Spurts

I don't go on PvP servers but I have seen enough videos of every 4th gen jet beating the pants off of every other 4th gen jet to know that it is 100% the pilot and how they employ their aircraft that make the difference.

Varies with Mustache size and time spent in the A model

This little bit right here speaks volumes. Even pilots in RWR equipped planes with all the training and experience in the world would KNOW that until the RWR screams the tones for LOCK and LAUNCH then you are safe and even then you have a minute to figure things out. Enter a war where the RWR (if you had one that was tuned for the signals of that missile) only screams LOCK about 16s before you explode and you have nothing on radar yet.

I wonder what profile they used Also, you may be able to get rid of the weight of the pylons, but not the drag

@Nahen It is publicly known that FC3 has PFM (the best) and SSM (the worst). Now, the SSM of the APG-63 might be seamless from the UI perspective but what processing that is happening to determine what to put on the display is not. SSM radar functions in a "Target RCS is x and based on R1*(x/1)^.4 display the target when range is within Y" level of simple. The advances System Models (don't recall their actual acronym) go through a "Using this frequency, PRF, and output power, a target with RCS of x would give a return power of Y at the current range. Place that return in the right range and doppler bins and then run it against SNR requirements. Once SNR thresholds are met then......" etc etc until the raster scan throws light on a screen to make a target symbol. From a UI perspective under nominal conditions there are no differences, but the differences start to show in failure-to-track modes and edge cases.

Just missed the memo that Army Air Corps became it's own branch in '47. I agree that the F-4E is the right one to do first because it is once of the most widely used jets in history, but I will end up waiting for the one I can trap.

I didn't know if anyone else here would know who Gums was.

Because it is stable in roll, it has a high mounted wing with sweep (even when forward) so when sideslip begins with no other input the sweep makes the "down" wing make more lift and a zone of high pressure builds under the wing-body joint to push that side back up. I have done the same thing in a Cessna 172, a power on stall with full throttle, full aft yoke, and no rudder or aileron input. It snapped to the left, corrected wings level and pulled up level. In the case of the Cessna 172 with no sweep, the wings have dihedral to increase roll stability.

Because the Tomcat doesn't stall. Once above 30 AoA the Normal Force (aerodynamic force acting 90 degrees from center of pressure) stays stable, so even at 45 AoA you would still have 71% of max lift, and the Tomcat makes a ton of lift. It is stable because you are at the limit of the tails, they can't pull the nose any higher, so as long as you have attitude and thrust you will never fall. Go to higher altitudes where you do not have enough thrust and you will fall, and likely spin, then likely die 5 minutes later.

Here is a recent quote on the A-10 from that A-7 (and A-37, F-101, F-102, F-16 pilot)

lol

Never thought about it before, but what should it do then when I have it wing mounted as I roll into a target and the pod is looking "above" me?

Well that explains it then.

Funny you mention CAS being done with bombs. An A-10 driver I spoke to talked about how in the recent conflicts A-10s were just slow F-16s. They did CAS with JDAMs from 15,000ft using a TGP.

The Harrier definitely has that special something that makes it a joy to fly.

Sorry, I think we got some wires crossed. You asked if this parameter cannot be applied to older missiles. The older missiles I are not on the new API yet so I interpreted your comment to mean some parameter of the AIM-120, but looking up a few more comments I see what you are referring to... I think. But yes, the "active_radar_lock_dist parameter " is not in the AIM-120 API and is handled different at a code structure level. Older missiles have to use that parameter until they are brought to the new API. Clear as mud?

Eh, an A-7 driver I know who was around for the A-10 eval would say otherwise. Remember the A-10 was slower than a P-47 and had about as advanced of a cockpit. A-7 had color moving map navigation, great range, and precise bombing capability.

Not until they move to the new API.

The AIM-120 is on a different API than other missiles. At its core, it just works differently for now.

I have not had a problem telling crew chief to pull chocks after engine start on the Tarawa

This is why HoJ is not an instant win. No lead, no loft, pure pursuit.

the difference I am seeing is that you are not using a flag state like the video I linked is.

inability to do SEAD hasn't stopped the A-10 from being used. I have done DEAD on SA-10s using F-14s and AV-8s using only dumb bombs. The ability to carry HARM is not a requirement to deal with SAMs.

At heavy weights I would knock 5-10,000ft off the listed Cruise Alt. You will have to spend so much time at max power to get there you might as well pull back power and cruise at lower alt. Personal experience anyway.

A-7 as a whole was still a Navy plane first.