F-117 Nighthawk

[PiedDroit]

Though when offered the option to choose other things you get a list like this,

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=2588249&postcount=102

 

So literally anything but a 117 if the option is given

 

People gave their most obvious choice (and the f-117 was listed), I gave only one answer myself, if I had cited more than one aircraft the count would have been different.

Here's a counter example, so you think the MiG-21 would have been a primary choice in such a list ?

Probably not, yet everyone loves it.

[Tirak]

Really? No I mean is this a joke or something? Did you miss the entire thread?

 

No, the only part of the F-117 that can't be replicated is the material composition of the skin of the aircraft. Nearly the entire plane is built using off the shelf parts from other aircraft that we have information on. We don't need to know exactly what makes up the RAM in order to mimic the effect in game. So unless you've got something else, I'm not seeing the problem.

[OnlyforDCS]

No, the only part of the F-117 that can't be replicated is the material composition of the skin of the aircraft. Nearly the entire plane is built using off the shelf parts from other aircraft that we have information on. We don't need to know exactly what makes up the RAM in order to mimic the effect in game. So unless you've got something else, I'm not seeing the problem.

 

Ok. So we know everything about this plane, I see. So where can I buy or find the blueprints for the F117? You see Id like to build my own.

 

Dont get me wrong. Im sure that the devs could fake an SFM, as well as the fbw, etc, pretty well. There have been games featuring the f117 before. If thats what you want all the more power to you. I however would never consider buying a module based on guesswork and low fidelity flight models.

Edited December 9, 2015 by OnlyforDCS

[Tirak]

Ok. So we know everything about this plane, I see. So where can I buy or find the blueprints for the F117? You see Id like to build my own.

 

Dont get me wrong. Im sure that the devs could fake an SFM, as well as the fbw, etc, pretty well. There have been games featuring the f117 before. If thats what you want all the more power to you. I however would never consider buying a module based on guesswork and low fidelity flight models.

 

We have the dimensions of the aircraft, we know how much thrust it produces, we know how much it weighs and have a decent idea of how that weight is arranged, using that, you can calculate the aircraft's performance.

 

[darkvesperia]

If they make it I will buy it. I would love to see the 117 in DCS even though I realize it is a niche aircraft

[TOYKILLA]

Me too :-)

[rrohde]

Would be the perfect plane to be stationed at Groom Lake. I'd buy it if EFM is included!

[Mr_Burns]

All that work for 2 bombs, I just destroyed 12 tanks with my A-10 in one mission, that'll learn them to invade Alamo!

[Vampyre]

All that work for 2 bombs, I just destroyed 12 tanks with my A-10 in one mission, that'll learn them to invade Alamo!

 

The F-117 was built for targets that are far more valuable than three or four platoons of tanks. Different airplanes for completely different missions.

 

I'd still like to see a F-117A in DCS.

[Mr_Burns]

I get that but does DCS do building targets? I used to love flying the F-22 in low obs mode and then bombing a HQ defended by AA...It was the DID one I think. The showed you a photo in the brief and an area of the city, you had to find the target building then attack it.

 

I think DCS may need more work on that side of things before F-117A is an attractive platform but I dont have a clue about making missions so in all likelihood I could be talking garbage.

[Paganus]

A Wobbly Goblin would be great fun if the dev can get the stealth right. Without stealth it's just an under powered, under armed, un-maneuverable, missile magnet.

[Vampyre]

I get that but does DCS do building targets? I used to love flying the F-22 in low obs mode and then bombing a HQ defended by AA...It was the DID one I think. The showed you a photo in the brief and an area of the city, you had to find the target building then attack it.

 

I think DCS may need more work on that side of things before F-117A is an attractive platform but I dont have a clue about making missions so in all likelihood I could be talking garbage.

 

Yes, there are building targets in DCS. The F99th server has a mission called Deep Strike where the objectives are to take out supply warehouses and bunkers to win. The destruction of certain warehouses and bunkers will cut off supplies of aircraft armament and fuel so it has an important effect on the battle. DCS 1.5 broke some things on the various 1.2.16 maps so I am not sure if it is running at the moment but it is entirely possible to build missions for strike aircraft that involve striking high value targets.

