FS2004 Model (from the same perspective as the upper half of the background photo used throughout this documentation)
FS2004 Model (from the same perspective as the upper half of the background photo used throughout this documentation)
Ever since I saw this plane in the 1982 edition of William Green’s compilation “The
Observer’s Book of AIRCRAFT” I fell in love with this unusual aircraft. That was
at age 15.
I intended to build a 1:10th scale radio controlled model of this airplane and over the years
saved money to buy the appropriate RC hardware, two 4cc OS MAX glowplug engines for power and
sat down and drew scale plans from the tiny 3-side views in the book. I even got a hold of
some Dornier PR pamphlets and posters to enhance my knowledge of the details of this aircraft.
However, I never actually started to build the thing, having become wary of the dangers to
radio controlled airplane models – the ground always wins when they come down too fast…
In the mean time PC flight simulation has taken the place of my former hobby, and the dream
started to take on a new shape: To create a 1:1 scale virtual “D-IBUF” for FS98.
10 years ago I contacted the Alfred Wegener Institute for polar research via the Internet,
as the AWI was the last proven home of the aircraft to my knowledge, though rumours had it
that it had moved to the Technical University of Braunschweig. Norbert Mueller of the AWI sent
me name and email address of its current pilot at the TU Braunschweig, Rolf Hankers, who in
turn sent me name and phone number of its maintenance engineer and co-pilot, Helmut Schulz. I am in greatest
debt to Helmut for his patience and kindness in all my numerous questions and requests. In
July 1999 I was able to drive up to the Research Airport of Braunschweig (which harbours all
that is of crucial importance in German aviation research and administration) for an extended
photo session and a bout of photocopying the most important parts of the Pilot’s Operating
Handbook (POH). My wife Petra was of great help particularly in this photocopying bit! Helmut
also lent me some 1:10th scale Dornier drawings as an excellent basis for my design.
My original intent of producing the most detailed ever FS98 plane model however failed bitterly
due to the limitations of mdl file size, and I had to reduce the original number of geometrical
points roughly by half to allow for a resolution still capable of fitting into the limitations
of Aircraft Factory 99. Additionally I had to scrap all those nice transparent windows... Nevertheless
I believe to have captured most details well:
Both the real and the FS2002 Version of this Dornier 128-6 in original Dornier roll-out livery. The real aircraft
was probably photographed at the Dornier home airport of Oberpfaffenhofen in Bavaria and was fully loaded.
Thus its gear struts are almost completely compressed, whereas the visual model of my virtual aircraft assumes
to be empty apart from a full load of fuel and thus aims its nose a little more towards the sky. The bits I assumed to
be blue in color due to some photos may tend towards violet on the real aircraft.
Here the current state of this aircraft:
Both the real and the now FS2004 Version of the Dornier 128-6 of the Technical University of Braunschweig in the
same spot at approx. the same time - just entering the taxiway in front of its hangar on the
Research Airport of Braunschweig (exquisitely created by Christian Anhalt, now included in aerosoft's "German Airports 4" package).
Thanks to my Gmax design partner Antonis "Anthony" Konstantinids
my AF99 design was ported into Gmax and some of my original design intent could be recreated, including transparent windows
and an interior with a fully functional virtual cockpit, though only with FS2002 model functionality, i.e. no mouse-controllable 3D objects.
Sadly Antonis dropped out of our project before the interior was completed, and due to the source files both of the Gmax-model as well as
Antonis' exquisit external textures not being available to me this plane cannot be completed... Particularly the interior is still quite raw in appearance.
When it came time for a fitting panel I realised that what I intended to do – create a
95% true to life turboprop simulation for FS98 – would not work due to no fitting gauges
being available in then current FS98 panels. As the name already suggests turboprop aircraft have
propellers, driven by powerful engines, and thus also suffer from the adverse effects of propellers
on directional stability particularly at takeoff and slow flying speeds. This strongly suggested
usage of the FS98 reciprocating aircraft model, but that would give me no indication of gas
generator rpm (Ng) nor any correct readings of the Interstage Turbine Temperature (ITT) which
the FS98 jet model could give me. So I had to learn the art of gauge (C++) programming as well
to be able to put the FS98 package together. It has now been updated to proper FS2004 turboprop format.
At the top is an older photo of the real aircraft's cockpit:
At the bottom is the FS2004 virtual cockpit (VC) in it's unfinished state with about the same perspective.
The glareshield with integrated annunciator panel (missing in the VC...) is the most glaring discrepancy between the original and this VC, and apart
from the panels themselves no interior surface is textured. Currently in the real D-IBUF the co-pilot's side is fitted with two Multi-Function Displays
that replace the Attitude Situation Indicator and the Radio Magnetic Indicator. This is reflected in the VC-layout.
You will find a detailed explanation of the still existing 2D panel by clicking here
and an overview of this virtual cockpit here. This FS2004 plane is intended to be flown from the VC
which is supplied with interactive icons for loading both the Annunciator Panel and the Throttle Quadrant as 2D pop-up windows to bring full mouse
controllability to the VC.
After FSX having been around for some time now but FS2004 still proving very popular here is a major rebuild of the Do128-6 for this exellent sim,
taking advantage of further improvements including the usage of the now fairly realistic FS2004 turboprop model - correctly simulating the high
altitude performance of this aircraft's flat rated PT6A-110 turboprop engines.