Hi All,I have an actual flight manual for the T-34b Mentor, and apparently the nosewheel isn't active steering- you only steer with the brakes and the nosewheel castors freely.So was this an upgrade at some point to the real planes that isn't reflected in my manual, or is the Carenado model wrong in this regard(by offering a steerable nosewheel)?Best,Joel

It seems the removal of the NLG steering was the upgrade for the B and subsequent models! Read on...From http://www.airbum.com/pireps/PirepT34C.html...For some reason, the logic of which totally escapes me, the Navy had Beech do away with the nosewheel steering on Charlie. It's no big deal but it seems like a giant. step backwards for a high powered, propeller driven airplane. So, when taxiing, you're forever snatching a little brake this way or that. However, the idle thrust of the turbine is a bit much for normal taxi speeds so you end up poking brakes now and then anyway.From http://www.nawcad.navy.mil/flyingclub/aircraft.htmExternally, the 'B' model is identical to the A, except for removal of a triangular fillet under the rudder, giving it a notched look. Other differences included differential braking for on-ground steering (the 'A' had a steerable nosewheel)

Hmmm, then it would seem to be a mistake on Carenado's part, if I read correctly- they have specifically modeled the "B", which is not supposed to have nosewheel steering...? If so, is there a way to correct their error?Best,Joel"Externally, the 'B' model is identical to the A, except for removal of a triangular fillet under the rudder, giving it a notched look. Other differences included differential braking for on-ground steering (the 'A' had a steerable nosewheel)"

I've emailed them about it. (without posting their exact comments without their permission) they have a T-34B B45 model that has had nose wheel steering it's entire career.When asked the T-34 version of the chicken and the egg question, their response was muddied by translation grammar, but did say clearly theirs was originally built for the military and never modified.So the model is either right. Or it's wrong. Or it's right for that particular one. Or for the other one modelled. Or not. *grin*(read: they have a real one with NWS, and those anecdotes from the web and your manual are not enough to say _ALL_ T-34B's were without NWS)

Remember folks, that all modelers are limited by what FS is capable of doing. While in theory it might be possible to model a "castering nosewheel" (since it is possible to more-or-less model a castering tailwheel), the dynamics of it are quite rough, and not something many would care to invest much time in...It's also perhaps a good idea to keep in mind that this is a flight simulator, not a "airplane watching simulator..." :)

By my research, they have actually done mostly an A and mostly a B.The Navy bird is a B model with the 3 bladed prop. The other Mentor is more of an Air Force A model.Eric