Vampyre

Great idea. For the people who want to pretend DCS is another game entirely, let the game modification people handle it. Heatblur shouldn't waste time on frivolous unrealistic "features" when the true naval version will be worked on immediately after the land-based version as has been previously stated in this very thread. Those who know about naval Phantoms know that the changes required are more than just invisible hookups to the catapult. The Phantom has to maintain a critical angle of attack to achieve a proper flyaway attitude. The F-4E cannot extend its nose strut and therefor will have difficulty achieving flyaway attitude before hitting the water without excessive wind over deck. If you have to do excessive wind over deck you might as well put it at 190kts in the mission editor and lift off vertically. I doubt Heatblur would want to mar their reputation with unrealistic capabilities built into their modules in any case.

The J never got the slats. Early S models didn't have them either but were later retrofitted with them. The Slat setup on the Navy S was different than that installed on the E/F/G's.

Well, it's been my experience that, even in a war, this was never an issue. The limitations are trained to by the aircrew. I have never seen gross overspeed conditions caused by pilot incompetence that have caused a TFOA of the landing gear doors. Even minor landing gear overspeeds not involving a TFOA are very rare.

Yes. This can be found in the A1-F18AC-NFM-000 dated 15 Sep 2008 on page I-2-65 paragraph 2.10.1.4 titled Landing Gear Warning Lights/Tone. The indicator that something is wrong will be the landing gear handle illuminating red in the up position. The airspeed limitations for the landing gear extension/retraction/extended is 250 Knots (DCS seems to have a little buffer zone above 250 before things start to break). The airspeed limitations for the Refueling Probe, Landing Gear, Tires, Trailing edge Flaps and Canopy can be found in figure 4-1 of the before mentioned NFM-000. The Hornet systems are all tied together electronically and communicate with each other. The landing gear are still in transit as far as the airplane knows and will not allow you to use the weapons systems. Bubble gum won't fix that. The key is to operate the aircraft within its limits. If you don't have access to the actual aircraft manual, Chuck Owl makes an excellent guide for the F/A-18C and many other airframes as well. Chuck’s Guides – DCS F/A-18C Hornet | Mudspike

The F-4E was not used in Bolo. They were F-4C's.

I love a good speculation thread... You are such a tease Wags. F-111E/F OV-10A/D+ Bronco CH-53E Super Sea Stallion AH-1F Cobra

I'm only buying the N Aus map if it comes with Salties... We really need an incentive to aim our flaming fireball towards the not wet.

Odd that interviewers never mention the F-111F as a potential candidate. When the addition of the F-4E DMAS/ARN-101, and eventually the A-6E, a lot of the tech to make the F-111F will be available- TF-30 Swing wings A/G Jester AI Multicrew PAVE Tack GBU-15 AG Radar Seems like a no brainer and yet no one asks about it.

The entire reason for the F-4E DMAS/ARN-101 being sent into combat in the 1991 gulf war from Turkey was to support the F-111E's deployed there with their PAVE Tack pods (which the pods didn't arrive in theatre until after the end of hostilities). The F-111E could drop LGB's, just not guide them itself. There were not enough nighttime precision attack platforms on the northern flank of Iraq. If not for that urgent need, then the F-4E would not have been there at all due to an unwillingness to further complicate the logistics trail. The 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Clark Airbase in PI was relocated to Elmendorf AK due to the eruption of Mount Pinatubo. The F-4E was replaced by the F-15C and F-15E in the then renamed 3rd Wing at that time. The F-4E was all but out of regular USAF service in 1991 but was still used but the ANG and USAFR for a few years more.

My wants in order post F-4E DMAS release- F-111E/F F-4J/S F-4G Wild Weasel V F-4D F-4N RF-4C/E F-4B/C

Walleye was a Navy weapon. For an Air Force F-4E, I would expect to see a GBU-8. The DMAS version will have GBU-15 which is a much more capable weapon. AGM-78 was a weapon used by the F-4G and a limited number of modified Israeli F-4E's. The US standard F-4E was only capable of using Shrike ARM's to support the SEAD mission. I'd love to have a hunter killer team of F-4G's to hunt SAM sites and an F-4E's to kill them with.

You sir are correct. AIM-7F will be the latest the F-4E will be able to use. The AIM-7M will be used by the F-4S.

OP, keep in mind that these photos are of F/A-18A's aboard the Ike.

The ARN-101/DMAS birds did not replace the standard F-4E in service. Both were operated at the same time right up until the end of service (early 90's) of the F-4E in the US. Depending on the timeframe Heatblur models the standard F-4E to (which we do not yet know) it could very well have AIM-7F and AIM-9M. If they limit it to a Vietnam era bird then expect AIM-9B/E Sidewinders, AIM-4 Falcon, and AIM-7E/E-2 Sparrows. I suspect that Heatblur will model the latest version of the two types to allow for the greatest range of use within the DCS environment. Mission makers have the option to limit the weapons included in the mission editor as they see fit but cannot add weapons to fit a more modern environment. The PAVE Knife was an F-4D pod so don't expect that one for use on the F-4E at all.

