Couple newbie F-5E pilot questions

[Aries101]

Just bought by F-5E on discount and went through training missions.

First off, I hate that they are not narated like others, but it is what it is.

Second. On my navigation mission i could not set Tacan to work for life of it.

I did as tutorial says (I think it was 31X) I heard first beep from it but then it died on me. I realised only 3/4 of way that it is not working due to distance being stuck on 60. i quickly set x to y and back and that seemed to spring it in action, but I still do not get how it is working. If I am correct this is something like military version of adf right? If that is so I can manage it, but I guess I expected it to be like military VOR which was not the case. My offcourse middle needle was all way out and it did not want to get into middle.

Fourth question: Does Anyone knows what are working parameters of tacans in DCS (like max distance, min-max altitude etc).

 

Ty.

Also any tip you can give is more than welcomed.

[Aries101]

Ok, disregard that. It looks like this is bug that it was already reported.

 

[Aries101]

I got also one complaint.

I think it must be said that training missions are just horrible (sorry to say that but it is true).

I was just trying to do first (MSL) missle training and I could not get one single thing.  Maybe it is just me but voice over could go milion miles from where it is now.

Edited December 18, 2021 by Aries101

[Aries101]

Hello, again.

I just wrapped up all training missions.

I noticed that my Auto flaps button is saying "UP" if i recall correctly while lever is in SW position and on throttle slider in "Auto".

But, while i was doing some of other trainign mission (cant recall which one), Aircraft was already in air, preset with level fully down and in "auto" position on throttle. Marker in upper left corner also indicated "auto" for flaps. Now if I recall flight training and Grim Reapers videos, for auto mode lever should be in middle position (aka "SW") aint that right?

I am confused now, how should I setup my flaps for landing forinstance? I presume lever in SW mode and slider full back in Auto mode?

I admit I forgot to check how was setup for rockets and bombing

Edit: I went and check setup in laserbombing practise and Flaps lever behind throttle was in lowest position (full if I recall correctly) and when slider on throttle was in Auto mode, all was working correctly. But when I pulled lever in SW mode, flaps and slats went full up and I mark on front dash was also saying up.

As least it is working as auto at least in one setup lol.

Edited December 18, 2021 by Aries101

[TOViper]

46 minutes ago, Aries101 said:

I am confused now, how should I setup my flaps for landing forinstance? I presume lever in SW mode and slider full back in Auto mod

Yup. The indicator should read FULL.
According to the manual page 201 this is the correct procedure.
"3. Set flap thumb switch on right engine throttle to AUTO position (press |F|). At the same time flap lever has to be set to THUMB SW position (center position)."
"6. ... Control wing flap extension with help of FULL indicator and visually."

 

Edited December 18, 2021 by TOViper

[Aries101]

I tested this on several aproaches while lever was in lowest position and fplaps did its thing along with inicator marking it, but as soon asn I flipped it in "correst Thumb SW" position, it suddenly went from flaps down to full up. As I put switch back to down position , then flaps got back in landing configuration. Keep in mine that all the time slider on throttle was full aft in "Auto" position.

I mean I fly lot of planes long enough to know in what configuration I need to be to land as slow as possible so from that point I have my flap lever (one mehind throittle in fulld own position (I forgot name of that one) and slider on throttle in "Auto" position and that seems to work as it should, automatically.

Also I am happy to report I am getting better and better in shooring stuff

Btw, is there any good guide about A/g munitions in more detail?

[Sarge55]

Try Tricker’s F-5E tutorials on YouTube. 

[Fairey Gannet]

3 hours ago, Aries101 said:

I tested this on several aproaches while lever was in lowest position and fplaps did its thing along with inicator marking it, but as soon asn I flipped it in "correst Thumb SW" position, it suddenly went from flaps down to full up. As I put switch back to down position , then flaps got back in landing configuration. Keep in mine that all the time slider on throttle was full aft in "Auto" position.

I mean I fly lot of planes long enough to know in what configuration I need to be to land as slow as possible so from that point I have my flap lever (one mehind throittle in fulld own position (I forgot name of that one) and slider on throttle in "Auto" position and that seems to work as it should, automatically.

Also I am happy to report I am getting better and better in shooring stuff

Btw, is there any good guide about A/g munitions in more detail?

Like Sarge55 said, Tricker has very nice set of tutorials on F-5. I will also add Crash Laobi (you want F-5 overview and 1 minute DCS series) as well as Tactical Pascale - there is also nice tutorial series there.

[LowRider88]

GVad is also very good to.  Very entertaining too.  Highly recommended.

He is actually the guy heading up Red Star Sims, who will eventually deliver the MiG-17, maybe next year.

He has a lot of ACM/BFM tips from dogfighting against a real former Argentine fighter pilot.

His earlier videos even go beyond DCS and cover flying in general.  If I recall he is a read pilot with over 20 years experience.

