B-17F v1.0

The B-17F, version 1.0 is posted. Bombardier view is view number 8 (it's easiest to get to it from cockpit view by using Shift-V). The "pipper" is set up for a release altitude of 30,000 ft, speed of 160 knots, and no wind. You'll have to increase your flight visibility in the environment settings in order to have adequate time to make course adjustments. The screenshot above shows the view of KSFO with default visibility.

In the future I'll add some wind, drift, altitude and speed adjustments, and some autopilot switches and release button to the bombardier's panel.

Of the eight bombs I dropped only two made it to the ground, but they scored well.

B-17F about ready for v1.0

Updates to the B-17F include: finished the waist gunners cabin, added waist guns, added porthole "window" to ball turret, drew in aft fuselage entry door, redid bombardier's cabin. There are still some things I want to do, like finishing the nose plexiglass, adding a bombardier's view with bomb sight and autopilot controls, giving the crew some texture.

The next update will be version 1.0, although it won't have all of the above.

Lockheed S-3B Viking

FlightGear user "Bravo" requested an S-3B Viking model, and offered to help with the textures, so I found a Rick Sasala model, originally made for FS2000/CFS2, that could be converted. Initial conversion for FlightGear is done, and after borrowing heavily from the A-3D model it's flyable. Still gobs of work to be done. Version 0.1 is in the hangar in the "projects" section.

Skywarrior update

The A-3 Skywarrior has been updated, to include working fuel dump and air refueling, chrome shader on engine, some surface and texture changes. The new version is named A-3D, rather than A-3. It's a bit of a hybrid, with the old tail guns combined with newer sealed bomb bay containing fuel tanks.

B-17F Update

The B-17F now has contrails, set to start at 25,000 feet. The bombs now exit properly, thanks to Ron Jensen's suggestion for getting the bomb intervals using a different method. The bombs still have a collision problem after exiting the airplane. I've also tweaked the flight control trim settings a bit, and increased the minimum prop blade angle, which should give better thrust response.

Am I the only one who gets blue cloud decks?

P-47 Texture Update

Textures have better panel lines now, thanks to Lanny Chambers. The new ones have more "pop".

P-47D update

New Thunderbolt version posted, with updated textures and some semi-transparency added to more of the canopy frame.

B-17 "Liberty Belle" crashes near Chicago

The B-17 bomber "Liberty Belle", owned by the Liberty Foundation, crashed near Oswego, Illinois on Monday. All aboard escaped.

Yet Another B-17 Update

Lots of texture updates, including weathering. Modded the engines to add cowl flaps (non-functioning). Added the window at the rear of the fuselage upper blister (radio man's window?). Changed prop texture, adding logo on front of each blade. Changed bomb bay door property so that they operate over multiplayer.

ToDo: Bombardeer's station, pilot shapes/textures, more guns, contrails, wingtip vortices, fix bomb issues, finish waist gunner's stations, flap textures.

B-17 Project Update

The Super Fortress model has been updated to version 0.95. The cockpit instruments are mostly complete, the bomb bay doors operate (key is "d"), and the bombs come out in sequence (except for bomb #2, which refuses to leave). Unfortunately the bombs often collide upon leaving the airplane. I hope the bad behavior of the bombs is fixable.

Machine guns fire, however they spray bullets all over. Lousy gunners :)