SF2 Series DACT Reports And Related A2A Discussions (Game only)

[+EricJ 3,944]

Me: F-14D (06) with 2 x AIM-9M, 2 x AIM-7M, 4 x AIM-54C ECCM Sealed, gun, and tanks

Opposition: F/A-18F with 4 x AIM-9X, 6 x AIM-120D, tank and gun.

 

Started off with both of us heading towards each other (closing engagement) and after a minute or so I detected the Super and oriented myself towards it. After locking it up I still had some time before I could launch so I waited and saw what would happen. First the Super went for my Hawkeye, launching a missile (which somehow missed it) and then the Super launched on me. I threw on the jammer and it fired again… so after I finally got the HOT TRIGGER I launched my own Phoenix downing the bird.

 

Takeaways:

 

1. The opposing AI does not jam, or if he was jamming my radar was bit more powerful.

2. The AIM-120D has more range than the Phoenix, so in a BVR fight, the Tomcat is a worse position if the pilot knows he or she is facing the missile (which of course I knew).

3. The Tomcat’s jammer is effective in disabling the AIM-120D, as two were shot at me, none arrived at my position, which shows that the HOJ feature of the AIM-120D doesn’t work or maybe I just got lucky.

4. OR, the AI treats Active AAMs as SARH…

[saisran 84]

Eric, when the hornet fired its AIM-120D did the tomcat's rwr started blaring? I think i have a bug in my game. I went up against the F-14A_77 with AIM-54A in the Eagle twice and on both occassion i never had any warning that i'm being shot at. I think the multi track engagement on the F-14 isn't recognized as a radar lock thus, if you're flying without a wingman or friendly you wont hear any warning that a Phoenix has been sent in you're way

[+Crusader 2,057]

Theres no bug with TWS... .the bug is the magic wingmen who somehow always know when the enemy fires a missile

[saisran 84]

Theres no bug with TWS... .the bug is the magic wingmen who somehow always know when the enemy fires a missile

 

Yeah. took the F-15 and the F-16 against an AIM-54A ladden tomcat. it seems that until you're close enough inside 40nm for the eagle. your RWR won't know that you've been launched upon and the AI like to fire his load way before sparrow range then you'll get the warning as he's now firing the sparrows.

[saisran 84]

Me: F-15C 4x AIM-7M and 4x AIM-9M

VS: F-14B 2x AIM-54A, 2X AIM-7? and 2x AIM-9L

 

Another bout against a Phoenix laden Cat. This time i tried to win seriously.

 

Took the eagle up high. Then under 50nm tomcat on the nose... i've waited for as long as i dare i'm sure a Phoenix was in the way, just didn't know where it is or when it was launched. A quick peek on the belly of the beast and sure enough 1 phoenix was missing(yeah i'm cheating). This is when i decided that the phoenix will be able to climb higher than i was and would probabaly still carry more than enough juice to hit home. Taking advantage of the eagle's 100 strong chaffs load. I rolled the eagle on its back Pump a good amount of chaffs and pulled hard in a vertical dive then roll the eagle into a spiral while Sporadically pumping flares. Around 10,000ft, imagination or not i thought i saw a something streak by Not knowing what it is i continued my maneuver as i don't know how many phoenix is in the air. As i got below 1000ft nose on the F-14, dive and level out around 200ft. Where now under 40nm (probably 30-35nm). My radar can now lock the tomcat and i did. lock it up and keep the bid on it. each time i stray above 300Ft my RWR came blaring and i nose down again to the water. going at 300 to 350 kts above the surface i closed in the tomcat who himself is closing in on me. Okay got to take an offensive move. hes out there probably around 2000ft high and posture for a sparrow shot even if i get close for winders the moment i bobbed my head out of the water he'll spear me with his own winder as im sure he has his nose pointed at me all the time. getting under 10nm would be close enough for the sparrows to track if he's somewhat level with my altitude.

