DCS: F-14 Development Update - Enter the -A!

[Skysurfer]

11 hours ago, phant said:

 

Same as above: is a release of the above items possible with the patch scheduled for 16th December 2020 or is it to be excluded?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Bye

Phant

Doubt we'll see these that soon. I'd rather have the much needed and various fixes in the next patch.

[Uxi]

Is the F-14A-95-GR only IRIAF or can there be a USN version?  Would there be any effective difference for the game?  Is Jester the same or an accented version? 

[Skysurfer]

1 hour ago, Uxi said:

Is the F-14A-95-GR only IRIAF or can there be a USN version?  Would there be any effective difference for the game?  Is Jester the same or an accented version? 

 

Well, it'll be missing the TCS and fuel tank pylons (hardlocked) and have earlier type weapons. Dont expect any changes to Jester, obviously.

[Jester986]

Think we could get a Forestall update for Christmas?

[Harlikwin]

On 12/12/2020 at 3:07 PM, Uxi said:

Is the F-14A-95-GR only IRIAF or can there be a USN version?  Would there be any effective difference for the game?  Is Jester the same or an accented version? 

I don't think the USN ever operated it. The USN used the TCS or the IR sensor version, which the iranians never wanted. And IIRC all US cats could carry tanks.

 

The development of the cat overall has alot to do with the iranians basically bailing the whole program out financially. But, even for good allies, certain things weren't on the table.

 

Me I'd like to see a combat tree implementation (Iranian cats had this too)... 

https://tacairnet.com/2017/01/02/how-combat-tree-made-the-f-4-phantom-ii-the-deadliest-fighter-over-vietnam-in-the-1970s/

 

[LanceCriminal86]

7 hours ago, Harlikwin said:

I don't think the USN ever operated it. The USN used the TCS or the IR sensor version, which the iranians never wanted. And IIRC all US cats could carry tanks.

 

The development of the cat overall has alot to do with the iranians basically bailing the whole program out financially. But, even for good allies, certain things weren't on the table.

 

Me I'd like to see a combat tree implementation (Iranian cats had this too)... 

https://tacairnet.com/2017/01/02/how-combat-tree-made-the-f-4-phantom-ii-the-deadliest-fighter-over-vietnam-in-the-1970s/

 

 

We absolutely had Block 95 Tomcats, they just weren't specc'd with the same systems. Block 95 Tomcats are what shot down the Libyan SU-22s in 1981.

 

A US Block 95 would be different from the planned early Block 135 in having the ALR-67 housing-less beavertail and no ALQ-126 blisters by the intakes. These are the only visual or system changes I can find between the two. The ALR-67 beavertail appears to have been added in Block 110 and the ALQ-126 antennas in Block 120.

 

The 1989 shoot-down jets were an 80 and 85, which had minor differences from the 95.

 

I'm in the process of cross referencing this guy's breakdown here but so far it seems accurate for showing the production block changes:

 

https://modelingmadness.com/review/mod/us/usn/fighter/gar14adiff.htm

 

 

 

F-14A-80 (BuNo 159430 - 159468)

 

Gypsy 202: BuNO 159437

 

F-14A -85 (BuNo BuNo 159588 - 159637)

 

Gypsy 207: BuNO 159610

 

F-14A-95 (BuNo 160379 - 160414)

 

Fast Eagle 102: BuNO 160403

Fast Eagle 107: BuNO 160390

 

 

[Skysurfer]

I do hope to finally see the early A and maybe even IRIAF A in the next major update. 

[LanceCriminal86]

Just now, Skysurfer said:

I do hope to finally see the early A and maybe even IRIAF A in the next major update. 

 

Based on a few replies here and there from HB, I'd be betting on March's major patch for the next major content drop.

[Bremspropeller]

Would this early VF-2 bird be best depicted by the iranian version and would that work out equipment-wise?

 

[Harlikwin]

9 hours ago, LanceCriminal86 said:

 

We absolutely had Block 95 Tomcats, they just weren't specc'd with the same systems. Block 95 Tomcats are what shot down the Libyan SU-22s in 1981.

 

A US Block 95 would be different from the planned early Block 135 in having the ALR-67 housing-less beavertail and no ALQ-126 blisters by the intakes. These are the only visual or system changes I can find between the two. The ALR-67 beavertail appears to have been added in Block 110 and the ALQ-126 antennas in Block 120.

 

The 1989 shoot-down jets were an 80 and 85, which had minor differences from the 95.

