Dimensionally identical to the first-generation Constellation (L-049), the
post-war 749 had more powerful engines, additional fuel tanks, strengthened
landing gear, and much improved performance. Equally good for shuttle hops
and long-range flights, L-749 Connies entered service with major 1950s
carriers such as Eastern, TWA, B.O.A.C., Air France, KLM, Quantas, and many
others. Another customer was the Air Force, which placed an order for ten
aircraft (designated C-121A) in 1948. Included in this sim package are seven
models and five textures, covering variants with and without "Speedpak"
cargo pannier, weather radar, and "jetstack" exhausts. KLM texture by Jaap
de Baare (representing "Flevoland", the last 749 in flying condition today).
TWA texture N6003C "Star of America" by Hans Herrmann. EAL, Air France, and
MATS textures by Manfred Jahn (including "8609", a frequent visitor to
airshows all over the world until 2005). Panel textures and additional
gauges by Diego S. Barreto, model and VC by Manfred Jahn, panels, gauges,
and animations by Hansjoerg Naegele, flight dynamics by Luis Pallas,
wingview angles, lights, and exhaust effects by Bill Tyne and Roland Berger,
checklist and documentation by Volker Boehme, flight test and handling
research by Stefan Werner. The 749 project has been hosted by Tom Gibson's
Calclassic forum at http://calclassic.proboards55.com.
INSTALLATION
(1) Extract the zip to a temporary folder or open it in Windows
Explorer.
(2) Copy the two folders "Lockheed_L749_0" and "Lockheed_L749_1" to your
"Flight Simulator 9\Aircraft" folder.
(3) In the zip, go to Effects\FS9. Copy the effects files contained
therein including the "texture" subfolder to your "Flight Simulator
9\Effects" folder.
(4) Copy the subfolder SP_1649A contained in folder "Sound" to your
"Flight Simulator 9\Sound" folder. If you are an active L-1649A
Starliner or L-1049G Super Constellation user most or even all of
the files will already be there. However, we have made some
adjustments, therefore say Yes when asked to overwrite. (After
copying, the FS9\Sound folder should contain SP_1649A as a
subfolder.)
Users having an active copy of our L-1049 Super Constellation may skip the
following steps:
(5) Copy the folder "squeaking brakes" contained in folder "Sound" to
your "Flight Simulator 9\Sound" folder. (After copying, the
FS9\Sound folder should contain "squeaking brakes" as a subfolder.)
(6) Copy the gauge "squeaking brakes_Sound.gau" as well as the entire
folder "squeaking brakes" contained in folder "Gauges" to your
"Flight Simulator 9\Gauges" folder. (After copying, the FS9\Gauges
folder should contain the file "squeaking brakes_Sound.gau" and the
subfolder "squeaking brakes".)
In the aircraft selection menu, seven Constellations will show up under
Lockheed > L-749 Constellation.
For more detailed information on the Dutch Connie project see Jaap de
Baare's readme_Flevoland.txt in folder Lockheed_L749_0\texture.KLM-FLE.
THE VARIANTS
Seven variants are supplied in this package. Check the JPG pictures included
to see what the differences are.
In folder Lockheed_L749_0 you'll find the following models:
749_USAF long nose, astrodome, CE props, freight door. Representative
aircraft: C-121A 8609.
749_EAL short nose, no astrodome, HS props, no freight door.
Representative aircraft: Eastern N118A.
749_EAL_SP Speedpak version of the above
All Models in folder Lockheed_L749_0 have "two-stack" exhausts and long oil
coolers.
In folder Lockheed_L749_1 you'll find the following models:
749_AFR short nose, astrodome, jetstacks. Representative aircraft: Air
France F-BAZF
749_AFR_SP Speedpak version
749_TWA long nose, no astrodome, jetstacks. Representative aircraft: TWA
N6003C.
All Models in folder Lockheed_L749_1 have short oil cooler intakes and no
freight doors.
MANUAL AND CHECKLIST
A detailed manual edited by Volker Boehme can be found in folder
Lockheed_L749_0. The user is advised to print it out for further reference.
A checklist can be called up from within the Simulator via the Kneeboard
option (F10).
ADDING SOUNDS
The sound defaults to the combined sound of the DC-3 engines. Two
sophisticated sound packs are available from avsim, Flightsim and other
servers: Friedrich Trachsel's SCFA Breitling Connie sound and Diego S.
Barreto's 3350 soundpack.
ADDING ASTRODOME GAUGES
Simmers who wish to use the astrodome for sextant-based sun/star navigation
are advised to download and install dc3_bbsx.zip and dc3_bbsxa.zip by Dave
Bitzer and Mark Beaumont from Avsim. You do not need to edit the panel.cfg
because the gauges have already been defined in the [Window01] section of
the panel.cfg. The sextant icon has been included in the Main Panel's
simicon block. See the views section in the Manual for instructions on how
to open the hatch and take sightings.
