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Messerschmitt Bf-109 propeller pitch gauge

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Hello, I am trying to make the propeller pitch gauge for the Bf-109. Unfortunately I don't know the way it works on the real planeI have checked a book about cockpits and an Airliners.net photo and both gauges pict show: LUFTSCHRAUBE Stellungsanzeige (here is a pict). Graduations are 30,60,90, etc... as the blade angle, but the thing I don't understand is why are they 2 needles, a long and a smaller one. One should be enough for the blade angle using PROPELLER_1_BETA variable.A possibility for the small needle could be the percentage of the lever position (PROPELLER LEVER POSITION), so it could be easy to compare both values.Can anybody let me know the use of both needles and eventually which variable to use on each needle to make a realistic gauge. Even the flight manual does not explain wht each needle show.ThanksJean-Pierre

The mysterious VDM "clock"...Check your PM's for more info.Douglas

Hello,What do you camm a PM ? and where to find it ?Jean-Pierre

  • Moderator

Er, that is a CLOCK, not a "prop pitch indicator" ;)

Fr. Bill    

AOPA Member: 07141481 AARP Member: 3209010556


     Avsim Board of Directors | Avsim Forums Moderator

Yes it is a prop pitch indicator. Trust me, I can read German.

Jean-Pierre ,"PM's" is my lamentable abbreviation for

I was in a 109 Squadron in IL2 through it's variants up into PF. The clock hands may be strange at first thought but trust me, when you're in a fight and need to work your pitch to keep from frying an engine "sunny side up" you're working that pitch back and forth like a maniac. You're doing it mostly by engine RPM noise but every once in a while you need to glance at things to see where you're at... particularly as the fight progresses and may start to turn into a stall fight. The clock face is so familiar that it can be recognized and read in even less than a split second.If you end up slow you just keep dropping pitch angle but you need to know when you're about to run out or you end up out of airspeed, altitude and options.As all those who have flown ACM in prop aircraft know:(IAS)! (AGL)! (Options)! &&& if{@DeadMeat;}Scott / Vorlin

>>>>I was in a 109 Squadron in IL2 through it's variants up into PF. The clock hands may be strange at first thought but trust me, when you're in a fight and need to work your pitch to keep from frying an engine "sunny side up" you're working that pitch back and forth like a maniac. <<<

  • Moderator

>Yes it is a prop pitch indicator. Trust me, I can read>German.Ich bin ALSO

Fr. Bill    

AOPA Member: 07141481 AARP Member: 3209010556


     Avsim Board of Directors | Avsim Forums Moderator

Couldn't find a description of the gauge, but I found a short manual for the "VDM Verstelluftschraube", for the propeller itself. It looks that the gauge really works like a clock, with the "hour" needle showing coarse and the "minute" needle showing fine setting of the pitch. These props seem to have a tendency to creep in pitch, if slightly torn. The creeping tendency can be watched much better with the "minute" needle, whereas the actual pitch setting can be better viewed with the "hours". Additionally the pitch is electrically advanced by a decrease/increase pitch rocker switch, the tendency increase/decrease can be better viewd by the "minutes". Just an assumption.

>>>>Additionally the pitch is electrically advanced by a decrease/increase pitch rocker switch<<<http://www.enginehistory.org/tmv1n3.htmbut you need to pony up 8 bucks for total enlightenment.Douglas

Thank you Douglas for your explanations.But I won't pay 8 $ for informations for a freeware development.I will make a compromise for FS9 and have the large needle showing the blade angle (between 9h and 12h) and perhaps the small one showing the percentage of the popeller lever position. Jean-Pierre

>>>>Thank you Douglas for your explanations.But I won't pay 8 $ for informations for a freeware development.I will make a compromise for FS9 and have the large needle showing the blade angle (between 9h and 12h) and perhaps the small one showing the percentage of the popeller lever position.<<<

Hi Douglas,In the meantime, I found some beginning of a solution.From the "Betriebs- und R

Jean-PierreWell, 11:05 is the lowest (earliest?:-lol) indication mentioned by Southwood, but he was flying a display that certainly didn

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