[PiedDroit]

I get that but does DCS do building targets?

I can think of a workaround for regular buildings (that are already on the map) which is to put a static, enemy (or neutral if possible) unit (soft vehicle or infantry or even a small enemy building) beside or on top of the building of interest.

When that target is destroyed, you can consider this building destroyed (via trigger).

Maybe someone already tested that.

[nomdeplume]

I can think of a workaround for regular buildings (that are already on the map) which is to put a static, enemy (or neutral if possible) unit (soft vehicle or infantry or even a small enemy building) beside or on top of the building of interest.

You can also use the event handlers to find out when static objects (like buildings) are hit and destroyed. It's a bit fiddly though as the only unique information you get about the scenery objects is their hitbox, so you have to just work out if the box is within a particular location. I think MiST has functions to do that for you though.

 

Also pretty cool thing I found from a test mission I've been working on - if you hit a scenery building with enough firepower it'll explode right away, but if you hit it with less it'll catch fire and then collapse a few minutes later. Pretty cool detail, I thought!

[UVPMechan]

UFO. You would not want to?

[jponti]

The F-117 Nighthawk would be a great add as an FC3 module, but the stealth capabilities have to be correct, if not, would be only a big target on sky..

 

My vote: YES!!

[empeck]

I'd buy F-117 in a heartbeat, considering the avionics is good and stealth capabilities are in.

 

Night missions ftw!

[Zeus67]

IMO, the F117 is too specialized for use in a small map. To be interesting, the mission profiles would be strategic strikes deep behind enemy lines and heavily defended hard targets.

 

Caucasus map is too small for that.

You would need a map covering all of Europe, or at least all of northern Europe from the English Channel all the way to the Baltic States.

[Jacks]

I agree with you Zeus, the infrastructure is not in place to support a F-117 at the moment - maybe in the future though.

[Sweep]

I agree and disagree...

 

I think that better mission design can fix a lot of things...but lets be honest here, most of the MP community would probably use an F-117 like any other striker, except where other strikers don't go (like enemy airfields, whatever defended targets are set up in a mission, etc).

 

IMHO you don't need a 1500nmi flight to simulate an F-117 properly.

 

btw, you can get longer flight times through flight plans or air starts... :)

[GGTharos]

IMO, the F117 is too specialized for use in a small map. To be interesting, the mission profiles would be strategic strikes deep behind enemy lines and heavily defended hard targets.

 

Caucasus map is too small for that.

You would need a map covering all of Europe, or at least all of northern Europe from the English Channel all the way to the Baltic States.

 

IMHO, Caucasus is OK... it's the electronic warfare simulation that makes it hard to use: although the F-117 has a low RCS, this doesn't mean that it isn't used in the presence of decides and SOJ's. The latter can cause radars to decrease their gains, as a result detection range decreases further.

 

Caucasus might not be a huge map, but you could squeeze in an F-117 flight and do something with it... You 'just' need the EW world to be better modeled IMHO, which includes changes to AI etc.

[Raven1]

This plane! LOL, this old thing... yeah it would be cool if done right. I might know someone if they need some info on it

[whaaw]

i would also like to have it flyable ingame. I see it completly different, imagin missions with very havy AAA you have to destroy a target and only have 2 hardpoints. For me this sounds much more challenging then fly with the A10c and kill everything with AGM's and CBU's^^

[Cedaway]

As all the radar operations and emissions math are 'guesstimated' in DCS core, as well as the RWR and EC©M procedures, I don't see how a dev could simulate such an aircraft properly. As well as for the aerodynamics of this particular aircraft. Quite unstable as I read and not fun to fly because of its limitations.

So, DCS: F-117 - Not for me. Thanks.

[GGTharos]

Actually it's quite easy to simulate the F-117's RCS in DCS. In fact, it already is.

 

ED uses the radar equation, so lower the RCS enough and you've got a stealth aircraft. Published estimates are quite adequate to achieve the desired result. There are things missing that would complete the simulation, but they don't relate to the aircraft itself - rather, SoJ jammers and decoys working properly are what's needed.