Please use this thread to provide general feedback and impressions about this aircraft in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. For all bug reports, please create a new topic (or upvote an existing topic) in the Aircraft & Systems section of the forums. Please use the full bug report template when creating a new bug report.
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being best), how do you rate the Flight Model and Aircraft Systems?
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On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being best), how do you rate the Interior and Exterior Graphics?
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On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being best), how do you rate the Audio and Aircraft Sounds?
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On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being best), how do you rate your Overall Enjoyment of this aircraft?
First of all, first! And secondly what a joy. The water effects are amazing. And the ability to start from anywhere on the water shut down is a plus. Two things only at this first viewing: The eight engines four controls is still present. I will continue to beat this drum officially and unofficially. Clicking throttles is fine but how about just the engineers throttles and give us the correct four the pilot has. Secondly the starter sound plays no matter what when you switch views. But those are both minor things. Wonderful aircraft.
More testing with some interesting results. Empty the aircraft acts as expected. But if you put any sort of load into the plane it all goes out the window. At around 50% capacity ~50klbs of cargo the speed will not go above about 40 knots indicated and as such we refuse to fly. I did learn you can ruin the engines attempting as the manifold pressure bounces pass the end of the dial. Disappointing but perhaps more testing is needed. Admittedly anything beyond the first flight is theoretical but a lot of work went into the hydro and aerodynamic modeling of the Hercules.
From Howard Hughes and his Flying Boat "The hull design was only part of the work done at Langley. The wing section was recommended by NACA’s Eastman N. Jacobs and use was made of Langley’s low-turbulence wind tunnel. Carl Babberger believes that the result was “one of the finest low-drag, high-lift sections that was ever put together.” Parkison says that even unpublished ideas were applied to the nacelles so that they and their associated internal cooling systems represented the latest and the best in low-drag design. “All superior,” said Parkinson. “We had high hopes of using it after the war as a research airplane simply because it did have such outstanding aerodynamic and hydrodynamic features. It had probably the largest Reynolds number I’ve ever heard off. We could have gotten a lot of aerodynamic data off of it. It had a finish just like a piano-probably the smoothest airplane that was ever built. That was one dividend from the Duramold plywood.”
It seems the H4 suffers from LOD issues - from the outside view you cannot see the cabin at all even if zoomed in completely which is a shame. However I guess it’s a general bug within the simulator as all large aircraft suffer from similar issues.
Did some water handling testing today. Winds 15kts gusting 17kts at Long Beach. Boat handles the chop very well, as expected. What was surprising was the turning radius and handling during turns was very good. The use of moused throttles did the trick and the rudder was effective. Not as intuitive as using a quadrant but usable. No problems noted with striking the water to end the flight as was the case in MSFS 2020. Loaded taxi testing will be next in similar conditions. There are some graphical glitches, you can see right thought the airplane and windows on certain angles. Would be nice to get pilots in the cockpit as well. But I’m sure if the desire to have these addressed exists more time with this simulator is all that will be required. And man do those spray effects look good.
This aircraft has been rendered completely unusable. In 2020 it was a beautiful and accurate recreation of an important aviation titan. In 2024, it has been ported over so poorly as to completely destroy any of its beauty and charm. The problems are too numerous to list but I will try.
The flight model is seemingly more inaccurate than before and no longer comes close to published figures in the documentation we have from Hughes Aircraft, the War Department, and the NACA test simulations. Before it was relatively close in altitude and climb figures as well as speed for various loaded weights. Now the aircraft won’t lift off the water in most published configurations and weights. Something went horribly wrong and nobody seems to care at all.
The exterior model is a joke compared to 2020. The cockpit is invisible from any regular viewing distance and the empty transparent interior shows through to the void below. It’s awful to look at if you can even get it off the water.
The pilot avatars don’t spawn inside at all.
The exterior textures are diminished and dull compared to the real thing, especially what we have in 1947 photographs which is a lusterous aluminum embedded grey paint.
Overall this is a disgrace. I say this with as much love as possible having admired the previous build more than mere words could ever explain.
Please for the love of all that is sacred in the sky and above FIX THIS.
Could I beg your assistance gathering documentation about flight performance for a bug report? I am hoping you still have your files that we once referenced.
Anything about takeoff run performance timing/distances. There seems to be some variable of water/friction that increases with weight that currently is excessive. The water feels like glue.
Also cruise speeds at various settings. Top speeds at sea level. Takeoff weights, climb performance, and whatever else you have.
I will make a separate bug report about the exterior model problems, missing cockpit model and missing eyebrow/hatch windows.
Do you still have any contact with BlueMesh? I am surprised that there has been such a regression in this aircraft or that he hasn’t spoken up.
