Pylon and weapon selector knob

Hello!

I have a question concerning the pylon and weapon selector knob. According to my Polish copy of the users manual of the MiG-21bis: if the aircraft is armed with only R-3S or with only R-3R guided missiles, then when the knob is set to:

- position 1, firing is in this order: 1, 2, 3, 4

- position 2, firing is in this order: 2, 1, 3, 4

- position 3, firing is in this order: 3, 4, 1, 2,

- position 4, firing is in this order: 4, 1, 2, 3.

This doesn't seem to be the case in the model in DCS. After firing from one pylon I have to manually turn the knob to the other one. According to my instruction that shouldn't be the case.

Also positions 1-2, and 3-4 are said to be for salvo fire.

Am I doing something wrong or maybe this is a bug/feature? Is it okay to post any additional questions concerning the weapon selector knob in this thread? Any thoughts?

P.S.

I'm on a mission to thoroughly check if the MiG-21 acts as said in this book, so it probably isn't my last post with some questions. :music_whistling:

Hello

The main thing is to what pylon got missiles. 1-2 or 3-4 Then just select IR and SARH. Depending on what you selected missile. A burning it. To hit the shot you key command (weapons release).

I appreciate your help @simapajik, but this isn't excactly what I've had in mind.

Hello!

In orded to avoid further confusion I've decided to translate the parts concerning the weapons selector knob as well as some other things. The translation is as accurate and word for word as I can get.

"233. If the airplane is equipped only with guided missiles with infrared homing or with only R-3R missiles, then the order of their firing and the number of simultaneously fired missiles is selected through the weapon selector knob set in the proper position (positions 1, 2, 3 and 4 are meant for single launches, positions 1-2 and 3-4 for salvo in two launches, from their respective hardpoints.)

Attention. When setting the weapons selecotor knob in the setting 1 launch is executed in order 1, 2, 3 and 4. If setting the same switch in position 2, in order 2, 1, 3 and 4, in position 3 in order 3, 4, 1 and 2, and in position 4 in order 4, 1, 2 and 3.

(...)

237. If the airplane is loaded with infrared seeking missiles and R-3R, then their order of launching is determined through the postions of the "IR - NEUTRAL - SARH" switch (while launching infrared homing missiles it should be set to "IR", when launching R-3R missiles it should be set to "SARH"). If the switch is set to "IR", then after each push of the launch button the infrared missiles are the first to be launched, followed by R-3R missiles (in order 1, 2, 3 and 4). While set in "SARH", after each push of the launch button, the first to be launched are R-3R missiles, followed by the infrared ones (in order 3, 4, 1 and 2) if the weapon selector knob is set into position corresponding to single launches.

If the weapons selector knob is set to salvo fire, then the order of launch is determined by the setting of "IR - NEUTRAL - SARH" switch.

I've highlited the most interesting parts. It seems perfectly rational to have an automatic selection of the next pylon after firing one of the homing missiles. I can imagine that fiddling with a switch while in a hard fight with an enemy fighter could be very troublesome, so this would be a very needed feature in the real plane, and in DCS also!

This is very interesting. Do you know what year/block/etc that your manual is for? It may be that this feature was only added to later models, or to Polish exports, or something like that.

If its supposedly on all of the bis models, then this would be a great feature to have.

This is very interesting. Do you know what year/block/etc that your manual is for? It may be that this feature was only added to later models, or to Polish exports, or something like that.

The instruction is for the MiG-21bis, it specifically says that. It was equipped with RP-22SMA radar with GCI equipment. The instruction book was published in 1982.

If its supposedly on all of the bis models, then this would be a great feature to have.

I totally agree! Right now MiG-21bis pilots have a serious handicap in the form of having to operate an addintional switch. But let's hope maybe the Devs can give us some input about this matter, maybe I'm in the wrong, though the instruction in pretty straightforward. :smartass:

EDIT:

You may ask when and why would you want to select a pylon other than for example 1? The answer comes from the manual aswell - you do that when the missile fails to leave the launcher.

Just for the record, there's no need to spend time translating the '82 PL manual, as most of it (if not all) is the same as the English "MiG-21 Bis Pilot's Flight Operating Instruction", which is available on the net and has been used often on these forums for investigating various DCS MiG issues.

The quoted sections can be found there on the p. 168 and 169.

Without access to my gaming rig, I haven't flown the plane since january, so I don't know how the weapon system operates after recent updates. Yo might be right, though. If that is the case, the official Leatherneck bugtracker will probably be the best option to report the problem.

Pozdrawiam - A.J. :D

The quoted sections can be found there on the p. 168 and 169.

I've just checked out this English manual. I can see that you can speak Polish, so you should be aware of the differences in translation between those too. In the polish one it clearly states "następuje odpalenie pocisków w kolejności...", which basically means "firing of the missiles occurs in order...", while in the English one "missiles should be launched in this succession...". The Polish one suggest that the process is automatic, the English one that it's only a suggestion for the pilot.

Anyone got a Russian manual or some other documentation at hand? :smilewink:

I can check what Russian manuals I have, but I think there is no need.

And this bug have been in bug tracker for some time now so they at the very least know about it....0000081: Armament missile switch function incorrect.

I`l check the Russian manual, and although its hard to say for sure, I imagine there could be a translation error in place. Will check

Edit: checked, and no translation error, it is simply modelled wrong atm.