F6F Recall

[Widewing]

I am loving the new F6F.  If you take the 6 view and bars around the cockpit out of the equation (which are historically accurate) the F6F is even better then it was.  It is smoother and maneuvers a lot better.

I will adapt to this new version.

My point is that the current rear view is not historically accurate.

Here's two images to better illustrate my point.




My regards,

Widewing

[RATTFINK]

hmmmmm, I see your point.  Thank you =WW=!


Did we have the second blind area before?

[Widewing]

hmmmmm, I see your point.  Thank you =WW=!


Did we have the second blind area before?

Yes. Many types had blind areas directly behind, with the F4F series being one of the worst. However, these fighters had mirrors to cover the blind area.


My regards,

Widewing

[BnZ]

 Mirrors-we don't want to go there. I have Il2. The complexity of mirrors vs. how useful they are to you on a computer screen is not worth it. A liberally adjustable rear view is a much better compromise solution. As are liberally adjustable view in all directions and perhaps even thinner frames in certain planes, in compensation for the fact that most of us are looking around with keys and joystick buttons and don't have the scanning ease or the 6 degrees of freedom in head movement you have in R/L.

[Vulcan]

I don't recall anyone ever asking to fix anything about the F6F beyond its performance curve (speed over altitude). As far as that goes, it wasn't corrected in this update. We still have an F6F-5 that is slower than Navy test data shows for the F6F-3.

Let's stick to true facts instead of those you invent in your head.

Fact: The F6F modeling offers very limited head position adjustment, about 1/2 that of the F4U.
Fact: A real F6F had a 20 degree (inclusive) blind area behind. The current modeling is around 45 degrees (again, inclusive).
Fact: Real F6Fs had a mirror installed to eliminate the 20 degree blind area.
Fact: Mirrors are not modeled in Aces High.

Solution: Provide enough head movement range to get close enough to the canopy glass to see around the armor plate and pull back far enough to see all instruments (temp gauge).

Rear of cockpit on actual F6F-5:
(Image removed from quote.)

Rear of cockpit, current F6F modeling:
(Image removed from quote.)

My regards,

Widewing

Where does the 20 degrees come from? Also interesting that you compare an open cockpit with a closed one, and a photo taken from the front floor vs a piccie from a higher perspective . If you follow the lines in your diagram I'm at a loss to see how that 20 degrees works without the pilot poking his head out or having his head mounted on the engine block?

I'm no expert on the F6F, just saying if I look at your 'facts' they don't make sense in this regard.

[dedalos]

I am    How can everything always be historically accurate before a change and after a change? I have never seen so match accuracy in my life.      

[Widewing]

Where does the 20 degrees come from? Also interesting that you compare an open cockpit with a closed one, and a photo taken from the front floor vs a piccie from a higher perspective . If you follow the lines in your diagram I'm at a loss to see how that 20 degrees works without the pilot poking his head out or having his head mounted on the engine block?

I'm no expert on the F6F, just saying if I look at your 'facts' they don't make sense in this regard.

I got the 20 degrees from Grumman's General Specification for the XF6F-3.




My regards,

Widewing

[BaldEagl]

I finally got to fly my beloved F6F tonight.  I LOVE the new cockpit (except for the rear view).  It was always bad but its REALLY bad now.  I hope it gets fixed.

[Vulcan]

I got the 20 degrees from Grumman's General Specification for the XF6F-3.

(Image removed from quote.)


My regards,

Widewing

Manufacturer specification? Looks a little optimistic IMHO. And those extra windows behind the pilot in the XF6F-3 seemed to be solid metal panels in the product F6F-5. So are you comparing apples with oranges perhaps?

[RATTFINK]

[Widewing]

Manufacturer specification? Looks a little optimistic IMHO. And those extra windows behind the pilot in the XF6F-3 seemed to be solid metal panels in the product F6F-5. So are you comparing apples with oranges perhaps?

The quarter windows were eliminated after 1960 F6F-5s were built. So, about 1/4 of the production F6F-5s had the windows. They were eliminated because the pilot's view was unchanged with them gone. The best rear view was accomplished by resting ones head on the canopy glass and looking back along the tapering fuselage.


My regards,

Widewing

[Baumer]

Here's a screen-shot to highlight the issue.



I was in the cockpit and used mouse lock to look at (approximately) my 1 O'clock position then hit F3 to go to external mode. From this position you can still see the gunsight. So following the reciprocal view, looking at my 7 O'clock I should see approximately 1/3 of the elevator which I can't see, regardless of how I manipulate the views currently.
 

[Vulcan]

The quarter windows were eliminated after 1960 F6F-5s were built. So, about 1/4 of the production F6F-5s had the windows. They were eliminated because the pilot's view was unchanged with them gone. The best rear view was accomplished by resting ones head on the canopy glass and looking back along the tapering fuselage.


My regards,

Widewing

So that to me seems to be where the issue lies, that extra windowing. AH kind of models headspace, from the feel I get, so like in real life you cannot plant your eyes on the glass, merely close to it. So the question remainds, what is the rear blind spot of an F6F-5 without the extra windows, start comparing that first.

[Chalenge]

I didnt fly the F6F much before but it looks an awful lot like the pilots view cant be adjusted as much as other airplanes. Im hoping it was an oversite rather then a change forthcoming for all planes.

[save]

Just rid of the stupid radar, add radar vectoring every minute, give non-liberal views.

Lower shooting distance and liberal angle shooting and we are closer to a sim.

Effective shooting distances against enemy fighters RL where normally 200 yards or less, and 400 or less for 4engine bombers.
Personally my kill range is normally 400-600 as it stands today.

RL - 70% of all shot down planes did not see the enemy