Leaderboard

off to the Keys this weekend very important training going on and answer a question the locals have been dying to know

Hey all, been a long time since I’ve posted here. Haven’t had a PC in a number of years so haven’t been involved for a while. I still about once a month or so check the SF2 sections and see what’s being talked about and what amazing new mods are still being made. Anyway, just seeing if anyone else is in the “just lurking” category. I don’t think I’ll ever leave this community until it completely doesn’t exist anymore. Ya’ll are pretty amazing.

And yet people still get taken in by them - so it is always good to highlight these when possible.

In reality there is a lot of confusion but will try to clear it up. F-16A Block 1 was built from the start to carry Sparrow and had the cooling, space, power and provisions....however due to politics USAF decided not to put it on and dropped it in 1975. So the APG-66(V) did not have the bits to support AIM-7 like the CW module because they were intentionally left off. Long story short AIM-7 was not properly certified on F-16A until 1989 (F-16ADF) that used the APG-66(V)1 (according to Lockheed Martin/GD) It was not certified on F-16C until 1989 either and not ready until 1992. (according to Lockheed Martin/GD) After 1992 Lockheed advertised it as an option on any F-16A or F-16C regardless of the Radar if you wanted it but very few users ever had it. For example the EPAF MLU F-16s with APG-66(V2) probably didn't have the capability to fire AIM-7 they just went with AMRAAM instead. However the Taiwan Block 20s with APG-66(V)3 could fire AIM-7s (they were not allowed AMRAAM at first) Basically the USAF were given costs and a 3 year lead time in 1976 to put Sparrow on the F-16A so it was viable......................so for fantasy world you can just stick it on.

T-Birds, huh???

I'll have to work on my google-fu, because I didn't save the link for that specific page and now can't find it - doh! I remember I came upon it via a link, to a link, to a link. It was actually a webpage about the Westinghouse Electric AN/APG 66 Radar used for the F-16A/B. I did find links to these 2 AN/APG-66 info webpages: link 1, link 2. I don't know how credible the avitop webpage is, because it seems to be a site that of all things provides sales pages for GA aircraft. They do have a fun interaractive F-16A webpage though, with a F-16 wireframe image that you can click on to get info pages on main components. The 2nd is for Doutech Services which is a company that services and repairs the AN/APG-66 radar among others. Both pages mention it as a radar primarily deployed on the F-16A/B (also Cessna Citation, Orion P-3 and Piper Cheyene II) and mention it's capable of firing Sidewinders, Sparrows and AMRAAMS. There were 3 version of the AN/APG-66 radar for the Falcon; original, v2 and V2(a), so it's hard to know if they're saying the original could handle the sparrows or one of the 2 upgrades. From what I've read, the Mid Life Upgrades of the mid 1990's for the Netherlands and Belgium built Falcons, refitted them with the AN/APG-66 V2(a) and not the newer AN/APG-68 radar. The avitop page specifically mentions that an OCU (Operational Capability Upgrade) was required to have the radar support AMRAAMs. That's more or less what the other webpage I found was stating; that the original radar could support the sidewinder and sparrow. And that when the AIM-7M became avaialable in 1982, it could have been deployed on the F-16A. I never found anything that mentioned any Airfore actually mounting Sparrows on it, just that it could be done. I find it interesting, that for 3rdWire's F-16A Netz only the mid pylon can be fitted with a SAHR missile like the AIM-7M; did TK or whoever created that aircraft know something about this capability? Or is that a coincidence of that pylon also being able to support other weapon types? Anyhow, there are folks here who have fathoms more knowledge about such things than a novice such as I. So maybe then can jump in and set the record straight.

Yes.. ehehe.. I DID really miss it.. So much sorry.. Oks.. so far so cool with above all.. Big thanks for you and the team's efforts.

WIP finishing touches to the LOD

Some more trapping in the Lighting II. I mean it's modeled pretty nice with my tweaks, so it's not that bad, just another USN plane to think of flying more, who knows.

It's only too bad we don't have the original 3D model of the cockpit, as this could use some work. Still, not a bad plane to fly. Needs some tweaking and updating but I had an okay time with it. simonmiller416 did a good external skin though.

Lobos against the goddamevilcommbuilding or "oh no, you did not shoot that green shit at me"