Topic: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Early Summer 1916, Production Phase (Read 59939 times)

evictedSaint · « **Reply #705 on:** July 31, 2018, 12:49:17 pm »

The navy will probably get whatever radio they deem acceptable. Idk if we can dictate the nature of the requesition...

Sensei · « **Reply #706 on:** July 31, 2018, 01:20:56 pm »

It seems like Cnid's policy is to roll a die to determine how closely what they have matches what we want, so we might as well specify at least that we want a small radio with a 12v power source and preferably voice capability, even if we're not too likely to get it. There's no point getting really into detail though, I expect.

ConscriptFive · « **Reply #707 on:** July 31, 2018, 01:51:19 pm »

Voice transmitting seems like a really big stretch that I'm not even sure we could use in the near future (see also the torpedo). We'd need a mic that can work in an open cockpit, a massive antenna, and pretty serious power supply. It would also probably boost the weight up to 100+ pounds when you include the spool of copper cable for the antenna and the power supply. The AT&T SCR-68 had a windmill generator bolted to landing gear charge it, a 20lb antenna of 300 ft length, two junction boxes, and a 20lb radio console that took up the entire observer dashboard.

http://curtissjennyrestoration.blogspot.com/2013/08/wires-and-update.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCR-68

Anyhow, we're going to get several more opportunities to req from either service. No need to horde gear we're not even going to use in the next few turns (see also the torpedo).

A Morse spark-gap transmitter seems reasonable though. I'd consider editting it in, but keep in mind we're probably going to need a revision to put it all together anyways, especially because of the antenna.

piratejoe · « **Reply #708 on:** July 31, 2018, 11:37:17 pm »

So, from reading the last BR, the Kols have at least 4 EFM's. Luckily, however, we have 2 rookie squadrons of emu's and 2 regular's not in emus. So, I have to say, considering everything, if we manage to get the Barnett back to 200 HP and the 200 HP version replaces the 160 version without a hitch, the great emu, once maneuverability and weight modifications are done, should once again match the EFM... and it should be much better considering the fact that we now have actually rookie pilots. Considering the situation in the Center, I expect that a major force will be sent to push us out and make us lose all we have gained in the past year. I also expect an enemy force attempting to retake Basselton, along with maybe another aircraft to push us away from Mizo if they feel like they have the numbers to spare. I expect the situation to remain more or less unchanged, and as such believe that if we don't finish the swallow we should spend the PP on a emu so we are even in terms of most advanced aircraft we have.

I also have to ask a few questions for the gm, Cnidaros. They are as follows.
1, Can squadrons have multiple aces?
2, Do Aces actually have a number of how many aerial victories outside of the initial 5?
3, Are Bomber aces just observer/gunner aces? And if so, is it a possible exception to have an observer ace in a fighter bomber/light bomber squadron and a fighter ace if the answer to question 1 is a no.
4, Do new aces become more likely when a highly experienced group of pilots in superior planes fight not as skilled pilots?
5, When an ace dies in combat, does the one who kills them have the possibility of becoming an ace themselves if they aren't already?
6, Is there more prestige in a ace killing another ace then a common airman and what are the effects of an ace dying outside of their bonuses being removed.

Edit: 7, Will those little comments next to prestige and relations come back?

Sensei · « **Reply #709 on:** August 02, 2018, 03:20:01 pm »

Well, I guess I'm ready to go ahead with ConscriptFive's radio requisition. It looks like the voting has settled down.

Cnidaros · « **Reply #710 on:** August 04, 2018, 10:58:19 am »

Verusa Design Phase, Late Spring 1915

Verusan F1 Lesser European Swallow (5 dice spent)

Progress: 1+4+1+4+3+5 = 18/19. 6 PP spent.

The workshops and hangars are a buzz of activity this month, as Verusan designers rush the Lesser European Swallow design toward full production. Spurred on by reports from the central plains of a so-called “Equilibrium Scourge” to match the German Fokker Scourge in Europe, several volunteer to work overtime to complete the testing programmes. Progress on the European Swallow comes much faster than anything else that the team has created in the past year, but at a cost. What appeared to be acceptable corner-cutting on the manufacturing of the Swallow’s dual Crossguard-gears have resulted in a less precise synchronisation of the gun’s fire to the propeller’s rotation. As it is, between its four-bladed propeller (which has a narrower window for firing time) and its dual guns (doubling the chance of stray rounds), the Swallow was on the edge of having issues in this regard, but the latest batch of subpar Crossguards have pushed it into “officially a problem” territory. The Swallow now has synchronisation issues, limiting the total number of rounds that can be fired in the course of a mission before it shoots off its own propeller.

