Game Killer/Game_Killer.bin/506.HK-1____.DOC

Text File | 1993-08-14 | 14KB | 293 lines

    HK-1RM.ZIP  August 14, 1993

"AAF model of Hughes-Kaiser HK-1 Flying Boat"
  (Also called the H-4 Hercules)
(1st Edition) by Russell Mueller, 1993
An add-on aircraft for Microsoft Flight Simulator V.4.0b.
Created with Mallard's Aircraft & Adventure Factory
(AAF not required)


Model and Manufacturer:
    H-4 Hercules or Hughes-Kaiser HK-1
    Hughes Aircraft Company
    Culver City, CA


FILES:
        HK-1____.    Copy this file to your \FS4 directory to fly
        HK-1____.SIM    Copy this file to your \FS4 directory to fly
        HK-1____.DOC    This documentation file
        HK-1____.MOD    Mode file for starting with HK-1 in FS4.
            Copy the MOD file to your \FS4 directory and
                        select it from the Modes Menu (1-F).


GENERAL INFORMATION:
    An historic plane, the Hughes-Kaiser HK-1 was
   contracted by the U.S. government for a flying boat
   of massive proportions to enable troops to be flown
   across the Atlantic.  This was proposed by
   Howard Robard Hughes as a means to eliminate the German
   U-Boat threat in the early part of World War II.
        The initial contract was based on a collaboration
   between industrialist Henry J. Kaiser and Howard Hughes.
   Mr. Kaiser had established himself as capable of quickly
   setting up production facilities, demonstrated with his
   production of the Martin Mars seaplane, and Hughes had
   established his reputation with his record-breaking H-1
   racer and the strength of his tool company which was
   started by his father.  After construction of the
   Culver City, CA Hughes Aircraft Company, the flying boat
   was primarily a Howard Hughes design and construction.
        The design was limited or perhaps guided by the
   government requirement that the plane could not use any
   strategic materials, and so was designed from the start
   to be built from wood.  Although nicknamed by the press
   as the "Spruce Goose", there was very little spruce used
   in its construction.  Mr. Hughes chose birch as the
   primary construction material.  Design and construction
   proceeded slowly, and in fact it was several years after
   the end of World War II before the HK-1 was completed
   and test flown.  The delays lead to a Congressional
   investigation into the Hughes Aircraft Company and
   focused on Mr. Hughes.  In the end, the Senate
   subcomittee hearings were unable to pin any wrong doings
   on Mr. Hughes, although Mr. Hughes was very successful
   (as reflected in popular opinion polls of the time) in
   counter-attacking Senator Ralph Owen Brewster of Maine
   and Senator Homer Ferguson of Michigan.  Howard Hughes
   alleged that Brewster's investigation was based on
   revenge for Hughes' lack of supporting a national
   airline bill, which would have no doubt benefited
   Pan American, in which Brewster had more than a passing
   interest, while at the same time crushing its nearest
   competitor, TWA, which Hughes owned at the time.  During
   the hearings, the flying boat was referred to as
   "The Spruce Goose"and "The Flying Lumberyard" by the
   media, neither of which Howard Hughes found very
   complimentary.
        On November 2, 1947, the HK-1 was test flown after
   2 successful high speed taxi runs in Los Angeles harbor.
   The plane weighed about 280,000 lbs for the test flight
   and lifted off with 15 degrees of flaps at about 75 mph.
   The plane reached about 100 knots during the short 1 mile
   flight.  It is not clear that the flight was intentional
   based on interviews with passengers, crew, and even
   Howard Hughes, himself, who was test piloting the plane.
   At any rate, the HK-1 was never again flown, although
   for many years, it was kept in a state of flight
   readiness, and was subjected to updates and repairs of
   its flight control systems, and strehngtheing of the
   general structure.
        In 1948, Hughes built a special climate controlled
   hangar at Long Beach, CA.  In 1953, the plane was
   severely damaged in a flood which floated the plane up
   against of the roof of the hangar and damaged props,
   wings and empennage.  The plane was repaired.  In 1949,
   the General Services Administration took over the title
   to the HK-1.  The GSA turned the title for the plane
   over to the Smithsonian, who did not want the plane, but
   did want the Hughes H-1 Racer.  A deal was struck with
   Summa Corporation, the umbrella corporation for Hughes
   enterprises.  The Smithsonain exchanged the HK-1 for the
   Hughes Racer and $700,000.  When the Summa Corporation
   wanted to get rid of the Flying Boat in 1975 by breaking
   it up and distributing parts to museums, there was a
   public outcry which resulted in the donation to the
   Aero Club of Southern California.  The Aero Club
   negotiated a deal with the Wrather Corporation (operator
   of the Disneyland Hotel) for display next to the
   Queen Mary in Long Beach.  It remained on public display
   until the Wrather Corporation decided that the display
   was unprofitable and title for the HK-1 was transferred
   to the Evergreen International company, who has plans
   to display the HK-1 intact at a new museum now under
   construction.  The plane was moved in November-December
   1992 to its new home.



