Doc3908

Nice video - really enjoyed watching it. Thanks for sharing.

There's been only one update to stable (if you don't count the .1 quick-fix). I rolled back to DCS 2.5.6.55960. I have not seen the issue there, but you don't have the F-14A (I personally don't care).

I tweaked one of the F-14 Persian Gulf "instant action" missions, so that instead of fighting only one MiG-21, I'm facing two "aces". The problem is, you start with 75% fuel and, after the fight, you still got 120 miles to fly back to the carrier. And, yes, other encounters over the Persian Gulf are not out of the question... No worries though - your friends in the S-3B Viking tanker are glad to fill the tanks and clean the windshield. You can buy them a round of beer when you are all back on the boat...

It's not related to any map as far as I can tell: I've seen it on the Caucus map too. I'm guessing it has to do with the new damage model as several have commented here. I fly the stable version of DCS, and the bug wasn't there in the previous stable version, which did not have the updated damage model (but still had all the maps, including Syria and the Channel). I recently reverted back to the old version, and the bug is gone on all maps. My problem with the Channel (and to some extent, Syria) map is that, on my system, in VR, they run like slideshows - especially the Channel. But that's another story...

Nice article. Thanks for your hard work!

Wow, that document is priceless. Thanks, Joker62 - don't know how I missed it last year. Kudos to the people who made that guide. They sacrifice their time and freely give away their knowledge for the benefit of the rest of us. Much appreciated! And yes, I do touch and goes quite a bit too - mostly with the F-18, but every now and then with the F-14. I'm just not sure what the correct bolter pattern is for case 1.

Hi everyone, What is the correct procedure when doing carrier quals (or practicing successive takeoffs and traps)? Assuming Case I conditions, after takeoff, do you get placed in the marshal stack until cleared to fly the full pattern and trap? Or, after the clearing turn, do you immediately turn left crosswind to downwind and trap right away? In SC, the communications are limited, so all I can do is call "Inbound" and immediately have to report "See you at 10" (because I just took off... unless I fly further out). Then the tower ALWAYS gives me a "Charlie", at which point I just turn downwind... How do you guys do CQ in DCS? Thanks! Doc

Trying to remember how to fly the pattern and land the Tomcat properly...

I've been flying mostly jets over the last month and have not see this bug once - not on the Caucus map, not Nevada, not Dubai. Just jumped for a quick Spitfire mission in the Normandy map, but forgot about this bug. Sure enough, it's still there. And the frame rate seems to be much worse all of a sudden (never really had any issues with Normandy before). Argh! I'm switching to the previous stable version until this is all sorted out.

Landing the Wright Flyer on helipads in Dubai.

My biggest issue with the Spit is how easily she overheats. Yes, it may have been realistically modeled, but it takes all the fun out of flying it in combat (at least for me...). In terms of stalls, I find the Spit much tamer than the Mustang. I find the accelerated stall on the P-51 to be ridiculous (no idea how it is in real life) especially considering how smooth and "non-twitchy" the Mustang feels compared to the Spit. The "twitchiness" of the Spit makes it feel more "real". As for the landings, my problem was that, once slowed down enough, she would just decide to turn left or right, do a 360, and then scrape a wing. Eventually, I learned that if I bind the slider on my Thrustmaster throttle to the breaks and set it on landing so that the breaks are "applied" at 15%-20% or so, then I can slow down and stop straight without any wing scraping. This is in effect the same as keeping the breaks handle on the real plane slightly pressed as you're landing. I don't know if this is right or wrong technique, but it certainly helps me tame the Spit once she's on the ground. Makes taxing much easier, too...

Thanks, Morpheus. Did you record a video? I'd love to see what proper formation flying looks like.

Hi, I've been trying to practice close formation flying using the L-39 instant action "Free Flight" mission. I find it extremely challenging because the AI lead plane seems to be able to out-accelerate and out-decelerate me. I've flown this mission many times over, so I know when to expect his deceleration - I even try to "dirty up" just before he does. But he just slows way faster than my L-39 seems to be able to, so I have to veer off lest I hit him. And then he just shoots forward, no matter how quickly I get the boards in and the throttle forward. On landing, I purposefully touch down a second before he does, then throw everything up and break like a maniac. Yet the moment his wheels touch the tarmac, he stops on a dime and a roll past him. I've seen tons of videos of people flying beautiful formations - with other humans. Does anyone have a video flying the L-39 in formation with an AI-controlled L-39? I really wanna know if it's just a matter of "practice-practice-practice" or is precision flying with the AI a "mission impossible"... Thanks, Doc (By the way, I have no problem formation flying with AI tankers - I can AAR just fine every plane that can be air-refueled in DCS...)