DISCLAIMER
THE AUTHORS ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE THAT YOU MIGHT INCUR AS A RESULT
OF USING THESE FILES. YOU ASSUME THE RISK OF USE.
NOTES
(1) The port passenger exit can be opened/closed by pressing Shift-E. The
freight door cannot be opened. From within the VC, Shift-E-2 opens and
closes the crew door. Also from within the VC, Shift-E-3 opens and
closes the astrodome hatch.
(2) Airstairs and wheel chocks appear once the following conditions are
met: aircraft on ground, passenger exit open, parking brake set.
(3) The sunshades in the VC can be operated by clicking into the pilot
window.
(4) In the VC, none of the round gauges have any tooltips (sorry). Use the
2D panel to see what's what. 3D knobs in the VC turn right when right-
clicked and left when left-clicked.
(5) Cowl-flaps open/close in increments on pressing Shift-Ctrl-V and
Shift-Ctrl-C respectively. Five percent increment settings are
available through the cowl-flaps simicon on the Captain's panel.
(6) To reverse engines, click into the reversing lights (repeatedly if
necessary). Once reversing has started (lights on, engine sound
changing) increase throttle for adequate braking effect. Caution: Do
not reverse with parking brakes on.
(7) Right-click the check-mark simicon to call up a detailed status window
showing engine and flight parameter readouts. This is an essential
troubleshooting device.
(8) Engine failure is likely to occur when the engines are operated at
2400+ RPM for longer periods of time (watch out for this especially
after take-off) or if Spark control = ADVANCE at high RPM. Depending
on altitude, engines may fail within three to five minutes. Use the
Prop pitch master lever or the Engine pitch simicon to adjust RPM as
required for the current flight situation (see checklist). Check and
adjust Spark control. Do not exceed the Blue Bug Marker on the left
MAP gauge. On the Status panel, the engine h.p. readout uses the
following color codes:
white - OK, no danger of engine failure;
yellow - the current power setting will cause damage if left too long
in this configuration. Even after throttling back or adjusting
RPM it will remain yellow until the internal engine failure
Counter is back to zero (this may take a couple of minutes).
red - immediate action required reduce throttle and prop pitch,
check spark control.
(9) The Connie is best flown with the Flight Simulator's "Activate
Automixture" checkbox disabled (to be found under Settings > Realism >
Engines). There are two ways of managing engine mixture. In ordinary
flight situations click the Mixture simicon and select "Set Best" in
appropriate intervals or when changing altitude. For manual handling
of mixture and "manual leaning" of engines consult the Manual.
(10) By default, the cockpit voices are audible in all view modes,
including external views such as spot and tower. They can be muted by
flipping the "MUTE" switch on the pilot's side panel. You can also
click the voice status readout on the status window, and this gives
you a third option called MAX. With MAX set, the co-pilot will confirm
completion of process. Normally, callouts come in pairs, but with MAX
set, you get "Gear Down . . . Gear Coming Down . . . Gear Down and
Locked."
(11) Radio altimeter: the decision height setting defaults to 300 feet
above ground level (AGL). Use the left knob on the gauge to set it (in
the VC: right click increases, left click decreases). If set to local
conditions the altitude callouts will include the co-pilot's reminder
"decision height". Some altitude callouts may get skipped because of
gaps in FS9 radio altitude readouts (it is therefore prudent to not
blindly rely on them).
(12) External power for battery voltage is available if (1) aircraft is on
ground, (2) parking brake is set, and (3) external power switch (on
the FE panel) is ON. With external power, the main bus delivers 25.5V,
therefore the battery can be charged (but only if the battery switch
is turned on). With the battery switch ON, but neither generators nor
external power turned on, battery is depleting and the main bus
delivers the battery voltage. Electrics will fail if battery voltage
has dropped under 17 volts.
(13) FS9 only: Passenger, pilot, and astrodome views can be displayed from
either the 2D panel or the VC by pressing Ctrl-Shift-Num7, Ctrl-Shift-
Num9, Ctrl-Shift-Num1, Ctrl-Shift-Num3 and so on. See the Views
section in the Manual for further view options.
FSX USERS
Install the Connie following normal FSX installation procedure.
In the download zip, use the Effects\FSX folder. Copy both the effects files
and their associated textures to your "Flight Simulator X\Effects" folder.
You will find aircraftFSX.cfg files in both Connie folders. Rename each of
them as aircraft.cfg, overwriting the FS9 versions. These files reference
FSX-specific effects (failure to do that may result in an error message) and
define a better VC viewpoint.
