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Past or future?


JuanOscar

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Will certainly buy the F104 :thumbup:

Remember some time agoo flying the F104 (FS9 /CaptainSim): at landing flaps down and 88% power (if I'm right....): was not that easy alltogether: very much fun!! :)


Edited by wavn

Best regards, Willem

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True but the F-5 also fought in Vietnam and unlike the F-104, it also fought in the Iran/Iraq war and even remains in active frontline service (IRIAF). The F-104 does fit at the bottom end of the plane set, but only barely. The F-5, F-4 and Mirage F.1 are all right smack in the middle of it and saw more combat in more places. As I said, I'd like an F-104 but I think at least one of those three other options should be given higher priority at this time.

 

 

The F-5E would be fantastic, a certain buy for me.

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If no mirage F1 , I hope the f-104 will have a good cockpit with a good radar.

Not something like the mig, if its a good model I buy no matter the price!!

Is the F-104 more manoeuvrable than mig-21?

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It has a worse power to weight ratio and higher wing loading, so no, probably not. I don't think it will be a huge difference, but it certainly isn't going to be better. It also can't carry anything but sidewinders and the cannon for air to air. So regardless of how good or bad the radar is, it's going to be at a substantial disadvantage compared to the MiG-21.

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Well the Starfighter does have AIM-7 Sparrow SARs and a Vulcan cannon with over 700 rounds, so I'm sure in the hands of the right pilot it can be quite a threat to mig-21s.

 

Edit: The thrust to weight ratio is still very good, this thing even went 103.000 ft high.


Edited by Manuel_108
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As far as I can tell, the 104G couldn't carry Sparrows. The only ones that could were the Italian 104S's and they were fairly exotic. I don't think anyone but Italy had them and I don't think they ever saw combat. Given how rare that model is, I wouldn't support making it in preference to the standard G. I greatly prefer "normal" planes instead of prototypes and exotics. I know the exotics have their fans, but I suspect the majority of DCS users share my view on it. If it were added after the standard G I would be fine with it, but not before. And as said, I think the F-5E or Mirage F.1 would be a better overall choice than the 104G.

 

Edit: I should point out the 104S deleted the cannon to make room for better radar and the missiles.


Edited by King_Hrothgar
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I'm not sure whether the lack of Sparrows would make the F-104 useless against the MiG-21. I imagine we could have lots of fun with F-104G vs. MiG-21bis. Different advantages and disadvantages to play with.

 

I don't know whether an F-5 would be the better choice. Maybe. Lots of users worldwide, a nice little dogfighter, Sparrows, better radar, Mavericks, bombs. Also great for the Hormuz map because Iran also has it.

But of course availability of data is a huge factor. If someone has data about the F-104 and not enough data about the F-5 the F-104 is obviously the better choice.

 

As a German I am biased of course. We didn't fly the F-5, but we had the Starfighter and it is an awesome plane. I would love to have it, the G version. Earlier F-104 would be a bit disappointing, because I'd like to have a fighter bomber. Would still buy it, but I'd be less enthusiastic.

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The F-5E also can't use AIM-7's, but it is one mean little dogfighter, which the 104 most definitely isn't. The F-5E does get mavericks though, and that's a hell of a bonus. Everyone loves those. Also, data on the F-5E is very easy to come by. I saw an original maintenance manual for it on ebay a week or two ago for $25.

 

The plane was designed from day 1 as export only. It was intended to be a cheap fighter for allies the US didn't fully trust with our best equipment. So there isn't anything sensitive about it. Getting info on it shouldn't be any harder than getting it for a P-51. I bet it would be easier actually, there are a lot more F-5's still flying about and people who flew them previously. Hell, I bet you could dig up some of the original Northrop engineers who designed the thing if you looked hard enough.

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Not originally, in fact if this article is to be believed, not until 1991.

 

http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/how-to-win-in-a-dogfight-stories-from-a-pilot-who-flew-1682723379

 

In any case, the F-5, though built for export to the third world, ended up being a hugely popular fighter among core US allies for its simplicity, low cost and reliability. In all honesty, I think it was a far better fighter overall than the F-4 ever was. But the US doesn't do the whole cost effective thing. It's either outlandishly expensive or GTFO, even if the outlandishly expensive thing is greatly inferior.


Edited by King_Hrothgar
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So some F-104 variants are more manoeuvrable.

I hope they will do a good one like the S or G or I'm not in. If its something like mig-21 I pass.

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AMRAAM beta version was first used on F-15 in 90/91. F-16A had no BVR missile. (Remarkably!)

F-16C had AIM-7. http://www.f-16.net/f-16_armament_article10.html

 

To be precise, Block 1, Block 5, and Block 10 F-16As lacked any sort of weapon capable of BVR performance. The Block 15 upgrades allowed them to utilize AIM-7s.

 

With the MLU, EuroViper Block 15s can use AIM-120s.

Reformers hate him! This one weird trick found by a bush pilot will make gunfighter obsessed old farts angry at your multi-role carrier deck line up!

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Yep. The point was just to show, the F-104G (and F-5E) are not the only frontline fighters without BVR missiles in a 1980 scenario.

Israeli F-16As went into frontline air-to-air combat in 1982 without a BVR missile - this maybe tells us that BVR misiles were not a necessity for small fighters in 80's air combat.

 

Btw MiG-21 with WVR IR-missiles and guns only; still got many victories against F-4 and Mirage: http://www.acig.info/CMS/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=185&Itemid=47


Edited by emg
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