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Screen shots by Vertigo Studios |
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First flown in 1935, the Curtiss P-36 Hawk was a new type of military aircraft with low wing and metal frame. Although obsolete by World War II, its innovations led to numerous similar aircraft that fought ferociously during that war. It even saw some combat itself. Nonetheless, it was a profitable aircraft for Curtiss.
These specifications are taken from Wikipedia:
Vertigo Studios is a new aircraft development endeavor organized by Dean Greasley. He explains his startup and goals as follows: "Basically I've always had a passion for WW2 warbirds. With the understanding and backing from my wife I decided to assemble a team that would help me get my dreams into reality and an excellent team of professionals we have to. Initially I wanted to reproduce aircraft that FSX was missing, however from a business stand point I had to alter my approach which was to release aircraft that most people are familiar with, after all - if the aircraft don't sell then I'm simply out of business. So after a while treading water for a while I decided to build a list of more conventional aircraft that everyone knows and loves. This resulted in building US based aircraft mainly from the Pacific."
Prior Vertigo products include the Grumman F6F Hellcat and the Douglas SDB Dauntless.
These are among many features listed by Vertigo Studios:
"The P-36 has been designed to take advantage of all the graphical features FSX has to offer," Vertigo Studios says, "including fully custom specular shine textures, high resolution bump mapping, self-shading and 3D sound cones."
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EXAMPLES OF PAINT SCHEMES |
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US Army Air Force
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France
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British Royal Air Force
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US Army Air Force
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| Screen shots by Bill Stack | |||
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PURCHASE FEATURES |
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Instant download from the Pilot Shop |
YES | |
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Installation program |
YES | |
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License key required |
YES | |
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Copyright acknowledgment required |
YES | |
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Manual included |
YES | |
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Checklists & reference included |
YES | |
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Uninstall program included |
NO | |
Vertigo Studios' P-36 Hawk is visually accurate inside and outside based on the few photos I was able to find. Most photos are monochrome and low resolution. I didn't find real-world photos of all Vertigo's paint schemes, but I have no reason to doubt them.
Its P-36 Hawk is available in eight paint schemes representing several nations that have flown this aircraft. Four of those paint schemes are shown here. I was able to find a photo of one of the U.S.A. versions, but I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of the others.
The cockpit and instrument panel are realistic compared to real-world photos I found. Most photos of this aircraft are old, monochrome, fuzzy, and scratched. The cockpit is replete with scratches and smears reflecting years of use.
Exteriors and interiors are finely detailed without losing frame rates. Rivets, bolts, air vents, and other features are all there. Shading, reflections, and bumps are all realistic as lighting and viewpoints change.
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P-36 HAWK IN FLIGHT |
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USA
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USA
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USA
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USA
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USA
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USA
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USA
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USA
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| Screen shots by Bill Stack | |||
The archive file is small enough to download quickly, and the installation program installs all needed files into the Microsoft Flight Simulator X folder in less than a minute.
The installation program offers versions in English, French, and German.
Sounds are unique to this model, and they seem realistic for such an aircraft.
There is no 2D instrument panel. Some flight simmers use them, and some don't.
The popup window for the GPS device is too small to read it clearly. It can be expanded with the mouse, however.
| COCKPIT AND PANELS | ||
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| Screen shots by Bill Stack | ||
To be at sea level and use standard atmosphere, I flew my test flights out of Homestead Army Reserve Base (KHST) in southernmost Florida.
Vertigo Studios' P-36 Hawk flies as would be expected of an aircraft whose design was new for its day and was improved upon in other aircraft that followed it. It is fast, and it requires close pilot attention through all maneuvers.
Without V speeds, we can't know exactly how to fly this aircraft correctly. Its tail lifted around 125 KTS, the aircraft lifted off soon thereafter, and it climbed out at 150 KTS.
Without an attitude indicator, performing any maneuver requires close pilot attention. This is true for maintaining straight and level flight, turning, climbing, and descending. Close attention to outside views, airspeed, vertical speed, and altimeter are necessary.
