DCS: F-14A/A+/B by Heatblur Simulations coming to DCS World!

[joey45]

It will be a HUD not a gunsight.

[McBlemmen]

nice , thanks

[captain_dalan]

nice , thanks

The F-14A and A+/B pre Sparrowhawk is in a league of its own. Its symbology is nothing like the more modern F-15, F-16, F/A-18, A-10 HUDs.

 

In some ways it is more mission specific, but all in all it provides less data then the above mentioned ones. This is a glimpse of the F-14 HUD:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3h4h7vAqRg

 

Also, from another sim (SF2):

 

[McBlemmen]

The F-14A and A+/B pre Sparrowhawk is in a league of its own. Its symbology is nothing like the more modern F-15, F-16, F/A-18, A-10 HUDs.

 

In some ways it is more mission specific, but all in all it provides less data then the above mentioned ones. This is a glimpse of the F-14 HUD:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3h4h7vAqRg

 

Also, from another sim (SF2):

 

 

Ouch thats a bit rough, thanks for sharing

[T_A]

I cant figure that out , the F-15A had pretty much the same HUD as the F-15C and other modern Jets (from looking at photos in Google)

it was introduced about the same time as the F-14 (give or take 2-3 years) so why is the F-14 so different ? doesn't the US Military set some kind of standard for its contractors ?

[Paradox]

I'm not seeing a traditional HUD collimator, is it that camera thing that produces the projection?

 

How does it all work? what alien technology is contained in this bizarre machine?

[Dudikoff]

I'm not seeing a traditional HUD collimator, is it that camera thing that produces the projection? How does it all work? what alien technology is contained in this bizarre machine?

 

I think it has a standard HUD projector, but no HUD glass and the picture is projected on the front glass directly.

 

This is a model kit, but still:

 

http://s671.photobucket.com/user/j1shb/media/F-14-Wolfpack-25.jpg.html

[lunaticfringe]

Bingo. That's why you'll find green windscreens, because that plexi is designed to do the collimation work.

[Paradox]

Oh cool!

[captain_dalan]

I cant figure that out , the F-15A had pretty much the same HUD as the F-15C and other modern Jets (from looking at photos in Google)

it was introduced about the same time as the F-14 (give or take 2-3 years) so why is the F-14 so different ? doesn't the US Military set some kind of standard for its contractors ?

The thing is, it was (to my knowledge) the first US jet at the time to feature any kind of expanded HUD, and i would guess that at the time, they still hadn't reached a consensus or mutual standard on what should be included. The later Sparrowhawks were pretty similar with the other 4th gen AC.

 

I can figure some of the things that were prioritized. The F-14A HUD does a fairly good job during arrested landings and missile intercepts...

[lunaticfringe]

The first fighter aircraft with what we classify as a HUD was the A-7.

 

As to differences, the technology change within those few years between their respective first flights and specification lockdowns were such that the Eagle had different hardware available to go into production with.

 

This is one of those areas that many people who comment on programs such as the F-35 don't follow; example- the recent complaints over the imaging system. The specification close on that hardware took place almost a decade ago. The engineers have been working on a space, weight, and data BUS requirement tied to that for that time. While the overhead is there to swap in different equipment, you're dealing with items that have been in the pipeline for years. You can't call up the line and have them swap in what you think may be a suitable replacement overnight, nor can you get the numbers required to meet the delivery schedule.

 

This is why the block/tranche technique is so favored- you can time updates on a schedule that meets long leads, engineer for maintenance compatibility and replacement, and get your required airframes all at the same time.

 

And note- the F-14 kept the same HUD over, what, a dozen or more block upgrades prior to the D coming online and the B upgrades - if it was functionally deficient at the operational level, they'd have swapped it out long prior. The system didn't get switched until the overhead required it, not because it didn't look "pretty".

[Dudikoff]

And note- the F-14 kept the same HUD over, what, a dozen or more block upgrades prior to the D coming online and the B upgrades - if it was functionally deficient at the operational level, they'd have swapped it out long prior. The system didn't get switched until the overhead required it, not because it didn't look "pretty".

 

I've read that there were considerable problems initially with the Sparrowhawk HUD (on the upgraded F-14B; F-14D had a different and more expensive one) which took time to fix.

[IonicRipper]

Hope this is released before ED's Hornet so we could all experience the same transition Navy pilots did. :)

[Dudikoff]

Hope this is released before ED's Hornet so we could all experience the same transition Navy pilots did. :)

 

Technically, we would need the CoreTex Super Hornet for that ;)

[IonicRipper]

Oh really? Im not that knowledgeable in Navy planes, TBH. I thought Tomcat pilots transitioned to regular Hornets before going to the Super Hornet. My bad.

