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Manfred Jahn/Jan Visser Douglas C-47By Alex Dickinson /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-25.jpgIntroductionSince coming to Prepar3D almost a yearago, I have mostly stuck to flying modern airliners (with a bit of GAthrown in). This is something I really enjoy, but one of the things Ilove about flight simulation is the diverse range of aircraft onoffer! One of the aircraft I was lucky enough to come across, wasManfred Jahn's Douglas C-47. Originally released for FSX, the C-47I'm using in Prepar3D is an updated model by Jan Visser: Douglas_C-47_V3_12_Beta.zip /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-21.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-22.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-23.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-24.jpgExteriorThe C-47 has a wonderful exterior, which is rather eye-catching. Thereis good attention to detail throughout, with such things as the antennasbeing modelled on the front of the aircraft, as well as the internal enginetubing. I also have to point out that variations within the aircraftdesign may be witnessed, as some civilian models had a circular dome on topof the fuselage; possibly this would have been used for navigation with asextant. Compared to the default DC-3 from FSX, Manfred/Jan's version has afar more enhanced look about it, especially when it comes to suchthings as the propeller blades, as I was able to recognise that thepropellers used were possibly made by Hartzell. This comes from theextreme level of detailing included with this model. LiveriesThe liveries which have been supplied with this package are ratherminimal, but that's no bad thing. Within the package itself are twoliveries: one was a European Air Transport Service paint, the otheris a military livery which was used for deploying paratroopers. Ifyou wish to add more paints, then numerous add-on liveries can befound here at FlightSim.Com. /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-05.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-06.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-07.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-08.jpgInteriorI was stunned by how well the Douglas C-47 cockpit had beenmodelled. All the levers, switches, and buttons in the C-47 wereplaced accurately and modelled to a high quality. I particularly likedhow the oil staining on some of the mechanical levers gave off aweathered look. The instrumentation used was both a mix of old and new. Such thingsas the engine gauges, system, and fuel gauges, are the original unitsfound in the real C-47. One may expect these to be copied straight outof the default FSX DC-3, but they are not. They all look to be custommade for this model, and it really gave me the sense that I was flyinga vintage aircraft. A few instruments like the central artificial horizon did not work,but this didn't detract from the experience in any way. Plus thedeveloper has put "INOP" stickers on them, which I think is afantastic idea. /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-13.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-14.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-03.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-04.jpgAs well as the vintage gauges, there are also some newer stylecomponents used, the COM stack being a prime example. The COM stackhas two selectable frequencies for COM and NAV, plus a singular ADFsource. Compared to the DC-3 from FSX, this unit is more simplified,thus making it very easy to use. The newer style of components alsoincludes a GPS, as well as VOR/OBS bearing instrumentation. When combined, both the newer and older style of instrumentationgive off the sense that you are flying a 1930's airliner in the 21stcentury. I do not get this feeling with many other vintage aircraftand the advantage this brings is that it makes it so much easier touse in the modern day without compromising on the immersiveaspect/quality. FeaturesBeing a freeware aircraft, I was astounded at the number ofadditional features included with this model. The developer hasimplemented cockpit pop-ups into simple, yet well designed singularpanel sections. For example, one panel has controls for the autopilot,external animations, plus the engine instrumentation, while anotherpanel has a variety of switches located on it for ease of operation. /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-09.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-10.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-11.