After a whole month’s nonstop work, the Verusan F1 Lesser European Swallow is almost - but not quite ready for mass deployment. While disappointing, the progress so far means that a prototype squadron of European Swallows may be deployed in battle this month.

Verusan F1 Lesser European Swallow | 18/19 progress | 2 PP per die | Rushed 0 times | 8 PP invested

Navy Requisition: Crystal Radio Receiver with Headphones, and Morse Spark Gap Transmitter

Quote from: ConscriptFive on July 31, 2018, 09:12:56 am

As hilarious as it is to watch three squadrons trying to land on the same runway simultaneously, our air operations would greatly benefit from better command and control. Ship-to-shore wireless sets are common and essential to even commercial naval vessel now. While our aircraft currently lack the electrical systems to broadcast reliably, a crystal receiver set with good headphones should be able to operate off a battery. Our aviators can continue to answer received orders from ground stations by firing appropriately colored flares. Thus the Verusan Sky Crusader kindly request crystal radio receivers with good quality headphones from the Verusan Navy. The receivers must be able to be tuned to a wide-range of frequencies, to support current and future channels used by both the Army and Navy. Include a Morse spark gap transmitter if possible.

As it happens, the Verusan Navy does have crystal radio receivers with headphones for receiving voice communications at sea. This comes in the form of the extremely new NVR-“Seashell” Voice Set, of which the components the Sky Crusaders are interested in are the crystal receivers. While capable of operating without external power, the “Seashell” comes with a powered amplifier running off a battery. However, as the entire system was designed for naval use, size and weight are quite unsuited for an aeroplane. The receiver portion of the set weighs 40 pounds by itself, with an additional 40 pounds for the battery, but is tunable only to the medium wave frequencies between 500-1000 kHz that are often used by the navy. It costs 3 PP to buy a squadron’s worth of these radio receivers, but they cannot yet be equipped to aircraft as-is.

The ground transmitters for the system are the size of cabinets, weighing more than 400 pounds with antennas up to 400 feet long. Operating at a power of 1-2 kW using a modulated spark-gap transmitter, these stations can broadcast a voice message up to 25 miles away, yet the quality of the transmission leaves much to be desired, often requiring clear enunciation and several repetitions to get the message across.

NVR-“Seashell” Voice Set: The latest in radiotelephone equipment used by the Verusan Navy, the Seashell set is a radio voice receiver/transmitter designed for shipboard use, weighing in at 80 pounds for the receiving portion alone. The system operates at frequencies of 500-1000 kHz, and can send a (poor quality) voice transmission up to a distance of 25 miles, scaling up as more power is applied. Cost 3 PP.

It is now the Revision Phase, Late Spring 1915. You have 2 dice remaining to spend on Revisions or bank for the next turn.

Spoiler: Projects (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Designs and Technology (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Squadrons (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Equipment (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Statistics (click to show/hide)

Cnidaros · « **Reply #711 on:** August 04, 2018, 11:03:10 am »

Quote from: piratejoe on July 31, 2018, 11:37:17 pm

I also have to ask a few questions for the gm, Cnidaros. They are as follows.
1, Can squadrons have multiple aces?
2, Do Aces actually have a number of how many aerial victories outside of the initial 5?
3, Are Bomber aces just observer/gunner aces? And if so, is it a possible exception to have an observer ace in a fighter bomber/light bomber squadron and a fighter ace if the answer to question 1 is a no.
4, Do new aces become more likely when a highly experienced group of pilots in superior planes fight not as skilled pilots?
5, When an ace dies in combat, does the one who kills them have the possibility of becoming an ace themselves if they aren't already?
6, Is there more prestige in a ace killing another ace then a common airman and what are the effects of an ace dying outside of their bonuses being removed.

Edit: 7, Will those little comments next to prestige and relations come back?

