Part two .... using what you've learned to get back "Home" in bad weather.

[salt_air]

I'll host the last part of the two part tutorial on the YE - ZB System this weekend.

In this part we'll use our knowledge of how to operate and utilize what the US Navy pilots used to find their way back to their respective carriers after a mission.

If you attended part one or if you've ... on your own ... read and understand how the system works then report to PHTO airport somewhere off of any of the runways .... GA Parking would be good ... on either 9 June or 10 June at 1945 ZULU.

Fly whatever you want that is equipped with a fully functional ZB radio receiver, but please enter the session in either the F4F-4 Grumman Wildcat or the SBD-3 Douglas Dauntless that accompanied the ye-zb5_db.zip .... then change planes after you are connected.

Sign into TS3 at fsmpa.hopto.org to receive instructions and another small scenery download that will be made available on TS3's file browser during the event.





After a short practice leg to Bradshaw AAF (PHSF) the squadron will receive and install scenery ... then after each pilot has done their required sim restart, he will take off and proceed in a NW heading ... toward the island of Oahu.

Pilots will be assigned enroute, by radio, to a specific carrier and given that carrier's YE radio frequency to tune.

Then as the weather deteriorates each pilot will have to use all of his training to find his assigned carrier and try to land using the ships arrestor cables and the aircraft's tail hook.

Not for the faint hearted or weak .... you'll need to rely on the YE-ZB System to find your carrier and with a rationed amount of fuel available at Hilo you'll need to get it right the first time or take a chance on getting wet.








Cheers,

[salt_air]

The weather was nice today on a flight out of Barking Sands to Hilo with the beverages and entertainment for this weekend.


We'll do things a little different and have a pic nic before the event ... the event sure as heck won't be one and afterwards ...

You may not be all that hungry ...











Cheers,

[WombatOne]

Sweet looking trimotor, that the one you've been working on?

[salt_air]

Thanks Ed!


Yes ... that flight doubled as yet another test for the Ford .... more in the Proving Ground stage now than Beta.

I will come up with an event to showcase it's release in the near future.


That paint job was done by Garry J. Smith ... his work is uploaded in the SOH library. (spelling is correct ... 2 r's)

I have accumulated close to 3 dozen skins for the Ford and 75% of them came from that source ... excellent work.



Catch ya later,

[salt_air]

In order to keep things fairly simple and to more accurately commemorate what was happening in the Pacific Ocean 70 years ago this week ... surrounding the Battle of Midway ..... I'm asking pilots to hold to the following early WW II aircraft:

Brewster F2A3 Buffalo

Grumman F4F-3 and F4F-4 Wildcat

Douglas SBD-3 and SBD-5 Dauntless

Douglas TBD1 Devastator


They are either included in the ye-zb download or were uploaded to the TS3 file browser from SOH ... formerly Donationware now free ... excellent (recommended) models for our purpose today and tomorrow.


For this weekend let's hold off on the Corsairs, Hellcats, Avengers, Helldivers (SB2C3) as these are later WW II planes.

The Bearcats and Tigercats were of course after WW II and all will have there place in future events..

There is also a CFS2 based collection of Martin and Curtiss pre war models.

All have been set up and can be uploaded to TS3 or emailed out individually per request as needed.



Further ongoing testing is in progress to find any and all that will work in FSX .... will advise.

[teson1]

Flying through the clouds without visibility, dwindling fuel supply, and nothing to follow but the dits and dahs on the radio, hoping to find that carrier in the middle of the ocean in time before the fuel runs out. Nothing like seeing one tank run dry after the other, and finally find the carrier just trusting your ears, and land with just a few gallons left. Phew !
True Suspense !
And a glimpse of what the pilots back then had to endure.

An event very well put together !
Definitely one to repeat to give those who could not make it this time a chance to experience it as well.

Thanks !!