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-12.jpgChecklistOne of the most impressive (and helpful) features I experiencedwith the model, was the checklist system. Coupled with this, was afully interactive flight and cabin crew system, that would actuallyhave generic conversations with each other. In a way, this was a bit like the Aerosoft system, where the flightcrew automatically set systems for you, but differed in that you hadthe ability to select what items you wished to be set. For example,when starting the engines, I could have the first officer set thepumps and primer, but if so desired, I could select the starter oroperate the mixture controls myself. If that wasn't enough, you arealso able to run through the system using a paper pop-out of thechecklist, which adds greatly to the experience. Overall the checklist system felt like a mix of A2A's andAerosoft's systems combined, but with added touches from thedeveloper. The amount of personalisation put into this feature isquite frankly staggering, and for myself, it is by far the bestinteractive checklist system I have experienced on any flightsimulation product. /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-15.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-18.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-19.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-16.jpgFlight ExperienceSo with all the wonderful features included with this model, whatwas is it like to actually fly? Well, to keep it simple...it was veryauthentic. From a handling prospective, you needed to apply quite adeal of force to the controls, but from what I have seen and read,this is how aircraft of this size/vintage actually performed. As mentioned, I'm used to flying modern big jets, so the change inperformance is rather noticeable to say the least. However, this ispart of the C-47's charm, and once you get used to its capabilities(taxiing is challenging being a taildragger), then you're in for anenjoyable experience. In terms of actual performance, the C-47 wouldclimb out at around 80 - 105 knots and maintain around 1000feet-per-minute; which pretty much matches that of the real aircraft. /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-01.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-02.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-17.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-20.jpgSoundThe C-47 is a harmonic symphony of 1930's engineering...it reallyis that good! All the sounds included in the package appear to becustom made, with even the switches, knobs and levers all havingseparate sound effects. If that wasn't enough, even the flaps had thaticonic screeching sound. Perform your first engine start in thisaircraft, and you'll know where I'm coming from! ConclusionAs you can no doubt tell from reading this article, I found thewhole experience of flying the C-47 to be exhilarating. The fact thatthis aircraft is offered as freeware, is simply beyond me, as itpossesses a level of immersion that I have not experienced with evensome payware aircraft. Knowing all this, it speaks volumes for thedeveloper's generosity and enthusiasm to the hobby. This is A2Aquality given for free...how great is that! /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-26.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-27.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-28.jpg /images/reviews/jahnc47/t/manfred-jahn-c47-29.jpgNote: If you download this wonderful model, then why not leave thedevelopers a note of thanks in the comments section. Without thelikes of Manfred and Jan we would not be able to experience 1930's airtravel. Alex Dickinson Jan Visser Updated FSX/P3D C-47 v3.14 beta from original by Manfred Jahn Jan Visser Updated FSX/P3D C-47 v3.12 beta from original by Manfred Jahn Aeroworx Port to X-Plane 11 Aeroworx Port to X-Plane 10 Manfred Jahn's original C-47 for FSX Manfred Jahn's C-47 for FS2004 Interview with Manfred Jahn
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Interview With Manfred Jahn The Beginnings When did you start developing for flight simulators and what got you interested in it? My first simulator was Microsoft FS2002, and I began repainting aircraft as soon as I learned that you could add your own paints and scenery. A bit later I bought FSDS and started on scenery, focusing on RAF Gatow, where I used to go plane-spotting when I was young. With the advent of FS2004 and its inclusion of Gmax, I began my first aircraft project, the Hunting Percival Pembroke, a mid-size, twin-engine communications plane, and a regular visitor to Gatow during the cold war. Going public with just the basic exterior model brought me in touch with members of the community who immediately contributed a genuine panel (we weren't up to VCs yet) and accurate flight dynamics. I was also contacted by pilots who had flown these planes in real life, a most welcome side-effect that was to be repeated with all subsequent releases. After the Pembroke came the York, the Lancastrian, and a whole gaggle of Connies. Here is a screen shot of a C-121A Connie that I am particularly fond of. I believe I did some twenty or thirty variants of the Connie all told, more or less in reverse order, starting out with the experimental Turbo Connie and the model 1649 Starliner. Lufthansa had just bought three of the last remaining Starliner hulks and begun the arduous process of getting one of them back to flying condition. At one point Lufthansa actually asked permission to use the FS2004 model for technical crew training. I believe the reconstituted Starliner is scheduled to have its first flight sometime this year. If all goes well it will be the star of air shows all over the world. People will come just for the sight and sound of