Another Clipboard Map function wish

[oboe]

I thought of what might be a helpful function.  Maybe someone has asked for it before; I'm not sure what I would call it - an inflight navigator function?

While you're in-flight, you could bring up the clipboard map and Shift-click and drag an line from your aircraft icon your target field or strat object. This could create a light blue arrowed line from your plane to the object, with light blue text displaying the distance to target and estimated time to target at your current speed.  The information could stay up 5-10 seconds and then automatically disappear, or disappear if you click and drag toward a new target.

This would not be an unrealistic function in a bomber or transport aircraft with a navigator position, and might help a lot with coordinating base attacks or troop drops - I have a hard time estimating how far out from a drop I am when I'm plodding toward a field in a C-47...   

<S>

[colmbo]

+1

It wasn't just a bomber or transport with a navigator that used this.  Ever notice the slide out shelf in the instrument panel of Navy aircraft?  Nav plotting board.

[Vraciu]

In Warbirds it was a dot command for a bearing to whichever base you typed in. 

.hdg A20

Something like that.   The heading would appear in the buffer I believe. 

[oboe]

Two other suggestions I would make for the clipboard:

1) Since the color Red indicates "Enemy" units, the courses for the friendly CV fleets should probably not be a set of red arrowed line segments.  I'd suggest light blue for this instead.

2) I'm never sure about target hardness and I'm not sure where this info can be found, but it would be nice to have it available in a format similar to the very handy clipboard target maps - just a sheet showing the lbs of bombs necessary to destroy VH, FH, BH, Radar, etc.  Also the percentage of buildings that need to be down in a town for it to be prepped.  The work 8thJinx did on the clipboard maps is superb and I'd stick with that format.

In fact, I could probably do this myself since its possible to insert your own clipboard maps - where can I find target hardness values?  DO they change often, or vary by terrain or arena?

Thanks!

[BowHTR]

In fact, I could probably do this myself since its possible to insert your own clipboard maps - where can I find target hardness values?  DO they change often, or vary by terrain or arena?

Thanks!

Here is a little chart Lusche made that works great. The hardness does not change from map to map. It is the same on all of them.

[Dawger]

All we need is a usable ruler tool to measure distance on the map.

After you know the distance the rest is simple math or if you want to be super geek, get an actual E6B.

https://www.amazon.com/ASA-E6B-Paper-Flight-Computer/dp/B003ZFOYQI

You can even build your own.

http://ben.com/flying/e6b/

A ruler tool would be a nice addition.

Some simple math tools for estimating time en route.

60 mph is 1 mile per minute so just make estimates based on that.

If your distance to go is 20 miles (one grid)

120 mph/ 2 miles per minute/10 minutes per grid
180 mph/3 mpm/6.7 minutes per grid
240 mph/4 mpm/ 5 minutes per grid
300 mph/5 mpm/4 minutes per grid
360 mph/6 mpm/3.2 minutes per grid

Remember this is calculated with GROUNDSPEED (True Airspeed +/- wind). Indicated airspeed is not relevant.