Things you learned playing DCS: F-14B

1. The F110-GE-400 engines are the real deal. The fact you can launch from a carrier on military power only speaks volumes. It makes me eagerly anticipate DCS: F-14A that much more - I feel like the P&W TF30s are going to deliver a big-time reality check.:surprise:

2. The F-14 isn't a "flying truck." Not the B-variant, anyway. I'm still surprised at how maneuverable the aircraft really is. Perhaps the swing wings, the number of control surfaces, and the powerplant all play a role, but the F-14 seems like the most maneuverable plane in DCS. I'm sure a lot of that's perception, but I feel like I can do whatever I want with the plane.

3. That said, getting the aircraft to do exactly what you want is difficult. Even something like taxiing on the flight deck's challenging. A small bit of throttle is enough to get the F/A-18 moving, but the F-14 requires more throttle and it's easy to give it too much power.

4. The analog nature of the F-14 makes me nervous. I feel like there are so many more points of failure than a newer, digital aircraft.

5. The importance of attention to detail. I gave the plane too much trim once and nearly lost control of the aircraft after launch. I don't know if this is realism or a bug, but I made sure to set the trim precisely the next time.

6. I can understand why they retired the F-14 early. The analog nature of the plane would make maintenance challenging, but the lack of an APU and battery are also two big strikes against it. In a carrier environment, planes should be "self-sufficient" and the legacy and Super Hornets had the Tomcat beat in that regard.

7. But while it was here, it delivered plenty bang for the buck. The saying, "Jack of all trades, master at none" doesn't apply to the Tomcat. It was really good at literally everything. I think it was more useful as as an air-to-ground platform than an air-to-air fighter, honestly, but the point is, it could do it all. Thankfully, so can the Super Hornet.

1. How to fly. At least vritually. Balance lift and speed and G and AoA and all the dynamic interplay between all of that. I used to think helo flying was the ultimate balancing act. Till I learned to aerial refuel in a Tomcat. Even more difficult than my previous benchmark of a challenge --- the pick up into a hover in rotary wing. And even more satisfying to get it down.

2. How much of a difference a good -- or even a (less) basic -- HUD makes for maintaining SA. Speed and angels, man. And AoA too. Not being able to see that info while still looking out of the cockpit makes a world of difference. Especially when there is no computer flying for you.

3. I thought it should be flown like an energy boom+zoom fighter in BFM. It can, and can probably hold its own again some, but really it loves turning and squirming slowly in the weeds as well.

4. The amount of workload the human RIO had to put up just to IFF, let alone manage the system the entire bird was designed around, i.e. the AWG-9. 20 years of Moore's law later, and everything shows up nice and pretty on wonderfully ergonomic display one person can manage and fly at the same time, while IFF is just a button press.

I learned that DLC is the best thing since sliced bread, at least as far as carrier landings are concerned, and I wish I could bolt it on to all other planes (Hornet especially).

I learned a lot about radar tech, having spent about 150-200 hours on the backseat by now. I have not really experienced flying the aircraft myself yet.

I learned a lot about radar tech, having spent about 150-200 hours on the backseat by now. I have not really experienced flying the aircraft myself yet.

Same here. I've been hitting the books big time on that and spending most of my flight time in the past week with my head in the crystal ball in back. Getting more of a hang of it and its technicalities.

v6,

boNes

1. The analogue nature of the F-14 and the requirement to coordinate turns is much closer to what I've actually flown than the single-axis control I have in the F-16 and F/A-18. That said, this DLC more than any other has taught me how to pattern fly in a sim.

2. Aerial refueling. Holy crap, I have never been quite so challenged by a hose & probe jet than I am when trying to plug the F-14 into an S-3 tanker and then hold it. I thought the AV-8B was challenging with its blind refueling, but once I was plugged, I could actually hold it with minimal effort. The F-14 requires constant, unblinking management even with good trim. Practice with the F-14 has given me the skill to hold the F-16 still long enough to take fuel from a boom.

