A-6 variants

[upyr1]

When the we get a-6 any chance of ai A-6Bs,  ea-6A/B. 

[Silver_Dragon]

Heatblur only plan a A-6E and KA-6D version. A EW warfare EA-6B "Prowler", EA-6A "Electric Intruder" required DCS World improvements on the core by ED.

Check Heatblur Roadmap:

https://trello.com/b/HsMiJggJ/heatblur-public-roadmap

Edited September 27, 2023 by Silver_Dragon

[upyr1]

How about the a-6B?

[Bremspropeller]

On 5/2/2023 at 5:33 AM, upyr1 said:

How about the a-6B?

[Silver_Dragon]

On 5/2/2023 at 4:33 AM, upyr1 said:

How about the a-6B?

has a specialized antiSAM version with very limited numbers. Any has info about your systems and capabilities?

[upyr1]

53 minutes ago, Bremspropeller said:

https://youtu.be/1NlXZzqGURg

[upyr1]

51 minutes ago, Silver_Dragon said:

has a specialized antiSAM version with very limited numbers. Any has info about your systems and capabilities?

A flyable one might be nice but an ai one would be fine just have strikes and starts 

[Mermoz]

yeah the B can't drop bombs. it really was a modified A6A with a different radar and removed attack systems to serve as a  plateform for the shrike and Standard HARM anti radar missile and only 19 were made. 

By the same measure there were 12 C made for improved night bombing capabilities.

Compared to the 480 As and the 445 Es Grumman made... Or even the 90 KAs... B and C's are the 2nd and 3rd less produced variants after the testing versions of Intruder 2 (A6F and A6G with 5 planes)

 

if they do the E variant, then it means the plane will have the A bombing capability improved with the onboard laser targeting systems as well as the anti radar capabilities of the B.

Could probably serve in both a vietnam theater (even if they did not serve there while already in service by the end of the war) and all the modern maps we have so far.

I'd be cool with that

[Silver_Dragon]

59 minutes ago, Mermoz said:

yeah the B can't drop bombs. it really was a modified A6A with a different radar and removed attack systems to serve as a  plateform for the shrike and Standard HARM anti radar missile and only 19 were made. 

By the same measure there were 12 C made for improved night bombing capabilities.

Compared to the 480 As and the 445 Es Grumman made... Or even the 90 KAs... B and C's are the 2nd and 3rd less produced variants after the testing versions of Intruder 2 (A6F and A6G with 5 planes)

 

if they do the E variant, then it means the plane will have the A bombing capability improved with the onboard laser targeting systems as well as the anti radar capabilities of the B.

Could probably serve in both a vietnam theater (even if they did not serve there while already in service by the end of the war) and all the modern maps we have so far.

I'd be cool with that

On fact, the D and E version has the planned by Heatblur. The E AI version comming on summer:

 

Edited May 5, 2023 by Silver_Dragon

[upyr1]

3 hours ago, Mermoz said:

yeah the B can't drop bombs. it really was a modified A6A with a different radar and removed attack systems to serve as a  plateform for the shrike and Standard HARM anti radar missile and only 19 were made. 

By the same measure there were 12 C made for improved night bombing capabilities.

Compared to the 480 As and the 445 Es Grumman made... Or even the 90 KAs... B and C's are the 2nd and 3rd less produced variants after the testing versions of Intruder 2 (A6F and A6G with 5 planes)

 

if they do the E variant, then it means the plane will have the A bombing capability improved with the onboard laser targeting systems as well as the anti radar capabilities of the B.

Could probably serve in both a vietnam theater (even if they did not serve there while already in service by the end of the war) and all the modern maps we have so far.

I'd be cool with that

 

 

 

I am asking for an AI B. Heatblur has announced a flyable A-6E I don't believe we are getting a flyable A-6A. If we were then I might ask for a flyable B except I think their might not be enough open-source material.  As the  E is a 1980s variant I don't believe they ever carried the STARM which the A-6B could do. I know they could carry the HARM and possibly the Shrike but the STARM was being phased out when they were being phased in. 

Edited May 5, 2023 by upyr1

[upyr1]

3 hours ago, Silver_Dragon said:

On fact, the D and E version has the planned by Heatblur. The E AI version comming on summer:

 

 

I know those are the versions we are getting but I want an AI B so I can have STARMs covering my Crusader of Navy Phantom when I go downtown for a rolling Thunder mission. The EA-6B first saw service in 1971. 

