IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad plugin 2.0.0.5

It's taken a year to get my Fokker D7F sim pod basically finished (except for details) and flyable in VR; still some cosmetics to do but now I've moved-on to scratch-build a 4 DOF motion platform of my own design.

Tonight I paid my fees to renew my license and get downloads; and now I have the plug-in for IL2 BOS in my download files.

For the motion platform, I have the basic DIY kit: a 4000 controller and three #5 actuators for Pitch, Roll, and Yaw. I've read the 4000 can power four actuators but only control three. So I have a fourth powered actuator for vertical "Heave" motion.

If I can't get that fourth one to work with the 4000, I was thinking of using a second controller board and the Freejoy program (or something similar) to receive and apply "Heave" data from IL2 BOS.

I'll be trying to get it all hooked up and working in the next few days. I'm fairly techno-savvy but motion platforms are new ground for me and I'm learning as I go.

I'm wondering if I have to load the IL2 BOS plug-in into my IL2 BOS / FC file somewhere; or just access it when I bring the controller and actuators online? Guess I'll be finding out as I proceed.

Will let you guys know how it goes.

I don't have an answer to that problem but I do have the latest version of IL2 BOS/FC with Steam on W10 with no firewall; same as you.

Hope to be setting my controller and actuator components up to test how they operate this week. I think my drivers are up to date and will let you know how it goes for me. Hope you get yours figured out.

VBR,

Pat

Oh BABY! That is cool as HE double hockey sticks!

Not sure which controller you mean but I assume it is the SX4000 by SimExperience? If so I am not sure how you mean to have one SCN5 lift that much weight for heave. Are you doing a seatmover inside your simpit? The SX4000 is meant for a pivot system but there are lots of ideas out there.

For SIMTOOLS you just have use the SIMTOOLS utility, that will install the plugin for you. It is drag and drop. I use PT Mover now but I used to use SIMTOOLS and it is a great software.

By the way, if you are anywhere near Dayton Ohio this weekend there is a big WWI event, 20ish full scale WWI planes flying and 80ish R/C (mostly 1/3rd scale)

https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/WWI-Dawn-Patrol/

Thank you, @Historiker!

Yes, I have the basic 3 DOF kit; SX4000 and three SCN5 100mm actuators.

My problem is I am too heavy for most commercial motion platforms; about 285#. (I bought a YAW and immediately bent the frame; repaired it and now my wife uses it.) Plus, there’s the weight of my pod fuselage, too.

And you’re right; lifting anything close to this kind of weight (I’m allowing 400# for me and the pod) is way beyond the 10-kilo capabilities of the SCN5.

But that’s my problem with the SCN5 for Pitch, Roll, and Yaw, too: I’m overweight for the generally-accepted applications and commercially-produced platforms. So I designed one.

(I’ve always said I will share the design and will once it’s finalized. I think this is something the DIY folks will like.)

The difference? Essentially, in most systems I've seen, the actuators apply their force versus much of the user and platform weight. That (plus material type, gauge, and structural strength) limits the user weight to what's reasonable for most folks but it doesn't work for me.

My solution is to take weight out of the equation by balancing everything on a universal joint and only using the actuators to "tilt it off-center" in achieving Pitch, Roll, and Yaw. That way, the required actuator force is much less.

For Heave, the universal joint is spring-loaded and the actuator only needs to oppose the unsprung weight; which can be as minimal as mechanical leverage will allow.

At the moment, my plan is to use one of those 12-volt “hospital bed” actuators via an Arduino board or the like. At 12V some are rated for 200# but the speed is only about ½ inch per second.

In tests, I’ve increased the voltage in stages up to 48 volts; extension/retraction speed increases with voltage but the force is reduced accordingly: double voltage doubles the speed but halves the force.

(And, at 48 volts, the internal clutch isn’t fast or strong enough to keep the ram from breaking the set-screw out of the aluminum housing and blowing the black plastic tip off the end. LOL!)

So 24 volts seems best for the speed and force my application requires.

Been working on this project for a few years now; the basic pod is built and we successfully motion-tested the chassis and universal joint yesterday.

Now it’s time to bench-test the actuators with the game. Downloaded the IL2 plug-in and will try a 3-axis test in the next few days, workload permitting.

After that, I’ll set up and bench-test my Heave actuator. Once I’ve got them all “dancing to the 4 DOF music” I’ll fabricate the platform mounts, put it all together, and take it for a spin.

I really appreciate your interest and welcome any advice from the group. I’m solid on mechanical fabrication but this is my first motion simulator so the electronics are something I’m learning as I go.

VBR,

Pat

Hello, I introduce myself to this forum and my name is Carlos, I have a flight simulator from the second world war, il2 sturmovik great battles, I am going to install some BODYSHAKERS, I would like to ask if the sim tools program works for bodyshakers and also for the game il2 sturmovik

HI,
Works with IL.2.Sturmovik.Cliffs.of.Dover.Blitz ?

Ok, thanks for answering

Hello, en Simtools V3, I don't get movements from the motors in Il2, I see that the telemetry works, the numbers vary, but the motors do not move.

If I test the axes from simtools the motors work, but the game does not seem to move the motors.

@Pastrana did you get it sorted i have the same problem

My axis assignments

@value1 Thanks very much for writing this plugin. For me using my 4DOF platform, I needed to swap the Surge and Sway assignments. They seem to be the wrong way around in the plugin?

Surge was working on the rudder axis in game and sway was emulating surge. Swapped them around on those two motors and all is good now. Thanks again for the plugin.

@noorbeast Thanks for the info mate. Just so you know, I actually had to assign the sway and surge assignments to different motors, i.e sway had to go onto the surge motor and surge onto the sway motor for the axis to do what the plugin was commanding. Not just a polarity change on the motors themselves.

I just tested this with the virtual plugin builder and I am seeing surge and sway values coming in as they should. I get sway movements when I roll left or right and surge movements when I nose dive and pull up. I am also seeing correct movements in a tank. Have you tried this in a tank?