Loving the Viper

[C3PO]

Really appreciating the effort going into the Viper - such a fun - and rewarding - aircraft to fly. HARM deployment feels more "basic" than the F/A-18 but perhaps that is to be expected considering the version implemented. So thanks to the developers for all their efforts - the JSOW is SUCH GOOD FUN!

Edited July 24, 2021 by C3PO

[Dawgboy]

43 minutes ago, C3PO said:

Really appreciating the effort going into the Viper - such a fun - and rewarding - aircraft to fly. HARM deployment feels more "basic" than the F/A-18 but perhaps that is to be expected considering the version implemented. So thanks to the developers for all their efforts - the JSOW is SUCH GOOD FUN!

 

Viper will be great w/HARM when ED adds the HTS and full JHMCS capabilities.  Agree on all other fronts!

Edited July 24, 2021 by Dawgboy

[Versor]

I must write that. I love this plane. I like the exterior very much. In my opinion, the cockpit is phenomenal. The only thing missing is the pilot's body (I fly in VR and for me it is important think). When the F-16 was announced, I wondered how the ED would handle the sounds. But the sounds are just amazing. The sounds in the cockpit are just awesome. I love them. I don't know if FM is realistic. I've never flown a real F-16, never even sat in the cockpit. After the recent update, it seems to me that FM is much more better. It is no longer such a brick. Keep it up good work. I hope you will fine-tune every detail and the Viper in DCS will be made as realistic as possible. 

Edited July 25, 2021 by Versor

[SCPanda]

On 7/25/2021 at 3:55 AM, Versor said:

In my opinion, the cockpit is phenomenal.

Yep. F-16's cockpit is the best among all modules in DCS imo. Amazing visibility, perfect layout, and my god it's just beautiful. 

 

After flying too much F-16, when I get in the Hornet now, I just find myself hating that metal bar in front of me lol. That's why I stopped flying the Hornet...

[skywalker22]

I wonder why is the one of a few planes (and F-22 of the moderns) with the one-piece bubble type canopy. Is it really so hard to construct the firm one-piece canopy without bracing? The unobstructed field of view is one of the best things a fighter pilot can wish in my opinion, specially in a dog fight. That`s why I like F-16 even more.

[Mr.Scar]

I am not an A2A guy, prefer mud moving. Helos, A-10C, Harrier, those are my bread and butter.

 

But truth is, if i finally decide to switch my attention to A2A too, it will be the Viper. I have only flown it a little bit, but I love everything about it. 

Provides the best hands on experience while flying, that brute force engine is a monster and thanks to that makes it a very formidable strike aircraft. The bubble canopy provides fantastic vision not only in A2A but in A2G also. And the speed allows to get out of hairy situations quickly. I also dont mind the small MFDs. Frankly speaking, they have some kind of charm of their own, that I prefer much more than the green blobs in the Hornet. I already look at a lot of green in the AV-8B

 

Simply put, from a mud mover perspective, it ticks a lot of boxes for me when it goes to ground pounding. The way A2A is done, is just a sweet added bonus. 

 

Viper all the way. 

Edited July 27, 2021 by Mr.Scar

[SCPanda]

2 hours ago, Mr.Scar said:

I am not an A2A guy, prefer mud moving. Helos, A-10C, Harrier, those are my bread and butter.

 

But truth is, if i finally decide to switch my attention to A2A too, it will be the Viper. I have only flown it a little bit, but I love everything about it. 

Provides the best hands on experience while flying, that brute force engine is a monster and thanks to that makes it a very formidable strike aircraft. The bubble canopy provides fantastic vision not only in A2A but in A2G also. And the speed allows to get out of hairy situations quickly. I also dont mind the small MFDs. Frankly speaking, they have some kind of charm of their own, that I prefer much more than the green blobs in the Hornet. I already look at a lot of green in the AV-8B

 

Simply put, from a mud mover perspective, it ticks a lot of boxes for me when it goes to ground pounding. The way A2A is done, is just a sweet added bonus. 

 

Viper all the way. 

 

LOL nice. Considering changing your profile picture to the Viper? hahaha

[SCPanda]

3 hours ago, skywalker22 said:

I wonder why is the one of a few planes (and F-22 of the moderns) with the one-piece bubble type canopy. Is it really so hard to construct the firm one-piece canopy without bracing? The unobstructed field of view is one of the best things a fighter pilot can wish in my opinion, specially in a dog fight. That`s why I like F-16 even more.

Could be the strength, the difficulty of developing a canopy like that, the cost, safety concerns (such as canopy ejection, bird strike, etc.), and necessity (F-16 was built for dogfight if you know about the story of Fighter Mafia, but in modern days dogfighting isn't that common now). 

 

And honestly, F-16's canopy isn't frameless, it has a frame in the back, imaging reversing the front and back of Hornet's canopy. F-22's canopy is probably the only frameless one-piece canopy there is in the world. 

 

Regarding the so called "bubble canopy", many aircraft has it, such as P-51, F-86, and choppers like Mi-24 and little bird. 

