Author Topic: Power Duration of ME163... (Read 550 times)

OdinGrunherze · « **on:** June 20, 2007, 08:36:13 PM »

I noticed a pair of bish 163's over a field in LW orange last night...
They were making repeated strafing runs, for a LONG TIME....
Considering the flight time from the nearest bish base, how did they loiter so long over the target Area???
It was my understanding that the 163 only had fuel for a few minutes of rocket time....

Hmmm, same place as the "Magik Mustang" with the warp speed button..

Something suspicious about this???

OG

Lusche · « **Reply #1 on:** June 20, 2007, 08:53:07 PM »

No. You don't need to run on full power all the time.
Get some decent altitude, then shut down engine and glide to target. Being basically a glider with additional rocket engine, you can get a very good mileage that way.
Also you don't even need your engine running all the time during strafing runs due to the the superb energy retention.

OdinGrunherze · « **Reply #2 on:** June 20, 2007, 09:13:38 PM »

Sure man, that was the flight profile... But I've tried the 163 in offline practice... It doesn't have THAT much duration... There was something odd happening in that case... The 163's really didn't matter, nothing changed game wise..

The real curiosity, was the Magic Mustang... One particular plane... Whenever FlaK got too close, he would Warp to triple speed for a short distance... Only one plane, but the same plane every time, and the same odd behavior... Others noticed it as well!!!!

Hmmmmm???

OG

Lusche · « **Reply #3 on:** June 20, 2007, 09:19:56 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by OdinGrunherze
Sure man, that was the flight profile... But I've tried the 163 in offline practice... It doesn't have THAT much duration... There was something odd happening in that case... The 163's really didn't matter, nothing changed game wise..
OG

You would wonder how how long I (or many other pilots) can stay airborne & fighting in a 163.

Also, speaking of THAT much duration: How long was it really? Maybe it felt just that long? Your sense of time can do funny tricks on you when in combat. When you are in a 163 yourself, the time seems running faster, 5mins is absolute nothing then...

And for similar situations: Record it. If you still think there is somthing "wrong" after reviewing it, send it to HTC.

OdinGrunherze · « **Reply #4 on:** June 20, 2007, 09:31:21 PM »

I may be wrong about the 163 issue...Hypertachia maybe... Hmmmm?

Thanks, I'll try to catch the Magic Mustang on film...
The behavior was too consistant to be a glitch...

Lusche

OG

BaldEagl · « **Reply #5 on:** June 21, 2007, 12:26:28 AM »

I fly 163's quite a bit. I often fly them out to enemy bases where they aren't expected as a surprise and they are fun to T'n'B with.

On take-off I immediately back off 20% throttle and back off another 20% very shortly thereafter. I leave it on auto-climb until it levels and gains speed then drop another 20% and hit auto-pilot. At 40% throttle I can safely fly 3 sectors to get into a fight, possibly 4 sectors at 20% throttle with auto-pilot on.

Once at target I spend most of my time with throttle at 0%. Throttling up only to climb or get over the top. The 163 will saddle up with most prop fighters if it's slow enough and to get there means throttle off. It will fly and turn for quite a while in this state.

When fuel hits between 1/8-1/4 tank I go to full throttle, auto climb and grab just enough alt to glide home as the tank runs dry. Usually, depending on terrain, it's enough to glide the full 3 sectors back to my originating base as the 163 holds E well in a gliding dive.

No magic, just thoughtful throttle management.

Trikky · « **Reply #6 on:** June 21, 2007, 01:28:34 AM »

IIRC the 163 only had 3 throttle settings in RL, full, cruise, and idle.

OdinGrunherze · « **Reply #7 on:** June 21, 2007, 07:53:27 AM »

Hmmmm, I'll have to try the 163 again... You are probably right... And I always am a bit throttle happy when flying it.... LOL, its easy to be that way in a 163....

OG

Larry · « **Reply #8 on:** June 21, 2007, 11:05:31 AM »

IIRC I read something from a Me163 pilot that the rocket was throttleable.

flakbait · « **Reply #9 on:** June 21, 2007, 02:23:56 PM »

According to Rudi Opitz, the Me-163B (our's) had fully variable throttle control. The article below is a little long, but full of details most folks don't know about the Komet. It originally appeared in Flight Journal magazine some years ago and was recently taken down. This fella was nice enough to save it.

Rudi Opitz article

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Flakbait [Delta6]