Jump to content

Chuck's F-14B Tomcat Guide


Charly_Owl

Recommended Posts

pg 5 --- this para...

 

 

"The F-14 is equipped with an internal 20 mm M61 Vulcan Gatling cannon mounted on the left side (unlike the Phantom, which was not equipped with an internal gun in the US Navy), and can carry AIM-54 Phoenix, AIM-7 Sparrow, and AIM-9 Sidewinder anti-aircraft missiles. The twin engines are housed in widely spaced nacelles. The flat area of the fuselage between the nacelles is used to contain fuel and avionics systems, such as the wing-sweep mechanism and flight controls, as well as weaponry since the wings are not used for carrying ordnance. By itself, the fuselage provides approximately 40 to 60 percent of the F-14's aerodynamic lifting surface depending on the wing sweep position, mainly due to the lifting body characteristics of the fuselage."

did you mean F-4

??

pic

i7-4790K | Asus Sabertooth Z97 MkI | 16Gb DDR3 | EVGA GTX 980 | TM Warthog | MFG Crosswind | Panasonic TC-58AX800U

 

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Chuck,

let me tell you that I highly appreciate all your guides. They are just awesome and honestly, I can't imagine the insane amount of work which must be in them.

You are doing an absolute great job :thumbup:.

Thank you, for helping me learning all those modules in the past :smartass::pilotfly:.

 

I fly the Tomcat since release, and as it is by far one of my most loved aircrafts, I really dig into it.

I have spent something between 80 to 100h in the cockpit of the cat. As Pilot and also as RIO.

 

I read your guide and I have seen that there are some mistakes, may I am allowed to tell them to you to help you doing a even more supreme guide then it already is?

 

I alway refer to the PDF pages which are indicated on the lower right. Guide is dated 9/08/2019

 

 

Page 17: Setup Pilot Stick.

Your controls are missing Jester and ICS.

 

Page 20: Controls are always a personal thing as long as we don't fly the A10 *ggg*.

However: I would suggest to map the S4 function to the CMS. As the S4 is an 5 way switch, that matches most the real life.

One small addition: As Rio you can also use the buttons on the throttel. That way, I managed a perfect RIO/Lantirn Layout without any modifiers.

I added my setup, just for informational purpose.

 

Page 28: ejection seat arming lever

Its the opposite. It is Up disarmed and down armed.

 

Page 105: Liquid cooling switch

Cooling switch fwd: Position when Aim54-A are equipped (cooling for AWG-9 and Aim54)

Cooling switch mdl: Cooling system off

Cooling switch aft: Position when no Aim54-A is loaded (cooling for AWG-9. Aim54-C does not need the extra cooling circuit)

 

Page 149:

Wing sweep handling: Wings are always kept in oversweep or at least full aft. On the carrier until you are hooked up on the cat, on land until holding short.

(except start up tests of course)

 

Page 153:

Before step 4: Not only the ECS cooling air must be available, also the liquid cooling switch needs to be tunred on before. (You mentioned that under post-alignment)

(Liquid cooling switch operates the cooling circuit, ecs air blows on the heat exchanger)

 

Page 154:

Step 6: You are saying, to put the Mode selector to GND align and then enter the coordinates.

Thats possible, but you have then only around 2 minutes time to enter the coordinates, otherwise you will get an error.

The correct way would be, to enter the coordinates and then switch to GND Align.

 

Small addition:

As soon as the alignment process reaches the last stage (passing alert launch criteria), the alignement mode can be switched to "CAT" and you can start taxi'ing.

 

ASH is much faster for alignment, but it also gets faster a higher INS error.

Maybe you should also add the Tacan Nav-Fix (and other fixes) to the guide.

 

Page 159:

To use the carrier alignment, Datalink is not needed to be set to the carrier. It works as independend system. So you can already set the DL to the AWACS e.g. while aligning.

 

Page 160:

RWR will only be activated once airborne. On the deck, it would go insane.

Also WCS will only be put to Xmit in the air and not on deck.

 

Page 168:

Step 10: Shore take-offs are normaly done with flaps up. Only under special circumstances flaps are used down.

