FSX Updates for David Copley's P-38 Lightnings ============================================== PLEASE READ THIS FULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH THIS UPDATE I thoroughly recommend that if you have not already done so, you visit David's website where he has information on all of his models and lots of info on the P-38 besides. Go there by entering the following link in your browser.. http://www.kazoku.org/xp-38n/model/ David has released several versions of his beautiful Lightning for FS2004. The February 2005 P-38L version (Factory Fresh, Jane and Bong's '42') converts quite well visually for FSX except for non-texturing of the starboard engine intake. However, this is not a problem as the model was updated in April 2006 (p38tdl23.zip). As well as converting perfectly visually for FSX, the new zip also contains an additional aircraft so the update is well worth having on all counts. All of David's other models (the Racer, the Pair etc) convert perfectly for FSX and all models fly superbly well in FSX, just as they do in FS9. However, with all of them there is a problem with gauges - specifically, the RSTART1 and RSTART2 gauges which incorporate the engine mags and starter switches are simply not compatible with FSX. It was also found during development of replacements that changes have to be made to the normalized_starter_torque figures originally used by David in order to get the engines to spin fast enough to actually start in FSX. BUT NOTE - ALL OF DAVID'S OTHER P-38 GAUGES EXCEPT RSTART1 AND RSTART2 ARE COMPATIBLE WITH FSX AND CAN SAFELY BE ADDED TO THE FSX/GAUGES FOLDER IF THAT'S WHERE YOU LIKE TO PUT YOUR ADDON-AIRCRAFT GAUGES. This update deals with these issues - and also provides thumbnails for the texture folders, making the aircraft fully compatible with FSX. Note 1 - the problem gauges are not used in the VC and only affect the main switch box in the 2D panel. However, they are pretty fundamental as without them you can't do a cold dark start with this aircraft without using Ctrl-E (ie not for the purists!) This update provides a completely new main switch box with additional functionality (ie generator switches and a master radio switch). Note 2 - David has put strobes on his P-38s which he loves :-) but which I have to admit, I'm not too keen on. For my own use, I have removed the strobe light switch from the new main switch box and commented out the strobe lights in the lights sections of the cfg files of the aircraft (see below) //light.4=2, -22.03, -8.23, 3.6, fx_ls_xp38n //light.5=2, -22.03, 8.23, 3.6, fx_rs_xp38n However, I understand that not everyone will feel as strongly as me so this update includes strobe and non-strobe versions of the main switch box. Update Contents and Procedure ============================= You must first install David's aircraft into your FSX folders using whichever method you choose (main Simobjects\Aircraft folder, your own Aircraft folder etc). THERE IS ONE PROVISO TO THIS. DO NOT PLACE THE ORIGINAL RSTART1 AND RSTART2 GAUGES IN YOUR MAIN FSX GAUGES FOLDER!! You are strongly recommended to extract this update into a temporary folder. When you do so you will find that as well as a reduced-size screenshot and a thumbnail image, it contains 7 folders - gauges, P-38F, P-38G, P-38H, P-38J, P-38L and P-38L_Racer. Note that the last two are quite separate aircraft. Each folder contains various sub-folders and all that you need to do is copy the contents of each sub-folder into the corresponding folder in FSX replacing the original files if asked. Each folder is dealt with separately below. Gauges ====== 2Eng_Switches.cab is a safe, FSX compatible gauge cab file. Just copy it into your main FSX Gauge folder or wherever you install gauges for add-on aircraft eg each aircraft's panel folder. The choice is yours. P-38F ==== Now you must choose - do you want to keep the strobes or not. If you do, copy the content of the panel_strobes sub-folder into the panel folder of your P-38F. If you don't, copy the contents of the panel_nostrobes sub-folder (as the difference is only in the panel.cfg files you can switch over if you want at any time). Copy the thumbnails in the 3 texture sub-folders into the corresponding P-38F texure folders. Copy the aircraft.cfg file into your P-38F folder to replace the existing one. This DOES NOT take out the strobe lights (you will have to do that yourself if you want to - see above). What this file does is just amend the normalized_starter_torque figure to save you doing it. NOW ALL YOU NEED DO IS REPEAT WHAT YOU HAVE JUST DONE, WITH THE P-38G, P-38H, P-38J, P-38L and P-38L_Racer FOLDERS IN THE UPDATE. The only exception is with the P-38G folder which does not contain panel entries as the panel for this version is aliased in the sim to the P-38F. You'll also find that with the P-38G there's a little added bonus in the form of a new repaint, 'Factory Fresh' Miss Virginia. And there isn't a 'no strobes' version of the Model L 'Racer' as this is a 'modernised' version of the Lightning. Conclusion ========== Once you have copied over the contents of all of the update sub-folders into the corresponding aircraft folders in FSX, the update is complete. Legal Stuff =========== Thank you to David for giving permission for this update to be uploaded. It is ONLY being uploaded to Flightsim, Sim Out-House and Simviation. IT MUST NOT BE UPLOADED TO ANY OTHER SITES. PLEASE DO NOT ASK AS PERMISSION WILL NOT BE GIVEN. Copyright in the original P-38 aircraft and all of the material associated with them belongs to David Copley and his original non-distribution conditions strictly apply. The edited aircraft.cfg and panel.cfg files which are contained in this update are also based on his copyrighted material and may not be copied, reproduced, uploaded or distributed in any way without express written permission from both David Copley and myself. The file 2Eng_Switches.cab was created by me and is in the public domain. It must strictly NOT be used in any form of payware project or to make money in any way whatsoever. It may be used in other freeware projects but If you decide to use it or any of its contents in a freeware project for distribution I would be grateful to be informed in advance and for an acknowledgement in the distribution. I hope you have fun with this update and that it enhances your enjoyment of David's wonderful P-38 models in FSX. PS - THE UPDATE ALSO WORKS FINE IN FS2004! Roger Mole March 2007 Contact emails: David Copley: db@kazoku.org Roger Mole: flightsim@ukgo.com