Beware the weak-winged buff!

[Jekyll]

Flew 3 sorties in the B17 last night.

1st flight: launched from f4 for f3.  Arrived over target to find clouds obscuring vision.  I was only about 500feet into the clouds so pushed over into a -2g dive to drop below clouds.  Set autolevel for bomb run and BANG!  Wings fall off.

2nd flight:  launched again from F4 for f3.  Tok a more direct route this time to avoid cloud layers.  Set autoclimb to 150kias.... reach target and hit F6 to jump into bombadier's position.  BANG!  Wings fall off again.

3rd flight:  never made it to the target.  A quick pass by Misty in a P51 saw my buff spinning down sans wings.

So, I know that overstress limits are now modelled, but engaging autopilot or F6 now becomes a version of Russian Roulette.

What + and - g limits are modelled for the B17 at the moment?

P.S.  only 25% fuel load ... with 100% fuel in those wings they are likely to fall off if you just breathe hard on them  

------------------
C.O. Phoenix Squadron
www.users.bigpond.com/afinlayson/index.htm
'feel the heat .......'

[Fishu]

I don't think its the load, I think its about stress on wing caused by wind forces  
B-17 has big, wide and tall wings, which sure will break off if you'll try to point nose up in B-17 too hard...
For using autopilot, I suggest you manually first enter into climb so that your speed drops nearby that speed what you've set it to climb when you turn on auto.

I've had no problem flying B-17 whatsoever...
It can still do fine in 90 degree banking  
(real buffers wouldn't want to do that, or they would fly rest of the trip in a chute)

[Duckwing6]

Yep the auto trim sure can exceed the G-limits in the B17b .. (flying a fighter it even can black you out) .. as Fishu said .. better handfly (trim) it and use Autotrim only when near the intended attitude.