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Thank you for buying Wings of Power.

- The Wings of Power Team

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Wings of Power B-17 Flying Fortress

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Wings of Power B-17 Flying Fortress

© 2003 Shockwave Productions Inc. All rights reserved.

Published by Shockwave Productions Inc.

ATTENTION! Wings of Power, including sounds, aircraft, and all content is under

strict, and enforceable copyright law. If you suspect anyone has pirated any part of Wings of Power, please contact

piracy@shockwaveproductions.com RISKS AND SIDE EFFECTS ERGONOMIC ADVICE 1) Always maintain a distance of at least 45 cm to the screen to

avoid straining your eyes. 2) Sit upright and adjust the height of your chair so that your legs

are at a right angle. The angle between your upper and forearm should be larger than 90 degrees.

3) The top edge of your screen should be at eye level or below, and the monitor should be tilted slightly backwards, to prevent strains to your cervical spine.

4) Reduce your screen's brightness to lower the contrast and use a flicker-free, low-radiation monitor.

5) Make sure the room you play in is well lit. 6) Avoid playing when tired or worn out and take a break (every

hour), even if it's hard … EPILEPSY WARNING Some people experience epileptic seizures when viewing flashing lights or patterns in our daily environment. Consult your doctor before playing computer games if you, or someone of your family, have an epileptic condition. Immediately stop the game, should you experience any of the following symptoms during play: dizziness, altered vision, eye or muscle twitching, mental confusion, loss of awareness of your surroundings, involuntary movements and/or convulsions.

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ADITIONAL INFORMATION Check for the latest information at www.shockwaveproductions.com SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS In order to play Wings of Power you must have an Intel PC compatible computer, which meets the following requirements: MS Flight Simulator 2004 Processor: Pentium II 500 MHz or faster Hard drive space: at least 500 MB CD ROM drive Sound card (recommended) 3D Graphics Card Mouse Operating system: Windows 9x/2000 DirectX 9 or higher

TECHNICAL SUPPORT www.shockwaveproductions.com Feel free to register and post on our forums. We watch these forums daily, and will try to be very quick to answer any of your questions.

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DESIGNER’S NOTES: When we decided to develop Wings of Power, the agreed upon goal was to create the most complete flying experience. This means building aircraft that not only look beautiful, but also fly and function authentically. Some flyers live for complex gauges and realistic cockpit environments, while others simply admire watching their new aircraft fly through their favorite places around the world. It is our belief that while soaring through the skies, even the casual flyer will appreciate that there is a world of detail and history in every dial and switch. It is the same feeling you get when you sit in the cockpit of a real airplane. The difference is, in a simulated world, you can have it all. Wings of Power sets new standards in many areas. The most stunning areas are the 3D cockpit environments. While they are beautiful to look at, they represent the top layer of an amazing world that lies beneath. The more you fly these aircraft, the more you discover. It won’t be long until you fully understand why we refer to it as having “History in a box.” We are passionate about our work and are proud to be the makers of Wings of Power. We think you will have many hours of enjoyment with it. The Shockwave Team

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Wings of Power B-17 Flying Fortress

Table of Contents: Setup 8 Overview 10 Visual Effects and Sound 25 B17F / G “Flying Fortress” 26 C1 Autopilot system 43 References 46 Credits 47 FirePower 48 See and fly the real thing 51

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SETUP

IMPORTANT! MUST READ To make sure you are getting the most out Wings of Power, please verify that your IN-GAME REALISM settings are set to the following (see picture on next page): Current realism settings: HARD Detect crashes and damage: CHECKED

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REALISM

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OVERVIEW:

General Operational Information and Guidelines The following information is provided to help pilots become familiar with the Wings of Power series of aircraft for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004. These aircraft are materially different in terms of the flight modeling than what is commonly available. In fact, what is generally accepted as standard performance or aircraft behavior, in many cases will not apply to these aircraft. The reason? Wings of Power aircraft were made using a new and ambitious process called, “Absolute Realism.” Absolute Realism There are several areas where the Wings of Power aircraft depart drastically from the standard fare. Until now, an aircraft was considered to fly accurately if it reproduced a handful of specific performance figures (top speed, max climb rate, stall speeds, etc.) These figures really only represent how an aircraft is performing at a single point in time. Absolute Realism goes beyond these limited numbers and authentically simulates all flight through an almost unlimited amount of conditions. If you take a minute and read this article through you will begin to understand just what a significant advancement Absolute Realism truly is.

