Introducing the Wings of POWER II: P40
MOVIE High-res download YouTube
Nothing else looks,
sounds, or feels like a Wings of POWER aircraft
Exclusively developed for
Microsoft Flight Simulator X
At the bottom of the page,
A2A Simulations 3D LIGHTING SYSTEM
The Wings
of POWER P40 Virtual Cockpit
SCREENSHOTS
UN-EDITED 1024X768 resolution
Wings of POWER II
“P40”
Designer’s Notes
When we decided to develop Wings of Power, the agreed upon goal was to create the most complete flying experience. This means building aircraft that not only look beautiful, but also fly and function authentically.
Some flyers live for complex gauges and realistic cockpit environments, while others simply admire watching their new aircraft fly through their favorite places around the world. It is our belief that while soaring through the skies, even the casual flyer will appreciate that there is a world of detail and history in every dial and switch. It is the same feeling you get when you sit in the cockpit of a real airplane. The difference is, in a simulated world, you can have it all.
Wings of Power sets new standards in many areas, probably the most notable are the 3D cockpit environments. While they are beautiful to look at, they represent the top layer of an amazing world that lies beneath. The more you fly these aircraft, the more you discover.
Like the entire Wings of Power series, the flight model was very carefully researched. We used some rare, authentic flight test reports and the actual pilot's training manual and technical orders to ensure our procedures and performance matched the real thing as closely as possible.
We are passionate about our work and are proud to be the makers of Wings of Power. We think you will have many hours of enjoyment with it.
-The Wings of POWER Team
Hands-on quality
Extensive research goes into making an aircraft, and nothing quite replaces first-hand experience. This includes visiting the aircraft(s), speaking with pilots and mechanics, and flight-testing. We must first capture and verify how it looks, sounds, and performs to create a faithful Wings of Power aircraft.
For the P40, we made two trips to the good people at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Dallas Texas (http://www.cavanaughflightmuseum.com/) , and took their P40 up for various test flights to verify performance and capture live sound. Probably the best part of this research was taking a lot of time to just be around the aircraft and the people who take such good care of it.
Flyable P40 at Cavanaugh
Flight Museum in Dallas Texas
Mike piloted the P40 and
explained the many fine details only an experienced pilot would know
Here is a full movie of Mike giving the P40 a walk-around:
High-res:
http://www.gamershell.com/download_20775.shtml
YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xeuaBsqbx4
Cockpit preparing for flight
In the pit test flying the P40
If it moved, we verified
exactly how it functioned and performed
We
studied the pilot’s manuals to insure proper and realistic function and
behavior
Visual Effects and Sound
A
host of new visual effects were created to immerse the pilot further into an
authentic experience. This includes
realistic startup effects and natural engine smoke (hit the “I” key to enable
engine smoke). Once started, experiment
with the throttle in any aircraft and notice the subtle differences of the
engine sounds inside and out. When your
aircraft is taxiing on a dirt strip, you will see more dust being kicked up by
the wheels.
We recorded the genuine
Allison engine sound, both inside and out at all power levels, and at all
angles with the finest sound recording equipment available. The sounds are 100% genuine Allison P40 and
have been reproduced for Microsoft FSX unlike ever before.
A2A Simulations on site
recording the Allison engine
A
new explosion has also been added should you plunge your aircraft into the
ground, among other visuals.
The “P40”
History
The P-40 was one of the most
important fighters of World War II.
Not because of it’s raw performance, but because it was widely available
and served it’s role well and it remained a favorite aircraft to the pilots
that knew it best.
The P40 was a very
cost-effective aircraft to produce, and over a 5-year period, almost 14,000
P-40 aircraft were produced. The P-40
flew in Africa, Asia, and Europe and is probably most remembered for being used
by the Flying Tigers AVG (American Volunteer Group), with its famous
shark-toothed paint scheme.
The P40 roots are from the
Curtiss Hawk 75. With the impending
war, Curtiss built on the Hawk’s proven airframe and equipped it with the
Allison V-1710 engine.
Flying the Wings of POWER
P40
The P-40 for all of its shortcomings
was a very stable gun platform. It’s
greatest strength was its heaviness and ability to out-dive all of it’s German
and Japanese counterparts. In a dive
you can hold the pipper on a target and maintain that view through 460 mph
firing as you go, and even in this heavy airframe have the ability to pull out
the dive with sufficient airspace underneath you to climb quickly into another
firing position. Of course because it
is heavy and fast in a dive you can reach the speed of compressibility and be
unable to pull out of a dive even in the heavier air. While compressibility is hard to model in a flight simulator, we
incorporated the overstress factor when that point is reached. The American
Volunteer Group used this diving from high altitude tactic over and over again
to gain air superiority over their enemies and the A2A aircraft exhibits
that same stability in a power dive.