Edited March 22, 2015 by IonicRipper

[USSInchon]

Oh really? Im not that knowledgeable in Navy planes, TBH. I thought Tomcat pilots transitioned to regular Hornets before going to the Super Hornet. My bad.

 

Those squadrons that did transition, did go to Super Hornets, however there were some that just disbanded and so some of their pilots may have transitioned to Legacy Hornets.

[captain_dalan]

Hope this is released before ED's Hornet so we could all experience the same transition Navy pilots did. :)

No way you can make me transition to a Bug, not even if it's a super one :smilewink:

[SkateZilla]

Squadron transitions:

F-14B/D -> F-18E/F

F-18C/D -> E/F

(C/Ds being transfered to USMC)

 

 

F-14B/D R.A.G -> DIS. Established -> Re-established -> F-35C

[Thorax_fin]

Highway to the danger zone licensed as your theme song yet? =)

[Zaltys]

Oh man, that's sooooo cool! Finally something worth my attention in DCS. :)

[Python]

Oh man, that's sooooo cool! Finally something worth my attention in DCS. :)

 

Nothing at all has impressed you until now? You must be very hard to buy Birthday and Christmas presents for ;)

[captain_dalan]

The first fighter aircraft with what we classify as a HUD was the A-7.

 

Thanks, i didn't know that :thumbup:

Never seen an A-7 up close so far, nor its cockpit. It's google time :book:

[Vinny002]

Hi, Cobra847!

 

Looking really good! I'm looking forward for trying out the F-14 for DCS world! Thanks!

 

Cheers,

Vincent

[Focha]

So... By the look of the renders it seems to be a F-14 late A model, with GE engines and this one fitted with TCS.

 

Can anyone explain me what was the TCS for? Some versions also had the IR Seeker, can someone elaborate on this two systems? How were those systems employed?

 

Thank you.

[BlackLion213]

So... By the look of the renders it seems to be a F-14 late A model, with GE engines and this one fitted with TCS.

 

Can anyone explain me what was the TCS for? Some versions also had the IR Seeker, can someone elaborate on this two systems? How were those systems employed?

 

Thank you.

 

Sure...

 

TCS stands for Television Camera System - basically a high-res (for the early 80s) camera with a 10x zoom lens that could be slewed to the radar. It was used for IDing targets during BVR encounters. One of the many problems identified by Phantom crews during Vietnam was the inability to ID targets at long-enough range to use their sparrows and avoid a phone-booth fight with a MiG-21 or MiG-17. Subsequently, an F-4E was tested with a camera in it's wing root (mid-70s) and the benefits were much appreciated by test crews. During ACEVAL/AIMEVAL, both F-15 and F-14 crews created systems to allow for IDs at BVR range. The F-15 fitted rifle scopes to their instrument coamings and the navy trialed TCS on the Tomcat. TCS was found to be very effective and funded for the fleet a year or two later.

 

TCS was integrated into the Tomcat assembly line in 1983 and all fleet Tomcats were retrofitted by 1985. If you watch the missile shot scenes at the end of TopGun, you can see that the very recently fitted units on the VF-213 and VF-114 Tomcats. It's easy to see because the TCS body is painted white (or very light grey) and the ALQ fairing is black (VF-213 and VF-114 had false canopies at the time - from 1982-1990). The morning Miramar departure (Goose death flight) scene also shows a line-up of VF-213 Tomcats with the mismatched colors on their new TCS pods...did I mention that I'm a VF-213 fan...

 

Anyway, there was an early IR detector fitted to fleet F-14s, used during the Tomcats first deployment in 1974. It was not very effective as the tech was very new and buggy. This IR system was dropped from the fleet after this deployment, but a next-generation system was revamped and fitted to the F-14D. This system worked better and was a helpful tool. It was a passive detection system that detected targets by surface friction, like the IR seeker on the AIM-9. It worked, but the range was not much better than eyesight during the day, more helpful at night. It became redundant with improved AWACs datalinks and other cooperative techniques. It had enough problems that techs stopped maintaining it by the early 2000s and some F-14Ds had the system removed and filled with ballast for the last deployments.

 

The LNS render shows an F-14A+ or early-ish F-14B, all of which had TCS, no glove vanes, and F110 engines. They have not yet shown their exterior model for the F-14A. I'm interested to see what configuration they choose and if they leave some visual options open to diversify their markings (different gunvents, bullet fairing, etc).

 

-Nick