Bell D-188 (XF-109 / XF3L) “What if” Projects for Thirdwire Strike Fighter 2   I am big fan of Bell D-188 projects and when I saw XF-109 for SF2, I got inspired to expand XF-109.  I quote the statement from author of XF-109 mod for SF2:

"Had it been built, the Bell D-188A project would have been one of the most unorthodox aircraft to fly, and certainly the most unusual in the US Air Force inventory." - Veltro2k, creator of XF-109 mods for SF1 / SF2.   I want to give Bell D-188 the opportunities to be flown by anyone virtually in simulation, no matter how flawed she may be.  I decided to work on both Bell D-188 (XF-109 for USAF) and D-188A (XF3L for US Navy).
I want to give my big thank to Veltro2K for creating XF-109 in the first place and Wrench for upgrading XF-109 mod for SF2, especially for sharing his updated files with me.  I, too, want to thank Combatace community, all of you are reasons why I worked on this project.   And at the same time, please keep in mind that there are several files that are from other mods, I am giving credits to all modders who created each materials that is used in Bell D-188 projects:
 
CREDITS:   Note: If it is required that I must take any of the files off from D-188 Projects, please let me know.  I will fix it ASAP and I intend to respect everyone’s work, especially giving credits to everyone who is involved with D-188 projects.
  To my friends and Combatace community:
I truly thank everyone who got involved with D-188 projects, all of you are reasons why I am able to finish this project.  All of you rocks!   Bell XF-109 for SF2:
I give my big thank to Veltro2k for creating XF-109 (D-188) mod for SF1 and SF2.  ( http://combatace.com/files/file/13169-bell-xf-109/ ) He is the reason why I have the opportunities to work on mod projects for SF2, along with Combatace community.   Bell XF-109 updates:
I express my many thanks to Wrench for being very involved with D-188 projects.  He has helped me lot with the mod, especially sending me his updated data.ini files for XF-109. ( http://combatace.com/topic/74104-f-109-tweeks-pak-for-sf2/ )
Sound effects: J85-GE.wav and J85-GE_AB.wav are directly from Macelena’s F-5E mods for SF2 ( http://combatace.com/files/file/10446-mirage-factory-f-5e-for-sf2/ ), I truly thank him for the sound files for J85-GE.  Note: J85-GE.wav and J85-GE_AB.wav are renamed from F5Engine.wav and F5AB.wav. The reason why I renamed the files is because there are so many sound files from different mods for SF2.  I hope that renamed files will make it easier to find in sound folder, just for in case, if anyone need to find them.   Afterburner effects: Afterburner came from Mirage Factory F-8 Crusader Superpack for SF2.  ( http://combatace.com/files/file/10646-mirage-factory-f-8-crusader-super-pack/ ) and I truly thank to everyone who is involved creating F-8 Crusader Superpack for SF2.   To everyone who helped me:
  Wrench à Thank you for the help with feedback involved, it helped lot with D-188 projects.   76.IAP-Blackbird à Thank you for your help with D-188 projects.   FalconC45 à Thank you so much for helping testing the mods.     Instruction:   1)    Extract D-188_Project and you will see 4 folders: a.     Effects b.     Sounds c.     STOL Versions d.     VSTOL Versions
(Note:  For F/A-109B (USMC), I highly recommend V/STOL version for taking off / landing on USMC ships.  There are still STOL version, for in case, if you still prefer to go with STOL method.
  2)    Drop Effects and Sounds folder into main Strike Fighter 2 mod folder. 3)    There are two different versions of Bell D-188 (F-109s and F/A-109s): a.     STOL version – All of aircraft have all 6 jet engines operation, especially when you are in STOL mode.  Because all engines from rotating engines and main fuselage engines are running at the same time, it is impossible to performance VTOL mode. b.     V/STOL version – All of aircraft only have rotating engine operation.  I divided the thrusts from main fuselage engines and added them to rotating engines, to make up for main fuselage engines not having any thrusts.  (See “Flight model” for more information about flight model for VSTOL version) This enable you to be able to performance V/STOL and VTOL mode.  However, I removed afterburner effects from main fuselage engines (except for exhaust smokes).  It does not look right if you are in VTOL mode with afterburner running from fuselage.  But you still can re-enable afterburner for main fuselage engines with few steps.  Look at bottom of README for the instruction for re-enabling afterburner effects. 4)    For your information, XF-109s / F-109s are USAF version, XF3L / F/A-109s are US Navy and US Marine Corps version. 5)    Go into either STOL or VSTOL version of folders, drop Objects folder into main Strike Fighter 2 mod folder.     Information:   1)    XF-109 is based on D-188 project which is historically designed for US Air Force.  F-109s variants aircraft are fictional “What if” if US Air Force decided to accept XF-109. 2)    XF3L is based on D-188 project which is historically designed for US Navy.  F/A-109s variants are fictional “What if” US Navy and US Marine Corp decided to accept XF3L. 3)    Configuration/Upgrades for XF-109 / F-109s (USAF): a.     XF-109 (1961)                                                 i.     Prototype version                                               ii.     Powered by J85-GE-5                                              iii.     Role: Interceptor b.     F-109A (1964)                                                 i.     Role: Interceptor                                               ii.     Upgraded engine to J85-GE-5A c.     