Swordsman422

Okay, so if development is expanded anywhere, it'll be earlier. We wouldn't be getting all the F-14's final capabilities, but I'd trade that for the F-14 in its youth. But I am extremely happy to get the F-14 blocks Heatblur has decided on. If I could choose only one F-14 variant to get, it'll be a mid 90's B. That's the time and variant I first fell in love with.

I wouldn't mind them doing some add-on modules to this one. Y'know, single-model additions for like $15 that require the main module to function. They could cover early Block 75 and Block 80 jets or use the existing F-14B model with a new pit for a B Upgrade. The avionics suites exist already coded for most of these options. They could make some extra money and the community members could get just the models they want outside the main. An F-14D, just for completion, would need to much extra work that it'd likely cost more. Still, I'd cheer the ability to sim the Tomcat at any point in its career.

If we're gonna nitpick helmets, I can't spare Heatblur that criticism either. A mid-90's F-14B with crew using helmets in a configuration that was out of service by 1988? They should be in HGU-55s or -68s, definitely not -33s with EEK-4 visor assemblies. Never mind that the HGU-33 is iconic thanks to that movie and that the texture work is fantastic. It'll have to be within tolerances, cuz they ain't gonna fix it. They said so. If ED ever gives us an option for the Hornet pilot to be wearing an HGU-87 without the JHMCS and proper reflective tape cover, I'll be happy. If not, I'll rely on the modders to at least knock up decent helmet textures. It won't keep me out of the cockpit.

1. Both went for the tactically vulnerable bandit. Slider had radar contact first and while Maverick was tally-ho first, Iceman had the better position out of formation. In that first turn, the A-4 breaks to the right where Iceman is positioned. As the Tomcats pursue, Iceman is inside the turn and gains position. The following whine was gratuitous and out of continuity. Really neither did this right. The lead should have assigned the shooter position before engaging. 2. This was a 5 v. 1 and then a 5 v. 2. It was a miracle he wasn't shot down along with Hollywood and Wolfman. 3. Swept away Kelly McGillis, of all prizes... Maverick can have her. Yeah, he was arrogant, but he's a Tomcat pilot when they where the kings of cool. Swagger is to be ascribed. He certainly wasn't the unswabbed douchenozzle that Slider was. He was a safer, more disciplined pilot. The older I get, the longer I fly, the more I like Iceman and dislike Maverick. But I do get it. We weren't really supposed to like Iceman. I just don't think he was so bad.

I never got all the hate for Iceman. Slider was the grade-A jerk. Iceman just didn't like Maverick's flying or attitude and he wasn't wrong.

Bought a new PC in November. the one I had was 9 years old.

Depending on the period, there can be a LOT of difference between the A and B besides the engines. The TCS pod and engines aren't the only thing. Early F-14As had different gun gas vents, beaver tail, stiffening plates, wheel hubs, and ECM antennas, and had no pitot tube on the nose cap. The reinforcement plate around the RIO boarding step was also absent. The TCS pod wasn't standard equipment until 1983. Late 1980s F-14As had different ECM arrangements and gun gas vents from contemporary F-14Bs, and may or may not have had the step reinforcement. The NACA vents and Block 140 ECM arrangement wasn't standardized until the mid 1990s, and even then you saw variations between one jet in an F-14A squadron and another. Matter of fact, the RIO step reinforcement was something that every F-14B had, but not every F-14A and not every F-14D, due to some of the Ds being remanufactured As.

Grey's Anatomy? That's terrible. I divorce-level hate that show. If Seattle Grace were a real hospital and I was mortally shot in the entryway to the ER, I'd insist on being taken somewhere else. What toxic dump of a workplace with immature, self-centered, horrible people. I'd no-kidding die of plot, and if not, I'd strangle myself with my own IV line just so I wouldn't have to hear any more inane squabbling over the latest bout of bedroom round robin. Heatblur, get this man a Tomcat!

I think it's probably for the F-4. I think the F-14 had weapon separation issues with the -7E and mainly used the -7F and later. http://www.ejectionsite.com/F-14%20SHOOTDOWN.pdf

Gunslinger, that VF-103 livery should be one of the option for the F-14B 1994 campaign in this module. What an elegant and simple scheme.

