Recreating "The Hump"

[Guest John Girard]

The B-24s were converted to C-87 or C-109. One for cargo, other with internal fuel tanks. C-46 carried 55-gal drums which could be pushed out the cargo doors if engine failure or leakage. Very few shot down by zeros due to using routes out of zero range. But weather, altitude, and mech failure made it most dangerous route flown. Gen Tunner, to increase tonnage, ordered "No weather over Hump". Meaning no flight cancellations or even delays due to weather. Lost many more plans and crews but did increase monthly tonnage. Wartime exegency. Could not give that order today.

[Gilles Lagace]

News from the A-TEAM Event Director!

 

I enjoy reading this thread about the "HUMP flight". I look forward to help your team the best I can.

 

Meanwhile, I apologize to Chuck and other members who were actively planning the historical "BERLIN AIRLIFT" which also has the military feeling like the one you are preparing. Real life took me away from the airlift idea so I could not offer continuation with my collaboration. But your event projects are still on the EVENT DIRECTOR'S NOTEPAD where I keep all your wonderful event ideas for the A-Team to give some help to.

 

FLY ON, GUYS!

[Guest Grant Williams]

Fantastic! We are still working out the details. We would love to collaborate with the A-Team in order to get some publicity for this thing, as was earlier mentioned... not everything checks the forums.

[Guest Grant Williams]

Jon,

 

I did find a nice C47 that uses the default DC3 Virtual Cockpit, however it comes with an update that redoes the Virtual Cockpit graphics! It flies really well, and is a tad easier to use than the modernized version of the C47 I found. Also an option for us. Link us up for the DC-4?

 

Thanks

[Guest Grant Williams]

Fantastic Jonathan! I will probably take the DC4 and a few of the other C47s as well as the C46 up for official test flights tomorrow before I have to go into work. I will write up some sort of official report on my findings and recommendations for the The Hump.

 

Did the book have any maps or airfield pictures to share with Pegger for scenery design.

[Guest John Girard]

I found a list of Hump airfields that has long/lat and elev for main ones. Will post. I think I may have the same book you mentioned. A good resource. I has very good airfield and approach charts for Kunming which was main Chinese hub.

[Guest Grant Williams]

I like the idea Jonathan!

 

JohnJMG, in terms of maps, I have some as well that I found in a download from Flightsim.com, I will throw them your way. Its in a scenery add-on I found that came with a lot of maps and approach charts. Don't know about the scenery itself, I don't think its great but the resources are top-notch.

[Andrew Cofone]

Once you guys get a flight plan worked out I'd love to fly the route in my b377 stratocruiser.

[Guest John Girard]

Here is a link with long/lat of the major airfields:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India-China_Division

[Guest Grant Williams]

The A2A Sim B377?

[Guest Jorge Salguero]

Oh god.

[Cody Outten]

Once you guys get a flight plan worked out I'd love to fly the route in my b377 stratocruiser.

Not all that realistic though. Wasn't used until the Berlin Airlift.

[Guest John Girard]

Yes, about the B377 and others: one key to safely ting the Hump route was the advent of supercharging. The C-47 never had them so they had to fly the low routes (through the passes) in VMC. The C-46 had super chargers so could fly high enough to not need the lower passes and could therefore fly In bad weather by maintaining sufficient altitude. Same for C-87, C-109, B-24. Early C-54 had altitude problem so were restricted when first introduced to Hump route. The B377 was an offshoot of the B-29 and C-97 so wasn't around until after WWII.

[Guest Mike Pare]

I think I have the beta version of Chabua done. I am still seeing a problem with some autogen trees not appearing on the SE side of the airport...must be a poly I messed up.

I will give the scenery another once over, but I don't think I'll obsess over it too much. I could nit pick for days, but as Jon said..

this is a flight sim, not a museum.

Anyhow...here's a couple quick overview shots.

 

I need to have you guys test it on your systems for me. Check for bugs, or scenery detail levels that are out of whack. I'll build an installer tomorrow night maybe, and if you guys PM me or email me your emails, I'll send out a test installer.

 

Now for the next airport. Kunming? or is there another suggestion?

[Guest Grant Williams]

Great job Pegger! I will PM you my email and give it a shot.

 

For Kunming, I'm not sure what to recommend. Is the current airfield at Kunming in the same location as the WWII era field? Because that would present a problem.

[Guest John Girard]

No, the airfield was shut down and a new one built. I believe I sent a link with correct location of original.

[Guest John Girard]

Correct loc for Kinming is directly N. of lake. That is now center of modern Kunming City. Airport Lon/lat:

25.0333N

102.7167E

This is from official USAF records.

[Guest John Girard]

Jon, don't know, but IMHO, correct location is most important. Use of WWII airfield charts, approach procedures, etc would not be possible if airfield was in new location.

[Guest Grant Williams]

I think that an original location would be nice for the airfield. After the event we could always turn off the add-on scenery if I'm correct in that notion?

 

My findings on Aircraft -

 

The C46 is an alright airplane for anyone that wants to use that. Its somewhat difficult to fly, and the panel on the version that I was able to find is incredibly difficult to work with due to the lack of engine controls! You can't control mixture or prop RPM. The plane is hogwash, but would work for someone who has "auto-mixture" and the works turned on. OR someone who is stubborn and prefers the ugly bird over the beautiful C47/DC3.

 

The add-on C47 I found uses the default DC3 virtual cockpit, however, it has been noted that it is trash. So the developers released an updated VC texture pack which actually works really nicely! The plane flies like a champ and would be a great way to authentically replicate the flight. The other C47 I found is more modern, and somewhat re-manufactured, but very realistic overall due to the detailed panel and operations (meaning its not a default FSX aircraft that can basically do whatever it wants).

 

I suppose we could let people fly whatever model they prefer? The default DC3 would even work well also.

[Guest John Girard]

I agree on letting members fly their plane of choice. For myself I'll choose one of the WWII cargo planes.

[Guest Mike Pare]

Fast reply...

 

Yes i can obliterate the modern fields from the scenery.

 

And i will package the airports a their own scenery libraries, so they can be turned off or deleted after use and the original scenery will come back.

[Guest Alex Lippincott]

I'm a bit late to the party, but I'll join as well as long as I'm available.

[Guest Grant Williams]

Sounds great alexlk! We'd love to have you.

 

Jonathan, something I felt like mentioning here was the idea you and I discussed of having people share cockpits for the flight? What does anyone think of that? Might lighten the work load with tracking radio signals, etc and the navigation portion. Lets one pilot focus on the difficult task at hand of monitoring the engines at high altitude and flying through the bad weather, while the other navigates and helps monitor the instruments?

 

Just a thought.

[Cody Outten]

I'm a bit late to the party, but I'll join as well as long as I'm available.

Same goes for me

[Joshua Marshall]

I'm a bit late to the party, but I'll join as well as long as I'm available.

Same goes for me

 

Hate to beat the drum again, but this sounds interesting. Count me in as well as long as I'm free!