DCS

[Gambit21]

1 hour ago, sevenless said:

 

Do you happen to know the difference between "Mosquito Intruder" and "Terror in the starboard seat" both by Dave McIntosh? Different publishers, but same book?

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mosquito-Intruder-Dave-McIntosh/dp/0719539188/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Mosquito+Intruder&qid=1630512126&sr=8-1

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Terror-Starboard-Seat-Unnamed/dp/0773600825/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Terror+in+the+starboard+seat&qid=1630512185&sr=8-1

 

 

I mentioned this earlier - they’re the same.

 

I made the mistake of ordering both last year. 

 

The bonus of doing that, my Terror in the Starboard Seat” was signed by the author.

[DD_Fenrir]

The Men Who Flew the Mosquito by Martin Bowman gives some excellent accounts across the gamut of Mosquito ops throughout the war.

 

If the night fighters tickle your pickle then make a bee line for a copy of Lewis Brandon’s Night Flyer - it’s a fascinating insight into the technology and techniques of (and the problems faced by) the operators during the development and eventual ascendency of the RAFs night fighter force.

 

Edited September 1, 2021 by DD_Fenrir

[dburne]

Earlier this year I decided come hell or high water I was going to put the effort into finally learning how to fly combat in the Hornet.

Here I am months later, flying and enjoying the heck out of campaigns. I have now logged over 250 hours in the Hornet.

I have now gotten to where I can cold start every mission without issue and without needing to reference any materials.

Most weapons I can now set up and use also without referencing any materials. And boy is it a blast.

 

Have flown a few campaigns now, so far all based off the Super Carrier. Operations both night and day, poor and good weather. There is another new campaign coming with the Hornet based on the Syria map. Really looklng forward to that one, hopefully before the end of the year,

Seems I just can't get enough now of Hornet flying. I have the Viper also and intend to learn it next, just hope I don't forget much of what I have learned in the Hornet. 

 

And the reason I choose the carrier ops campaigns - well it is the Super Carrier, and let me tell you climbing in that Hornet in VR with everything life sized and operating off that carrier, whooee what a rush.

 

 

[Lusekofte]

@dburne

I will never have the time to do that hours 

But I have been pretty methodic about the choppers in this game.

And I remember it all. So you are good to go Viper

[BladeMeister]

 

S!Blade<><

 

 

 

 

 

[DBFlyguy]

 

[Lusekofte]

3 hours ago, DBFlyguy said:

 

Damn you

I said I do not want it. I mean it.

 

I think

 

It might be worth the effort.......

Edited September 3, 2021 by LuseKofte

[DBFlyguy]

58 minutes ago, LuseKofte said:

Damn you

I said I do not want it. I mean it.

 

I think

 

It might be worth the effort.......

The Kiowa was gonna be my first helo purchase but seeing how Polychop still can't get their crap together, it'll be the Apache.  Looking forward to checking it out.  I'm still gonna hold off until I see a few reviews though.

[Bremspropeller]

TOMCATS!

 

On sale.

 

 

[AndyJWest]

25% off? I shouldn't. I'll never get to use it properly. I'm still struggling to learn the Hornet, and as soon as I move to anything else, I forget it all again. Definitely not a good idea. If I really need a Tomcat fix, I can play it free for a couple of weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

...but my willpower has finally run out. I've just bought it. Yay! Tomcats!

[Bremspropeller]

You can be my wingman any time!

[AndyJWest]

1 hour ago, Bremspropeller said:

You can be my wingman any time!

 

Thanks for the offer, but I think I'd best stick to single player. Less distractions, and less embarrassing.

 

Speaking of embarrassing, I'm not sure that an AOA of minus 61 degrees is recommended in NATOPS. ?

 

That's what happens when you pull into a vertical climb from supersonic, and carry on upwards until you run out of airspeed, just to see what happens. I've no idea what you'd call the manoeuvre I did at the top, but it had nothing to do with any control movements I made. It was at this point I remembered that the F-14 can get into an unrecoverable spin. Fortunately though, it didn't, this time, and I even managed to land the thing without misery-guts in the back complaining or punching out. 