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Designed by pilots, for pilots

As the pilot in command, you can take a Wings of Power aircraft to any given altitude, choose your own power setting (adjust the throttle and watch the manifold pressure / boost gauge), adjust your prop speed, and witness your aircraft climb and cruise exactly as it did in real life. You will even experience accurate fuel consumption rates. You can plan realistic and even historic flights based on your aircraft weight and calculate cruise speeds, distances traveled, and even authentic figures like “distance-to-altitude” shown in the manuals. These figures are not just “estimated,”, they are finely tuned and put through a rigorous and exhaustive testing process by pilots. Wings of Power aircraft are the only aircraft we know of that are certified to be flown "by the book" using nothing but the original training manual for that particular aircraft. This is why we call it, “Absolute Realism.”

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Almost a hundred of these performance charts like the one shown below were created by hand from in-house test pilots verifying they fly accurately throughout all flight regimes.

We encourage people to go out and buy the actual pilot training manuals for these aircraft and use them. When it comes to unique stall characteristics and other aspects not documented in the manuals, we refer to actual pilot flight-test reports and our own pilot interviews. Lastly, only hands-on pilots were involved in creating the way these Wings of Power aircraft fly. The bottom line is, for the first time ever, you can experience these thoroughbred aircraft today for everything that they truly were, and still are.

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Power and Propeller Settings

The flight simulation industry has commonly accepted that the maximum throttle setting (100 percent throttle) should reflect the published takeoff power of piston-engined aircraft. For example, the published takeoff power setting for the B-24D Liberator is 49" of manifold pressure and 2700 RPM. A standard FS2004 model of the B24 would expect the pilot to simply shove the throttles and propeller controls to the stop and head for the wild blue yonder. Not with Wings of Power. While you can throw the throttle forward in a Wings of Power aircraft, and it will takeoff, the difference is the Wings of Power aircraft will deliver the power these engines actually produce if you were to just throw the throttle forward. Let us explain:

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These large, 4-engine aircraft in reality are extremely complex and require a great deal of coordinated teamwork to fly, and that includes setting both the power and propeller speeds for takeoff, landing, and cruise. Many heavy bombers utilized turbosuperchargers” and normal “superchargers” to increase boost so that very high altitudes could be reached. These boost systems were quite complex and required a lot of attention as well as very specific settings for all flight regimes. For example, the normal takeoff setting for a B29A was with the turbo boost knob set to 8, which left plenty of headroom for additional boost. While you can throw the throttle all the way forward in Wings of Power with a turbo boost of 10, in reality a real pilot or copilot (or flight engineer) would never under any circumstances shove the throttles all the way to the stop unless war emergency power was required. On takeoff, a pilot "walks" the throttles carefully but briskly forward until the proper takeoff power setting is reached. This setting is read on the manifold pressure gauges. Read this excerpt from a report issued from Bomber Command:

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So as you can see, Wings of Power aircraft accurately model the available power for these aircraft, and not limit you to the lower published maximums for takeoff. If you decide to do a standard takeoff, just like the real pilot, you would raise the throttle slowly while watching your manifold pressure / boost gauge until a specific power setting is achieved. However, as pilot in command, if you want to experience a takeoff with military power, the choice is now yours to make. You can see by the report above, it clearly specifies that if necessary, war emergency power can be obtained (and was) by using full throttle. In some cases, as with the B-17, the propeller governor can also be set to a higher RPM than normal. Turbochargers in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004

The higher an aircraft goes, the thinner the air (less atmospheric pressure). As the aircraft climbs into thinner air, a turbocharger compensates by forcing more air into the engine, thus making the engine “think” it is operating at a lower altitude. In reality,

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the pilot has the ability to control both the throttle and turbocharger separately. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, like previous versions of Flight Simulator, does not model turbochargers independently of the throttle control. All turbocharger functions are combined in a single throttle lever. Thus, when at the full throttle position, Wings of Power aircraft will produce true war emergency power (which simulates having the turbocharger setting at 10 and the throttles wide open). In reality the throttle and the turbo tend to move in step with each other, so this is acceptable. Normal takeoffs will be at a lower setting than full throttle. This setting is provided in each aircraft's checklist. In the case of the B-17 aircraft, the propeller setting will also be less than the maximum (but can be set higher). A special gauge is provided that indicates the correct propeller pitch for takeoff. Tech note: There were two types of control systems for the turbosuperchargers: oil and electronic. The oil-controlled models had levers in the cockpit that would individually set the turbo boost for each engine, and these levers had to be set manually by the aircrew to provide the appropriate level of boost. The electronic control, known as the Pressuretrol system, had a single large knob incremented from 0-10, just like the volume level knob on a common home stereo system or car radio.

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Takeoff

The takeoff distances provided in each checklist are precisely what is indicated in the performance tables for that airplane’s respective pilot’s training manual. However, to achieve these figures, the airplane must be flown exactly according to the procedure in the checklist. Using full throttle, incorrect flap positions, incorrect takeoff weights, erroneous trim settings, or improper liftoff technique will materially affect the takeoff distance. The distances provided are the distance it takes to clear a 50' obstacle, which is a common pilot training procedure. These can be reduced by about 1/3 by using full war emergency power and up to 1/2 flaps on most airplanes. See the checklist for details.