3. Appreciation for double-cycling the 1+45. I do a lot of custom missions that are non-combat operational flights. Quiet CAPs in the NAG where nothing happens for hours except remind the Iranians that there is a line in the sky they shouldn't cross south of. I usually fly these at max conserve for either one or two cycles before being relieved on station, taking on enough fuel to be at max trap, and heading back to the Boat. It's not exciting, but it's a time builder, and sometimes I use them just to practice holding altitude through turns if I don't fly at time acceleration. It's a relaxing time, just me and the jet. Oh, and Jester playing awkward 3rd wheel.

I'm loving the B, but I'm looking forward to the A and its specific challenges.

1. How to fly. At least vritually. Balance lift and speed and G and AoA and all the dynamic interplay between all of that. I used to think helo flying was the ultimate balancing act. Till I learned to aerial refuel in a Tomcat. Even more difficult than my previous benchmark of a challenge --- the pick up into a hover in rotary wing. And even more satisfying to get it down.

 

2. How much of a difference a good -- or even a (less) basic -- HUD makes for maintaining SA. Speed and angels, man. And AoA too. Not being able to see that info while still looking out of the cockpit makes a world of difference. Especially when there is no computer flying for you.

 

3. I thought it should be flown like an energy boom+zoom fighter in BFM. It can, and can probably hold its own again some, but really it loves turning and squirming slowly in the weeds as well.

 

4. The amount of workload the human RIO had to put up just to IFF, let alone manage the system the entire bird was designed around, i.e. the AWG-9. 20 years of Moore's law later, and everything shows up nice and pretty on wonderfully ergonomic display one person can manage and fly at the same time, while IFF is just a button press.

2. This. The Tomcat HUD seems almost useless compared to the HUDs of other fighters, almost redundant. It's bizarre looking at the HUD and no even knowing your altitude and airspeed and straight-up awkward having to look down and squint to see such important information like that.

I learned a lot about radar tech, having spent about 150-200 hours on the backseat by now. I have not really experienced flying the aircraft myself yet.

Hi, you are welcomed to fly with me any time~ :smilewink:

Hi, you are welcomed to fly with me any time~ :smilewink:

I will let you know that I'm available when I see you again on BlueFlag and I'm not already doing RIO work for my buddy ;)

You have to flip your thinking in a way. See the AWG-9, for being build in the 60s, while any smartphone today has a thousandfold if its computing power, was incredibly powerful and a true marvel of engineering. Same for the HUD btw, it already displayed altitude and sinkrate and and E bracket in LDG config, it changed configs!, the AWG-9 managed weapons according to HUD modes and so forth... Compare to what existed before, not after, I guess is what I am saying. The HUD in the F4 or even before that were way less even. So in a way one has to look at it also from a historic point of view and the evolution it was part of. It helped pave the way for what came after of course as well.

I for instance learned that no system can replace what a RIO could do with the AWG-9 even. The human factor does matter imo.

You have to flip your thinking in a way. See the AWG-9, for being build in the 60s, while any smartphone today has a thousandfold if its computing power, was incredibly powerful and a true marvel of engineering. Same for the HUD btw, it already displayed altitude and sinkrate and and E bracket in LDG config, it changed configs!, the AWG-9 managed weapons according to HUD modes and so forth... Compare to what existed before, not after, I guess is what I am saying. The HUD in the F4 or even before that were way less even. So in a way one has to look at it also from a historic point of view and the evolution it was part of. It helped pave the way for what came after of course as well.

 

I for instance learned that no system can replace what a RIO could do with the AWG-9 even. The human factor does matter imo.

No doubt, it was cutting edge revolutionary for its time! Everything about it --- avioinics, airframe, aerodynamics, etc. E.g., I was listening to a talk about the aerodynamic design and it is absolutely genius how things mechanically work autonomously to keep the wing profiles (like airbags inflating automatically to seal gaps etc.). It's like a pre-microchip computer FLCS almost.

As for the HUD, I've read/heard folks say that the HUD was a weapon delivery system and not a flying aid. That may be so, but what a difference having just two extra numbers (IAS and altitude) would make! Throw in rate of climb (already there in landing mode) and AoA and it's like you are now in luxury mode. Coming from the Hornet it was a cold shock. Going back to the Hornet seems like I am stepping into an arcade toy.

