Mig-29 quirks, little things and nice details

[150GCT_Diego]

Sooooooooo 

I'm flying the MiG-29 since its release ( but I'm still learning it ), and so far I've found out a lot of interesting things ( that I would like to discuss, because that's how I learn, by trial and by discussing things ).

But it's amazing!

 

If you deploy the brake chute and then take off again ( or if you deploy it while in the air ), you'll see the cover closed if above 200 km/h , but if you drop below 200km/h it pops open ... only to close again when you pass 200 km/h. 

The inboard /outboard switch is super strange ... 
Or, better, it requires careful consideration of what you load and where. 
I was trying with 2 R-27, 2 R-73 and 2 R-60, mounted with the R-60 on the outboard most pylons. Till you haven't fired the R-27, the 2 R-73 aren't usable. The inboard / outboard switch switches between R-27 and R-60. 

BUT, if you launch both R-27, then it switches between R-73 and R-60. 

I guess it's correct , as it kinda follow the air to ground logic, but it expands to the outer pylons too. But it's weird and you need to know about it while loading the aircraft. Super fun and characteristic. 

 

The radar is ... well ... challenging. 

It needs like 3 to 4 seconds to lock anything. I press the lock button and the little rectangle becomes a bigger square, and finally it locks and the full symbology appears. However, it seems that there are A LOT of fake contacts ... like, I've created a training mission, with a single aircraft in front of me, to test, and I clearly saw multiple contacts, vanishing after 3 or 4 seconds ( often after I've tried to lock them ). 

Is this normal ? I mean, I know , that radar is for sure not the system we have on the Viper / Hornet , that gives a full picture and a nice interference free scope ... but it seems to be a little exaggerated like this, or am I wrong ? I still haven't tried to change radar pulse, repetition and so on, so it might also be that ... but ghost contacts when there's a single aircraft not even that low ( we were both at about 4000 meters ) might seems to be a little too much. 

I don't know though, maybe it's correct like this. What are you experiencing ? What am I doing wrong ?

 

The IR sensor is not seeing anything ... like ever ... AAARGH. 

But again, I might be the one not knowing the limitations of the IRST, so at the moment I'm not commenting on that too much, but, are you seeing the same ?

 

I'm still studying the various modes, and I'm also followings Wags and Grim Reaper's videos, so I'm probably missing somehting. 

The navigation system ... well, I'm still studying that thing ... so for now nothign to say, besides that it's quite complicated.
 

The landing gear can be retracted while on the ground... and it ends as you would expect ... badly. 

 

The landings itself seems to be too ... well, easy ( for me at least, I'm not that great with landings usually ), but hey, not arguing about that. 

Did you had the same impression? 

 

 

The SPO-15 ... this thing screams all the time.

Constantly.

I've resorted to lower the volume to 0, as it's useless.

 

I saw that it senses my wingman's radar and starts screaming. 

The issue is that it sense the wingmans radar while the wingman is in it's correct's position at 4 o clock ... So, either my AI wingman starts to move more at 3 o clock , or he needs to keep his radar off!  AAARGH. 
Did you had the same issue ? 

Also, if the SPO-15 senses anything and the switch is on "ground protection" , that things will starts pumping out chaff and flares ... but if your wingman is in the correct formation position and his radar is on, then SPO-15 will panick and starts dropping chaff and flares. AAARGH!! 

( Nice touch: the Chaff / Flare counter only says 60 / 40 / 20 / barber pole ... so again, it's always a guesswork ... nice )

 

Radar left and right movement ... HOW!?!?! 
I mean, how do I move it left and right ?

 

 

 

That said ... This plane is really fun!

[AeriaGloria]

35 minutes ago, 150GCT_Diego said:

Sooooooooo 

I'm flying the MiG-29 since its release ( but I'm still learning it ), and so far I've found out a lot of interesting things ( that I would like to discuss, because that's how I learn, by trial and by discussing things ).

But it's amazing!

 

If you deploy the brake chute and then take off again ( or if you deploy it while in the air ), you'll see the cover closed if above 200 km/h , but if you drop below 200km/h it pops open ... only to close again when you pass 200 km/h. 

The inboard /outboard switch is super strange ... 
Or, better, it requires careful consideration of what you load and where. 
I was trying with 2 R-27, 2 R-73 and 2 R-60, mounted with the R-60 on the outboard most pylons. Till you haven't fired the R-27, the 2 R-73 aren't usable. The inboard / outboard switch switches between R-27 and R-60. 

BUT, if you launch both R-27, then it switches between R-73 and R-60. 

I guess it's correct , as it kinda follow the air to ground logic, but it expands to the outer pylons too. But it's weird and you need to know about it while loading the aircraft. Super fun and characteristic. 

 

The radar is ... well ... challenging. 

It needs like 3 to 4 seconds to lock anything. I press the lock button and the little rectangle becomes a bigger square, and finally it locks and the full symbology appears. However, it seems that there are A LOT of fake contacts ... like, I've created a training mission, with a single aircraft in front of me, to test, and I clearly saw multiple contacts, vanishing after 3 or 4 seconds ( often after I've tried to lock them ). 

Is this normal ? I mean, I know , that radar is for sure not the system we have on the Viper / Hornet , that gives a full picture and a nice interference free scope ... but it seems to be a little exaggerated like this, or am I wrong ? I still haven't tried to change radar pulse, repetition and so on, so it might also be that ... but ghost contacts when there's a single aircraft not even that low ( we were both at about 4000 meters ) might seems to be a little too much. 

I don't know though, maybe it's correct like this. What are you experiencing ? What am I doing wrong ?

 

The IR sensor is not seeing anything ... like ever ... AAARGH. 