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Climbing

There is far more to climbing than meeting a single rate of climb figure published in a book, or a single time-to-climb figure. The rate of climb for piston aircraft is normally greatest at sea level and falls steadily as the aircraft gains altitude. The weight of the aircraft, the power setting, and the climbing speed are absolutely critical in obtaining proper and accurate climb performance and if any of these parameters change, the time and distance to climb will also change. For most aircraft there are two climb power settings, rated power and desired climbing power. The lower power setting is usually reserved for lower aircraft weights and in some cases is not desirable due to fuel economy or engine cooling reasons. It can easily be seen that a simple figure published in a book cannot begin to accurately indicate an aircraft's actual ability to climb. The climb is a very critical phase in any flight, and with these complicated aircraft, climbing speed and power settings were very important. Fuel economy, time to climb, range, and engine performance are all affected by the way the aircraft is set up to climb. The Wings of Power aircraft have been designed to climb at exactly the settings in the original aircraft manuals, and match the published climb performance data for each aircraft. This B-17 aircraft was climb-tested to 30,000 feet MSL at the weights, power settings and speeds specified. Even the time and distance to climb match the manual.

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Critical Altitude Turbochargers have a turbine wheel (fan) that spins, forcing more air into the engines. The thinner the air, the less resistance on the turbine, which means it has to spin faster to maintain the same pressure than at a lower altitude. The critical altitude, for turbocharged aircraft, is the altitude at which maximum power can no longer be maintained because the air is so thin, the turbine can’t spin fast enough to maintain the desired pressure. From this “critical altitude,” the higher the aircraft climbs, the less power it can produce (in reality, above these altitudes the turbine would over-speed if excessive boost was applied). Depending on the type of control system -- electronic or oil type -- the critical altitude falls somewhere between 26,000 and 30,000 feet. For supercharged aircraft, the critical altitude is the altitude beyond which the supercharger can no longer produced the maximum rated manifold pressure. Tech note: The turbine wheel speed is determined by the difference in pressure between the exhaust system and the atmosphere, which is controlled by the opening of a relief valve called a wastegate. Rule for climbing Turbocharged Do not advance the throttles once boost pressure starts to fall off above critical altitude.

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Landing and Approach

Most aircraft commonly available for Microsoft Flight Simulator have drastically exaggerated flap and landing gear drag values, including the stock aircraft. Therefore most virtual pilots habitually fly the landing approach far too high and have a much greater rate of descent than is actually specified for a particular aircraft. These very high flap drag values allow pilots to get away with unrealistically steep, high approaches. This is not the case with Wings of Power aircraft. This can easily be demonstrated by setting the aircraft up on a simulated final approach at a specified landing weight. For example, according to the manual, the B-17G final approach is to be flown at 120 mph with full flaps, a power setting of 20" of manifold pressure, propellers at high rpm, and a rate of descent of 500 feet per minute. Take your Wings of Power B-17G, at a nominal landing weight of 45,000 pounds, to 5,000 feet and set up an autopilot-controlled descent with full flaps and gear down at the above power settings. You will find that it descends at the specified speed, give or take 1-2 mph. This confirms that the

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thrust, drag, and weight are in the proper equilibrium as specified. The same is true for all Wings of Power aircraft, which can be tested in the same way.

The bottom line is that flaps are not airbrakes; these aircraft need to flown at the proper speeds and power settings, or landings are going to be very challenging!

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Mixture Control and Fuel Management All of the piston aircraft are, by default, set to auto-mixture. This is because the real aircraft also used an automatic mixture control. There was no "manual" leaning of the mixture as one would carry out in a light private plane such as a Cessna 172 or Piper Cub. See report:

In the real aircraft, there are four positions for the mixture control levers: Idle Cutoff, Auto Lean, Auto Rich, and Full Rich. Idle cutoff is self-explanatory; Auto Lean is for lower cruising power settings and Auto Rich is for higher cruise power settings; and Full Rich is for climbing. In the Auto Rich or Full Rich positions the engine uses substantially more fuel than necessary for the purpose of keeping the cylinders cool. The simulator's auto-mixture setting duplicates a mixture that is slightly richer than the Auto Lean position. The fuel consumption, power settings, airspeeds, and fuel economy shown in the tables for cruise performance for each aircraft are identical to those in the actual aircraft manual. Thus, these flight parameters have been modeled with extreme accuracy. To attempt to manually set the mixture would be

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fruitless, inaccurate, and in reality – dangerous. You will also notice that the mixture control levers move in the opposite direction from modern civil piston aircraft. This is accurate; idle cutoff was fully forward and full rich was fully back on these aircraft. The one area that cannot be accurately modeled is the higher fuel consumption rates during Full Rich and Auto Rich. As a result, fuel consumed during the climb phase or at high power settings is less than the actual aircraft; this is a limitation in the FS2004 engine that does not model Full Rich and Auto Rich settings. However, in all other phases it will be exactly as the manual specifies.