Really? The Heatblur skins look kinda clean to me.

I would agree with names specifically. Though unlike the USAF, USN aviators rarely flew the aircraft with their own name on it. The crew to fly was assigned whatever "up" jet was available regardless of what the canopy rail said. But it would still make for an interesting mechanic. But only names. While Navy jets have a history of being fairly colorful, it's enormously uncommon to see personalized nose art applied to an aircraft, to the point where you may as well just skin edit.

I've seen pictures of F-14s with TERs on the forward pylons, but if these are ever loaded with anything, it's BDU-33 training bombs. I've never seen the TERs loaded with GBUs. An F-14 can't even ferry that many.

The different F-14 models had different capacities due to bring back weight restrictions. The F-14As could and often did carry 4 GBU-12s, but the heavier F-14B/Ds were normally not in quad-bomber configuration. They did occasionally carry 3, but not 4. Usually only 2 GBU-16s. If you are wondering entirely about the theoretical vs. operational carriage, F-14s only had 4 hardpoints for bombs and there were size restrictions. Carrying 4 GBU-12s or -16s would be okay, but you start getting into larger sizes and it becomes more difficult to fit 4 weapons in the tunnel. The jets could only carry a pair of GBU-24s and they had to be staggered with one on the port side forward station and the other on the starboard side aft.

Definitely map my keys. After that, any initial training scenarios required to get started up and flying, then I'll insert the F-14 into my free flight scenario and just get used to the jet for a while.

I'm most looking forward to VF-142, VF-143, and VF-102 liveries. I also will have plenty of room for pre-1996 VF-103. Gonne be a good time.

At the very least VF-1 and VF-2 from 1989, VF-74 and VF-103 (still the Sluggers, thank goodness) from 1994, VF-102 from around 1996 and VF-103 from around 2003, based on the artwork we've seen so far and campaign information. But I am certain we'll get far more than that.

Hey, Punk, as a reference to your handle here, why don't you borrow a fictional squadron name from Ward Carroll and use VF-104, the Arrowslingers?

Yeah, some USN, USMC, Canadian, etc unit callsigns would be good. Also, the US units when using squadron callsigns also use the modex number of their aircraft, so instead of "Hobo 1-1" it would be, say "Hobo 405" or whichever jet was being flown. Be nice to see this implemented also.

Does the F-14B campaign remind anyone of the WWIII mockumentary?

My 2nd favorite Tomcat squadron is VF-213. I love their two CVW-8 liveries. So if a D happens, then yes, absolutely I'd get it. The B is still my favorite model. VF-143, VF-11, and VF-32 take up three of the 5 top slots on my favorite squadrons list. VF-142 and VF-102 are just gravy. I'm most excited about this one in the release line-up. The A? I like it. VF-41 is the most accomplished Tomcat squadron pretty much ever. Their combat record is proven. If the F-14 did just about anything combat-related, the Black Aces did it first. VF-211, VF-14, and VF-154 also ended their days in the A-model, and I love them also. My point I guess is, we're getting a Tomcat for DCS, which is awesome. An F-14D would just complete the family, but if we never get it I won't be able to cry much.

All F-14s in US museums either had their engines removed or starved of fuel to destroy them. No museum Tomcat will ever fire up again.

This thread is making me wonder how the OLS is going to function. Will it only exist on the carrier model deck edge or will there be a convenient pop-up overlay like what we got with Jane's F/A-18? The pop-up isn't terribly realistic, but it will probably make it easier to decipher an object that is only going to be a few pixels high at the ball call.

The F-16-30/32 uses the F110-GE-100. The F-14B/D used the F110-GE-400. The -400 is different only in the 50-inch tail pipe extension fitted downstream the augmenter to better fit the F-14 airframe. What affect this as well as intake geometry would have on sound at the "suck" and "blow" ends of the engine I'm not sure.

That's not the only external difference. The F-14D lacked the ALQ fairings by the main gear doors also. The RIO's boarding step reinforcement plate was also not universal on the F-14D like it was the B. Also, while they were in the cockpit, the ejection seats were quite visible from the outside. The F-14B's GRU-7A and the F-14D's SJU-17 are very different.