One other thing that real world Tomcat drivers had to deal with that we (or at least I) don't: the relatively poorly designed HOTAS, e.g. the locaitons of the PLM/PAL High/PAL low switches. Still nothing compared to the jump in ergonomics is IFF: from pressing a button on the stick in virtually every 4th gen to what the RIO has to go through!

True words. It's unfortunate that a lot of simmers, used to arcade sims or study sims of more modern fighters, assume that such a simplistic HUD (compared to what they are used to) can't possibly be realistic, as if the Heads-Up display as introduced in the 1960s must have been the fully evolved, full detail instrument we have today. They've crutched on it for so long, they've forgotten why the instrument panel exists at all except as a convenient place to house the full color MFDs that must have been present even before the advent of color television.

One of the things the Heatblur Tomcat really taught me was how to fly again. It's the first module that really feels like what it is, a high-powered, complex fighter jet from an age where man went to the moon on the processing power of a pocket calculator and the term "avionics" was analogue.

The A-7 was probably the first plane to start the concept of the "HUD" as opposed to a simple gunsight.

Yeah, on the hud comments I can't wait to hear the wailing and screeching once the F8 crusader comes out. Pure analog, no fancy nuthin... The F14 will seem like a spaceship compared to that.

Yeah, on the hud comments I can't wait to hear the wailing and screeching once the F8 crusader comes out. Pure analog, no fancy nuthin... The F14 will seem like a spaceship compared to that.

Add it to the list with "why do my guns jam if I fire them while pulling more than 2 Gs?" and "why don't my AIM-9Bs ever hit anything unless I'm dead aft and the target doesn't maneuver?" I can see it now. "HUD doesn't show up! Fix this bug!"

One other thing that real world Tomcat drivers had to deal with that we (or at least I) don't: the relatively poorly designed HOTAS, e.g. the locaitons of the PLM/PAL High/PAL low switches. Still nothing compared to the jump in ergonomics is IFF: from pressing a button on the stick in virtually every 4th gen to what the RIO has to go through!

As someone who has done both front and back seat flying, I don't mind the RIO IFF situation at all... keep in mind, in real life, the RIO has two hands he can use. In DCS, we have one. He can have one hand on the Friendly/Neutral/Enemy buttons and another on the IFF button. He doesn't even have to look away from the DDD. We do... it makes things harder. And since that is his primary role in BVR, managing the radar, I don't see what the issue really is other than "it's old"... well yeah.

Imagine if the F-14D program got fully fleshed out and a -E came out with something closer to that of the Hornet than the -B. It would have been a MONSTER aircraft with a properly designed FBW system with override switch... we never got to see it sadly.

The reality is the F-14A and -B were monster aircraft that retained relevance into the modern world for far, far, far, far longer with NO significant modifications than any other aircraft in US inventory. The number of mid life upgrades to the F-14 program as a whole in her 31 years of service is like an eighth that of the Legacy Hornet... Just goes to show how far advanced the aircraft was when she entered service at the end of Vietnam... and to think the AWG-9 retained relevancy that long is just as impressive given how quickly EW moves to new radars.

The irony of the HUD discussion is that I got the Viper after flying the Tomcat and Viggen extensively, and I feel overwhelmed by how much crap is on that HUD. My brain can only process so much information in one bit of space at a time!

The irony of the HUD discussion is that I got the Viper after flying the Tomcat and Viggen extensively, and I feel overwhelmed by how much crap is on that HUD. My brain can only process so much information in one bit of space at a time!

You should see some of the modes / pages in the Hornet's DDI panels...

I for instance learned that no system can replace what a RIO could do with the AWG-9 even. The human factor does matter imo.

That is something that I've learned too. After getting the taste of what it means to fly a two man ship, especially as AFAC, I can now (slightly) understand why the crews did not like the transition to the Hornet. I really love everything on the cat, its tailor sized for me, regarding the perfect balance between new technology, and old craftmanship. I would not like to have the D, too much electronics... (Maybe thats why I also like the Viggen so much)

Another thing the cat teached me, was to get my eyes again more outside of the aircraft. You don't need a HUD or three game boys in your front. Get your eyes outside and build you own situational awarenes. You'll realize who much more worth this is, then blindly trust those MFDs and overloaded HUD.