F-109A (1969)                                                 i.     Role: Interceptor                                               ii.     Upgraded engine to J85-GE-13                                              iii.     Counter measure equipment implemented 1.     Chaff / Flare d.     F-109B (1969)                                                 i.     Role: Fighter and bomber                                               ii.     Upgraded engine to J85-GE-13                                              iii.     More capable of delivering air to ground various ordinances                                              iv.     Counter measure equipment implemented 1.     Chaff / Flare e.     F-109B (1973)                                                 i.     Role: Fighter - Bomber                                               ii.     Upgraded engine to J85-GE-21                                              iii.     Upgraded with capable of carrying laser guided ordinances                                              iv.     Upgraded counter measure 1.     Increased numbers of chaff / flare f.      F-109B (1976)                                                 i.     Role: Fighter - Bomber                                               ii.     Upgraded with more advanced avionics in cockpit                                              iii.     Capable of carrying more advanced air to air / air to ground ordinances                                              iv.     Upgraded counter measure 1.     Increased numbers of chaff / flare g.     F-109C (1980)                                                 i.     Role: Multi-Role                                               ii.     Upgraded with more advanced avionics and cockpit h.     F-109G (1971)                                                 i.     Role: SEAD “Wild Weasel”                                               ii.     Upgraded engine to J85-GE-13                                              iii.     Counter measure equipment implemented 1.     Embedded ECM 2.     Chaff / Flare                                              iv.     Capable of delivering various air to ground ordinances, especially for role of SEAD. i.      F-109G (1976)                                                 i.     Role: SEAD “Wild Weasel”                                               ii.     Upgraded engine to J85-GE-21                                              iii.     Upgraded with more advanced avionics in cockpit                                              iv.     Capable of carrying more advanced air to ground ordinances
  4)    Configuration/Upgrades for XF3L / F/A-109s (USN): a.     XF3L (1963)                                                 i.     Prototype version                                               ii.     Powered by J85-GE-5                                              iii.     Role: Multi-Role b.     F/A-109A (1969)                                                 i.     Role: Multi-Role                                               ii.     Upgraded engine to J85-GE-13                                              iii.     More capable of delivering air to air / air to ground various ordinances                                              iv.     Counter measure equipment implemented 1.     Chaff / Flare c.     F/A-109A (1973)                                                 i.     Role: Multi-Role                                               ii.     Upgraded engine to J85-GE-21                                              iii.     Upgraded with capable of carrying laser guided ordinances                                              iv.     Upgraded counter measure 1.     Increased numbers of chaff / flare d.     F/A-109A (1977)                                                 i.     Role: Multi-Role                                               ii.     Upgraded with more advanced avionics in cockpit                                              iii.     Capable of carrying more advanced air to air / air to ground ordinances                                              iv.     Upgraded counter measure 1.     Increased numbers of chaff / flare
  5)    Configuration/Upgrades for F/A-109s (USMC): a.     F/A-109B (1972)                                                 i.     Role: Multi-Role                                               ii.     Upgraded engine to J85-GE-21                                              iii.     Capable of delivering air to air / air to ground various ordinances                                              iv.     Counter measure equipment implemented 1.     Chaff / Flare b.     F/A-109B (1976)                                                 i.     Role: Multi-Role                                               ii.     Upgraded with more advanced avionics in cockpit                                              iii.     Upgraded with capable of carrying laser guided ordinances                                              iv.     Upgraded counter measure 1.     Increased numbers of chaff / flare c.     F/A-109B (1984)                                                 i.     Role: Multi-Role                                               ii.     Upgraded with more advanced avionics and cockpit                                              iii.     Capable of carrying more advanced air to air / air to ground ordinances                                              iv.     Upgraded counter measure 1.     Increased numbers of chaff / flare     EXTRA:
  1)    Re-enable Afterburner effects for STOL version: a.     For anyone who want to re-able afterburner effects for STOL version, open aircraft data.ini file and find this line of code:

// Engine - Fuselage ----------------------------------------------------------
  b.     Under both [FusEngineLeft] and [FusEngineRight], you will see this code:

//AfterburnerEmitterName=F8AfterburnerEmitter
  c.     Remove “//” from the code, so it looks like this:

AfterburnerEmitterName=F8AfterburnerEmitter
  d.     Now you have working afterburner effects back in main fuselage engines, even when you are hovering in V/STOL version of aircraft.     Texture / Skins:
  For now, D-188 (F-109s/F3Ls) projects do not have any additional skins for each aircraft, so if anyone have plans to create skins for D-188 projects, please let me know.  Any more skins for F-109s / F3Ls are always welcomed.     Flight model:
  I am not expert with the flight mode.  If anyone can help with flight model, the helps are always welcomed for D-188 (F-109s/F3Ls) projects!  I did the basic flight model tweaking, in order, to make F-109s/F3L feel more realistic when flying them in SF2, theoretically.  The flight model is originally created by Veltro2K and updated by Wrench. Here are following features I tweaked in flight model:   1)    Slow roll rate = With two engines being mounted on each tip of wings, it means lot of weights.  And at the same time, with small wings from D-188s aircraft like F-104, in my opinion, it means slower roll rate.  However, as I stated, I am not an expert with flight model and any helps with flight model overhaul is always welcomed.
  2)    Fixed sensitive rudder = The rudder was very sensitive so I reduced it lot, in order, for D-188s to have small movement when using rudder.
  3)    Engines overhaul = I have done lot of works on each engine powers for each aircraft.  This is the math I used to convert lb of thrust to Netwon:

Note: XXX is any given numbers.

XXX lb (thrust) = XXX lb x 4.45 = XXX (thrust) Newton

And keep in mind that STOL / VSTOL version of each aircraft engine have different thrusts.  STOL have accuracy thrusts in newton for each six engine while VSTOL have increased thrusts for four engines.

Here are example:

XF-109 (STOL version)

Engine #1: 2,400 LB (DRY)        3,600 LB (AB)
Engine #2: 2,400 LB (DRY)        3,600 LB (AB)
Engine #3: 2,400 LB (DRY)        3,600 LB (AB)
Engine #4: 2,400 LB (DRY)        3,600 LB (AB)
Engine #5: 2,400 LB (DRY)        3,600 LB (AB)
Engine #6: 2,400 LB (DRY)        3,600 LB (AB)

XF-109 (V/STOL version)

Note:  Because Engine #5 / #6 which is main fuselage engine having no thrusts, I divided them and moved to engine #1 to engine #2.

Engine #5 + engine #6 = Total engine thrust divided by four, then add them to each engine.
Engine #5: 2,400 LB (DRY)        3,600 LB (AB)
Engine #6: 2,400 LB (DRY)        3,600 LB (AB)

Total Engine thrust: 4,800 LB (DRY)   7,200 (AB) / 4 = 1,200 LB (DRY)   1,800 (AB)

Engine #1: 2,400 LB (DRY)        3,600 LB (AB) + 1,200 LB (DRY)   1,800 (AB)
Engine #2: 2,400 LB (DRY)        3,600 LB (AB) + 1,200 LB (DRY)   1,800 (AB)
Engine #3: 2,400 LB (DRY)        3,600 LB (AB) + 1,200 LB (DRY)   1,800 (AB)
Engine #4: 2,400 LB (DRY)        3,600 LB (AB) + 1,200 LB (DRY)   1,800 (AB)

Result:
Note: Engine #1 to #4 is rotating engines while Engine #5 to #6 is main fuselage engines.

Engine #1: 3,600 LB (DRY)        5,400 LB (AB)
Engine #2: 3,600 LB (DRY)        5,400 LB (AB)
Engine #3: 3,600 LB (DRY)        5,400 LB (AB)
Engine #4: 3,600 LB (DRY)        5,400 LB (AB)
Engine #5: 0 LB (DRY)  0 LB (AB)
Engine #6: 0 LB (DRY)  0 LB (AB)

V/STOL version have fuselage engines thrust moved to each rotating engines, to make up for having no thrusts in fuselage engines.

Here is the date about engines that each aircraft uses:
  Aircraft (Service Date) Engine               Thrust in LB (Dry / AB - Afterburner)   XF-109               (1961 - 1969)   J85-GE-5           2,400 LB (DRY) 3,600 LB (AB)                                   F-109A               (1964 - 1975)   J85-GE-5A         2,450 LB (DRY) 3,850 LB (AB) F-109A               (1969 - 1978)   J85-GE-13         2,720 LB (DRY) 4,080 LB (AB) F-109A               (1975 - 1986)   J85-GE-21         3,600 LB (DRY) 5,000 LB (AB)                                   F-109B               (1969 - 1979)   J85-GE-13         2,720 LB (DRY) 4,080 LB (AB) F-109B               (1973 - 1984)   J85-GE-21         3,600 LB (DRY) 5,000 LB (AB) F-109B               (1976 - 1990)   J85-GE-21         3,600 LB (DRY) 5,000 LB (AB)                                   F-109C               (1980 - 1996)   J85-GE-21         3,600 LB (DRY) 5,000 LB (AB)                                   F-109G               (1971 - 1984)   J85-GE-13         2,720 LB (DRY) 4,080 LB (AB) F-109G               (1976 - 1996)   J85-GE-21         3,600 LB (DRY) 5,000 LB (AB)   ---------------------------------------------------------------------   XF3L                   (1963 - 1970)   J85-GE-5A         2,450 LB (DRY) 3,850 LB (AB)             F/A-109A           (1969 - 1980)   J85-GE-13         2,720 LB (DRY) 4,080 LB (AB) F/A-109A           (1973 - 1986)   J85-GE-21         3,600 LB (DRY) 5,000 LB (AB) F/A-109A           (1977 - 1996)   J85-GE-21         3,600 LB (DRY) 5,000 LB (AB)   ---------------------------------------------------------------------   F/A-109B           (1972 - 1982)   J85-GE-21         3,600 LB (DRY) 5,000 LB (AB) F/A-109B           (1976 - 1990)   J85-GE-21         3,600 LB (DRY) 5,000 LB (AB) F/A-109B           (1982 - 1996)   J85-GE-21         3,600 LB (DRY) 5,000 LB (AB)     Feedback:
  Feedback are always appreciated for improving D-188 (F-109s / F3Ls) project.  I aim to keep improving project through time when I get the chance.     Message for everyone:   I truly hope that everyone enjoys the project I created for Thirdwire Strike Fighter 2 communities with the help from my friends and Combatace communities.     Eagle114th / ChaoticDragon - http://combatace.com/user/843-eagle114th/