F-35 Lightning II updated to version 2.12 - screenshots over NAS Fallon

NOTE: IT TOOK LONGER THAN I EXPECTED TO UPLOAD THE FILES...BUT THEY SHOULD BE UP AT GOOGLE DOCS NOW, AND SHOULD BE AVAILABLE AT AVSIM AND FLIGHTSIM SOON.

In order to create the RIO PTID screen, I had to learn a thing or two I did not know on FSX mapping functions - thanks to a wonderful manual from Bob McElrath: "CustomDraw fs9gps:Map - An empirical xml guide"...  It is a really good an informative document for the FSX standard mapping and radar functions - I highly suggest you Goggle for it and read it if you want to develop this kind of features.
Of course I could not resist and implemented some changes to the MAP mode of all the F-35 models. So here is an update to the F-35, which is now upgraded to version 2.12.

Here is the list of changes:

Version 2.12

March 17th 2013

Minor fix to F-35C VFA-101 “Grim Reapers” livery

Redone code and graphics of radar/map and terrain mode of MFD for better readability. 

Terrain graphics closer to the real deal (NOTE:extremely heavy on fps – use at your own risk!)

Airborne and ground vehicles should be visible with details in map mode

Minor fix to external views pan rate

Minor adjustment to HMD superimposed graphics

So it is a minor update, but you may still want to download it from the link on the side column of this blog, in either the "full install" (about 220Mb) or "upgrade only" (about 70Mb). Upgrade also includes version 2.11, so it works with either version 2.10 or version 2.11.

I will also upload the upgrade to avsim and flightsim (although lately I had many difficulties sending file to flightsim...).

By the way, let me remind you that in the "docs" subfolder of the F-35A (in your SimObjects/Airplanes folder) there is a short user manual tha goes through all the features of the package - including the STOVL operations and limitations.

Below are some screens of the F-35B neraby NAS Fallon, Nevada. Photoreal scenery by Blue Sky Scenery (http://www.blueskyscenery.com/), airport by Jim Dhaenens (BTW my understanding is that Jim wanted his files to be removed from all repositories)

T-45C Goshawk officially updated to version 2.40

Following the largely positive feedback on the new flight model, the T-45 is now officially upgraded to version 2.40 and has is being uploaded to both avsim and flightsim. No further modifications to the file posted previously on this blog have been applied. Download link to version 2.35 has been removed.

VERSION 2.40

- Completely redone flight dynamics. All input values to match NATOPS as close as possible with some corrections when needed.
- Changed all MOIs using Roskam methods and changed many Mach tables, resulting dynamics are less responsive at low speeds, but  also much less prone to uncontrollable departures.
- Roll rate dependency on Mach no should be more accurate, also rudder authority vs. Mach and roll moment due to rudder deflection should be more accurate (rudder effectiveness decreases significantly above Mach 0.80 and A/C will roll in the opposite direction above Mach 0.85)
- Added speedbrake blowback feature (as in the real thing, extending the speedbrake above 340kts may result in partial extension only).
- Fixed AoA needle bug, failing to report actual AoA
- Fixed Reference HTML documents
- Fixed main landing gear "wobble"
- Fixed several typos in the VNATOPs manual

F-14D Tomcat for Flight Simulator X:Acceleration version 2.00 Initial Release (limited introduction)

 VF-101 Grim Reapers "retro" demo bird BuNo.164601. The virtual cockpit has been modeled on pictures of this very same bird, as preserved at Castle Air Museum - courtesy of its "plane captain" at the museum, mr.Ken Simmons.

Virtual cockpit features highly accurate HUD from Jivko Rusev. Some of the graphics on the lower corners can be difficult to read due to the projection method used...

VF-2 Bounty Hunters, high visibility repaint courtesy of Jiri Soukup, who also kindly provided other amazing liveries. Also, the package has accurate custom sounds courtesy of Serge Luzin.

Ok...it is ready, more or less.Here is the release build of the F-14D. It is not 100% bug free, and some functions are not working as they should or could... but at this point I believe it is good enough for release and, although I do not like too much patches and fixes, they are a good method of improving the product quality - so expect some coming for the F-14, too.
This is a "limited" introduction - that is the file will initially be available only on Google Docs. This is done ONLY to verify that the file works (i.e. there are no catastrophic issues) before releasing to repositories like Avsim or Flightsim. The file is 128Mb so, Google Docs is likely to have bandwith issues. Rest assued that the file will be released to the usual servers asap.

