 

Another hint is to do what I did. An entire week of P40 flights to really get her in your blood. Don´t touch any other plane until you are fine.

This plane proves the FMs high level that Devs have achieved. 

 

 

PS.: Maybe you should use the techno chat until you get the muscle memory on all those phases of flight.

Edited August 23, 2016 by 6./ZG26_Gielow

[BlitzPig_EL]

The P40 is OP?

 

I've never heard anyone say that before, not even me and I love the real P40.

 

It was never OP, it was always just a solid, quite maneuverable, and robust aircraft, that performed well at low to medium altitudes, and did quite well as a ground attack aircraft later in it's long career.

[6./ZG26_Gielow]

It is a killer for sure:

 

http://il2stat.aviaskins.com:8008/en/sortie/log/929878/?tour=13

I've been afraid of going over 2600...hiw long have you been able to run 3000 when you keep the MAP under 42"?

Thanks. And OP-40 LOL, I like that.

I think You can keep it 3000rpm 42 or 43" for at least 5 minutes. It is a lot of time for a dogfight.  I only use that when I engage fighters.

 

The engine is really reliable and never broke down on a dogfight. Dont forget to open radiators to 10% when go to combat settings.

[Jade_Monkey]

It is a killer for sure:

 

http://il2stat.aviaskins.com:8008/en/sortie/log/929878/?tour=13

 

I think You can keep it 3000rpm 42 or 43" for at least 5 minutes. It is a lot of time for a dogfight. I only use that when I engage fighters.

 

The engine is really reliable and never broke down on a dogfight. Dont forget to open radiators to 10% when go to combat settings.

Sounds good! Hopefully it can fly above 280kph for more than 5 seconds with those settings.

[No601_Swallow]

There are a couple things going on here.

 

One is how the developers have chosen to model exceeding engine operating limits.  In the real world if you use the 5 minute emergency power, for example, your engine did not seize like it was controlled by clockwork if you went beyond that five minutes.  It meant that when you got back to base your engine would require more extensive maintenance.  Engines in real life are NOT on a timer that causes them to blow up if a certain time limit at a certain power level is exceeded.

This is a gamey solution to a problem only seen in flight sim games, that is people flying around at full throttle all the time.  Unfortunately it affects some planes much more than others.  The real Allison engine in the P40 was very robust and would not blow up as it does in the game.

 

The other are the very low limits the devs chose to model the P40's Allison V1710 at.  The manifold pressure/rpm limitations they used are what the US Army Air Corps used for training limits here at home.  In use by the US and the Commonwealth nations, the Allison V1710 was run continuously at more than 40" of manifold regularly, and reliably.

 

And lastly the P40 was not a great climber, as it was heavy compared to the point interceptor types like the 109 and Spitfire, which did not have the range of the P 40, for one, or it's robust construction.

 

I am hopeful that if we move to other theaters that the P40 will get the proper engine limits, and that the devs can find a better solution that simply putting a time bomb on the engine to restrict their use above the arbitrarily low limits that are on them now.

 

A really clear description of the aircraft. I've learnt a lot about the P40 from this. Brilliant. (I also liked it when you said it isn't as good as the Spit  )

[BlitzPig_EL]

Well that is the truth of it, sorta.

 

The early Hawk 81s could out turn the Spit below 15,000ft. and were pretty much on par with a Spit Mk. I's level speed at those altitudes, and it had a considerably faster roll rate than the Spit or the 109.

 

Of course above the P40's critical altitude the Spit would run away from it.

[4thFG_Cap_D_Gentile]

 

 

Plenty of accounts about Allied pilots being frustrated about the 109 always being above them in the Med

 

And accounts where they loved it, keeping it at 65" for several minutes without breaking it. 109's were always above the Spits too remember, there is a little more to it than just the surface of history books.

[SC_Manu653]

Nice test Rekt !

[216th_Jordan]

Good to know! Never gotten into the P40 until now but I developed a desire to do so. Time to get home from vacation

[Jade_Monkey]

If you want some P40 practice I just made a simple SP mission.

 

Easy attack plane targets, watch out for rear gunners though.

 

http://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/14893-missions-sharing-corner/?p=380607

[ACG_KaiLae]

Sounds good! Hopefully it can fly above 280kph for more than 5 seconds with those settings.

Just pointing out that the speedometer in the plane reads in mph, not kph.

 

I have a hell of a time with this plane; if you start to turn, at all, you bleed off speed. Once slow a 110 outturns you. I've found this to be odd as the plane was described as more maneuverable than a 109, though not by a large margin.

[Jade_Monkey]

Just pointing out that the speedometer in the plane reads in mph, not kph.

 

I have a hell of a time with this plane; if you start to turn, at all, you bleed off speed. Once slow a 110 outturns you. I've found this to be odd as the plane was described as more maneuverable than a 109, though not by a large margin.

You can change the HUD to display the units of your choice.

[TP_Jacko]

Is it possible to BnZ in the P40 I seem to burn the energy trying to get back to the perch. It is pretty slow to climb steadily back to height. Or should it be a 1 pass and run

[6./ZG26_Gielow]

Is it possible to BnZ in the P40 I seem to burn the energy trying to get back to the perch. It is pretty slow to climb steadily back to height. Or should it be a 1 pass and run

My personal approach when I have the energy advantage is to stay hot on enemy six trying to inflict critical damage. Don't give them room to breathe.

 

The extra energy gives the OP40 a decisive edge over any enemy fighter.

Edited August 27, 2016 by 6./ZG26_Gielow