The new La-7

[Yossarian]

First off,
Thank you HTC!!  It all looks and is brilliant!!

Secondly, about the La-7:

• should it have an artificial horizon in it?  I looked but couldn't find one.
• there seems to be a black circle in the instrument panel (bottom left, I think) which looks like it might be supposed to be a gauge.  Not at all sure though.
• I noticed that in the fuel gauge, there is no text indicating which fuel tank is being used.  When I pressed Shift +F (or whatever the key combo is), the needle moved, but the black box beneath the gauge showed no text.

I still love it anyway 

<S>

Yossarian

[Krusty]

Generally when you get missing instruments, delete your cache directory and rebuild it as you start AH.

This might be better answered in the bug report forum, though.

[2bighorn]

First off,
Thank you HTC!!  It all looks and is brilliant!!

Secondly, about the La-7:

• should it have an artificial horizon in it?  I looked but couldn't find one.
• there seems to be a black circle in the instrument panel (bottom left, I think) which looks like it might be supposed to be a gauge.  Not at all sure though.
• I noticed that in the fuel gauge, there is no text indicating which fuel tank is being used.  When I pressed Shift +F (or whatever the key combo is), the needle moved, but the black box beneath the gauge showed no text.

If you're frequent LA flier, don't forget that (extending/retracting) flaps speeds have changed. First notch at about 125 mph only.

[trotter]

Another thing I noticed, in the LA-5, is that the compass is backwards. When you are heading due N it shows due S, and is 180 degrees opposite no matter which way you turn. Anyone else see this?

[Tilt]

Lavochkins did not have artificial horizons until after the GPW. So there should not be one there.

[Krusty]

HTC does not model cocpits to strict historical accuracy. This is a good thing, as many planes did not have some basic instruments.

Not to mention a historical cockpit would be in russian, hard to read, metric, and difficult to find what you need at a moment's notice. 

[Tilt]

There are other ac in AH without Art Hor. The Lavochkin does not need one.

What interests me more is the slight change in FM that has occurred.

Flying the La5FN it feels slightly more stable at lower speeds and I fancy that roll rate has changed (slowed) slightly my imagination also leeds me to believe that non wepped power is less (or its affect is less).

Of course when so much is changed about an old familiar bird and the speed indicator is bust then its dufficult to tell if its my imagination or indeed different.

I tried the classic Lavochkin stall recovery (cut throttle and push stick forward without any rudder) and its seems more effective than before (when I fancy a little rudder helped)  ...........again it could be my imagination it would be neat to know.

Maybe prop effect has been lessened.............??

IIRC the hole in the lower left dash is where historically a rotary radio tuning switch was housed

[Infidelz]

The compass on the LA7 is reversed.
The air speed indicator is too slow. Gear comes down well below the 200 value on the dial and dial speed does not match map value.
The altimeter is placed such that its hard to view the top part of the glass. Can we turn that red handle thing to a different angle?

In my view the glass is half full. The art is outstanding, the leading edge flaps and cowl are just too cool.

INF>

[Rich46yo]

                           I love the new look of the LaLa but both the placement and operation of the air speed indicator is a problem. The operation can be fixed Im sure, and the sooner the better. Its an airplane you have to be aware of your speed with. The old one it was easier to monitor speed due to placement of the dial. Also I miss the artificial horizon dial. But Im all for historically correct modeling as long as every other airplane has it.

                         If anything the LA seems to handle even better now at high speeds. The guns kinda feel different. I cant tell how cause I only took it up a few times.

[Tilt]

The internals for the AH La5FN and the La7 are based upon the layout inside the La7 which was noit the same as the La5FN


Dials were actually as below.



1)Hydraulics pressure gauge
2)Flap index
3)Landing gear control lever.
4)Brake pressure guage
5)Air system pressure guage
6)electrical switches
7)Landing gear indicator
8)Clock
9)cannon air charging
10)Altimeter
11)Cannon manual/mechanical charging
12)Cockpit vent (N.O)
13)Gun sight
14)Compass
15)Course indicator (N.O)
16)CI reversing switch (N.O)
17)Amperemeter
18)Fual Guage
19)Cockpit light
20)Radio compass switch (N.O)
21)Cylinderhead temp guage
22)Frequency switch
23)Vertical speed indicator
24)Oil temp, Oil pressure & Fuel Pressure guage.
25)Turn & Bank Indicator
26)RPM
27)Boost
28)Airspeed indicator
29)Ignition/magneto switch

so your empty hole is for the magneto switch.

Where the text says (N.O) it means this was added post war (in this case by the Czech airforce) You will note that we have an additional G meter which I suppose makes some sense as we cannot feel G.............. we can see horizons however as much and as little as any VVS pilot could.

[TonyJoey]

Is anyone else having the problem of their speed guage needle being almost 100 mph. off. Please notify me if this is happening to you, and if there's anyway to fix it.

[Masherbrum]

If yer deploying flaps in an La7, something needs correcting.    I have NEVER used flaps in it.   NEVER and I have NO PROBLEMS turning with all craft except the Hurry 1/A6M2 in the MA environment.   

[LEDPIG]

I have to say i am really enjoying the LA-7 La-5, a really nice job on this one. The cockpit is one of the most beautiful and fun i have ever seen! 

One question, i noticed that on the ground while idling the cockpit vibrates, is this new if so it is a genius idea. I feel as if sitting in a real La on the runway brilliant.

 

[Tilt]

If yer deploying flaps in an La7, something needs correcting.    I have NEVER used flaps in it.   NEVER and I have NO PROBLEMS turning with all craft except the Hurry 1/A6M2 in the MA environment.   

I will drop flaps at the top of a slow loop or if I want nose up quickly after going over the top (of a slow ish loop)........ or if something really slowly is attempting rolling scissors I may drop a notch of flap to stay behind him.


The speed dial is the wrong graphic 200 is at 3 oclock (not 150) and 400 is at 6 oclock (not 300)

[Widewing]

If yer deploying flaps in an La7, something needs correcting.    I have NEVER used flaps in it.   NEVER and I have NO PROBLEMS turning with all craft except the Hurry 1/A6M2 in the MA environment.   

Using flaps, the La-7 will match turn radius with the Spit16 (also using flaps). The problem is that the Spit is superior until you get slow enough to get flaps out. That's the same situation with the 109F-4 and Spit9. With super-duper turners, the Lavochkins rely on superior turn rate to hang with fighters like the Spitfire9 and F4Us. Both make smaller circles than the Lavochkins, but the La-5/La-7s get around the circle so fast they actually gain ground, even with full flaps out (which is why it seems you can out-turn better turning fighters). Here's a brief film that shows my way of dealing with well flown F4Us when I'm flying the La-5FN. Optiker is flying the F4U. He's way better than average in the F4U. Unfortunately, the La-5FN is much better in the vertical. Thus, the F4U is in trouble once it's forced out of the right-hand lufbery. It's important not to fight the F4U the way it fights best. Make the pilot play your game, which is simply vertical E fighting.

Film link: http://home.att.net/~historyworld/La-5vsF4U.ahf. Watch it from fixed view, zoomed in with trails on for the best perspective.

My regards,

Widewing