 

So the game begins. Nose up pump chaffs Fox 1. keep on it for a sec while the RWR blares, then dove down. I repeated the procedure until i ran out of AIM-7. Got well within winders range without being shot down and as i selected the winders i saw smoke on the horizon. One of my wild sparrows managed to hit home and as im sure he didn't save the Phoenix for last i assumed that its safe to come up for air and go home.

 

Last Sparrow sen't out on a prayer...

 

 

When i was flying BVR with the tomcat it was a routine operation fly to the target get close enough for the AIM-54's to find their target. Work out the best position lock them up and get wingmen to fire on target wait for the missile to hit home. Pick off the remaining Flights myself. In the case one Of the primary remains send one of the wingman in pursuit while flying cover. If bounced by an escort or intercept flight you still have your own set of MBVR to contend with the pursuers to let you're Unarmed wingmen escape. This usually ends with my squad in full control except only in a highly saturated airspace and i foolishly decides to furball. Never knew how much fun the opposing AI's were having.

[+EricJ 3,944]

Yeah. took the F-15 and the F-16 against an AIM-54A ladden tomcat. it seems that until you're close enough inside 40nm for the eagle. your RWR won't know that you've been launched upon and the AI like to fire his load way before sparrow range then you'll get the warning as he's now firing the sparrows.

 

Yep, he tried to fire on my E-2 as well, and when he didn't get any luck (I think it's having the AI explode after launch problem) he selected me, but he was also locked on me as well when he fired at the Hawkeye.

[+EricJ 3,944]

Me: Mig-29K with 6 x R-74EM and 2 x AA-10Ds, gun

Opposition: J35 "Bertil" Draken with two tanks, 2 x IRIS-T (AIM-2000), guns

 

Fight started with me behind him and the Draken can dart around but the K can easily outmatch the Draken, especially if you keep your speedbrake extended. After some rolling around I managed to get on the Draken's six and out of pity shot it down with an R-74EM.

 

Takeaways: Russo must have slipped the real FM back in the latest update as I didn't black out too easy, and it handled much more like I though it would. The real test however, was geared for the FM of the K Fulcrum and a much better improvement!

[+EricJ 3,944]

Me: Me: F/A-18F with 4 x AIM-9X, 6 x AIM-120D, gun, tank

Opposition: Mirage III Shahak with two AAMs and guns

 

I started behind the Mirage III and after a little bit of rolling around (was just in the mood practicing HOBS shots) rolled into him and killed him with a HOBS 9X shot.

 

Takeaways. I know this is one of my shortest DACTs but since I was more in tune with just getting some HOBS shot training I can't say too much about the Shahak. What I will say it's less maneuverable than a Mirage 2000 (which is a beast) but in the right circumstances it could get you, I just wasn't in the mood to let it. I will note however, that the older jets you don't have to burn as much fuel as I kept it mainly on military thrust (with the exception of a forced turn) but otherwise nothing notable in this one.

[+EricJ 3,944]

Me: F-16I Sufa with 2 x GBU-10s, 2 x Python 4, 4 x AIM-120B, three tanks, gun.

Opposition: Mig-21bis with 2 x Atoll, gun

 

First off, one should take it easy with the Sufa when loaded down, and I purposefully did that. Performance with all that extra fuel makes the aircraft handle what one would call "a drunken cow". But since many of the enemies of Israel fly the Mig... well I thought it was appropiriate. The Mig did make a couple gun passes at me but they didn't connect and it took a while of evading the Fishbed but after about 5 minutes the Mig-21 turned and I downed with a HOBS Python-4 shot.

 

Takeaways. As explained the Sufa when loaded down is no dogfighter but with perseverance it can be done as you have plenty of fuel to play with... It can push but you have to really push the plane to get a kill but its worth it in the end...

Edited February 3, 2013 by EricJ

[+EricJ 3,944]

I didn't want to crowd the screenshot thread (which was getting dangerously off topic) but I know... but the Super can bring back at least 12 x AMRAAMs with full tank (just took off and trapped). Handling wasn't too rough, matter of fact normal for a jet loaded down that much.

