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For the first time in the 5 years I have been playing DCS, I ran out of gas in the middle of a mission without knowing I was even low. This thing is just like a 60’s American muscle car…it’s less about miles per gallon and more about gallons per mile. So…while I knew how to refuel in probe and drogue (sp?) aircraft (F/A-18, F-14 and Mirage 2k), I never learned how to refuel on the boom. Only one I fly that can is the F-16. While I tried a few times to learn, I was swaying and porpoising too much. Well, in comes the phantom. I have quickly realized that if I intend on flying missions with any semblance of realism, then it doesn’t matter if I have two wing tanks or one centerline….im going to have to be able to refuel this thing. in a dogfight, this puppy is locked in burner the whole time and you can watch the gauge drop. So, I gave it a shot. It took me a good 5 minutes but once I got a handle on it, I did it without much issue. It was ALOT easier than the F-16. I found it more stable and not so “twitchy”. I used RUDDER inputs to move left/righy as well as using trim for up/down; much more stable than the Viper. So, the moral of the story is that if you want to fly realistic missions in this jet- you will HAVE to learn boom-style aerial refueling. So, for those like me who gave up refueling the F-16 (or never tried), give it a shot. After all…you don’t REALLY have a choice!

We finally got a video from GVad. F4 vs A unreleased WIP Mig-17F Module with a superimposed TacView. A really good watch, wish he released a version with all the fights

VA-45 was known for carrying sidewinders on outer pylons and there are images. It was their standard loadout, 2 outer sidewinders, 2 tanks and sometimes MK-82 on centre, there is even an interview from a pilot who used to fly them mentioning they carried them on intercepts. It has been discussed at length in the A-4E Discord feel free to read the arguments made by everyone. AIM-9J can be mounted on the A-4E there is nothing preventing it, it's there for people to use if it fits with their goals. If you do not want to use it then you can restrict it through the mission editor.

Heatblur, Congrat's on a great launch for the F4, it hasn't disappointed i will just start with that! However certain aspects are questionable for VR and general use, the bombing table calc being one of them. This is not down to the window size or location which i know is work in progress. Release altitude, with click up and down - why is it in such low feet increments, its practically useless as would take minutes holding the mouse upto 15,000 or higher. Why not have it in blocks of 500 feet makes ALOT more sense, for VR and non VR alike. So each press of the button cycles up 500 feet (with blocks of 50 feet below 500). Have the table default to 3000 for quick alterations either way. Airspeed - same really blocks of 25 i would suggest starting at 300 but default value being 450. Also the one thing that is really needed for usability is a keyboard scratchpad built into that page so we dont have to try and fumble with the keyboard - its a non starter in VR and cumbersome to say the least. Needs some dev time for sure to make it usable. Another option would be in the jester wheel to have some preset release airspeeds and altitude's. Target altitude could be set with a jester wheel that takes you into a 0-9 wheel. Hope this helps but really feel like it needs more meat on the bones.

