I really enjoy the DCS P-51. I find it fairly easy to fly. Dogfighting in it is another thing altogether. It's impossible.
I think perhaps it's because I'm trying to fly it the way I've flown every other combat sim, and now it turns out that maybe they weren't exactly "accurate" after all.
Unfortunately there's not enough spare time to get some good hours in.
In terms of damage modeling and especially the effects from weapons damage is where DCS really excels. The A-10C for instance can be particularly challenging to fly after taking a hit from AAA or a missile strike, and seems to be quite believable in that respect. It has been mentioned that the A2A P-51 has a more "organic" flight model, and it is unclear if that means "better" or more "accurate", but having flown both I would be inclined to favor the latter. I do know that there seems to be alot of head nodding and bobbing with DCS and FC aircraft in general, but I don't know if all the other sims are right and DCS is wrong, or if it's the other way around. I wish there were less of it though. If I had to guess, the planes in DCS seem to fly a bit light, as if they were paper airplanes, and this may be the result of overly modeled physics, being somewhat hyperactive similar to X-Plane. One thing I wish was "corrected", or at least additional guidance provided, notwithstanding the hardware, is that there seems to be too much latitude with regard to the axes in terms of available curvature and sensitivity, so that in effect you can create your own custom flight model depending on how extreme the settings, and again it would be nice if there were stricter limits placed on this functionality.
I found that the biggest mistake I was making with the P-51 was putting the radiator control in the auto position. Just manually open them all the way and you've got much more power at your finger tips for vertical maneuvers. Some times you need to go to an external view and visually check that it is actually open, at least I do. It doesn't always open fully for me.
I agree with the DCS version of the Mustang as "twitchy". I have tried the FSX version also...completely different flight model.
I have a friend that just recently went down to Stallion 51 in florida for a ride in their Mustang and he said the plane practically flies itself. Also, I can't believe a real Mustang given to 20 yr olds in WW2 would have been such racked up such a good record as pilots given a plane so unstable to fly as the DCS version.
I am still trying to tune the axes for this where the FSX A2A Mustang needs no fine tuning.
I completely agree... the DCS Mustang does not represent the stability well known in the real thing, and is not very fun or interesting to fly as a result - a few FSX aircraft do a much better job in that respect. It's more than a bit annoying to have to go into joystick response curves, dead zones, etc, to compensate for that.
I agree with the DCS version of the Mustang as "twitchy". I have tried the FSX version also...completely different flight model.
I have a friend that just recently went down to Stallion 51 in florida for a ride in their Mustang and he said the plane practically flies itself. Also, I can't believe a real Mustang given to 20 yr olds in WW2 would have been such racked up such a good record as pilots given a plane so unstable to fly as the DCS version.
I am still trying to tune the axes for this where the FSX A2A Mustang needs no fine tuning.
I completely agree... the DCS Mustang does not represent the stability well known in the real thing, and is not very fun or interesting to fly as a result - a few FSX aircraft do a much better job in that respect. It's more than a bit annoying to have to go into joystick response curves, dead zones, etc, to compensate for that.
Hello folks, I'm Rob from the Virtual Horsemen. Over the last 5 years, we've flown a virtual representation of The Horsemen's routine, first using IL-2 and now in the DCS: P-51D Mustang. In 2013, We have been at Duxford in The Fighter Collection's Hangar demoing DCS to the public. I want to make it clear that we are not employed by The Fighter Collection or Eagle Dynamics to do so.
This year, at live events at Duxford, we have been lucky enough to meet and talk to several P-51 Pilots and managed to get them to try out DCS. So far, we know that Stephen Grey & Nick Grey (Owners of The Fighter Collection) have flown it in the testing stage. Ed Shipley, Dan Friedkin, Steve Hinton, Stevo Hinton and Matt Nightingale (All regular Mustang pilots) have all flown it in our presence when we've done the live shows at Dux and all have absolutely loved it! As you can see from the post above, we do have some iamges of The Horsemen trying out DCS. Those of you that follow warbirds, you will recognise the names. For those that don't I will explain: Ed Shipley & Dan Friedkin are two of the most experience Mustang pilots around, both are founding members of the Heritage Flight and together they fly Left and Right Wing for The Horsemen. Steve Hinton is, without question, the most experienced warbird pilot (of all types) around. He has several thousand hours flying Mustangs and is currently the leader of The Horsemen. Stevo Hinton (Steve's son) is the current, 6 time Reno Air Racing world champion and started flying Mustangs at the age of 19. Matt Nightingale is a well known warbird restorer who also has a lot of time on type.
For us, the formation aerobatics that we do simply wouldn't be possible if the DCS: P-51 was as unstable as is being claimed. She is absolutely beautiful to fly as long as you stick within her limits. The only way to learn the limits is to get some stick time - there's no just jump in and be an ace like there was in previous level sims. I am not here to bash the FSX product in anyway, I've got very little time flying it, but I do feel that the DCS bird is getting some unfair treatment here. She's not difficult to fly after you've got a few hours in the seat.
