Developed during WWII, the four-engined, pressurized Constellation was the climax in the
era of the piston-engine airliners. Today, the graceful Connie, with its triple-tail and
dolphin-like shape of the fuselage, is one of the best loved airplanes in the world.
This panel can be used for all civil or military versions of the Lockheed Constellation
(L-049, C-69, L-649/749, C-121A), Super Constellation (L-1049, C-121C) and Starliner
(L-1649).
Already some years ago, Jan made a very nice main panel bitmap, reaching two different
aims which aren't easy to bring together: Realistic look AND a reasonable gauge size for
good readability. He selected and placed many of the gauges exactly like in a real Connie
cockpit, giving you that authentic feeling! Since the flight engineer on a Constellation
is of major importance, I added a full-screen FE panel with engine control stand. All
XML-programmed gauges are new and most of the other gauges used have been repainted
especially for this panel package.
***************************** CREDITS AND LEGAL NOTES ***********************************
File archive copyright 2003 by Hansjoerg Naegele (hnfsr@gmx.de) and Jan Visser
(jg.visser@chello.nl). All rights reserved.
This package (vncon10.zip) contains material, which is copyrighted by other persons or
companies:
Parts of the main panel bitmap are based on John Dow's cockpit pictures (cpjpeg99.zip)
of the HARS Connie (VH-EAG).
The overhead/windows section and the throttle levers of the main panel contain bitmaps
made by Louis Betti.
The control yoke and other bitmaps of the main panel are based on photos provided by
Bill Rambow.
The FE panel bitmap was made using a photo taken from Graham Robson's book:
"Prop Perfection - Restored Propliners and Warbirds", 1997 Motorbooks International
Many bitmaps used are taken from Dai Griffiths' (Dragonflight Design) gauge bitmap
collection (gaubmaps.zip, see dfd_gaubmaps.txt).
The Phantom ADI gauge (fsd_rf4.adi.gau) was made by Alex Bashkatov (FSD)
HGHB_ils_old.gau by HGHB Virtual Instruments (Harald Geier, Helmut Busch, Christian
Koegler, Tony Cullen)
The following gauges have been repainted for this panel:
Gauge name Original design by
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
HGHB_KI229.gau HGHB Virtual Instruments (ki229.zip)
HG_Radioalt_R1000.gau HGHB Virtual Instruments (radioal2.zip)
(see HGHB_KI229.txt, HGHB_radioal2.txt)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DFD_LGear.gau Dai Griffiths (cwp.zip, cwp_upd.zip)
DFD_NGear.gau (see DFD_cwp.txt)
DFD_RGear.gau
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starter.gau, Magnetos.gau Robert L. Clark
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
gbyjFuel_sw_Cntr.gau Jay Crawford
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
propKTOBS.gau Kevin Trinkle, Tom Gibson (bitmaps)
original version was taken from Tom
Gibson's FS98 DC-6 panel (dc6pnlifr4.zip)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
prop2ERKadf.gau Ernie Kennedy
prop2ERKap.gau original gauges were taken from Tom
prop2ERKcom1.gau Gibson's FS98 Connie panel (connpnl6.zip)
prop2ERKdme.gau
prop2ERKnav1.gau
prop2ERKnav2.gau
prop2ERKxpnd.gau
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
cessna_182.directional_gyro.gau Microsoft Corporation
extra-300.altimeter.gau
bell_206b.turn_indicator.gau
extra-300.vertical-speed.gau
BENDIX_KING.VOR2.gau
Parts of the OMI marker bitmaps are taken from the MS FS2002 B-737 (737-400.gau)
Many thanks to all for their great work!
Special thanks to Don Lively for his detailed information about the Connie!
The copyright of any file included with this archive remains at the author of that file.
If a file contains the work of more than one author, each has the copyright of that part
of the file he is responsible for. For example, all original parts of a repainted gauge
are still the property of the original author, but the modifications copyright belongs to
the person, who repainted it.
This package is released as FREEWARE. 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 specific charge may be made for this archive and it may not 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 re-distribute or re-upload this archive to other
net locations but you may NOT use it (or any parts of it) for commercial purpose
WITHOUT all the author's explicit, written PERMISSION in advance. The authors rights
and wishes concerning this archive must be respected.
The authors are not liable for any damage that you might incur as a result of using
these products. You assume the risk of use.
The panel consists of the main panel, the flight engineer's panel and a radio subpanel.
To switch to the FE panel, click into the left red lamp on the main panel above of
Alex Bashkatov's great ADI gauge. The right lamp is a hot spot for the (non-functional)
control yoke. The radio panel can be toogled ON/OFF with the white rocker switch below
COMM1. If you have switched to the FE panel, a mouse click into the door warning light
brings you back into the captain's left seat.
On the main panel, you will find Ernie Kennedy's autopilot and radio gauges as well as
HGHB's KI229 (RMI with ADF and VOR2 needle). The radar altitude gauge and the old-style
ILS (below the radios) are also HGHB-gauges. Use the OBS gauge of Kevin Trinkle and Tom
Gibson to set the ILS/VOR1 course. Note, that the DME and COMM1 will not work if they are
turned off.
A trim gauge is available for rudder-, aileron- and elevator-trim (click into left or
right half of the gauge). Similarly, operating the wing flaps is done by clicking into
the flaps gauge. Click into the knob to move a single throttle lever, click between knobs
2 and 3 to move all four levers.