[WombatOne]

Sorry I missed you guys today. I kept trying the TS server until 2pm central and couldn't get a connection, maybe I should have tried a little bit longer. If it was anything like yesterday's session you had a great time. Can't wait to see what Austin comes up with next for this homing technology.

[RedGreen]

Man, I hate I missed this one. Got stuck in a traffic jam on Saturday causing me to run behind schedule...and then today assumed the event was off too early due to the downtime. Oh well, hope you guys had a good time and I'll catch ya on the next one!

[salt_air]

Flying through the clouds without visibility, dwindling fuel supply, and nothing to follow but the dits and dahs on the radio, hoping to find that carrier in the middle of the ocean in time before the fuel runs out. Nothing like seeing one tank run dry after the other, and finally find the carrier just trusting your ears, and land with just a few gallons left. Phew !
True Suspense !
And a glimpse of what the pilots back then had to endure.

An event very well put together !
Definitely one to repeat to give those who could not make it this time a chance to experience it as well.

Thanks !!

Thank you Gunter .... you have described exactly what I was hoping to accomplish and provide in this stage.

Sad no one else could make it, but I hadn't "seen" you in a while and it afforded a good and quiet time to catch up ... the relatively short time frame for the event left plenty of time to chat .... a very enjoyable meeting sir ... pleased you could come out.


You did a great job too ... I might add ... pushing right through a couple of small hurdles .... having to "fix" a scenery issue, and the back and forth and all of the connection issues ... wow, like old times ... perseverance paid off and won out so you could find your way ... and very efficiently!


Have to mention there was a "crowd" Saturday too that came ready and "Passed with Flying Colors" .... special thanks to Ed (WombatOne) ... on a great display of navigational skills in that session.



I'm happy and pleased to find that what was provided did what it was intended to do ... create a scenario that would have to look and feel of a carrier pilot, during the early days of WW II, that had completed a mission ... one that had run longer than expected, taxing his fuel supply to the limit ... and was attempting to find his way back to his home carrier after the weather had taken a turn for the worse.


Worst case scenario .... only could have been "amp'd" up by having a Zero or two shooting at us ... maybe I can come with that later ...


Another important component was that in order to get through this staged ordeal pilots had to rely completely on Dave's terrific model of the very radio system that was used in real life ... back in the day ... to find the way back "home" ... the YE-ZB Navigation System.


Add in some simple math and elementary DR skills to a general sense of direction and pilots were rewarded through all of the ways he could fail during his flight, to finally see his carrier in 5-10 NM visibility out over open water with no other visual reference and no other navigational means .... and not a minute too soon with fuel supply at a critical level.


Of course the icing on the cake was catching the cables on the deck of the carriers that were placed in the small scenery file for this event ..... maybe a few adjustments and wrap it up as an Adventure and upload it to the library??? ... who knows?





Sure do wish we had those great models of the Dauntless and Wildcat from SOH a little sooner .... they will be center stage in any other events that are staged during this era.


Thanks again to Dave Bitzer for his work in producing this addon and who also was in attendance on TS Saturday .... and to pilots Ed (WombatOne) and Gunter (teson1) for their participation and continued support!






And a few screenies .....











Cheers,

[NikeHerk67]

I regret to say that I too missed both sessions as did RedGreen. It looks like perhaps we could try another time as I’m not the only one. It seems things come up at the last minute, especially during the summer months, that are just out of our control. My humble appologies go out to salt, for I know the importance of participation after spending countless hours on a project.

This one sounds like a great adventure as described by Gunter and salt and the associated pictures!

I wonder if we could have a redo of this one or perhaps we could acquire the scenery download, a starting point, and a briefing including the fuel allotment, and other necessary information. I could probably guess what the scenario includes, however there could be some other pertinent information that could only be accomplished during a live multiplayer session.

I can imagine flying off the carrier, going out to sea, flying a long distance, getting into a dog fight lasting up until night fall, then trying to make it back to the various ships before running out of fuel.


Fred