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Payloads Each bomber has been set up with a 5-pound payload in the bomb bay location. This payload can be increased as desired to simulate bomb loads. As weight is added, the CG will shift aft just as in the real aircraft. Absolute Realism

To obtain ultimate realism, fly the Wings of Power aircraft by the numbers using the information given in each aircraft's checklist. Even better, go out and buy a copy of the aircraft's actual flight manual and use that to fly the plane. That’s what we did. Now that's Absolute Realism. Now go fly.

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Visual Effects and Sound A host of new visual effects were created to immerse the pilot further into an authentic experience. This includes realistic startup effects and natural engine smoke (hit the “I” key to enable jet engine smoke). Once started, experiment with the throttle in any aircraft and notice the subtle differences of the engine sounds inside and out. When your aircraft is taxiing on a dirt strip, you will see more dust being kicked up by the wheels. Each aircraft was carefully tuned to perform highly realistic belly landings on both the runways and the dirt. These can be very satisfying and challenging to do in each aircraft. B17F making a belly landing

A new explosion has been added should you plunge your aircraft into the ground, among other visuals. Lights are all authentically created, and make these aircraft look outstanding when flying at night.

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B17 Flying Fortress

History: The B-17 Flying Fortress has become one of the most revered of all WWII allied warplanes. The long-range medium bomber, which went through many modifications leading to the B-17G model, had a maximum speed of 287 mph, a range of 2000 miles, a service ceiling of 35,800ft, 13 machine guns, and 4 turbo charged 1200 hp engines. Between first test flights in July 1935 and final missions in April 1945 almost 13,000 were built. The Flying Fortress took part in almost all US operations during WWII, including North Africa and the Middle East, but was most effective in the Allied bombing campaign over Europe, where she served a key role in crippling Germany's industrial capacity, particularly aviation, oil production and ball bearing manufacturing. The B-17 was used primarily on daytime missions where she was vulnerable to head-on attack and susceptible to explosion from fires. She withstood staggering losses at the hands of the German Luftwaffe until effective fighter support finally came in late 1943 from the Thunderbolt,

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Lightning and eventually the Mustang. It was through the bravery of their crews and effectiveness of their bombing campaigns, despite major losses at the hands of the Luftwaffe, that the B-17s earned their reputation as the stalwart workhorse of the Allied bombing campaign over Europe.

Flying characteristics: The B-17 Flying Fortress is a very stable and forgiving aircraft which can absorb enormous amounts of battle damage and still make it home. It is truly a "pilot's aircraft" and is a pleasure to fly. It can be trimmed to fly hands-off for any normal flight regime and, while slow to maneuver, is quite responsive to the controls for such a large craft. While aerobatics are prohibited officially, there are many documented cases of B-17s being put into spins, rolls, stalls, and other aerobatics by instructors and pilots who flew the type. Pilots who flew all of the major American bombers of WWII -- the B-17, B-24, and B29 -- state almost universally that the B-17 was a joy to fly as compared to the other types.

Pilot Comments "The B-24 is a truck. The B-17 is an airplane." "The B-17 was designed for 200-hour pilots who came straight from the farm into flight training. It was meant to be as easy to fly as a four-engine bomber could possibly be. It's rugged, simple, and has a good temperament. It takes a lot to piss it off." “Ff you flew it by the book, it did what it was supposed to do”

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Cockpit Wide

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Cockpit Wide:

1. Radio Compass 2. Flux Gate Compass 3. Pilot’s Directional Indicator 4. Hydraulic Pressure 5. Suction gauge 6. Pilot’s Localizer Indicator 7. Directional Gyro 8. Flight Indicator 9. Altimeter 10. Airspeed 11. Turn-and-bank 12. Rate-of-climb 13. Manifold Pressure 14. Tachometer 15. Fuel Pressure 16. Oil Pressure 17. Oil Temperature 18. Engine Temperature 19. Carburetor Temperature 20. Fuel Contents 21. Turn-and-bank 22. Starter / Mess 23. Fire Extinguishers 24. Magnetic compass 25. Ignition / MasterSw 26. Fuel shut-off valves 27. Cowl Flaps 28. Flap Switch 29. Mixture 30. Throttles 31. Propeller pitch

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Cockpit Left

Cockpit Right

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Cockpit Center

Center Panel

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ABBREVIATED CHECKLIST ENGINE START

