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XPFRs B17


Simmo W

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Thanks, but Khamsin did the video, I'm not that good at starting yet!

Yes the textures are great, but they are not as crisp as the best payware, as they want this beast to fly smoothly on any pc made of plastic.

Release- Arnaud announced that it would be released on April the First, funny eh!

We have good info that they will still definitely meet this deadline or even better it, maybe first xplane to ever do such a thing?!

Keep watching the blog for the release announcement- they have given us the ok to provide the download link 2 HOURS EARLY to allow all our fans time to grab it, before the hordes crash their servers!

You heard it first on x-pilot. Only here, as I don't frequent the other forums..

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I wasn't referring to the existence of it, just news of the imminent release & early link to be available.

You're all gonna love it, just took her up over Oahu, will make a VERY nice video bird. The start up sequence takes a bit of prepping, and as each engine comes to life, it's a real relief and they really do sound alive. Good times. Anyone got a spare 4 engine throttle quadrant?

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Enjoy! Yes, I've tried taking a few shortcuts in testing and it eventually bites you. Never has RTFM been so true. Chip has done an amazing tips article at the blog, it's very useful. i think he's about to get very busy answering questions!!

DONT USE THE TAILWHEEL STEERING FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN TAXIING.

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Enjoy! Yes, I've tried taking a few shortcuts in testing and it eventually bites you. Never has RTFM been so true. Chip has done an amazing tips article at the blog, it's very useful. i think he's about to get very busy answering questions!!

DONT USE THE TAILWHEEL STEERING FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN TAXIING.

Thanks, I'll read the blog post.

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VERY realistic startup and procedures.  I can't believe how much fun it was to get going and to fly!  The model is absolutely perfect in nearly every way, but I do have a few questions/problems.

1)  The coefficient of friction between the tires and the earth seem a little wonky.  With both left-side engines running the plane starts spinning to the right (user error most likely, but the tail wheel was LOCKED)  Also, ground handling without differential thrust controls was nearly impossible to make it look good.  I have my tailwheel rating in real aircraft and I never had problems like this!  The brakes seemed a bit anemic to me...

2)  The plane is a BI*CH to get slowed down in flight.  I had to pull the props all the way back to low RPM and the MP to idle to get it slowed at all for landing... any suggestions?

Otherwise, this is probably the BEST model I've experienced in X-plane so far.  The flight model, systems, art, and sounds are absolutely sublime!  While its not as useful to me as the SAAB 340 is going to be in my studies, its certainly going to be my go-to aircraft for FUN!

Thanks for putting this out XPFR, you really hit it out of the PARK!

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1)

Check-list, block1, line1, item1 : "set the brake primer". There is no braking other wise. At all. With the brake primer fully pushed, it will brake ! much too strongly, but it will ;-) Set it 50% if you're unsure.

2)

Try and do it the other way round, it'll go much better!

- Cut throttles

- engage HIGH RPM

- disengage automatic pitch

-(il needed engage a soft climb, 250 or 300ft/mn)

you should loose 5/10mph/mn.

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While I definitely love the B-17, and this model does an excellent job with system modelling realism, I find it sadly lacks in visual quality...

The Ercoupe, had absolutely beautiful visual details and was a fully 3D model, why not make a separate high quality, high poly model of the B-17 for those who can use it, along with the current low poly model?  Needless to say, a high poly model, on top of the excellent system modelling would be a dream come true for X-Plane pilots.

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While I definitely love the B-17, and this model does an excellent job with system modelling realism, I find it sadly lacks in visual quality...

The Ercoupe, had absolutely beautiful visual details and was a fully 3D model, why not make a separate high quality, high poly model of the B-17 for those who can use it, along with the current low poly model?  Needless to say, a high poly model, on top of the excellent system modelling would be a dream come true for X-Plane pilots.

When things are free we take what is offered and not push more than is necessary. None of what they have offered up for free is small task. Let's be thankful it's there and enjoy what's given.

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While I definitely love the B-17, and this model does an excellent job with system modelling realism, I find it sadly lacks in visual quality...