this iconic plane, as they do for the Breitling Connie. Incidentally, the sound pack for the Connies was based on original Breitling recordings. After a good deal of hesitation - I was reluctant to abandon FS2004 for what seemed a flaky successor - I finally did the step and migrated over to the dark side of FSX. First I did a C-47, the military variant of the DC-3, learning what I could from the source code of the DC-3 that Microsoft's ACES team had made available. This was followed by the Basler and Braddick DC-3 turboprop variants, and more recently the C-117 Super DC-3, and the C-47 V2. At present, I am on to something completely different, even though in a sense it is just more of the same (see below). Designing aircraft for a flight simulator was a major change from making plastic models, which I often failed to finish. Designing and painting with keyboard and mouse is a much cleaner exercise than working on a workbench cluttered with bits of wood and plastic. It's also healthier, as you don't get to inhale any dust and paint fumes. Then again, CAD comes with health hazards of its own - it is very addictive and not really good for your eyes. What do you consider your best or most popular work? That has to be the C-47 V2, for which we bagged a freeware of the year award, but in terms of download stats the Connies were the most popular, easily going into the ten thousands range. The thread at Sim Outhouse that advertised the coming of the C-47 V2 soon had 50K clicks, and much added interest has been created by Jan Visser's announcement of an entirely new "VVC" (virtual vintage cockpit) for it. Have a look at the work-in-progress pictures in the current sticky at Sim Outhouse. Jan is a genius (you should interview him!), you haven't seen the likes of such a VC before. What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of a project? Creating a 3D model from photos and scale plans (often incorrect) is a lot of work but also plain fun most of the time. Releasing and troubleshooting generally is a hassle. What software packages and tools do you use to develop? I use a dated version of 3ds Max for modelling work, but Gmax is still with me and I love it, despite its many quirks. Xara (great program) and Photoshop are used for textures. I usually save them as JPG's (yes, I am a sucker for small files, but set at 100% quality they are just as good as bmp's at ten times the size), and then drop them onto a little custom utility that is clever enough to create the necessary FSX files as either dxt5 or dxt1, depending on whether they have an alpha component or not. Who would you consider to be your mentors or inspiration in the development world if you have any? That would have to be Georg Hauzenberger, who kindly helped me take my first Gmax modelling steps. Then the usual suspects: Greg Pepper, John White, Jan Visser, Rick Piper, Milton Shupe, Tom Gibson, Bill Leaming and Bill Lionheart ... to name but a few. Do you develop payware/freeware or both and why? I develop freeware only, and that's unlikely to change. The Team How many people work with you or your team? We usually have a core team of three, supplemented by a further two or three doing add-on support. For the C-47 V2, Hansi Nagele did all the gauge and animations programming; Alexander Metzger designed the flight dynamics; Ted Wolfgang created the sound packs, and Gordon Graham supplied the paint kit. For the Basler project, Daniel "Cheesestrike" Furnkas acted both as researcher and version painter. What other developers or teams have you worked with and what were their roles? I am still occasionally contributing to the current FS2004 Connie team, which is now headed by Volker Bohme of Calclassic. They are constantly updating the fleet and the current project is a revamped Turbo Connie based on authentic handbook data. I also freely exchange tips and tricks with many other freeware and payware developers. Real Life Do you have any experience in real aviation? None to speak of. Well...the closest I got was when I worked for a plane wash outfit, which involved waxing and polishing Pan Am DC-6's in a hangar at Tempelhof airport. Let me tell you it was no fun walking those wings! This was an overnight job, and for our coffee-break we had to go down into Tempelhof's catacombs. This was pure Third Reich bunker land and quite an experience for a young and easily impressed youth. Me, I just went for the coffee of course! I also didn't sneak out of the hangar to check what was going on in the flight line, oh no! After my shift had finished I would take the bus home at six o'clock in the morning smelling strongly of detergents and regularly falling asleep on some poor unsuspecting commuter's shoulder. I do apologise if you're reading this and recognise me! What started your interest in aviation? As kids we were flown out of Berlin in 1948, during the Berlin airlift. Later, reading a picture book called Struwwelpeter I was fascinated by a picture showing a boy looking at three aircraft flying in formation and forgetting everything around him. Another story was of a boy who gets swept off his feet in a storm whilst stubbornly holding on to his umbrella, never to be seen again. Johnny