• Set the parking brakes. • Use the icon or keystroke to bring up the co-pilot's

panel. • Confirm the fuel supply is turned to "ALL". • Set prop governor gauge in upper right corner to T/O

(align needle with first red index mark). • Bring up the Electrical Panel and turn on the battery

switches. • Bring up the Engine Panel using the icon or keystroke. • Set cowl flaps to the full open position for Engine 3. • Confirm master ignition switch is turned "ON". • Confirm magnetos for Engine 3 are set to "BOTH". • Bring up the Electric Panel using the icon or keystroke. • Turn on the boost pump for Engine 3. • Set the mixture for Engine 3 to "Full Rich." • Check fuel pressure is 15 psi on copilot's panel. • Open the throttle slightly. • Press and hold the engine start switch until the engine

starts. • Idle at 1,000 RPM and check for rise in oil pressure. • Turn on the Generator switch for Engine 3. • Repeat this procedure for Engines 4,1, and 2 in that

order. • Turn on Avionics Master.

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TAKEOFF

Note for all aircraft: As with the actual aircraft, it is entirely possible to overboost the engines or overspeed the propeller if proper control settings are not observed. The maximum war emergency manifold pressure and propeller RPM for this aircraft substantially exceed the normal takeoff settings. Adhere to this checklist for the correct settings or this aircraft will not perform properly.

• Cowl Flaps: 1/3 Open • Flaps: Up • Mixture: Aircraft equipped with auto-mixture control.

Set to full rich. • Elevator trim (in Virtual Cockpit to pilot's right): Neutral • Rudder trim (in Virtual Cockpit on floor to pilot's left):

Neutral • Aileron trim (in Virtual Cockpit on floor to pilot's right):

Neutral • Power: 46" Hg/2500 rpm • Liftoff speed: 115 mph IAS

Apply power smoothly and gradually, walking the throttles forward evenly until reaching full takeoff power in the first 1/3 of the runway. The aircraft will have a moderate tendency to pull to the left; use right rudder or differential throttle to correct. Good rudder control is achieved by 80 mph IAS. Allow the tail to lift naturally. Take off from a two-point, tail-low attitude. The aircraft will fly itself off the runway at about 115 mph with just moderate back pressure on the controls, depending on gross weight. Retract gear as soon as a positive rate of climb is established. After reaching 140 mph IAS reduce power to rated power (38" Hg and 2300 rpm). Retract flaps before reaching 150 mph IAS. Hold the aircraft in a very shallow climb until an indicated airspeed of 150 mph is achieved.

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Takeoff Distance (to clear 50' obstacle)

Weight, pounds

Distance, feet

62,000 4,190

62,000 2,850*

*Three-point takeoff using 1/3 flaps and full war emergency power: full throttle and 2,760 RPM.

EMERGENCY/SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF

For short field takeoff, the manifold pressure may be set to the maximum war emergency setting of 55" and the propeller governor control may be set to 2760 RPM. These represent the maximum possible propeller and throttle settings. Use 1/3 flaps and use a three point takeoff technique, climbing at full war emergency power. Do not use war emergency power for more than two minutes.

CLIMBING

Climb at an indicated airspeed of 140 mph IAS (150 mph IAS if on instruments) with a power setting of 38" of manifold pressure and 2300 rpm. For lower weights use 35" and 2300 RPM. Cowl flaps are normally set to about 1/3 open or less for climbing. Maximum cylinder head temperature is 218 degrees Celsius. This aircraft was equipped with an automatic mixture control. Therefore, no mixture adjustment is necessary.

CRUISING

The B-17 must cruise "on the step" in order to get the maximum possible range. To get "on the step" climb to at least 500 feet above your desired cruising altitude and allow the aircraft to accelerate to cruising speed while descending to the cruising

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altitude. Normal cruising speeds for the B-17 are 140-150 mph IAS depending on the aircraft weight and altitude. The aircraft will cruise in a slightly nose-up attitude at heavier weights and higher altitudes. The maximum cylinder head temperature is 218 degrees, 205 is desirable.

The B-17 normally cruises at a manifold pressure of about 30" and an engine RPM of 2000 or less. Use the following chart to determine the correct power condition and speed for cruise at a given aircraft weight. This aircraft was equipped with an automatic mixture control. Therefore, no mixture adjustment is necessary.

