turkeydriver

Go ask every Rhino driver with less than 1000 hours in the jet why VFC-13, and 111 destroy them in F-5s initially.…..its not about the hardware, its about how you use it.

Don't go for the deck. Climb. Altitude is your friend and missiles with limited rocket motors run out of energy climbing- you give them energy and you're slower and eat up fuel down low. You can run and remain relatively fuel efficient at our about angels 25. Don't max your jet out with 10 draggy SPAMRAAMS. Take some Sparrows and Sidewinders- learn to read what your radar is telling you about the bandits- intercept at a favorable launch position- don't chase bandits when they turn cold- get fast and high and 900 knots closure rate minimum then launch an AIM-7 and go to your gimbal limits minus 5-10 degrees. If they dodge your shot you've got your exit strategy already started. It sounds like you're flying alone- so don't plan on engaging more than 2.

Thank you HB...… silent nod, slight smile. Well Done.

No. Hornet pilots getting shot at by SAMs do not punch off their tanks- just like Tomcat and A-6 pilots. You train with tanks on and fight with tanks on. If you get jumped over an enemy airbase by a super maneuverable bandit with a pair of IR missiles and a gun, you've wasted too much time looking at him instead of killing him, and deserve to get shot down. The F-4 was a different jet, from a different time, that had to fight at high speed. The Hornet is not that kind of jet at all.

Awesome feature!!

We all want to fly the F-14 as a Bombcat. You've missed the point if you're thinking anyone is against bombs. I'm nitpicking against what has been allowed to make it in the sim- as in a test loadout for primarily sales, that was determined to need work (separation issues) and not introduced to the fleet. This loadout was mainly marketing for the Marines who at that point were looking to buy a tomcat bomb hauler. The F-18 was a better buy for them and the Navy didn't see bombs in the Tomcats future at that point. I can't wait to carry 2-4 Guided or unguided bombs with a mix of A-A weapons and a LANTIRN. It will be awesome. For those of us who served, we want the tomcat we served with- nothing more. I admitted it is nitpicking. To HB's credit- they included the 14 bomb load to show what the airframe was capable of- dragging 4 GBU-12 around isn't going to impress anyone to what your true capabilities were. So they included it- and it has silenced a lot of naysayers who didn't know the strike potential of the Tomcat. Hopefully this clears the air. No more nitpicking, waiting patiently for release when its ready.

Tragic. That Phantom driver had to live with a disability and somehow the tomcat driver eventually gets recommended for Admiral.....just weird.

And I've added to the nitpicking...sorry for that Heatblur. The product is leaps and bounds above what we expected, we've just not allowed for any human or technical error whatsoever. we will all be there launch day enjoying it.....once we figure out how to turn it on.

Friggin Laser beams.….ON THEIR HEADS!!!!

To add to my previous post- its more of a reviewer gripe that they are showcasing that loadout and calling it a bombcat. It just doesn't correlate. I know the brus were created and even when the LANTIRN was in testing there was hope to carry a pair of MK-82s either tandem or in tight pairs on the AIM-54 pallet. If you want to advertise a Bombcat preview- throw GBUs on it and get a buddy lase or use just 4 dumb bombs. I know Heatblur is including this because it was flown and if funding permitted- might have been successful one day. I may it try it for fun after the jet releases. I just didn't like seeing it on a VF-102 F-14B. Rant off......apologize for the triggered episode….

straight crap. No F-14B ever carried that bombload. Only the F-14A did in testing and was confirmed a BAD IDEA. Its a fictional loadout because you'll keep bombs with you. I cant believe this loadout is still around. Include as fantasy- like a my little pony paint scheme. A couple F-14As tested this. No bomb racks to support this ever made it to the fleet. No fleet or RAG squadron ever practiced this loadout as a mission set. This is the Ace Combat part of the sim.

The VF-1 Tomcat that got an Mi-8 kill in Desert Storm had the AWG-9 fail IIRC but stated he could still use his AIM-7 in degraded mode- I wonder if he meant illuminator only since its seperate

Some one with more knowledge help me here. AWG-9/ AIM-54/F-14 combo as advertised, tracks 24, shoots 6, and each AIM-54 is coded to its own target. Does this just mean Missile EPROMs hold a register that matches a track file in the AWG-9 computer? I was hoping this meant the missile once coded and fired, could not go mad dog on a blue aircraft. Anyone with knowledge help me out here if you can.

AIM-7E-4 all the way up to the latest AIM-7 in the game.

pretty much the same- The AIM-54C and AIM-120- at least A and B? share the same TWT IIRC.

I just saw a mic drop on the internet......

The color you observe in a photo is what that camera captured. It is close tot he human eye but it isn't. Depending on time of day, temperature, and engine health, the color of the afterburner will have differences. I've seen an F110 on an F-16 look pink purple and the same burner blood-orange. I've seen it look like an opaque torch as natural light fades and I've seen it look transparent and barely visible in the daytime. Fixing a color to an AB is troublesome.

Cross controlling/reverse coupling the tomcat(help me on the term) at high alpha, low speed was possible due to one horizontal stab providing lift (one A-4 wing...ish) and the other an airbrake. the rudders were moved opposite the stick roll(and full aft) input and if you were crafty and lucky and a little stupid the jet would swap ends.....all because one horizontal stab was providing lift and acting as a wing. The above discussion may be restricted to horizontal stab behavior in level flight only, just thought I'd offer that the horizontal stabs can and do provide lift at some point.

We can make it happen. The Sparrow hawk HUD is also installed on the T-6 correct? The HUD modes are in NATOPS, just need to get some PTID images and more info on it. We have a working DDD, that alone amazes me with what they are capable of.

One of these days you'll take physics and learn how to apply it to the real world. Fan boy support or opinion of a tactic or piece of hardware will fade once you start applying the real world math and capabilities to machines. Its not magic, its reality due to physical laws. A well-flown F-14 just might be your introduction to physics.

F-14B and D NATOPS specifically prohibit dual afterburners during airfield takeoff, carrier takeoff, or wave off.

Your Shrike had limited range and could not be carried in an AIm-7 recess -it needed a separate adapter. It also required the launch aircraft to be in range of the SAM site. It was an old weapon by he time the F-14 started maturing and AGM-88 was the standard by then. This was tested for fit and carry on the F-14D but never funded for development further.

Yes but they didn't strap that kit onto a cardboard box- they strapped it onto a tomcat- that is a very advanced airframe and able to carry heavy loads long distances and has a larger screen for the targeting image than your listed aircraft. It is up there with those aircraft but as funded was not able to compete with the number of weapons carried. If the F-14 was prioritized like the F-15E and an equal amount spent to develop it, you would have an aircraft easily as capable.

Yep the F-14 never carried the Shrike. Those are AIM-7s.

He's referring to the high altitude flights you can purchase in a MiG-29 where the sky is black- its up around 70k. To answers the OP's question, I would say the MiG-29 has a higher altitude being lighter than the F-14 but I'm sure you could get an insane zoom climb at Mach 1.8 at 35k ft