Aeroplane Heaven Lanc

simtrac · Post by **simtrac** » 26 Aug 2006, 22:24

I too succumbed - frankly it's not worth 30 notes. I have been a Lancaster nut for about 30 years and the most screaming inaccuracies I noticed immediately are (and I've only done about 20mins with it):

1. The shape of the nose underneath and right behind the bomb aiming blister is very noticably wrong - and I'm not being picky - it is very obvious to me.

2. The blister itself is the more rounded shape fitted to late war Lancs and while it could be correct for all the models depicted - there is no way it was on the prototype. Likewise the late model clearview panel right behind and underneath it.

3. All models have the late war 'paddle' prop blades. Again - while most Lancs were retro-fitted with these (including Hendon's R5868 when she became S-Sugar) this is definitely wrong for the prototype. No great research needed here - evident in Garbet and Goulding's 'Lancaster At War' books. Early Lancs had needle shaped blade tips. Oh, and fuselage windows as well ...

4. Textures don't look great on my machine - esp on the 'wartime' models where there don't seem to be any panel lines on the nacelles. Plus - glaringly - there is a severe mismatch on the aft starboard side of the fuselage where the 'night' meets the upper camo. And the walk lines on the wings are too thick, too straight, font too big.

It does have a decent VC though and although I can't remember when I last flew a real Lancaster - it feels right to fly

Like I said - I hate to be picky, if I had paid 15 - 20 quid, I would keep my mouth shut and live with it, but not at this price. Even if you do get a Mossie as well.

I'll put my bottom lip back in now ...

Hot_Charlie · Post by **Hot_Charlie** » 26 Aug 2006, 22:30

simtrac wrote: 3. All models have the late war 'paddle' prop blades. Again - while most Lancs were retro-fitted with these (including Hendon's R5868 when she became S-Sugar) this is definitely wrong for the prototype. No great research needed here - evident in Garbet and Goulding's 'Lancaster At War' books. Early Lancs had needle shaped blade tips. Oh, and fuselage windows as well ...

I noticed the same thing. I hadn't mentioned it as I hadn't looked at all the models. Another plus point to Ed's version - at least P-D bothered to model the correct prop blades.

I notice they haven't put a seperate Lancaster forum on the JF website - I wonder if they're expecting the same response that the Spitfire package received... (poor textures, inaccurate modelling etc) ...and remember the updates they ended up having to produce for that...

I hate to be picky, if I had paid 15 - 20 quid, I would keep my mouth shut and live with it

Again I agree, but when paying Â£30 I think we could fairly expect something of Real Air Simulations, PMDG or Captain Sim quality...

Post by **DaveB** » 26 Aug 2006, 22:36

Oh dear :roll:

Perhaps perspective buyers might like to hang on to their dosh for a short while longer and instead of buying another Lanc (or buying a Lanc to get your hands on a Mossie) how's about one of these...

For the uninitiated, this is the Plane Design Spitfire XVI (now in final beta/release candidate)

ATB

DaveB :tab:

Hot_Charlie · Post by **Hot_Charlie** » 26 Aug 2006, 22:41

Not again!

[picks tongue back up of floor and places it back in mouth]

Booootiful...

I can hear the credit card screaming already!

[edited as I also seem to have lost the ability to a) spell, and/or b) type coherently...]

Ed Walters · Post by **Ed Walters** » 26 Aug 2006, 22:48

Thanks guys

Incidentally, you might notice that's an IFR equipped version hence the lack of gunsight, the bone dome and the extra aerial ahead of the aileron on the stbd wing.

There is also a full stock version with a gunsight, period pilot equipment etc.

Paul K · Post by **Paul K** » 26 Aug 2006, 22:50

DaveB wrote:For the uninitiated, this is the Plane Design Spitfire XVI (now in final beta/release candidate)

ATB

DaveB :tab:

Some people get all the good jobs.

simtrac · Post by **simtrac** » 26 Aug 2006, 22:56

So's mine - but I've spent it on that Lancaster now! :sad: The Spit looks superb - I was rather hoping the Lanc would be up to that quality, it is blurbed up to be up to the standard of today's top airliner simulations a-la PMDG and the like (although they obviously don't mention any names). I had plans to re-enact the trip to the Rhur in Deighton's book 'Bomber', but since I'm getting about 8fps in the VC (compared to 30+ in the 1-11) I don't think I can stand the stress now!

You live and learn.

Thinking about a refund ... :think:

Post by **DaveB** » 26 Aug 2006, 22:58

Is the Mossie ok Simon??

ATB

DaveB :tab:

simtrac · Post by **simtrac** » 26 Aug 2006, 23:07

To be honest Dave, I've only had a very quick look at the Mosquito - and it seems quite nice to me - although I'm not as 'up' on this aircraft as the Lanc, so no errors seem to be as apparent. I would have been more excited if it were the solid nosed, armed version with flat windscreen... (FBIV?)

The sounds are pretty feeble on this though - which seems a bit odd, as the Lanc sounds are reasonable. Although, in turn, these aren't a patch on the PD Lancastrian which has a more convincing merlin roar.

Off to try the Mossie again ... just to see if a refund is on the cards!!

simtrac · Post by **simtrac** » 26 Aug 2006, 23:30

Just had another quick look. I can't really comment on accuracy. Better performance than the Lanc (fps wise) - and seems to fly quite nicely. But she's certainly no 'RealAir' Mosquito detailwise. And I keep finding myself looking at the textures thinking 'they've only part loaded - they'll pop sharp in a sec'

Oh, no, wait a minute. They really do look like that!

IMHO, while it's quite a fair mossie, looking at it totally unbiasedly, it just is not in the same league as our freeware authors on here and neither is the Lanc.

One of our guys would knock it into next week - and I'm not hinting or throwing a large glove on the floor - it just that if I load a hunter or a budgie or a 1-11 or whatever straight after - the difference in sharpness of detail is very apparent ...

30 quid. Rats.