As we all want to bring HSFX as near to reality as possible, I’m throwing my hat in the ring and list what corrections I would like to see for the following 109ers.
Any suggestions, critics etc. are welcome. I worked hard to get information, but I also cannot insure that I’m not still sitting on mistakes.
The fact that not all my states can make it into the game is fully accepted. Perhaps some data will find in the end their way into some aircraft descriptions.
Here we go:
Bf 109 B-1
As there is no manually fuel mix setting, the engine has to work with the automated one, which is problematic with the fixed blade. The danger of overturning your engine is permanent.
In reality it was worked manually, it should be set so. In reality, there was a throttle lever, together with an “altitude-throttle lever” (mixture) and the two stage compressor lever in the cockpit.
The air pressure gauge decreases earlier than it should, according to the FPA listed in the performance data. This is a problem in all 109 models, but otherwise I’m not sure if FPA means full 1.2 ata pressure or at least 1.0 ata pressure. Citation needed!
The manual two stage compressor has to be switched at 1500 m altitude, max full pressure altitude is 2700 m.
When changing compressor, a rpm of 1400 is to be held.
Maximum rpm according to handbook:
permanent power 2500 rpm at 1.1 ata, 545 hp at 0 m
increased permanent power, max. 30 min 2600 rpm 610 hp at 0 m
short maximum power/starting power, max. 5 min 2700 rpm 680 hp at 0 m
diving 3200 rpm
2700 m FPA 510 hp / 575 hp / 640 hp
4500 m 400 hp / 450 hp / 500 hp
6000 m 406 hp / 365 hp / 325 hp
Maximum temperatures:
Oil: 95°C
Coolant: 95°C at sea level
For the improved but still simplified cooling system in HSFX 7 that should be ok. For those who want know more:
Maximum coolant temperatures depending on altitude:
0-2000 m 95°C,
3000 m 94°C
4000 m 91°C
5000 m 89°C
6000 m 87°C
7000 m 84°C
8000 m 82°C
9000 m 80°C
10,000m 75°C
When the flaps were fully erected with 40°, the ailerons automatically where also put in landing configuration with 12° angle.
The compass was known to turn wildly after manoeuvring, like you see it on your tiny compass of your survival knife. Perhaps this could be modded in the realism-settings:
“dancing compass” or not.
The 1.000 m settings in the 6 clock position of the altimeter turns somewhat about 0,7 km to the next 1000 setting, instead it should be turning when the indicator is at the 6 clock position. On higher altitudes it seems to work better. Perhaps is it possible to give it an adjustment. This is a problem you can see in all models of the Luftwaffe
An altimeter should be added, as it was in the cockpit of the Bs. Position is where now the manifold pressure gauge is. The manifold pressure gauge has to be positioned right where now the long paper “gauge” is, its height should be between the manifold pressure gauge and the tachometer, so that this three gauges form a triangle, so the propeller pitch lever also has to be replaced.
The long paper “gauge” should be placed under the magneto lever.
The propeller pitch lever wanders to the right of the position where the coolant temperature gauge is now. The coolant temperature gauge itself wanders to the position right of the propeller pitch lever. Right of the coolant temperature gauge the oil pressure gauge should be placed. And right from the oil pressure gauge the oil temperature gauge. Above the coolant temperature gauge the fuel pressure gauge should be placed. So there is no combination gauge of fuel and oil pressure here. Eventually the fuel gauge is placed right of the fuel pressure gauge and so above the oil pressure gauge.
Note: The oil temperature gauge was in reality a double-oil-temperature gauge with two indicators on one 20°-120° dial plate, indicating the oil temperature from two different positions, intake and exit of the engine.
For the cockpit layout see
http://www.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http://old.messerschmitt-bf109.de/php-bf109b/cockpit/bilder/bf109b-cockpit.jpg&imgrefurl=http://old.messerschmitt-bf109.de/php-bf109b/cockpit/cockpit-bf109b.php&h=541&w=800&sz=123&tbnid=FK6lVzeVJsShqM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=133&zoom=1&usg=__O0icC9SdBK13ztEKKqJpiF5uynM=&docid=AnI2HF0TxeqtlM&sa=X&ei=oMRmUvnAL8rVtQaozIDwAg&ved=0CDMQ9QEwAA&dur=273All oil gauges should be painted in brown, not red, all coolant gauges in green. See Il-2 Cliffs of Dover for the right colour pattern.
The weapons panel in the down left position is the SKK 224, it should be the SKK3 with 3 red lamps in triangle position.