In order to have camera views copy the ones from the default 737(B737_800)
to the aircraft.cfg. The best location for this is after the last aircraft
entry just above the [pitot_static] section.
Note that our Connie is a FS9-native model, hence subject to certain
restrictions when flown in FSX. Specifically, the reversing lights on the
glareshield panel may not work (right-click the reversing levers instead).
There may be display problems in VC mode (e.g., blackened tool tips), and
the prop discs have to be replaced by more suitable ones (we have included a
folder called FSX_Propdisks, which offers a choice of discs. See the readme
contained in that folder for installation instructions). Thanks to Nick
Cooper for giving permission to include his propdisk texture.
Neither windshield wipers nor "vc rain" effects are likely to work in FSX.
There is a workaround however. Download Joe Binka's vcrain.zip from avsim
and install it in FSX\texture, making backup copies of the files to be
replaced first. Binka's files are FS9 files but they have been reported to
work well with FSX.
COPYRIGHT
Redistributing this archive with any files added, removed or modified
is prohibited.
This archive (or any parts of it) may NOT be included in other packages
without the written permission of the authors.
No specific charge may be made for this archive and it may not be uploaded
to any server that specifies that the server owners hold a copyright (of any
sort) on this archive when stored on that server. You may NOT use the
archive (or any parts of it) for commercial purpose without all the authors'
explicit, written permission in advance. This includes "free" CD or DVD
compilations with a charge of any kind.
CREDITS
Effects by Milton Shupe (engine), Hansjoerg Naegele (fueldump), Wayne Tudor
(exhaust flames), and Diego S. Barreto (squeaking brakes and FSX prop
discs). Effects rework by Roland Berger and Hansjoerg Naegele.
VC textures, 2D panel, and custom gauges created by Diego S. Barreto.
Reflecting landing lights effects created by Project Opensky and used with
permission.
The cockpit voice files were created by Howard Sodja (pilot) and Tom Gibson
(First Officer).
Panel and gauges: The overhead/windows section and the throttle levers of
the main panel bitmap contain bitmaps made by Louis Betti. The FE panel
bitmap was made by Hansjoerg Naegele using a photo of the MATS Connie taken
from Graham Robson's book Prop Perfection - Restored Propliners and
Warbirds, 1997 Motorbooks International. Further bitmaps are based on photos
provided by Bill Rambow, Jan Visser, Tim Hanna, Howard Sodja, John Howard
White, Dai Griffiths, and Bill Smith. Gauge bitmaps and programming:
Hansjoerg Naegele. The VORLOC indicator is a copy of the T37_VOR1 from HGHB
Virtual Instruments (Harald Geier, Helmut Busch, Christian Koegler, Tony
Cullen) and contains bitmaps taken from the original gauge. Autopilot gauge
by Ken Mitchell and Calclassic. Other bitmaps, sound and effects files are
modified versions originally taken from Flight Simulator 2002, 2004, and
FSX.
SOURCES
Anderson, Holmes G. Profile Publications 120: The Lockheed
Constellation. Windsor, 1967.
Breffort, Dominique: Lockheed Constellation: From Excalibur to
Starliner. Paris: Histoire & Collections 2006 ISBN 2-915239-62-2
Flight Operation Handbook. Lockheed Super Constellation. Lockheed Report
8758.
Marson, Peter J. The Lockheed Constellation Series. Air Britain:
London, 1982.
Marson, Peter J. The Lockheed Constellation. Tonbridge: Air
Britain, 2007. ISBN 0 85130 366 8 9780851 303666
Morgan, Terry. The Lockheed Constellation. New York: Arco, 1967.
Springfellow, Curtiss K., Peter M. Bowers. Lockheed Constellation MBI
Publishing 1992. ISBN 0.87938-379-8
Taylor, H.A. Air Enthusiast No. 14: Constellation: Lockheed's "Queen of
the Skies". Ducimus Books: London, 1980.
Woods, John and Maureen. Constellation Production List. Airline
Publications: Hounslow, 1980.
3 December 2009
Manfred [dot] Jahn [at] uni-koeln [dot] de
Jaap de Baare: KLM paint
Diego S. Barreto: 2d panel textures, additional gauges
Roland Berger: lights and exhaust effects, FSX testing
Volker Böhme: research, procedures, checklist and documentation
Maarten Brouwer: handbook research
Hans Herrmann: TWA paint
Manfred Jahn: Model, VC, texture basics
Edd Jezard: FSX testing
Hansjoerg Naegele: panels, gauges, animations
Luis Pallas: flight dynamics
Bill Tyne: wingview angles, lights, exhaust effects
Stefan Werner: flight test and handling research, user communication
The L-749 project is hosted by Tom Gibson's Calclassic forum at
http://calclassic.proboards55.com.