 

 

 

[Lusekofte]

4 hours ago, AndyJWest said:

willpower has finally run out. I've just bought it. Yay! Tomcats!

the only jet purchase I have not regrette. It is just a gem. A real best of all sim plane

Edited September 3, 2021 by LuseKofte

[dburne]

OMG that Apache!!

I must absolutely have it!

[Gambit21]

3 hours ago, AndyJWest said:

25% off? I shouldn't. I'll never get to use it properly. I'm still struggling to learn the Hornet, and as soon as I move to anything else, I forget it all again. Definitely not a good idea. If I really need a Tomcat fix, I can play it free for a couple of weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

...but my willpower has finally run out. I've just bought it. Yay! Tomcats!

 

Andy, if there’s a single DCS module that one SHOULD buy, it’s the Tomcat.

 

It’s what ultimately pulled me into DCS.

1 hour ago, AndyJWest said:

 

Thanks for the offer, but I think I'd best stick to single player. Less distractions, and less embarrassing.

 

Speaking of embarrassing, I'm not sure that an AOA of minus 61 degrees is recommended in NATOPS. ?

 

That's what happens when you pull into a vertical climb from supersonic, and carry on upwards until you run out of airspeed, just to see what happens. I've no idea what you'd call the manoeuvre I did at the top, but it had nothing to do with any control movements I made. It was at this point I remembered that the F-14 can get into an unrecoverable spin. Fortunately though, it didn't, this time, and I even managed to land the thing without misery-guts in the back complaining or punching out. 

 

 

 

 

Good job!

I trapped it in my first carrier outing, after 4 bolters. Got her down in one piece though on the 4 wire.

[AndyJWest]

I had briefly flown the Tomcat before, a year or so back during one of the free-to-play events. And even managed a carrier landing, which I should still have video of. Didn't seem wise to try that without a bit more refamiliarization though, so I went for a quick mission from land. Not that DCS made that easy, since they'd gone for the 'spectacular lighting effects at sunset' option, rather than visibility. Losing sight of the runway on the downwind leg made it a lot harder than it needed to be. ?

 

As for the Tomcat being the 'must buy' DCS module, it is certainly up there with the Hornet and the Huey. I'd just held off buying it in the hopes of mastering the Hornet first. Which I probably never will because of old brain and too many distractions. 

 

I should at least be able to learn the basics of this beast enough to get some fun out of it though. Is there a command for asking Jester where the %*@# the runway is?

[Bremspropeller]

1 hour ago, AndyJWest said:

Is there a command for asking Jester where the %*@# the runway is?

 

Sorta. If you have a TACAN on that %*@# runway ?

 

Just hit the DUCK IT button and buy it.

[Gambit21]

TOMCATS!!

[AndyJWest]

29 minutes ago, Bremspropeller said:

 

Sorta. If you have a TACAN on that %*@# runway ?

 

Just hit the DUCK IT button and buy it.

 

I can add portable TACAN in the mission editor if a runway doesn't have it, I think (added sometime last year).  I should probably set up a simple takeoff/landing practice mission somewhere sensible, rather than use DCS quick missions - they often seem to be set up in ways that don't help someone learning a new aircraft.

 

Spot the runway:

 

Turkish runway lights, according to DCS:

 

 

And I don't need to be told to buy it, I already have, after my willpower ran out...

[Gambit21]

31 minutes ago, AndyJWest said:

I should probably set up a simple takeoff/landing practice mission somewhere sensible, rather than use DCS quick missions - they often seem to be set up in ways that don't help someone learning a new aircraft.

 

 

 

I've noticed.

I get a helmet fire trying to set the Tomcat up for a landing with so little time.

[Guest deleted@83466]

I think Tomcat is a lot easier to land on carrier than Hornet.  Lot easier to do AAR too.  FBW screws my brain sometimes.  Using the direct lift thingy to translate vertically without really changing your AoA almost feels like cheating after flying the Hornet.  

Edited September 4, 2021 by SeaSerpent

[Bremspropeller]

7 hours ago, AndyJWest said:

I can add portable TACAN in the mission editor if a runway doesn't have it, I think (added sometime last year).  I should probably set up a simple takeoff/landing practice mission somewhere sensible, rather than use DCS quick missions - they often seem to be set up in ways that don't help someone learning a new aircraft.

