Blenheim operating limits and checklists

[JG53Frankyboy]

Gp to FMB
select any map
select an blenheim
Than selesct the bombloads and save these bombloads as "2x500" and "4x250".
Than these bombloads will apear in the armamentchoices in the singlemissions.

Keep in mind that the shortcutcommand "release bombs" does not work from bombardierposition, only from pilotposition. From bombardierposition you have to click the small yellowbuttons left on the desk with the mouse .....
You need an open bombdoorcommand shortcut. You will not find a lever in the cockpit because the real blenheims doors were springopened by the weight of its bombs....

You have the choice between salvo (all bombs) and single. The bombsfuzes are alwasy armed. Yo not much to set in comparison to german bombers.
Good luck!

[JG53Frankyboy]

And yes , the gunners are shooting with Ai.
I personaly dont bother anymore with shooting manually......
And online delete all tracer rounds from my gunners, nice surprise for human flown interceptors

[Redroach]

ah dummnit... thanks so far, guys! Why didn't I think about the bomb-bay doors? I knew they were bungee-operated in real life, but I've already looked up here and read about the necessity to open b.b.doors.
And thanks for the procedure!
Now if you tell me how exactly the bombsight works, I'll write up my personal take-off procedure

[phoenix1963]

Can't help with the bomb sight I'm afraid.

On another topic, for the first time I took a Blenheim up to 10k ft from parked... it took forever climbing at +2-3 boost and about 400 ft/min. But more seriously, I'm convinced the Blen in CloD has no auto-rich mixture with altitude.

When I got to 10k+, I started getting the shakes - just like the Hurri before it was fixed. Also, as I got higher it was harder and harder to maintain engine power and airspeed.

56RAF_phoenix

[Redroach]

to be honest, I don't think the Blen belongs to that altitude... she starts struggling at 7000 feet for me and won't do anymore without carb heat above that
But if you insist, slap on the heaters and go for auto-lean mixture, that would be my tip... although you're somewhat limited in terms of boost when going lean.

Anyways, I think there's still interest in working startup procedures, so here is what works for me:
-[OPTIONAL]The Autopilot knows how to lock the wheel brake. Hit it for a few seconds and look for the lever on the steering column until its done... the AP will begin startup procedures instantly, so for max. realism, don't do that
-select "Inner" tanks for both tank selectors, located at your 4 o'clock. Above these selectors, there is a 3rd one, which is, I believe, for cross-feeding in case of engine failure. It doesn't hurt (so far) to switch it to 'on'. To get the corresponding tank content displayed, switch the fuel level gauges to 'inner' - on your 8 o'clock high.
-pull back on your stick to be able to see the magneto switches. Activate them all.
-activate carburetor heaters, located on your 8 o'clock low, right beneath the pilot seat. I just switch them on/off rather than having them on a slider, so for me its 0%-100%.
-set mixture to the lower half (pulled towards you) of the quadrant, getting 'auto rich' mixture. See Blackdog's postings in this thread.
-set prop pitch to 'fine' - slider all the way up (!)
-set radiator full open, just as a precautionary measure
-throttle to 5-10%
-start left and right engine individually. You may get some mileage from actuating the primer pump, located to the right of the pilot's seat. For me, it's somewhat ambiguous.
-if you've got both engines running, wait a minute and do something else in between, like calibrating your gyro. The engines are rather precarious in the first minute or so, so don't choke them.
-[OPTIONAL]You may close your radiators in order to get temperatures high faster. However, that's a bit tricky and you shouldn't, under no circumstances, forget to re-open them fully for take off. That WILL kill your engine fast. I just leave them open until at cruising altitude.
-switch off carb heaters to get an extra kick for take-off (with them on, engines run a little bit too 'rich')
-If the engines run solidly, rev them up to 40% (step on the wheelbrake of course) in order to get oil temperatures up to 40deg.
-back to idle/10%, grant the engines a little rest
-rev up to around 70% (so that you can still hold the blen with the brakes) and watch the engines going crazy, revving up and down on their own. Wait until you've got stable rpm on both engines.
-back to idle/10%, again, a little resting...again, a safety measure
-activate the boost cut-out in order to get higher boost for Take-off. This is again somewhat risky as you can blow your gaskets in 30 seconds or less. YMMV.
-step off your brake and throttle up for take off. Go full throttle but don't go into the extra-boost region yet. With no airflow over the engines, this will kill them even faster.
-once going 60-70mph, I normally go into extra boost. Not the full 9lbs, rather around 7-8 and only very briefly, for about 20-30sec. max. as airflow is still somewhat scarce.
-lift off at 80-90mph, raise your gear immediately. Don't pull up immediately, let her build up a little speed, probably for quite a while. Deactivate boost cut-out.
-compensate for rudder mis-trim: for me, it's at least 40 clicks 'left' in order to get her flying somewhat straight.
-Now, it's your decision: I normally go for coarse pitch quite early, in exchange for extra-bad climbing performance until I picked up some speed. However, you may very well be able to stay a bit longer at fine pitch if you monitor engine temps properly.
-switch carb heaters back on. I just feel safer with them.
-my cruise settings: around 6000ft, throttle 50-60% auto-lean mix (switching at around 5k ft), coarse pitch, 180-200mph, engine temps arond 220-230deg (don't exceed 250!), rads 1/4 open, carb heat on, well-trimmed to get a good bombing approach.