31 May 2024 Dear Fighter Pilots, Partners and Friends, In a recent newsletter, we discuss the upcoming enhancements to the DCS: F-16C Viper’s navigation system. In order to provide more details of this complex system, we have prepared a GPS + INS Whitepaper. We look forward to your feedback. The upcoming DCS: F/A-18C Operation Mountain Breeze Campaign by Sandman Simulations will offer 15 immersive missions with comprehensive briefings and debriefings, told through voice actors. This campaign, as well as the F-16C navigation system enhancements will be in the next DCS Update. Stay tuned! Thank you for your passion and support. Yours sincerely, Eagle Dynamics INS + GPS for F-16C Development White Paper The navigation system on the DCS: F-16C Viper is a complicated mixture of technical solutions that supplies the navigation avionics with coordinates, velocities, and angles that are characterized by precision, availability, integrity, and autonomy. This is achieved by the cooperative work of the Inertial Navigation System (INS) and Global Positioning System (GPS) whose navigation inputs are processed through a Kalman filter in the Modular Mission Computer (MMC). Let’s discuss each of the components in detail in the F-16C Viper GPS + INS Whitepaper. Operation Mountain Breeze Campaign by Sandman Simulations In the fall of 2015, the Syrian Civil War rages between the rebels and Syrian government forces. The involvement of several foreign powers, ISIS, and Hezbollah in the conflicts further escalates tensions. The USS Theodore Roosevelt’s Air Wing has been tasked to establish a no-fly zone over the western parts of Syria to prevent attacks on civilians. This story-driven campaign places you in the boots of a junior, US Navy pilot of the VFA-131 Wildcats squadron. Your skills as an F/A-18C pilot will be tested across 15 challenging missions. You'll receive detailed mission briefings with charts and kneeboards that can be accessed both in-game and PDF briefing documents. Detailed briefings are provided by the squadron skipper and flight lead using “in-game” mission briefings. Performance-based feedback will be provided after each mission. Voice-overs narratives between missions enhance immersion and create a compelling and varied experience. Prepare for intense dogfights, close air support, SEAD, and strike missions. The Skipper has high expectations for you! Hopefully, you can meet them. We trust you enjoyed the DCS: F-16C GPS + INS Whitepaper. Please stay tuned for next week’s DCS Update! Thank you again for your passion and support, Yours sincerely,

Hello, with the recent launch of the F-4E Phantom the mod saw less attention than in the prior weeks Nevertheless, some progress was made: seabat has created updated 8k liveries for the F-8 Crusader: And today another break-through was finally reached with the Seasprite. It now takes-off and lands properly, at least according to some first tests: Cheers, TeTeT

Believe it or not, the F14 did have a provision for the flaps and slats to automatically retract. If the flap handle was in the normal range (ie, not in emergency), then an overspeed that exceeded 225 KIAS would auto retract the main flap panels. However, this feature was removed in an airframe change (AYC 660P1). I am not sure of the actual timeframe of the change, but I never flew an aircraft that had the auto retract capability. Auto retract was originally confined to certain BuNo's, but was removed in all aircraft by the airframe change. I'm not 100% sure why it was removed, but if memory serves, it was likely due to inadvertent retractions occurring below the 225 KIAS trigger speed. Exceeding 225 KIAS with the landing flaps extended is one of the three states that activates the "Reduce Speed" warning light, so all F14 aircraft will show that warning. All F14's also have an AUX FLAPS blow back feature due to a bypass valve located within the aux flap control section of the combine hydraulic system. So technically, the F14 does have a blow back feature, but only for the AUX FLAPS.

http://f4.manuals.heatblur.se/cockpit/pilot/left_console/center_section.html?highlight=afcs#afcs-control-panel STAB AUG: YAW, ROLL, PITCH -> ENGAGE AFCS->OFF, ALT->OFF

Thank you guys, it makes us very happy, if it makes you happy. That's all this is about.

And gatekeeping, it seems.

Another Solution and or temporary workaround is to include some new * slow * keybindings for Trim that is 0.25 instead of 1. I am using @Quaggles excellent DCS Input Command Injector Mod. The default.lua would go here: \Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\InputCommands\F-4E\Input\F-4E-Pilot\keyboard For example the keybinds to use and default.lua file would look like this: return { keyCommands = { { name = _('Trim - Nose Up (Hat Aft) * Slow'), up = iCommandPlaneTrimPitch, pressed = iCommandPlaneTrimPitch, value_up = 0, value_pressed = 0.25, category = { categories.flight_controls, categories.stick } }, { name = _('Trim - Nose Down (Hat Forward) * Slow'), up = iCommandPlaneTrimPitch, pressed = iCommandPlaneTrimPitch, value_up = 0, value_pressed = -0.25, category = { categories.flight_controls, categories.stick } }, { name = _('Trim - Left Wing Down (Hat Left) * Slow'), up = iCommandPlaneTrimRoll, pressed = iCommandPlaneTrimRoll, value_up = 0, value_pressed = -0.25, category = { categories.flight_controls, categories.stick } }, { name = _('Trim - Right Wing Down (Hat Right) * Slow'), up = iCommandPlaneTrimRoll, pressed = iCommandPlaneTrimRoll, value_up = 0, value_pressed = 0.25, category = { categories.flight_controls, categories.stick } }, } } After testing, the best way to get the Phantom in level flight is still by using AFCS -Autopilot and ALT Hold. Using the new keybinds for * Slow Trim it is much easier to trim out at + - 500 ft/min vs well over 1000 ft/min using default keybinds. For me all is good and I would expect that Heatblur has more important things to update and tweek before they get to Trim. Cheers. default.lua