SPECIFICATIONS

Engines: 8 Pratt & Whitney R-4360-4A of 3500 hp each
Wingspan: 319.92 ft
Horizontal Tail Span: 113.5 ft

Design Gross: 400,000 lbs.

PERFORMANCE
(Speeds in MPH)
                                           350,000 Gross      400,000 Gross
High Speed at sea level with T.O. power        235.5             234
High Speed at sea level with normal power      222               218
High Speed at 5000 ft with normal power        231               227
Operating Speed at sea level with cruise pwr   190               185
Landing Speed at sea level, 45 degrees flaps    81                87
Range:
    12,500 gal                                   -              2,975
     6,000 gal                                1,575             1,430
Service Ceiling                              20,900            17,400

Frequently, during "hangar-flying", the subject of the world's
largest plane is discussed, so a comparison of the HK-1 is made
here with a Boeing 747 and Lockheed C-5A.

              Wingspan     Length       Height     Maximum Weight
HK-1            320'         220'        85'         440,000 lbs
C5A             222' 8"      247' 8"     65' 1"      769,000 lbs
747             195' 8"      231' 4"     63' 5"      710,000 lbs


FLYING:
        The flight model is based on the Experimental Prop Aircraft
   from ASD/FS4.  In this flight model, the weight was changed
   to provide reasonable performance, and power to 60,000 hp.
   Handling is gentle and slow.  This is not a plane for performing
   aerobatics and is heavy on the controls.
        No one will ever know how the HK-1 would have lived up to the
   calculated performance specs quoted above. (See reference below).
   This flight model may not be accurate according to the specs above,
   however, the model is intended for the flight simulator enthusiast
   to enjoy.  Endurance is limited to about 3 hours and 500 miles for
   the model.


LANDING:
        Throttle down, (25% or less) and fly down to landing.
   Sink rate is very low at any throttle setting, so just point the
   nose down a bit.  If you have floating problems on landing,
   then throttle back and point the nose down or use less flaps.
   This bird has working flaps that are very effective.  Remember
   this is a seaplane and has no landing gear, so find yourself a
   nice big body of water to land on.
        If you are new to FS4, you should spend some time with
   a plane such as the Cessna in FS4 to practice take-offs and
   landings, and touch and goes.
        I prefer sensitive aircraft in FS4, and so some folks may
   find the plane a little "touchy", especially in pitch, dependent
   on your joystick and sensitivity settings in the FS4 program.  I
   don't think that will be a problem on this plane since it is
   designed to be heavy on the controls.


ABOUT JOYSTICKS:
        I like to fly with a ThrustMaster FCS or FCS Pro
   joystick, and set the sensitivity to maximum (4-E-B-8-ESC-ESC)
   for most planes.  You may wish to compensate by lowering the
   sensitivity.  In my flying using other joysticks, (Suncom TAC 1,
   CH Flightstick), I set sensitivity to mid level (about 5 or 6).
   I have found that the Thrustmaster flys best at the high sensitivity,
   and teaches the arm-chair pilot to fly gently with the stick instead
   of wrestling the joystick full-throw.  In an informal experiment using
   non-computer users, non-flight simulator 'lab rats', whose only
   joystick time was using arcades, in using the TAC 1 or Flightstick,
   they had a tendency to over-control.  None of the 'volunteers' were
   able to successfully land *ANY* plane in FS4 with the TAC 1 or
   Flightstick, but were successful using the Thrustmaster with maximimum
   sensitivity.  I hope that explains why I am using max sensitivity.
   It was not an attempt to improve performance artificially.


AAF NOTES:

    Parts:    177
    MP:    276% (Not Multi-Player Compatible)
        Points: 1415 (Is that a record?)

