Fuel Tanks Drain Order

[321BAR]

almost all automatic burns burn in the correct order. some like to use preference in high torque burns to stabilize the plane. others burn more exposed tanks (in the La-5FN La-7 whenever i get a fuel leak its the wings first to go that lil midget of a center tank is mere "get home gas" so i burn wings down to 25% each and then hit auto). Most if not all auxiliary tanks should burn first due to the fact that many auxies mess with the stability and balance of the aircraft. In radials i try to burn any wing tanks the A/C has to either decrease the torque rolling or increase it.

[mtnman]

For the F4U-1A I take 100% other than for rare situations where I take 75%.  I like to begin fighting when my fuel is around 75%.

I always burn the left wing down to just under 1/8, and the right down to just under 1/4.  I burn it in stages by flip-flopping between the two tanks to keep my side-to-side balance fairly even though.

In the F4U I see a definite advantage to managing fuel this way.  I get the range/flight-time I want, with the balance I like.

[icepac]

Some here rarely fly higher than 10k or a distance longer than 1 sector.

[branch37]

For the F4U-1A I take 100% other than for rare situations where I take 75%.  I like to begin fighting when my fuel is around 75%.

I always burn the left wing down to just under 1/8, and the right down to just under 1/4.  I burn it in stages by flip-flopping between the two tanks to keep my side-to-side balance fairly even though.

In the F4U I see a definite advantage to managing fuel this way.  I get the range/flight-time I want, with the balance I like.

I know in the F4U-1A if you burn the left wing down to about 1/4 and the right wing down to about 1/2, it helps with roll rate, and provides enough reserve fuel if you main tank is hit or runs dry.

[mtnman]

I know in the F4U-1A if you burn the left wing down to about 1/4 and the right wing down to about 1/2, it helps with roll rate, and provides enough reserve fuel if you main tank is hit or runs dry.

Yup, that's true. 

That's why burning off the wing tanks helps.  Weight out in the wings never helps roll rate. 

It's mass that takes more effort to get in motion, and more effort to stop that motion...  To me, that means less-refined control.  I prefer the plane and controls be as sensitive as possible, which is why I burn more fuel out of my wings than that.

Leaving some fuel does give me a reserve which I find to be adequate for my type of flights, and leaving a littler extra in the right wing feels like it helps keep the left wing from dropping so quickly when I teeter on the edge of a stall.

[Krusty]

F4u stalls are already too docile, torque effects are really dulled down. The fuel balance can help in the -1 models with wing tanks. However this is already easily managed with how AH has them modeled. They are hardly widow makers and don't display half the historic handling issues they did in real life due to their engine power and torque.

That said, a few things:

75% on a -1 hog is a lot of fuel. 100% is almost too much. Great for BNZ when you want to climb up and aren't going to turn more than 40 degrees in any engagement, but really weighs down the plane's ability to break-turn.

However, 100% on a F4u4 is mandatory all times, if not 100%/2x DTs. Which brings me to my next point...

It depends on the plane.

100% in a P-47D isn't so bad. 100% in a P-47N is terrible. Anybody that's flying a P-47N with 100% and is dogfighting is just plain and simply doing it wrong. Yes, that means you skorpion. Have you considered the reason you're getting shot so much is because you cannot evade? It's like flying with a full load of bombs on your wings even when you're clean. That will significantly cut into your manuverability, making you a flying brick. THAT is probably why you're getting shot and losing gas. You're causing it it by taking so much gas (it's a catch 22). Even at full throttle I think P-47N 100% gas load lasts over an hour. Unless you're climbing to 35K and/or escorting B-29s on a mega-strat raid, you have no reason to take that much gas. It isn't meant for dogfighting.

[skorpion]

100% in a P-47D isn't so bad. 100% in a P-47N is terrible. Anybody that's flying a P-47N with 100% and is dogfighting is just plain and simply doing it wrong. Yes, that means you skorpion. Have you considered the reason you're getting shot so much is because you cannot evade? It's like flying with a full load of bombs on your wings even when you're clean. That will significantly cut into your manuverability, making you a flying brick. THAT is probably why you're getting shot and losing gas. You're causing it it by taking so much gas (it's a catch 22). Even at full throttle I think P-47N 100% gas load lasts over an hour. Unless you're climbing to 35K and/or escorting B-29s on a mega-strat raid, you have no reason to take that much gas. It isn't meant for dogfighting.

im not saying that i cant evade just like your saying. im simply saying i always take 100% because i expect fuel to be shot. if you dont expect it you cant be prepared for it. also, if you have even seen me fly with 100% you would be suprised how well i can keep it all cool in a fight.

[Krusty]

What you might consider "cool" others would scoff at.

Have you ever flown the P-47N with 6 guns light and at 25%?

Give it a whirl. Just for a comparison test. Take your DTs, get to the fight, might only last for 1-2 kills before you RTB but give it a try for a learning comparison. You can hang on the prop, turn with planes that would eat you alive at 100% and (I'm assuming) unhistorical overload ammo and 8 guns. I've surprised many a virtual pilot that thought I'd be easy pickings. I'm no batfink, but flying with so many jug enthusiasts in 71 Sqn you learn to work the plane as best you can. I can tell you for a fact (not open for debate) you are hurting yourself more than helping by taking 100%.

