I have a Saitek X36 profile I built myself... you can mess around with it as much as you like, be sure to examine all modes- as I put certain functions on different modes for the same joystick button _BUT_ a lot of functions are the same throughout the modes. Example: Flaps up/down is always the index finger hat on the throttle pull up for flaps up, push down for flaps down. Gear is always the "A" button on the joystick (next to launch), I have it setup so that the up arrow is manual gear up (for I16) and manual gear down on Mode 2 and Mode 3- Mode 1 is the one keypress gear up/gear down. The title of the file is "To play Il-2 Sturmovik 2".. just import it and point it to the il2fb.exe file so it will load when the game runs.
Also I don't have one of my hats, and actually don't use any hats for views. I use a trackball mouse affixed to my joystick for that, so there should be a free hat to assign views to.
Just be sure to go through it and change things as needed.
As for your setup- here's a BIOS tweak page (if you want to mess around with it, pay close attention to the AGP settings) to get some more performance from your PC. Don't hold me accountable, if it doesn't work after you change the setting- there's a jumper on your motherbord "Clear CMOS"- unplug your PC's power cable, move the jumper to that for 2-3 seconds, then move it back to the "Normal CMOS" (or something like that) pins and it will clear the CMOS to default settings.
http://www.adriansrojakpot.com/Speed_Demonz/BIOS_Guide/BIOS_Guide_Index.htmFor your GF2, use the GF2 settings from the drop down menu, THEN go back to the drop down menu and select "CUSTOM". This applies GF2 settings, but allows you to tweak it. Set texture compression to S3TC, this should alleviate the jerkiness. I have a GF4, and the default settings the game shipped with weren't quite right to get the game to run properly so I had to tweak it slightly.
The game runs smooth in virtually all conditions, except certain areas on the Finland map (around Leningrad for the most part because of SO many varying city textures)... so I don't play any campaigns/missions near Leningrad anymore.
My system:
PNY GF4 Ti4200 (300Core/545mem)
Athlon XP 2000+ (running stock speed/266FSB)
768MB PC133 SDRAM
SB Live!
Win98
DirectX8.1
-SW