How do they work? The lamps only went on when the bolt carrier of the MG is in the rear position. As the
MG 17 is a weapon with shoots open from the locked position when firing (like a pistol), the bolt carrier only reaches the rear position in firing mode and let so the lamps flicker. If the MG jams in forward position, the light is out and you should inform your mechanic that the bolt carrier is right behind a sharp cartridge! When the light is on, the MG has a jam in the rear position of the bolt carrier.
The first manual of the B’s describes first the adjustable propeller, with the fixed propeller as an option. Otherwise the first production was completed with fixed propeller, later replaced with the adjustable propeller.
As the manual dates later than the first production line, I suppose the original B-1 had no propeller lever and indicator, but I cannot confirm it.
Ammo belting was looong time AP-AP-AP-AP-AP-APIT-APIT-APIT-APIT-APIT, now had changed via
HSFX 7 to a more T – mixed belting pattern. By the way, the info of belting patterns I got from old sources in the net. Is there any way to check the actual belting patterns in Il-2?
I have no info of early belting patterns of the Luftwaffe, but about 1942 and later it was:
AP-AP-AP-AP-AP-API-API-API-API-I/B
The I-round was called B-Geschoss or Beobachtungsgeschoss = Observation round. It was a round filled with phosphor. When striking the fuselage the hull broke and the phosphorus gave a bright flash to indicate the pilot that he was hitting.
Note that no tracers were in use! Only before the last 50 rounds 10 rounds APT were belted to indicate the pilot that he was running out of ammo. First it was a light tracer round with 800m tracer range. Later it was an APT 100/700 with the tracer igniting after 100m and burning till 700m. An APIT round was non-existent.
The German Luftwaffe refused to use T-rounds of any kind for fighters, only for defence weapons. The tracers of a small bullet in infantry rifle calibre needs significant space in the bullet. Because of this, T-rounds have a reduced weight comparing to the other rounds with heavy steel for armour piercing.
For example, the AP-core of the APT 100/700 had only half the length of the core of the AP round.
Lighter rounds have different flight paths comparing to the heavier rounds. So the Luftwaffe feared the misleading of the pilot when firing. For bombers it was not seen as problem because aiming was more difficult and tracers, even if they work not correctly where the only really help for the bomber crews.
As other nations seem to not had had the problem the reason might be that the problem was really significant with the light I 0/800 round, but things went better with the APT 100/700 round. Otherwise, the avoidance of tracers in the MG 17 carried on, for other reasons:
Fighter pilots now were forced to aim correctly from the beginning to prevent firing first and then aiming with the tracers, to conserve ammo and not warn the enemy that someone is at his six. “Spray and pray” shouldn’t be an option.
You can find a lot of pics of B-models in Spain without radio. So, if not additional models without radio are implemented, you die hard realism flyboys should perhaps skip using it flying over Spain.
Interesting, when flying the Ki-27 Nate I have no radio, but I can hear the chatter of the radio equipped Zeros and Oscars. A bug or limitations of the programme?
In the cockpit a signal pistol was installed for communication.
Well, I often miss it so hard that the airfield is not using signal pistols like in reality. How nice this would be!
Signalling the position of the often hard to see field strips, especially when engulfed in mist. Warning of enemy aircraft hanging around the own “garden fence”, warning of forgotten landing gear… you name it.
The tailwheel was retractable via hydraulic system. As this hydraulic system was never connected to the oil pressure device of the main gear – handbook says “at time not connected” - you see all 109 till F with the tailwheel outside in flight.
Bf 109 B-2
Performance data:
0 m 430 km/h climbing:
1000 m 1.25 min 1 min 15 s
1500 m 440 km/h
2000 m 2.58 min 2 min 35 s
2700 m FPA 460 km/h
3000 m 4.0 min
4000 m 450 km/h 5.58 min 5 min 35 s
5000 m 7.5 min 7 min 30 s
6000 m 428 km/h 9.8 min 9 min 48 s
6500 m 400 km/h
8750 m maximum altitude
Prop pitches: pitch gauge:
Start/landing 12:00 = 0° = 100 %
Climbing till 1500m 11:45 = 1,5° = ?%
Cruising till 1500m 10:45 = 7,5° = ?%
Climbing above 1500m 11:30 = 3° = ?%
Cruising above 1500m 10:30 = 9° = ?%
The engine-channel MG is quick in jamming, so I was not able to test the stored ammo. Historical correct is 600 rounds and of course the MG should be firing free with 1200 rpm.
In reality it was not possible to fire the engine-MG separately, only together with the fuselage-MG’s.
