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Post by Maarten on Sept 16, 2014 15:47:56 GMT -5
Hi there, I just struck on a very interesting article by Gerard L. Blake, former instructor Flight Engineer on Boeing C-97F and C-97G aircraft. Here is a link to this article: www.enginehistory.org/r-4360ops1.shtml . Cheers, Maarten |
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Post by stansdds on Sept 17, 2014 4:52:38 GMT -5
Interesting read.
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Post by Defender on Sept 17, 2014 15:15:01 GMT -5
Hi Maarten,
Yes, very helpful article and it helped me find some slight errors in the files contained in the gauge folder named XML. It was a while back but I'll see if I can find them. One was an incorrect BMEP constant and the other was an incorrect needle x,y coordinate. With the corrections you'll get almost exactly the settings mentioned in the article.
I'll get back
Bill
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Post by Maarten on Sept 17, 2014 17:19:53 GMT -5
Hi Bill,
That's great to hear. I've just been busy these days updating the CC Strats which had been stored for too long in my hangar. Definitely different bird to fly compared with the DC's and (Super) Connies, but fun all the way.
I also read some reports about the crash of a Northwest Strat. Cause of the crash opened cowl flaps during take off which caused heavy bufetting after the wing flaps were raised. From what I understand, ever since Strats were to take off with cowl flaps on "trail" position until the wing flaps were retracted. Then they could be opened a little bit to cool down the corncobs.
Cheers,
Maarten
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Post by Defender on Sept 18, 2014 10:44:10 GMT -5
Hi again Maarten (and anybody else interested) It took me a while to check this out as I had almost completely rearranged the VC panel layout and changed some engine gauge bitmaps and settings. Anyway, the corrections I referred to only affect the BMEP gauges in the FE panel so any members who want an easy life and set power only by MAP, RPM and fuel flow can safely ignore all this! For the rest of us who prefer setting power by BMEP or torque, as all these large pistons engines required, here are your options to get the values referred to in Mr Blake's article. Stage 1 (required) In the XMLgauges folder, back up and open the bmep12.xml (and the bmep34.xml) with notepad. Find the lines (two of them) <Item Value="190" X="82" Y="15"/> and change it to read, <Item Value="190" X="100" Y="13"/> It was an easy mistake to make if you look at the gauge bitmap. Then look for the numbers 0.045 (four of them) and replace with either 0.0366 (torque version) or 0.0349 (BMEP version). Your choice, see Stage 2 below. (Every engine type has a BMEP and torque "constant". The BMEP constant is always the same but the torque constant is affected by at least the prop shaft/gear ratio. So for example in the R3350 the BMEP constant is always 236 regardless of the version, CA, CB, DA, EA etc., and the torque constant is always 142 except for the Starliner which has a different gear ratio. From the values quoted in the article, the R4360 must have constants of BMEP 181.5, torque 191.0. The shaft/gear ratio seems to be the same 0.375:1 for all the R4360 variations and prop types. The "0.045" in the gauge xml in fact comes from the R3350 gauges in the Connie series and can only apply to that engine type. So all the gauge readings are much too high.) Stage 2 (recommended) The download version comes with the gauge bitmap and XML coding as "BMEP", as certainly also both Douglas and Lockheed used in their aircraft and manuals. Don't know about Boeing but Mr Blake's article suggests that the USAF used torque instead. If you prefer torque then you might consider changing the bitmap wording and in the xml tooltip section change "BMEP" to "TORQUE". In any event the gauge bitmap red lines should become 235 if BMEP and 247 if torque. Stage 3 (entirely optional) I made a number of additional changes to my version including, -remade the BMEP bitmap to cover the range 20-280 with 150 at tdc and corresponding xml x/y needle positions. -ditched the existing 2D and VC MAP and RPM gauges and replaced with the XMLgauges folder versions, adding the BMEP as well. I only use VC so the radio panel has gone (already in separate window anyway) and so the centre panel now has 3 sets of dual needle gauges, BMEP, RPM and MAP. This was certainly the Pan American and BOAC preferred layout. AOA may have had only MAP and RPM on the front panel but that could have changed when merged with PAA. United's aircraft (and possibly NWA) had a quite different setup but completely rebuilt by BOAC when bought by them. This was PAA, propspistonsandoldairliners.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/amazing-ditching-of-pan-am-flight.htmlThis was BOAC, b377.ovi.ch/articles/speedbird/Hope this helps you to enjoy the Stratocruiser. Bill |
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Post by Maarten on Sept 18, 2014 11:29:27 GMT -5
Wow Bill! Thank you so much. It is obvious that there is much work to be done. Never tweaked XML gauges before, so here's my chance to learn something new. Believe me, I never realised that posting a link to a site about the R-4360 would lead to so much interesting stuff (and work).
Cheers,
Maarten
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Post by circleman on Sept 18, 2014 14:44:50 GMT -5
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Post by Maarten on Sept 18, 2014 15:33:21 GMT -5
Thank you for the HU, Circleman! Edit: That sound Tufun is working on is simply amazing. And to realise it is still in its developing stage.... Very promising. Cheers, Maarten |
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