Step 11: Trimming should be done with no flaps or brake extended as this is affecting the trim.

 

Page 169:

Step 13/17: Afterburner useage is generaly prohibited with the GE F110 engines. Its only allowed in emergency situations or when it is tactical necessary.

 

Page 176:

I know its really minor, but you throttle up to full mil and then perform a wipeout, not the other way around.

 

Page 180:

Step 7: Throttle to idle, break, set wings to auto and then start to engage the airbrake. If wings are set to auto later, you will just fall down like a rock.

(NATOPS means that the wings should be already at 20° where you are just starting to move them)

 

Page 193:

Step 12: DLC is earliest toggled 7 seconds after flaps are down (to prevent overheating of the hydraulics).

 

Page 201:

Full mil throttle is applied when crossing the back of the deck. On touchdown it is too late.

This will also retract automaticaly the DLC and the airbrake.

 

Page 202:

Wing sweep is not set to manual, it is just set to bomb mode as this is just one fast "click".

Once the runway is vacated, it is set to oversweep.

Speedbrake should be retracted by itself before.

 

Page 223:

Not only anti-skid, also spoilers are not used on carrier ops.

 

Page 241:

Once again, colling switch before turning on WCS (seems logical, doesn't it?) and not Xmit on ground.

 

Page 257:

I would recommend to write, that the Pulse mode does not show anything on the TID. Only on the DDD. TID only shows datalink contacts and waypoints.

 

Page 308:

Step 1: I'm not sure if this is really done on the ground.

Step 2: However, I'm pretty sure the 8 minutes start to count when there is no more weight on wheels. But never tested it exactley.

 

Page 313:

You made a mistake in the order of the Lantirn useage.

You wrote to slew over the target and then release the bombs when the TTG is 0 and then press full action. That is wrong.

 

You need to slew over the target and press once full action to designate the target and get a slant range. THEN you will get a correct TTG. On release, you need (and should) only press the first detend.

Why? If you loose track and the Lantern is pointing somewhere else, you just need to press S4 right (QDES) to get back to the target. If you loose track while pressing designate, you will not be able to do that.

 

Also, lasing is usually startet 15 seconds before impact, not right after release.

 

According to the whole Weapon emplyoment methods:

This is pretty a lot WIP and there are still many things not clear, not clarified by HB and not implemented. I tried to get a little more light into it here, but unfortunately the thread got hijacked and lead to nothing.

So I guess we just need to wait to get more clarification from HB, the manual and also the updates in the future. As now, even the Aim-54 does not work correct as it goes always active, and not only if commanded by the WCS.

 

Page 369:

Also "Reply" (left of TAC switch) should be set to NORM. (Norm means that your aircraft receives and sends information. CANC means that you only receive and not transmit).

 

Page 372:

Datalink also works perfectly with E-3 AWACS. Just not true that it only works with E-2.

 

Page 428:

You forgot about the KC-135MPRS Tanker.

 

Page 430:

Step 8: If you turn off the WCS, you should also turn off the CM ;).

Step 12: Aerial refueling is recommended to do with 40° (not bomb mode). However, it is only a recommendation (to keep the vertical stabs below of the wake turbulences because of the higher AOA). However, most RL Tomcat pilots refuel with wings just in Auto while 40° was mainly used by rookies / new pilots.

 

Page 432:

Step 13: You may not exceed 350kts with an extended refuel probe.

 

As personal tip:

Always fly in echelon left formation with the tanker before actually taking fuel. This helps you to get your aircraft trimmed and is also the RL procedure.

Also set the Tanker to 250kts IAS, thats the sweet spot. KC-130 is the most easy tanker as it has the biggest "boxes" for conecting and staying connected.

 

 

I'm pretty sure I missed a lot other things and I'm may also not right on everything and also took not a deep look into every page. I just try to help as good as I can to make that great guide even better. Your guide and your work is awesome, please keep doing that for all future aircrafts also :thumbup:.