 

That's a good idea!

Mr. Smartypants inside me says, try Ramat David and set a little bit of wind - that way you could train different crosswinds and winds on the nose/ tail easily.

 

Will Power often runs out of the building in my zip-code...

 

6 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

I get a helmet fire trying to set the Tomcat up for a landing with so little time.

 

It's the same in the Hornet. When using the quick-missions to carrier-land, they'll spawn you ridiculously close to the boat, with all the switches in the wrong settings.

 

6 hours ago, SeaSerpent said:

I think Tomcat is a lot easier to land on carrier than Hornet.  Lot easier to do AAR too.

 

The DLC helps, but normally it should not be used too often (in the real jet, you could wreck your landing-gear, when landing DLC fully out). As you said, glideslope corrections are easier and quicker, but the lineup can screw you up quicjly with the TOMCAT's dutch-roll behaviour.

 

I find the Hornet to tank like candy from a baby. Mostly because you can actuall see sh1t...

Edited September 4, 2021 by Bremspropeller

[Lusekofte]

Damn. I believed I was a good MI 8 pilot. My licence has been revoked 3 times in 3 missions. On the latest campaign.

Even landing on a cruise in pitc dark was not good enough.

[DBFlyguy]

Casmo isn't even trying to hide his hype for the the 64 anymore, 2 vids in less than 24hrs ?

 

 

 

I'm getting hype too! Serious question... how difficult are the helos in DCS to fly? I haven't touched a helo sim since the Apache v Havoc days, besides ARMA (which doesn't count obviously)... kinda thinking about picking up the Huey just to get an idea ?

Edited September 4, 2021 by DBFlyguy

[Guest deleted@83466]

You’re in luck, because you can try any module for two weeks every six months.   

[DBFlyguy]

3 minutes ago, SeaSerpent said:

You’re in luck, because you can try any module for two weeks every six months.   

 

Not until they had that feature for Steam users unfortunately.

[Bremspropeller]

Here's an important message for @Gambit21 on the Red Courtesy Phone...

 

Spoiler

 

 

[dburne]

Had some great fun today in my continuing campaign flying in the Hornet off the Supercarrier in the Persian Gulf.

Flying the Oil in the Water campaign currently. Today I learned how to enter Pre Briefed co-ordinates for my JDAM bombs.

Start the Hornet up on the carrier, get the co-ordinates from the mission briefing and go ahead and plug them in for each bomb before taking off.

Then off I go  for the mission - head in toward the targets and just wait for the In-Range cue to come on, fire those puppies off and then turn around to start heading back out. And then switch to weapon view and watch those babies do their work.

 

Great fun! Spent literally most all the day today doing mostly this with some tense air to air missions mixed in here and there. 

[Bremspropeller]

 

Wichita 103 on downwind into Sochi...

[Guest deleted@83466]

17 hours ago, Bremspropeller said:

 

 

 

I find the Hornet to tank like candy from a baby. Mostly because you can actuall see sh1t...

When I read this, I just had the realization about all the airplanes in DCS that are capable of AAR, but that I’ve never even actually tried. I’ve never tried it in the Harrier.  Never got to that point in the Mirage.  Never tried it in the JF-17, nor any of the Flaming Cliffs planes. 

 

Looks like I might have some new work to do ?

[busdriver]

3 hours ago, Bremspropeller said:

 

Wichita 103 on downwind into Sochi...

 

LOL...downwind? Wichita 103 must be a Navy reservist with a fulltime gig as a Whale driver for Northwest Airlines. 

[Bremspropeller]

That's what a standard Cessna VFR pattern in Germany looks like.

 

Nah. Wichita had just come in for a surprise supersonic-pass and is hoping somebody took a broom, clearing the movement area of glass and shattered egos ?

And Wichita is down to 1000lbs, because somebody hadn't payd the fuel bill...

 

 

10 hours ago, SeaSerpent said:

I’ve never tried it in the Harrier.  Never got to that point in the Mirage.  Never tried it in the JF-17, nor any of the Flaming Cliffs planes. 

 

The Mugage should be similar to the Hornet (never treid, either). The Harrier is a bit more fun and games. The Jeff is chinese torture. Mostly because you need a calender to measure motor-response.