 

I'm in the process of cross referencing this guy's breakdown here but so far it seems accurate for showing the production block changes:

 

https://modelingmadness.com/review/mod/us/usn/fighter/gar14adiff.htm

 

 

 

F-14A-80 (BuNo 159430 - 159468)

 

Gypsy 202: BuNO 159437

 

F-14A -85 (BuNo BuNo 159588 - 159637)

 

Gypsy 207: BuNO 159610

 

F-14A-95 (BuNo 160379 - 160414)

 

Fast Eagle 102: BuNO 160403

Fast Eagle 107: BuNO 160390

 

 

 

Well, thats more or less what I was saying, the US airframes had different/better systems. 

9 hours ago, LanceCriminal86 said:

 

Based on a few replies here and there from HB, I'd be betting on March's major patch for the next major content drop.

 

Is that gonna be with DCS 2.7 cloud edition or the one after?

[WolfHound009]

4 hours ago, Bremspropeller said:

Would this early VF-2 bird be best depicted by the iranian version and would that work out equipment-wise?

 

Thats block 85 so apart from the fact that the -95 GR has a AoA probe in the nose, the Block 95 that HB give us should represent this VF-2 Cat just fine at least visually for the most part. Nice Livery too!

 

On 1/15/2021 at 5:13 PM, The Burrito said:

 

 

10 hours ago, LanceCriminal86 said:

 

We absolutely had Block 95 Tomcats, they just weren't specc'd with the same systems. Block 95 Tomcats are what shot down the Libyan SU-22s in 1981.

 

A US Block 95 would be different from the planned early Block 135 in having the ALR-67 housing-less beavertail and no ALQ-126 blisters by the intakes. These are the only visual or system changes I can find between the two. The ALR-67 beavertail appears to have been added in Block 110 and the ALQ-126 antennas in Block 120.

 

The 1989 shoot-down jets were an 80 and 85, which had minor differences from the 95.

 

I'm in the process of cross referencing this guy's breakdown here but so far it seems accurate for showing the production block changes:

 

https://modelingmadness.com/review/mod/us/usn/fighter/gar14adiff.htm

 

 

 

F-14A-80 (BuNo 159430 - 159468)

 

Gypsy 202: BuNO 159437

 

F-14A -85 (BuNo BuNo 159588 - 159637)

 

Gypsy 207: BuNO 159610

 

F-14A-95 (BuNo 160379 - 160414)

 

Fast Eagle 102: BuNO 160403

Fast Eagle 107: BuNO 160390

 

 

Wouldn't the -95 GR also not have TCS or was it in limited use during its time period?

[Quid]

21 minutes ago, WolfHound009 said:

Thats block 85 so apart from the fact that the -95 GR has a AoA probe in the nose, the Block 95 that HB give us should represent this VF-2 Cat just fine at least visually for the most part. Nice Livery too!

 

 

Wouldn't the -95 GR also not have TCS or was it in limited use during its time period?

It depends on what you mean by Block 95; if you mean the planned Iranian Tomcats for DCS, then no: the TCS wasn't introduced to the fleet until 1981, after the revolution.  It was experimental equipment tested during ACEVAL/AIMVAL, and those VX-4 Tomcats had both TCS (as "TVSU") and VTAS, but the system wasn't acquired immediately afterwards and even got killed for a short period before its funding was restored (RADM Gillcrist was involved in saving the TCS) in 1981.  It then was introduced to the fleet over the span of a few years.  The long and short of it is that IRIAF F-14s wouldn't carry it.  If you mean could a Block 95 have been equipped with the TCS in the USN at any point in time, then yes, as kits became available, earlier block Tomcats could have a TCS installed.

Edited February 12, 2021 by Quid
Amplification

[Harlikwin]

13 minutes ago, Quid said:

It depends on what you mean by Block 95; if you mean the planned Iranian Tomcats for DCS, then no: the TCS wasn't introduced to the fleet until 1981, after the revolution.  It was experimental equipment tested during ACEVAL/AIMVAL, and those VX-4 Tomcats had both TCS (as "TVSU") and VTAS, but the system wasn't acquired immediately afterwards and even got killed for a short period before its funding was restored (RADM Gillcrist was involved in saving the TCS) in 1981.  It then was introduced to the fleet over the span of a few years.  The long and short of it is that IRIAF F-14s wouldn't carry it.  If you mean could a Block 95 have been equipped with the TCS in the USN at any point in time, then yes, as kits became available, earlier block Tomcats could have a TCS installed.

 

 

Well the iranaians either specifically didn't want the previous IRST system, or it wasn't allowed for export. Thats more what I was getting at. And at a guess their ECM systems were degraded for export as well. 

