Is the Map Flat, or is it Round?

[LTCClark]

I know that we fly in a 3d environment however calculating Air Speed and gunnery trajectory  I am wondering if the map is flat or if in fact it is round.

because of this you can use a simple distance formula, or you have to include the altitude variances along with the curvature of the earth,

applying the Coriolis effect into your flight path.

the reason i am asking this is to get some equations going for atg speed as well as distances traveled to better calculate how planes performance changes
as well as make a calculator for different altitudes to tell you your true airspeed over indicated.

anyone know the answer to this?

[Bizman]

A vague memory tells me that this has been told but I can't remember the answer. I'd vote for round since we have a curved horizon which can be seen when flying high over the sea.

[FLS]

Bizman I think that's perspective curvature from the FOV.

[Bizman]

Bizman I think that's perspective curvature from the FOV.

Maybe so, but it being straight was considered as a bug at some point.

[colmbo]

as well as make a calculator for different altitudes to tell you your true airspeed over indicated.

anyone know the answer to this?

Increase IAS by 2% per 1000 feet of altitude to determine TAS.

[LTCClark]

I was asking the curvature of the map if there is any

Ie the equator of the earth is about 40,075 kilometres (24,901 mi) long
A Section of Map covering 1000 miles would be curved according to this curvature on the circumferince of the circle or sphere on which it is placed.

trajectory over the horizon,  would have to account for this arc in their calculations in order to be able to arrive at the exact spot where you are aiming
to strike.

So really I am just asking if the map is flat, or if there in fact is a curvature to it at all

I notice while in CMEye view i can fly up to 50k and see that there is a slight curvature but the globe is not noticable outside of the view distance

Aircraft traveling directly to point a from point b would account for this curvature so that at certain arcs your distance would be shorter thus your time to target would change.

[FLS]

Maybe so, but it being straight was considered as a bug at some point.

I recall a discussion but I don't recall the answer. I'm inclined to go with "it's properly curved but you can't see far enough to see it."

If it was flat the lat long would be off wouldn't it?

[Rodent57]

I just know I'm going to regret this:

In flight testing to date (10 Plus years), I've found that all IAS, TAS, G/S speeds correlate to standard day computations ... said differently, the atmospheric models appear true .. (easily demonstrated with the .target function at different altitudes)

I've not found any anomalies for 'Mercator Projections'  (IE  a grid is a grid is a grid). 

They appear to be 25 miles across.

Basic DR works out wonderfully when doing Time / Distance / Heading planning - to the second.

I haven't detected anything in the way of gross Coriolis effect (though it could be there).  You will very much experience Torque effects however.



   

[Puma44]

I just know I'm going to regret this:

 

[100Coogn]

Up a B-17 full fuel and fly north.  If you do not eventually end up back where you started then the map is flat.
Flat I tells ya! 

Coogan

[EskimoJoe]

I was asking the curvature of the map if there is any

Ie the equator of the earth is about 40,075 kilometres (24,901 mi) long
A Section of Map covering 1000 miles would be curved according to this curvature on the circumferince of the circle or sphere on which it is placed.

trajectory over the horizon,  would have to account for this arc in their calculations in order to be able to arrive at the exact spot where you are aiming
to strike.

So really I am just asking if the map is flat, or if there in fact is a curvature to it at all

I notice while in CMEye view i can fly up to 50k and see that there is a slight curvature but the globe is not noticable outside of the view distance

Aircraft traveling directly to point a from point b would account for this curvature so that at certain arcs your distance would be shorter thus your time to target would change.

Bustr would be a good person to ask, he's currently 'the guy' for community map making. Maybe shoot him a message?

[TequilaChaser]

Why do you want to make a calculator to tell you the difference between TAS and IAS with regards to altitude...

Every Plane type in the game already tells you both TAS (red needle) and IAS (white needle) and the game takes in to account for the altitude

Rodent, Puma and colmbo already know this, but even at 50,000 ft altitude, you're not going to be able to see very much curvature of the horizon .... heck you would have to be nearer to 70,000+ ft altitude to be able to to see the pacific coast line from about New Mexico....

The map that you see in the  clipboard is "flat" (think here about Rodent's "a grid is a grid is a grid" remark)

The "Terrains" that Bustr and others create are are created also "flat"  but are like a skin covering part of a section of a sphere.... That have topography built in...

The Sun comes up in the East and goes down in the West

[wil3ur]

NO CURVE 

[ImADot]

How much would a flat square be curved, on Earth, if is was 512x512 miles? Would you even be able to notice? Besides, this is a WW2 game, and we don't have weapons that can reach out far enough for it to make any difference. All the speed calculations are done for you, and as pointed out, they are pretty dang accurate. Would having any more precision by knowing the precise terrain curvature give you opportunities in the game that you don't already have?

[colmbo]

How much would a flat square be curved, on Earth, if is was 512x512 miles? Would you even be able to notice?

Well since the horizon is only 8 miles (depending on distance above the water) away at sea I'm guessing you could see a difference in 512 miles.