S3 Series

OK, so I was really bored today so I decided to work on the Frame 3 DDT (for Jan 11th!).

Of Course we need to figure out the actual target next frame (Frame CO to decide) but here is a straight run to Berlin



So, questions for noflyz
Why did you use line segments for your DAR rings? I just used circles based on your center points (that's what I have always done). Does this cause issues?

I added a bunch of merge points to help coordination with the lites. To make these I just use Excel.

OK, I cant post files on the website anymore (it's full I guess) so I am trying something different (DropBox)

This is what I use to make dtf files, Hawk.

Here is the Excel file I use for creating the merge files:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xfd1b1e29jsqpcy/temp.xlsx?dl=0

Here is the CAD file I use.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xes75otgvq7rlrt/frame3.dwg?dl=0

I manually went and captured all the bases in England and around Berlin to use in the DTF and CAD program. This file is created by brute force.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0725ocmcmreaxs0/Fields.xlsx?dl=0

And here is the DTF file shown above.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xk5if5qwz9p8x5v/BBD3.dtf?dl=0


To move the info from the Excel file to the DTF I just have to copy and past into the text file, remove the tab's and add .strsto in front of every line.

From the Fields Excel:


From the temp.xls:


Now is where I am confused. Someone already found all the ETO field positions! I had the file 2 years ago (it was marked "Top Secret"). I thought it was the Knights but it might have been the Ferrets. We really need to find those old files.

Once you have the field positions (shown above in Feet), you can use whatever you want to chart a course to where you want to go. Then you draw "lines" in the dtf, from point (x y) to point (x y). I use AutoCAD, can use a board if you want to draw to some scale..........

dtf files are just plain text files. No formatting. Use whatever you want to do the typing. Always start with someone elses file! And try and leave the CR at the end of every line. Whatever Noflyz uses strips out the CR so its a little garbled for my taste.

As far as the times go, I don't know how to find them without just flying. Others giving the distances can calculate it somehow with those fancy flying protractors.

If you look at the other dtf files, this should give you a pretty good idea of things.

Post questions......

Salute!

- DO NOT USE MS Word for your DTF creation or when downloading. Use something simple like the notepad for Doze machines and the text editor for Apples.

- Rough timing is possible using a ground speed estimate and an Excel sheet. Use the "two percent rule": for every thousand feet, your GS will increase by two percent of your IAS. So at 25K, your GS is 150% of your IAS. At 50K it's double!!! ( I checked this out one day at 49,000 ft in my VooDoo back in 1966)

- You need to average climb rate by doing a few tests and air lurches at power settings and weight/loadout.

Climb faster than optimum angle!!!! Can't emphasize this enuf. At the perfect speed you will lose wingies. Reason is no speed stability. So if you get behind you can't ever catch up unless you descend and then slowly grab. So climb at 10 or even 15 mph above the perfect climb angle speed. You will also gain range by doing this and only lose a few minutes to 20K and above.

I'll try a few profiles with the lites and see what I come up with.

Finally, JABO needs to enable the arena so's we can test fuel flows and BDA and otto.

Several otto settings can be changed, but not accuracy.

Gums sends...

Because the circles render incorrectly (show larger than they are) when viewed either in mission editor or from the tower. So when I want to plot a line that skirts the dar the circles will have me too far off.

The line segments will render correctly in the tower as well.

Salute!

The day that a mile of DAR coverage makes a difference will be the end of our S3.

Sheesh, a real DAR coverage would be based on terrain masking ( ya know, a mountain in the way) and type of DAR.

A simple circle is easy and good enough. We can't fly these missions based on 50 feet of altitude and a mile of theoretical DAR coverage. Up to this old warrior, I would set the DAR altitude to 500 feet in level terrain and 1,000 feet or higher in some terrains. The sim can't use actual elevation for the valley you are in or the big mountain to the west of the DAR emitter and so forth.

WRT to last comment......... One thing the sim could do with minimal code is to make DAR updates 30 seconds or greater.

Gums opines.whines....

Not exactly Gums,
The DAR drawn with Circles shows twice as large when viewing in the tower. I don't worry about that as I always just go OTR and view the DTF file.

I find the east-west dimension to scale with the north south distance FUBAR. I believe it is caused by the in-tower view shows the grids not to scale. They are shortened north and south.

In tower views are funky. Always go to the big screen.