Community A-4E-C v2.3 (May 2025)

[plusnine]

page 3-2, if you read it, specifically denotes CCRP after the bombing computer header.

there's no volume control over vital alarm tones in the aircraft, and the tone is not overwhelming the release noise for me. i would check the levels you have set DCS at for your cockpit headphones vs. environmental audio. if you're desperate, you can edit the gain value on bombtone.sdef for that specific sound.

Edited January 21, 2022 by plusnine

[kievbsm]

Now I see! 
Thank you very much! 
I've just done it like you said - edit the bombtone file.

So, the algorythm is like this:

1. Prepare everything as we see on the 3-2 page.
2. Dive to the target until we'll see "In range" indicator.
3. Put our target to the HUD center and then press and hold the weapon release button.
4. Gently pull the stick and fly in horizon until our bomb will disconnect from the airplane. 
5. Then depress the weapon release button.

Am I wrong?

[plusnine]

i get best results with the computer in steeper dives closer to 40 or 45 degrees.

a stable and steady steady traversal on the gunsight is key to getting a good target lock.

you want to be walking the target up the central ladder of the gunsight at a controlled rate as you target then once you press and hold the bomb button until after release completion. then begin to pull up, the smoother the better.

as is noted in the kneeboard manual, the computer cannot account for wind or yaw, so if there is wind to compensate for you'll want to note that using the navigation computer console before you dive or note weather conditions at takeoff. you want to be as rudderless as possible on your dive and pull-out to avoid pulling to one side or the other.

this is my preferred video tutorial for the bombing computer from youtube:

 

Edited January 24, 2022 by plusnine
updated video link

[bC3660]

On 1/16/2022 at 10:15 AM, bC3660 said:

I dont seem to have any misions other than the ones I made my self?

Can I get someone to help me with this? Did i install it wrong?   Saved games. User. DCS.Mods.Aircraft.

[Rudel_chw]

4 minutes ago, bC3660 said:

Can I get someone to help me with this? Did i install it wrong?   Saved games. User. DCS.Mods.Aircraft.

 

Are you using the latest 2.0 version of the A-4E? ... Mine has several quick missions:

 

 

[bC3660]

Yes I am. When I go to quick missions the A-4 is not there.

Never mind! un-install and Re-install fixed it.  Thanks!!

 

Edited January 23, 2022 by bC3660

[stalhuth]

could be possible to use the JATO (Q) countermeasures in the HOTAS? 

[Direwolf]

I´m a little confused about iron bombing using computer procedures. Most of the videos in You Tube, uses the LABS position to drop bombs, but I noticed there is a position (CMPTR) thata is supposed to do the same. What´s the difference using one or another?

[WinterH]

39 minutes ago, Direwolf said:

I´m a little confused about iron bombing using computer procedures. Most of the videos in You Tube, uses the LABS position to drop bombs, but I noticed there is a position (CMPTR) thata is supposed to do the same. What´s the difference using one or another?

Videos are from the earlier versions where CMPTR position of the mode dial wasn't animated yet, and the feature was accessed through the LABS position. You need to use CMPTR position in current version.

LABS is a different, older bombing system that isn't nearly as accurate, and is mainly meant for delivering nukes. As far as I know it's not implemented in our A-4 right now, but if you have F-86 you can use it there. Essentially, you fly low, when right over the target press weapons release, and go into a vertical climb. LABS indicator will guide you with needles that you try and keep centered, and the system will release the bomb when it thinks it'll hit the general postcode, or at least the neighboring one

Edited January 23, 2022 by WinterH

[ASW]

2 часа назад, WinterH сказал:

LABS is a different, older bombing system that isn't nearly as accurate, and is mainly meant for delivering nukes. As far as I know it's not implemented in our A-4 right now, but if you have F-86 you can use it there. Essentially, you fly low, when right over the target press weapons release, and go into a vertical climb. LABS indicator will guide you with needles that you try and keep centered, and the system will release the bomb when it thinks it'll hit the general postcode, or at least the neighboring one

I have an F-86, I really like it, but unfortunately there is not even a small tactical nuclear bomb in DCS to try to drop it on a cluster of enemies at least offline. Perhaps the A4 developers will make such an opportunity. https://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/

Edited January 24, 2022 by ASW

[=Skywarp=]

12 hours ago, stalhuth said:

could be possible to use the JATO (Q) countermeasures in the HOTAS? 

