2023 and Beyond- F-4 Screenshots and Discussion

[Czechnology]

Not posting any screenies myself, but did note a few things.

1) Exterior model looks DONE. They did make use of the same paint scheme a good few times, but they did show variation. Included some nice close ups, and gave use a look down into the cockpit from outside, HOWEVEr

2) Very keenly noticed, that while there were in general very few cockpit view shots for the video, we definitely did not get any for the F-4. Maybe still getting the finishing touches in on it?

3) We did see weapon releases! Bombs specifically, no A/A missiles, and I was hoping to see a gun burst personally, but the weapon system does seem to be in. 

[LanceCriminal86]

There will probably be a more detailed dev update and some renders or screenies in the future. You have no idea how good the external model looks.

[Omega417]

Will it still look as good after i turn all settings to minimum to run it on my shtbox?

[Czechnology]

10 minutes ago, LanceCriminal86 said:

There will probably be a more detailed dev update and some renders or screenies in the future. You have no idea how good the external model looks.

I saw it, I know, it's beautiful

[Bozon]

34 minutes ago, Omega417 said:

Will it still look as good after i turn all settings to minimum to run it on my shtbox?

Its a Phantom - it will still be beautifugly and hit mach 2 even if you pixelate it to Minecraft level!

Edited January 4, 2023 by Bozon

[LanceCriminal86]

16 minutes ago, Czechnology said:

I saw it, I know, it's beautiful

Heh, you've seen screenshots from the video, I'm talking the full monty renders and better closeups. Nevermind when we really get rolling with the paint jobs.

[Kalasnkova74]

29 minutes ago, Bozon said:

Its a Phantom - it will still be beautifugly and hit mach 2 even if you pixelate it to Minecraft level!

 

Case in point:

 

Edited January 4, 2023 by Kalasnkova74

[_BringTheReign_]

Someone in the Discord said to cut the video up into just the Phantom bits, so here it is, the Phantom supercut haha

 

 

[Goldeagle365]

From the video I noticed a few things.

-No AN-ANR-101 antennas or Target Identification System Electro-Optic (TISEO), so no DMAS (Digital Modular Avionics System)

So judging from Iron Mikes FAQ post the birds used here represent the  "Classic era" F4Es 

Super excited to see some internals and the late model airframe as well! 

null

[F-2]

Kinda surprised a German F-4 was so prominently featured.

[Kalasnkova74]

46 minutes ago, F-2 said:

Kinda surprised a German F-4 was so prominently featured.

It makes sense; I believe the Heatblur team used a museum German F-4E as a template aircraft. 

[F-2]

8 minutes ago, Kalasnkova74 said:

It makes sense; I believe the Heatblur team used a museum German F-4E as a template aircraft. 

Oh nvm then

[F-2]

So apparently the F-4F got the ability to use AIM-9L in the first peace rhine update in the early 80s. Could the standard F-4 use AIM-9 natively? Is something being teased?

[SgtPappy]

1 hour ago, F-2 said:

So apparently the F-4F got the ability to use AIM-9L in the first peace rhine update in the early 80s. Could the standard F-4 use AIM-9 natively? Is something being teased?

If you're asking if F-4E's could carry the AIM-9L the answer is yes!

First I thought that they might just be place holders for the sake of the trailer but then it would've made sense to use the AIM-9P model instead so you may be on to something??

[DSplayer]

1 hour ago, SgtPappy said:

If you're asking if F-4E's could carry the AIM-9L the answer is yes!

First I thought that they might just be place holders for the sake of the trailer but then it would've made sense to use the AIM-9P model instead so you may be on to something??

It seems pretty intentional. The LAU-7 pylons for the AIM-9Ls were not authorized for USAF F-4Es. LAU-105s would be used if it was a USAF jet. LAU-7s were used however in place of AERO 3s by the USAF early in the F-4E’s service but they were omitted from the manual by 1990. 

[F-2]

I wonder if this is hinting ICE. Peace Rhine I predates ICE but that would be a very odd Phantom to simulate. Apparently unlike the Greek modernized phantom the German planes pretty much have the same cockpit and Radar scope.

[LanceCriminal86]

2 hours ago, F-2 said:

I wonder if this is hinting ICE. Peace Rhine I predates ICE but that would be a very odd Phantom to simulate. Apparently unlike the Greek modernized phantom the German planes pretty much have the same cockpit and Radar scope.

No, they aren't doing any of that.

The F-4F wasn't the only jet referenced, they also came over and referenced US Es. German skins only mean exactly that, E's with German/F-4F skins to represent them in DCS, but they are not being modeled full fidelity.

[Czechnology]

I can't speak for the ICE upgrades, but in an interview not too long ago the F-4F was directly attacked as not going to be made because the differences were so minimal they just didn't want to bother. 

[Volator]

17 hours ago, Goldeagle365 said:

So judging from Iron Mikes FAQ post the birds used here represent the  "Classic era" F4Es

Yep, but according to the screenshots it does seem to have slats, so no early "hard wing" F-4E. Which is good, as that makes it even more similar to the F-4F (pre-ICE) . The -F (pre-ICE) is really that close to the F-4E that it's understandable HB doesn't want to spend time on the -F variant. With the -E I can easily pretend I'm flying an -F (pre-ICE) model, which being German is my favourite of course.

 

*Edit*

Just noted that HB had always planned to release a slatted -E version and not the early hard-wing F-4E:

Quote

We will be launching two variants of the -E; a “classic era” F-4E (blocks 36-45 with updates retrofitted in 1974 and before, including new slats, DSCG and AGM-65) as well as an upgraded (DMAS) version of the aircraft in one package.

Just rereading that again, I'm surprised the F-4E is supposed to have AGM-65 capability pre-DMAS...  so far I thought the Mavs only came with DMAS.

Edited January 5, 2023 by Volator
point out pre-ICE update

[Bremspropeller]

There's more to the F than what has been noted so far, btw.

The F didn't carry MERs (TERs only). Hence the short clips of a LW F-4 carrying a MER on the outboard pylons are purely fictional (read: a-historical).

Edited January 5, 2023 by Bremspropeller

[Volator]

Yes, and of course the initial -F didn't have the analogue weapon control computer the -E (DSCG) had, which makes weapon delivery an experience similar to what we have in the F-5E right now I assume.

That said, posts above make me believe the DSCG -E wasn't that far from mentioned experience either (no CCIP for example) and operated with reticle depression and fixed speed/altitude/dive angle, except that it was supposed to have more fancy modes like offset bombing. 

[Bremspropeller]

DSCG should have Dive Toss, which according to Ed Rasimus made a young Lootenant just out of RTU bomb better than him, a Captain with a previous 100-Missions tour in F-105s.

DT is similar to the A-4's radar bombing.

[Heimz]

Are there just F-4E's in the video?  Some of the nose shots seem to be fooling me and it makes me think there were B/C/ or D's in there as well.   Crossing my fingers they're working on the naval variants concurrently, here's to hoping.   

[RevampedGrunt]

1 minute ago, Heimz said:

Are there just F-4E's in the video?  Some of the nose shots seem to be fooling me and it makes me think there were B/C/ or D's in there as well.   Crossing my fingers they're working on the naval variants concurrently, here's to hoping.   

Highly doubt it. We probably won't see more F-4 variants until the EF release. 

[Stackup]

24 minutes ago, RevampedGrunt said:

Highly doubt it. We probably won't see more F-4 variants until the EF release. 

I'm hoping we don't see more F-4 variants till after the A-6 release since it was supposed to be an unannounced module we know now is the F-4E, then the Eurofighter, and then the A-6E