Republic F-103A Thunderwarrior

[FastCargo]

View File

Republic F-103A Thunderwarrior

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Republic F-103A Thunderwarrior by FastCargo

 

********************** Version 1.0 (Initial Release) ***********************

 

SF2 Version for Jan 2011 Patch and later.

 

Aircraft Model - FastCargo

Aircraft Textures/Templates - EricJ

Decals - Wrench

F-106 Cockpit - Kesselbut from Pasko F-106 package

Some textures and FM work - FastCargo

Weapons - Bunyap, adapted for SF2 by 331KillerBee

 

Any errors are mine...

 

 

Information on XF-103:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_XF-103

 

The Republic XF-103 Thunderwarrior was an American project to develop a high speed interceptor aircraft to destroy Soviet bombers. Despite a prolonged development, it never progressed past the mock-up stage.

 

In 1949, the USAF issued a request for an advanced supersonic interceptor to equip the Air Defense Command. Known formally as Weapon System WS-201A, but better known informally as the "1954 Interceptor", it called for a supersonic aircraft with all-weather capability, intercept radar and air-to-air missile armament. Republic was one of six companies to submit proposals. On 2 July 1951, three of the designs were selected for further development, Convair's scaled-up XF-92 that evolved into the F-102 Delta Dagger, a Lockheed design that led to the F-104 Starfighter, and Republic's AP-57. AP-57 was an advanced concept to be built almost entirely of titanium and capable of Mach 3 at altitudes of at least 60,000 ft (24,400 m).

 

A full-scale mock-up of the AP-57 was built and inspected in March 1953. A contract for three prototypes followed in June 1954. Work on the prototypes was delayed by continued problems with the titanium construction, and more notably by continued problems with the proposed Wright J67 engine. The contract was later reduced to a single prototype. In the end, the J67 never entered production and the aircraft it had been chosen for were forced to turn to other engine designs, or were cancelled outright. Republic suggested replacing the J67 with the Wright J65, a much less powerful engine. The project was eventually cancelled on 21 August 1957 with no flying prototypes ever being completed.

 

The design was given a brief reprieve as part of the Long-Range Interceptor - Experimental (LRI-X) project that led to the XF-108 Rapier. Part of this project was the development of the advanced Hughes AN/ASG-18 pulse-doppler radar and the GAR-9 missile. Republic proposed adapting the F-103 as a testbed for these systems, although it wouldn't be able to come close to meeting the range requirements of LRI-X. Some work was carried out adapting the mockup to house the 40 inch antenna, which required the nose section to be scaled up considerably. Nothing ever came of the proposal, and testing of the ASG-18/GAR-9 was carried out on a modified B-58 Hustler instead.

 

 

Information on F-103A (this release):

 

This aircraft is based on heavily on the mockup at the time of cancellation, with 6 of the smaller AIM-4 Falcons and 36 FFAR rockets.

 

Performance is based on reasonable speculations and closely matches what was in the offical USAF proposed Standard Aircraft Characteristics document.

 

Some specific things to note include -

 

This is a point interceptor...designed to give you enough gas for maybe two passes at bomber type targets. It is recommended to be between 250 and 500 knots indicated for your attacks, as your FFARs and AIM-4s will tend to aim exactly at what the nose is pointing at within those speeds (this includes the AI).

 

To activate the front 'viewport', cycle through your radar modes...be advised while you are using the 'viewport', the radar will not work.

 

To extend the periscope on the external model, use the 'Arresting Hook' key.

 

The front missile bays are automatic, the rear missile bays/FFAR pods are manual...you must open them with the 'Bomb Bay' key before you can fire either the rear missiles or FFARs.

 

This model uses the newest ThirdWire exporter, and as such, the LOD files (except for the lowest 2) are not compatible with any version of the sim older than Jan 2011 (Exp 2 with the Jan 2011 patch). You have been warned...

 

This will be a difficult aircraft to fly and be successful on a regular basis in 'Hard' mode. If you want an air-to-air challenge, this aircraft will give you one.

 

Good luck and report any 'serious' issues (ie game crashing or grevious errors) to me at CombatAce.

 

FC

 

12 Feb 11

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• Submitter
  FastCargo
• Submitted
  02/13/2011
• Category
  What If Hangar

 

[Spinners]

One flight, one word - awesome!

 

BTW had no idea the wing was variable incidence.

[+Spectre_USA]

The 431st has a new jet to test out, excellent!

 

[FANATIC MODDER]

So everybody that has made the crime to not have EXP2, is excluded.

Edited February 13, 2011 by FANATIC MODDER

[+Spillone104]

Finally! A new SAM! Ehm aircraft.... Isn't it an MIM? (Manned Interceptor Missile)

Thank you guys!

[+Coupi]

Hi,

 

Very good... "scramble" jet!!!

 

Thank you...

