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Douglas DC-3 Freighter TDM for FS2000
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TDM ( Tradewind Domestic Mailservice ) is the cargo branch of TCA ( Tradewind Caribbean Airlines ) , a Virtual Airline already around for many,many years,in fact one of the oldest and still going strong VA's ever to have been established for FS.If you have not done so already hop over to the colorfull world of TCA/TDM at http://www.tradewind.org/ and join up.This way you'll be sure to get a profit out of flying your TDM DC-3 !
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FIRST AND FOREMOST :
The OPENING and CLOSING of the pax/cargo doors on all my FS2000 DC-3 models is triggered by activating/ deactivating the NAVIGATION LIGHTS i.e : nav lights OFF = DOORS OPEN,nav lights ON = DOORS CLOSED.
It seems that there are still quite a few simmers outthere who don't bother to read a readme file and don't bother to switch their nav lights on. So,hopefully,by putting this subject at the top of this document,the message will come through at last. You can read a detailed description about the display conditions a bit further down.
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INSTALLATION & PREPARATION :
Unzip this archive into your FS2000 root folder. If you make sure Winzip has the 'use folder names' option checked it will put everything in the right place for you.
As a default the panel- and sound.cfg files point to the default 2 engined recip panel and C182 sound but i'm sure you want something better then that.
As this particular DC-3 model is based on my FS2000 Douglas R4D-6 NATS model which comes with the exquisite R4D/DC-3 panel by Bill Rambow and Roy Chaffin and also features a genuine DC-3 sound suit, it is of course HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you use THIS panel and sound suit to fly your DC-3 TDM with.
If you have the FS2000 version of our Douglas R4D-6 NATS already installed this is very easy to accomplish :
After you have unzipped this archive into your FS2000 root folder open your FS2000/Aircraft folder and look for a folder named 'Douglas DC-3 TDM'. Open this folder and you'll see an additional folder called 'R4D PanelSound'. Open it and cut and paste the panel.cfg file which you'll find in there into the Douglas DC-3 TDM/ Panel folder (overwrite when prompted) and the sound.cfg file into the Douglas DC-3 TDM/Sound folder (again overwrite when prompted). You can delete the no longer used 'R4D PanelSound' folder now.
That's it. Now you have the most realistic and detailed DC-3 cockpit ever produced for FS to fly your DC-3 TDM with, and a nice DC-3 genuine sound suit to put the icing on the cake.
If you DO NOT have our FS2000 Douglas R4D-6 NATS package installed you DO NOT know what you're missing !!
Please consider spending some time and effort to download and install our FS2000 Douglas R4D-6 NATS v4.0 package. You need both files which are called 'wjrdc34a.zip' and 'wjrdc34b.zip'. In addition you might also want to download the latest 'Visual Model Upgrade' with the file name 'r4dv40up.zip'.In the mean time the R4D Team has also made available a third PATCH fo the panel and some further enhancements to the sound suit.You can get this third patch by downloading 'r4dv4pa3.zip' from any of the major FS related sites.
There is an easier, better way, though. You can save all the download time and help support another worthy cause by purchasing the Donation-ware CD from the Mid Atlantic Air Museum. It contains all of the latest files for the R4D packages for FS2000, as well as FS98, CFS, and CFS2. All are self-installing. Also included are three genuine WW-II era manuals for the C-47 (DC-3), hundreds of photos, a film clip of the R4D in flight and much more. It is $25 and all proceeds go to the MAAM engine replacement fund to help get the R4D #819 back in the air. It will be shipped anywhere in the world for a $4.95 fee. You can read more about it and order it on-line here: http://www.avialantic.com/shop/entrypage.html
For realistic operation of your DC-3 TDM model, and subsequently the R4D panel, please refer to the excellent Douglas R4D-6 NATS MANUAL written by Bill Rambow.
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SOME NOTES WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THE MODEL :
As with the FS2000 Douglas R4D-6 NATS model, you'll find many details featured in this DC-3 TDM model. To name but a few : wheel blocks, Remove Before Flight flags, control surfaces locks,open pax entrance- and cargo door,typical light aluminium boarding ladder, and some cargo on the ramp which still needs to be loaded (crew has probabely gone down to the cantina to grab a soda,it's very hot today..;-), all displayed when the aircraft is in complete shut-down configuration.
While the blocks, locks, and RBF flags are activated by shutting down engine #1, the open doors,ladder and cargo on the ramp are displayed when you switch off your nav lights. In addition to this, the pilots will have joined the loading crew in the cantina.
SO, VERY IMPORTANT : NEVER fly without your navigation lights ON or switch them off during flight !! Looks pretty silly flying about with part of the cargo still hanging outside the aircraft.....Also, when using the R4D panel, NEVER switch the navigation lights on/off via the 'L' key ! Always use the panel's NAV LIGHT SWITCHES otherwise it will mess up their sequence and you'll end up with an awkward looking 'nightlighted' panel during daylight.
Just use the EXACT SAME WAY of operating this DC-3 model as you have grown accustomed to flying our Douglas R4D-6 NATS model and you'll be all right !
IT IS ALWAYS BEST to first select the FS2K default Start-up Situation (Flights/Select Flights/Default Flight-Meigs Field ), turn off the Magneto switch (ignition key) of the Cessna to ensure that the R4D panel's magneto levers are properly positioned for start-up, and then choose your DC-3 TDM model.
An easy way to create your own proper Start-Up situation flight using this DC-3 TDM model is explained in the 'v40upgrade.txt' which you'll find inside your FS2000/Aircraft/Douglas R4D-6 NATS v4.0 folder once you have downloaded and installed the R4D Visual Model Upgrade (r4dv40up.zip)
All files are copyright Jan Visser.All rights reserved.
These files are released as FREEWARE and as such you are permitted to distribute this archive subject to the following conditions:
The archive must be distributed without modification to the contents of the archive. Redistributing this archive with any files added, removed or modified is prohibited. No charge may be made for this archive or any of its contents. It must remain FREEWARE.. The authors' rights and wishes concerning this archive must be respected. Legal action against violators of these provisions will be pursued vigorously.
Have a nice flight with your highly polished DC-3 TDM,keep the shiny side up and the greasy side down and make sure the cargo is stowed away good and tight.
Thank you for taking the time to read this document.
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Jan Visser
Krommenie, Holland
March, 2001
jg.visser@chello.nl