Edited July 27, 2021 by SCPanda

[Mr.Scar]

5 minutes ago, SCPanda said:

LOL nice. Considering changing your profile picture to the Viper? hahaha

 

Hahaha, actually I did. But also for the Harrier, Apache, Super Cobra and a few more. The A-10C however has got a somewhat special place, since it is something that got me hooked with A2G. I jump around helos and ground pounders most of the time, but the A-10C is where it all began for me

[Spurts]

1 hour ago, Mr.Scar said:

 

Hahaha, actually I did. But also for the Harrier, Apache, Super Cobra and a few more. The A-10C however has got a somewhat special place, since it is something that got me hooked with A2G. I jump around helos and ground pounders most of the time, but the A-10C is where it all began for me

I love ground pounding.  The A-10C was my first module back in the day and I saw no reason to change... until my buddy got an F/A-18 and we flew a mission together.  I could barely clear the mountain range with the loadout for the mission and by the time I got there he had already killed everything.  So I picked up the Hornet.  Later on during the first free-to-play period I tried the Harrier.  One STO and SRVL on the Tarawa and I was hooked.  

 

Then I fired up the Viper.  OMG.  That vis, the power, the simplicity of the HOTAS.  I remembered why I have been obsessed with them since I was 6.

Edited July 27, 2021 by Spurts

[Mr.Scar]

18 minutes ago, Spurts said:

I love ground pounding.  The A-10C was my first module back in the day and I saw no reason to change... until my buddy got an F/A-18 and we flew a mission together.  I could barely clear the mountain range with the loadout for the mission and by the time I got there he had already killed everything.  So I picked up the Hornet.  Later on during the first free-to-play period I tried the Harrier.  One STO and SRVL on the Tarawa and I was hooked.  

 

Then I fired up the Viper.  OMG.  That vis, the power, the simplicity of the HOTAS.  I remembered why I have been obsessed with them since I was 6.

 

 

I had a very similar experience, so i totally know what you mean. I love the A-10C, but the speed makes you curse sometimes. You are the heavy weapons specialist in a squad. Everyone curses at you for being slow, but once you get there everyone is cheering when you start shooting. I have tried to like the Hornet, flew it quite a bit of time, but Hornet carrier ops and its systems management do not click with me. Then I went to fly helicopters for a long time, but sometimes i wanted to be a bit faster without loosing the VTOL, and dedicated A2G options.

 

Harrier was the answer. Fell in love instantly. Sub-sonic speed, lots of ordnance, flexibility to take off and land basically anywhere, and ironically carrier ops that click with me. For me its a sci-fi hybrid of a jet and helicopter. One of its kind, with a lot of hands on flying experience. Exactly the thing i was looking for.  Right now I am in the middle of re-learning it. Also, first bird ever I managed to perform AAR in... so that means something for me.

 

But not to hijack the thread, then came the Viper which i love since I was a kid. And it clicks with me way better than the Hornet does. Right now I am giving the F-16 time to develop, but... soon. 

Edited July 27, 2021 by Mr.Scar

[Machalot]

5 hours ago, Spurts said:

Then I fired up the Viper.  OMG.  That vis, the power, the simplicity of the HOTAS.  I remembered why I have been obsessed with them since I was 6.

Haha, I love that image. 

 

"Spurts, kiddo, what's your favorite airplane?"

6 year old Spurts: "I love the Viper for the visibility out the canopy and the simplicity of its HOTAS!"

[Bunny Clark]

17 hours ago, skywalker22 said:

I wonder why is the one of a few planes (and F-22 of the moderns) with the one-piece bubble type canopy. Is it really so hard to construct the firm one-piece canopy without bracing?

In the F-16, the canopy is actually the component that sets the aircraft's maximum speed. If you go too fast, it's the first thing that will fail. They managed to improve on that speed a bit with the F-22, but not by much. The F-14 and F-15 are both theoretically faster. 

 

Interestingly, the F-35 is limited to a slower speed than either by its DSIs yet has a canopy bow. I'm not sure why that choice was necessary, without a HUD that would have been a hell of a view with an unobstructed canopy. 

[Majik]

43 minutes ago, Bunny Clark said:

Interestingly, the F-35 is limited to a slower speed than either by its DSIs yet has a canopy bow. I'm not sure why that choice was necessary, without a HUD that would have been a hell of a view with an unobstructed canopy. 

 

I imagine it's for added strength in case of a bird strike.  I know Japanese F-2s replaced the F-16's bubble canopy with a two-piece as they're used in a naval role, where I think bird strikes are more of a concern.  If it is the case with the 35, then it'll be another reason the B and C model commonality hold back the A

[Gambit21]

It's a fantastic module...just stunning.

[Weasel]

I must admit I also love the cockpit of the Viper over the Hornet (and the Hornet is my favourite fighter for many years), especially in DCS with the coloured MFDs of the Viper. However when I saw the video from the simulator of the new F-16V Block 70 then I totally felt in love with this amazing cockpit. Even there is a very small hope, but when we ever get a F-16V Block 70 in DCS, then I will build a home cockpit

[The Gryphon]

I love the F-16 aswell. I have moved over from JF-17 to the Viper. The Jeff was ok but the Viper is on another level.

I love the F-16 engine sounds, the instruments and the weapons. All the weapons in the F-16 is fun to use, I don't know why, but I really enjoy using them!!

[Lace]

The Viper will always be special to me as it was my first real introduction to military combat simulation in Spectrum Holobyte's excellent Falcon 3.0.  It is my primary DCS module even in its unfinished state and the only one which is getting it's own dedicated VR sim-pit built in my study.  There are so many aircraft currently offered within DCS and many more coming in the near future, but none which will knock the Viper off it's top spot IMHO (That will maybe only happen with a GR1 Tonka).

[C3PO]

Superb work Wags and team on the CBU-105s - work brilliantly ... versatile and great fun to use. A Scud convoy already a victim