The Ercoupe, had absolutely beautiful visual details and was a fully 3D model, why not make a separate high quality, high poly model of the B-17 for those who can use it, along with the current low poly model?  Needless to say, a high poly model, on top of the excellent system modelling would be a dream come true for X-Plane pilots.

In a sense, you're right. Nonetheless, this is definitely not true about the interior, only for exterior, as the number of textures had to be reduced to a minimum. With default "A" view, exterior should appera just fine - it's not intended to come too close. Interior is, I guess, not lacking in visual graphics, so that's not what you're concerned about. Anyway, why this choice?

Because it's the one plane ANYONE can fly with FPS confort, and this was part of our desiderata. We do planes, very nice planes I dare say, and planes for everybody, not only for those who have the luck to have a nice computer and the money to buy planes.

Going with a high poly model is simply redoing the whole stuff... for free? Well... I understand your concern, but it's just not what the plane is intended for...

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1)

Check-list, block1, line1, item1 : "set the brake primer". There is no braking other wise. At all. With the brake primer fully pushed, it will brake ! much too strongly, but it will ;-) Set it 50% if you're unsure.

2)

Try and do it the other way round, it'll go much better!

- Cut throttles

- engage HIGH RPM

- disengage automatic pitch

-(il needed engage a soft climb, 250 or 300ft/mn)

you should loose 5/10mph/mn.

1)  Got it.  I just didn't have enough juice in the system to be fully effective.  I'll try again today.

2) While I get what your saying about throwing the props into HIGH RPM to get more drag on the plane, I was afraid of overspeeding the props at that point.  Its a definite possibility, even with the throttle at idle...

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Thank you Arno and Khamsin for this stunning plane, and also thank you for letting us have it a little earlier than the rest.

I love the humour in the manual ("open bomb doors, or your flight will be remarkably short")!

I would say a few dads/grandads in the US will be pleased to see their kids/grandkids flying their old planes.

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2) While I get what your saying about throwing the props into HIGH RPM to get more drag on the plane, I was afraid of overspeeding the props at that point.  Its a definite possibility, even with the throttle at idle...

Yes, that's the beauty of the thing : you will not overtorque the prop if you decide not not be in a hurry. I mean : cut the throttles and climb up very slighty... smoke a cigarette... high rpm.... have a coffee.... lock rpm and level your flight. See what I mean? everything is about anticipation, here. She is so heavy... 2 hours to get to 35000 at cruise speed, 30mn to slow down, an other hour to get back to sea level... 

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While I definitely love the B-17, and this model does an excellent job with system modelling realism, I find it sadly lacks in visual quality...

The Ercoupe, had absolutely beautiful visual details and was a fully 3D model, why not make a separate high quality, high poly model of the B-17 for those who can use it, along with the current low poly model?  Needless to say, a high poly model, on top of the excellent system modelling would be a dream come true for X-Plane pilots.

In a sense, you're right. Nonetheless, this is definitely not true about the interior, only for exterior, as the number of textures had to be reduced to a minimum. With default "A" view, exterior should appera just fine - it's not intended to come too close. Interior is, I guess, not lacking in visual graphics, so that's not what you're concerned about. Anyway, why this choice?

Because it's the one plane ANYONE can fly with FPS confort, and this was part of our desiderata. We do planes, very nice planes I dare say, and planes for everybody, not only for those who have the luck to have a nice computer and the money to buy planes.

Going with a high poly model is simply redoing the whole stuff... for free? Well... I understand your concern, but it's just not what the plane is intended for...

Needless to say my comments were taken out of context, which was likely my fault for not going into greater detail...

I find the cockpit to be modelled beautifully, with only minor things such as a little bit of the text being a bit hard to read, but it is excellent.  As for the rest of the aircraft interior, there is in my opinion, no need to go into great detail with the modelling, simply because it will hog frames and bog people down.  The exterior was my only minor complaint, as it would be really nice to see this aircraft given it's deserved justice with a high poly exterior and high resolution liveries.

I understand what is involved in making aircraft like this, many thousands of hours, and lost sleep to say the least.  And I do thank XPFR for their tireless efforts to make the best aircraft available, my comment was a mere suggestion, and hopefully was not taken as a derogatory remark.

Keep up the good work, and if you were ever to make this into a payware model with high res and high poly, I would be sure to buy it.

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