   Ordinarily, my constructions use a technique which I call "outlining"
   to highlight the parts of a monocolor bird.  In this case, I discovered
   that AAF is limited in the size of the part that can be used as an outline,
   and so had to resort to using different colors for the wing and fuselage.
   The rudder was outlined using the paint group High Wing/Canopy.
        You may also notice that the engines do not project shadows, only
   the wings, elevators, and fuselage.  The reason is that this model reaches
   some of the limits of AAF.  In this case, when I tried the having the
   engines casting shadows, the plane would compile OK, but then would lock-up
   FS4 if I tried to load the plane or a MOD file using this plane.  Oh well!


ADDITIONAL NOTES AND REFERENCES:

        The plane was created from 3-views and notes and specifications in:
        "Howard Hughes and his FLYING BOAT"
        by Charles Barton
        Copyright 1982 by TAB BOOKS, Inc.
        Blue Ridge Summit, PA  17294-0214
        USA

        ISBN 0-8168-6456-X9pbk.)



The creator of this AAF model is not associated in any way with the
publishers or distributors of the above reference materials.  The
references are included as a possible source of new information to
add to your personal libraries.

All my AAF creations are original works and not modifications of another's
work using AAF.  They are copyright by Russell Mueller and may not be resold
or used in any commercial or retail program without arrangement with the
author.

BBS sysops may not charge for the distribution of this file.  Free access
BBS's may include this file in their libraries for distribution.

Suggestions and comments welcome, but remember, I don't take
criticism very well <grin>.  Aw, go ahead, make my day!

Enjoy!
"AAF version of the Hughes Flying Boat, HK-1, H-4 Hercules"
Copyright 1993
by Russell Mueller
Compuserve ID [76662,1623]


The following is a list of planes that I've uploaded to Compuserve
and are available directly from the author/creator:

1. GLASRG.ZIP            Glasair Retract
2. GLASFT.ZIP            Glasair Fixed Trigear
3. GLASTD.ZIP            Glasair Tail Dragger
4. VARVIG.ZIP            Rutan VariViggen
5. SOLITR.ZIP            Rutan Solitaire
6. VOYAGR.ZIP            Rutan Voyager
7. QUICKI.ZIP            Quickie Homebuilt
8. X-29.ZIP              Grumman/NASA X-29 FSW
9. LONGEZ.ZIP            Rutan LongEZ
10. XF5U-1.ZIP           Vought Flying Pancake
11. B100.ZIP             Beech King Air B100
12. P3.ZIP               P-3 Orion Anti-sub/recon
13. SKIPPR.ZIP           Beechcraft Skipper
14. XP55.ZIP             Curtiss-Wright experimental canard (WWII)
15. SHINDN.ZIP           Japanese Experimental canard (WWII)
16. BD-5J.ZIP            Bede 5 Jet
17. BD-5.ZIP             Bede 5 Prop version
18. C310.ZIP             Cessna 310 twin
19. STRSHP.ZIP           Beechcraft Starship
20. STAGGR.ZIP           Beechcraft G17S Staggerwing
21. POND.ZIP             Rutan/Pond Unlimited Racer
22. MOONEY.ZIP           1961 Mooney Mark 21 M(20B)
23. FOKDRI.ZIP           1917 Fokker Dr.I Triplane
24. HOOVER.ZIP           Bob Hoover's yellow P-51D/Rockwell
25. STS.ZIP              The Space Shuttle Orbiter
26. P-51B.ZIP            North American P-51 B/C model
27. BD-10.ZIP            Jim Bede's BD-10 Supersonic Homebuilt
28. P51DRM.ZIP           North American P-51D Mustang
29. JN4DRM.ZIP           Curtiss JN-4D Jenny biplane trainer
30. HK-1RM.ZIP           Hughes HK-1 Flying Boat, "Spruce Goose"

If you wish to have this set of my AAF models, including the AFX source
file and flight reference SIM files, and don't wish to download them from Compuserve, then just send $10 U.S. check, or Postal Money Order to:

Russell Mueller
507 Washington Gdns
Washington, NJ  07882-9205

If ordering from outside the U.S., then please use an International
Money Order (payable in U.S. dollars) available at most banks and
post offices.

Specify disk size desired, and "Russ' Aircraft Factory Set #1".
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