Fire control switchology issues. Recurrent

[DaveRindner]

Carrying 2 AIM-9P5, 2 MK-83 on inboard pylons, and centerline fuel tank. No outer pylon stores.

For bombing, switch was set as follows;

- All station switches are ON

-Guns.Missiles switch is Armed (Up)

-Bomb Fuse arm swtich to Nose

-Weapon selection is set to Bomb

-Sight to Manual with 100 Down Depr.

 

Pressed Weapon Release button at proper time. No release.

On re-atack switched to Ripple. Once again no release. But AIM-9 fired. With fire control system set to AG. Sight in Manual, Weapon set to BOMB, and fuse set to nose. Problem.

On another re-attack turned off all pylon switches to OFF except inboard pylons which were left to ON. Once again no-release att Weapon Release button press/HOLD. Same for another run set to RIPPLE.

Nothing that I did would release MK-83 on inner pylon. I wound up jettisoning them prior to landing.

 

Center pylons mounted MK83/82 release fine. So I figure there is an issue with stores management in this build of 2.5.1 (latest update).

[Golo]

Be sure you are not in DM/DG modes (deselect the modes by pressing return to search).

If you are in those mods and attacking ground targets, pressing weapon release will launch your AIM-9 missiles if you have them and are switched on, or not release anything if you dont have them, or are switched off (both seemed to happen for you).

[DaveRindner]

My radar was on Standby. I think I have sence found the cause. Gun/Msl arm switch must be OFF, to drop wing pylon bombs. If Gun/Msl switch is ON, fire control system thinks I want to launch AIM-9. I think it is a bug or improper implementation. When weapon select is to Bomb, Ripple, or Rockets, fire control should only fire guns, and release bombs. By setting weapon selector to OFF, and setting sight Msl or Guns1 or Gun2, the system should then be in AirAir mode. Manual Sight mode is really AG mode, and should be shown as such on Sight selector switch. Perhaps, the OFF option on Weapon selector switch should written as Air, instead of OFF.

However I will keep an eye on dogfight modes of radar. In F-5E, I almost never use radar. We can only carry AIM-9P/P5 IR missiles. They can que of radar, but they go 'pitbull' (self guidance), off the rail. In a WVR ACM, MK1 target detection and identification system is , IMHO, proper choice.

[Svend_Dellepude]

As Golo wrote, you were probably in Dogfight mode. Maybe you should revisit your keyassignments to make sure you dont have things messed up there.

 

 

All pylons ON,

GUN/MSL = OFF, A/G dial = SAFE: All stores are safe.

GUN/MSL = ON, A/G dial = SAFE: missiles and guns armed.

GUN/MSL = OFF, A/G dial = RKT/DISP: only rockets and dispenser armed.

GUN/MSL = ON, A/G dial = RKT/DISP: guns and rockets armed.

GUN/MSL = OFF, A/G dial = BOMB/RIPL: Bombs only armed.

GUN/MSL = ON, A/G dial = BOMB/RIPL: guns and bomb armed.

 

The HOTAS dogfight switch will override any of the above, slave the radar and select the appropriate HUD mode. Either missile or gun. But you can only fire weapons if GUN/MSL is armed and pylons are powered on. You can still be in Dogfight mode even if radar and HUD is off and GUN/MSL is set to safe. You just wont have any visual indication, and nothing will happen when you press fire. To return to whatever mode you were in you need to press 'return to search' on the HOTAS.

 

Weapon systems work as described in the manual, there is no bug. Everything works as intended.

 

I hope that made some kind of sense.