To answer these in order:
1) Yes
2) Yes, Alderic currently has 9 victories
3) You don't have any aces in the Emu bomber squadron yet, so the answer is still undecided.
4) Only if the two sides have roughly equal numbers. Otherwise, the number of enemy kills may be spread too thinly to qualify proper Aces. However, you may wish to question whether the number of Aces is more or less important than the increase in experience for the superior side that occurs in this situation.
5) Not more than usual. Ace just means that a pilot has a certain number of kills, it's not some magical status that transfers to the killer.
6) Yes, and you'll find out when it happens.
7) Maybe!

ConscriptFive · « **Reply #712 on:** August 04, 2018, 12:47:22 pm »

Ouch, two 1's. Our Forenian luck is leaking.

Revision: Swallow Sabotage Repair

The recent engineering failings of the Swallow Project compared to the flawless (albeit expensive) Emu Project can only be explained by one thing, Kolechian anarchist sabotage. Some engineers speculate that a clandestine adversary, "Kolechia's Greatest Asset," is responsible for removing the tail canvas and the inferior Crossguard parts manufacturing. While the Department of Security investigates this anarchist sabotage clearly originating outside the VSC Engineering Department, we shall focus on rectifying these issues. The skeletonized tail will be properly covered with canvas for aerodynamics. Meanwhile, rigorous QA/QC inspections will be done of Crossguard parts prior to assembly, to return the Crossguard system to its previously high standard of quality.

That could be some fun narrative fluff to keep our Gestapo NPC busy. Also, he doesn't have a name yet? I was tempted to name him "Agent Smith" but we really haven't seen his personality yet.

piratejoe · « **Reply #713 on:** August 04, 2018, 01:19:04 pm »

I know its not some magic title one gets, but I was just wondering if such a thing could happen considering usually its skill and or better equipment that kills an ace, and not luck...usually anyway.

Anyway, for our revisions.

Barnett HP modifications
The Barnett is a damn good engine, we cannot deny that, however it could and would be even better if it had more horse power. The efforts of this revision are directed to improving the horse power the Barnett has, hopefully back up to 200 horse power at the least and much more if we are lucky. The revision to the engine should apply to all aircraft that are to use and are already using the Barnett without any hassle, but the main goal is improving the engine without decreasing reliability or increasing size and cost.

Crossguard Hilt
The Crossguard on our new and improved fighter is...lacking to say the least. Needless to say, we plan on fixing that with the power of technical ingenuity. The main goal of this is to improve the Crossguard so it no longer rips apart the propeller and forces the pilot to glide back home in a heavy aircraft, and if we have the time improving the Crossguard to allow our guns to fire faster then before and not lower the amount of bullets shot out at our enemies. This is specifically done for the brand new Lesser European Swallow and not the Crossguard we have for the Rhino, this is specifically mentioned due to hearing the horrors of what miscommunication in an engineering department can cause from some island nations in the pacific.

ConscriptFive · « **Reply #714 on:** August 04, 2018, 02:16:41 pm »

Here's a nerdy one I'm really proud of:

Revision: Ethylene Glycol Antifreeze
If we really want to get the most out of our V12's, we need better cooling systems. Pure water is adequate, but what if we could make it more freeze resistant and have a higher boiling point? Our engines could be pushed to higher performance with the added benefit of better cold starts in the winter. Any secondary school chemist would point out that freezing point depression and boiling point elevation is a simple matter of adding another compound, such as salt, to the water. While likely effective, a less corrosive "solution" would be preferred. Going through our old textbooks, the experimental hydrocarbon ethylene glycol (CH2OH)2 shows promise. By obtaining or otherwise synthesizing it from common ethylene, we should be able to create a high performance dilution for our cooling systems, improving their performance.