At altitude below 14,000 feet,
the aircraft is fairly agile and able to maneuver sufficiently to dogfight
pretty much anything that comes at it. I was told by David Lee “Tex” Hill at a
book signing that contrary to popular opinion and myth, that a well maintained
P-40 could, in fact, turn with most aircraft in a dogfight at lower altitudes,
where most combat actually occurs anyway. There were of course some
exceptions with much lighter aircraft. The British historians of that era
have stated that in the hands of competent pilots the P-40 proved effective
against even the best of the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica. Considered
markedly superior to the older Hurricane which it replaced as the primary
fighter of the Desert Air Force,[7]
the P-40 Tomahawk was deadly against Axis bombers in the North African theater,
as well as the Bf 110 and early Italian fighter types, such
as the Fiat
G.50 and the Macchi C.200, though the Bf 109 proved a greater challenge, particularly
the later F and G variants. The P-40 was superior to the Bf 109 in
maneuverability and structural strength, and was roughly equal to it in
firepower, but was inferior in speed and rate of climb.
The P-40 was an aircraft with
a heavy nose, due in part to the weight of the 1100 horsepower V12 1710-C15
Allison engine that propelled it. This becomes quite obvious when you apply
flaps at landing. The nose immediately begins to drop and is modeled very well.
The P-40 Tomahawk could not climb with most of the opposing aircraft as its
rate of climb was about 2100-2800 ft/min(11m/s) and could only reach speeds of
340mph or 300knots at 14, 000 ft depending on the model of aircraft.
Specifications
Length: 31.71 ft
Wing Span: 37.29 ft
Basic Weight: 6190 lbs
Maximum Power: 1040 Hp
Maximum speed: 360 mph @ 16000 ft
Climb rate: 2800 ft/min
Powerplant: Allison V-1710
Fuel Capacities
P40B - total 159 U.S. Gallons
fuselage - 57.28
wing - 61.25
res - 40.35
P40B AVG - total 130 Imp. Gallons
fuselage - 47
wing - 50
res - 33
Tomahawks IIB - total 155.8 Imp. Gallons
fuselage - 40
wing - 45
res - 27.5
droptank - 43.3
Variants
Curtiss P40B serial number
41-13297. This aircraft was based at
Oahu, Hawaii during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th 1941. It survived the attack but was lost on a
routine patrol in January 1942. It was
recovered in 1989 with the intention of being returned to flying
condition. It has now been beautifully
restored and is flying in its original wartime markings. The Fighter Collection, Duxford, now owns
the aircraft.
Hawk 81-a2 Number '77' flown
by 3rd Squadron Flight Leader R.T. Smith, Kunming, China, January 1942. Robert Tharp (R.T.) Smith, born in York,
Nebraska on 23 February 1918, joined the Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet in
1939. Graduating with Class 40-C at
Randolph on 21 June 1940, he remained there as a flight instructor until July
1941 when he was allowed to resign his commission to join the American
Volunteer Group, then forming in Burma.
Flying as part of the AVG’s Third Pursuit Squadron, Smith was credited
with one–and-one-half Sally bombers destroyed, another probably destroyed and
four damaged in the first air raid on Rangoon, Burma on 23 December. Two days later, on Christmas Day, he downed
two more bombers and an Oscar in a repeat raid on the Burmese capital. Moving to Loiwing, China he became an ace on
8 April 1942 with the destruction of two Oscars over the AVG base. He downed another Oscar two days later and
completed his scoring with the AVG on 28 April with a final Oscar south of
Hsipaw.
Tomahawk MkIIB AK498 250
Squadron, flown by Flt LT Clive Caldwell, Libya November 1941. Clive Caldwell was born in Lewisham, Sydney.
He learned to fly in 1938 with the Aero Club of New South Wales. When the
Second World War broke out, he joined the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF). Caldwell served with 250
Squadron, Royal Air Force in the Middle East campaign and North African
campaign, flying Tomahawks and Kittyhawks. He became known for developing a
method of practicing aerial gunnery deflection by shooting at the shadow of his
own aircraft on the desert surface. Caldwell
claimed 22 victories while in North Africa flying P-40s, including ten Bf 109s
and two Macchi C.202s.
Tomahawk MkIIB "White
58" 20th GIAP, flown by Lieutenant Alexei Khlobystov. Alexei Khlobystov was born on 23 February
1918 in Vtoroe Zakharovo in the Ryazan region and learned to fly at the Ustomi
aeroclub during 1938. In 1939 he joined
the army and attended Kacha Military Air Collage where he won his wings in
1941. Alexei Khlobystov's had a flare
for taran attacks, three of his eight victories were by this method. On 13 December 1943, by which time he was
leading an eskardrilya in the 20 GIAP, he was killed in action. At the time of his death Khlobystov had
claimed 8 destroyed and 24 shared victories in 335 sorties.
Enjoying the P40
Flying the P40 in Microsoft
FSX is an extremely enjoyable experience.
The aircraft has such beautiful lines, a genuine Allison sound, and
feels just right to fly. Perhaps much
of this enjoyment comes from the meaningful place the P40 holds in the hearts
of so many.
Here are some little details you
may appreciate while flying the P40:
The Pilot looks where he flies
At 8,000 feet, he puts on his
Oxygen mask
Don’t forget to use your cowl
flaps (default assignment- CTRL-SHIFT-C / CTRL-SHIFT-V).
The drop tank is different from other allied drop tanks. The release lever is located below the pilot's left elbow.
Of course, enjoy the night
flying from the cockpit
and from the outside, with the
built-in A2A 3D Lights
Test Piloting the P-40
Startup