[Quid]

Just now, Harlikwin said:

 

Well the iranaians either specifically didn't want the previous IRST system, or it wasn't allowed for export. Thats more what I was getting at. And at a guess their ECM systems were degraded for export as well. 

For the part on the IRST, that's absolutely possible, but I was specifically responding to WolfHound's question on if a Block 95 could mount a TCS.  For Iran, no because the system became available after the revolution, for the USN, yes.

[Skysurfer]

Afaik our IRIAF -95 will have no TCS and no ext. tank pylons. The -135 (early) will have TCS and pylons. Both with the ALR45 and no ECM blisters.

[Swordsman422]

That VF-2 jet in the photo is actually a 70-GR, which aside from running the BuNo, you can tell by the flat, wide beavertail with the dielectric panels as was present on the earliest F-14s. As far as I am aware, we won't ever be getting a 70 or 75.

[LanceCriminal86]

1 hour ago, Skysurfer said:

Afaik our IRIAF -95 will have no TCS and no ext. tank pylons. The -135 (early) will have TCS and pylons. Both with the ALR45 and no ECM blisters.

 

The Block 135 has the ALR-126 antennas, so that would not be right. The B has the antennas as well, and as mentioned above back to Block 120 the ALR-126 blisters were added around the intakes. But the Block 135 did have the ALR-67 style beavertail even though it appears they weren't shipped with the ALR-67 itself.

 

The reason ours doesn't have the antennas is because an F-14D is among the 3 jets they scanned, none of which were B models. The other two may have been older block jets or the antenna were overlooked when compiling the model. But the -135 and B should both have them and be externally the same aside from the engines.

[Skysurfer]

36 minutes ago, LanceCriminal86 said:

 

The Block 135 has the ALR-126 antennas, so that would not be right. The B has the antennas as well, and as mentioned above back to Block 120 the ALR-126 blisters were added around the intakes. But the Block 135 did have the ALR-67 style beavertail even though it appears they weren't shipped with the ALR-67 itself.

 

The reason ours doesn't have the antennas is because an F-14D is among the 3 jets they scanned, none of which were B models. The other two may have been older block jets or the antenna were overlooked when compiling the model. But the -135 and B should both have them and be externally the same aside from the engines.

 

Fair enough. Yeah most of the pictures of -A's an B's I have seen have the "ECM blisters" - I do hope they add those across the board sooner rather than later (which also would need to be adapted to each livery). Pretty odd thing to simply miss out. Hopefully those get added once we have an improved ECM simulation in the cat.

Edited February 12, 2021 by Skysurfer

[Harlikwin]

17 minutes ago, Skysurfer said:

 

 Hopefully those get added once we have an improved ECM simulation in the cat.

 

 

Most awaited feature for the cat for me. Well, along with early cats. 

[LanceCriminal86]

27 minutes ago, Harlikwin said:

 

Most awaited feature for the cat for me. Well, along with early cats. 

 

We're not getting "early" Cats, we're getting the second to last batch of As somewhat as they rolled off the line in 84/85. I tried to see if they'd swap the "early" 135 for a US -95 but we're basically just getting the exact same thing we already have but with a different RWR and maybe LANTIRN turned off.

 

Not that a -95 is a super early jet but it at least better represents the 80s jets and can pretend to be an older one if they solve the TCS swapping puzzle.

[WolfHound009]

9 hours ago, LanceCriminal86 said:

 

We're not getting "early" Cats, we're getting the second to last batch of As somewhat as they rolled off the line in 84/85. I tried to see if they'd swap the "early" 135 for a US -95 but we're basically just getting the exact same thing we already have but with a different RWR and maybe LANTIRN turned off.

 

Not that a -95 is a super early jet but it at least better represents the 80s jets and can pretend to be an older one if they solve the TCS swapping puzzle.

I mean if they make the Iranian -95 Carrier capable in the game then with a US skin it could definitely masquerade as an early F-14A

[draconus]

49 minutes ago, WolfHound009 said:

I mean if they make the Iranian -95 Carrier capable in the game then with a US skin it could definitely masquerade as an early F-14A

Well, I see the IRIAF didn't have hooks removed.

[Skysurfer]

4 hours ago, draconus said:

Well, I see the IRIAF didn't have hooks removed.

 

Probably to be used for field arrestments etc. 

[r4y30n]

Right, most USAF fighters have tail hooks, too. More important is that the Iranian F-14s have launch bars.

[captain_dalan]

As long i can use the Iranian Cats to pretend-stand in for the AIM/ACEVAL birds, i'll be a happy man