[+EricJ 3,944]

Well I have to say MigBuster's comments got me interested, so I ran a couple tests:

 

F/A-18F EPE: 5 x AIM-120, 2 x AIM-9X, ATFLIR, 100% fuel max, managed to reach a top steady speed of 1.63 Mach

 

F/A-18E Same configuration (non-EPE), Mach max of 1.18, both at 11,000 or so feet.

 

No, not as great as the Tomcat, but the EPE modification shows better promise to get a better reaction time.

[boulder 6]

I´ve enjoyed these DACT reports through the years very much and finally decided to fly some of my own and in a way, discover and enjoy the game again from a different perspective.

 

I fly all settings set to hard except visual targeting and HUD which are both normal.

 

So, here´s the first one, from long range to a very short merge between my all-time favourites.

 

Player:F-15A, 4 AIM-7F, 4 AIM-9J

 

Enemy:F-14A(74), 4 AIM-54A, 2 AIM-7F, 2 AIM-9J

 

Of course, this one begins from very far BVR fight, thanks to F-14A´s AWG-9/Phoenix combination which is lethal for especially bombers and straight-flying missiles.

 

 

In a multi-target environment, where there would be many bandits to track and AIM-54´s assigned to them, luring the AWG-9 would be relatively easy.

 

Just disappearing from the radar´s very limited "spotlight volume" by making a mere 30-degree turn and getting low would usually break the lock.

 

The range to the Turkey is about 70 nm when he launches all four Phoenixes.

 

I´m trying to do something similar to evade them, even though I´m the only target for 4 AIM-54´s.

 

I drop tanks, release chaff and go vertical just a brief moment to confuse pulse-doppler-radar and make those missiles work for their lock before diving hard for the deck.

 

After couple of minutes I´m starting to be quite sure that I have been able to deny the easy long-range kill from the Turkey.

 

So, we´re head-on about 1000 knots closure.35 nm and I´m still unable to get a lock.

 

At 22 nm I finally manage to get a lock for my Sparrows.

 

Fox One x 2

 

 

The Turkey evades them both and shoots one at me 12 nm away and the second and his last Sparrow 4.4 nm away.

 

I can´t shoot back because I´ve got to do some pilot s**t(Sorry, couldn´t resist!) to evade them.

 

They miss and I prepare for a merge.

 

At this point I´m planning to get into the Turkey´s six as fast as I can and fire two ´Winders.

 

 

The Turkey pilot is very agressive, he takes a gun snapshot head-on and I´m on fire!

 

Somehow I manage to turn and fire two AIM-9´s at the Turkey despite the flames, they both hit and it´s a draw. So I bail out right after my opponent.

 

 

Lesson learned: It´s possible to evade the dreaded AIM-54´s, well at least the A-models. Two Sparrows aren´t always enough to ensure a kill. And don´t get hosed head-on at the beginning of a merge.

 

I was over-confident knowing that F-15A is a more agile dogfighter than F-14A. That´s why I got hosed.

 

The next thing I wanted to do was the merge, so:

 

Player: F-15A, Guns only, 75 % Fuel

 

Enemy:F-14A, Guns only, 75 % Fuel

 

I start the merge with speed trading it partially for altitude. I try not to let my airspeed bleed under 400 knots.

 

 

The Turkey tries to counter my move, but the Eagle is very agile at 17500 ft and I have almost 100 knots more speed than the Tomcat so this is the last time he sees me in front of him.

 

My Immelmann is now complete and I can unload the stick and gain some speed whereas the Turkey is still inverted and not able to take a shot at all.

 

 

I pull hard right turn in order to get behind him real quick and the Turkey starts some kind of loose defensive spiral, but God´s G works for me, too.

 

There´s no sign of significant slowing down so I´m not in danger to overshoot the enemy.