The airspeed indicator reads in miles per hour on the outside dial and knots on the inside dial in smaller numbers. This can be confusing for pilots who aren't paying attention. This is not a fault; it's just how this gauge is made.
This aircraft doesn't like banking. It loses lift immediately, pitches down, and loses altitude. Being limited to shallow turns, its turns are very wide as a result. This means airport traffic patterns and other such maneuvers require plenty of space.
It does barrel rolls, but they had better be done several thousand feet up because this aircraft loses altitude quickly during banks and turns.
A steady climb toward cruising altitude took more than an hour. At a climb rate of 500 feet per minute, it climbed at about 200 knots indicated airspeed below 10,000 feet, at about 175 KIAS to 20,000 feet, and at about 150 KIAS around 25,000 feet. I say "about" and "around" because these airspeeds diminished steadily as the aircraft climbed. My true-airspeed calculations during this climb showed the aircraft moving at about 230 KTS most of the time. I checked the manifold pressure and propeller gauges frequently and adjusted of throttle and propeller pitch as needed throughout the climb.
The aircraft never reached its stated service ceiling of 32,340 feet (9,860 meters). It stopped climbing around 29,000 feet. It didn't stall, but it just stopped climbing. Airspeed by this time was 122 knots indicated and 192 knots true. The aircraft's weight was around 5,500 pounds, while its maximum liftoff weight is specified at 5,840 pounds.
Descending was easy. It lost airspeed as expected (not too fast or too slowly) and it glided smoothly.
Approaching for landing was easy, but close attention to airspeed, pitch, and altitude are requisite. It lost a lot of airspeed as soon as gear and flaps were deployed. It lost altitude as soon as its airspeed fell below 150 KTS. Flaps are required.
I had no trouble landing and stopping it.
Without adequate flight guidance, a lot of experimentation is required for learning how to fly this aircraft.
| NIGHT EFFECTS | ||
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Screen shots by Bill Stack |
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The kneeboard contains aircraft performance data and checklists, where I like to find them. They provide some data about engine performance such as revolutions per minute and manifold pressure, but there are no V speeds telling us optimum airspeeds for taking off, climbing out, approaching, and landing, which are critical flight phases.
A 20-page manual in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format is included. It provides information about the instrument panel and cockpit controls, checklists, weight data, and installation and technical support.
| CHECKLISTS AND REFERENCE DATA | |
Checklist |
Reference Sheet |
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Screen shots by Bill Stack |
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| THE MANUAL | ||
Table of Contents |
Page 6 |
Page 13 |
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Screen shots by Bill Stack | ||
Several features of this aircraft model contribute to its overall value. The accuracy and level of detail without diminishing frame rates is remarkable. The aircraft can be put up for the night with chock blocks and a canopy cover.
Unfortunately, I was unable to find any instruction on how to open and close the canopy or how to use the fuel-delivery system promised in the product description, and my question to the developer went unanswered.
Canopy Cover and Chocks |
Vintage Radios |
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Skin Details |
Paint Details |
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| Screen shot by Bill Stack | ||
Information about the real Curtiss P-36 Hawk can be found at these websites, among others:
The Curtiss P-36 Hawk by Vertigo Studios is a true-to-life representation of this historic aircraft. Its accuracy and visual details inside and outside reveal considerable attention to reality. Flight modeling and sounds seem correct for an aircraft of this type. The manual is well done, but instructions about using the canopy and fuel-delivery system are needed. More performance data, particularly V speeds, would be helpful. Otherwise, this item is perfect for simmers who want to relive aviation from the crucial age when wood-and-canvas biplanes were being made obsolete by single-wing metal aircraft that would later be commonplace in combat during the world's worst war.
Bill Stack
Learn More About Vertigo Studio's Curtiss P-36 Hawk
Reviews Of Other Vertigo Studios Products:
SBD Dauntless
Grumman F6F Hellcat
Bill Stack is author of several books about flight simulation, a regular author in flight-sim magazines, and a contributor to Flight Sim Com. His website is www.topskills.com
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