You're Going The Wrong Way!

[+FastCargo]

I had played around with this before, but decided to get a bit more serious about it.

 

Could a 'rear facing' missile work?

 

Tweaked my Su-33 mod...mounting the 2 wingtip missiles backwards. Also, added a new version of the Archer...only thing I changed was acceleration and duration of the launch boost.

 

Screenshots:

 

Initial launch - scenario was 1v1 against F-15D ACTIVE.

 

Another view of the launch.

 

My shot is tracking...however, there's bad news...

 

From another viewpoint...again, the missile is tracking, but it was wobbling...a lot.

 

Closing...

 

Got him!

 

But, there is a disadvantage to a rear firing missile...

 

Did several experiments with the following results.

 

It does work...but isn't very reliable. I only got track with 50% of my shots, and only a kill with 25% my shots.

This was with a stock weaponspack missile...however, the best performance I got was doubling the initial acceleration, and compensated by halfing the duration. So the missile has to pretty much punch hard off the rail so it heads in the proper direction quickly.

 

Also, as you can see, there are disadvantages of targeting someone behind you...

 

And finally, the AI doesn't take advantage of this capability...tried it with me as the F-15 and put myself behind the Su-33. No luck...gave him multiple chances with me as the 'duck'.

 

Anyway, a interesting distraction.

 

FastCargo

[dsawan]

remonds me of firefox, the movie where the rearward missile saved eastwood from the russian.

[triplethr3at]

Is it possible to mimick the flight characteristics of the python 5. Fires strait then heads way up and turns around to track whats behind you.

[lazboy]

As ever pushing the envelope in weapons development are you likely to upload the mod at some point?

[Longestpants]

You know, wouldn't it be easier to do the same thing with unguided rockets?

[+MigBuster]

Is it possible to mimick the flight characteristics of the python 5. Fires strait then heads way up and turns around to track whats behind you.

 

 

lol thats usually my wingman!

[+FastCargo]

Well, since there were a few questions about a 'over the shoulder' shot, I figured I'd give it a shot...

 

Now, the sim cannot mimic a LOAL type profile...so the only way to even get close is to give the missile a >180 degree gimbal limit and a high FOV.

 

In addition, to reduce the turn radius, I cut down the booster acceleration, increased the duration...but then increased the sustainer acceleration. The idea is that the missile would make a tight turn off the rail...then accelerate once it was going in the direction it wanted to.

 

I used a Python 4 missile as the basis...making a puesdo Python 5.

 

Results...even a worse track record than the backward Archer. What was typically happening is the missile would make an initial bid, but after a fixed amount of pulling, would eventually go into a loop...and just loop around until it ran out of duration or hit the ground. The target would typically pump out flares initially, like you'd expect, but then eventually stop...though occasionally starting again. This may have been a reaction to passing through the missile sensors' range while it was in it's loop.

 

The most consistent results I would get would be firing just before the target passed my 3/9 line. Usually the results were better at that point. But if the target was already past that? I think out of the dozens of attempts, I MIGHT have gotten one kill out of it.

 

Here's some pics of a typical successful intercept:

 

Typically, this is where I could get a good intercept.

 

The 'over the shoulder' trail.

 

Another view.

 

Just before the kill. Note how much the missile is wobbling at terminal phase.

 

That wobbling was pretty consistent with a successful intercept...not sure why, because you typically didn't see that coming off the rail.

 

There will be no mod release of this...it's really just weapons exploration and not really anything useful since the AI won't take that much advantage of it.

 

FastCargo

[jtin]

I'm not sure if it's just me, but usually when I press F9, the missile is wobbling- stock, weaponspack, theoretical missiles... like you said, usually for me, if it's not wobbling, it's either unguided or off target.

 

A really basic question, but did you try upping the seeker accuracy/lock on chance?

[+Syrinx]

Quote Fastcargo : "It does work...but isn't very reliable. I only got track with 50% of my shots, and only a kill with 25% my shots" .

 

 

I know why it's not reliable...

 

"you must think in Russian, think in Russian"

[Viggen]

So in order for it to work you must Думайте на русском языке по мере того как я летаю Cy-33 с задним реактивным снарядом включения?

[+Syrinx]

There's always one...isn't there.

[+EricJ]

http://aeroweb.lucia.it/rap/RAFAQ/R-73.html

 

Old news by years, but who knows?

[+drdoyo]

FastCargo,....You've been scratching my paint.

 

Ah well, I have too. Thanks for doing the weapons experiments!

[Viggen]

There's always one...isn't there.

 

I wouldn't have done that if I was so tired