Eagle Driver

I seem to recall tales of "Spring '07" and "Sometime '07" featured prominently on lockon.ru back in the pre-DCS days. But yes, "when it's finished" has been with DCS since the start, not BS, although they kept admirably vague about that as well.

Or maybe the screen goes entirely black as the pilot either closes their eyes or passes out from the violence of the ejection. Have it slowly fade back in as you're drifting back earthward.

Five months to get the hang of it!? Don't rush me einstein, I don't think I'll be on quite so speedy a track.

Flight Dynamics is the perfect subject for the next video. After reading Chickenhawk and learning of such things as the "Huey Tuck" I'm suddenly interested in all kinds of helicopter quirks, particularly those specific to contra-rotating models.

Has the Abrams gotten a redo? I remember searching and not finding it. Quite an important piece of kit, obviously.

That sounds like a very good idea actually. At the same time it shows the strengths of the sim's best damage modelling, while at the same time giving players insight as to what they should avoid at all costs. "Chapter One: Avoid Jets" "Chapter Two: Avoid Medium- and Long-Range SAMs" "Chapter Three: Avoid Short-Range SAMS and MANPADS" "Chapter Four: Don't do this *crunch* or this *grind*"

They'd only use the Paveways when on the ground. The helo kill they got was when a chopper was unloading some bad guys, and they dropped. While the weapon was en route, the helo started to take off. The WSO tried like mad to keep the laser on the target, and just when they thought it had missed, the helo blew to a billion pieces. If I was in a MudHen and saw a Kamov on the radar (owned!) I'd probably go for AMRAAM, or maybe steer the LANTIRN or Sniper XL on him for a Maverick shot. Either way, it's not turning out well for the 'Shark as you can surely imagine.

The problem with that is that the MudHen basically NEVER does CAP or Intercept missions, it's simply not what it does. If we get the Strike Eagle and begin mixing it up with Flankers all day and night, it won't really be all that realistic of a scenario because in the real world you just tell the Charlie models to do that kind of thing. Although the classic helo kill via Paveway is definately something to look foreward to. Getting scared now, Kamov pilots?

It gave me pain in my stomach to not hit the F-15 button, but like I've said so many times before, it is already being done. What *isn't* being done is the F-14, which is an incredibly capable fighter. I'm going to ask right now that you don't brand me as some Topgun-brainwashed fool, I laugh at that movie. I have spent many hours talking to an extremely intelligent real-life aerospace engineer who knows everything there is to know about the Tomcat and just about everything about most everything else, and he is a devout F-14D believer. I used to think it was pretty worthless, now I see it's right up there with the Ealge as one of the best air-superiority fighters ever. There are many stories of Eagles getting their aces handed to them by Tomcats, I've seen a picture of an F-14's HUD clearly showing the gun symbology directly on the canopy of an F-15A, right where the pilot sits. I'm not saying it's a better fighter, I don't beleive that, but I am saying it's very good and really worth modelling a High-Fidelity sim like DCS, it's the forgotten member of the Big Four of '70s jets. With a MiG-31 on Iven's side to even it out, it will bring in tons of new players who just love the F-14 with all thier soul, not to mention giving us great carrier gameplay.

It was hard to vote for just one. My cursor instantly locked onto the Strike Eagle like a magnet, but then I remembered that it was already in-progress on another High-Fidelity sim. Then I went to Su-30 (misreading it as Su-34) but I thought "No, I can't allow that thing without a Strike Eagle to balance it!" so then I thought F-111F, but thought that it was kind of old and I would rather have an F-15E anyway. After a minute of deliberation (during which I cringed at the idea of a Tornado several times) I decided to pick the Strike Eagle. If that happens, please, PLEASE give us the Sniper XL targeting pod, that thing is the shizznit!

Definately the Gulf, endless opportunity for US aircraft and older russian ones. It would be interesting to see scenarios where the USSR didn't collapse and sided with Iraq in '91. Because we're going to be seeing the A-10A and AH-64A, this would be an excellent area to have because it crawling with Hawgs and Apaches.

Would be nice to get the whole world, but it would be a downgrade for the Caucusus from what DCS has now. BTW, welcome to the forums, I love your videos.

I don't think it is an immediate concern regarding flight sims. Remember that most aircraft that can be done accurately are over 20 years old. Think about how long we will be having stuff getting declassified - Raptor, JSF, Eurofighter, PAK-FA, Rafale, Su-30MKI, etc.