F-14B Tomcat Pilot.pdf

F-14B Tomcat RIO.pdf


Edited by viper2097

Steam user - Youtube

I am for quality over quantity in DCS modules

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great remarks viper! :thumbup:

 

 

Just two remarks on your remarks:

Page 105: Liquid cooling switch

Cooling switch fwd: Position when Aim54-A are equipped (cooling for AWG-9 and Aim54)

Cooling switch mdl: Cooling system off

Cooling switch aft: Position when no Aim54-A is loaded (cooling for AWG-9. Aim54-C does not need the extra cooling circuit)

True IRL, but ingame it is currently not implemented like that AFAIK, because HB wasn't aware that the C does not need the extra cooling

ASH is much faster for alignment, but it also gets faster a higher INS error.

ASH shouldn't really make much of a difference in regards to INS error. At least if aligned on the ground:

On ground, the ASH quality shouldn't be much different from a normal full fine alignment.

Intel i7-12700K @ 8x5GHz+4x3.8GHz + 32 GB DDR5 RAM + Nvidia Geforce RTX 2080 (8 GB VRAM) + M.2 SSD + Windows 10 64Bit

 

DCS Panavia Tornado (IDS) really needs to be a thing!

 

Tornado3 small.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First revision (13/08/2019):

 

Changelog:

 

  • fixed various typos
  • updated minor cockpit description items
  • further elaborated JESTER description
  • updated shore takeoff procedure
  • updated carrier landing procedure
  • re-wrote autopilot section
  • updated TACAN navigation section
  • corrected Pulse Doppler PD Search Mode section
  • updated Datalink section to include Datalink Reply switch
  • corrected GBU-10 description
  • corrected GBU-12 LANTIRN pod example
  • added Acronyms sub-section in Part 17
  • updated Controls section to include ICS and JESTER mappings
  • updated RIO start-up section to include Liquid Cooling switch and AN/ALE-39 PWR/Mode switch
  • added refueling probe limits

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I Salute You Chuck!

Thanks very much for all your excellent work.

| FC3 | KA-50 | A-10C | MIG-21Bis | F-86F | UH-1H | HAWK T.1A | F/A-18C | AV-8B N\A | F-14B | F-16C | AJS-37 | CA | NEVADA | PERSIAN GULF | SUPER CARRIER | SYRIA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Don't know if this has been posted yet but on page 264 of the Oct 14, 2019 edition, there is a typo. On that page one of the settings for TWS are listed as "40 deg 4 bar search" when it should be "40 deg 2 bar search."

 

 

Correct me if I am wrong.

 

 

Thanks!

 

 

v6,

boNes

"Also, I would prefer a back seater over the extra gas any day. I would have 80 pounds of flesh to eat and a pair of glasses to start a fire." --F/A-18 Hornet pilot

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On page 174 I read that when you don't have NWS engaged, you can still steer the Tomcat with say +/-35 deg left and right. But with NWS engaged you can steer the Tomcat +/-70 deg.

 

 

So I tried to steer without NWS engaged and there is no steering control whatsoever. If I engage NWS, then I do get control, but it's the +/-70 deg.

 

 

Am I doing something wrong to not get the lower steering (not that it's a huge problem, as I can steer fine with it engaged)

 

 

v6,

boNes

"Also, I would prefer a back seater over the extra gas any day. I would have 80 pounds of flesh to eat and a pair of glasses to start a fire." --F/A-18 Hornet pilot

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On page 174 I read that when you don't have NWS engaged, you can still steer the Tomcat with say +/-35 deg left and right. But with NWS engaged you can steer the Tomcat +/-70 deg.

 

 

So I tried to steer without NWS engaged and there is no steering control whatsoever. If I engage NWS, then I do get control, but it's the +/-70 deg.

 

 

Am I doing something wrong to not get the lower steering (not that it's a huge problem, as I can steer fine with it engaged)

As I said in the other thread (and now here, so Chuck nows): Unlike with the Hornet, the NWS in the Tomcat is either off or full range. There is no intermediate mode like in the Hornet.

Intel i7-12700K @ 8x5GHz+4x3.8GHz + 32 GB DDR5 RAM + Nvidia Geforce RTX 2080 (8 GB VRAM) + M.2 SSD + Windows 10 64Bit

 

DCS Panavia Tornado (IDS) really needs to be a thing!

 

Tornado3 small.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...