Cruise at 25,000 Feet Density Altitude (Charts are for B-17F; figures for B-17G are approximately 2-3 percent less due to slightly higher parasite drag)

Weight IAS, mph

TAS, mph

Boost RPM BHP GPH MPG

60,000 140 207 30 2100 628 205 1.01

55,000 140 207 29 1900 578 188 1.10

50,000 140 207 29 1800 560 183 1.14

45,000 140 207 29 1700 540 176 1.18

Cruise at 5,000 Feet Density Altitude

Weight IAS, mph

TAS, mph

Boost RPM BHP GPH MPG

60,000 150 161 29 1650 520 170 0.95

55,000 150 161 29 1500 490 161 1.00

50,000 150 161 28 1500 475 154 1.04

45,000 150 161 27 1500 452 148 1.08

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LANDING Calculate the power-off stalling speed based on the aircraft weight. Set engines to 2100 RPM and adjust power as required to achieve an airspeed of 140-150 mph IAS. Enter the pattern at either the crosswind or downwind leg at 800-1000 feet AGL. If possible, enter the pattern on the crosswind leg and fly 2-3 miles out from the runway. This will provide ample room to maneuver the aircraft. Turn base 2-3 miles beyond the runway threshold at 145 mph IAS and lower flaps to 1/3 down and reduce airspeed to 135 mph IAS. Maintain a constant altitude on the base leg. Turn on final at this airspeed. Once on final approach, move the propeller controls to the takeoff position (2500 RPM) using the prop governor gauge as a reference. Do not lower the flaps fully until the runway is made. Maintain a glide speed of about 120 mph IAS for the final approach. Pick a point about ten feet in front of the runway threshold and line this up with the end of the nose to set the correct glidepath. A normal final approach is made with 20" of power at 120 mph with a descent rate of 500 fpm. Make a three-point landing, gliding onto the runway at this speed. More Information The above procedures are abbreviated but were taken directly from the official manual issued to pilots for training purposes. This manual is now widely available. For the most realistic possible flying experience, obtain a copy of this manual and use it to fly your Wings of Power aircraft. You will find that you can use the manual to fly this virtual aircraft and it will perform exactly as specified in the original training manual.

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Wings of Power Certified Specifications (B17F):

• Top Speed @ SL: 223 mph TAS (45,000 lbs) • Top Speed @ Alt: 291 mph TAS @ 25,000 feet (45,000

lbs) • Cruise @ 5,000 ft: 150 mph IAS/ mph TAS @ 29"

Hg/1650 rpm (60,000 lbs.) • Cruise @ 25,000 ft: 140 mph IAS/207 mph TAS @ 29"

Hg/1750 rpm (60,000 lbs.) • Climb: 38 minutes to 20,000 ft (62,000 lbs.) • Climb: 62 minutes to 30,000 ft (62,000 lbs.) • Fuel to climb (25,000 feet): 232 gallons • Distance to climb (25,000 feet): 140 miles • Takeoff distance to clear 50 feet: 4,190 feet (62,000

lbs.) • 1 g stall speed, clean: 102 mph IAS (50,000 lbs.) • 1 g stall speed, landing: 90 mph IAS (50,000 lbs.) • Slow flight: stable with good rudder control up to the

point of stall. • Stall: Very mild wing drop. Recovery is routine. • Empty weight: 32,720 lbs. • Ramp Weight (equipped with oil and crew): 35,428 lbs. • Maximum takeoff wt: 64,500 pounds • Vmax: 270 mph IAS • To Gear Down: mild pitch down • To Flaps Down: mild pitch up • Engines: Four Wright R-1820-97 air-cooled 9-cyl.

radials • Takeoff power: 1200 BHP @ 46" Hg/2500 RPM • Emergency power: 1350 BHP @ 55" Hg/2760 RPM • Normal climb power: 850 BHP @ 38" Hg/2550 RPM • Max cruise power: 820 BHP/35" Hg/2300 RPM (Auto

Rich) • Normal cruise power: 610 HP/30" Hg/2000 RPM (Auto

Lean) • Fuel capacity: 3,600 gallons with bomb bay tanks

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Wings of Power Certified Specifications (B17G):

• Top Speed @ SL: 220 mph TAS (45,000 lbs) • Top Speed @ Alt: 287 mph TAS @ 25,000 feet (45,000

lbs) • Cruise @ 5,000 ft: 150 mph IAS/ mph TAS @ 29"

Hg/1650 rpm (60,000 lbs.) • Cruise @ 25,000 ft: 140 mph IAS/207 mph TAS @ 29"

Hg/1750 rpm (60,000 lbs.) • Climb: 38 minutes to 20,000 ft (62,000 lbs.) • Climb: 62 minutes to 30,000 ft (62,000 lbs.) • Fuel to climb (25,000 feet): 232 gallons • Distance to climb (25,000 feet): 140 miles • Takeoff distance to clear 50 feet: 4,190 feet (62,000

lbs.) • 1 g stall speed, clean: 102 mph IAS (50,000 lbs.) • 1 g stall speed, landing: 90 mph IAS (50,000 lbs.) • Slow flight: stable with good rudder control up to the

point of stall. • Stall: Very mild wing drop. Recovery is routine. • Empty weight: 36,135 lbs. • Ramp Weight (equipped with oil and crew): 38,849 lbs. • Maximum takeoff wt: 64,500 pounds • Vmax: 270 mph IAS • To Gear Down: mild pitch down • To Flaps Down: mild pitch up • Engines: Four Wright R-1820-97 air-cooled 9-cyl.

