Magnetic Compass Description:
The Magnetic compass is It is in three parts.
1. A base housing. This is mounted horizontally between the pilot's feet. Using TrackIR, lean forward and look around the stick.
2. The Bezel. This is the glass cover and has two parallel lines on it. It also has the "E", "S" and "W" cardinal points marked with Red Letters and the "N" in White.
3. The Compass itself. This is the grey diamond in the centre with with a white wire coming out of each point. The North wire is the one with a white T-Bar on the wire near the Grey Diamond centre.
Magnetic Compass
Directional Indicator Description:
The Directional Indicator (DI) is a gyro. It is not a compass and is not connected to north. It need setting before take off. It should stay orientated once in flight but suffers errors. I dont know if it topples with aerobatics, but real ones do.
The DI is in the middle of the dashboard below the artificial horizon. It has a control knob below it to set the heading. This can be activaled using the mouse either side of the knob to decrease(left) or increase(right) the heading. The heading set is repeated in text on the right of the screen and is indicated in a popup window when the maouse is over the DI.
Direction Indicator
Magnetic Compass Errors:
The Magnetic Compass is affected by turns and accelaration and so should only be read stationary on the ground or in steady level flight.
Directional Indicator Errors:
The Directional Indicator also suffers from turning and acceleration errors and should also only be read or adjusted when stationary or in steady level flight. It may also topple during aerobatics or combat (harsh manoeuvres) and need resetting afterwards.
Magnetic Compass and Direction Indicator Control:
1. Set a Keyboard Key for Compass Decrease.
"Options" / "Controls" / "Keys" / "Aircraft" / "Compass Decrease".
Rather than trying to use the mouse, I use "C" for compass to decrease the compass bezel (the outer cursor). If held down the bezel goes around fast enough not to need increase as well.
2. Set a Keyboard Key for Direction Gyro Decrease.
"Options" / "Controls" / "Keys" / "Aircraft" / "Direction Gyro Decrease".
I use "D" for Direction Gyro to Decrease
3. Set a Keyboard Key for Direction Gyro Increase.
"Options" / "Controls" / "Keys" / "Aircraft" / "Direction Gyro Increase".
I use "G" for Direction Gyro to Increase
I know these are default Gear etc but they are mapped to my stick buttons.
Magnetic Compass and Direction Indicator Use:
1. Turn the bezel until the parallel lines are parallel with the N/S white lines with the "N" at the same end as the North T-Bar wire.
Align Bezel to North Bar
2. Read the compass heading from the text display on the right of the screen BEFORE it disappears.
3. Turn the Direction Indicator to match the Magnetic Compass heading.
Direction Indicator matches
Your Directional Indicator now reads headings relative to magnetic north.
Variation in the game is not known but variation in this are in 1940 was about 6 degrees West I think. I will find out what the game does and then teach you how to compensate for that. so that your heading can be reported relative to the mission grid.
To be investigated:
1. Does IL2:CoD include variation?
2. Does the DI topple during harsh manoeuvres? - Yes, alot. Needs reseting regularly
3. Does Compass and DI suffer from turning and acceleration errors? Yes, Both are pretty useless in the turn
4. Is the mission grid orientated to True North?
Gos