If you care to watch below, I'm you'll see she's not "Twitchy" and doesn't "Stall all over the place". For the record, all the real Stang pilots we had try her never stalled once.
I think we will be returning to Duxford for the 2014 shows so, when we get some more pilots to try out DCS, we'll try to document it a little better.
@WynnTTr - Yes, TFC Do have their own P-51 (Miss Velma) and it was used in the development. The sounds used in game were recorded by the Flight Model Developer (Yo-Yo) when he went up the back seat before Flying Legends 2012. Yo-Yo told us that when he first took on the P-51, He got it flying to the P-51 test data so that all the facts and figures matched. it was then given to Nick Grey (P-51 Pilot) to test. He flew and said, "Well, it looks like a Mustang, but it doesn't feel like a Mustang!" - The next six months were spent chasing all of the tiny details that you would only be aware of having flown the real thing. There are certain things data can't tell you. I believe, at the end of the testing, Nick's remark was "STOP! Don't touch a thing, we have a Mustang!" Meeting all the pilots we have, nobody has said different yet.
Thanks for posting Rob. So can we finally put this matter to rest?
Originally Posted By: VH_Rock
Hello folks, I'm Rob from the Virtual Horsemen. Over the last 5 years, we've flown a virtual representation of The Horsemen's routine, first using IL-2 and now in the DCS: P-51D Mustang. In 2013, We have been at Duxford in The Fighter Collection's Hangar demoing DCS to the public. I want to make it clear that we are not employed by The Fighter Collection or Eagle Dynamics to do so.
This year, at live events at Duxford, we have been lucky enough to meet and talk to several P-51 Pilots and managed to get them to try out DCS. So far, we know that Stephen Grey & Nick Grey (Owners of The Fighter Collection) have flown it in the testing stage. Ed Shipley, Dan Friedkin, Steve Hinton, Stevo Hinton and Matt Nightingale (All regular Mustang pilots) have all flown it in our presence when we've done the live shows at Dux and all have absolutely loved it! As you can see from the post above, we do have some iamges of The Horsemen trying out DCS. Those of you that follow warbirds, you will recognise the names. For those that don't I will explain: Ed Shipley & Dan Friedkin are two of the most experience Mustang pilots around, both are founding members of the Heritage Flight and together they fly Left and Right Wing for The Horsemen. Steve Hinton is, without question, the most experienced warbird pilot (of all types) around. He has several thousand hours flying Mustangs and is currently the leader of The Horsemen. Stevo Hinton (Steve's son) is the current, 6 time Reno Air Racing world champion and started flying Mustangs at the age of 19. Matt Nightingale is a well known warbird restorer who also has a lot of time on type.
For us, the formation aerobatics that we do simply wouldn't be possible if the DCS: P-51 was as unstable as is being claimed. She is absolutely beautiful to fly as long as you stick within her limits. The only way to learn the limits is to get some stick time - there's no just jump in and be an ace like there was in previous level sims. I am not here to bash the FSX product in anyway, I've got very little time flying it, but I do feel that the DCS bird is getting some unfair treatment here. She's not difficult to fly after you've got a few hours in the seat.
If you care to watch below, I'm you'll see she's not "Twitchy" and doesn't "Stall all over the place". For the record, all the real Stang pilots we had try her never stalled once.
I think we will be returning to Duxford for the 2014 shows so, when we get some more pilots to try out DCS, we'll try to document it a little better.
@WynnTTr - Yes, TFC Do have their own P-51 (Miss Velma) and it was used in the development. The sounds used in game were recorded by the Flight Model Developer (Yo-Yo) when he went up the back seat before Flying Legends 2012. Yo-Yo told us that when he first took on the P-51, He got it flying to the P-51 test data so that all the facts and figures matched. it was then given to Nick Grey (P-51 Pilot) to test. He flew and said, "Well, it looks like a Mustang, but it doesn't feel like a Mustang!" - The next six months were spent chasing all of the tiny details that you would only be aware of having flown the real thing. There are certain things data can't tell you. I believe, at the end of the testing, Nick's remark was "STOP! Don't touch a thing, we have a Mustang!" Meeting all the pilots we have, nobody has said different yet.
Edit: Forgot to add that the vid above was posted because, if I remember correctly, someone had mentioned that it was impossible to perform that roll immediately after take off, therefore, the FM was too unstable.
AS mentioned before setting up a curve to your particular stick can make a world of difference. The trick is finding one that allows full control authority while providing stability. As the VAST majority of us have NO Mustang stick time, we have no idea how realistic our final settings are in regards to how the real one flew.
Not fun? On the contrary, there's buckets to be had. Hell, there's nothing the Mustang cannot do
Take out a SAM at 10nm with an ARM, then down a bomber 15nm with an AAM, then go supersonic diving away to escape its escorts and THEN I'll believe there's "nothing" it can't do.
Right now, I'll just classify it as "capable"!
The Jedi Master
The anteater is wearing the bagel because he's a reindeer princess. -- my 4 yr old daughter
