Kirk66

After the latest update to 2.9.18.12722, the Launches shows modules that I did not purchase as being available for download, with module info in Chinese (i think). Have done full clean & repair, logged out and in to account, reboot PC, etc but still present. Game appears to work correctly, unless I download the modules/campaigns in question, then DCS forces me to stand-alone 24 hr mode. Fixed by deleting the module and campaigns in question. .Note that I have not purchased the module (F-5E FC?) or campaigns in question.

There is an easy soulution to the grass and rocks problem, see this thread: I also just turned off Grass Visibility and Germany finally looks correct. You can finally play some foot on the fields! Try hiding the various files until you find the combination that looks best for you. I think I just hid GermanyColdWar.sd5, Anabasis_setifera.ref, Azalea.ref. Now just need the dirt patches seeded, and a fresh coat of paint on the NATO bases. You still have to dodge the trees on some of the helipads - but I can live with that for now.

Playing with my collective, the case rotates with the collective handle, but the big bolt and round cover do not. So some sort of coaxial clamp working on the inside or outside of the housing cover would work? It would not need a lot of clamping force or friction, just enough to make the collective a bit stiffer in cruise so it would not move when just resting your hand on it.

Any smart guys out there, could you come up with an external manual friction mod for the Virpil Collective base? It would be nice to be able to set the friction loose for takeoff and landing/hovering, then tighten it up for cruise flight. Looking at the hardware, it seems an external knob on the Left side of the base, working on the existing shaft cover, might be doable? Preferably not requiring any changes to the existing Virpil hardware, of course, but I'm not adverse to some drilling of holes if necessary... I'm visualizing something acting via the large center bolt, has a knob that can be adjusted to increase or decrease friction in addition to the default (internal) preset friction, which would be the baseline friction. This kind of external collective friction is present on just about all actual helicopter collective controls. Comments? Vulture

I also have a stick button for seat switching - invaluable for solo flying when you get tired of the teenager in the pit. My sim setup has a center stick as well as a sidestick for F-16 flying, I map the sidestick for the WSO handcontroller, in both seats. Makes using the radar from the front a lot easier. Most serious DCS players probably have an old gaming stick gathering dust somewhere - if it has a trigger, it makes a great WSO radar hand controller - and you can still fly from the pit while working the radar. Perfect for that Warthog stick that you replaced with a Virpil/VPC/Rhino...If you take the spring out - it's exactly like the real thing! (The hand controller in the actual jet doesn't have any centering spring or detent - you just had to know where center was. Took some practice!)

I just read your procedure for solo lofting LGBs, and would add that you can control the TGP from the front seat if you have a spare joystick - map that stick as the WSO hand controller and guide the bomb from the front. If you are ambidextrous, you can fly with one hand and run the pod with the other, but using Attitude Hold is probably a better answer; but at least if you are still in the front seat it's easier to recover if the AP kicks off!

WSOs actually got pretty good at handling the Spike pod during the delivery maneuvers; the key was for the pilot to be smooth in his inputs. And we are not talking a lot of G here, 2 - 3 usually, so not a bad working environment; all you needed really was to keep the target area in sight during the pull off and entry to the designation turn, then get back on target and start lasing.

There really isn't an easy way that I know to do Pave Spike LGB deliveries without a human WSO in DCS at present. It can be done, but flying the jet and running the pod at the same time is a bit much (but a lot of fun to try - kinda like backseat landings). I would use WRCS in TGT FIND, a VIP (freeze/insert) to cue the pod to the target, select track and spike toss the LGB, setup the designation turn, then try to find the target and lase before impact. If you haven't got these documents yet, please get them at: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3335473/ Pave Spike procedures are in 347th TFW DOW NIP #24. LGB delivery parameters are in 3rd TFS Conventional Weapons Planning Guide. Cheers

Nice - gotta check that out - perhaps sneak up there in my trusty Loach...and d'oh, now I see the name on the map image. I have time in the L-13s, L-23s, and L-13AC (acro version with short wings). All are great flying gliders, and the 13AC will do actual snap-rolls - unusual for a glider, and lots of fun! Vulture

There is no reason to wait for the INS to turn on the radios - or any other equipment, for that matter. For the UHF, the limitation is that on battery power, you only have UHF main (no aux). On external power with CNI on but before engine start, you have full radio but are limited to 10 minutes every hour without external cooling (rare - a maintenance thing). UHF can stay on during engine starts (and is usually required anyway for clearance and safety) - there is no issue with switching from external to internal power. INS is not affected by radio at all - it only cares that it has power and is not in ALIGN when the generators are switched to prevent possible power interruption that can dump the alignment. So Jester should really be turning on his UHF just before start on external power (and putting the INS in HEAT), because the pilot will be turning his on to call for a start anyway. And it's the same radio - just two control heads. Perhaps have Jester turn his radio on when the player does in the front seat, or after engine start, whichever comes first. Vulture

Same on the A62 near Ramstein - looks like Belgium! Vulture

OMG Blanik L-13 gliders! What field is that? Vulture

The bridge where the A63 crosses the B423 just West of Glan-Munchwieler, about 8 miles NW of Ramstein AB, would be a nice addition. https://www.google.com/maps/@49.4750436,7.4295488,3a,75y,212.16h,100.91t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s4ig0_VtQcJlf4WjEzs5BoQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-10.908354647223206%26panoid%3D4ig0_VtQcJlf4WjEzs5BoQ%26yaw%3D212.1566986112752!7i16384!8i8192?authuser=0&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDQyMC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D https://www.google.com/maps/@49.4730682,7.4261714,3a,75y,33.05h,107.78t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sPUjObheqUMcLDbJez85o0A!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-17.780196584789167%26panoid%3DPUjObheqUMcLDbJez85o0A%26yaw%3D33.05245451405253!7i16384!8i8192?authuser=0&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDQyMC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D Main reason? I used to drive under it every day on my way to work at Ramstein, back in the late 80s. And it was a nice visual landmark when flying around the local area. And I want to fly under it! And there are some other similar bridges already on the map. Cheers, Vulture

Nice! I'll definitely be giving it a try. Is there also a file for the rocks than can be removed? Vulture

1. Get rid of ALL the random rocks and stones laying around. They are totally out of place, and even show up on tennis courts and football (soccer) pitches - ON A MILITARY FIELD! They only belong in gravel quarries and on mountains, above the tree line. See pic below 2. Need to remove trees from Helipads. Noticed on H FRG-51 (see pic below) 3. The infields of large airfields need to be smooth, short, cut grass, without rocks, scub, or bushes. This is between runways and taxiways, and at least 500 ft or so from the runways. This is maintained to keep birds and animals away, and for safety if a plane leave the runway. Also, unless there is construction, there shouldn't be any exposed dirt. Espcially on NATO bases, these areas are meticulously maintained (gotta keep those draftees busy). See pic below. 4. Is there any way to make water LEVEL? It is disorienting down low, especially in a helo, to see water banked up around a curve or have a steep drop-off. Noticed a particularly bad example just south of Kessel. I realize this may be a baked-in feature of the DCS terrain... Pic attached Otherwise, LOVING THE MAP! Vulture