Blackbird Sims / Milviz Forum Archive

Just for the sake of giggles, I just completed a flight with a full loadout of bombs and rockets.

After takeoff, there was a distinctive roll to the left. Upon checking the aircraft payload weights, I noted some missing weights.

On the left side, the pylon and rockets 1, 3, 7 and 9 were all at 134 lbs. Rocket 5 was at 13 lbs. On the right side the pylon and rockets 2 and 4 were at 134, but rockets 6, 8 and 10 were all at 0.

To eliminate the roll tendency I had to add 134 lbs. to rockets 6 and 8. When I added another 134 lbs. to rocket 10, I created a roll to the right. My guess was this was due to the 13 lbs. on L Rocket 5.

Anyways, I thought I would bring this to your attention for any future patch you have in mind. My results were for the Standard FSX model, non-TacPac.

--WH

Hmmm...

I went and took another look to make sure I was not imagining anything.

When I loaded just the rockets, the weight results were the same as noted in my previous post.

When I loaded just the bombs, the L and R bomb/tank loadout was at 0 lbs., but the 20 mm and 50 cal RI guns were at 561 lbs.

Seems that the dll or gauge used for the loadouts are placing the weights in the wrong station.

And while we're on this subject, what do you suggest for default loadouts on the guns and cannon? I don't recall any mention in the manual.

--WH

We will take a look at this one for sure

Standard load was 10 rockets and bombs or fuel tanks depending. Guns were always fully loaded.

I worked out a (temporary) solution. Here is my modified weight and balance section:

[WEIGHT_AND_BALANCE]
empty_weight= 14230

reference_datum_position= 0, 0, 0
empty_weight_CG_position= 2, 0, 0
max_number_of_stations= 21

station_load.0 = 0, 2.500, 0.000, 1.000, "pilot" "20"
station_load.1 = 0, 5.000, 0.000, 1.000, "ammo 350lbs max" "21"

station_load.2 = 0, -1.408, -3.847, -1.890, "L bomb/tank" "6"
station_load.3 = 0, -1.408, 3.847, -1.890, "R bomb/tank" "7"
station_load.4 = 0, -0.888, -16.932, 0.020, "L rocket pylon" "8"
station_load.5 = 0, -0.077, -16.932, -1.465, "L rocket1" "9"
station_load.6 = 0, -0.077, -17.540, -0.741, "L rocket3" "10"
station_load.7 = 0, -0.077, -16.326, -0.741, "L rocket5" "11"
station_load.8 = 0, -0.077, -18.251, 0.151, "L rocket7" "12"
station_load.9 = 0, -0.077, -15.611, 0.151, "L rocket9" "13"
station_load.10 = 0, -0.888, 16.932, 0.020, "R rocket pylon" "14"
station_load.11 = 0, -0.077, 16.932, -1.465, "R rocket2" "15"
station_load.12 = 0, -0.077, 16.326, -1.890, "R rocket4" "16"
station_load.13 = 0, -0.077, 17.540, -1.890, "R rocket6" "17"
station_load.14 = 0, -0.077, 15.611, 0.151, "R rocket8" "18"
station_load.15 = 0, -0.077, 18.251, 0.151, "R rocket10" "19"

station_load.16 = 0, 11.485, -0.763, 0.454, "50-Cal LO" "1"
station_load.17 = 0, 12.240, -0.275, 0.454, "50-Cal LI" "2"
station_load.18 = 0, 12.962, 0.000, 0.258, "20-mm" "3"
station_load.19 = 0, 12.962, 0.275, 0.454, "50-Cal RI" "4"
station_load.20 = 0, 11.941, 0.763, 0.454, "50-Cal RO" "5"

I swapped the order of the guns and cannon (first five loads) with the pilot and ammo (last two loads) and renumbered the station loads accordingly. Works now with individual bomb and rocket weights loading on the correct stations using the loading menu (Shift +1).

--WH

Thanks

I'm still flying the P-38L and realized something was missing. I looked at the manual and couldn't find the answer so here goes...

What are the weight values for the 50 cal. guns and 20 mm cannon?

I'm currently using 84 lbs and 150 lbs, respectively, at the moment based on some quick web research but was wondering if someone had more accurate values.

Thanks in advance

--WH

I think we made each gun 93lbs. I can't seem to find anything controlling ammo weight.

Station_load 1 says "350 lbs max" for ammo. I'm assuming that to be a total for the four 50 cal. and single 20 mm cannon.

As for the individual guns and cannons, I'm still coming up with 84 lbs for each gun and 151 lbs for the cannon. That averages out to 97.4 for all five.

Good enough for government work.

--WH

Annoying . I got my numbers from the TACPACK ini, but I didn't write that bit....If I did I would have gone OCD on it.

I'm flying the non-TackPac version.

With the [Weight_and_Balnce] modifications I posted sometime back, the load manager works fine for adding/removing the bombs, rockets or tanks but doesn't adjust for pilot or armament weights. Soo... I'm making a few more adjustments to that section to more realistically include the added weights.

--WH