Talonr

Very nice livery. She's looking awesome.

@pilot905, If you haven't done so already, check out the Grim Reapers on Youtube. They have tons of tutorials including setting up HOTAS for various airframes. Check the link below. Good Luck and happy flying. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZuXjkFY00p1ga3UyCBbR2w/playlists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=5

I received and installed mine. It is worth every penny and lives up to what has been said in the the forums. I can now slew or head look with precision. The feel is so much better that the original Warthog nipple. I'm a happy simmer now.

The radome (nosecone) is usually made of special composite materials and/or painted with special paint that allows the energy emitted from the radar to pass through. Regular paint or materials can actually block or disrupt radar energy. The exact composite of materials or paint is sometimes classified information. Naturally the paint or material will have different reflective properties (kinda like gloss VS matte). Also, it's possible that the painters cannot get an exact color match due to the composites used. That's basically why radomes appear to be off-colored. My guess is ED modelers/skinners were able to incorporate different reflective properties for parts of the model... or they just used creative skinning to show the difference. There are other reasons and applications for radome coloration but that's another discussion.

I am fortunate to have the Falcon 4 binder edition, which is an excellent manual. The BMS manuals are also some great reads and worth printing for those that love the feel of paper. Remember Allied Force? There is a 700+ page tome written for it. Check out: http://www.f-16.net/downloads_file11.html While it is written for the sim, it does a good job breaking down systems, tactics, etc. Worth the download, IMHO. Most have referenced the good books out there for the Viper. I was able to get a copy of Eye of the Viper from an online thrift store. Getting ready to read it in a few. I think I will skip Viper Pilot based on recommendations. Cheers,

@Boondoggle, I tend to use https://pcpartpicker.com/ whenever I am speccing a new build. While I've been an Intel guy for some time, I'm seriously considering Ryzen for my next build. My son built a Ryzen 7 system a few months ago and it is smoking fast. I don't number crunch but it has smoked everything we've thrown at it. I also agree SSDs are the way to go. I installed a 500GB SSD, dedicated to DCS and IL2, on my system and there was a noticeable decrease in load times. My future build will be SSDs for OS and sims and a hybrid for storage. Good luck,

Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS, CH Products Pedals, TrackIR

It's hard to recommend headsets because they really are a matter of preference. Still, I'll try to give you some options. I have a Sound Blaster Tactic3D (wired), which is a lower-end headset with good sound and mic. I prefer over-the-ear cups and this set works for me. It is also comfortable with extended use and does a good job of drowning out external noise (ask my wife. :music_whistling:). I also like the flat design which allows me to velcro mount my wireless head tracker. I've checked out the SteelSeries Arctis 7 and am quite impressed with it. It is a wireless over-the-ear cup design with great sound. A bit more expensive than my Tactic3D but you get what you pay for. It is on my watch list for my next upgrade. I believe it also comes with a wired option. I can't remember if it is 7.1 sound. My son swears by his Razer ManO'War wireless headset. It is 7.1 over-ther-ear cup design with a sound and mic that is amazing. I had the opportunity to play with it a couple times and it has all the features I mentioned. Very immersive headset with excellent sound, mic, and fit. The ear pads are massive and comfortable. Price is my limitation. I have a hard time justifying purchasing headsets over $100. Still, the latter two headsets have been on multiple Top 10 lists. If price is not a factor for you, I would consider one of the two. While my SoundBlaster works for me, I will admit I experience headset envy whenever my son is in town. Good luck, --T

What Sandman1330 said... There is a huge difference between the 30mm Avenger and the 20mm Vulcan. The 30mm simply carries a bigger punch. Keep in mind ther Hornet is still early access and the Harrier is more feature complete and mature. The Hornet's weapon systems and immplementation are still being tweaked and once the Hornet matures we will start to see improvements in weapons' performances and effectiveness. --T

I have to agree with the pro-Warthog recommendations. I upgraded from a TM Cougar to the Warthog and am happy with my purchase. Although it is a Warthog specific in layout, you can program the switches to suit your jet of choice (just ignore the labels). I've flown the Harrier, Hornet, Eagle and even the Viper with it (I keep my key binds similar when possible). It is a near perfect fit with the Hornet. I know some people have experienced issues with theirs but I haven't had any problems with mine. The throttle base is rather hefty but I avoid usign the AB detent because you have to lift the throttles to engage them and my base is not permanently mounted. That said, I'm pro-Warthog but everyone's experiences and preferences differ. --T

Thanks for sharing. Skimmed it and it looks good. --T

Agreed... I've wanted that feature for some time now. --T

Yes, it will be flyable in 2.5. In fact, most (if not all) the Hornet videos Wags showed off were in 2.5. Dunno about the LSO thing. --T

Well done, mate. :thumbup: I'm not quite there yet. I have a lot of work to do. Time for me to practice, practice, practice... --T

Thanks for sharing Eddie. Guys like you definitely make this hobby better for veterans and newbies, alike. That resource is well done. --T

I would buy a fictional map if it was convincing enough. I remember Digital Integration's Tornado had fictional maps. Didn't make a difference in the sim because I was too busy flying and blowing stuff up. Once can argue that graphics back then were limited but I think the flying experience is what matters most. ARMA 3 uses fictional maps which feel like the regions they are simulating. So, short answer = yes. --T

Merry Christmas and Thanks for sharing. --T

I'm having the same issue, when assigning keys for the Harrier. My sim goes to a black screen and hangs. I will try what you guys have suggested and report back. Thanks for the input. I wonder how many other people are experiencing issues? -T

Hey Miles, I sent you a PM but I still want to share on the forum. I received the kit and it was packaged quite well. I had to break out cutting tools to get into the box... lol... I must say that the construction is well done and I'm looking forward to installing the kit. Thanks again for everything. --T

Hey Miles, Sent you a PM but your inbox is full again. Anyway, any updates on my order? I haven't received anything as yet, since our last communication, so I'm checking in. --T

Hi Miles, Thanks for the response. Sent PM. --T

Hi Miles, Responded to your PM via email because I received an error message regarding exceeding your PM quota. Please let me know if you received my email via this forum. Thanks, --T

Hi Miles, I responded to your reply via PM but I'm not sure if my response is being sent or received (I see no indication of it). Anyway, I know you're busy but I am still interested in a throttle kit. It is best to reply to me via the email address I provided. Well, thanks for the hard work and don't get too overwhelmed. --T