The flight engineer's panel offers a full set of gauges for engine and fuel control (most
of them are dual gauges with two needles for engines 1, 2 and 3, 4). Fuel indicators for
up to eight fuel tanks are supplied:
left/right main tanks
left/right aux tanks
left/right tip tanks
center/center2 tanks (only with installed VNConnie!FuelInboardLeft/Right gauges)
If you are using this panel to fly one of Dave McQueen's Super Connies (or a repaint like
D-ALID, which is based on Dave's aircraft), the total amount of fuel is 37200 lbs (inboard
(main) tanks: 2 x 18000 lbs, outboard (aux) tanks: 2 x 600 lbs). Use the fuel flow gauges
to calculate the endurance, for example: If each engine consumes 1000 lbs per hour, full
tanks will keep you nine hours in the air. The fuel master warning light will illuminate,
if the amount of fuel selected is less than 1800 lbs (300 gals).
Engine Start Procedure
1. Switch to the flight engineer's panel
2. Toggle batteries, avionics, generator 1 and generator 2 switches to ON
3. Ensure, that fuel tank selector is in position "ALL"
4. Set throttle levers to minimum.
5. Set propeller levers to maximum RPM and mixture to "full rich"
6. Set engine 4 magneto switch to position "both"
Engine start control light should illuminate now.
7. Select engine number 4
8. Toggle prime and boost switches to ON
9. Unlock the engine start toggle switch
10. Start engine 4 by clicking the start switch. It's non-latching, so hold it,
until the start control light is out, showing you that the engine is running.
11. Toggle prime and boost switches back to OFF
12. Repeat steps 6-11 with engines 3, 1 and 2
13. Lock the engine start toggle switch
14. Set engine select switch to position OFF
Before increasing throttle, wait until all four oil pressure lights go out (the R-3350
engines are delicate and need a very soft hand (:-))
Prop feathering
If you are "forced" to shutdown an engine in flight, follow these steps:
1. Set throttle lever of the engine to minimum
2. Shutdown engine by setting magneto switch to OFF
3. Move mixture lever to position "cut off"
4. Set propeller lever to position "feather"
Propeller should stop spinning within a few seconds.
Specifications (Super Constellation)
Length 35.4 meters 116 feet 2 inches
Wing Span 37.5 meters 123 feet
Height 7.5 meters 24 feet 9 inches
Max Take Off Weight 62370 kg 137500 lbs
Max Landing Weight 51256 kg 113000 lbs
Fuel Capacity 24790 litres
Fuel Consumption 445 litres (per hour/engine, cruise)
Max Cruise Speed 260 knots
Approach Speed (Typical) 100 knots
Stall Speed (Landing Config) 83 knots
(Clean) 104 knots
Range 5560 km 2996 nm
Endurance 16.5 hours
Max Cruise Altitude 7620 m 25000 feet
Engines: 4 x Curtiss-Wright R-3350, 18 Cyl. Turbo compound, 3250 hp
When flying Dave McQueen's Super Connies, you will see, that the FS2002 flight model
differs in some points compared to the real-world aircraft. For example, maximum speed
at 22000 ft is only 240 knots and it seems, that fuel consumption is too high.
KNOWN BUGS
Some things don't work as expected or intended:
1) Magneto switches cannot be set to position "Left"
2) Engines will start, even if prime and/or boost switches are in position OFF
3) The wing tip tanks (2x 3000 lbs) of Dave McQueen's Connies can't be used, so don't
fuel them (any suggestions on how to use the fuel of that tanks are welcome).
4) The fuel tank selector works like this:
Position "ALL":
All tanks are used, but no fuel is taken from the inboard (main) tanks as long as the
outboard (aux) tanks aren't empty.
Position "LEFT INBOARD":
If the left outboard tank contains fuel, it will be used first. When empty, the fuel
is taken from the left inboard tank.
Position "RIGHT INBOARD":
If the right outboard tank contains fuel, it will be used first. When empty, the fuel
is taken from the right inboard tank.
Position "LEFT OUTBOARD":
Fuel is taken only from the left outboard tank.
Position "RIGHT OUTBOARD":
Fuel is taken only from the right outboard tank.
5) It is possible, that the call-up yoke remains visible after switching to the
FE panel. To avoid this, always call the yoke BEFORE switching the first time to
the FE panel.
6) The anti-ice switch is only a simple pitot heat switch (experiments with the FS2002
B-747 anti-ice switch reduced engine performance by 30%)
7) In case of using this panel with other aircraft than Dave's FS2002 Connies you may
need other tank gauges. This panel package also includes dual tank indicators (0-9800
lbs) for left main/center1 and right main/center2 fuel tanks. You can replace the
original left main and right main tank gauges (0-23000 lbs) by changing the following
two lines in PANEL.CFG from
gauge40=VNConnie!FuelMainLeft, 363, 10, 42, 42
gauge41=VNConnie!FuelMainRight, 417, 10, 42, 42
to
gauge40=VNConnie!FuelInboardLeft, 363, 10, 42, 42
gauge41=VNConnie!FuelInboardRight, 417, 10, 42, 42
Many thanks for downloading this panel. Jan and I will be most happy, if you have a lot
fun flying with it!