Yes... I use it.

[Scotch75]

Yes... I use it.

I have bound it to the red button on the left throttle of the warthog.

Cheers!



Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

[stalhuth]

11 hours ago, =Skywarp= said:

Yes... I use it.

For some reason I don't have the option to bind that key  

[ASW]

28 минут назад, Skunk Cabbage сказал:

I am getting back to DCS after 5 months.  I now have some physical limitations and trying to adjust. I can no longer fly the F-18.  I am trying out the A-4E-C.   I am finding it hard to reach around to the Auto Pilot. I use Auto Pilot a lot.  I don't see a Key Command for it.  Is there a way to bind a key on the keyboard for "Engage Auto Pilot?"  I just need a key to engage or unengaged.       Also, for the ATC behind the throttle?  I use Trackir, but I have physical problems bending around.  

I have noticed one problem. Sometimes the white around the gauges sometimes flickers.  Nothing else inside or outside the aircraft flickers. just the white around the gauges. It comes and goes. 

Thanks for your assistance,  Dave 

Of course there is such a possibility! It is possible to assign the autopilot on and off, ALT and HDG hold

Edited January 24, 2022 by ASW

[scoobie]

By the way, one thing here is worth noting IMHO. There might exist people who could learn from the A-4 team - on the screenshot above you can see it's "full service" binding set, namely (I'll take A/P ALT HOLD as an example):
* ALT/OFF - to be assigned to a joystick button or a keyboard key (toggle action: tap - it's ALT, tap - it's OFF, tap - it's ALT etc.),
* ALT else OFF - to be assigned to a toggle switch with a single contact (contact is closed only in one position of the switch),
* ALT and a separate OFF - to be assigned to a toggle switch with two contacts (either position of the switch has their separate contact) or any contraption of this sort (e.g. two separate keyboard keys if someone likes it this way).
Chapeau bas, A-4 team!

These bindings in some other modules are erratic mess (to a varying extent) - you get some of them, but others are missing, depending on a particular dev's mood, habits and/or hardware HE is using <sigh>
Which only proves a general point that if ED built for themselves (or themselves and 3rd party folks) a tool for automated generation of those Lua files for keyboard/joystick bindings (not a 100% automation, but maybe like 90%), they'd have less tedious work to do with each module, less tedious work with gathering info from users on mistakes in these files and then with fixing the mistakes, and we'd get a full set of bindings for a vast majority or all controls in each aircraft's cockpit. Less work for devs, more functionality for users. Not gonna happen, I know, but... just saying

 

[Hiob]

You can turn on the seeker of the shrike and point in the general direction where you suspect the sam site. If the seeker detects an active radar emitter, it will make a lock tone. Don‘t fire though until you are very close and/or at least at a 45 degree angle (range = altitude) within 10 nm. The shrike is not THAT good. The rwr gives you no indication of direction of threat afaik.

The Videos of Iain Christie are very good! https://youtube.com/c/IainChristie

Edited January 25, 2022 by Hiob

[Hiob]

1 hour ago, Skunk Cabbage said:

I really like this aircraft. I wish I had spent some time with it before.  I play offline, and make my own missions.  I am wondering if anyone can recommend any videos or documentation to identify from which direction SAM radar signals are coming from?  With the Skyhawk can you fly between operating SAM sites like you can with the F-18 using its SA?    What are the Skyhawk SA abilities?  I'm not finding much information on that subject.

 

Thanks....

The videos of Iain Christie are very good!

[Direwolf]

I´d like to know which slider in audio options I should change to hear the release of the bombs. When in dive and press the release bombs button, I can´t hear the bomb detaching from the plane. So I dont´know when to start the recovery climbing, and keep flying towards the target until get afraid of crashing and pull the stick. In fact the LABS tone is so loud that I can´t hear the "clank" of the bomb leaving the plane. So, I´d like to know which sliders to move to get the tone lower and the "clank" of the bomb louder. And the best configuration for these sliders.

