Polychop Simulations OH-58D News and Updates

I think it might have been my ears or sound settings (engine too loud), but it was a bit embarassing for me that I had trouble with understanding your words over SRS.
On second thought: It is realistic though. Real world radio comms are sometimes really tough for me as well.
:smiley:

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I know @smokinhole and I have had a few friendly discussions in the past about PolyChop’s Gazelle, but I still think it’s a worthwhile module and does a good job of simulating a light helicopter with a robust autopilot system. I definitely agree that it benefits from some strong axis curves (though in real life, helo controls can be unbelievably sensitive, like, barely touching your fingertips on the cyclic sensitive).

This article does a really good job of describing what I’m talking about: No Hands - Rotor & Wing International

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Gazelle got some Patch Love Today
DCS SA342 Gazelle by Polychop Simulations

  • Fixed not working sounds.
  • Fixed duplicated controls entries.
  • Fixed RWR symbols.
  • Added NVG capabilities to SA342L and SA342Mistral.
  • Corrected Mistral missile.
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The advice I the video seems to have worked. Set the pitch and roll cyclic axis to a 30% Y thingy. Was able to hover into auto hover (still using the NADIR to tell me my lateral speed) and able to make precise landings like this:

Problem solved? In fairness yes. The two-seat required versions (HOT3 and minion) still could use a “Jester-esque” feature for WSO/gunner, but I knew that going in.

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The gazelle is a lot of fun, I found the biggest improvement for me was adjusting the collective axis. It moves way to quickly if you don’t change the curves. If you compare the gazelle to the huey collective, you’ll notice the Huey has a smooth movement even if you are being hamfisted with the collective. In the gazelle it seems to have a 1:1 ratio on the collective input so it allows you to move it faster and more abruptly than what it is probably possible in the real thing.

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Interesting. Will have to check this out when getting back into the Gazelle.

Some New Screens up at DCS



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Btw does anyone know how similar the civilian version (Bell 206B I think) is to that one, so might it be possible for Polychop to just leave the sight and weapons off and let us fly the thing with a nice corporate livery?

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Cool idea!
I imagine an “intercept the VIP (alive)” mission :smiley:

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In fact Polychop gauged interest in civi Gazelle in the past.

OH-58D sits somewhere between Bell 206 and 407.
Cockpit is obviously different in comparison with both (not talking about the passenger cabin).

It will definitely require some serious dev time to make a Civilian from Warrior :slight_smile:

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@NEVO is correct, there’s no true civilian/unarmed counterpart to the 58D. The 58A-C were pretty much just 206s converted to mil use but the 58D was an entirely different aircraft.

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Ok, thanks.
That’s a bit sad though, I like dual use stuff. :slight_smile:

I hope they make the water bottle that’s wedged against the right windscreen an optional item.

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…And the rifle. I don’t like loose objects in the cockpit, let alone loose objects that are explicitly designed to do harm.

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All aircraft maintainers are cringing at stuff put up on the glareshield or against the windscreen. Scratches on our polycarbonate windshields in the Citation can result in having to replace $50K worth of cockpit “glass”…

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Soldiers gotta eat. That’s why the guns are there. On the way back to base from a hot mission, if one of the pilots spots some game he might say, “grab the stick”. It’s like “hold my beer” but more professional. Anyway, he shoots some fluffy protein clinging to the side of a mountain and they then land (carefully) to tie it to the skids and fly it back to the farp met by a cheering reception of enlisted types who know they won’t be bunking hungry this night.

As you can see, my many years of playing combat flight simulators has given me a clear insight into the minutia of military life.

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I am hoping there will be an option to remove that stuff from the windscreen. I’m not a fan of the clutter

If they manage multiplayer cockpit, I would like to see the co-pilot be able to grab the rifle and have a pot out the window whilst in transit, otherwise it could get a bit boring :grin:

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Kiowa crews were something else. There’s a big reason why they had some of the highest accident rates, and no it isn’t entirely because of the stuff they tossed on the dash all the time (almost all US Army aircrews do that).

Like a lot of Army helicopters, the OH-58D was overloaded. Like many things in military aviation, the 58D had an improved carrying capacity compared to previous models and – as usually happens – big Army said “that means we can add more junk!” The original purpose of the 58D was to have a platform better equipped for scouting and recon, primarily for the artillery people. A lot of stuff got thrown in the back for this mission, mostly communication gear and that sort of thing. It was then decided in the late 80s to start throwing weapons on it, something the old A-C models couldn’t do because of airframe issues, related to wear and tear. The OH-6 didn’t have these problems but big Army was getting out of the OH-6 because it was more expensive, even if it was the better airframe. Plus, the AH-1 was going away, which left a further gaping hole in rotary wing airpower – the AH-64 just wasn’t going to be procured in enough numbers to replace everything, to say nothing of readiness rates. So the OH-58D got weapons to fill a niche… When it was already overloaded.

As time went on, more stuff got added: laser warning system, more radios, navigation, avionics junk; then later it got heavier stuff like the CMWS package with flare launchers. Now your airframe has even more junk in the trunk and you haven’t had an engine upgrade in 20 years. You’re throwing out anything and everything you can to save weight; anything like a reasonable weapon rack like what the AH-64 and UH-60 got go right out the window, because ounces are pounds and pounds are pain. You’ve also got a sighting system that’s very useful but now pretty much worthless because you’re looking down a lot and it doesn’t look down through the rotors. Big Army are such tightwads and the RAH-66 is coming, then this other replacement is coming, oh now drones are big, so no money for you. Your mission is no longer scouting and recon; it’s light gunship. And your airframe wasn’t built for that. But the guys on the ground need support and you’re not a wussy Apache pilot, so you roll out and get the mission done. Stuff that M4 in the dash, throw some smoke up there, fire up the engine, and go kill some bad guys.

Now, there’s some problems with all this: the OH-58D wasn’t made to get shot… Or to crash. Too heavy, you see. Some light armor around your butt, so your butt won’t get shot, but elsewhere… Eh.

You’re also not exactly sitting in a crash-resistant airframe. You hit the ground and it’s lights out, homeboy – I’d say no airbags, we die like men, but it did have airbags which helped. Sorta. But you’re so overloaded that you’re tossing the doors off, plus it’s frickin’ hot out there, so throw that heavy junk out. You’re flying low, getting shot at, trying to help the guys on the ground, and everybody with an AK and a “I hate America” feeling wants you dead. And you have no way to shrug this off except by moving around. In an overloaded helicopter that may as well be the equivalent of a fat kid stuffing twinkies down his throat with stuffy legs. Yup… Kiowa crews took a lot of casualties.

But you help the guys on the ground. That’s your mission now. So you nut up and do it. Even if it means stuffing grenades down your pants and hanging an M4 on your dash.

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from the pics it doesn’t seem that they are loose