Hello, can you add Iranian missiles mod? Like Sejil, Emad, fattah, Fateh 110, Khorramshahr 4, and if you can add Iranian air defenses like 3rd Khordad and Bawar 373, and anti-ship missiles such as the Noor and Nasr missiles and the Persian Gulf anti-ship ballistic missile, it will be great. https://free3d.com/3d-model/iran-missiles-9656.html https://free3d.com/3d-model/iranian-noor-cruise-missile-6936.html https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/sejil-2-7589a1ddbb4e4aa0adccb5097a42dda7 https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/ghadr-1-cf05000a03564ed3adf4b1c71d990624 https://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/iranian-ballistic-missile-models/ https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/military/other/fattah-iranian-hypersonic-missile-3d-model https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/zolfaghar-bb4c4b1f249f4bcfb66d18f746ca55eb https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/emad-fef04dfdbd2743e3b73dafaa70df6772 https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/qiam-16768823cbf5433ab0a570c0959817d6 https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/dezful-ed0a7f56fdcb44de82aaf69ce891ac09 https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/sam-third-of-khordad-51d79d6457474d3398abf2e8d95dd6aa https://www.turbosquid.com/ko/3d-models/3d-bavar-bavar-373-1678220 https://free3d.com/3d-model/taer-2-missile-2700.html https://www.mvrsimulation.com/model/sayyad-4irwhite https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/zolfaghar-road-mobile-missile-ca9474340b7b4ecf800ffa443cb57b7b https://www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/533300 https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/iranian-anti-ship-cruise-missile-model-1643578 https://www.mvrsimulation.com/model/featured/land/khordad-15 https://www.artstation.com/marketplace/p/3VmYb/herz-9-iranian-sam-vehicle

I think it's great that you've recently started publishing a white paper on certain crucial systems. Thank you so much for that. Since you're currently working on the GPS+INS thing, what's the situation with the last part of your radar rework? Will we see an update this summer? You did a pretty solid job with part 2 of your radar rework, so I'm really looking forward to your third and final part. Have a nice weekend to the ED team...

Seriously, it’s embarrassing that an aviation game won’t use a universal aviation convention. Especially something as simple as a reciprocal.

Small test on a multiplayer server --> See .trk + .miz 2 Shilkas in open terrain placed on each side of a main road. First one was locked quiet easy. For the second one Petrovitch didn't saw anything... Before that I tested another mission in solo with a convoy of 04 BTR-80 on the road (a long and straight road without bushes or buildings around it) coming from the south to the city of SANLIURFA (Syrian Map). Petrovitch was unable to report any vehicles... I am very interested in your feedback Test_Petrovitch2-20240531-183529.trk Test Petrovitch2.miz

Bit of a tough one this one considering the limited and oddball sound setup Raz gave the Harrier but its progressing nicely. Cheers. Jafa.

And then there is the AI

Instead of changing springs Buy an extension, BIG improvement in accuracy.

Many pilots like to fly with a little nose down trim, requiring a very light pull while hand flying. It’s a common technique during formation flight to get rid of the deadband around the neutral point in pitch. It’s difficult to convey how one of these jets handles, but they require constant, coordinated trim, power and control inputs. You are never not “flying” the aircraft, especially in pitch. Throw in things like cg changes with fuel burn, coupled with normal atmospheric conditions of realistic turbulence and shear interactions, and no one would be worried about being unable to achieve hands off trim.

