Best way to learn instrument reading

[OneGunnerUnder]

Just as the title says. I'm wondering what is the best way to go about learning the instrument panel and layout for the various aircraft. Mainly I'm flying the TB-3 and the B-24, and I sometimes fly the A-20 or the P-38. I'm sure the best way would be to pick a single aircraft and try to master its systems, but what I'm wondering is if there are good tutorials out there or forum posts to read. I'm also new to flight sims so I'm basically starting from knowing nothing.

[FTC_Snowy]

Welcome @OneGunnerUnder I recommend you take a look at Requiem’s Youtube channel. It is not 1946 specific but a wealth of information.
 

 

Edited June 4, 2020 by -332FG-Snowy
More text

[buster_dee]

The base game, before Maddox ended support, I think had a single guide in the main menu. When Team Daidalos was allowed to continue developing the game, they added several guides as they released their own patches. I don't know about the Steam version of the game, but on my installation, the 413 guide has the B-24 panel description. I did that one and am not too proud of the result. What I originally submitted showed more, but the team asked me to remove what was not germane. I can't say why these guides were not all combined. Maybe the original source material was not available to be updated.

I just checked. The Steam version includes the guides I mentioned.

 

[OneGunnerUnder]

18 hours ago, -332FG-Snowy said:

Welcome @OneGunnerUnder I recommend you take a look at Requiem’s Youtube channel. It is not 1946 specific but a wealth of information.
 

 

 

Thank you for the recommendation. It looks like a very detailed channel so I will check it out!

 

11 hours ago, buster_dee said:

 the 413 guide has the B-24 panel description.

 

 

Thanks for your response! I looked over the B-24 portion of the manual and it is helpful. But beyond that, as a newcomer where should I go to learn more about the difference between oil temp, water temp, and air temp for example. I'm coming at this with very little knowledge so I don't even know what manifold pressure is vs oil pressure. More than that, I don't know how to monitor these things while flying.

[buster_dee]

I used:

https://461st.org/B-24_Manual/B-24_Manual.html

 

This leans more towards the "J" (several models were rechristened J when the AAF standardized on the Norden bombsight and Honeywell autopilot, but they retained their other distinguishing features). I also had a copy of the original D manual, but I can't find it. As to temps, radial engines were cooled by air and oil (but not water).  Air mostly effects the cylinders (cowl flaps position, with head temp telling you if it's adequate), and oil the rest of the engine (oil temp). Air can cool other engine parts (like the nose case), but the ducting is optimized for the cylinders. Oil cools the cylinder 'innards' somewhat, but air is king to cylinders. If you see coolers/radiators mentioned on a radial engine, it's likely for cooling oil or some part of the turbocharging/supercharging path (the stronger the 'boost,' the more heat it makes that needs to be gotten rid of. Engines need to be fed cool air-fuel, or the controlled combustion becomes an uncontrolled explosion in the cylinder). Air temp is just the temp of the air you're flying through. That might explain why it takes slightly different power/cooling settings today than yesterday, but engine gauges cut to the chase (air temp is more important for other calculations). Since torque meters are not yet available (reliable?), Manifold pressure is left to tell you how much power you are making. RPM, throttle, supercharger setting, and Prop Pitch interact to give it to you and are called 'power settings.' Some combinations are efficient; some are destructive. That's why the manual recommends the settings together. I don't know how well the coders implemented the data provided. If they succeeded, a good cheat sheet from part three of the linked manual should help. My impression (and strictly mine) is that the implementation was not ideal. It seems to need too much cowl flaps, while the drag that should make is 'forgiven.' I'm not sure if the manual will mislead you on the turbo, which was manual on the D, but automatic when this manual was prepared. In no time, you'll be explaining this better than I did

 

Edited June 6, 2020 by buster_dee

[buster_dee]