But again, I might be the one not knowing the limitations of the IRST, so at the moment I'm not commenting on that too much, but, are you seeing the same ?

 

I'm still studying the various modes, and I'm also followings Wags and Grim Reaper's videos, so I'm probably missing somehting. 

The navigation system ... well, I'm still studying that thing ... so for now nothign to say, besides that it's quite complicated.
 

The landing gear can be retracted while on the ground... and it ends as you would expect ... badly. 

 

The landings itself seems to be too ... well, easy ( for me at least, I'm not that great with landings usually ), but hey, not arguing about that. 

Did you had the same impression? 

 

 

The SPO-15 ... this thing screams all the time.

Constantly.

I've resorted to lower the volume to 0, as it's useless.

 

I saw that it senses my wingman's radar and starts screaming. 

The issue is that it sense the wingmans radar while the wingman is in it's correct's position at 4 o clock ... So, either my AI wingman starts to move more at 3 o clock , or he needs to keep his radar off!  AAARGH. 
Did you had the same issue ? 

Also, if the SPO-15 senses anything and the switch is on "ground protection" , that things will starts pumping out chaff and flares ... but if your wingman is in the correct formation position and his radar is on, then SPO-15 will panick and starts dropping chaff and flares. AAARGH!! 

( Nice touch: the Chaff / Flare counter only says 60 / 40 / 20 / barber pole ... so again, it's always a guesswork ... nice )

 

Radar left and right movement ... HOW!?!?! 
I mean, how do I move it left and right ?

 

 

 

That said ... This plane is really fun!

As for SPO-15, when the mission editor option “automatic” is chosen it will filter out friendly radars. 
 

I’ve had great luck with the IRST, I can pick out Mil power fighters up to 30 km. I have one tip I can mention, turn down the gain!!!!

Turning down gain doesn’t affect the target marks. Only the interference. So if you turn it down enough, all interference goes away and you only see target dots. Then it’s just a matter of point the IRST scan mode in the right direction, not too hard since it’s a 60 x 30 degree scan zone. 
 

You move radar left and right with the left/right scan zone switch. It’ll be in controls if you look for it, top left panel by weapon mode selector. 
 

 

[Nealius]

The quirk I'm having the most trouble with is the lack of information when locked onto a target with the radar. All you get is range and aspect. The lack of a TD box over the actual contact makes it hard to maintain visual situational awareness, particularly when you're about to get into a merge.

[Dača]

18 minutes ago, Nealius said:

The quirk I'm having the most trouble with is the lack of information when locked onto a target with the radar. All you get is range and aspect. The lack of a TD box over the actual contact makes it hard to maintain visual situational awareness, particularly when you're about to get into a merge.

This will be present with GCI. But without GCI you do not have TD "box".

Edited yesterday at 10:10 AM by Dača

[AeriaGloria]

1 hour ago, Dača said:

This will be present with GCI. But without GCI you do not have TD "box".

What do you mean? 
 

With datalink there are three options. A circle that guides to intercept, a circle that guides straight to them, and a rear intercept. However the circle is on the HUD in a 45 degree scale (just like circle in navigation mode, the path wanted is 45 degrees off when circle at edge of hud), so even when your intercept is straight to them, circle won’t cover target unless perfectly centered 

[Dača]

27 minutes ago, AeriaGloria said:

What do you mean? 
 

With datalink there are three options. A circle that guides to intercept, a circle that guides straight to them, and a rear intercept. However the circle is on the HUD in a 45 degree scale (just like circle in navigation mode, the path wanted is 45 degrees off when circle at edge of hud), so even when your intercept is straight to them, circle won’t cover target unless perfectly centered 

So we don't get circle or diamond or anything on target location? I thought there is.

[SynAckFin]

9 hours ago, Nealius said:

The quirk I'm having the most trouble with is the lack of information when locked onto a target with the radar. All you get is range and aspect. The lack of a TD box over the actual contact makes it hard to maintain visual situational awareness, particularly when you're about to get into a merge.

If you pull your trigger to the first detent (which selects the gun) a side effect of this is the HUD symbology changes to have a circle over your target.  It works well for doing a quick check of where the target is, then release and the symbology automatically snaps back to the normal lock / intercept guidance circle.

[AeriaGloria]

8 hours ago, Dača said:

So we don't get circle or diamond or anything on target location? I thought there is.

Not unless you enable gun mode

 In radar mode Diamond is gimbal limits, circle is interception cue

Edited 13 hours ago by AeriaGloria

[Sabadin]

As far as quirks and details, the other day I got a little hamfisted throwing the jet around with the damper off to try to do a mini-cobra and compressor stalled the engines.  Was a pleasantly unexpected unpleasant surprise. One engine re-lit with the auto restart, the other wouldn't catch and I had to put it in Cut-off then do a single engine emergency landing.

[Dača]

9 hours ago, AeriaGloria said:

Not unless you enable gun mode

 In radar mode Diamond is gimbal limits, circle is interception cue

So even in GCI we have nothing over target. Only gun mode ?

[AeriaGloria]

41 minutes ago, Dača said:

So even in GCI we have nothing over target. Only gun mode ?

Yes

[Dača]

11 minutes ago, AeriaGloria said:

Yes

Okey.

[AeriaGloria]

One of 24 things they improved the HUD with in Su-27 

[Dača]

27 minutes ago, AeriaGloria said:

One of 24 things they improved the HUD with in Su-27 

Hopefully we can see that with Su-27 FF. But at this point, it's just wishful thinking.

[AeriaGloria]

The circle interception cue is nice for BVR though, as it shows you where to put your nose so your missile has the shortest and most straight path to the target giving it the highest energy