And the last thing it teached me was, that a case 3 with the Hornet is a piece of cake.

Honorable mention: DLC. I want it in every plane. Even in my car. Would make nonsense, but its so genius that I would also like it there.

I wish i could tell this module was the one that taught me how to fly, but i can't as i had already flown tons of WW2 stuff and every F-14 simulator i could get my hands on and-or make run on my PC (except for my greatest shame, The Fleet Defender).

What i did learn though, was:

1. STR is worth squat if you can't force the other guy to fight your fight

2. Fly by the feel. The kick in the but. The seat in your pants. What ever you put it. Heatblur made the only plane i have ever flown in a sim that actually provided feedback without FFB devices being mandatory!

Also, honorable mentions:

I learned that DLC is the best thing since sliced bread, at least as far as carrier landings are concerned, and I wish I could bolt it on to all other planes (Hornet especially).

I learned a lot about radar tech, having spent about 150-200 hours on the backseat by now. I have not really experienced flying the aircraft myself yet.

Yeah, on the hud comments I can't wait to hear the wailing and screeching once the F8 crusader comes out. Pure analog, no fancy nuthin... The F14 will seem like a spaceship compared to that.

Keep in mind that many of us also fly warbirds, where the HUD is quite a bit more basic. "Iron HUD" ... LOL. And most DCS folks are also reasonably familiar with the F-86/Mig-19/F-5/Mig-21, and many have flown thse quite a bit as well. So the F-8 is not really going to be shocking. it's just a question of expectations. The warbirds/F-86 etc. generally are flown against opponents that also have the same level of "HUD" tech. The F-14 goes toe-to-toe with Su-27's/Mig-29's/F-18's/F-16's ... and can hold its own. Love it!

I wish i could tell this module was the one that taught me how to fly, but i can't as i had already flown tons of WW2 stuff and every F-14 simulator i could get my hands on and-or make run on my PC (except for my greatest shame, The Fleet Defender).

 

What i did learn though, was:

1. STR is worth squat if you can't force the other guy to fight your fight

2. Fly by the feel. The kick in the but. The seat in your pants. What ever you put it. Heatblur made the only plane i have ever flown in a sim that actually provided feedback without FFB devices being mandatory!

 

Also, honorable mentions:

I have been seriously considering getting one those seat thingys to get a literal butt kicking. Just been hemming and hawing till I find one that works well without too much hassle and is affordable.

I have been seriously considering getting one those seat thingys to get a literal butt kicking. Just been hemming and hawing till I find one that works well without too much hassle and is affordable.

Yeah, i have a special fund set aside for PC upgrades and have been saving for quite some time, though i still have to balance between more internal and more external essentials. My CPU is long overdue for a replacement, and that means a new motherboard, and with that new RAM. Not to mention, a new FFB stick in the mid price range is not to be found anytime soon. You have to hunt used specimens of these on e-bay like some kind of sim Indiana Jones .... :music_whistling:

1. The F-14 taught me how to fly stick and rudder, and has made flying planes like the F-15 and F-18 super, super easy. I wasn't afraid of flying analog planes I wanted the challenge even before I clicked the Pre-Purchase button ;).

2. The Feedback that the F-14 gives the pilot, something that Heatblur really nailed, honestly, the flying by the seat of your pants feeling you get in the F-14, is addicting, it makes the other modules feel very sterile and to me, undesirable to fly.

3. The HUD is something that I came to accept and felt right at home with pretty quickly plus all the essential instrument gauges are right under the HUD so it wasn't hard to transition into. Funny thing is that even though I flew the Hornet before the Tomcat, I find the Hornet's HUD to be a sensory overload especially when you display the RWR on the HUD.

On a side note, I don't understand how some players have flat out shelved the Tomcat just because it doesn't have a modern HUD.

.....

On a side note, I don't understand how some players have flat out shelved the Tomcat just because it doesn't have a modern HUD.

Why those ungrateful b*****d's! They're out of the volleyball tournament for sure...

Agreed, the Turkey is a hoot to fly. :thumbup: