F-104 ECM?

[GWhizz 0]

Hi all,

 

Just re-installed Strike fighters after nearly a year away from the sim and wow With some of the addons,this sim is now as good as ANY ive ever played!

 

Anyways,ive decided that this time round,i'll dedicate myself to one aircraft type at a time,and become as a profficient(sp?) as I can on that partic plane.

 

So my aircraft of choice this time is the F-104D two seater.Im flying mostly recon/armed recon/strike missions-and the aircraft is proving,erm,challenging Most of my missions are post '65 in a low A2A threat enviroment-but im struggling against SAM's.

 

Is it worth adding chaff/flares/ECM to the Starfighter or stick with the stock setup for historical accuracy?Any thoughts?

[Heck 496]

Hi all,

 

Just re-installed Strike fighters after nearly a year away from the sim and wow With some of the addons,this sim is now as good as ANY ive ever played!

 

Anyways,ive decided that this time round,i'll dedicate myself to one aircraft type at a time,and become as a profficient(sp?) as I can on that partic plane.

 

So my aircraft of choice this time is the F-104D two seater.Im flying mostly recon/armed recon/strike missions-and the aircraft is proving,erm,challenging Most of my missions are post '65 in a low A2A threat enviroment-but im struggling against SAM's.

 

Is it worth adding chaff/flares/ECM to the Starfighter or stick with the stock setup for historical accuracy?Any thoughts?

 

My opinion is stick to historical accuracy. Then again, I don't mind getting shot down, because neither myself, or my virtual pilot, really winds up dead. We can just do it again. I've been hit by very few SAMS, if I take evasive action when I heard, "Sam inbound." My wingmen are another matter, because they seem too dense to get out of the way, so I'm usually watching the SAM trail end at one of them. I wouldn't install ECM because, and my research may not be complete, or accurate, most of the aircraft of this time did not carry ECM, either chaff, or flares. I know that strike 105's could and did carry jammer pods, but one aircraft type couldn't mount another's without modification. I haven't found anything on 104's in Nam carrying pods, chaff, or flares. As I've said, my research may be too limited, or downright incorrect, so if anyone has found better information, please correct me. With the info I have right now, I'd leave it off, and do a lot of SAM dodging.

Edited February 8, 2006 by Heck

[GWhizz 0]

My opinion is stick to historical accuracy. Then again, I don't mind getting shot down, because neither myself, or my virtual pilot, really winds up dead. We can just do it again. I've been hit by very few SAMS, if I take evasive action when I heard, "Sam inbound." My wingmen are another matter, because they seem too dense to get out of the way, so I'm usually watching the SAM trail end at one of them. I wouldn't install ECM because, and my research may not be complete, or accurate, most of the aircraft of this time did not carry ECM, either chaff, or flares. I know that strike 105's could and did carry jammer pods, but one aircraft type couldn't mount another's without modification. I haven't found anything on 104's in Nam carrying pods, chaff, or flares. As I've said, my research may be too limited, or downright incorrect, so if anyone has found better information, please correct me. With the info I have right now, I'd leave it off, and do a lot of SAM dodging.

 

Yeah,I have to be honest,that would be my first choice.I usually prefer to stick to broadly speaking hitorical lines if I can..

Its actually been quite interesting trying to find suitable missions for the 104D-I think im right in saying that the F-104D never flew any combat missions in Vietnam?Maybe someone could tell me if im wrong on this one?

 

But what I have been able to tell,is that the lack of gun puts the -D at a real dissadvantage in A2A situations and delivering A2G ordenance accuratly takes a great deal of skill(which I dont have at the mo :) )So recon looks to be the way to go...

 

EDIT

Just googled it and found out that the 479th TFW operated both F-104C and D's from 1965 onwards.

Edited February 9, 2006 by GWhizz

[+Dave 2,322]

Yes and I did all the units skins for the 479th TFW. They are here at Combatace.

 

Here is the C

http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?download=1576

 

http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?download=1611

http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?download=1610

Here is the F-104J/DJ in case you didnt see it.

 

F-104C-10

http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?download=1586

[eightlein 10]

Howdy,

 

Throwing in my 2 cents, from what I've read, the 104 was a great psycho weapon and performed escort but was not credited with any A-A kills. The bad guys couldnt keep up so they didnt go up, she was just too damn fast.

"The missle with a man strapped to it"

Edited February 9, 2006 by eightlein

[+Dave 2,322]

In fact the when and the F-104 was doing escort duty the North Vietnamese AF stayed on the ground.

[GWhizz 0]

Yeah,id read that too.Sadly,the MiG pilots in SF dont appear to show the 104 the same level of respect :)

 

Having said that,I did score my first kill in the F-104D last night-against a MiG-17 too!