[Mechanist]

Originally Posted by phoenix1963

I struggle to believe the heat capacity was so low that the temps would vary that much. If it were that important and variable, the gauges would be in front of the pilot!
56RAF_phoenix

The heat capacity is totaly believable because of the massive amount of low temperature air around the inner parts or the engine. You just can't compare it with a fully closed hurri engine or others. Also you would get the same if the fluctuation in a G.50.

Also the gauges are in perfect spot for the bombardier to keep a close watch on it. Would be nice if a human bombardier could sit back and help out while you're ferrying. Note that the radiator and trimm controls are nearby aswell.

As for bombing procedures, my observations are the following:

- As mentioned before the bombsight don't work properly, so we have to wait for a fix.

- On the other hand if it were operational it will be very tricky to get a decent hit with just 2 or 4 bombs at higher altitudes.
I have run some tests on bombs dispersion from 3000 and 6000 feet, and they can impact anywhere between 30 to 300 feet (4 bombs).
Basicly the bombsight can only be used to hit a factory site, railway station, port, or an airfield, but it won't be effective if only one blenheim carries out this kind of mission. 9 or 12 would do in vic or diamond formation.

- For three or less blenheims (which occurs mostly in online games) the only way to be effective is to use an attack dive bombing in low altitudes. With this way a flight of blenheims can easily take out columns, trains, parking airplanes, bridges, railway stations, ships, encampments, etc.
Unluckily performing a percise attack dive takes a lot of practise, because there is no instrumental aid for such attack procedure in the blenheims cockpit.
I say you must drop about 1000 bombs to get the hang of it, also if you get the "feeling" when to release the bombs you will able to do it in any other plane aswell. Most of us have this "bombing sence" from il-2 allready and it works fine in CloD too
But here are some advice for the beginers:
- Always line up on your target if it moves or just longer in one direction, like a train, a ship, or a bride.
- Moving targets are best approached from behind, because you decrease the difference of speed between you and your target (easier to hit slower or stationary targets then fast moving ones because you have to calculate an impact point witch is before the target)
- The higher angle you have the closer the bomb will impact to your crosshair\sight. That is the whole point of Stuka like dive bombing, but it requires dive brakes which blenheims doesn't have.
- The lower you release the bomb the preciser your bomb will impact. Just remember that most bombs have to travel certain time in the air before its armed, and you can damage or kill your self with your own bomb. You can use timed detonators, but I won't reccomend them against moving targets. Although 1 or 2 secs might be fine against slow moving lightly armored targets.
- If you have few bombs against a linear-like target wait few milliseconds between releasing them, because you will do more damage against a column or a train, also you improve your direct hit chance on a ship or a bride.
- Choose your loadout wisely if you know the exact target you going to destroy. For example two 500 pounders are great for destroying larger buildings, bridges, or ships, but will do less damage against a 20 car long column, then four 250 pounders. Be aware that the blast damage decreases with the square of distance, so if you are going against a linear-like target choose more lighter bombs the few heavier. In the other hand four 250 pounders will do minimum damage against a concrete bunker or a heavily armoured ship because it doesn't have enough penatrating power, so in that case us heavier or penetrator bombs. Germans have SD bombs which don't blast much but will penetrate armoured or thick targets.

Thats all I can recall, for now...

[Redroach]

hmm now I'm able to bomb - thanks so far. But still, a few wierd things...
In the video I made to watch, I noted that, when opening the bomb doors, a single bomb fell out just due to opening...?!? I mean, what the freeek? Sabotage? Bad ground crew? One does not know...
With the remaining three 250-pounders, I noticed that the bombsight (how I presumably use it) is indeed waaaay off, as was already stated. damnit!

Also, could somebody give me a primer (heh) on fuses on the blenny's bombs? What are the differences and which ones should I use, with what delay? Thanks in advance!