Prop Pitch and Radiator settings.

[Zoo]

I'll start with radiator settings as it's the thing I've actually touched while flying. When my engine starts to over heat I open the radiator, on a lot of plane this fixes the problem, but I was wondering if someone could either link me to, or explain proper usage of a radiator. I mean there must be some advantages to having it open or closed.

Prop Pitch. Was reading about it being important to "control a pony" in a dogfight and was wondering what prop pitch did. Basically same as the above as it's one of the few things I'm yet to understand.

[:FI:Sneaky_Russian]

Radiator
Depends a lot on the AC you're flying.
Most AC will run at just below 100% throttle all day without using the rad.(or at least till the gas runs out). Murphys law states that at full throttle your engine will not overheat until you contact the enemy.

Prop Pitch

Some AC have auto prop pitch - Don't select "Manual" (Shift/0) on Axis planes, you'll fry the engine in less than a minute. Manual pitch can be useful with Spits though.

Reducing pitch in a dive will prevent over-revving of engine.

Reduced pitch will help in reducing "torque effects" during take off and ,especially , landing.

When you're low on fuel dropping the pitch to about 60% will get you a lot further, (unless you're being chased by 3 Fw 190s ).

[Zoo]

Thanks for the reply. So really, until I want to take my dogfighting or flying to the next level, I don't really need to worry about prop pitch.

So what's the disadvantage of having the Rad open?

[:FI:Sneaky_Russian]

Thanks for the reply. So really, until I want to take my dogfighting or flying to the next level, I don't really need to worry about prop pitch.

So what's the disadvantage of having the Rad open?

Drag and vulnerability to bullets.

[:FI:Murph]

"Prop Pitch" is not really what's going on with the American and British planes, though that's what the game calls it. What's really being set with this on these planes is RPMs, since they have what's known as a "constant speed" prop.
This means the prop self adjusts to maintain whatever RPM has been set by the pilot.
Lowering RPMs in a dive can prevent compression of controls and structural damage to the plane itself. It's very useful for controlling dive speed in ground attack and when bouncing another plane from an altitude advantage. Lower the RPMs in the dive and raise them again when zooming back up.

[:FI:Heloego]

Murph is very correct!
Prop Pitch:
It's amazing that with as much devotion to detail as is present in the sim that these apparently slipped by Oleg!
Check your RPM indicator...there's an "arc" usually defined by red boundaries or a white arc. These are the RPM you want to maintain to achieve the best fuel consumption rate, and least stress on the engine. Should you suffer damage to your Prop Governor ("Pitch Control") you'll need to adjust your Throttle manually to maintain recommended RPM. This is, of course, a mixed blessing since you may have to sacrifice speed but it may be all that gets you home.

Cowl Flaps:
As mentioned by Sneaky, open Cowl Flaps produce drag, which is not a good thing. But they allow for better cooling of the engine, which is a good thing.
Each aircraft is different, so the main thing to remember is to ask yourself which is your immediate priority...Speed or Cooling, and monitor temps as often as practicable.
Things to remember:
1. German acft tend to overheat at settings lower than "8", especially in hot/humid climates.
2. The hotter climates generally require higher settings to maintain cooling in all acft, especially at lower altitudes.
3. The higher the engine performance, the higher the tendency to overheat, requiring more frequent monitoring of temps.

See Goat Skies for additional information: http://home.comcast.net/~heloego/home/_sgg/f10000.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope it helps.