Bf-109 C-1
Now we have the Jumo 210 G with fuel injection. Nice! Also we need no altitude-throttle lever as mixture setting is done automatically.
Summer fuel: 95% gasoline: Aero Shell Medium or Mobiloil Redring, (please check your fuel card!) , 5 % oil, yes.
Winter fuel: 50 % gasoline (see above), 45 % ether, 5 % oil – what that good for? Anyone, please!
Flight data:
Altitude m max speed km/h climbing min permanent climbing speed km/h
0 410 0 216
1000 430 1 224
2000 440 2.3 2 min 18 s 232
3000 445 3.6 3 min 36 s 242
4000 460 5.4 5 min 24 s 250
4500 465 FPA
5000 450 7.5 7 min 30 s 258
6000 430 10.3 10 min 18 s 266
7000 400 13.4 13 min 24 s 275
9000 max altitude
Flaps now at 42° maximum. Ailerons still with 12° angle when Flaps fully erected.
Ammo storage in the fuselage MGs is 500 each. This should be corrected to 1.000 each.
Yes, yes, yes. Every book of the last decades told you that the 1.000 rounds where installed first with the E-Series. But the Operation Handbook of the Bf 109 C clearly shows that 1.000 is correct!
Surprising that this comes so early? Perhaps the criticism from Spain of the low firepower of the B has not only increased the number of MGs, also the loadout had been improved.
Ammo storage for the wing guns is 420. This should be corrected to 500. The Operation Handbook shows this, too.
Where does the 420 come from? In the Handbook it describes the range in meters where the ballistic curves of all MGs should convergence. Looks like someone misreaded some data.
Interesting is the way the ammo in the wings was stored, the ammo belt running over the whole wing. Should give the damage modders some headache.
See pic with details on
http://www.google.de/imgres?biw=1680&bih=922&tbm=isch&tbnid=8j6W2L0in_9HOM:&imgrefurl=http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php%3Fshowtopic%3D31193%26page%3D3&docid=2pwvb8bTufyL3M&imgurl=http://i53.tinypic.com/91az6c.jpg&w=780&h=298&ei=UMNmUsPfM8Leswa71YG4Cg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=902&vpy=192&dur=2559&hovh=139&hovw=364&tx=144&ty=126&page=2&tbnh=100&tbnw=262&start=41&ndsp=46&ved=1t:429,r:84,s:0,i:337The CDs of the handbook of each version are available by the “female warrior” bookshop, at least the German one. Expect a price of ca. 40-50 Euros (Ouch!)
The wing MGs are only firing with 900 rpm. As there are no propellers they should let loose with 1200 rpm!
The Cockpit from the C needs no changes. Great!
Radio seemed still not generally installed, at least in Spain.
Bf 109 D
Here we have now again the Jumo 210 D of the 109 B without fuel injection and automatic mixture setting, the last should be changed in the game as it is auto there.
The return to this engine was due to the fact that air combat in Spain rarely exceeded 3.000 m, and to this altitude both engines gave roughly the same performance. Also the 210 D was cheaper and as bombers where seen more important, engine production with fuel injection was given to bombers first.
Flight data
Altitude m max speed km/h climbing time min permanent climbing speed km/h
0 410 0 224
1000 430 1.35 231
2000 440 2.87 238
2400 445 240
3300 450 FPA
4000 445 6.23 251
5000 430 8.51 257
6000 410 11.6 264
7000 385 16.4 270
8100 m max altitude
First it was planned to install the DB 600. No fuel injection and no auto mixture but 960 – 1.000 hp. It seems only few where build, sometimes designated D-2. No flight data available, but with 30 % more hp it should give the D-2 a real boost! Looks like even of the massive more power, still the 2-blade propellers were in use.
In the cockpit left of the fuel/oil pressure gauge is a new gauge, the fuel pressure gauge. As of this the fuel/oil pressure gauge changes into oil pressure gauge.
Radio seemed still not generally installed
The D’s were not only fighting in Spain. They fought also in Poland, over the North Sea and against the French in the Phoney War and in the southern part at the Invasion of France, where the Curtiss Hawk was seen as the hardest enemy. They did not take part in the northern Lowlands. So to check how the D would have performed against the Hurricanes of the BEF is for the “what if “ campaign designers, perhaps in the end to test your performance against Spitifires over Dunkirk…
That’s all for now.
Best regards
airgroundmerc
Author
Topic: HSFX 7.0.1 Bf 109 B,C,D errors, possible improvements, additional data, etc. (Read 3636 times)
