VSKYLABS Test-Pilot: He-162 Project

The VSKYLABS Test-Pilot: He-162 Project

JetManHuss - VSKYLABS (c) 2024 All Rights Reserved

A High Definition 1st Generation Jet-Fighter Simulation

Separate native products for X-PLANE 12 and X-PLANE 11, for your selection.

MINIMUM HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS FOR X-PLANE 12

Disk Space: 25GB
CPU: Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 CPU with 4 or more cores, or AMD Ryzen 3, 5, 7 or 9.
(Those with other CPUs should try the demo before purchasing.)
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Video Card: a Vulkan 1.3-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD with at least 2 GB VRAM
Note: Intel GPUs are not supported by X-Plane 12.

The VSKYLABS 'Test-Pilot': He-162 Project Introduction

The VSKYLABS 'Test-Pilot': He-162 Project for X-Plane flight simulator was designed to allow a glimpse into the common practices involved in flying a 1st generation jet fighter aircraft.

The Heinkel He-162 was designed and built as the cheapest and simplest aircraft to be manufactured, flown, and made operational as soon as possible, yet set a high bar for performance and capabilities. It was designed with the approach of having the aircraft lineup built by unskilled or semi-skilled human resources. The construction lineup included war prisoners as well. These circumstances led to the creation of a high-performance, innovative jet fighter, which was poorly and harshly built.

The He-162 was built mainly from Duralumin and wood and suffered from glue integrity and stability issues, which led to several crashes during its development and short operational path. Its engine (mainly the BMW 003 series turbojet engine) was a 1st generation axial-flow turbojet engine that had to be managed very carefully within a quite narrow operational flight envelope. The engine tended to flame out and suffered from various malfunctions, which also led to aircraft losses.

The VSKYLABS He-162 project is an experimental effort to replicate the various aspects involved in flying and operating the high-performance yet low-integrity 1st generation jet fighter He-162 aircraft. The project was designed to introduce some of the challenges that existed in operating and flying such aircraft.

Unless flown and operated within limits (mechanically and aerodynamically), the VSKYLABS He-162 will blow tires, collapse landing gears, lose flying surfaces, experience engine flame-outs, engine fires, break up, and other surprises... just like its real-world big brother.

This project is part of the VSKYLABS 'Test-Pilot' series, designed specifically for use with X-Plane cutting edge Flight Model.

The VSKYLABS Test-Pilot: He-162 Project Highlights

The VSKYLABS Test-Pilot: He-162 Project is a 1st generation fighter jet simulation of the Heinkel He-162 aircraft, designed to explore the boundaries of this fascinating flying machine, its capabilities, and limits with the use of Laminar Research X-Plane Flight Simulator. The project follows the general design of the He-162-A2 aircraft, incorporating wide-scale research and insights from its design to flying reports and testimonials.

The project was initiated as a long-term research effort that evolved into a virtual restoration project/journey and was constructed piece by piece over the years. The unique project allows you to see and "feel" the He-162 in a different light than the "usual" He-162 in combat flight simulators. This project focuses on how the He-162 actually worked and how to fly and handle it in practice, in a highly defined research-based simulation in X-Plane.

The VSKYLABS He-162 was test-flown during development by real-world jet fighter pilots with actual 1st/2nd generation jet fighter experience.

The project includes a comprehensive, highly detailed, and illustrated He-162 Pilot's Operating Manual booklet, which provides detailed explanations regarding the He-162, its systems, and how it was operated authentically during WWII.

Project's Main Features

• VSKYLABS 'Test-Pilot' project.
• Highly defined flight dynamics model of the He-162 First Generation Jet-Fighter.
• Damage simulation.
• Built around the powerful, native X-Plane's flight model.
• Highly detailed model of the Heinkel He-162 aircraft.
• Systems simulation: All core systems of the He-162 are modeled.
• Fully functional VR (Virtual Reality) Ready.
• Multi-Layer FMOD sound pack.
• The project is under constant development: development road-map includes flight model refinements, enhanced systems depth, additional liveries and other improvements.
• Autoupdater based on the SkunkCrafts autoupdater (XP12 only) - all updates are being pushed smoothly without the need to re-download the entire base package (base package will be updated every once in a while to minimize the gap).
• Highly responsive VSKYLABS support forums.

Contributors

During the extensive research and development process of the VSKYLABS He-162 Project, VSKYLABS contacted several restoration and military-history archives and specialists who contributed information and other materials for the project. As a result, the VSKYLABS He-162 features authentic, high-resolution photo-real instrument gauge representations. These were constructed and engineered as functional replicas of the real He-162 instrument gauges.

Meeting and being in contact with wonderful, kind, professional, and friendly people who share the same passion for aviation was such a great honor and excitement! A huge "Thank You!" was delivered in person, and is now being written here to all those involved!

