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AH B-17 Take Off

Printed From: Just Flight Forum
Category: Just Flight Products
Forum Name: General Discussion
Forum Description: For discussion relating to Just Flight and other products or simulators
URL: http://forum.justflight.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=32505
Printed Date: 20 Apr 2024 at 3:53am


Topic: AH B-17 Take Off
Posted By: Shadowcaster
Subject: AH B-17 Take Off
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2018 at 9:29am
Morning all, I've been playing with the B-17 I was wondering about the take off. Watching a training video on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL-zRFEt9lI&t=402s I noticed that they talk about a three point take off, whereas the AH manual says a two wheel take off. Now I know this is a simulation but I'm curious as to why the difference, is it a case of different marks or was the take off procedure modified at a later stage.

Cheers
Rich


Replies:
Posted By: snave
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2018 at 10:28am
Veteran warbirds are not operated anywhere near their max operating weight or at extremes of the CG environment. These days, one can fly the tailwheel off. 

It wouldn't have been that easy in 1944, with several thousand rounds of 0.50 well aft, a tonne of bombs in the bomb bay and full fuel tanks... 

The advantage of the `three wheel` take off (actually tail-low) for a low-hours pilot is that wing lift would be sufficient to get the bird off the ground in a climbing attitude, guaranteed. 
Modern pilots and loadouts prefer a lower angle of attack to enhance acceleration to Vy or Vx from the reduced drag of a more level take-off run, allowing lower power take-offs.

Hope this explains things.

Posted By: Shadowcaster
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2018 at 1:35pm
Thanks for the reply, that explained things nicely, it's amazing what you learn from using flight simulators.

Cheers
Rich

Flight Sims have come a long way https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AXsMHBA4Cc


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