 

Just a few words of caution though:

In the MIG-19 videos, it was assumed it was only an energy fighter and not a turn fighter.

But that was because those videos were done before a recent FM update.  Prior to the update, the 19 would lose speed in a turn far to easily, so at the time it was easy to assume the 19 could not turn.

I hope he can redo these videos with the 19 once the maneuvering flaps are fixed, when it will have even more maneuverability, beyond the F-5.

Also in one of his recent videos in a M2000 vs AI F-16, the 16 did what I believe was a spiral dive, but in the heat of battle he referred to it as a rolling scissors.  It is understandable, but worth clarifying.  He has earlier videos of the F-5 doing a real rolling scissors, though.

[Jagua]

On 12/20/2021 at 4:49 PM, Aries101 said:

I tested this on several aproaches while lever was in lowest position and fplaps did its thing along with inicator marking it, but as soon asn I flipped it in "correst Thumb SW" position, it suddenly went from flaps down to full up. As I put switch back to down position , then flaps got back in landing configuration. Keep in mine that all the time slider on throttle was full aft in "Auto" position.

I mean I fly lot of planes long enough to know in what configuration I need to be to land as slow as possible so from that point I have my flap lever (one mehind throittle in fulld own position (I forgot name of that one) and slider on throttle in "Auto" position and that seems to work as it should, automatically.

Also I am happy to report I am getting better and better in shooring stuff

Btw, is there any good guide about A/g munitions in more detail?

You can check Chuck's Guides: https://www.mudspike.com/chucks-guides-dcs/

About flaps: I always let it in AUTO all the time. Also let YAW and PITCH DUMP turn ON all the time.

 

[Aries101]

Thanks guys.

I got better in mean time, found some nice tips on bombing in f5 and I am getting there slowly. I might get into dogfighting one day, but not at this point. Couple of test shoots againt helicopers were fail. That P5 missles dont see them at all. So I guess I need something in line of Mig 21, but As I said I am fan of A/G and I also love to do Rescue missions on multiplayer with Huey so that will do for now

[Aries101]

Does anyone by any chance have Keybinding for Thrustmaster Hotas X? I have my setup, but insight to others setup might give me idea how to setup my better. It is somewhat button lasking set, but It is all i got at the moment.

[LowRider88]

17 hours ago, Aries101 said:

Does anyone by any chance have Keybinding for Thrustmaster Hotas X? I have my setup, but insight to others setup might give me idea how to setup my better. It is somewhat button lasking set, but It is all i got at the moment.

I was playing with keyboard as throttle for a long time, but recently got the warthog, so don't know much about the X.

But since you just got it, you must have also played with keyboard or something else in the F-5 already, and so may know what controls you use for combat already.  Maybe a best match is a combination of those controls you go to most in combat for convenience, and the ones you see on the virtual HOTAS, for some relative realism.

Regarding combat, some say helis are the most difficult.  But maybe due to a guns only environment and not the lack of targeting from your missiles.

BTW, I admire you, I can't drop a bomb in the DCS F-5 to save my life.

[Fairey Gannet]

20 hours ago, Aries101 said:

Does anyone by any chance have Keybinding for Thrustmaster Hotas X? I have my setup, but insight to others setup might give me idea how to setup my better. It is somewhat button lasking set, but It is all i got at the moment.

There are some ideas about F-5 keybinds. I tried to keep them somewhat close to original layout, but some concessions had to be made. I hope it will be of some use to you!  

[Aries101]

Thank you.

In mean time I decided I want to have only one modifier button and on stick I put A/A buttons only as I flew plane more I realized that I always have nuff time to manualy switch and setup plane with mouse for A/G stuff anyway and I am so bad in A/A that all important stuff in joystick and throttle is a must so that is what I went with and so far so good.

As for bombing, I cannot find tutorial which I used for practise but it worked. Default guide sets you up for 20 degree dive but I found one that sets you up from 5000 to 6000 feet of initial dive pointat an 10 degree dive and when at about 1500 to 2000 feet above ground you drop bomb. In most cases I hit right on target. Ill try to find exact guide and I post it here if I find. Still as on L 39 ZA rockests are best bet especially since you got HEAT models hehe.

 

Edit: 

 

Edited December 23, 2021 by Aries101

[LowRider88]

3 hours ago, Aries101 said:

Thank you.

In mean time I decided I want to have only one modifier button and on stick I put A/A buttons only as I flew plane more I realized that I always have nuff time to manualy switch and setup plane with mouse for A/G stuff anyway and I am so bad in A/A that all important stuff in joystick and throttle is a must so that is what I went with and so far so good.

