Panel designed by Jay McDaniel for Operation Tidal Wave B-24D "Hail Columbia."

K. Malinowski's background bitmap was heavily modified for this panel. AAF Gauges were used and modified as well.

This panel was intended to be representative, not photorealistic. It will allow you to accomplish the mission and get the sense of being in a B-24. An image of an actual B-24 panel is included for reference.

The panel include two bombsights, one for high level and one for low level. Assign one key to "View Left Up" for the low level sight. Assign a second key to "View Down" for the high level sight.

The low level sight is approximately calibrated for 2-300 feet AGL at 225 mph IAS. If you are using this panel with the Operation Tidal Wave B-24D, the four forward firing guns will converge at the aimpoint of the low level bombsight so this can also be used to take out ground targets by strafing.

There is an icon that will bring up the kneeboard located on the autopilot popup panel and fuel control popup panel. Panel instructions are also included on the "Notes" portion of the kneeboard.

GAUGES

The basis for the gauges are the excellent AAF package by Scott Jelinek. There are also a few repaints of repaints. The starter switches are by Chuck Dome, which are freeware and also downloadable from many sites. The feather gauges and kneeboard icon are by Gryphon Aviation. All others are stock except for the CFO fuel/dump gauge. The author of the autopilot and ADF is reported to be Ernie Kennedy. If you know of the authors please contact me so that credit may be given.

Scott Jelinek
sjelinek@scottjelinek.com
http://www.scottjelinek.com


INSTALLATION

Backup and then delete your existing panel folder in your aircraft container (folder).

Replace it with this one.

Add the gauges to your gauges folder in your main CFS2 directory. The gauges folder in this package can just be copied directly into your main CFS2 directory if you wish; just answer yes when it asks if you want to overwrite the existing directory.

That's it.

jaymcdaniel@earthlink.net

FREEWARE. NO WARRANTY AT ALL. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. NO SELLING FOR PROFIT, EVER.

_____________________________________
USING THE PANEL


B-24D FUEL MANAGEMENT

Selecting the gas pump icon in the row of icons at the upper right of the panel will bring up the engine starters, feather controls, fuel gauge, and fuel selector.

The fuel selector may be used to select either the right or left main tanks or the bomb bay tank. The "BOTH" position selects all four wing tanks. The "RES" position selects the 800 gallons of fuel available in the bomb bay. The "DROP" position is inactive and will cause the engines to quit.

See the checklist for fuel consumption information during the various flight regimes.

ENGINEER'S PANEL

A condensed engineer's panel has been provided. This shows cylinder head temperatures, fuel pressure, oil pressure, cowl flap position, and oil temperature for each of the four engines. Click on the compass icon to the upper right of the panel to display.

B-24D AUTOPILOT

Clicking on the radio antenna icon in the icon stack will bring up the autopilot and flight management tools. This window has precedence over the engineer's panel and so can be toggled at will withe engineer's panel active.

This simplified autopilot panel was designed specifically for the Operation Tidal Wave Liberators. This will make it much easier to fly the entire mission, manage fuel, and maintain course and heading.

Turn on the autopilot by turning on the power switch on the autopilot unit. The "AP" annunciator icon at the left of the icon stack will also illuminate, providing a reminder that the autopilot is turned on. Clicking this icon will also turn the autopilot on or off.

SETTING THE HEADING

Click on the "HDG" switch to enable the heading hold function (the AP master must be ON). There are three ways to set the heading:

1. Assign a key or controller button to the "Heading Hold" function. Manually establish the aircraft on the desired course. Then click the "Heading Hold" key or button. This instantly sets the autopilot heading to your current heading. If the AP master switch is "ON," the aircraft will begin flying on the assigned heading and remain there until another adjustment is made. If the AP master switch is "OFF" the heading switch on the autopilot will activate and the heading will be stored in the AP memory. If the plane is allowed to drift off course and then the AP master is turned "ON" the plane will turn to the heading entered when the "Heading Hold" button was last depressed.