I'd like to thank all the contributors, the testers and the supporters that allowed this freeware project to reach its current level of quality and features. Credits as follows:3D model,textures,virtual cockpit and flight model by: Dino Cattaneo;

Head Up display by Jivko Rusev, based on code by Scott Printz;

Custom XML controls by Rob Barendregt;

Sound package by Serge Luzin;

VF-31 and VF-2 repaints by Jiri Soukup;

VF-213 repaint reworked on an original by Hanimichal;

After installation, you may want to read the manual (in the SimObjects/Airplanes/Grumman_F14D/docs folder of your main FSX installation folder) or at least read the Readme file, as some special functions (like the auto/manual wingsweep) may require some explanation.

You can download the file from Google Drive by clicking HERE

Please note that Beta and development files have been deleted from the server.

T-45C Version 2.40 limited introduction, F-14D draft manual, and facebook

The latest modifications I have made to the T-45C dynamics have been a bit controversial - and I have to admit that some of them were a bit rushed and not properly tested. In the past few weeks, while I was fine-tuning the F-14, I've made a number of changes to T-45 which will hopefully make it a better trainer.

So here is a link to the TEST version 2.40 - I will not upload it to Avsim or Flightsim until more testing has been performed - which you are welcome to do if you have some time.  IMHO even if dynamics are less responsive now, they are more suitable to the training purposes of the T-45C.

VERSION 2.40

- Completely redone flight dynamics. All input values to match NATOPS as close as possible with some corrections when needed.
- Changed all MOIs using Roskam methods and changed many Mach tables, resulting dynamics are less responsive at low speeds, but  also much less prone to uncontrollable departures.
- Roll rate dependency on Mach no should be more accurate, also rudder authority vs. Mach and roll moment due to rudder deflection should be more accurate (rudder effectiveness decreases significantly above Mach 0.80 and A/C will roll in the opposite direction above Mach 0.85)
- Added speedbrake blowback feature (as in the real thing, extending the speedbrake above 340kts may result in partial extension only).
- Fixed AoA needle bug, failing to report actual AoA
- Fixed Reference HTML documents
- Fixed main landing gear "wobble"
- Fixed several typos in the VNATOPs manual


Download link by clicking HERE.

As for the Tomcat, it is almost cleared for takeoff. The only outstanding item is to clean some bugs minor in the cockpit and write the Caution/Advisory lights code (most of which is missing).

Here is a preview of the F-14D VNATOPs manal - download by clicking HERE

Last, the very first days of IndiaFoxtEcho on facebook were quite positive and I think it is a very quick method of keeping in touch. I'll probably use it more - using the blog for main updates/news only.

Facebook and Tomcat

Past and present of the Tomcatters  

F-14D 164601 in Grim Reaper retro livery flying with F-35C Lightning II CF-6 

I've received several friend requests on facebook from many fellow simmers - I am sorry but I use facebook to connect only with my "real-world" friends, so I do not accept friend requests from people I don't know in person.

Still, facebook is a great tool - so I have created an indiafoxtecho page at facebook. Just search for it in the search bar... at the moment there are just a couple of placeholder images... but it may become a good tool to stay connected.

As for the Tomcat - it is very close to relase. I took some extra time to write down a manual, much like the "Virtual NATOPS" I created for the T-45C Goshawk. It is almost complete... then there are few minor things to be fixed and it will be released. It is a question of (hopefully very few) days!

S-3 Viking project

After a long evaluation, I've finally started working on the S-3 Viking... I have not decided yet if it will be an S-3A or an S-3B, and I am struggling to find the best way to generate good base textures... but it is definitely a very interesting machine.
As you know, aircraft development in FSX is a quite complex and long porocess.. so it will take months before I'll have anything to share.
I think I had gathered all the pictures I could find on the web...but should you have interesting Viking pictures to share (especially for the interiors), they'd be welcome.

By the way I have not abandoned the MB.339 but the preliminary work was not satisfactory, especially if you consider that, to make sense, the project would need to be substantially better than the existing renditions - so I'll put in on hold at the moment.

Last Tomcat Demo repaint

I am still slowly debugging the Tomcat... very slowly, unfortunately. Most probably the new F-14D will be released by the end of the month. Not all the bugs will be fixed, not all the defects will be adjusted, and it will not be the perfect Tomcat rendition we are all dreaming for (Aerosoft's one, may be?)...still I am pretty happy with it.
I have made another repaint and it is 164601, VF-101 "Grim Reapers" Last Tomcat Demo, which is another of the very few "retro" schemes.
In doing so I have noticed that there UVW coordinates for texturing are misplaced rearby the edges of the crew access ladder steps... This may be a major incovenience for some repaints - sorry for that, but it is not an easy fix for this...

By the way, I have been evaluating the next projects for a while, now...decision has not been taken yet, but I am leaning towards the S-3 Viking, as I am not satisfied by the preliminary work I did for the MB.339. Will let you my decision soon.