F-35B

[+ST0RM 145]

The tanks kind of remind me of the long range tanks carried by the Mirage 2000 and Rafale.

 

Great progress Gents!

 

-S

[FastCargo 412]

Nice work... hope to see quality when you get the SH done

 

Hope so too...I took a break from the SH for a bit to refresh the brain bytes.

 

And yeah, the gunpod is pretty ugly I think. I only had a single cutaway diagram on it to base it's shape on...so it's probably not quite accurate.

 

FC

[Canadair 16]

What is a "missionized" gun pod?

[+Dave 2,322]

What is a "missionized" gun pod?

 

A conformal gun pod which may be fitted or removed as required.

[zmatt 2]

Why does it need one? Don't tell me the Navy did an F-4 with this one too. :(

[+EricJ 4,199]

After years of being tied up with the military, I think it means that it's for missions requiring an external weapon. Which... maybe for CAS duties but if it's a bigger caliber then I can see it, or for something requiring an external gun. It's the Air Force... go figure

 

Rog FC... that bad?

[FastCargo 412]

The A model is the only one of the 3 variants of the F-35 that has an internal gun. The other 2, the gun was made external to save weight (especially important in the STOVL model - the F-35B). As far as external vs internal guns, that can be debated. Unlike the old F-4, where the external gun was a band aid kludge, the missionized gunpod is for the F-35 and so is integrated in the overall design of the aircraft.

 

Eric, I sometimes act like I've got ADD (I don't), which means that when I focus on a job, or hobby, I'm like a laser in intensity, but it also means I can only focus for limited amounts of time...especially if the job is tedious. I have to take a break and mix it up every once in a while just so I don't totally burn out. I had to do a lot of research since I really didn't know the specific details on the SH. The F is currently sitting at the mapping stage. I had to do a lot of work to the MAX file to get it ready to be put in game. The G and E models are not started yet...the E will be the hardest. So, just taking a break from it is all...I plan to work on it this weekend.

 

Speedbrake issue fixed all models...now to get the B model to have a passable VTOL capability.

 

FC

[+EricJ 4,199]

The A model is the only one of the 3 variants of the F-35 that has an internal gun. The other 2, the gun was made external to save weight (especially important in the STOVL model - the F-35B). As far as external vs internal guns, that can be debated. Unlike the old F-4, where the external gun was a band aid kludge, the missionized gunpod is for the F-35 and so is integrated in the overall design of the aircraft.

 

Eric, I sometimes act like I've got ADD (I don't), which means that when I focus on a job, or hobby, I'm like a laser in intensity, but it also means I can only focus for limited amounts of time...especially if the job is tedious. I have to take a break and mix it up every once in a while just so I don't totally burn out. I had to do a lot of research since I really didn't know the specific details on the SH. The F is currently sitting at the mapping stage. I had to do a lot of work to the MAX file to get it ready to be put in game. The G and E models are not started yet...the E will be the hardest. So, just taking a break from it is all...I plan to work on it this weekend.

 

Speedbrake issue fixed all models...now to get the B model to have a passable VTOL capability.

 

FC

 

Ahh that's good info on the F-35...

 

As for the SH... Hey man I get the same way with projects. I gotta touchup WDHs splinter, not sure about your secondary Sagheah camo, but yeah man it's all good, least it's nearer. Also have a few ANW airstrips to work on, and this and that, but just flying around, trying to settle my mind at the mo anyways. , and always brah, thanks!

 

And please map the SH like you did the F-5F/Sagheah.... it's just beautiful

[kct 5]

Design lessons. It is better if everything is that integrated from the start.

 

As for the SH...I can't wait (for the obvious reasons).

[+76.IAP-Blackbird 3,557]

It`s wired, the USAF discoverd this issue of lacking guns in the vietnam war and repeat this misstake again?! Ok we have better missiles and stuff like this but I don`t think the pilots needs to be trained in dogfights anymore, cause of no gun :-P This will save some money and in the next dogfight .... Ok this is something I can`t understand but not the topic...

 

Saw those pics of this nice bird and can`t wait to fly this baby.. I`m still flying the Yak-41 don`t know if someone else is flying it but it`s great... like the Harriers... something special

[FastCargo 412]

Did the F-117 have a gun? Not all bomb droppers do.

 

Issue update:

 

Working on fixing speedbrake animations for rudders on A and C model (works fine on B model).

All models need ground handling fixing (and not by using asymetric wheel brakes).

C model needs flight surface laws fine tuned.

B model needs better FM and updated weight numbers (seems heavy).

A model now has opening gun door animation, however, can't get it to automatically open.

 

Issues addressed:

Speedbrakes - Fixed

Ground handling - Fixed

All data.inis updated with real world numbers for loads, empty weights, fuel capacities and ranges...B model will VTOL with only a light load as in reality.