2. A second method is to adjust the heading setting by using the left mouse held over the dial on the AP. The dial is used to adjust the heading to the right or left in increments or decrements of 1 degree. No numerical display is available on the autopilot but the bracketed pointer on the heading indicator (the large compass-like gauge on the stanchion above the RPM gauges) will move to indicate the current setting.

3. You may also set the heading using the heading indicator on the stanchion above the RPM gauges. Simply click on the small knob on the lower left of the heading indicator until the bracketed pointer is on the desired heading. If the autopilot master and HDG switches are on, the aircraft will begin to turn as you make your adjustments.

SETTING THE ALTITUDE

1. As with heading, assign a controller button or key to the "Altitude Hold" function. Simply press this button to enter your current altitude into the AP memory. If the AP is on the aircraft will hold the current altitude.

2. Use the knob under the ALT display to adjust the desired altitude up or down. The aircraft will climb or descend to the desired altitude if a valid vertical speed value is entered in the V/S window.

SETTING THE VERTICAL SPEED

The default vertical speed for this flight model is 500 feet per minute. Sometimes this value will automatically appear in the V/S hold window. Sometimes it will not. For example, if you want to climb and either no value or a negative value appears, use the knob below the V/S window and set the desired vertical speed. When climbing with the autopilot, adjust the vertical speed as necessary to maintain the desired indicated airspeed. Increasing the vertical speed will decrease the airspeed, and vice versa. The vertical speed displayed by the autopilot may be as much as 100 fpm higher or lower than the aircraft's actual vertical speed. Monitor the vertical speed gauge to obtain the actual vertical speed.

NOTE: This aircraft when fully loaded cannot climb much faster than 500 fpm with the recommended power settings.

The autopilot panel includes the CFO fuel dump gauge and the Concorde clock. Use of these gauges is explained below.

CFO FUEL DUMP GAUGE

The CFO fuel dump/refuel gauge will either dump or refill all tanks to the preset percentage selected by the user. To dump, use the red "dump" switch. To fill, use the toggle switch. Use the leftmouse click function on the "+" or "-" signs to the lower left and right of the toggle switch to change the percentage selected. For additional information visit www.cfops.com.

CONCORDE CLOCK

This is a multifunction digital clock. The lower display is by default GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). Use this in conjunction with the analog clock to confirm local time. The upper display is the simulation rate. Clicking in this window will raise or lower the simulation rate to a maximum of 4X. Clicking on the diagonal button on the upper right of the clock will toggle between normal and maximum simulation rates. Clicking on the round button on the upper left of the clock toggles between the digital timer and the GMT time display on the lower window. Clicking on the round button to the lower right of the clock cycles through the digital timer's modes; the first click will display "0:00" which is standby/ready; the second click with display "0.00" which means the timer is active (timing); and the third click resets the timer. There is no way to pause the timer to take a reading and have it continue to operate in the background. To pause to take a reading, simply pause the entire simulator.

BOMBSIGHT TIPS

Two bombsights were provided with this panel. One is for the Operation Tidal Wave mission. The other is for high level bombing up to 25,000 feet.

To use the bombsight views you must first assign a key or controller button to the bombsight views. Assign one key to "LOOK DOWN" (the High Level Bombsight) and another to "LOOK LEFT UP" (the Low Level Bombsight). Depressing either of these keys will select one of the bomb sights.

The Low Level Bombsight (LLB) is very simple to use. It's calibrated for an indicated airspeed of 225 mph and a height above ground of 200-300 feet. Just let 'em go when the target is in the center of the reticle. The reticle in the LLB is also the aimpoint for the four forward-firing machine guns.

The High Level Bombsight works as expected. Get the aircraft to the desired altitude and airspeed well in advance of releasing your bombs. An error of 5 mph will spoil your aim so establish and maintain your airspeed exactly. Follow the instructions on the sight for how to set up bomb runs for various altitudes.

Consult the checklist for the correct power settings and speeds for the bomb runs.