Drop tank functionality

[greybeard_52]

[greybeard_52]

Perhaps must be stressed that I DID HAVE a drop tank; I don't know how, but TheOden set often drop tanks for Bf 109 in his dynamic campaign.

[palker4]

The fuel from the drop tank is consumed first and it is not shown on the fuel gauge. So the cockpit fuel gauge will show full tank until the fuel in the drop tank is consumed.

[greybeard_52]

On 7/18/2021 at 5:09 PM, palker4 said:

The fuel from the drop tank is consumed first and it is not shown on the fuel gauge.

The image I posted above proves this is not true: 10 liters were consumed after only 15 minutes of flight. This would not be possible if the flight model had used the 300 liters of the auxiliary tank first. You can take a test and verify it yourself. But, anyhow, it is useless to argue with those who do not want to hear. It is evident that this is a bug, and I would be tempted to post it in the bugtracker, but even there I see that there is not much attention; I think that ALL the reports should receive a result from the developers, out of respect for the time and the good will of the fans who, after paying for a product, would also like to improve it. It doesn't matter if that outcome is positive or negative, but seeing bug reports classified as "new" standing there for eight months is depressing ...
I am sincere in stating that this simulator is a diamond in the rough, which has received a lot of care and a lot of love in its conception, but is still replete with bugs, not serious, but which require attention, before, in my opinion, certain refinements such as the Merlin engine sound, VR support or true sky.

[OBT-Mikmak]

There is no bug...

When mouse is drag on to the fuel gauge, the white label shows a modulo 10 liters indication (if your tank has 399.9 liters, the white label will show 390 liters).

Your plane didn't consume 10 liters from internal fuel tank neither 300 liters from drop tank in 15 min.

Your internal tank is full and the drop tank is consumed first (you can fly ~2 h on drop tank before seeing the fuel gauge going down).

Do some more in-depth testing before yelling at bug when there isn't one...

Edited July 21, 2021 by OBT-Mikmak

[Guest deleted@7076]

-Deleted-

 

 

Edited September 12, 2022 by Varrattu

[palker4]

so it does Floor division, rest of Mikmak's post is still true though.

[OBT-Mikmak]

The mouse's white label for fuel gauge is updated every 10 liters step.

Edited July 21, 2021 by OBT-Mikmak

[Guest deleted@7076]

-Deleted-

Edited September 12, 2022 by Varrattu

[Guest deleted@7076]

-Deleted-

Edited September 12, 2022 by Varrattu

[greybeard_52]

2 hours ago, Varrattu said:

Yes. The so-called bugtracker seems to be a placebo.

Thanks, finally an objective opinion!

 

23 hours ago, OBT-Mikmak said:

Do some more in-depth testing before yelling at bug when there isn't one...

I have never read so many nonsense written all together and, above all, without knowledge of fact; I said it and I repeat it: do a test on your own. I have done it (several times) and I can show that white label which also reads lower values (e.g .: 380 - while, when full - it marks 400 and NOT 390!). If this is not a bug, then it means that there is some valve to open to use the auxiliary tank; among other things there is a large yellow tube that runs on the right side of the cockpit which has a transparent section through which the fuel coming from the drop tank should be seen flowing.

[OBT-Mikmak]

What was your initial fuel loadout ? (the default is 75% for the Bf109 E7)

If your initial fuel loadout is less than 100% then the drop tank will flow to the internal fuel tank till it becomes full.

During this period, you get a lower white label indication than 400 liters since the fuel gauge shows the amount of fuel in the internal tank not yet full.

When the internal tank is full then you'll get 400 liters in your mouse white label.

Do a test on your own and tell me if it's still a nonsense.

Edited July 22, 2021 by OBT-Mikmak

[9./JG52_J-HAT]

Can confirm.
 

Made a mission in the FMB with a single E-7 with drop tanks. Like in the F models, gauge stayed at 400 L when a drop tank is attached and fuel is at 100%. If I start the mission with less than 100%, the gauge will show the actual amount at the beginning and start filling up.

BUT:  at 0 L the gauge started showing less and less fuel, until the engine starved. Starting at about 270 L it wouldn‘t go up anymore past 290 L or thereabouts. This was after 10 minutes. At 15 minutes the gauge was still decreasing as if the tank weren’t feeding anymore, showing 240 L.

It appears the drop tank can’t fill the main fuel tank fast enough.
 

After restarting the mission with 0 L the engine died and the tank didn‘t get filled. 
 

Starting at 10%, same thing happened. Fuel tank didn‘t get filled and eventually got empty. 
 

I initially thought it was the power setting, engine consumes more than the drop tank can deliver. But it seems no matter what power settings, the tank just keeps draining when already this low on fuel. Even on idle. 

Tested again at 70% fuel and it started increasing again from 270/280 to 300, when I didn‘t touch the throttle, just to stop and decrease to 290 L and stay there. That‘s 80% throttle (info window). Same happened with 50% throttle or less. Even idle power. 

 

With 100%, 90%, 80% or 75% fuel it filled the main tank as expected (or stayed at 400 L). Threshold seems to be somewhere between 60% and 70% fuel. At 60% it stayed at 250 L and wouldn‘t move. 
Even though some times it increases to 400 L when starting at 70%.

 

It seems there are many variables at play here, with throttle and rpm setting being a factor, but maybe fuel flow from the drop tank to the main tank is too low, making it not fill up if you start with less fuel.

 

Edited July 22, 2021 by 9./JG52_J-HAT

[343KKT_Kintaro]

No no no, the Bugtracker is not a placebo. I'm a regular user of the Bugtracker and most of the time I obtain a satisfactory correction of the reported bug. Yes, it is a slow procedure, yes some reports are not necessary treated, but in general... the BT works fine.

[Buzzsaw]

5 hours ago, 9./JG52_J-HAT said:

Can confirm.
 

Made a mission in the FMB with a single E-7 with drop tanks. Like in the F models, gauge stayed at 400 L when a drop tank is attached and fuel is at 100%. If I start the mission with less than 100%, the gauge will show the actual amount at the beginning and start filling up.

BUT:  at 0 L the gauge started showing less and less fuel, until the engine starved. Starting at about 270 L it wouldn‘t go up anymore past 290 L or thereabouts. This was after 10 minutes. At 15 minutes the gauge was still decreasing as if the tank weren’t feeding anymore, showing 240 L.

It appears the drop tank can’t fill the main fuel tank fast enough.
 

After restarting the mission with 0 L the engine died and the tank didn‘t get filled. 
 

Starting at 10%, same thing happened. Fuel tank didn‘t get filled and eventually got empty. 
 

I initially thought it was the power setting, engine consumes more than the drop tank can deliver. But it seems no matter what power settings, the tank just keeps draining when already this low on fuel. Even on idle. 

Tested again at 70% fuel and it started increasing again from 270/280 to 300, when I didn‘t touch the throttle, just to stop and decrease to 290 L and stay there. That‘s 80% throttle (info window). Same happened with 50% throttle or less. Even idle power. 

 

With 100%, 90%, 80% or 75% fuel it filled the main tank as expected (or stayed at 400 L). Threshold seems to be somewhere between 60% and 70% fuel. At 60% it stayed at 250 L and wouldn‘t move. 
Even though some times it increases to 400 L when starting at 70%.

 

It seems there are many variables at play here, with throttle and rpm setting being a factor, but maybe fuel flow from the drop tank to the main tank is too low, making it not fill up if you start with less fuel.

 

We'll look at the flow.