 

Coupi.

[FANATIC MODDER]

 

That said, the plane is fantastic and the work done is simply awesome. I was impressed by the FM model, this flies like no other. Try some zoom climbs up to 100.000 ft, possibly it can go even to 130.000 ft. Now in combat, is a different story. I lose my orientation, and co-operation with more conventional jets (e.g. F-100, Lightning) is difficult.

[EricJ]

It's mainly a GCI plane and not a dogfighter. If it comes down to it use the padlock and hope for the best...

[FastCargo]

So everybody that has made the crime to not have EXP2, is excluded.

 

FM,

 

I'm going to make this very simple. The TW modding world has moved on. There are big features in the newest exporter (specular maps) that won't be supported in Gen 1 sims, period. And there are smaller things in the newest exporter that make the LOD files smaller, run faster, and help save disk space.

 

The only reason I used an earlier exporter at all is that the combination of lower polys, exporting without decals and lack of support of the newer features make the LOD files even smaller. In addition, TK made it easy by giving the newest exporter a different name so you can have more than one exporter in the same version of 3ds MAX...it literally is 2 clicks to export in the newer or older format.

 

But, even those LODs will need end user hacks to be able to be used in the Gen 1 sims. I won't do those hacks because I have no interest or time to spend doing so...there is enough work just keeping track of all the files that go into a typical aircraft release.

 

And if I find exporting 2 different types of LODs starts causing problems in the sim (something I have noticed to some extent with the B-70), I will drop the earlier exporter completely.

 

You can do 2 things:

 

1) Accept that this is the way that it is, and stop bitching about it, or

2) Continue to make snide comments and complain...with the result of taking an enforced vacation from the website.

 

Your choice.

 

FC

[MAKO69]

OM"F"G this is a crazy bird!Love this Shat. FC this is DA BOMB good work It should be the F-103 Dirty Bird it's so cleanWIKI XF-103

 

By the way I'm a choice member now.

Edited February 13, 2011 by MAKO69

[Spinners]

By the way I'm a choice member now.

 

Well, you're not my choice duckie

[MAKO69]

"That said, the plane is fantastic and the work done is simply awesome. I was impressed by the FM model, this flies like no other. Try some zoom climbs up to 100.000 ft, possibly it can go even to 130.000 ft. Now in combat, is a different story. I lose my orientation, and co-operation with more conventional jets (e.g. F-100, Lightning) is difficult."

 

 

I don't think plane was meant to mix it up and fly around for fun. It was a "SCRAMBLE, SCRAMBLE, SCRAMBLE"! get the Frack in the sky and to alt as fast as possible to intercept the Russians. Dont turn, run in and out at ludicrous speed.

 

P.S. Good shot Spinners.

Edited February 14, 2011 by MAKO69

[EricJ]

"That said, the plane is fantastic and the work done is simply awesome. I was impressed by the FM model, this flies like no other. Try some zoom climbs up to 100.000 ft, possibly it can go even to 130.000 ft. Now in combat, is a different story. I lose my orientation, and co-operation with more conventional jets (e.g. F-100, Lightning) is difficult."

 

 

I don't think plane was meant to mix it up and fly around for fun. It was a "SCRAMBLE, SCRAMBLE, SCRAMBLE"! get the Frack in the sky and to alt as fast as possible to intercept the Russians. Dont turn, run in and out at ludicrous speed.

 

P.S. Good shot Spinners.

 

Which is pretty much the intent given just flying it. If it was supposed to be anything else they would have given it more manueverability.

[+Spectre_USA]

I don't find it to maneuver too terribly badly.

 

Compared to the Lightning, it's a turn and burner.

 

Very nice job on this one folks, I appreciate the efforts greatly...

[Siddley]

I love those spectacular Cold War 'what ifs' and 'never quite happeneds' - the F-103 certainly qualifies. What a great job.

 

I sometimes wonder if the model designers of Thunderbirds were stealing ideas from secret aircraft projects or if it was the other way round

[FastCargo]

I love those spectacular Cold War 'what ifs' and 'never quite happeneds'

 

In my opinion, this is one of the TW series' greatest strengths...being able to realistically explore designs that never made it to production to see how effective they would have been.

 

In the F-103s case...the answer probably would have been...'not much'.

 

If you have enough knowledge and ability, you can pretty much 'sandbox' anything from WWI to the early 80s in decent enough fidelity to get an idea how things could have been.

 

Another example is the B-70. You figure out pretty quickly that although it could have been a good nuclear bomber, it would have made a terrible conventional bomber on it's original usage doctrine (high and fast).

 

FC

[+streakeagle]

Only in the SF series would you ever see a fully flyable combat-capable version of this aircraft. Thank you FC for your continued contributions.

[FrankTB]

Theres a neat little video trailer of this at aerocinema.com in the coming soon section.