Edited May 5, 2023 by upyr1

[Silver_Dragon]

8 minutes ago, upyr1 said:

I know those are the versions we are getting but I want an AI B so I can have STARMs covering my Crusader of Navy Phantom when I go downtown 

That is the problem... HB has thinking on a A-6 AI "late" Vietnam to 90 version to match with the Forrestal Carrier, no a "Early" Vietnam versions versions with match with A-4 / F-4 / F-8 versions.

Edited May 5, 2023 by Silver_Dragon

[upyr1]

14 minutes ago, Silver_Dragon said:

That is the problem... HB has thinking on a A-6 AI "late" Vietnam to 90 version to match with the Forrestal Carrier, no a "Early" Vietnam versions versions with match with A-4 / F-4 / F-8 versions.

 

I know their main focus is on the Corsair II and Tomcat era. I just didn't think it was proper to ask for an AI A or B in DCS core as HB was working on the E.

If we could get a flyable A/B module  that's a different story. I just don't think that would happen. Though if the E could carry the STARM then they could fill in for the B. 

 

Edited May 5, 2023 by upyr1

[Mermoz]

6 hours ago, upyr1 said:

I am asking for an AI B. Heatblur has announced a flyable A-6E I don't believe we are getting a flyable A-6A. If we were then I might ask for a flyable B except I think their might not be enough open-source material.  As the  E is a 1980s variant I don't believe they ever carried the STARM which the A-6B could do. I know they could carry the HARM and possibly the Shrike but the STARM was being phased out when they were being phased in. 

 

 

Actually the E entered service before the end of the vietnam war (1970 when the war ended in 73). It was however not used in operation during the vietnam war so as to prevent the risk of its improvement to be found out if one got shot down. It got refitted and upgraded in 1980s to include the TRAM turret under the nose and add the AGM capability (Maverick and Harpoon).

Also they used shrike and STARM up to the 1990s when the HARM got introduced and the remaining A6Es in service got another upgrade.

I suppose the E's could be use as Bs in missions even for AI if you want.

But I suppose Heathblur could make a model fix for the A and B too if it's just for AIs. The only difference between them being the TRAM turret under the nose

[exhausted]

Good questions. -B would be cool, even if it's a Navy-only version. The -E should be divided between early -Es and and late -Es. The late -Es added the flir ball.

[Stackup]

1 hour ago, Mermoz said:

Actually the E entered service before the end of the vietnam war (1970 when the war ended in 73). It was however not used in operation during the vietnam war so as to prevent the risk of its improvement to be found out if one got shot down. It got refitted and upgraded in 1980s to include the TRAM turret under the nose and add the AGM capability

If only they'd make two versions like with the Tomcat and F-4 so we can get an A-6E with TRAM and an earlier one without.  Loadouts would then satisfy the A or B look (minus STARM) to act as AI or player controlled in earlier Vietnam style missions.

[Mermoz]

well the STARM was used on the E so it's not like we would loose the look.

and yeah it could be nice to have both variant of the Es... after all I'm not sure  all of them got the TRAM in the end

Edited May 5, 2023 by Mermoz

[Stackup]

43 minutes ago, Mermoz said:

well the STARM was used on the E so it's not like we would loose the look.

My mistake, here's an A-6E with the TRAM turret and Standard ARM.  All the pictures of the HB A-6E so far have had the TRAM turret, but hopefully they can do one without the upgrade too.

[upyr1]

3 hours ago, Mermoz said:

Actually the E entered service before the end of the vietnam war (1970 when the war ended in 73). It was however not used in operation during the vietnam war so as to prevent the risk of its improvement to be found out if one got shot down. It got refitted and upgraded in 1980s to include the TRAM turret under the nose and add the AGM capability (Maverick and Harpoon).

 

 

 

My mistake I guess I was getting the date the TRAM was installed with the introduction of the E as I think of the targeting pod as the E's defining feature 

Edited May 5, 2023 by upyr1

[upyr1]

41 minutes ago, Stackup said:

My mistake, here's an A-6E with the TRAM turret and Standard ARM.  All the pictures of the HB A-6E so far have had the TRAM turret, but hopefully they can do one without the upgrade too.

 

I made two mistakes 

[Mermoz]

9 minutes ago, upyr1 said:

My mistake I guess I was getting the date the TRAM was installed with the introduction of the E as I think of the targeting pod as the E's defining feature 

 

yeah actually it's the update of the DIANE attack system from rotary computer to the solide state computer  that made the real difference between the A and the E variant. It solved the main issue the USN had with the A6A which was the attack computer failing in flight due to the rotors getting stuck (hence Willem Defoe being seen kicking the computer during the bombing run over Hanoi in the movie)

That and upgrading most of the avionic so the plane could do all the mission package from the As, Bs and Cs since the Es were to be the final version.