I'm all for RTBing safely. I'm all for a safety margin in my fuel loadout. But that's just ridiculous man.

[skorpion]

What you might consider "cool" others would scoff at.

Have you ever flown the P-47N with 6 guns light and at 25%?

Give it a whirl. Just for a comparison test. Take your DTs, get to the fight, might only last for 1-2 kills before you RTB but give it a try for a learning comparison. You can hang on the prop, turn with planes that would eat you alive at 100% and (I'm assuming) unhistorical overload ammo and 8 guns. I've surprised many a virtual pilot that thought I'd be easy pickings. I'm no batfink, but flying with so many jug enthusiasts in 71 Sqn you learn to work the plane as best you can. I can tell you for a fact (not open for debate) you are hurting yourself more than helping by taking 100%.

I'm all for RTBing safely. I'm all for a safety margin in my fuel loadout. But that's just ridiculous man.

ok. so now your trying to force your way of flying down my throat now? honestly. i took training for all of this and i know what im doing. 6 months of training in the P47M/D25/D40. i trained with 8 guns (425 RPG) and 100% in all. like i said, I KNOW WHAT IM DOING.

[Tank-Ace]

what moron doesnt take 100/75% fuel? if you want to return home after you get your fuel tank shot then id suggest doing that.

That would be most of the player base  .

[Krusty]

ok. so now your trying to force your way of flying down my throat now? honestly. i took training for all of this and i know what im doing. 6 months of training in the P47M/D25/D40. i trained with 8 guns (425 RPG) and 100% in all. like i said, I KNOW WHAT IM DOING.

I'm not forcing my way of flying on you. You can fly however you want. If you want to stick a broken pencil in your joystick's throttle so that it only gives you 60% max movement, you can do that too.

Please note we're talking P-47N which has nearly TWICE the amount of internal fuel that all the models you listed have. The P-47M/D25/D40 are all quite capable of flying with 100%, but this was about the N... You know? The one that flew to Japan and back? Squared wingtips.

Subjectively you can fly however you want in whatever fashion, but it's not open for debate you are hamstringing yourself by taking 100% in this ride (specifically P-47N, not D and not M). Kind of like jamming a broken pencil into your throttle. You can dogfight with bombs under the wings too. Totally up to you, but even if you CHOOSE to (subjectively) you're still doing it wrong (objectively).

So you have your own freedom to fly it wrong if you like. I'm just saying it's wrong. If you're too stubborn to note the issue brought up, I can't help ya. I tried, though. If I saw a Ki-61 pilot claiming he only flew with 100%, or a Mossie pilot saying he only dogfought with 100%, I'd have tried the same to them.

List of planes that are "wrong" to fly/fight at 100%:

Ta152
Mossie
P-47N
Ki-61
P-51D (debatable)
110G

Most notably these are the longest-ranged planes with the most additional weight added to the airframe by taking full internal gas. P-51D is there because of instability issues with the aft tank, rather than simply weight issues. These ar aircraft that perform well with 75%, good with 50%, and even better with 25% gas, have so much gas that you can often get away with 25% internal, but where flying with 100% makes them hollow shells of their full potential. There are more to add to the list but that's the stuff off the top of my head.

[Tank-Ace]

Don't forget the 190F and maybe A8. Both can wallow at higher weights.

[skorpion]

I'm not forcing my way of flying on you. You can fly however you want. If you want to stick a broken pencil in your joystick's throttle so that it only gives you 60% max movement, you can do that too.

Please note we're talking P-47N which has nearly TWICE the amount of internal fuel that all the models you listed have. The P-47M/D25/D40 are all quite capable of flying with 100%, but this was about the N... You know? The one that flew to Japan and back? Squared wingtips.

Subjectively you can fly however you want in whatever fashion, but it's not open for debate you are hamstringing yourself by taking 100% in this ride (specifically P-47N, not D and not M). Kind of like jamming a broken pencil into your throttle. You can dogfight with bombs under the wings too. Totally up to you, but even if you CHOOSE to (subjectively) you're still doing it wrong (objectively).

So you have your own freedom to fly it wrong if you like. I'm just saying it's wrong. If you're too stubborn to note the issue brought up, I can't help ya. I tried, though. If I saw a Ki-61 pilot claiming he only flew with 100%, or a Mossie pilot saying he only dogfought with 100%, I'd have tried the same to them.

List of planes that are "wrong" to fly/fight at 100%:

Ta152
Mossie
P-47N
Ki-61
P-51D (debatable)
110G

Most notably these are the longest-ranged planes with the most additional weight added to the airframe by taking full internal gas. P-51D is there because of instability issues with the aft tank, rather than simply weight issues. These ar aircraft that perform well with 75%, good with 50%, and even better with 25% gas, have so much gas that you can often get away with 25% internal, but where flying with 100% makes them hollow shells of their full potential. There are more to add to the list but that's the stuff off the top of my head.

i never was going on about the 47n. and you just said that you werent trying to force me to fly your way? whats this "flying wrong" crap? i can get max movement with 100% because im trained to do it like i only have a drop of gas in my tank. if you had noticed that before then we still wouldnt be going on about this. i fly every plane with 100% because i always expect the unexpected. some planes require 100 and some only need a few gallons to get going.

[branch37]

Better back off Krusty, He's been trained 

[skorpion]

Better back off Krusty, He's been trained 

but, am i house trained?