 

@SeaSerpent check this out:

 

 

Spoiler

https://forums.eagle.ru/topic/281202-a2a-refueling-heres-a-pointer-or-2/

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by Bremspropeller

[dburne]

10 hours ago, SeaSerpent said:

When I read this, I just had the realization about all the airplanes in DCS that are capable of AAR, but that I’ve never even actually tried. I’ve never tried it in the Harrier.  Never got to that point in the Mirage.  Never tried it in the JF-17, nor any of the Flaming Cliffs planes. 

 

Looks like I might have some new work to do ?

 

Yeah I need to get back to learning how to tank the Hornet, tried it a few times and got frustrated. Luckily the campaigns I have been flying either have not needed it or the ones that do have a simple refueling option built in. But I really need to learn how to do it. I am sure I will eventually be flying campaigns that require it.

For me personally I am finding it to be the most difficult thing to learn in the Hornet. They say once you get it your golden , hope I can get to that point.

[Bremspropeller]

*Fortunate Son itensifies*

 

Me and Pancake having fun with Hueys. Flying from Firebase "Whatsername" to Hué on the Vietnam-Server. We're supposed to insert troops.

 

*Huey sounds*

 

The 50nm are...a long flight.

 

But we're flying low, so the scenery is scenic. I get to become acquainted with several dozen families of squirrels.

 

My insertion in Hué was....rough and sudden. My group of mortar-specialists made it out of da choppa alive and relatively unshaken.

The Huey seems to fly away fine. We're getting pinged about an unfortunate aviator taking the silk elevator, so we're on our way, to pick up a friend in need...

 

My note to Pancake, how that dude, sitting in the woods an eating bugs for days must feel great to hear a pair of Hueys slowly chopping in - only to find out tha one of their intrepid aviators managed to trash his aircraft on the way to pick him up...

 

Pankace is slightly amused and almost eats a tree in response...

 

Oh, we were getting trolled by a couple of MiG-19s, but we managed to outwit and outslow them. They seemed bored and effed foff...

 

Getting closer to the downed pilot.

 

Right on top. I'm trying to send in the jungle penetrator.

*Giggity*

 

Pancake going IMC in an all out effort to retrieve the pilot.

 

Even though the scrip doesn't allow for the added distance by the trees around the pilot, we decide that our efforts were valiant enough to warrant a claim for a successful rescue.

 

On the way to a second downed pilot - probaly a crew-mate.

While I'm setting down the helicopter in a friendly village next to the rescue effort to drain my hose, Pancake is coming on the air to tell me the good news that he managed to actaully get the pilot to jump into his helicopter. The downer was that his helicopter is now a wreck lying next to the downed pilot.

 

A real bummer. The last thing I'm remembering is a group of friendly people, franticly waving their AK47s and firing shots of joy into my direction. Probably to commemorate the arrival of the godly bird-man in his noise-machine, or something the likes of that...

[AndyJWest]

I think this is what a downwind leg is supposed to look like.

 

What the image doesn't capture though is the in-cockpit experience. Sheer panic as I check yet again that I've got everything set up right (e.g. wings sticking out, wheels sticking down, and AoA indexer somewhere in the vicinity of plausible, for a start), while asking myself why this feels more like crossing Ypers in a Mk IV Tank than flying an aeroplane. I think it's partly down to the incessant rattling, and partly due to the impending sense of doom. At this sort of speed, the Tomcat seems to me to be held up more by charisma than by aerodynamics, and I'm convinced it would fall out of the sky like Tinkerbell if I stopped believing in it.

 

 

 

[Bremspropeller]

Here's some emotional support

 

 

 

As a note:

During daytime, I'm always pulling the red filter on the HUD for the landing. That thing is just atrocious, so it's better not to look at it at all...

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by Bremspropeller

[Hoots]

8 hours ago, AndyJWest said:

I think this is what a downwind leg is supposed to look like.

 

What the image doesn't capture though is the in-cockpit experience. Sheer panic as I check yet again that I've got everything set up right (e.g. wings sticking out, wheels sticking down, and AoA indexer somewhere in the vicinity of plausible, for a start), while asking myself why this feels more like crossing Ypers in a Mk IV Tank than flying an aeroplane. I think it's partly down to the incessant rattling, and partly due to the impending sense of doom. At this sort of speed, the Tomcat seems to me to be held up more by charisma than by aerodynamics, and I'm convinced it would fall out of the sky like Tinkerbell if I stopped believing in it.

