Ju 188E-1 High-Visibility "3D" Combat Panel for CFS

Although the layout for this panel was inspired by a 1993 Christoph Vernaleken photograph of a Junkers Ju 388 cockpit (jpg attached,) authenticity was my second priority for this project.  

First priority was pragmatism or ease of use as a flying aid for simulated combat in CFS on-line multiplayer mode.

While this panel was designed to accompany a Ju 188E-1, it can be used for any Ju 88/188/388 with the substitution of throttle-mixture-prop levers for the thrust levers.

If you don't know how to do it, drop me a line.

The "E-1" was equipped with BMW 801D-2 engines which had automatic mixture and prop setting systems way ahead of its time.

The package uses a combination of authentic German gauges, generally CFS originals and some mordern gauges to meet the goal of readability and practicality.  

As no authentic German autopilot is available to my knowledge, a post-war autopilot is included.

Credits?

The Messerschmitt and Focke-Wulf gauges are Microsoft original.

I truly have no idea who to credit for most others.  I have 892 gauges in my gauge folder at this time, most of them with no identifiers.  Of all the areas of CFS where copyright information is clear, the gauge creators seem to be the unsung heros who get very little acknowledgement for their work.

A special thanks to Bill Potvin II, who developed the Refueling gauge contained herein and a special thanks as well to Neil Park and the members of The RAF_662 Squadron who developed or packaged the adjustable clock and the ADF gauge pair.

A special thanks to Doug Attrell from over at Simviation for showing me the difference between an adequate panel and a very good "3D" panel.

This panel was originally introduced as a "2D" Panel and not a "3D" panel.

So what is the difference?

A "3D" panel uses the computer video resources in such a fashion as to allow rapid ot near-instantaneous changes in point of view!  With a "2D" panel, the "S," "W" keys and the use of the HAT switch all have inherent delays which can occasionally even cause a slower computer to "freeze up."

With a panel employing "3D" rendering, the changes are virtually instantaneous.  Without Doug's assistance and several hours of his time, I would not have known the difference.  
The only "dpwnside" is that certain "mouseable" gauges must be placed on a subpanel.  Such is the case here.

Thanks again Doug Attrell.

I used the military radar after I had seen it in a panel done by Steve McClelland and in yet another one done by Thomas Ferber, though that gauge has been floating around at least since the FS5 days.

I tackled this project beecause I felt strongly that there was a need for an uncluttered and attractive panel for on line use.  If, however, authenticity and photorealissm is your "cup of tea," I suggest you look for a very fine photorealistic panel done by Michael Vader of Pegasus Aviation.  He has done two, make sure you get the most recent one as, like most of us, he gets better all the time.

The bitmaps are copyrighted to me.  I will gladly give permission for their re-use; I ask only that you contact be first.  I like to know where in the world these things end up!  Lol!

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS!

First, unzip the gauges_188_3D.zip directly into your CFS gauges folder, usually found in:

Program Files/Microsoft Games/Combat Flight Simulator/gauges

Secondly, unzip the panel_188_3D.zip directly into the panel folder of the desired aircraft.

That's it!

Joe Amodea
CH_Jam of the CHAPS Squadron
JPA_NY@msn.com

March 8, 2000

