Community A-4E-C

[lukas_lb]

I just discovered this great mod, mosty played the A-10C and the Mirage before. While reading through the changelogs and the previous comments I still don't know how to use the differential brakes. I dont have a rudder, I use the RZ axis on my stick and buttons for brakes. The only way for me to taxi in the right direction is throttle at 75%RPM full brakes, releasing and then using the brakes to steer in the right direction which doesnt work to well, not talking about carrier takeoff from parking position.

Can anybody please describe the right way to taxi or is there already a youtube tutorial for it? 

Thank you!

[=Skywarp=]

11 hours ago, lukas_lb said:

I just discovered this great mod, mosty played the A-10C and the Mirage before. While reading through the changelogs and the previous comments I still don't know how to use the differential brakes. I dont have a rudder, I use the RZ axis on my stick and buttons for brakes. The only way for me to taxi in the right direction is throttle at 75%RPM full brakes, releasing and then using the brakes to steer in the right direction which doesnt work to well, not talking about carrier takeoff from parking position.

Can anybody please describe the right way to taxi or is there already a youtube tutorial for it? 

Thank you!

Are you using separated brake buttons for each foot?

It's mandatory

[EmoJack]

I am having a blast with this mod and with a properly set up mission for this period, it is for me one of the most fun modules on dcs!

Thanks to everyone involved for making this a free mod with such a high quality!

There is one thing where i cant really find much information online: i know we cant use the AGM-62 with this configuration of the A4. But i got the AI to use the walleye and hit on target. My only issue: the AI is always flying right above the targen and throws the bomb almost vertical. But releasing the bomb as a player you can see it has quite some range (depending on agl height of course).

Is there a way to program the AI accordingly to use the bomb with its max range for a given height?

Thanks in advance

[Captain Orso]

It would be helpful if there were a 'version' file in 'Mods\aircraft\A-4E-C\' so that you could quickly check your installed version with the look at a single file.

[JNelson]

4 hours ago, Captain Orso said:

It would be helpful if there were a 'version' file in 'Mods\aircraft\A-4E-C\' so that you could quickly check your installed version with the look at a single file.

Check the entry.lua or go to the main menu of DCS and look at the version under the icon, or check the efm_log.txt.

[Captain Orso]

Or... the devs could be very friendly and put a version file with the exact information required right were one would look for it.

Now that you've mentioned it, I've found the version info in the entry.lua file - kind of buried, but if you don't know that it's there you wouldn't just look in that specific file. That means you would have to start looking through every file you find, hoping to find some simple information, which could be very user friendly presented in the root directory, just like many other software packages.

[JNelson]

7 hours ago, Captain Orso said:

Or... the devs could be very friendly and put a version file with the exact information required right were one would look for it.

Now that you've mentioned it, I've found the version info in the entry.lua file - kind of buried, but if you don't know that it's there you wouldn't just look in that specific file. That means you would have to start looking through every file you find, hoping to find some simple information, which could be very user friendly presented in the root directory, just like many other software packages.

Or you could use two of the other options one is to literally look at the main menu under the module same for every other module in dcs if you wish to see the version.

[Rudel_chw]

11 minutes ago, JNelson said:

Or you could use two of the other options one is to literally look at the main menu under the module same for every other module in dcs if you wish to see the version.

or, you can just take notice of what version of the Mod are you downloading, rather than rushing to install and later on wondering what version it is 

[Captain Orso]

6 hours ago, JNelson said:

Or you could use two of the other options one is to literally look at the main menu under the module same for every other module in dcs if you wish to see the version.

Which means I'd have to start DCS to see something which could take all of 2 seconds 

5 hours ago, Rudel_chw said:

or, you can just take notice of what version of the Mod are you downloading, rather than rushing to install and later on wondering what version it is 

And if I've already downloaded it at some time and am no longer certain if I've installed the newest version already?

I'm not flying the A-4E at the moment, but members of my group do, and since I run the server occasionally, I provide this as a service to them.

<Captain Obvious>Useless snide remarks are... useless.</Captain Obvious>

[JNelson]

4 hours ago, Captain Orso said:

Which means I'd have to start DCS to see something which could take all of 2 seconds 

And if I've already downloaded it at some time and am no longer certain if I've installed the newest version already?

I'm not flying the A-4E at the moment, but members of my group do, and since I run the server occasionally, I provide this as a service to them.

<Captain Obvious>Useless snide remarks are... useless.</Captain Obvious>

You should not be distributing it, that is not allowed.

[Captain Orso]

I'm not distributing it. I'm hosting it.

In order to have it in a mission on my server, it must first be installed on my server.

Sheesh

[JNelson]

19 hours ago, Captain Orso said:

I'm not distributing it. I'm hosting it.

In order to have it in a mission on my server, it must first be installed on my server.

Sheesh

You don't need to necessarily have the newest version on the server, you just need to have it so that the server knows to give it fuel from tankers and knows where and how to place it on the carriers.

[Rudel_chw]

On 10/15/2021 at 9:00 AM, lukas_lb said:

Can anybody please describe the right way to taxi or is there already a youtube tutorial for it? 

