Simviation Forums

I have the Wings of Power add-on pack; bought it at Best Buy many moons ago. You can download many if not all the same airplanes right here, at SimV, I think. This question is about the B-29 in the package. I am having a dickens of a time getting this bird off the ground. I give it several notches of flaps, run the manifold pressure up to about 50 psi, begin the roll and run out of runway before it gets off the ground. It scrapes along the ground, sparks and smoke and all, for everyone to see that I have trashed a rare WW II airplane. Oh, the chagrin...

How do I get this airplane airborne? Any ideas from you grizzled B-29 pilots?

There might well be different versions of these aircraft posted at SimV but they won't be the ones featured in WoP.

This question is about the B-29 in the package. I am having a dickens of a time getting this bird off the ground.

How long is the runway you're using? I found this interesting article on the B-29 operating from Isley Field on Saipan during WWII. The main runway was 8,500 feet in length. http://www.atkinsopht.com/atk/saipan.htm

"At Isley Field it was common on take off for the pilot of a fully loaded B-29 to hold the wheels to the runway until the final few hundred feet (the last two percent of the runway's length); hauling back at the last possible instant to lurch over the road along the cliff edge; then diving full throttle for the sea far below, gaining airspeed while retracting the wheels; and finally beginning the long takeoff climb as the belly of the plane virtually skimmed the water. More than one of the crews failed at this manoeuvre, especially at night."

If it has the option to remove the simulated bomb payload from the weight configuration in the aircraft settings, you could dramatically shorten the takeoff distance

Also, check your elevator trim. (I'm sure you already thought of that, but just in case)

...And ensure the autopilot is off when taking off....

The b-29 in real life was a dog on takeoff, it was a huge aircraft with the best engines they could find at the time.  If that same plane were built today it would have twice the power.

I thought it might be heavy with ordnance, but I never went into it to find out. I also thought about it needing a really long runway, but I don't know of a long runway off the bat.

I thought it might be heavy with ordnance, but I never went into it to find out. I also thought about it needing a really long runway, but I don't know of a long runway off the bat.

When in doubt, go to KEDW

Went to Edwards AFB, set manifold pressure to 51 psi, flaps three clicks down, rolled to about three-quarters down the runway and got it off at about 150 mph. This is one very slow climber...

Thanks, Alexander...

Went to Edwards AFB, set manifold pressure to 51 psi, flaps three clicks down, rolled to about three-quarters down the runway and got it off at about 150 mph. This is one very slow climber...

Thanks, Alexander...

Try putting flaps down one click until you hit pretty far down the runway then do 3 clicks, for the faster acceleration.

As stated before to get it to fly a little more quickly and not run off of the end of the runway remove some of the payload, the WOP version tends to keep it very heavy to begin with as far as payload AND fuel. For most flights I remove a good portion of the bomb load and if needed some of the fuel to ensure a proper runout and takeoff without finding the trees that are ever looming at the end of the runway....

Dumped half the fuel. Roll with no flaps until 125 mph, then three clicks o' flaps. Jumps off runway now, climbs well...

Our aircraft even the older ones such as this come with super realistic flight models (Fly to the numbers) and in a real as real as it gets effort. They also naturally come with nice models and cockpits.

Anyway re: the B29 just as real life she is a pig,.. although nothing once up to speed and an agile beast compared to the B24.