Does Blenheim mixture control work?

[lwalter]

I tried to adjust the mixture of both engines with mouse or with the controls I bound to increase/decrease mixture and it doesn't work properly.

With mouse, impossible to adjust anything.

With controls, I only managed to decrease 3 notches and then it doesn't move anymore.

What am I missing?

[Buzzsaw]

On 1/2/2022 at 5:28 AM, lwalter said:

I tried to adjust the mixture of both engines with mouse or with the controls I bound to increase/decrease mixture and it doesn't work properly.

With mouse, impossible to adjust anything.

With controls, I only managed to decrease 3 notches and then it doesn't move anymore.

What am I missing?

Did you look at the aircraft flash cards/manual for the Blenheim in 'manuals' folder in your main CLIFFS OF DOVER install folder?

 

It explains in detail how to fly the aircraft.

[lwalter]

@Buzzsaw yes, I read the flashcards and I haven't seen any mention of the mixture control in there.

 

Anyways, my problem is not about how to fly the Blenheim, but as I explained in my original post: why isn't the mixture control moving properly?

[Plurp]

6 hours ago, lwalter said:

@Buzzsaw yes, I read the flashcards and I haven't seen any mention of the mixture control in there.

 

Anyways, my problem is not about how to fly the Blenheim, but as I explained in my original post: why isn't the mixture control moving properly?

I tested on quick mission-cross country mission.  The mixture does work with the key bindings and the mouse, but the controls are reversed for both.  So mouse backwards to move the mixture forward and the mouse forwards to move the mixture back down (which is 100%).  

[Sokol1]

On 1/2/2022 at 10:28 AM, lwalter said:

...I only managed to decrease 3 notches and then it doesn't move anymore.

 

Blenheim mixture control is in two fixed positions only: Normal (lever back), Weak (lever ahead),

why you find difficulty in control with mouse, is counter intuitive, you need move the mouse inverse to lever desired movement.   

 

Edited January 7, 2022 by Sokol1

[Buzzsaw]

On 1/5/2022 at 9:37 AM, Plurp said:

I tested on quick mission-cross country mission.  The mixture does work with the key bindings and the mouse, but the controls are reversed for both.  So mouse backwards to move the mixture forward and the mouse forwards to move the mixture back down (which is 100%).  

The Blenheim, like nearly all British Aircraft, has a mixture system which gives the pilot only two choices...  Auto Rich, which is the normal setting used for takeoff, cruise, combat, landing, etc... and Auto Lean, which is only used for long distance flights when the RPM's are below 2100 and the boost pressure at 0% or lower and the pilot wants to maximize range.  Auto Lean should never be used with higher settings or detonation with occur in the combustion chamber and the engine will overheat and damage will result.  In practice, in the game, unless you are flying from one end of the Map to the other end and back, you don't need to use Auto Lean.

 

The British aircraft do not use mix systems which have the pilot adjust the mix to a range anywhere from 0% to 100% like the Italian types.  The British carburetors have an auto function which does the fine adjustments... the pilot just sets his controls to indicate the general type of mix he wants to use and the carburetor does the rest.

[lwalter]

Thank you all for your answers!

I was confused because I thought you could fully adjust your mixture percentage, but it's not the case. In addition, I thought the mixture could go down to 0, but it doesn't doesn't. It stops at auto-lean.

Actually, I did some more tests. The min and max of the mixture looks like to be dependent on flights conditions. For example, while flying, I can't get mixture lower than about 20%. However, on the ground, I can lower mixture to 0%. 

Out of curiosity, is there more documentation how the min and max are actually set?

[Buzzsaw]

7 hours ago, lwalter said:

Thank you all for your answers!

I was confused because I thought you could fully adjust your mixture percentage, but it's not the case. In addition, I thought the mixture could go down to 0, but it doesn't doesn't. It stops at auto-lean.

Actually, I did some more tests. The min and max of the mixture looks like to be dependent on flights conditions. For example, while flying, I can't get mixture lower than about 20%. However, on the ground, I can lower mixture to 0%. 

Out of curiosity, is there more documentation how the min and max are actually set?

At lower altitudes the atmosphere is denser, therefore there are more oxygen molecules present in a given cubic meter of air.  As altitude increases, the density of the atmosphere decreases along with the number of oxygen molecules.

 

Oxygen is the required partner of gasoline in the air/fuel mixture which ignites in the combustion chamber.

 

Therefore more gasoline can be used at a low altitude... this is the reason non-supercharged engines produce more power at lower altitudes.

 

With supercharged engines, the situation becomes more complex... depending on the altitude.

 

In addition, at idle, when the engines are correctly warmed, the fuel mixture can be set lower... at full power a richer mixture is required to avoid detonation... under extreme pressures detonation... a result of too lean a mix, becomes more likely.

 

The only really important thing for you to consider when flying the aircraft is to set the mix to auto rich for 99% of the situations.... the exception being as mentioned, in a sustained low rpm/low boost Cruise when you really want to economize on fuel.