Depending on the timeframe Heatblur model the aircraft to, the standard Phantom should be capable of launching Maverick, Shrike, Sidewinder up to AIM-9M, Sparrow AIM-7E to AIM-7F, LGB's with the PAVE Spike pod, and a variety of iron bombs, rockets and other ballistic weapons. The Standard F-4E will be visual bombing like the F-5E does in game now and navigation will use an older INS and depend more heavily on the mental capabilities if the aircrew. The ARN-101/DMAS F-4E will have all of the above minus the PAVE Spike. It will gain the PAVE Tack pod and the capability to use the GBU-15. The biggest changes to the ARN-101/DMAS F-4E are in the navigation and visual bombing areas. The installation involved a digital integrated nav/attack system with LORAN-C integration, and updated RADAR, Autopilot, Lead Computing Optical Sight system, and new displays in the rear cockpit. The ARN-101/DMAS system can hold 99 waypoints, calculate time in route, time over destination and cross track errors. The LORAN-C integration greatly improves navigation capability by essentially removing drift errors of the original INS as it is constantly being updated. ARN-101 allowed the aircrew to fly hands off along a pre-planned route and allowed for hands off precision approaches. ARN-101/DMAS gave the Phantom a true night and all weather capability. Most of the changes pertain to the WSO seat. The biggest front seat change is the inclusion of CCIP bombing and it also has a blind bombing mode as well.

It's not a 131 but here is a photo of what looks like an ALQ-119 and PAVE Spike mounted at the same time. I think it is at least possible, if not probable, that this is a valid configuration .

I'm sure it will be considered when Heatblur get around to making an F-4S. Right now they are working on the F-4E which is why you don't see a lot of requests for fictitious Navy and Marine Corps skin requests. I have a number of want's for skins when they do start working on the Navy and Marine versions of the Phantom.

Regarding the AIM-9L/M, the F-4E (both Standard E and DMAS birds) definitely had them in the late 80's. You see the CATM's for the missiles appearing in photos in 87-88 so it isn't out of the realm of possibility on them first being incorporated on the F-4E sometime in the mid 80's timeframe. Of course, Navy and Marine F-4J/N/S Phantoms got them in the late 70's (L) but they were still doing fleet air defense as their primary mission in Navy air wings. That combined with the need for the Air Force to equip its most modern air superiority platforms with the AIM-9L/M first means that the Air Force F-4's being mainly interceptors and fighter/bombers had to wait for the better missiles to trickle down to them... and someone had to use the large stocks of older/modified missiles that had not yet expired. The AIM-9P-4 and P-5 missiles were upgraded AIM-9J/N/P missiles that incorporated either the AIM-9L (P-4) or AIM-9M (P-5) seeker heads. The F-4E wasn't toothless when it came to all aspect heat seeking air to air in the 80's. I would hazard a guess that the F-4E was capable of using the L/M much earlier than 86/87 but those missiles were only being issued to F-15 and F-16 wings at the time. The DCS mission editor allows us to limit the use of these weapons as the mission maker sees fit for simulating earlier time periods where these weapons are out of place. I for one am looking forward to some 3rd gen tail chasing dogfights.

Thas depends entirely on its opponent.

I'd like to have a A-10A prior to the LASTE modification. Pre-LASTE A-10A flew from 1978 to just after Desert Storm. The FC3 A-10A is a 90's upgrade.

There are two things you can do. First, when you pull up the loadout screen in the MP server you can right click on the individual stations which will pull up a drop down menu with a list of all of the weapons available for that particular weapons station. Second, you can open up the mission editor before joining the MP server and create a mission with an F/A-18C lot 20 (or any other platform for that matter) and if you have the correct mission set for the server you want to fly on you can create a premade loadout. The key to the premade loadout is the correct mission set for the module on the MP server you want to fly on. The default loadouts for CAP mission set for the Hornet are all AIM-7/AIM-9 loadouts.

Top view and bottom view.

The expert simmers are the ones who will appreciate it the most. The gamers on the other hand... well, gamers are going to game. Having the most advantages possible is important to them. I'm looking forward to the MB-339A, especially for use in the Falklands map that RAZBAM are doing. The G-91R looks interesting as well and it, along with the MB-339A, is a good addition to the Cold War line up in DCS. Looking forward to your future endeavors as well.

DMAS- Digital Modular Avionics System. The ARN-101 is the Bombing/Navigation Computer.