One of the major information and photo contributors is AeroAntique.com. They are an absolute treasure for warbird collectors and lovers, with a wealth of vintage parts, instruments, and other aviation artifacts from the 1940s, 50s, 60s, and 70s. Their website address is https://aeroantique.com/.

Another major contributor is none other than Memorial Flight. Founded in 1988, Memorial Flight is dedicated to the preservation and enrichment of French and European aviation heritage, in cooperation with the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, Paris, France. They have restored and rebuilt various aircraft icons for flying condition and static display, including the amazing (static) He-162 aircraft, which was restored and presented at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace. Memorial Flight contributed detailed information and photos, which were processed and implemented into the VSKYLABS He-162 'virtual restoration'. Their website address is http://memorial.flight.free.fr/indexuk.html

Another contributor for instrument gauge information and photography is Axis Militaria, which specializes in WWII aircraft and vehicle parts and memorabilia (USA, Japan, Germany). Their website address is https://axis-militaria.com/.

Another contributor for instrument gauge information and photography is SpitfireSpares.com. They are WWII aviation and Spitfire specialists, serving as a supplier and an impressive resource for WWII and WWI aviation-related items. Their website address is http://spitfirespares.co.uk/home.html.

The VSKYLABS Test-Pilot: He-162 Manual

The project includes a comprehensive 50-page Pilot Operating Handbook booklet. The booklet features a detailed He-162 description, general background and useful information, checklists, and instructions.

The VSKYLABS Test-Pilot: He-162 Project POH is located inside the Pilot Operating Handbook folder in the project's main directory.

Update Log

VSKYLABS Test-Pilot: He-162 Project
JetManHuss - VSKYLABS (c) 2024 All Rights Reserved

XP12 - v3.0.5a (16th September 2024):

• (v3.0.5a - 16th September - minor fix for RH landing gear animation).
• Flight Model:
  Turbo-Jet simulation updated to latest X-Plane 12 jet engine simulation features. Updated airfoils, refined flight dynamics internal-engineering.

• Systems:
  • New Revi-16 optical reflector gun-sight.
  • Added JATO ignition CB functionality.
  • JATO fuel is reloaded on aircraft restart.
  • Fuel tank quantity is un-powered until generator is on-line.
  • Fug24/25 CB's are now controlling power to VHF/GPS/IFF.
  • All customized systems re-wired - are now using customized commands (integrated into X-Plane 12 assignment screen - simply hit 'vsl' or '162' in the assignments search-bar for quick and straightforward assignments.
• Sounds:
  • FMOD sound-pack converted to latest v2.02.
  • Fixed JATO sounds issues.
  • Fixed oxygen breathing sound irregularities in some conditions. 
  • Various tune-ups and fixes.
• Graphics:
  • PBR and textures rework for the externals (preparation for new high-resolution liveries - in the future).
  • Main landing gears construction fixes.
  • Disabled engine visible plume in various flight conditions.

XP12 - v3.02 (30th September 2023):

• Oxygen system fix - increased oxygen pressure to prevent hypoxia up until ~39,000 feet (a temporary patch due to recent X-Plane 12 changes in pressurization systems).

XP12 - v3.0 (23rd February 2023):

• Flight model deep validation to fall in line with the latest XP12 flight model updates (phase #1/2).
• Landing gears physics overhauled.
• Weight and balance corrections due latest XP12 aerodynamics updates.
• PBR rework for interior/exterior (to fall in line with the new XP12 rendering and lighting updates).
• Fix - 'aircraft is being initiated with nose-up attitude'.
• Engine RPM tuneup for ground idle threshold.
• New 3-d modeling of the Revi-16B sight and internal 'projected' mechanism.
• New 3-d modeling of canopy air-vents.
• Cockpit environment: Various 3-d modeling fixes and improvements.
• Fix for active gyro sounds in cold and dark, without electrical power.

XP12 - v2.2 (4th December 2022):

• Interior lighting system reset and retuned to comply with the modified X-Plane 12.00r1+ lighting engine.

XP12 - v2.1 (23th November 2022):

• Updater software replaced - from STMA to SkunkCrafts. 

XP12 - v2.0 (beta) (September 2022):

• X-Plane 12 initial version release.

XP11 - v1.0e (29th November 2020):

• When on the ground, tail-wind component caused Compressor stall on some situations was fixed. 

XP11 - v1.0c (21th September 2020):

• Minor Fix - Oxygen system tuneups:
  • Oxygen regulator mode adjustments, which were previously set to supply 100% when the valve is opened, and now the regulator is set to deliver more Oxygen with increasing altitude (should be 1.0 liter/min per 10,000 of pressure altitude up to about 34,000 feet).

XP11 - v1.0a (9th September 2020):

• Vne reset fix in situations which after fatal crash and resetting the flight (instead of reloading the aircraft), it remains lower than the normal baseline.

XP11 - v1.0 (3th September 2020):

• X-Plane 11 - initial version release.