As for bombing, I cannot find tutorial which I used for practise but it worked. Default guide sets you up for 20 degree dive but I found one that sets you up from 5000 to 6000 feet of initial dive pointat an 10 degree dive and when at about 1500 to 2000 feet above ground you drop bomb. In most cases I hit right on target. Ill try to find exact guide and I post it here if I find. Still as on L 39 ZA rockests are best bet especially since you got HEAT models hehe.

 

Edit: 

 

 

Thanks Aries101 for the video.  So far the only success I have had was with rockets.  I would approach at about 10000ft, fly nearby above the target, then invert and pull into it, with brakes and flaps out, diving nearly 70 degrees into it.

But for bombing, not so much success.  It may have been that at the time I was trying to use tables from the actual manual, but maybe there are inconsistencies with DCS.

Try your method and watch the video.

For my warthog, there is one mapping I am experimenting with.  The F-5 manual says when pushing past the Aileron Spring Limiter, the pilot may need to use both hands.  So for the right hand button on the warthog stick, I mapped the button for bypassing the limiter.

This was for as much realism as possible, I.e to force me to take my left hand off the throttle and grab the stick with it too, since my right hand index finger is already occupied by the trigger.

[Burt]

I’ve got in the F-5E and Egnimas Cold War server and man I love the F5. But the snapping of the wings needs to be fixed. I get that turning at a certain G but its still alittle on the fragile side. The F-5E is a great jet !

[LowRider88]

17 hours ago, Burt said:

I’ve got in the F-5E and Egnimas Cold War server and man I love the F5. But the snapping of the wings needs to be fixed. I get that turning at a certain G but its still alittle on the fragile side. The F-5E is a great jet !

It may be a multiplayer bug.  Has never happened to me in single player.  I suggest slowing down and fighting at corner speed.

[=475FG= Dawger]

1 hour ago, LowRider88 said:

It may be a multiplayer bug.  Has never happened to me in single player.  I suggest slowing down and fighting at corner speed.

Single player fights are not anything like a multiplayer PvP fight, with the multiplayer PvP fight being much more dynamic and representative of actual combat. 

[LowRider88]

12 hours ago, =475FG= Dawger said:

Single player fights are not anything like a multiplayer PvP fight, with the multiplayer PvP fight being much more dynamic and representative of actual combat. 

What does that's have to do with Burt's comments about the wings?  And no, I disagree, especially when there are people in multiplayer who think they can do scissor fighters at 10 Gs.

[razo+r]

In SP, you mostly just do loopings which will not trigger the snapping wings. It's a combination of pulling and rolling that break wings easily, and that combination is much more likely to happen in MP. 

 

[=475FG= Dawger]

3 hours ago, LowRider88 said:

What does that's have to do with Burt's comments about the wings?  And no, I disagree, especially when there are people in multiplayer who think they can do scissor fighters at 10 Gs.

Its just very different. I don’t snap wings fighting AI bandits but fighting humans generates the conditions that generate very regular broken wings.

And the current modeling is quite obviously incorrect when compared to the real airplane so the only reason for it to remain this way is to force gameplay behavior in a certain direction. 

[Snappy]

2 hours ago, =475FG= Dawger said:

Its just very different. I don’t snap wings fighting AI bandits but fighting humans generates the conditions that generate very regular broken wings.

And the current modeling is quite obviously incorrect when compared to the real airplane so the only reason for it to remain this way is to force gameplay behavior in a certain direction. 

Which direction would that be?serious question.

[LowRider88]

14 hours ago, razo+r said:

In SP, you mostly just do loopings which will not trigger the snapping wings. It's a combination of pulling and rolling that break wings easily, and that combination is much more likely to happen in MP. 

 

Not for me.  I do all sorts of BFM/ACM maneuvers.  Look up GVad's YouTube vids.  I just don't expect to break rules of physics like some multiplayers do.

11 hours ago, =475FG= Dawger said:

Its just very different. I don’t snap wings fighting AI bandits but fighting humans generates the conditions that generate very regular broken wings.

And the current modeling is quite obviously incorrect when compared to the real airplane so the only reason for it to remain this way is to force gameplay behavior in a certain direction. 

Sorry, I'm still not convinced.  If you don't care, don't quote me.  

Edited January 4, 2022 by LowRider88

[=475FG= Dawger]

14 hours ago, Snappy said:

Which direction would that be?serious question.

It depends on whether or not this particular version of structural limits is going to be applied across the board.

If every module is going to break wings at 1.5 the published limit, it will generate a very different style of gameplay overall in multiplayer. 
Much slower and easier on the ego for many players.

If this standard is going to be haphazardly applied, I would not know the reasoning behind it.

A cynical person might think that making a old module fragile in advance of the release of several aircraft of the same technological era is simply a sales tactic.

I am hoping they just misinterpreted the data and are going to correct it.

I do know that after owning the F-5 for years that suddenly finding it in this state is a pretty bitter pill. I am a less enthusiastic customer, for certain.