bonesvf103

Hi, OK I tried it with the patch. On the one hand, I did get another Phoenix killing Phoenix instance. On the other hand, when I fly it a few more times, the Phoenixes so far appear to behave much better now, I got 90-100% kill every time. What I didn't kill I got with Sparrow or Sidewinder. The bandits sure do know how to maneuver and smartly defend now! He had my Sparrow and Sidewinder in a tailchase for a while before turning back at me and I had to take him with the gun, it's scary! Thanks! I'll let you know if anything else comes up. v6, boNes

Sounds good, thanks v6, boNes

So I was doing the PG BVR mission and I fired 2 AIM-54Cs at 30000 ft, flying as fast as I could, at Fulcrums that were 25-30 miles away (closer to 30). As I monitored things, Jester called splash. I thought, OK, one Fulcrum dead. BUt when I merged both were still up and unscathed. As it turned out, my 2nd Phoenix killed my first Phoenix! How is that possible? In addition to that, the Fulcrum had deployed chaff to trash the Phoenix. I would think that a countermeasure resistant AIM-54C would fare better against that than it did. TacView attached, missile on missile kill at 12:02:20. Also shown in results at 15:32:40 I dunno, but after the last updates, I basically can't get a single Phoenix to hit even though it's the same mission and I attacked the same way where I was getting 90+% kill ratio. I even went in as close as 25 nm and shot from high altitude and highspeed and they still missed. They get dodged alot, no matter if they were As or Cs. And now they are killing each other. Puzzled. v6, boNes Tacview-20221026-231141-DCS.zip.acmi

Haha with the "Damn Bugs" patch! v6, boNes

I've hit a few maneuvering fighters with Phoenix active off the rail. To be honest, I did not think they would hit because they flew a straight line path and as mentioned before, they were slow. But then to my surprise, they turned hard to lead the target and boom. I fired 2 because I thought the first one was messed up, and they both hit! Best $3 million I ever spent! v6, boNes

Ak ok, guess I was being impatient. Thanks! v6, boNes

I fired Phoenix with ACM cover up and it still took a half second or so to come off the rail. I thought when fired that way they are supposed to come off the rail immediately? It did track as advertised though. v6, boNes

That all is what I was experiencing, yes. It is purely visual. Thanks v6, boNes

Does this include the emerg oversweep flag? I've noticed with wings set to auto, cover down, and you go fast renough so they sweep back to 68 deg, the emerg oversweep flag comes on. Is that a bug? v6, boNes

You can also switch to ground stabilized display on the TID and estimate the target's course since north will now be oriented to the top. v6, boNes

What about external fuel tanks? I heard somewhere that they don't like you to jettison those when they are empty even though it would help your fuel endurance but the only reason why they didn't like it is because they cost money--well, also probably because they can be reused too. But why haul around empty bags when fuel is critical, right? v6, boNes

Another thing I keep meaning to mention is Jester's inaccurate clock code calls. The only time he calls the bandit in a correct position is if I'm straight and level, otherwise, his calls are lagged and I look where he tells me to and the bandit is already elsewhere, and not just because he flew elsewhere quickly. He just gets so lagged and makes his calls in chronological order it seems. I'll hear about a missed missile long after it had already missed, for example. v6, boNes

I might add also to ignore the E brackets in the Tomcat HUD. It is ratchety and inaccurate, even in real life. RL Tomcat drivers even ignore it. v6, boNes

I know that in the real world alot of aircraft will jettison their unspent Mk82s or other iron dumb bombs before trapping so that live ordnance doesn't get knocked off onto the carrier deck and cause a disaster. But what about if the ordnance was something more, well, pricey? Like a GBU-24 or a GBU-38? Do they still want you to jettison those before trapping? What about missiles? Especially the $1.5 million Phoenix? v6, boNes

In DCS, if there is an E-3, is it also broadcasting in Link 4A? So link 4A is one way and that is from the E-2 to the Tomcat? So the Tomcat can't send anything to the E-2 or an E-3 for that matter? Also in DCS, OK Link-4 is available and you can use it, but how does that help you in the big picture if everyone else is on Link 16? How did they mitigate that in real life when the Tomcat was still flying and had to do so amongst Hornets and Falcons etc? v6, boNes

So I'm trying to figure out the benefits and use of these links. Link 4A goes between fighter/AWACS/etc assets whereas Link4C is only between the Tomcats. The two links can't be communicated on at the same time. So, if two Tomcats are sharing radar contacts with each other on Link 4C, and they want to pass that info to the E-2 or say an F/A-18 nearby, when they switch to Link 4A, do they lose their Link 4C contacts since they can't do A and C at the same time? What if the F/A-18 is on Link 16, how does it get contacts that the Tomcat sees on Link 4? The Hornet has to switch to Link 4A? Why bother with Link 4C between Tomcats if they can get an arguably better picture from the E-2 on Link 4A? What good is any of the data Tomcats or Hawkeyes have/give on Link 4 if everyone else is on Link 16? I'm just a bit confused. Thanks. v6, boNes