 

 

It all ends just below 5000 ft when I have a clean shot. Round 2 was over only about 2 minutes after the merge.

 

In this one I turned harder and bled more speed, but so did the Turkey and I was very quickly able to finish him.

 

 

 

 

Takeaways: Stay over 400 knots and do not get too low and slow with the Turkey. It´s quite hard not to win a F-15 guns only dogfight against F-14A, because it´s so underpowered and sluggish.

 

As long as you have over 400 knots speed or so, you can outturn the Turkey at any altitude. The Turkey Beast is a whole another ballgame.

 

My next DACT report will be 2 F-15C vs. 4 F-14B(96) starting BVR

[+EricJ 3,944]

I'm a bit more interested in the particulars for evading Phoenixes though... so a straight vertical climb with burners does the trick? For how long?

[boulder 6]

It´s basically a matter of confusing the AWG-9. I don´t know how these radars are modelled in the game but what I did was what should work in real life. I climbed briefly after dropping tanks and chaff just to lose enough airspeed to be able to manouvre efficiently and to give a totally wrong impression of what I was about to do. Like all pulse/Doppler radars, it loses the target that does not have relative movement to the radar, meaning that you have to have the same heading and airspeed as the radar has in order to become 'invisible' to it. After I dropped below 3000 ft I tried to match my speed and heading with the Turkey´s while descending finally to almost sea level. So, I don´t know for sure what works and doesn´t work considering the AWG-9 in the game, but nothing works against AIM-54 ECCM/Sealed Round. It´s as lethal as AIM-120D. The only thing that saves you from being shot down is that you transform to a lawn mover. My next DACT report will discuss how its easy to use terrain masking to negate the otherwise undefeatable AIM-54 ECCM. Of course, it doesn´t work on flat surface.

[MigBuster 2,861]

Well I have to say MigBuster's comments got me interested, so I ran a couple tests:

 

F/A-18F EPE: 5 x AIM-120, 2 x AIM-9X, ATFLIR, 100% fuel max, managed to reach a top steady speed of 1.63 Mach

 

F/A-18E Same configuration (non-EPE), Mach max of 1.18, both at 11,000 or so feet.

 

No, not as great as the Tomcat, but the EPE modification shows better promise to get a better reaction time.

 

 

 

haha Yes the F414-GE-400 engines are listed in the manual - although the M2.25 is the peak on the chart at 36,000 ft - it should be M1.0 around 11,000ft - still not too bad.

 

Is anything using the EPE engines yet I cant find any ref to them?

[+EricJ 3,944]

Nope as I'm still waiting for somebody IRL to buy them, though check your PM....

 

And normally I'd post the info here but so far its still in a testing stage so I don't want to get the stats out yet so I don't say it's good until more information comes out.

Edited February 5, 2013 by EricJ

[Caesar 305]

The problem with the F-15 v F-14 scenario in TW is that the AI doesn't handle either bird very well, as I can easily show this in a guns fight. From my perspective, even in the underpowered F-14A, it's difficult to lose against any model F-15 at any altitude or airspeed.

 

Against an F-15C in the F-14A_74? Pull twice and you've won. Most basically, get above the F-15 early on. In the instance of this DACT session 1v1 with a fully fueled F-14A, we get contact at about co-altitude 15k, I climb above the Eagle to about 23k. As the Eagle pointed his nose, I pulled down into him. This provides me an advantage with gravity and him a disadvantage working against it. The Eagle begins a descending hard turn into me after we pass each other, but coming down from on high, there isn't much he can do to get away. I roll and pull into his turn, get lead, guns, done in under 80 seconds.

 

Bit o' altitude

 

Bit o' turn

 

Guns...

 

Just to prove the point...

