Coota0

Just ordered the Thrustmaster TPR, but won't see them until March. I'll post a review (from a helicopter point of view) when I get them.

In the real world (and I'm guessing DCS) you would have to radio a grid and then lase for the strike aircraft.

I think I used JVMF exactly 3 times, once was how to use it, once was practice and once was the check ride. I can see it being useful in DCS if you find a column of tanks or another similar target and want to drop it, but as already said, it wasn't really used in practice.

Adequate communication is an absolute necessity in the F-4, even more so than the F-14 (and it is very necessary there)

The SCAS dampens response from outside factors like wind, but the Kiowa is a very nimble aircraft and very light...stable is not a word I would use to describe it. The SCAS is a three-axis (pitch, roll and yaw) flight control augmentation system with a heading hold mode (HHM). This limited authority, rate reference system improves handling qualities by damping the high frequency, short term external inputs to the helicopter while providing the desired response characteristics for pilot inputs. The heading hold mode operates in conjunction with the yaw SCAS system as an aid to maintaining a desired heading.

Aren't there servers with CTAF frequencies? You state your intentions and then if you conflict with someone they speak up and you deconflict.

-64 is considerably after Vietnam , early '80s.

The Hellfire is designed for a top down attack profile to take advantage of the lighter armor on the top of a tank. The LOAL-Hi and LOAL-Lo modes in the Kiowa are designed to mask the Kiowa while another laser designator marks the target (ground designator, another aircraft, etc.) The LOAL-Lo has the Hellfire clear a 260 foot obstacle with stand off and LOAL-Hi clears a 1000 foot obstacle with adequate stand off. A LOBL or LOAL has a lower climb than the Hi and Lo modes, but the missile still climbs coming off the rail and dives on its target.

There are to clips for each rifle on the dash. They lock the rifles into place and keep them from sliding around, but it only takes a moment to get the rifles of the dash.

With all due respect to your SME and your team, I'm going to disagree with you. When I have fired the Hellfire there is a momentary yaw before the missile breaks away. The missile doesn't breakaway until it reaches 500-600 lbs. of thrust, there is a yaw until that breakaway happens. The M3P doesn't have the same recoil as the XM296, but it will still cause yaw when fired. Running and diving fire are significantly more accurate than hover fire (this includes firing rockets) but the yaw is still there and has to be compensated for by the pilot.

The Kiowa has a more vivid dispersion than a fixed, ground .50 cal would because it is mounted on an aircraft. The Kiowa is a light helicopter (5200 lbs. max gross weight) meaning that the recoil from the M3P has a significant effect on the aircraft, the whole helicopter shakes. When you squeeze the trigger the -58 will yaw left, the pilot has to anticipate this yaw and apply right pedal as the gun is fired. The same yaw happens as a Hellfire is fired too, but with the Hellfire it is momentary.