PE-2 CEM

[beresford]

Technochat keeps wobbling on about adjusting the fuel mixture, so I do this, watching RPM, and trim back to a value just before the one which would cause RPM to drop. But it keeps urging me to do some unspecified thing with the fuel mixture, while also telling me to watch the coolant temperature. All four temperature gauges are about 2/3 across and the water radiator is fully open.

 

So what does it want me to do? Is it telling me to RICHEN the mixture in order to extract some heat?

 

Also the Requiem video says that mixture is adjusted on a variable prop pitch plane to maximise airspeed, but elsewhere I am told to use RPM. Which is correct?

[69th_Mobile_BBQ]

For most purposes, you can run the PE-2 at 100% mixture, throttle, rpm and radiator.  If you're using the series 35 don't forget that you also have to open the OIL radiator.  Mix can be leaned out by 10% around 3000m.  I generally run everything wide open, then close up the radiators during an attack run for extra protection against AAA.  Don't forget to re-open the rads as soon as possible.   If you are still getting technochat messages, check whether or not your gauges look correct.  If they are correct, then ignore the technochat.  It can be a bit finicky. 

A prime example is the A20. The technochat will give overheat warnings while the gauges are well within tolerance.     

[THERION]

Well, I'm not an expert, but I quite often use the Peshka and I love this plane. So, what I would suggest is to deactivate all the engine management

helpers - it seems to me that they are quite confusing (sometimes). Now, what are my procedures with this plane?

 

1. Parked: I check that the water radiators are fully open (summer) and then I start the engines.

2. Taxing: I open mixture to 100% and set RPM to 100% and start taxing very carefully using 10-15% of throttle.

3. Runway: I check water radiator fully open, 100% mixture, 100% RPM, bomb fuse off. Flaps max. 10% down depending on bomb load.

4. Takeoff: I throttle up to 100% and keep an eye on the rudder (push left pedal when rolling) to keep the plane in line

5. Cruising: RPM back to 80-90%, then depending on cruise speed throttle back 80-90%. Mixture 100%, but can be set to 80% to save fuel

6. Landing: RPM up to 100%, throttle up depending on altitude and speed, mixture 100%, flaps max. 15% down, check speed before lowering

                     landing gear. Watch glide slope and don't move controls too violently.

 

Hope this helps you a bit.

 

Cheers

[69th_Mobile_BBQ]

I'd also suggest keeping your speed up.  While a Pe-2 will steadily climb from the deck to 2000m at 200kph, it does put extra strain and heat on the motor.  Keeping air flowing through the radiators at a good speed is important.  If you are climbing up to 3000m or more, get there early in the flight while the motor is still "fresh", then proceed to the target.  I'd also suggest never getting slower in a climb than 250kph and climbing up in steps of 500 meters.  Climb up, level off and gain speed, climb up.  Rinse. Repeat. 

[beresford]

Thanks for the feedback. I must admit that my speed often decays to 210 or so on the climb. I have climbed in steps on the Kuban server but I thought this was because I wasn't very good, not that it was a legitimate technique. I tend to reduce propeller pitch a bit after takeoff in a bid to get down to the 'recommended' 260 rpm.

[69th_Mobile_BBQ]

On ‎8‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 4:24 AM, beresford said:

Thanks for the feedback. I must admit that my speed often decays to 210 or so on the climb. I have climbed in steps on the Kuban server but I thought this was because I wasn't very good, not that it was a legitimate technique. I tend to reduce propeller pitch a bit after takeoff in a bid to get down to the 'recommended' 260 rpm.

 

Haven't been around for a bit, so sorry for the late reply.  You may have already learned these things about the Pe-2, but I'll post here for any new players who come across this thread.

 

Most planes will hold a steady angle, speed and climb rate up to their ceiling altitude.  With the Pe-2 and similar planes, that angle and climb rate to keep optimal speed is rather shallow.  I would think that climbing in steps or as I've heard it called "porpoise-ing" would be a bit more of a defensive tactic.  When you need alt and speed quickly + there's a possibility of enemies lurking near your home-field, making the speed>alt>speed>alt>etc. trade smoothly but with a bit more urgency can spoil an enemy that's looking at you.  The first thing I run for is the clouds, if there are any, and try to cover my leaving the home-field for the target from there.  Some prefer to stay on-the-deck and try to avoid enemies that way.  I've found that since there's no room to dive, the enemy gets to control how fast they dive on you.  At least if you become aware of an enemy diving on you and you dive too, they will have to further increase their speed to close with you causing their controls to stiffen.  The same will happen to you as well, but keep in mind - you're not the one trying keep the gun sight lined up with a specific window.  This gives you a bit of leeway to still turn at the right moment and avoid being shot.

 

The more I've flown with the Pe-2 the more I come to realize that it takes a good bit of time to build up and retain potential energy.  As long as you're hitting the altitude and map position "checkpoints" that you've set in your mind, it's not so bad to cut back on the throttle and rpm a bit.  Close the radiator a bit to reduce drag, but watch your temps.  The plane should still reach almost the same speed in level flight as running everything in 100% settings.  That should leave a bit of extra "head room" horsepower to call on if you need it. 

Remember that for series 35 the supercharger is set for 2700m and for a series 87, 2300m.  Both planes really get into their stride once you've gotten to stage 2 altitude.  This is probably why the series 87 supercharger is geared for a bit lower altitude.  Keep your turns as level/shallow banking angle as you can and avoid having to shift back down, and you'll be able to adequately avoid most attackers - provided you see them first.  Favoring climbing when you have the time will mean you can make your dives deeper without going below the stage 2 altitude. 

 

In heavy turning and depending on weather temps, you'll have about 3 - 6 minutes at full power and rads 100% open before overheating.  Remember that the radiator covers are there to provide armor against bullets.  The serve as a secondary engine temp control to avoid over-cooling.  If you're dive bombing with active AAA - button up.  Nothing sucks quite like getting through a bombing pass when a flak burst explodes behind you and sends shrapnel directly into the open radiator slats on the top of the wing.  Fully open rads also creates drag, slightly reduced acceleration in a dive and level flight, and slightly increased deceleration in a climb.  Running 100% rads on hot temperature maps while in "safe" airspace or cruising is still ok.  Just be wary of keeping them managed during combat.     

 

If you're being pursued by enemy planes, then manage rads as needed and run.  Make sure the compass is oriented to point towards home.  There's not too many turning fights you can win.  If you are being pursued, do what you can to point towards home while keeping an eye on the enemy.  Your real chances of survival don't come from getting kills, they come from spoiling the incoming attack.  

 

I wouldn't recommend using flaps or airbrake or suddenly pulling up to quickly lose speed and force the attacker to overshoot.  IMO, that's a one-trick pony and  regaining speed is too much work for the few seconds that were bought.

Pulling up hard usually give the attacker a big easy to hit target.  The Pe-2 has just become a Whack-a-Mole arcade machine. 

If you've ended up slow enough to need flaps, you've gotten into a turn fight you have no business being in.  Good luck to ye. 

From what I've been told about Pe-2 airbrakes is that they are not necessarily designed to cut your speed (though they do, of course), but to cap your speed so that you cannot rip off your control surfaces no matter how steeply you dive.   This could be useful if you need to dive straight down from 5k to 1k without lawn-darting, but an emergency maneuver it is not.  They take a few seconds to extend and lock into place, and starting your dive before they are fully extended may not give the desired results of keeping the plane intact.         

Edited October 5, 2018 by Mobile_BBQ