Inspired by Jon's Staggerwing, I thought I might have a browse through my book of "less-than-usual" aircraft (not that the Staggerwing fits that category) and came across this beauty. Not exactly GA but then...http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/157096.jpgQuote..."Built by Dornier Germany and named the DO X, it never went into commercial service, but was the biggest aircraft in existence in 1929. An enormous flying boat with a wing span of 48 metres, and a max loaded weight of 56,000 kg.It had a very thick untapered wing, deep hull, massive sponsons and a row of twelve engines mounted above the wing in tandem pairs... each a 600hp Curtiss Conqueror water-cooled unit.The Do X first flew on 25 July 1929 and in October that year it carried the largest number of people to have flown in one aircraft - ten crew, 150 passengers and nine stowaways.Never commercially successful, it was finally placed in the Air Museum in Berlin and was destroyed in an air raid." UnquoteI wonder how it handled?Come on Jon, get busy. Let's see if you can do one of these in two nights :-lol Cheers.Bruce H

That looks like a flying boat, there common in FU3 :-lolhttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/157124.jpgYour liable to see them most anywherehttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/157125.jpgHave Fun :-vuurAllan BFU Job Manager and Co-Moderatorand PuppyBush Flying Unlimitedhttp://avsim.com/hangar/air/bfu/logo70.gif

Nice flying boats Allan :-)On a more serious note, the real ones vanished for several reasons. First of all, a flying boat is a good idea if you don't have a runway. If you do there are better designs in terms of minimizing parasite drag and improving speed and fuel economy. Modern floatplanes are also inferior to wheel versions in this respect but they can land on lakes out in the wilderness. Airliners should not be required to do so. Secondly, the flying boats had severe corrosion problems. Aluminum and seawater don't mix well. Floatplane pontoons are also vulnerable but at least you won't soak the entire hull each time you land. Further, while the flying boats used the ocean for a runway most floatplanes land on freshwater lakes most of the time -- alu corrodes at a terrible rate in seawater while hardly at all in freshwater. Hans Petter

Flying boats, cars that fly (almost), rabbits..... wow! :-jumpy Where could you find a more versatile flight SIM than FU?Harry Potter, eat your heart out.:-lol Bruce H

Birds?Someone mention birds? For the uninitiated, this is the 'Butcher':http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/157144.jpg"Bird's lice" (F4) view.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/157145.jpgThis is the "Gull"...http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/157146.jpgThese are useful for checking out models and packages ;coz you can fly real slow and close around things. http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/157147.jpgS'all fun :-waveRegards,Jon PointGlide Distance: About 50% of the runway length when you hit a 20kt headgust on flare...

Yes, I still fly the Butcher sometimes - its great around areas with more detailed scenery, as you said. Didn't know the F4 view was called the "lice" view.

Bruce.Actually we have a Plane that is close to the plane that you show. It's missing a few engines but it's close.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/157218.jpgAnd FU3 is still a fun Sim. It's the only Sim that I can instantlychange to my liking. I love Fled, it's the best.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/157219.jpgHave Fun :-vuurAllan BFU Job Manager and Co-Moderatorand PuppyBush Flying Unlimitedhttp://avsim.com/hangar/air/bfu/logo70.gif

Thanks Allan,It does have a lot of similarity for sure... what is it like to fly? I am guessing the model is based on something else from the "fleet"? Or is it a totally new model?I've never seen the "Butcher" or the "Gull" before either. I guess that's the legacy of being a Johnny-come-lately, you miss a lot of stuff that has already gone before.Jon, what are the real world dimensions of the birds? What horsepower is under the bonnet? (For the benefit of all our American friends "Bonnet" = Oz/UK speak for "Hood". Down here, a "hood" is someone who breaks into parties makes a bit of a nuisance of themselves) :-lol Cheers,Bruce H

Bruce is onto something here. When the birds flap their wings, they should gain energy. I guess that's impossible due to the limitations of FU3 - for some reason they had not included helicopters, birds, dragons and boats in their collection of configurable flight characteristics. But maybe its possible to put just a little motor into the bird so that it doesn't just wind down to ground level like a glider (no, no, nothing wrong with gliders!!).As to the horsepower of a bird, probably a bit less than the Concorde. In the same way as Ceres is a bit less than Jupiter.I used to fly the patrol boat. I think its just the Renegade with a new external model (same as the TSS Earnslaw, I think that's the name) - both models made by Capt'n Bazza from NZ. The TSS Earnslaw of course is the little ferry that runs across the lake at Queenstown. I'm not sure that the flight characteristics of either are fully realistic. I've been on the Earnslaw, and remembering its slow chug chug across the lake, I suspect it makes a brick look good. And no, I don't want you to go and start modelling flying bricks, Jon!Robert.