 

1v4 guns only F-14A_74 v F-15C:

 

This started very similarly, get a bit of altitude, but in this case, you've got 3 other guys to worry about. In this instance, the Eagles split up into 2, a "kill" group and a "bait" group, like has been discussed in this forum before. After initially going for the aft two Eagles, I notice group 1 is turning for my tails at about 23k, so I break off the attack on the bait guys and turn into the kill group - both Eagles and I are in descending turns. Because I'm so heavy, I'm bleeding speed more quickly, but this works out in my favor - by calculating the burn, I get inside one of the two "kill" Eagles, let him pass and get a quick guns kill as his wingman continues towards my six.

 

 

 

 

I go into a descending turn, and the "bait" group starts turning to attack me after I splashed their buddy. What happens next is a furball of varying altitudes and airspeeds, but one thing doesn't really change - we never get much above 10k feet throughout the climbs, turns, etc. In general, I'm just trying for easy pickings, while watching who is coming at me to shoot while I'm trying to prosecute a target. Not a one of the Eagles ever gets even a snap shot on me, but they're doing a good job at covering as well.

 

 

 

Eventually, two end up at higher altitude and noses pointing away, and I drive for the one straggler at low altitude, get on his six, and saw his left tail off, and set him alight. The remaining two Eagles try to disengage. One climbing away, but I've got enough speed to catch him and shoot him in the tail. The last one is easy pickings, run him down, mission accomplished.

 

Went defensive after hitting him, turned towards the last two and this one spiraled in

 

Runner 1

 

Runner 2

 

Like I said earlier, the larger fighters don't do so hot in AI hands. If I'm in a Super Fox Skyhawk, an F-14 or F-15 is just too damn easy, regardless of model (F-14B/D, F-15SE or otherwise advanced included). The Flanker series is relatively benign (it burns too much speed and winds up a sitting duck). The only opponent that gives me a challenge is usually the F-16 or an experimental bird. The new F-5N can be tricky and in 2v2 or 1v2 against the A-4F Super Fox can yield some interesting fights, but as a player in the F-14 (any model), I don't feel there is much that can threaten me. It works with the F-15 as well from a player perspective. Go against either bird under AI control? Cake.

 

EDIT: The MiG-17 and MiG-19 in a guns only fight can be a hand full in a 1 or 2 v many scenario as well, in my opinion!

 

In the BVR arena, it's also a bit one-sided, since the AI doesn't use the same tactics as the player aircraft. An AI F-15 is way too easy to bag in an F-14 with the AIM-54, just like the Super Bug (shown earlier) and most other non-stealth aircraft, and vice-versa. Stay low and the missile is going to have a hard time if the opposing aircraft even gets a lock.

Edited February 5, 2013 by Caesar

[macelena 1,070]

Using stock aircraft only, i could try and bag with ease Eagles and Tomcats flying the Starfighter...however, the stock zipper is a beast compared to 3rd party and 1st gen versions, handling wise, so i can´t tell

[Caesar 305]

I'm not surprised, macelena, for the reasons listed above. I think something I ought to add is that my post might seem too cynical. In terms of lessons learned or recommendations, Boulder got it spot on - against an AI F-14, when flying the F-15, keep your speed up and try to keep the fight at high altitude. The TF-30's are garbage up there and the AI isn't likely going to be able to squeeze very much out of the fight. You should have him in no time. For the F-14A, you want to draw an F-15 to lower altitudes, where the TF-30's aren't so anemic and you can better turn with the F-15. Keeping the bird in the mid 300's KIAS can keep you cornering inside of it and win the fight with relative ease. If you can get him to slow even further, so much the better! In the 1v1 listed up there, I got above the F-15, so by diving, I didn't have to worry so much about the engine thrust since I also had gravity going for me.