 

Have not seen a YT tutorial for this, but this is a brief guide that I wrote about this (for use on my training mission):

"Since the EFM version of the A-4E-C, there isn’t a nose wheel steering, as the real A-4E didn’t had it. To steer the aircraft on the ground or on deck, you'll now need to use differential toe braking in order to steer left or right.

As many DCS users don’t have brake pedals, a rudder steering assist has been added on the Special Options tab,  where you can steer by simultaneous pressing on the rudder and wheel-brake keys: [Z] or [X], along with the [W] key.

The trick for effective steering is to taxi slowly, with just a tad over 70% RPM, because the faster you go, the less effect the steering becomes. If you want to pivot turn, you've almost got to be at a standstill.

Also, once the nose wheel is tilted in one direction, it will keep on it, until you re-center it by applying a bit of opposite wheel brake."

You can use the DCS Controls Indicator, to have visual feedback of the turn angle of the nose wheel, the force that each wheel brake is applying and the position of the rudder. Note that as you turn the rudder, the opposite wheel brake reduces its force, allowing the aircraft to turn.

Edited October 31, 2021 by Rudel_chw

[Calabrone]

You have to get the hang of it and eventually it becomes a breeze.

[Sport]

Are there any links to USS Forrestal liveries for the A-4? I'm surprised I can't find any yet

[=Skywarp=]

On 11/11/2021 at 2:15 PM, Sport said:

Are there any links to USS Forrestal liveries for the A-4? I'm surprised I can't find any yet

I found this one:

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3302709/

[DmitriKozlowsky]

Once more. Fantastic job on a free community mod, that is has most features of a commercial DCS mod. ED should see if they can make an exception and make available radio comms to A-4E-C team.

I just installed latest 2.0.0 Beta.

Differential brake ground steering did  surprise me. As I thought that real A-4E had normal front gear steer, preferred by Western aviation. A nice touch , thank you. In YT videos on A-4 docs, shows Navy ground aviation ratings leading A-4(?) steering front gear by long tow bar. Obviously power is by engine, unless Navy ratings of 1960'sd and early 1970's had physical fitness scores off the scale, and that would require a degree of coordination and trust between pilot and rating.  What am I actually, aside from obvious, seeing? That A-4 had to be steered on ground by person outside of aircraft?

Now things that are cool, but I need some explanation.

When maneuvering and low speed rudder work, I am experiencing 'thumps' and power surges. In one instance, landing in Persian Gulf, on final to Al Dhafra, at 135-145 KIAS, I head a loud 'thump' and a aircraft bump, a slight yaw and pitch up moment, followed by engine flame out. All this at 300 AGL. Air Brakes were OUT, flaps full down, gear down, spoilers ARMED, throttle at power to hold 135 KIAS for touchdown at 125 KIAS. There was no time or opportunity for relight or GO-AROUND. By the time I left the pit, nose was in down moment, with KIAS 110 and falling. I wish I had recored this mission. 

Are thumps and bumps due to automatic slats? What is the possible cause of engine surges and flameouts in A-4E-C? How does it relate to real A-4E?

[=Skywarp=]

The little bird was angry today

[DmitriKozlowsky]

What are the rules for differential wheel brake steering. Because it works, and sometimes, it does not work. Full max brake on left or right, at times, just fails to turn the aircraft. It keep rolling at slow speed .  Then it starts working. Is there some kind of air pressure or hydraulic pressure recuperation, that has to be taken into account? Its cool. A little detail that is important. 

What is the gunsight depression for low level (below 1000' (AGL) Snakeeye retarded delivery, with 5 degree dive angle at 400 KIAS? 

Edited November 15, 2021 by DmitriKozlowsky

[Calabrone]

On 11/11/2021 at 18:15, Sport said:

Ci sono collegamenti con le livree USS Forrestal per l'A-4? Sono sorpreso di non averne ancora trovato nessuno

From June 1967 to September 1967 the CVW-17 was embarked on the Forrestal, engaged in the NAM. I leave you here the link where you can see the list of the squadrons that embarked.

https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/CVW/Carrier-Air-Wing-17.htm

[JNelson]

5 hours ago, DmitriKozlowsky said:

What are the rules for differential wheel brake steering. Because it works, and sometimes, it does not work. Full max brake on left or right, at times, just fails to turn the aircraft. It keep rolling at slow speed .  Then it starts working. Is there some kind of air pressure or hydraulic pressure recuperation, that has to be taken into account? Its cool. A little detail that is important. 

What is the gunsight depression for low level (below 1000' (AGL) Snakeeye retarded delivery, with 5 degree dive angle at 400 KIAS? 

 

You are skidding the wheels and apply less brake, just go slower.

[Rudel_chw]

I found it amusing that on this trailer for the upcoming DCS Mig-17F, they used the A-4E as enemy 

 

 

[ST0RM]

25 minutes ago, Rudel_chw said:

I found it amusing that on this trailer for the upcoming DCS Mig-17F, they used the A-4E as enemy 

 

 

Or that they're flying MiG-17Fs with infrared missiles? Not a correct option for the type. Only PF

[Rudel_chw]

31 minutes ago, ST0RM said:

Or that they're flying MiG-17Fs with infrared missiles?

OK, but that has no relation at all with this thread's topic.

What was amusing is that they used a Mod aircraft instead of limiting themselves to ED own assets. 

[joey45]

Heatblur did that with the F-14 vid.