Head-in-Air and Flying Bob - those were characters that I could relate to. Today I marvel at these stories, driven as they are by an unholy mixture of parental moralism and child-like anarchy. I don't believe Struwwelpeter is considered politically correct any more. Kids these days read wholesome and carefully balanced books like Harry Potter... But I digress. Next question. Future How do you choose your next new design or project? I take a look at my files and choose an aircraft that either hasn't been done yet, or has been done but is dated one way or another. Occasionally I let myself be persuaded to do a particular project. Obviously, I am mainly interested in post-war propliners, and I am often hard put to identify the modern jets that take us to the Canary Islands, which can get a self-professed aviation enthusiast into all sorts of embarrassing situations. What type of aircraft are we flying in, Manfred? Errrrrr ... (takes surreptitious look at safety sheet). Currently I'm working on a Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter/Stratotanker, the military equivalent of the Stratocruiser, of which we have A2A's excellent Accusim version. Greg Pepper's FS2004 C-97 is great, but I don't fly port-over props in FSX any more, not even my own. I have recently hit on a site called Sketchfab, which allows you to exhibit your model and let the viewer zoom, pan, and rotate for a virtual walk-around. This is a big help in checking panel lines and tracking modelling faults, even if the true final test of the pudding is always in the sim itself. If you are interested you can see the current state of the Stratofreighter on Sketchfab here. What simulators do you design for now and which ones do you plan to develop for in the future? At the moment it's FSX, but I will move on to P3D once I get the hardware to run it. In what ways do you see development changing in the future? Today's level of flight simming complexity often leaves me dazzled. Personally, I'm happy if I can just fly the aircraft I am developing without it bursting into flames or crashing on landing. Nevertheless I'll gladly admit that the increasingly closer relation between simulated and real-life flying is a good thing. Let's not forget that flight simulation also serves educational, historical, forensic, and public relations functions. For instance, the Alfred Wegener Institute of Polar and Maritime Research (AWI) was quite happy to support our Basler project and to advertise it in their newsletter. They also gave Daniel free access to one of their Canadian registered "Polar" Basler aircraft, turning on the cockpit and gauges lighting for him to see what it looked like (impressive). That's how we managed to create a fairly accurate VC for the FSX model. If you are interested, the AWI newsletter report of it is here. Your Thoughts What can sites like FlightSim.Com do to support you and the hobby better? FlightSim.Com is great, no kidding. Nels has been incredibly supportive when things went wrong in those critical release stages. I think the library, the download service, and the shop are all well-managed and reliable as I use them often and have never had any trouble with them. I also learned a lot from attending forums like, Calclassic, Sim Outhouse, FSDevelopers, and Avsim, and I often invite members of the forum community to become part of the current team. How do you feel about the future of flight simulation in general? I tend to look on the bright side. Many people complain that developing aircraft and scenery doesn't pay, but the number of providers and developers seems to have grown rather than diminished. Also, if you look at the level of detail exhibited by many products and applications, I'd say that the future looks promising. The progress that's being made, even based on a granddaddy of a sim such as FSX, is amazing. I have recently become converted to using DX10 mode, a feature that was originally flagged as experimental and unreliable, and now I am getting better performance, dynamic cockpit shadows and all. I still don't like the appearance of flat trees, shadowless forests, and planar grass in otherwise excellent scenery, but I am sure we will eventually find ways and means to overcome these shortcomings too. As for P3D, what I would wish Lockheed Martin would do is lift all restrictions regarding sale and use. I don't see why these restrictions should even be in place, now that Microsoft has abandoned flight simulation for good. The disaster of MS Flight demonstrated well enough that what we really need is an accessible interface that allows both professional developers and serious hobbyists to contribute to a common cause. Offering an SDK and a free Gmax, Microsoft (under Bill Gates) did exactly the right thing. One is not tempted to say that very often these days, is one? Now, like many other developers, I set my hopes on that open and friendly interface that P3D is promising to provide. This will allow all of us to push the boundaries further and to create even greater levels of immersion. Here, I'll drink to that. Cheers all! Manfred Jahn Find all Manfred Jahn related files -
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