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F-14A update?


Snakeice

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Both versions of the A will come out simultaneously I believe.

 

What's the best way to bribe your modeler into doing the non-TCS model of the "A"? I think VX-4 even had one bird with the Iran style having only the light bump and no TCS housing.

 

Have you guys considered using custom animation arguments tied to the TCS to allow switching of the TCS model? Then it could just be a line in the livery LUA to select which TCS to use, the full TCS, TCS with bullet fairing, the "nub", or, maybe even sneak the -D TCS in there to at least allow for an AI usable -D model.

Heatblur Rivet Counting Squad™

 

VF-11 and VF-31 1988 [WIP]

VF-201 & VF-202 [WIP]

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What's the best way to bribe your modeler into doing the non-TCS model of the "A"? I think VX-4 even had one bird with the Iran style having only the light bump and no TCS housing.

 

Have you guys considered using custom animation arguments tied to the TCS to allow switching of the TCS model? Then it could just be a line in the livery LUA to select which TCS to use, the full TCS, TCS with bullet fairing, the "nub", or, maybe even sneak the -D TCS in there to at least allow for an AI usable -D model.

 

I think the Iranian one will be a seperate model so I dont see why anyone couldn't just make USAF skins for that one.

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I think the Iranian one will be a seperate model so I dont see why anyone couldn't just make USAF skins for that one.

 

Heatblur has repeatedly stated that the Iranian and US Navy models will be identical, but that the Iranian F-14 will have certain features disabled. The F-14A will also have the option of a bullet fairing in place of the TCS camera, but not removal of the whole chinpod.

 

Shame, too. I'd rather have a late A if I only got to choose one, but I'd like to see a -90-GR as well.

DCSF-14AOK3A.jpg

DCSF14AOK3B.png

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I think the Iranian one will be a seperate model so I dont see why anyone couldn't just make USAF skins for that one.

 

They've said in other posts that I don't believe they were planning on fully doing a separate Iran visual model, that it would probably end up with the bullet fairing. Hence my offering of bribery for grownup beverages and probably tylenol to make up for the headache involved in setting that up. The B and probably A need to have a minor tweak to make them accurate anyways, so I figured why not ask again.

 

What I'm alluding to is that various parts can be tied to custom arguments, such as the Phoenix pylons or eventually the fuel tank pylons as an animation. Thus, you can assign different external model bits to the animation ranges allowing you to trade out parts by simply defining another value. The C-101 uses this to an extreme degree, but the Hornet and a few others use it to change the pilot helmet version between JHMCS, bungee visor, and no visor. In practice for the Tomcat, it could be used to do things like add/remove various antennas to help represent older and newer RWR, GPS, radios, the TCS as mentioned, fuel and phoenix pylons, bomb racks, some of the ECM gear that was carried with TARPS pods, helmet swapping between HGU-33 and HGU-55 (maybe even the -68 if their model guy has nothing better to do since they were also used), it could be used to add/remove the yaw string in front of the canopy, all kinds of stuff. Hell, maybe even a huffer could be added like the Community A-4, having the ladders extend when shut down and the canopy is open, stuff like that.

 

BUT, with everything Heatblur is probably trying to prioritize both between fixing bugs, getting the new features out the door that have been held up by the DCS engine flux, and new stuff we're anticipating like the "A" and Forrestal, the A-6, the one time promised AI plane for the Viggen owners (Drakken?), so I figure a heavy rework of the model to add more use of custom animation arguments is unlikely. But if it were to happen, it would offer quite a bit of flexibility to the folks making skins like myself, and could at least help populate an AI F-14D for those doing GWOT era scenarios where Ds were flying alongside Hornets in the Gulf. An AI D model shouldn't have any real hitches adding JDAMs and some of the other weapons not supported by our B and A models from the late 90s.

Heatblur Rivet Counting Squad™

 

VF-11 and VF-31 1988 [WIP]

VF-201 & VF-202 [WIP]

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Here's the VX-4 bird in question with the same type of non-TCS setup as an Iranian Tomcat:

 

39824144403_c971ae13b3_3k.jpgVX-4 Grumman F-14A Tomcat 159828 by Wing attack Plan R, on Flickr

 

Seeing as a number of the really early Tomcats had the same setup it could be a way for those wanting to do mid 70s Tomcat things, but as already said, probably not coming.

Heatblur Rivet Counting Squad™

 

VF-11 and VF-31 1988 [WIP]

VF-201 & VF-202 [WIP]

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Well hell, it looks like some of them into the 80s still didn't have TCS pods. Here's VF-11 from apparently 1981, and right after it on the guy's Flickr gallery were some VF-101 from 1982 with again no TCS.

 

47309355392_bcbb16475d_b.jpgVF-11 F-14A Tomcat BuNo 159025, AC-106 by G. Verver, on Flickr

Heatblur Rivet Counting Squad™

 

VF-11 and VF-31 1988 [WIP]

VF-201 & VF-202 [WIP]

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Heatblur has repeatedly stated that the Iranian and US Navy models will be identical, but that the Iranian F-14 will have certain features disabled. The F-14A will also have the option of a bullet fairing in place of the TCS camera, but not removal of the whole chinpod.

 

Shame, too. I'd rather have a late A if I only got to choose one, but I'd like to see a -90-GR as well.

 

IronMike said recently they are doing just that. No TCS and tank pylons.

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IronMike said recently they are doing just that. No TCS and tank pylons.

 

He was probably referring to the camera tube itself and having the system disabled vice having the ALQ-100 only. Also, the option for clean nacelles when the fuel tanks aren't loaded has been part of the plan for all the variants since the beginning. I'd like to actually read his comments if you can find them.

 

The TCS wasn't universal on Navy birds into the late 1980s. Squadrons returning from deployments were often required to turn over their TCS cameras to squadrons outbound, and not every plane had one. I hate to use Top Gun as a measure for anything, but you see several chin pod configurations through the movie, including the bullet fairing and ALQ-only, and it was filmed in 1985, indicating that procurement hadn't caught up with demand by that point.

DCSF-14AOK3A.jpg

DCSF14AOK3B.png

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He was probably referring to the camera tube itself and having the system disabled vice having the ALQ-100 only. Also, the option for clean nacelles when the fuel tanks aren't loaded has been part of the plan for all the variants since the beginning. I'd like to actually read his comments if you can find them.

 

The TCS wasn't universal on Navy birds into the late 1980s. Squadrons returning from deployments were often required to turn over their TCS cameras to squadrons outbound, and not every plane had one. I hate to use Top Gun as a measure for anything, but you see several chin pod configurations through the movie, including the bullet fairing and ALQ-only, and it was filmed in 1985, indicating that procurement hadn't caught up with demand by that point.

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=4427605&postcount=14

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I really do hope we get an early Block 90 -A, I PM'd Naquaii from HB around 5 months ago and he said that it was their intention to do a full early style -A complete with Hi-Vis liveries.

If something has changed idk but do u guys think a community created mod to have only the ALQ-100 antennae under the nose would be viable?

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That doesn't confirm whether the chinpod will just consist of the ALQ or if it will only have the option for the bullet fairing. It would be great if it was a 90/95-GR. Regardless, at least the Iranians are getting a Tomcat. Some of those IRIAF camos are awesome.

 

Glad to see the Navy A will definitely have LANTIRN capability.

DCSF-14AOK3A.jpg

DCSF14AOK3B.png

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