WESTLAND WIDGEON BETA TEST

[Molyned]

My Westland Widgeon gentlemans steed is now finished (I hope).
I would much appreciate if you would beta-test it for me, available from here - https://www.dropbox.com/s/1vs399ytii5kk ... 1.zip?dl=0
It's built for FS9 but works fine in FSX as well. So, comments here please remembering to state which Sim version it was tested in.

Cheers
Dave M(oly)

[Dev One]

Initial flight in FS9 & come up against a brick wall at 92 mph & 1950 rpm on the level.
Googling the Cirrus II causes confusion on capacity, CR, & HP output with rpm. Its different to the Cirrus Hermes in my Hendy. Now I must admit I didn't think the Cirrus carb had a mixture adjustment - or is that my error?
Think 75 HP @ 1800 & 80 @ 2000 seems best. Will look further at engine & prop output curves & maybe Coefficient of drag.
VC instruments look as if you have used the new £1 coin - did you not have that problem before?
Top surface aileron rods not quite there on animation.
Love the rockers & engine detail.
Sorry, my usual nit pick brain in action...
Regards
Keith

[JohnD]

Dave - download and installation were easy, no problems identified.

I'm only using P3D v 3.4 and it works very well.
The click spots in the VC panel won't work but thats a P3D problem with most aircraft not specifically made for it.
They all work fine in the 2D panel.

I flew a short trip from Old Warden to Duxford and tried a few aerobatics on the way. I like the way the revs drop when your upside down. Handling is very good. It took a while to get used to the trim but was OK when I mastered it.

The wing fold wouldn't work so had to change it to CTRL-SHIFT-R. Another P3D problem. However I think the pilot gets a bit worried as the wings get close to his head!

Stall speed is 36mph, found that out while landing. Just managed to get enough power to miss the ground!

I'm not a 'rivet counter' but find it a great aircraft for those short sightseeing hops. Maybe a channel crossing for tea in France next.

It must be very satisfying to be able create such great models. Well done.

Regards

John

[AllanL]

A J Jackson in British Civil Aircraft Vol III reckons that the Cirrus II in the Widgeon III put out 85 hp.

The performance figures show 100mph max and 85mph for the cruise, but then they also quote engines ranging from the Genet II at 75 hp to the Gipsy I at 100 hp, so the Cirrus may well sit somewhere below the max figures quoted.

Handling fine, take-offs and landings are vice free. Those are serious ailerons.

[Airspeed]

Dave
This IS a jolly little runabout!
Looks great, take off, quick circuit and landing, with a loop to see what it would do in between, all went AOK.
Congratulations. Those little rockers are a treat to watch; was so fascinated, I forgot to see whether they operate in the correct firing sequence.

[FlyTexas]

I'm using FSX SP2. Beautiful aircraft! Only saw a couple of niggles. When you have both the radio popup and the GPS popup viewed together they overlap each other. I also noticed that the mag switch does not have a tooltip assigned to it. Two very minor things of course. The wing fold command threw me. I couldn't fold the wings to save my life. Come to find out FSX SP2 does not have the wing fold command mapped by default. I mapped it (Ctrl-shift-K) and the wing fold command worked like a charm. A great aircraft Dave. Thank you very much for creating her.

Brian

[Molyned]

Thanks for the tests and very useful replies chaps My comments -
Keith - AllanL is correct, the Cirrus II is rated at 85 h.p. not the 84 h.p. in my aircraft.cfg ( my dodgy engine ) Thanks Allan.
I think this shot possibly answers the mixture question -

It's from a Widgeon restoration project and although not definitive is the best I've got, so ...
Your comment about the top aileron rods - is that in the V.C. or exterior, wing out or folded - I've had quite a problem with them.
Yes. I'm working on the gauges, as you know.

JohnD -
Sorry about the P3D limitations - I don't have that installed so can't check but I think it's always going to be difficult reconciling
FS9, FSX and P3D and I want to model for the FS9'ers still out there. BTW - elf&safety note - make sure you stand outside the aircaft before
attempting to fold the wings .

Mike - yes, the engine rockers move in the correct sequence but- a waste of my time because the Flightsim frames per second waggon-wheel effect mucks it all up.

Brian - Pop-up overlaps ? something I always forget because they can be dragged to any part of the screen - but it will be done.
Yes - the mags switches have an associated tool-tip in the 2D screen (for FS9'ers) but that's no use to others so I've now added one
to the 3D switches model in the VC .

Thanks again all - just a bit of tidying to do and the it will be released onto the unsuspecting world.
Cheers
Dave M(oly)

[Airspeed]

Sorry, Dave, mine was FSX Acceleration

[Dev One]

Dave M,
Aileron cables/rods - wow - wing fold - don't know how they do that in reality without disconnecting something. Unfortunately there is a different result if viewed in the VC & exterior views; VC the left aileron disconnects, exterior they become rods & poke up in the air. I was looking more at the animation of the upper cables/rods in exterior view with wings extended when moving the ailerons.
Now I don't have a solution to your problem unfortunately - it's very complicated to do that animation, so might have to live with a compromise! Suggestion - disconnect top cables at the horn?
Mixture lever photo - do you know what engine is/was used in that aircraft? My thoughts on the Cirrus not having one was your Parnall Elf which doesn't sport one! Unfortunately not found a photo of the LH cockpit of the Hendy 302.
Working on FDE for 85 horses - prop curves not right hence my brick wall comment! She does spin nicely though!
Yet to try in FSXA
Keith

[Molyned]

Keith - first, the engine etc. -the aircraft shell is VH-UHU. The Australian registry records that as a Widgeon III with a Cirrus II engine - good enough for me. Re. the Elf - I wondered about that when building the model and decided that they hadn't included a mixture control possibly because it was never flown at heights needing one, so always ran full-rich. Yes, I know, a poor excuse but ...
In the 'Flight' magazine of the period, the aileron controls are described as cables which slacken off as the wings are folded hence allowing the ailerons to neatly droop out of the way. What happens to the top cables isn't recorded.
p.s. - for others - this kind of detective work is one aspect of what makes Flightsim aircraft modelling work so fascinating.
Cheers
Dave M(oly)