Edited February 5, 2013 by Caesar

[+EricJ 3,944]

It´s basically a matter of confusing the AWG-9. I don´t know how these radars are modelled in the game but what I did was what should work in real life. I climbed briefly after dropping tanks and chaff just to lose enough airspeed to be able to manouvre efficiently and to give a totally wrong impression of what I was about to do. Like all pulse/Doppler radars, it loses the target that does not have relative movement to the radar, meaning that you have to have the same heading and airspeed as the radar has in order to become 'invisible' to it. After I dropped below 3000 ft I tried to match my speed and heading with the Turkey´s while descending finally to almost sea level. So, I don´t know for sure what works and doesn´t work considering the AWG-9 in the game, but nothing works against AIM-54 ECCM/Sealed Round. It´s as lethal as AIM-120D. The only thing that saves you from being shot down is that you transform to a lawn mover. My next DACT report will discuss how its easy to use terrain masking to negate the otherwise undefeatable AIM-54 ECCM. Of course, it doesn´t work on flat surface.

 

I think you're best option is jamming the Tomcat and spike it with your longest ranged missiles. Problem is, most aerial jammers don't jam the radar, (unless you do some research...) so you're borked as you can't fly under a minimum altitude and the max altitude for the lofted trajectory is over 65,000 feet (65,616 to be exact).

Edited February 5, 2013 by EricJ

[+EricJ 3,944]

Me: F/A-18F EPE with 6 x AIM-120D, 4 x AIM-9X, tank, gun.

Opposition: F-14D (06) with 2 x AIM-54 ECCM, 3 x Sparrow, 2 x AIM-9, tanks, gun.

 

Started off long range and used a tactic developed during my Flanker 2.5 days (not by me though), called "Bait and Kill." which to me seems the only effective way of defeating the ECCM Sealed Phoenix so far. First off one or two drop tanks will be needed as the whole point is to literally sucker punch the Tomcat. And I did this without my jammer. Starting off I locked up the Tomcat while he was still detecting me and waited until I had locked up the Tom. Once I got the SHOOT cue I fired one AIM-120D and did a half loop and turned around at full burner, for a few minutes (say five or so...) and gently eased off the throttle. All the while the Tomcat was speeding up to get within launch range as he will detect you before you detect it with a range setting of 160nm. And after another few minutes the Tomcat flew into my AMRAAM, all the while without shooting a single missile at me.

 

Takeaways: Fuel is the main concern with this tactic, and I have better engines than a normal Super Hornet so that gets me out of there quicker, but next will be a "Standard" Super Bug to see if I can still win the time game. But other than that the biggest advantage is getting my shot off first and you literally drag the Tomcat into your missile while increasing the envelope (receding instead of head-on aspect).

[+EricJ 3,944]

Me: F/A-18E with 6 x AIM-120D, 4 x AIM-9X, tank, gun.

Opposition: F-14D (06) with 2 x AIM-54 ECCM, 3 x Sparrow, 2 x AIM-9, tanks, gun.

 

Started as above and executed the same drill, only this time I was cruising at full burner at Mach 1.16 instead of a 1.70 at nearly the same height. Of particular note is the Fuel display, my center tank is dry and I'm starting to work on my internal fuel.

 

Takeaways: Of note is the position relative to the carrier I took off from. By the time I kill the Tomcat (yes Caesar you'll probably sacrifice a couple Supers... ) but is the ECCM Phoenix defeatable? Yes, as long as you kill the carrying vehicle first. And I would record these but FRAPS and Strike Fighters on Windows 8 is so far a no go, unless I'm missing something....

[saisran 84]

This is a tactic i found useful against interceptors with long range AAM after i ran out of Phoenix missiles sending Bombers into the Atlantic. Fancy tactics and running away really isn't my thing.

 

Opposition: F-15SE Air to Air longrange loadout unknown. Me F-8J AIM-9B. I opted not to take the tomcat so that i don't get tempting shooting the silent eagle down from BVR.

 

It takes a good steady hand and good instrumentation to fly this trick. Fly low below 200ft going at speeds where your craft is most stable. I Found that 580kts is the best for the F-8J. In game regardless of the flatness of the sea as long as you're flying below 200kts Radar ain't gonna be able to pick you up. And in this case i manage to meet the Highly modern silent eagle and get behind him in my 1960's F-8 without him even knowing i'm there.