Ethylene glycol kinda has a funny story. It was invented waaaay back in 1859, but nobody could find a use for it. Then WWI industry started mass producing it as a precursor for nitroglycerin. Then in 1923, the automotive industry started using it as coolant. 100 years later, it's still the green shit you pour into your car. Fun fact, it's dyed green to help deter kids from drinking the sugary tasting fluid. But yeah, this strikes me a nice nerdy way to improve our V12 engines.

piratejoe · « **Reply #715 on:** August 05, 2018, 09:27:09 am »

I feel like I should say this here, we should focus on fixing the sync gear and improving the speed of the Swallow and then give it to Squire two, renaming them Lancer 1. The reason this is done is to improve the speed of the Swallow and make it an even better Boom and zoomer, as, it being a monoplane instead of a biplane, means that the best use for it, especially in this time period, would be in the roll its monowing design gives it an advantage, and not being a Biplane means that it doesn't have the maneuverability to allow it to get an energy advantage through maneuvers over enemy aircraft, meaning its not a good energy fighter, and obviously, the maneuverability means it isn't a good turn fighter either, however, boom and zoomers are usually heavy and aren't the best at climbing, however that weight gives them a good sustained speed against air drag and good retention of inertia in a zoom climb meaning they can keep their altitude. And before you say it, yes, I know that technically Boom and zoom is a form of energy fighting, but its not true energy fighting as the energy is gained before combat, not during it. Anyway, a few advantages I found is that its actually safer for pilots as you can only be shot at during a very short period of time immediately after the attack. And though that means we also will have a very short time to shoot, holding the initiative will mean that the chances to hit the enemy are much higher than the reverse....

Of course, that only helps you if you are above the enemy, and in a boom and zoomer, well... gods help you if you are caught at a lower or equal altitude in a boom and zoomer... Especially when the enemy has a turn fighter or energy fighter.

Anyway, yeah, fix the whole shooting off our own propeller thing and make the engine even better and you got yourself a good boom and zoomer, and all squadrons using those kinds of aircraft will now be refereed to as Lancers. Energy fighters or Turn fighters probably should be referred to as Duelists though.

FallacyofUrist · « **Reply #716 on:** August 05, 2018, 04:16:08 pm »

Yes. Let's fix the heck out of our new plane.

Quote

Swallow Sabotage Repair - (1): FallacyofUrist
Barnett HP modifications - (1): FallacyofUrist

piratejoe · « **Reply #717 on:** August 05, 2018, 04:18:20 pm »

I didn't even notice the sabotage repair until now.

Quote from: Voting box

Swallow Sabotage Repair - (2): FallacyofUrist, Piratejoe
Barnett HP modifications - (2): FallacyofUrist, Piratejoe

evictedSaint · « **Reply #718 on:** August 05, 2018, 04:32:43 pm »

Quote

Improved Crossguard Gearing

Rather than gearboxing the camshaft up to the gun, which is inefficient, heavy, and cannot be configured for multiple guns, the Crossguard now features an oblong disk on the base of the camshaft. A metal rod attached to the guns safety is pressed against this disk via spring, and when the rod rises up over one of the bumps of the disk the gun is freed to fire. This method allows the disk to be properly tuned for any propeller configuration, and stacking multiple disks allows for multiple guns to each have their own timing.

Quote from: Voting box

Swallow Sabotage Repair - (2): FallacyofUrist, Piratejoe
Improved Crossguard Gearing - (1): eS
Barnett HP modifications - (3): FallacyofUrist, Piratejoe, eS

Sabotage repair is two revisions masquerading as one.

piratejoe · « **Reply #719 on:** August 05, 2018, 04:36:49 pm »

I don't think that covering the tail of the swallow with canvas is so difficult as to require its own revision...

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Author Topic: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Early Summer 1916, Production Phase (Read 59939 times)

evictedSaint

Re: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Late Spring 1915, Design Phase

Sensei

Re: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Late Spring 1915, Design Phase

ConscriptFive

Re: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Late Spring 1915, Design Phase

piratejoe

Re: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Late Spring 1915, Design Phase

Sensei

Re: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Late Spring 1915, Design Phase

Cnidaros

Re: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Late Spring 1915, Revision Phase

Cnidaros

Re: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Late Spring 1915, Revision Phase

ConscriptFive

Re: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Late Spring 1915, Revision Phase

piratejoe

Re: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Late Spring 1915, Revision Phase

ConscriptFive

Re: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Late Spring 1915, Revision Phase

piratejoe

Re: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Late Spring 1915, Revision Phase

FallacyofUrist

Re: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Late Spring 1915, Revision Phase

piratejoe

Re: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Late Spring 1915, Revision Phase

evictedSaint

Re: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Late Spring 1915, Revision Phase

piratejoe

Re: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Late Spring 1915, Revision Phase