OK, I confess--I'm a bit obsessed with the Camel. But this new version is really a LOT of fun to fly . . .
If anyone wants to take a preview look this new ver. 2.0 of the JSBSim Sopwith Camel, here is the download link:
https://github.com/bhugh/SopwithCamel-JSBSim-Flightgear/archive/2.0alpha.zipThis is the 2.0alpha version. Just unzip everything into your FG/data directory. Several files go into the /docs subfolder--you'll probably want to have a look at them.
Here are some of the new features
VER 2.0
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* Major updates to Flight Dynamics Model, significant better fit to historically reported behavior. Went through every one of more than 60 characteristics of the Camel I've identified from historical accounts (all listed in the NOTES file in the /docs directory), tested each one, tweaked the FDM a bit here and there to put the final touches on the FDM updates I've been working on over the past two years. It's very noticeably improved from ver. 1.6 in several areas.
* Ground contact effects: Dust, dirt, wake when wheels, tail, prop, fuselage etc contact the ground or water
* Parts break: Wheels, undercarriage, & prop will break if they contact the ground with too much force. Visual, audio, & physics affects of broken parts are apparent--ie, if you hit the ground too hard the wheel breaks off and you hear it and feel it, and the aircraft behaves differently with no wheel.
* Ground/water crash behavior much improved; solved problems with JSBSim when violent ground crashes occur. Pilot is kicked out of plane in crash, explosionsound, smoke/dust clouds, (some) parts break appropriately, somewhat reasonable aircraft physics displayed @ crash (vs previous versions that tended to just 'bounce off the ground')
* Sound effects: Blip, air rushing (useful for detecting stall/overspeed), overspeed whooshing, high G creaks & ominous rumbles, landing gear and taildragger rumble, if you touch a wing it slides, water landings have their own sound effects, buffeting aloft, etc. Wheel thump on landing, tail dragging (and lifting) sounds, other sounds that help you know what's going on. Sound effects help you make a connection between what you're doing in the aircraft and the world you are interacting with, so I've tried to include sound effects that help you know what is going on with the aircraft.
* Repair aircraft after crash or parts broken: Available in Camel/Repair menu or automatically completed when appropriate choice is made in 'crash menu'.
* Improved documentation. If you haven't flown the JSBSim Camel before, be sure to read the aircraft help screen ( '?' key in FG).
* "Nudge": If landed and stuck in a field or in the countryside somewhere, and just can't quite get moving, pressing 'n' gives you a little push to get you going and unstuck.
* New 'Inspect Aircraft View' based on FG's WalkView. I quite like this because you can easily maneuver your way to any given spot around the aircraft--behind the tail, in front of the nose, beside the pilot, whatever, and just stay there. Select using 'v' and maneuver with wasd WASD and mouse for view direction.