 

This trick is quite easy to pull off in the TMF's tomcat as it has Alt info on the HUD.

 

 

Getting closer keeping the alt below 200. No radar and no ECM. totally silent

 

10nm were practically shoulder to shoulder and i start to slowly move behind the Eagle.

 

Got too far behind when the eagle decided to open up the taps a bit and fly above mach 1

Perfect position and still undetected. Fired off all the AIM-9B and as expected none of them hit.

 

 

The fight ended up with me running out of fuel. After i fired the all my winders the eagle decided to haul ass and run. Took all my fuel trying to catch up for a gun kill. But still i prove what i intended. Even against an AIM-54CE laden Tomcat or AIM-120D laden hornet,eagle or whatever. Flying just above the ground will get you safely across. in some instances the AIM54CE can get a lock when the Platform is flying below 1000ft himself. in this case flying at 50ft breaks the lock though thats too tight of a squeeze. Still i prefer this tactic as its quicker.

[boulder 6]

The problem with the F-15 v F-14 scenario in TW is that the AI doesn't handle either bird very well, as I can easily show this in a guns fight.

 

I totally agree. If we only had multiplayer! I made a series of DACTs and don´t have time to make a decent reports, but my short conclusion is this: AI is very poor dogfighter in bigger fighters indeed, and the best

 

dogfighter in the game is F-14B/D. It accelerates as fast or faster than F-15, F-16 or F-22, and it can outturn them all. I tried a turning fight against the Turkey Beast with

 

F-15C and F-22(without thrust vectoring) and the F-14B beats both planes, high and low, fast or slow. If F-14A can´t turn and burn with F-15, neither can Eagle or Super Bug do it with the F-14B. Flanker

 

bleeds speed fast and makes strange wobbly moves. My only concern against F-16 was not to overshoot. I´m no expert concerning Tomcats but was the F-14B/D really that superior to almost anything up in the

 

air? I mean, If I try as hard as I can against the Turkey Beast with what should be far better aircraft in plain turning fight in its optimal flight envelope, even the dumb AI almost outturns me. I know that we´re

 

talking about game here, but shouldn´t the game reflect reality as much as possible, within the limits of the game engine, of course? Just my 2 cents.

[saisran 84]

Well, TMF's F-14B/D is one of the best modelled planes out there. fly and handles like it should. The thing with the turkey, people always base its stats on the A which has the TF-30 engine and/or carrying a full payload. (According to a Grummanite from another site) When the Navy commissioned Grumman for a replacement for the F-111 interceptor. They designed a fighter first, then gave it the interceptor ability then they figured out a way to mate it with the AIM-54. So first and foremost the Airframe design is a capable fighter capable of mixing it out with anything out there in close quarters. And with the GE engine it has the thrust to push that huge lifting body around. So is the F-14B/D performance realistic? I think so! In the end it all boils down to the pilot's preference. I prefer the Consistent and Direct roll and pitch of the Tom rather than the abrupt responses of the Viper and other aircrafts. The stability of the tomcat is confidence inducing as you're the one controlling the plane not it controlling you.

 

Anyway, Tried another low level flight taking the heaters inside the BVR range.

 

Me:F-8J 4x AIM-9X (let's give the sader some teeth shall we?) Opponent: EF-2000 4x Meteor 4x ASRAAM or Iris-T

 

Finding the Typhoon proved to be difficult. (next time im adjusting the waypoints.) Was forced to move inland into AAA and SAM country as ive burned almost half my fuel waiting for the Typhoon to come to me.

 

The undulating terrain proved to be more difficult to hide in as you're forced to climbed up for time to time to avoid ramming into the ground.

 

This guy managed to fire all his Meteor. Thankfully i managed to avoid all of them by almost crashing

 

Dangerously low and real slow as the EuroFighter sent another Meteor as a greeting

 

Figured he missed all his shots already. AIM-9X such an early lock asking to be released for a face shooter

 

Waited till 8nm and fired all my winders in interval.