A model gun door animation auto open - Fixed (Thanks JAT!)

 

Issues remaining:

FM still needs fine tuning for all models. In addition, for some reason, the AI can't land the A and B models.

Very close to releasable other than skins for the B and C models, fuel tanks, and gun pods.

 

Klavs81, expect them back to you late this evening.

 

FC

[+Klavs81 4]

Klavs81, expect them back to you late this evening.

 

FC

 

*Craps pants in excitement*

[+76.IAP-Blackbird 3,557]

Sounds like alot of work, thanks FC.. nice to see those birds coming along!

[+Spectre_USA 7]

*Craps pants in excitement* << --

 

This caused me to LOL!

[Mannie 21]

Wow

[+Klavs81 4]

All hail FC and his infinite awesomeness! This thing is a thing of beauty, thanks man!

 

EDIT: Click for movie.

 

 

We need to figure out a fuel dump for this bad girl, she doesn't like to float!

 

-A

Edited January 9, 2009 by Klavs81

[FastCargo 412]

Actually, I think JAT had rigged a fuel dump using the arresting hook key...I didn't try to see if it works.

 

Dude, that video was AWESOME...and your VTOL skills are much better than mine...takeoffs work pretty nicely, but landings are trickier for me.

 

Man, this thing is going to be sweet once a FM guru tweaks it a bit, though I have some ideas.

 

Y'all need to REALLY watch this video, it's a great indicator of the B model's abilities.

 

FC

[+Klavs81 4]

Dude, that video was AWESOME...and your VTOL skills are much better than mine...takeoffs work pretty nicely, but landings are trickier for me.

 

Thanks! Judicious editing and multiple attempts make even the poorest pilot look SMOOOV. I had to bump the weight down to get off the ground in mil-power, I just didn't have the patience to wait for my fuel to burn down, and I assume they wouldn't do AB straight down!

 

And by the by, FRAPS is WELL WORTH the 38 bucks for the license.

 

Next video? Stupid JSF tricks!

 

-A

[alex70b 0]

FC, your awesomeness is blinding.

 

This baby is hot.

 

When,when......

 

I hope One Week .LOL

 

Great work guys.

[+EricJ 4,199]

Pretty damn cool man, now I'm sold.....

[Mannie 21]

Wonderful.

I am speechless.

[FastCargo 412]

That was one thing I had to concede to reality in VTOL mode, AB use or not.

 

In the real thing, AB is deactivated when in VTOL mode. However, there are issues in the Thirdwire sim if you try to do this.

 

In the real thing, the lift fan produces slightly less thrust than a mil power F135 engine. However, if you try to put this in game (give the lift fan roughly the same thrust as the F135 engine in mil) the sim still maps the thrust curve over the entire range of throttle motion. Which means as you continue to advance the throttle, the engine develops more power than the lift fan, and the aircraft eventually will nose over and crash as you approach full power.

 

Another way to explain...if full AB is 100 percent power at 100 percent throttle for the engine, and the lift fan is 80 percent power...the sim will not give you that power at 80 percent throttle...it will give you that power only at 100 percent throttle.

 

You can see what happens.

 

I stepped around this by making a 'four post' thrust setup where the total lift power is roughly 42000 lbs total, distributed evenly mainly between the lift fan and the engine. All four posts are vectored thrust at the same rate to keep the transition easier to horizontal flight.

 

In addition, there is a fifth engine that is horizontal only. Now, what happens is that I tweaked the thrust cuvres so that as the altitude increases, the lift fan puts out less thrust in proportion to the thrust vectoring engine. But that is compensated by the dedicated horizontal engine which slowly kicks in as the lift fan fades out. The main reason is that the total thrust of the F135 is significantly less than 42000 lbs...and this way during conventional horizontal flight, the F-35 doesn't become a 'uber thrust' fighter. It does mean that you can't VTOL successfully much above 5000 feet...but then again, you shouldn't need to.

 

So, the upshot? You'll get AB plume in VTOL mode, but conventional manuvering should be unaffected. Small price to pay for a somewhat stable VTOL aircraft.

 

From what I was reading, 'bring back' capability of the B model won't be much more than the gun pod, some fuel above reserve, and a couple of 1000 lb bombs...I figured this was a fairly reasonable compromise.

 

Now, if someone has a better way to make it so that as the throttle gets above a certain setting, the thrust curve flattens out for a particular engine, then we can make a more realistic 'liftfan' type setup.

 

FC

[serverandenforcer 33]

he he he he he.... kind of reminds me of my harrier video. Excellent work guys. FC and Klavs, you've done absolutely exceptional work here. You guys really need to pat yourselves on the back for this one.

[macelena 1,070]

Awesome aircraft, but where did you get these terrain with buildings, the effects for flares and clouds?

[+Spectre_USA 7]

That video was intense!

 

As to the engine explanation, my eyes started crossing about half-way through...