radials • Takeoff power: 1200 BHP @ 46" Hg/2500 RPM • Emergency power: 1350 BHP @ 55" Hg/2760 RPM • Normal climb power: 850 BHP @ 38" Hg/2550 RPM • Max cruise power: 820 BHP/35" Hg/2300 RPM (Auto

Rich) • Normal cruise power: 610 HP/30" Hg/2000 RPM (Auto

Lean) • Fuel capacity: 3,600 gallons with bomb bay tanks

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Historical Documents Engine Run-up

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Takeoff

Operating limits

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Turbo-Supercharger

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Flight Operations Instructional Chart

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THE C-1 AUTOMATIC FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM

From the B-24 manual:

"The C-1 autopilot is an electromechanical robot which automatically controls the airplane in straight and level flight, or maneuvers the airplane in response to the fingertip control of the human pilot or bombardier. The autopilot control panel provides the pilot with fingertip controls by which he can conveniently engage or disengage the system, adjust the alertness or speed of its responses to flight deviations, or trim the system for varying load and flight conditions."

The C-1 autopilot in the Wings of Power aircraft is not as complex as the real thing, thankfully, but offers a great deal of functionality. It also duplicates some of the quirkiness of the original if used to fly the aircraft with "fingertip" controls. The autopilot front panel has the following functions:

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Most of the controls work in the normal manner. The fun begins when using the autopilot in the "manual" mode. First, turn on the Master Switch located at the upper left, under the Turn Control knob. The red pilot light at the bottom left will light. This simply powers up the unit and will not engage any of the functions. Turn on the Wing Leveler and Altitude Hold and establish the airplane in level flight. Then turn on the Centering Lights power switch, located to in the upper right corner. Carefully center all the control inputs (aileron, elevator, rudder) until all the lights are illuminated. Then use the Turn Control knob (either one will work) to initiate a gentle turn. Two or three mouse-clicks are enough to start a gentle turn. Once the airplane is turning at the desired rate, use the mouse to recenter the Turn Control knob -- it helps to remember how far you turned

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it to begin with. The airplane will continue to turn indefinitely, and if you have used too much control, it will continue to bank, so be careful as to how much you turn the knob. A little goes a long way. As the airplane approaches the desired heading, you'll want to level out by turning the Wing Leveler switch back on, since it automatically turns off whenever you make an adjustment with the Turn Control knob. Lead your rollout by a few degrees as you would if you were flying manually, as the airplane will continue to yaw as it rolls level. This is more difficult than it sounds and it is quite satisfying to get this down pat. Like the real aircraft, the controls must be centered before this will work. You will need to recenter the controls after making a turn in this way.

The other controls work in essentially the same way as a normal autopilot but there is more manual labor involved. The Altitude Hold switch simply engages this function, but you will need to preset your desired altitude using the Altitude Hold Adjust, one click at a time. The Altitude Hold switch will not enter the current altitude for you. The Vertical Speed Adjust default is zero, so you will also need to enter your desired vertical speed manually, the plane will not automatically begin to climb or descend as with most aircraft. For an extra challenge, you can fly an ILS approach using the localizer hold only, meaning you'll have to control the throttles, trim, and rate of descent. The NAV/GPS, Approach Hold, Backcourse mode, and other switches not covered here work in the normal manner. Experiment -- this is a versatile and fun unit that will entertain for hours.

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Other invaluable assistance was provided by the following people:

• Steve McDevitt, Collings Foundation B-17G captain, airshow/warbird/airline pilot

• Ed Knitter Head mechanic for “Wings of Eagles” B17G “Fuddy Duddy”

• Lt. Fred Blechman, U.S. Navy Corsair pilot and author of "Bent Wings"

• Joe Worsley, Bombardier/Navigator, B-29. 22 missions.with the 462nd (Hellbird) Bombardment Group, (VHB), 20th Air Force,.CBI-Western Pacific Theater,(3 Battle Stars, 3 Distinguished Unit Citations,) DFC, Air Medal(2BOLC), Purple Heart, WWII VM, )

• Chuck McClure, U.S. Army Air Force B-29 Aircraft Commander

• Col. Ernie Bankey, U.S. Army Air Force P-51D/P-38 pilot/Ace-in-a-Day

• Harry Goldman, U.S. Army Air Force B-26 pilot/First Pathfinder Division

• Gene Koscinski, U.S. Army Air Force B-24 Bombardier • Bud Lindahl, U.S. Army Air Force B-24