When you tell Jester to lock a target, does he by default do it by PDSTT or by PSTT? I'm pretty sure he does by PDSTT but am not entirely sure... v6, boNes

I used to have that problem, but then I found that when I did tell him to track QDES, he would snap back to it just fine. I have done this in the last few days and it still works. So, I guess my only question is, are you sure that you properly designated the target? v6, boNes

Yup, I was just about to come back here to update you all on that when I saw your reply, thanks. So yes if you tell him QDES (or, in my case with AIRIO, "track designation"), he will bring it back. Thing is, I wish he didn't switch to begin with. If in the thick of things he switches and I can't get him to go back to designation on time, then the run was needlessly trashed. I don't know why he would need to switch to begin with. As for the TCS thing, still a problem. Even if you have wingmen nearby to take out the bandit so you can do your run, Jester still switches to the TCS. The only thing I can say further on this is that I noticed that if you drop even though he switched to the TCS and stayed within drop parameters, as long as the target is designated in the LANTIRN the bomb will still hit. You just can't monitor it from the front to make sure you aren't masking. But, it's still annoying that he switches v6, boNes

I would like to voice some concerns with Jester and LANTIRN. Maybe someone knows a fix to this but here are the issues. First, to further the post above about Jester switching to the TCS on a bomb run, whenever I am on a bomb run and then there is an air to air threat nearby--even if it's far enough away to still get the bomb off then defend myself, Jester always seems to abandon the LANTIRN duty and switch to the TCS camera and start looking for bandits. Even if my HUD mode is still in A/G, he will do this. It has ruined alot of bomb runs and it's very annoying especially when he does it when the bandit is still far enough away for me to get the bomb off. After he does this, I have tried to jump into the RIO seat to switch it back to LANTIRN and hope I can get back in the front seat in time to make the drop. But even when I do, he automatically goes back to TCS and screw up the run. He didn't used to do this before. Is there any way he can just stick with LANTIRN unless I go to A/A mode? Next, Jester annoyingly switches to what he thinks is the target. Here's the scenario: I call eyeballs, I place the cursor where I want him to have LANTIRN look, then I hit "A". He slews the LANTIRN over there. Then I jump in the backseat to fine tune the LANTIRN and I hit designate on my HOTAS and get the countdown to drop symbology, etc. I switch back to the front cockpit to make the drop--and Jester has switched the LANTIRN back to where I had hit "A" when I used eyeballs, losing the target that I designated from the back seat. Even if I did eyeballs>A>head control>A then went in the backseat to fine tune then designate, as soon as I go to the front pit he switches back to the "A" designation. It seems the only way I can keep my designation is if I run the LANTIRN completely without him. Then when I switch to the front seat he will keep my designation as he should. So anyway to fix this? Thanks! v6, boNes

OK, must have missed that,but thanks, glad I'm not going crazy. It was weird...at one point the right feed burned out then BOTH my engines shut down. Next, I blacked out. By the time I came to, I was too close to the ground to recover and crashed. Why it would make me black out I don't know since I never touched the O2 switch or was experiencing G (I was in straight and level flight). Odd. v6, boNes

I've noticed as of late that my FWD & R fuel runs out quickly and the aft & L one does not. ANy reason why it's not feeding equally? The cover is down on the fuel feed switch. v6, boNes

I would like to add a request that has just come up recently. Can we have Jester NOT switch us out of LANTIRN to the AXX-1 when hostile air is nearby? It didn't used to happen before, but I've noticed lately that it does. Just yesterday I was in hot with only 5 seconds left to drop the bomb and a bandit who was not close enough to be an immediate threat came around and Jester immediately switched the LANTIRN to the AXX-1 and trashed my drop. I dropped anyway and luckily the bomb still shacked the target, but it could have been worse and it has been. Sometimes, as the pilot, you are willing to take that extra second or two to make the drop and ignore the bandit until you've finished your run, but this Jester behavior doesn't allow for that. Thanks, v6, boNes

OK here is another one. I had Jester select Paveways, even told him to select the stations for it as a safeguard, then he talked me onto the target. When he said to pickle, I did...but nothing happened. Everything checked out---master arm on, weapon selector switch on off, A/G selected, ORD in HUD, etc. I noticed in the ACM panel, the indicators for what weapon station was selected were all blank--no checkermarks. I jumped into Jester's seat...and he had all the correct stations selected. He also had the proper GBU showing in the drum, and it matched that shown in the bottom center of the LANTIRN display. I also hadn't taken an battle damage or hard manuvering. So, what gives? v6, boNes

Well, when I launch, I immediately try to get 1000 ft below the target ASAP to minimize that so not a problem. Perhaps but it seems like 30000+ is the agreed best altitude for best loft so I guess again I just have to get the feel of things with all factors considered. v6, boNes