The Es also had a laser designator from the start but it was some kind of hand held designator the BN had to point at the target... that required 2 planes in a budy lazing mode to be practical.

as for the later version F and G, F was an E with better engines, the G was an E with a new wing design including carbon based materials, the goal was to solve the issue of the A6s wings not aging very well (remember the A6's wings had to support quite a heavy load on cat shot since the plane was basically the carrier based attack craft carrying the most bombs)

But DOD decided to move to the A12 project rather than extend the A6 life

[upyr1]

2 hours ago, Stackup said:

If only they'd make two versions like with the Tomcat and F-4 so we can get an A-6E with TRAM and an earlier one without.  Loadouts would then satisfy the A or B look (minus STARM) to act as AI or player controlled in earlier Vietnam style missions.

 

The E carried the STARM so an early E without the TRAM could work as a stand-in B

[Bremspropeller]

13 hours ago, Mermoz said:

as for the later version F and G, F was an E with better engines, the G was an E with a new wing design including carbon based materials, the goal was to solve the issue of the A6s wings not aging very well (remember the A6's wings had to support quite a heavy load on cat shot since the plane was basically the carrier based attack craft carrying the most bombs)

But DOD decided to move to the A12 project rather than extend the A6 life

There was a re-winging programme in place. IIRC, the new wing came with different issues, like alternating loadpaths through the structure, leading to fatigue in different places.

Before the re-winging programme, lots of fleet Intruders had relatively low fatigue-related g limits. The worst were the KA-6s.

[Blaze1]

On 5/5/2023 at 10:20 AM, Mermoz said:

yeah the B can't drop bombs. it really was a modified A6A with a different radar and removed attack systems to serve as a  plateform for the shrike and Standard HARM anti radar missile and only 19 were made. 

By the same measure there were 12 C made for improved night bombing capabilities.

Compared to the 480 As and the 445 Es Grumman made... Or even the 90 KAs... B and C's are the 2nd and 3rd less produced variants after the testing versions of Intruder 2 (A6F and A6G with 5 planes)

 

if they do the E variant, then it means the plane will have the A bombing capability improved with the onboard laser targeting systems as well as the anti radar capabilities of the B.

Could probably serve in both a vietnam theater (even if they did not serve there while already in service by the end of the war) and all the modern maps we have so far.

I'd be cool with that

Okay, there are some errors here that I hope you don't mind me addressing.

So all versions of the the 'B', (there were three I believe) could drop bombs.  The Mod 0/1 aircraft had the tracking radars and some of their attack systems removed, meaning they lost a lot of the capabilities that made the A-6 an accurate and potent strike aircraft, but they could still drop bombs.  The PAT/ARM version retained all the 'A's' avionics and attack capabilities, while the Mod 1 TIAS jets also had some of their primary attack systems removed, but again could still drop bombs.  The 'B' was never HARM capable.

The 'E' model had better basic bombing capes (even without TRAM) than the 'A'.

[Blaze1]

On 5/5/2023 at 1:33 PM, upyr1 said:

I am asking for an AI B. Heatblur has announced a flyable A-6E I don't believe we are getting a flyable A-6A. If we were then I might ask for a flyable B except I think their might not be enough open-source material.  As the  E is a 1980s variant I don't believe they ever carried the STARM which the A-6B could do. I know they could carry the HARM and possibly the Shrike but the STARM was being phased out when they were being phased in. 

 

The AWG-21 equipped 'E's' could carry the AGM-78 and assumed the Iron Hand role from the A-6B.

On 5/5/2023 at 8:27 PM, Mermoz said:

 

Actually the E entered service before the end of the vietnam war (1970 when the war ended in 73). It was however not used in operation during the vietnam war so as to prevent the risk of its improvement to be found out if one got shot down. It got refitted and upgraded in 1980s to include the TRAM turret under the nose and add the AGM capability (Maverick and Harpoon).

Also they used shrike and STARM up to the 1990s when the HARM got introduced and the remaining A6Es in service got another upgrade.

I suppose the E's could be use as Bs in missions even for AI if you want.

But I suppose Heathblur could make a model fix for the A and B too if it's just for AIs. The only difference between them being the TRAM turret under the nose

TRAM was introduced in 1979 I believe and the STARM was removed from service in 85 or 86.