Hmm. Manifold pressure. By measuring pressure near the engine intake, you can tell how hard the engine is working to turn the prop and excite the turbocharger. Basically, the engine exhaust ought to be able to spin the turbo more than is needed, and your cockpit turbo lever regulates this by venting what you don't need. That changes as air gets thinner with altitude, limited by the max speed the turbo can physically manage. If your turbo lever asks for more, but the engine fails to cope, the engine can't sustain the turbo that's trying to help it and the cycle collapses. Since the prop governor absorbs power automatically to maintain the RPM you set, adding more power increases blade pitch, biting more air and, hopefully, making the plane go faster. Manifold pressure 'indirectly' shows what is available/being applied. You can ham-fist things and get ahead of a prop governor, or juggle your settings badly so that the prop hits its limit before you've achieved your intent. You can also reach a turbo limit prematurely if, say, your RPM was set too high on your way to max altitude (infrequent in this game). The manual tells you what order to manipulate your settings, which differs whether you're increasing them or decreasing them. Remember that too high an RPM or manifold pressure for too long damages engines. You're juggling between getting the bomb load off the ground and on target and getting your crew home. I was excited when I met a Lockheed Constellation pilot; he just sighed and growled "Everything was manual."

Edited June 7, 2020 by buster_dee

[buster_dee]

I found the manual on which I based the cockpit. It is "Consolidate B-24 Bomber Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions" published in 1942, reprinted by Periscopefilm.com. I found one site that seems to have the same manual for free (different pic in center), but I don't know that site and didn't signup to download.

Edited June 9, 2020 by buster_dee

[buster_dee]

Oops. Oil pressure. It tells you the engine oil pumps are delivering enough flow/pressure to keep the engine parts lubricated and cool. Low pressure leads to high temps. Bad. Similarly, fuel pressure says the engine fuel pump is meeting engine needs. Stopped engines mean no mechanical pump output, so electric booster pumps are used. Since take-off (maybe climb too) really sucks fuel, you also use the electric pumps to augment the 'panting' mechanical pumps. I think you use boosters when landing as well--in case the engine pumps run too slowly or pitch attitude sloshes fuel away from the fuel pickups in the tanks.

 

Set your RPM and manifold pressure for what you are doing (climbing, cruising), and adjust as needed for altitude changes.

 

Watch oil and engine temps to gauge how much cowl flaps to use and whether you should dial back your power settings temporarily.

 

That (and trimming) should keep you entertained for those long flights.

Edited June 7, 2020 by buster_dee

[OneGunnerUnder]

@buster_dee Wow I really appreciate the breakdown. I noticed that when I use the keyboard commands that are set to trimming it doesn't seem to do anything. Do I need to remap the controls?

 

Other than that, that was a very helpful breakdown. I'm coming at this with no background in aviation, and I have no mechanical or engineering background of any kind. With that said, the whole reason I wanted to get into flight simming was to learn about aircraft and how they function. So I'm sure it'll take me a lot of practice and rereading before I get some of this stuff down. But thanks again. I also have been watching the Air Combat Tutorial Library channel on YouTube just as somebody recommended earlier.

[buster_dee]

Don't know about the trim. I either use the 'throttle' rotary on my joystick, or buttons on my throttle. It's been a long time since I tried keyboard for that. I DO use the keyboard for infrequent commands like landing gear, removing chocks, folding wings, deploying tail hook, and raising the seat (featured on some naval fighters). I don't fly much any more. Sorry I can't be more help.

 

I don't have an engineering background either so, if the real thing wants to chime in, I'm open to it.

[352nd_Wheels]

Video Monguse posted at M4T just over 4 years ago back when 4.13 was released.

http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?name=ForumsPro&file=viewtopic&p=172389#172389

 

Flying the Consolidated B-24 Liberator Bomber in Restored Color (1943)

 

 

 

Wheels

[buster_dee]

LoL. I showed him that video to argue that we were animating the mags incorrectly. There were funnier gaffs. On our 1st coop test, only one landing gear was down. When we raised the gear, the other came out of the top of the wing. When the nose was shot off, the bombardier levitated through the rest of the flight. I think some of the control surfaces were reversed as well. It was all soon sorted.

 

Thanks Wheelsup. I had forgotten about it. Watched it again; they sure knew how to make training videos.

Edited July 16, 2020 by buster_dee

[OneGunnerUnder]

That video is incredible! Lots of information and very informative. I wonder if they would have had to skip certain steps when scrambling to get into the air in an emergency.

[buster_dee]

It would be interesting to have heard from wartime pilots about 'bending' the checklist. I thought I understood the video fairly thoroughly, but the hydraulic pressure comments confuse me now. "Kick-out" pressure  implies the 'master' gauge should not be deflecting unless you're using something hydraulic. Huh?