Mirage Factory F-14B Cockpit

[Caesar 305]

Kyot,

 

During the making of the Super Pack, we never added a SparrowHawk HUD to the F-14B, because the B didn't receive that HUD until 2003, and was retired two years later.  I think Dave and I had that conversation when selecting the year breakdowns for the SP Tomcats (initially, there wasn't an F-14A_96; that got added later, so I suppose a B_03 isn't out of the question).  SparrowHawk (by CMC Electronics) was different than the D's Kaiser Electronics HUD, and actually better, with a wider field of view and using commercial off the shelf parts for ease of maintenance/replacement, though the symbology was similar.  Unfortunately, there are still no plans for a dedicated F-14D cockpit, so I wouldn't hold you breath on that.

[Kyot54 2]

I thought they got them sooner than that, didn't the upgrade program start in the '90s

? Have to double check. I did here it was better than the D hud though. As for the dash, i toyed with the idea of just relocating stuff but realized i'm still too much oh a novice for that. Oh well, don't worry. Breathing normal here. Sorry gor tge huge text, writing from my phone

[Kyot54 2]

   Did some checking up and I figured out where the time-lime variance arises from. The contract to refit the Bravo's with the HUD's and updated VDI's was in 1997, the first -B Upgrades hit the fleet in 1999, but the whole fleet wasn't completed until 2003. So some had them earlier, some didn't.

 

   I'm happy making my own adjustments, as I did. I don't know how much demand there is out there for the Upgrade HUD (or VDI and radar display). If there's a lot, maybe offer it as an avionics download? Maybe make it F-14B ('00) or straight up F-14B Upgrade. But again, only if there's enough hollering out there for it.

 

  And to quash any stupid ideas I might have, is it even possible to just swap the positions in the D cockpit to put the scope where the MFD would be and other instruments below the VDI? Or are we talking a LOT of work?

[Caesar 305]

Guess we were basing our dates on the completion date.  Contract award isn't a good start date, however, kind of like Bol Chaff (awarded in 1994 if memory serves, but not widespread till 1996 for the F-14).  2000 might be worth it, being a 5 year span, kind of like how we have the 82 Tomcat with the TCS, which took until about 85-86 to completely implement, though it was tested as early as 1975 with the F-14, and installation began around 1981 in active squadrons.  With respect to the D Cockpit, I know about "moves" and stuff like that, but it would likely be a LOT of work to try to build a "D" pit out of the current one, if it were even possible.  You'd need to move the "six pack" to the left, keep the central VDI but change it to a more modern MFD, add another to the right, and screw with the HUD and VDIG in general...not an easy task.

[Wrench 9,809]

In other words, you need to BUILD a brand NEW cockpit from scratch, as the source file for the original pit prolly don't exist anymore.

[Fubar512 1,350]

As I was a member of the Mirage Factory at the time, I saw the WIP images of Paladrain's F-14B cockpit, and I can assure you that it was at least as good as his MiG-29A 'pit, if not better.  It's a pity that he became burnt-out on the whole modding business before he could complete it.

[Kyot54 2]

Guess we were basing our dates on the completion date.  Contract award isn't a good start date, however, kind of like Bol Chaff (awarded in 1994 if memory serves, but not widespread till 1996 for the F-14).  2000 might be worth it, being a 5 year span, kind of like how we have the 82 Tomcat with the TCS, which took until about 85-86 to completely implement, though it was tested as early as 1975 with the F-14, and installation began around 1981 in active squadrons.  With respect to the D Cockpit, I know about "moves" and stuff like that, but it would likely be a LOT of work to try to build a "D" pit out of the current one, if it were even possible.  You'd need to move the "six pack" to the left, keep the central VDI but change it to a more modern MFD, add another to the right, and screw with the HUD and VDIG in general...not an easy task.

 

In other words, you need to BUILD a brand NEW cockpit from scratch, as the source file for the original pit prolly don't exist anymore.

 

Yeah, that was kinda what I was afraid of. Maybe if I ever figure this modeling stuff out, I'll give it a try, but I'm such a novice that even with skins I'm sticking with the bmps and avoiding tga/decals. :/ Thanks for being realistic about the possibilities though. As a side thought, I know FSX's D cockpit is accurate, but I'm assuming there's trademark and registration, as well as compatibility issues with converting that over to SF2?

[Wrench 9,809]

there is NO compatibility.

like putting a Ford distributor into a Nissan

 

OTH, if the 3ds Max files (aka, source files) were available, then it could be rebuilt to SF2 spec. With LOTS of work

[Kyot54 2]

 

My solution is to always fly with Trackir and to have the zoom out key mapped to my stick, within easy thumb reach. I also Fly this bird the way it was intended, as a true interceptor. Meaning that when I fly it I direct my AI team mates as an integrated BVR killing machine wiping out the majority of the enemy flight at distance , then closing in to mop up any stragglers who escaped the salvos of BVR shots. I also like use this as an AI bird in my scripted missions, defending a multiple carrier groups from waves of bombers/ Attack aircraft along side F-4S and F-18A Flights. Makes for some great eye Candy.

 

I refer back to Caesar's forum post titled "Knight's Syndrome" as to your comment that the F-14 was intended to be a pure interceptor. That is incorrect. It was designed as an All out Air-superiority multi-role aircraft, and I would even argue the first true air-dominance fighter, as the intention was for it to be able to deny air space to any enemy right off it's nose (thanks to the gun, which "true interceptors" don't carry) out to 100 miles, which if I did my math right, is denying them over 31,000 squares of air space. Pretty dominating in my opinion.

 

Hmmm, just wondering, is there a cockpit building tutorial? Not that I have made any decision to undertake this or not, but it would keep me busy if I did, and since my real world model shop is down for a while . . . .

[+RAVEN 414]

On building cockpits. I've found (for myself to build) a cockpit, that it's esyer to start from scratch, even tring to convert one that I made for another aircraft involves a lot of work. I've spent twice as long changing one then it took to build the original and it's still not done, but I'm too far into it to start over. (Maybe?)

[saisran 84]

i love  it when the tomcat gets attention.