I, for one, am looking greatly forward to the training process as it will make me much more an Eagle pilot than I ever could by just watching some 15 minute track file with the bare bones basics. I really want to go through the training, even though I would not like to risk my life doing the real thing, nor would I like to exercise alot to get there (exercise is my nemesis) and I'm also only 16 and would like to be an engineer. Get the DVD of the reality show American Fighter Pilot and see if you think differently. ;)

Consider it a challenging goal to be overcome and conquered ;)

We also have to look foreward in counting things "done". Because while the Eagle family and the Viper would not be technically done at this point, we do know that they are in the process of making it into a modern sim. By the time ED finished with what it's got planned already, FighterOps would likely be on the scene, making those jets essentially "done". However, this still leaves room for many others, notably Tomcat and Hornet, which have been left high and dry for well over a decade (I don't count JF-18 because Superbug is technically a whole different jet from legacy). As hard as it is to say it (because I'm an Eagle fan and am suffering from Asthma) I think ED should definately pursue the Su-27 and MiG-29, as the FO team is damn well not going to do it anytime soon, and they're not even close to being overdone (really, LO was pretty shameful compared to what DCS aims for). Tomcats, Flankers, Foxhounds, Harriers, Mirages, Hornets. That should be a good enough list of A2A fighters for DCS until we get a new ED sim with another funky acronym.

Hmmm... I guess the movie Speed and Angels lied when they said USN were the only ones...

What I want most from screenshots is just some hard evidence that the AI has improved. I got sick and tired of watching Su-34's armed with Russia's most advanced A2G missiles going for guns against a Shilka and losing.

Wow, I almost want the MiG after seeing that model, that is delicious! Then again, a Mirage 2000-5 done up like that *sigh* that would be great.

If they want to seek and destroy for sales, they should merge with Bungie and create bullet flightmodels for the Halo series, the games outsell hollywood movies. The F-16 has been done to death and will continue on that plan. Hornets, on the other hand, provide carrier ops (USN is the only Navy to do night carrier landings remember) as well as antiship, all kinds of strike, unique flight characteristics (stall speed resembles that of Cessna) and also opens the door to Canada. Seriously, wouldn't YOU want to fly a plane and see three MFD's and a picture of a moose all at once? Chugging maple syrup at 6g, sounds fun, eh?

You forgot another option, which is to have human-operated AAA and SAMs. DCS: Patriot Battery anyone?

I vote for both C and D models. They're almost the same plane, but each has advantages and disadvantages at the same time. The C has the advantage of looking better and being able to fly yourself (I don't feel comfortable trusting ANYTHING to AI, even if they are upgraded). The D therefore almost demands online play but can give you a great SA boost (can you say two JHMCS?). Speaking of which, it would be nice to get some AIM-9X with any future Hornet module, it is the first USN plane to get them (F-15 is first USAF by the way :music_whistling:)

For me it was split between the M2K and the Fulcrum. Although I really like the Mirage about a thousand times better than I could ever like the MiG, which has no place in the skies anyway, there is the home-turf advantage for ED. A MiG-29 has already been modelled, which means that ED has a lot of basic information already for creating a DCS-level MiG. However, I do really like the Mirage on a bunch of levels, the MICA-IR is something to cherish. Anyone whose seen clips from that one French movie I can't pronounce the name of would instantly want to fly the mirage as it really is very elegant in its looks both interior and exterior. Practically speaking, doing both would likely be the best choice as it would give the proper NATO/USSR balance without having to create YET ANOTHER F-16. I voted Mirage 2000.

My opinion is that ED should stick to modelling aircraft, all the aircraft, and nothing but the aircraft. If we want ground-unit combat, we can get Steel Beasts which is already a great sim, even though I've never played it. If we really want a combined experience like this, perhaps it would be interesting to synchronize with the makers of SB for DCS and some future SB to work together online. I'm not holding my breath on that one, it would be an insane amount of work to get two different engines to work together like that I'd imagine.

Definately the F/A-18. Although I really would like to see a Harrier, the Hornet has gone unseen since Janes F/A-18, and that was a Superbug so it hardly counts anyway. Hornet is like the F-16 of the Navy, but it has unholy low-speed maneuverability and, IMO, much cooler looks and cockpit. I think the F-16 should be permanently out of the running because it's been in Falcon 4.0, Allied Force, RedViper, cantremember, and soon will be in FighterOps. Hornet first, Harrier in close second, both bring great IRL scenarios to the table.