 

 

[Hiob]

7 hours ago, Direwolf said:

I´d like to know which slider in audio options I should change to hear the release of the bombs. When in dive and press the release bombs button, I can´t hear the bomb detaching from the plane. So I dont´know when to start the recovery climbing, and keep flying towards the target until get afraid of crashing and pull the stick. In fact the LABS tone is so loud that I can´t hear the "clank" of the bomb leaving the plane. So, I´d like to know which sliders to move to get the tone lower and the "clank" of the bomb louder. And the best configuration for these sliders.

 

 

You can‘t really change the volume of different events in the cockpit. You can try two things, first, try to enable the „hear like in helmet“ option. That filters some of the higher pitched sounds, and may make the more „bodily“ sounds more prominent (haven’t tried with the A-4). You could also try to lower the treble and raise the base with an equalizer (either in windows or on your stereo, depending on how your hardware sound system is set up).

There may be some .lua, where different sound effects or groups of sound effects can be adjusted. I‘ve seen that in other modules, but I don‘t know for the Skyhawk. Perhaps a developer can answer this.

Edit: from the top of my head - shouldn’t the yellow LABS light go out when the bomb is released?

Edited January 26, 2022 by Hiob

[Captain Orso]

I know I have no idea, and that's why I'm asking.

If you are diving, then you are using CMPTR (computer mode). Without going into the details of how to setup the aircraft for dropping in CMPTR mode, when you are ready to deliver weapons, you roll in on the target, aim with the gunsight, and press and hold the pickle. With the pickle being held you pull the nose up gently until the bombs release, indicated by the LABS light extinguishing.

Although the sound of the bombs releasing is certainly a reassuring report, it shouldn't be necessary at all to hear the release.

Am I understanding this correctly?

[Hiob]

14 minutes ago, Captain Orso said:

 

Am I understanding this correctly?

As far as I‘m aware - yes. I try to verify or find a yt video. Problem with Sidekicks videos is, that he always cuts to an outside view of the bomb release.

Edit - Light goes off when bombs released 

 

Edited January 26, 2022 by Hiob

[Direwolf]

On 1/21/2022 at 2:15 PM, plusnine said:

page 3-2, if you read it, specifically denotes CCRP after the bombing computer header.

there's no volume control over vital alarm tones in the aircraft, and the tone is not overwhelming the release noise for me. i would check the levels you have set DCS at for your cockpit headphones vs. environmental audio. if you're desperate, you can edit the gain value on bombtone.sdef for that specific sound.

 

Just for curiosity, what are your configurations for the AUDIO  in OPTIONS page? 

[plusnine]

1 hour ago, Direwolf said:

Just for curiosity, what are your configurations for the AUDIO  in OPTIONS page? 

i reset my user configuration to whatever DCS' defaults are once i started on sound design and haven't touched them since. i have no trouble hearing ejected weapons over the weapon release tone.

[Gunfreak]

Just checking as I had problems finding info.

But I found a period info film about the Mk11 gun pods.

And it said that each gun pod fired 4200 rounds a minute? Is this correct. 

So if you carry 3 of them and use the inboard guns you are up to 14600 rounds a minute or a whooping 243 20mm a second?

[Helles Belle]

5 hours ago, Skunk Cabbage said:

I have been playing around slowly with the Skyhawk.  I decided to set up the radio with a few ogg sound files for radio chatter.  It works great!  However, the radio volume knob does not appear to be working. I cannot lower the volume.  Is it a bug, or am I missing something?

Also, I'm somewhat of a disabled old fart.  How should I set up my yaw, roll and pitch on my HOTAS to make the aircraft a little more stable in flight?  No matter what I do, or what setting I use the aircraft is a little too responsive for my old shacky hands. 

I am more convince than ever about the ground taxing. Please provide an "option" to use the new steering or not for us old shacky farts.  

 

Thanks!

 

 

Hey @Skunk Cabbage the aircraft was very responsive IRL. In your control setting try changing the roll rate to saturation Y =50 and give it a small curvature of 15. See how that goes. Pitch & rudder can be changed in the same way. I can’t help you with the volume as I never listen to anything anyway.
 

Also head over to the discord channel if you wish. There is a lot more chatter and advice there.

https://discord.gg/j2y6cVjg

 

Edited January 27, 2022 by Helles Belle