Maybe we should simply come down to the fact that in single player - one person has to do two persons job. 'So while a slight "drift" would be nice, I can also accept the current way they have done it.

Mil5 Bo-105 develop update:

We are in a review process currently, overall the dots system is improved on the older system, however I believe there is room for improvement for VR. thank you

Trying to get nose aspect using flood mode to work I came across this odd behavior which doesn't make sense to me. If in the parameters shown in the video at low alt with a high speed closing target I keep the aspect knob set on nose the aim-7 won't track anywhere inside 4nm. If i run the scenario again this time in fwd aspect mode the aim-7 still won't track. However if i run it again but this time once they are within 4nm I quickly switch from nose to fwd aspect and then fire withen 2-3 seconds, the missile will always track, and also if I switch from fwd to nose and fire within 2-3 seconds the missile will always track. I'm not sure if this is a bug but i don't understand why the missile won't track in one mode or the other, but will right after the mode has been switched within a few seconds

The newly updated USNS Henry J. Kaiser AI Ship MOD is coming soon! The Italian AI Ship Mod pack is still a WIP. The Comandati Class Frigate is complete. Testing in progress. Stay Tuned! Thank you all for your patience.

I've just reproduced the problem in the MP mission @Razorback sent me. This time, the convoy is clearly visible on the road through the periscope, and even when Petrovich places the sight right on them, he cannot find them. I'm now searching what causes this before reporting the issue. Maybe it's the weather.

Днём тоже видно)

Hello everyone, the Kiowa will soon be available for DCS, and I take advantage of this post to pay tribute to the crews that I was able to film and photograph in 2008 - 2009 in Kapisa/Nijrab French Tiger Force. I have more photos if you want.

Turbojets vs turbofans. The Phantom makes roughly the same thrust as the F-14A with a less efficient design.

Months later and it still hasn't been fixed... I am now seriously considering whether I will continue to buy any early access modules, be it maps or modules in advance. I'm not a developer, but something as simple as the bullseye not moving to an unreachable position somewhere in the editor must be easy to fix?

INS+GPS F-16C Whitepaper https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/upload/medialibrary/941/fsjcbyvt707ib9q7s7szpsra373gxak7/F-16_INS_White_Paper.pdf

This is related to this: In short some way to tell wingmen to attack a specific aircraft/target without the player having a lock is needed. While flying a recent mission, the need for this request specifically asserted itself. I was flying with 3 wingmen. I ordered 3 and 4 to hang back while I went to intercept four opposing fighters with 2. We killed three of the four, but one survived. My plan was to attack with 2 and then extend to let 3/4 clean up. This will almost never goes smoothly since the AI always prefers to fight to the death, but I accepted that. I was extending away when I ordered 3/4 to attack while also mashing rejoin on 2's menu since I had to press it about twenty times to get a response. 3 began to attack. 4 did nothing because we don't have second element commands. However instead of going after the single fighter twenty miles ahead, 3 engaged full burner and went after a plane one hundred miles away. I didn't notice at first since both enemies were in the same general direction and I was mashing rejoin over and over. It was only when I noticed 3 going past the only obvious threat that I realized what was happening. I ordered 2 to engage but by now he was finally rejoining and got shot down. I couldn't order 4 because no second element or 4 commands, and 3 would not respond to engage bandits because already engaging. I had to swing around and lock the enemy plane heading for me and then order 3 to engage. I could not point out the specific target to attack without locking on to it, which should not be necessary. "Engage my Enemy" could have been used, but if multiple planes were coming at me, who knows where my wingman would have went, and even then it would have been preferable to simply point 3 at the correct target from the start. There is also the issue that before this entire engagement began I wouldn't have been able to sort enemies to engage because while I could see them on datalink, I couldn't lock them to tell my wingmen what to do.