In my previous video, I flew the Su-57 in a guns-only engagement against an assorted collection of US Airforce and Navy aircraft. The question kept nagging me, though: "Can I survive the same engagement but with everyone carrying missiles?". Here's a video that answers that question. Enjoy and be kind (not my best flying, I admit...)

Yes, I tend to manually drop single flares instead of dumping them in clusters. And I keep forgetting to cut the throttle. Live and learn... Thanks for the advice and encouragement!! I definitely need much more practice!

This is the stock instant-action "Bomber Intercept" mission for the Su-27. I love that mission with its challenges and beautiful scenery. I used the mission editor to change the two Su-27s to two JF-17s (my new toy... ). Everything else is stock.

I've been keeping an eye on this one for a long time. A fantastic mod and truly a labor of love. As much as I appreciate this being a free module, these guys deserve to sell it as an official third-party developer. Many of us will be happy to buy the aircraft in order to support their efforts.

I cannot take credit for this module. It was created by GrinnelliDesigns. Here is the download link from the DCS site: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3314096/?sphrase_id=1005619. To me, finding this mod was a wonderful surprise. It is not easy to fly - but it shouldn't be. I doubt the flight model is very realistic, but the authors have tried to take into account the descriptions of pitch instability that plagued the real Flyer I. However, they did not model one of the most prominent features of the real plane - wing-warping. The DCS mod steers only by rudder and elevator. As this is very early work, I'm sure Grinnelli will continue to improve on their design and delight us with an ever-more realistic simulation of this iconic plane.

I agree. I would like to see the Black see slowly finished: Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine. This will obviously take time a long time, but it's worth it. Given the recent real-life incidents in the Black Sea and the constant tensions in the region, it will make for some realistic scenarios.

Carrier ops with the Wright Flyer are fun but not a challenge. Let's try to put the Flyer down on an oil rig platform...

Today, I came across this fantastic new DCS mod - a flyable 1903 Wright Flyer. So, naturally, I had to see if can handle carrier ops. Next step - dogfighting! LoL! Download link: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3314096/?sphrase_id=1005619

Flying the anti-ship instant action Caucus mission that came with the MB-339A mod. Not believable at all, but lots of fun.

It's been a long time since I've flown Cubanace's excellent Su-57 mod. I know he's working on a new version, but while waiting for it to come out, I jumped in the Sukhoi and decided to take on the entire US Airforce in a guns-only fight. My opponents: F-5E, F-4E, F-14B, F-15C, F-16C, and F-18C, flown by "veteran" AI. All in good fun - don't take it too seriously...

Thanks. It only works because the AI (even at "veteran" level) flies stupidly. A human player wouldn't waste his second SD-10 like this, but probably close the distance further for a rear aspect shot. Or send a heatseaker up my tailpipe from close range. The JF-17 has every possible advantage in terms of speed, climb rate, sustained turn rate, weapons, etc. In multiplayer, this type of foolishness will never happen. For me, the more interesting (and surprising aspect) was that the SD-10 looses velocity so rapidly. The Jeff fires it initially at 14miles away at mach 3+. The second shot is from 7.8miles away. At this range, how can the SD-10 go from mach 3+ to less than mach 0.5 in just a few miles (regardless of what the target is doing)? I want to try putting the JF-17 up high so he can fire the SD-10 at even higher velocity (mach 5+ at 35K altitude) and see how quickly the missile will travel by the time it comes down. I may try later today and post another video. It's all in good fun, though - unlike others on this forum, I don't take this sim (nor myself) too seriously.

Today I tried very hard to recreate exactly what the video describes - maybe a dozen times. I couldn't do it. Without using the rudder and opposite aileron, I cannot get her into a flat spin. Someone else may have better luck or perhaps the model doesn't allow this behavior. She feels very stable and reluctant to stall/spin.