stearmen flight model realism

[craig1998 0]

wow great discussion guys. Im not claiming to be an expert as I mentioned in OP. In detail I must say that after diving the plane, lets just say within the flight envelope, and no thrust being generated the glide is so horrible you cant even flare hardly for landing. dont take my word for it...try it yourself.just tried again with engine off and landing is a no go lol

[LHookins 3,117]

In detail I must say that after diving the plane, lets just say within the flight envelope, and no thrust being generated the glide is so horrible you cant even flare hardly for landing. dont take my word for it...try it yourself.

I did, many times. The glide ratio with the engine running is 10:1, easy enough to fly and land. The glide ratio with the engine off is 5:1, and this takes a bit of work. You'll get a longer glide at 68 knots than you will at a glide speed of 75, but you might have some trouble flaring at that speed. Hint: pull the prop control all the way back if the engine stops or you'll drop like a brick, probably a glide ratio of 3.5:1. Pull the stick all the way back after you touch down, as it acts as if the brakes were on full.Hook

[craig1998 0]

i remember the old sopwith camel flight model the glide was so high I had trouble setting it down on the runway. This thing as you said drops like a brick. Let me play with the propeller setting this time.edit** wow! big difference with propeller all the way back to 0%. Good call on that one. Guess my inexperience is really showing now. I landed but still flipped by not pulling back enough on touchdown like you said. thanks.

[Chock 17,769]

The flight model when in the air would suggest it is not meant to be a modified 450, since it labours quite a bit on even simple aeros, but I think it takes off better than one should, lifting off way too quickly, and as far as holding it straight with rudder on the take off roll, or getting the tail up, it is much simplified to a real biplane. But, it is fun. I think it is inclined to slow down a bit too quickly in some situations, even taking into account the fact that all those wires and struts and the thick aerofoils on biplanes are not exactly aids to speed, and most Stearman pilots will tell you that they fly with one eye on suitable impromptu landing sites most of the time, because of the fact that if the engine quits, it isn't going to glide a long way with that distinctly un-aerodynamic lump of metal on the front end.Where toughness is concerned, the Stearman was designed as a trainer, and so designed to take abuse, thus it is indeed a tough aeroplane, even ignoring the fact that the box shape which the upper and lower wings of a biplane form, tend to be inherently tough anyway. If you've ever flown a lighter biplane such as a Tiger Moth, when you see a Stearman, it is a shock, since it is built like a tank in comparison to the DeHavilland.Al

[LHookins 3,117]

wow! big difference with propeller all the way back to 0%. Good call on that one. Guess my inexperience is really showing now. I landed but still flipped by not pulling back enough on touchdown like you said. thanks.

I had to learn that myself by trial and error. My first landings were with full prop, which is how I was able to measure the 3.5:1 glide ratio.Someone on the beta forum suggested a challenge: Move the aircraft on the map over an airport. Go to free flight, which puts you about 1000 feet above the ground. Immediately kill the engine with the B key. Land and stop on the runway. Any aircraft, any airport, any weather. Good luck!I had a saved flight at the very end of the Hilo runway, and kept reloading that and trying various combinations. I had a couple of dozen successful landings, and quite a few crashes. :)Hook

[Arwen 289]

When you are in Flight's Stearman, turn around and look behind the seat, and you'll see a metal plate, which includes the following information:Date Mfd. 2/4/44Engine: R-696Model: B75N1

[shane_IT 0]

They're refering to the Lycoming R-680. A quick wiki search will bring up the specs, but it came in 3 models so I'm unsure if its 225hp or 300hp.

[Chock 17,769]

Not that a texture in a sim is any indication of accuracy, but there's a plate on the engine bay firewall of my 1960 Morris Minor that says it has the original engine, but it actually has an engine from a 1980s Marina that is a lot bigger (700cc bigger). The moral of the tale being that you really can't go off data plates in old cars or aeroplanes; when they are that old, they've almost all been modified in some way or another.Al

[shane_IT 0]

The above is true. But during the beta I was specifically told it was a Lyc R680 from someone on the dev team. It came in 3 horsepower varients, and is a 9 cylinder radial as opposed to the classic 7 cylinder.

[craig1998 0]

cant land her. well I should say I can land just not stop. Flips every time even with excess up trim and pulling back all the way after touchdown.

[shane_IT 0]

What are you using? Mouse? I can land it fine with stick and rudder pedals. It lands like a tank.

[LHookins 3,117]

I can land it fine with stick and rudder pedals. It lands like a tank.

I've never landed a tank. The tank commander wouldn't let me get fast enough to get airborne. I have seen videos of an M1 doing it though. :DHook

[Oracle427 45]

There is no nose wheel to stop you from flipping over. Release the brakes every now and then and let aerodynamic braking do its part. You'll get a feel for it.

[craig1998 0]

changed the smooth braking setting and now I can land