Settling with power and vortex wing state are not the same. One is a power management problem (settling with power) the other is an aerodynamic problem (vortex ring state). Settling with power comes about when you’ve allowed a rate of descent to build that you don’t have power to stop. I.e. you’re descending at 800fpm but only have power to stop a 500fpm rate of descent without over torquing or exceeding engine limits and drooping the rotor. Vortex ring state requires all three of the commonly quoted items to exist at the same time to get into and is the result of the inboard portion of the rotor system developing a second set of vortices that stalls the rotor.

I have a 7900XT(not VR, 1440p monitor). I think Kola is very poorly optimised at this stage. In the Rovaniemi Airport I get a large fps drop if I look a certain way. I don't have any problems with other maps. They seem to have optimised the trees, but I don't understand what causes this fps drop - maybe rendering distance, maybe something else. Great map, but performance needs to be globally overhauled.

Yes the context action is the only really new feature. The rest feels like a step back, to be honest Edit: Also the missing ability to enter digits via headtracking is a huge factor in VR, and I miss the Que Eyeball for the pod

Maybe more will be added during early access, but one thing I really appreciate is the Jester Context Action

//////// 2024 DCS at Pardubice Airshow \\\\\\\\ For the third time We have been invited to Pardubice Airshow in Czech rep. We bring DCS to airshow again. 1th-2nd of June. https://www.aviatickapout.cz/pozemni-program/ Aircrafts: we will see Me-262 and P-51 together https://www.aviatickapout.cz/program OUR PROMO VIDEO null For the third year, we have prepared only minor improvements. Team jackets with badges. and printed leaflets with information about DCS. 1th of June is Children's DAY so We'll expect lot of them. null As last year We will build two showdown cockpits and two PCs with virtual reality for visitors to fly with us in Multicrew (10mins flight). My simpit cockpit will be for test flights of everything. Furthermore, a projector with a microphone, TV screen and a large LCD screen in front of the hangar. We will make report videos and photos. So take a seat in a cockpit. Last Year 2023 photos: https://www.rajce.idnes.cz/paura19/album/aviaticka-pout-2023-simulatory We will make report videos and photos

They were shot down by an SA-2, on one of the biggest days of the air war in Viet Nam. There were hundreds of F4’s airborne that day in multiple engagements across the north. Perhaps you can explain how your MiG theory applies?

Hey thanks a lot, I'm happy to hear it improved the experience. Updating the missions was tedious, but I figured it was worth the effort. MIG Killers is gonna use the same

I'm fine with the whole system going away if the LOD doesn't create giant airplanes at distance.

Tire size and pressures differed for sure. The gear legs were basically identical regardless of which letter followed the “F-4”. But it’s a naval airframe, designed with the strength that was required for naval ops. The ‘no flare’ technique was useful for scrubbing away a few knots on touchdown instantly, which was a boost.

I don't think there's a debate going on in regards to the flight behavior of the F-4E. For me at least, it's the speed of the trimming itself. I have no problem making small trim adjustments as required. As long as the adjustments don't give me 1000-2000 fpm excursions. With my hardware, WinWing Orion2/F-16EX joystick, I can't "flick" the hat quick enough to get the "tiny inputs" you're talking about. And this is what I think the discussion here is about. If I could get it down to trimming with "tiny inputs" via my hardware I'd be happy to trim the jet all day long. As an aside, I have an original B8 grip in my collection and the trim hat on it has very aggressive centering. I doubt you could do a "tiny input" of less than 100ms on the B8 hat. My hardware has much lighter centering and I'd more than likely halve the time per click. Unless a real B8 grip was used to program the current trim timing I'd say there's some valid comments/concerns from users here. Cheers, John

It’s not about constant trimming, I totally agree with you. I love flying the F-5, which needs your constant trimming as well. It’s about how fiercely the trim reacts to your trim input.

Thank you for your advice, but unfortunately, as I said, I live in Iran and I cannot donate. Because we are sanctioned