 

 

 

Little anecdote, my dad flew F4s and had a double flame out in this configuration. It did indeed fall out of the sky. The forestry commission complained about the hole in their forest. 

[DD_fruitbat]

F4 Phantom has been confirmed by ED, and 'quite soon' in recent Russian intivew!

 

Whoop whoop!

 

Quote

Key moments from the just released interview with Eagle Dynamics (in Russian)
 

     
 

    
        
    

     
 

     
 

    - ED is going to make a transport/cargo plane (the devs gave it a thought and decided that it's worth a shot). Details will be announced "in due time".
 

    There's a VERY small hint that this could be a WWII era module, but this is just my assumption, so don't quote me on this - ED haven't said anything specific.
 

     
 

    - AH-64: still on track to be released this year, there shouldn't be any delays. More than 15 SMEs are working on it (for comparison: typical ED module only has 2 or 3 assigned experts). Still, the team prefers real-world documents and data (if available) over the SMEs opinions, especially when they contradict each other.
 

     
 

    - At the moment, no 3rd party modules are queued for ED's review/certification. They haven't seen Kiowa or F-15E yet, so have no idea of their current status and quality.
 

     
 

    - F-4 Phantom is "definitely coming to DCS, and quite soon".
 

     
 

    - GCI/AWACS module: on the wishlist, but is kinda challenging. Maybe someday.
 

     
 

    - VR. This is now a priority task for ED to make it significantly better.
 

     
 

    - Updated manual for the Mission Editor will be released this Fall.
 

     
 

    - In development: improved infantry models with new animations. Improved infantry' pathfinding logic. "We're actively training our paratroopers right now". All older AI units will get the new models, eventually (inlc. S-3B).
 

     
 

    - The World War II Marianas will be released as a standalone map - not as a "time layer" for the current map, as suggested earlier. The map is still in pre-production.
 

     
 

    - Users should expect "appropriate vehicles, ships and planes" to be released for the 1944' Marianas.
 

     
 

    - The devs are still committed to make the full fidelity MiG-29 once the Black Shark 3 is released.
 

     
 

    - Dynamic campaign: initial release will be limited to single player. Multiplayer mode will be added later. "We're big fans of Falcon BMS".
 

     
 

    - Chizh: the devs are quite satisfied with the controversial R-27ER's FM rework. Another round of fine-tuning in different modes is planned for later, but this could result in a slightly nerfed stats. Same overhaul is planned for the R-77, but it will be much more challenging, because of the missile's grid fins and the lack of unclassified data.
 

     
 

    - Several dedicated devs are currently assigned to upgrade all air-to-air missiles to the new flight model. Once done, they'll gonna rework the proximity fuzes.
 

     
 
https://forums.eagle.ru/topic/97330-dcs-roadmap-unofficial-no-discussion-here/?do=findComment&comment=4766714

 

 

[DD_fruitbat]

11 hours ago, AndyJWest said:

I think this is what a downwind leg is supposed to look like.

 

What the image doesn't capture though is the in-cockpit experience. Sheer panic as I check yet again that I've got everything set up right (e.g. wings sticking out, wheels sticking down, and AoA indexer somewhere in the vicinity of plausible, for a start), while asking myself why this feels more like crossing Ypers in a Mk IV Tank than flying an aeroplane. I think it's partly down to the incessant rattling, and partly due to the impending sense of doom. At this sort of speed, the Tomcat seems to me to be held up more by charisma than by aerodynamics, and I'm convinced it would fall out of the sky like Tinkerbell if I stopped believing in it.

 

 

 

 If Jester hasn't punched out, it can't be to bad ....  he hasn't appreciated some of my extremely low level before, and is a bit of a pussy about flying underneath bridges....

 

However,  you know you nailed it when..

 

 

[[DBS]Browning]

2 hours ago, DD_fruitbat said:

F4 Phantom has been confirmed by ED, and 'quite soon' in recent Russian interview!

 

2055 is going to be a good year!