Magic Not Firing

[Kj_flyguy]

Sometimes I get situations where no matter what I try, heat seeking missiles will not release on a locked target. Today, on a multiplayer server I square off BVR against two Mig-25s in the Sinai map. We exchange x2 AA-6 Acrid and x2 S530Fs with no hits, merge to visual and I nail him with a Magic 2 shot. I immediately turn to the wingman and shortly thereafter lock him up and go to fire my last Magic II... Nothing. Multiple attempts. I damage him with guns and he gives up on life and eventual drops to a few hundred feet AGL and makes a run for his nearest base at 200 knots. I park my Mirage on his six and proceed to go through every scenario I can think of to get the second Magic to fire. No joy. It's not the first time I have had this. I have a track file from the 'Through the Inferno - Sinai' server but it is over 130 mb so I cant post it here. It is available upon request though. Mind you I start off in the F-16 for a sortie and A-A refuel, so it takes a while to get to the mentioned engagement with the MiG-25s.

[Mr_sukebe]

Just to be sure, when you press the fire button, are you keeping it held down, as against just a rapid click?

[Kj_flyguy]

Fair question. I did hold the button down. That was a lesson learned very early using the F1. Also I’ll go ahead and mention I tried with radar lock, without radar, good audible tone, launch cues blaring in my headset, master arm on, off, on again, select another hard point, back again.. I had time to try a few things and position the Mig at different spots. I even toggled that automatic launch switch. I have never used that before and honestly I don’t think that’s even compatible with the heat missiles but I tried it nevertheless and that Magic didn’t want to go.

Edited May 12, 2024 by Kj_flyguy

[Bremspropeller]

Do you use the auto-safety ( for the stick) special option? I do.

I had encountered issues when pressing the launch button too long, which would essentially turn off the launch button.

[kontiuka]

Is it a possible hardware issue?  I know some of my buttons don't always work if I don't press them down in just the right way.

[Dros]

I've had this issue, finally was able to replicate it. Its when you either click the fire button many times, or the tone is lost very soon after clicking fire. I have attached a track from an instant action mission. The first missile fires fine, but the second will not even though I have tone. It may also be related to having 530 missile pylons selected. 

 

This also happens with all missiles from what I've seen. 

missilewontlaunch.trk

[fausete]

Hi, I will test this. Changes to IR missile firing logic are coming in the next update, so there is a possibility that this is already fixed.

Edit: I see it working fine when I reproduce the TRK with our internal changes (both missiles fire), so it is most likely fixed in the upcoming update. Please report back if you encounter it again.

Edited May 13, 2024 by fausete

[Dros]

Thanks! As more anecdotal evidence, I have seen other people mentioning that pointing the seeker head at the sun can fix the issue (if its the same issue). Good to hear that it is working on your internal build. 

[Kj_flyguy]

Thanks to all for the comments and suggestions. I am going to test out Dros' response and see if that reproduces it for me. 

[Hez]

I have encountered a few times on multiplayer servers an issue with not being able to fire the Aim9J with tone, both with and without uncage pressed and held (having not fired a single missile yet). I was also able to replicate what Dros experienced (by accident, not on purpose), just now on a basic mission, unfortunately it seems like I don't create tracks for single player missions by default.. But I do have a tacview file of it, if that helps at all (probably not, but hey!).

Basically I'm testing the various sidewinders. In this instance, after launching my first Aim9J I am never able to launch the second, even doing some test gun firings, using both uncaged and just normal waiting for tone without pressing the 300-600 uncage button and still I was never able to launch that second missile.

I use the special option to have 'simplified firing safety logic'.

(Also, in this file I had some strange behavour at the start, where it took a long time getting tone on the first jet however I was able to launch eventually)

F-1 Fox2Test CannotFireSecondAim9J.zip.acmi

Does the F4 launch count as the latest update, or is that separate and updates will continue on the approx. every 6 week schedule?

Edited May 17, 2024 by Hez

[fausete]

@Hez thanks for the TRK, I will check if it reproduces or not in our internal build. And yes, in this thread I've been refering to the regular May update, which as far as I'm aware coincides with the F-4 launch.

Edit: I'm not 100% sure the update will coincide with the release, but the dates suggest so.

Edited May 17, 2024 by fausete

[IronRaph]

Hello, I have also experienced this bug on 3 flights out of 5 on Enigma servers.

I was able to fire just fine the first magic but the second one (left wing) I get a tone but unable to fire it.

I has tried each time everything such as master ARM cycling, selecting the left outer pylone, switching the magic / aim switch etc...

No luck

I will try to record a TRK next time thanks for the help

[fausete]

Hi,

A trk would be highly appreciated, yes, as we are unable to reproduce this currently.

[MorgothNL]

I will add to this that I experience the same.
The solution I have found is to point the missile seeker at the sun for a moment, then it will get tone and fire when you aim at a normal target later. Sometimes neither missile will fire before looking at the sun, sometimes the 1st one will fire but others wont until... you look at the sun first -.-

I had this 3x today. Seems like taking 530s has something to do with it because I did not have any issues in the days before when I didn't take any 530s.
I tried to select and deselect pylons and missile CM+S button ON/OFF etc, I could not get it fixed until I looked at the sun

Edited August 12, 2024 by MorgothNL

[fausete]

Hi, I've been trying for an hour and I've been unable to reproduce this. Can you please attach a trk? Or at the very least describe the exact payload you were carrying and any necessary steps to reproduce.

[MorgothNL]

On 8/13/2024 at 10:26 AM, fausete said:

Hi, I've been trying for an hour and I've been unable to reproduce this. Can you please attach a trk? Or at the very least describe the exact payload you were carrying and any necessary steps to reproduce.

I'm trying to reproduce it in a custom offline mission but can't seem to get it to happen. 
I know 2 exact moments I had the issue, but I can't open the trackfiles cause they give me an error right after opening. (I know which date and time these moment occurred, but not sure which of the 7 trackfiles of that day I need to take). 

I know it happened on a certain date between 09:22 and 09:28pm
Would it work if I send you the trackfile time stamped at 09:42? It is 83MB though so I can't attach it here. 

Edited August 15, 2024 by MorgothNL

[Vibora]

Yes, it's OK to send that large track file. You can provide us a download link in a PM if you like.

[Vibora]

Got the trk you sent me by PM @MorgothNL, but we can't open it, and we can't reproduce the bug. We'd need a short trk recorded in Caucasus.

Edited September 13, 2024 by Vibora