Navigator/Bombardier • Judge Donald H. Foster, U.S. Army Air Force Instructor

and Ferry Pilot • Gordon Rapp Certified instructor / T-6 owner • Roy Test, U.S. Army Air Force B-17G co-pilot (32

missions) • George Muennich, Luftwaffe pilot (He 111, Do 217, Ju

52, Fw 190, He 177) • Lt. Clyde B. East, U.S. Army Air Force F-6C/D Mustang

pilot/Ace (13 victories) • Michael Karatsonyi, Luftwaffe Me 109 G pilot • Mike Dornheim, Aeronautical Engineer and aviation

journalist

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CREDITS (alphabetical order) Microsoft The creators of FS2004. Production Gentile, Scott Aircraft modeling, panels, and gauges Malinowski, Krzysztof Rogalski, Robert Flight dynamics / additional panels McDaniel, Jay Technical Management Preston, Eric Visual and sound Effects Gentile, Scott Quality Control The team Manual Gentile, Scott McDaniel. Jay Special Thanks to: Tim Gallagher Foust, John Knitter, Ed Joe Worsley Very special thanks to: The many WWII air combat veterans who took the time to share their experiences with us, and being so helpful in our quest to create the ultimate re-creation of these aircraft. Thank you to all of our friends and families that stuck by us and worked hard to support us.

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Below are all know reviews for our WWII air combat simulation, “FirePower.” PCGamer Title: FirePower delivers the ‘Mother of all Sims’ http://www.pcgamer.com/columns/simcolumn/column_2004-02-17.html “Some of the most spectacular-looking pyrotechnics the sim world has ever witnessed” "some of the most authentic flight, weapons, and damage modeling I’ve ever seen in a sim." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Computer Games Magazine Editor's Choice 4.5 stars out of 5 "...even jaded IL-2 Sturmovik fans will want to take a second look..." "Night missions in a Lancaster with exploding flak surrounding the plane are dazzling" -------------------------------------------------------------------- PCGame World - 91% http://www.pcgameworld.com/review.php/id/514/Firepower/ "Fly a night mission and watch the flak explode around you and light up the inside of your cockpit like nothing ever seen in a flight sim. It’s almost too real." "Pick up Firepower and experience virtual shock and awe." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Game Vortex - 9 out of 10 http://www.gamevortex.com/gamevortex/rh_firepower.html "FirePower offers some of the most authentic WWII flying experiences ever." "Never has a sim of this nature seen such realistic ballistic effects like cannon fire and explosions in mid air. Planes will

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rip in half around you, and shrapnel and debris will flutter by in a way never experienced before." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Loaded Inc. - 9 out of 10 http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/launchreview.asp?reviewid=341285 "This may be among the best gaming investments you ever make." "the damage modeling in FirePower is incredible." "The graphics in FirePower are fantastic." "I do not recall having played any flight simulation that seems to control as realistically as FirePower." "The flight models, missions, graphics, sound and damage modeling dominate every nook and cranny." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Worth Playing- 9 out of 10 - Editor's Choice http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=17261 "Buy FirePower" -------------------------------------------------------------------- GameSpot - 8.5 out of 10 "Great" http://www.gamespot.com/pc/sim/firepower/index.html "Some add-ons bolt new features onto games, and others make good games better, but the rarest mod is one that transforms a decent title into something truly outstanding." "Certified" planes fly the way they are described in pilot biographies instead of "by the book," and each has a distinct personality. This is most evident in their stall behavior, which is modeled much better than stalls in IL-2. -------------------------------------------------------------------- EToy Chest - 90% http://www.etoychest.org/content.php?review.269 "Games this close to perfection within a genre do not come along often enough." "Firepower is the best thing to happen to the flight sim genre in a very long time"

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ESC Magazine - 9 out of 10 http://www.escmag.com/v5/reviews/review.cfm?rv=403 "The game offers incredible effects in combat" "Many of the air scenes seem straight off the History Channel" -------------------------------------------------------------------- Computer Pilot Magazine: “It’s simply stunning!” “FirePower makes great strides forward in the areas of both graphic as well as flight modeling “ "FirePower’s 'Fortress' is superior in both detail and quality” -------------------------------------------------------------------- Pilot and Airplane Magazine (Hans Heerkens) “The choice of aircraft is excellent…The stall characteristics are especially gratifying…Excellent flight modeling” -------------------------------------------------------------------- Aviation History Magazine September Edition, p. 66 “FirePower creators interviewed veterans familiar with each aircraft to define and apply the intangible characteristics sometimes not present in performance graphs” “Each aircraft is clearly the result of considerable effort and their beauty goes beyond skin deep” “The aircraft alone are worth the FirePower price”

www.shockwaveproductions.com

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