Hi folks!
Work continues on the "quick guide" for the MiG-29 Fulcrum. Currently wrapping up the taxi & takeoff section, which will be followed by the visual approach & landing tutorial.
I felt like I wanted to mix things up a bit this month, so I thought I would answer some of the commonly asked questions some community members have sent me over the last few weeks.
Hi folks!
A lot of stuff is going on behind the scenes. With the recent release of the MiG-29A Fulcrum, I simply could not resist to try it out. I'm sorry, I just can't help it! I am currently scribbling notes and doing a "quick" guide for basic tasks (start-up, takeoff and landing) just to get people up in the air, similar to what I did for the F-4 Phantom when it first released. I don't have a tremendous amount of free time to work on side projects nowadays, but I can make an exceptio...
2025-10-28 23:15:26 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
This month, work continues on the Chinook. The research phase is still going well but I am not quite where I want to be. There are still many things I want to learn about, mainly because I think it's such an interesting and unique kind of machine. Overall, I'm having fun with it and taking my time rather than rush through it.
I think a slower-paced kind of project will help me recover from the days of the Phantom and Strike Eagle. I have heard the community's plea to upd...
2025-09-12 11:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
I have decided that the next project will be the CH-47F Chinook. While the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior is in a more complete state and would probably be an "easier" module to tackle, it felt too similar to the AH-64 project and I wanted to do something different. A helicopter with a unique tandem rotor configuration? Now we're talking! As I am digging through the Early Access documentation that comes with the module, I am realizing that there are tons of useful info m...
2025-08-08 11:00:08 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
With the recent release of the F-4 Phantom II guide, I have reached an important milestone: the library has now more than 15,000 pages. I've been writing about flight sims since 2014, which sometimes feels like a lifetime ago. I don't think I ever expected things to snowball in such a big way. There is always a part of me that feels guilty about taking longer and longer to release anything, especially with the Phantom and Strike Eagle projects. However, staying independent and...
2025-07-11 10:00:15 +0000 UTC View PostGreetings, everyone!
The long wait is over, the F-4E Phantom II guide is finally here. The page count is above 930 pages.
This project took about a whole year to complete. It was a daunting task, but in my humble opinion the gang at Heatblur Simulations deserved nothing less for their incredible work of ar...
Hi folks!
As per tradition, here comes the most annoying part to demonstrate in DCS: air-to-air refueling.
Feel free to consult the attached pdf to see the draft.
2025-06-20 11:00:02 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
Let's wrap up the navigation section with a tutorial for low-visibility landing and JESTER AI navigation features.
Feel free to consult the attached pdf to see the draft.
2025-06-13 11:00:10 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
The F-4E's inertial navigation system came at an interesting time in aviation history. While only a single waypoint could be memorized (technically two waypoints if you count TGT 1 mode), Phantom crews had to be creative to work within the limits of this system that was still in its infancy.
Positional error/drift accumulated relatively quickly, and pilots were expected to be able to navigate without the help of the INS at all by using a good old stopwatch and Mark I ey...
2025-06-06 11:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
The F-4 Phantom's guide's completion is within reach. The Navigation section is coming along nicely, and the list of items to complete is becoming smaller by each day. The revision pass will take a bit of time... if there are any volunteers to help me proofread certain sections for a quicker release, please let me know!
The planned release date for the Phantom guide is July 4.
2025-06-03 11:00:05 +0000 UTC
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Hi folks!
This week, we will start talking about navigation basics with the Phantom. We'll start with general concepts and the usual navigation aids. It is a versatile aircraft with a surprising amount of functionality for its time, and interestingly some of the systems embedded in the aircraft were already deemed obsolete by the 1980's. To me, talking about the old, arcane stuff is the best part about flight simulators. So, put your thinking cap on and let's dig into this!
2025-05-23 11:00:07 +0000 UTC
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Hi folks!
This week, we finally learn to map various controls and how to use the rudimentary autopilot of the F-4E.
Feel free to consult the attached pdf to see the draft.
2025-05-16 11:00:11 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
How do you communicate in the Phantom? Let's find out!
Feel free to consult the attached pdf to see the draft.
Hi folks!
This month, work continues on the F-4 guide's radio communication, autopilot and controls sections.
As a side note, I have also begun to fly a bit in the virtual skies of Germany. This is a very, very impressive map with an incredible amount of airports modelled in. There a few issues with it (as expected), but Ugra has a proven track record with the amazing Syria map. I remain optimistic that these issues will be addressed within a reasonable timeframe. Phase 3's expect...
2025-05-02 10:00:09 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
This week, we will talk about the engines and fuel systems. The F-4 has some seriously impressive performance for the time. Despite its unconventional appearance, this "flying brick" held many world records; a world altitude record at 98556 feet with a zoom climb in 1959, followed in 1961 by a world speed record at 1604 mph. You will also see that the fuel systems have a bunch of intricacies that are simulated to great detail by the lovely bunch at Heatblur Simulations.
...
2025-04-25 11:00:25 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
This week, we will talk about flight controls, aircraft limits and emergency procedures (also known as "bold face" items).
Feel free to consult the attached pdf to see the draft.
Hi folks!
This week, we will talk about the Phantom's defensive systems. Chaff, flares, RWR (Radar Warning Receiver), ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) Jammer Pod... the usual suspects are all in there.
Feel free to consult the attached pdf to see the draft.
Hi folks!
This month, I keep throttling up towards the completion of the F-4's guide. I am planning on completing the following sections:
Powerplant & Fuel Systems
Flight, Aircraft Limits & Emergency Procedures
Defensive Systems: RWR (Radar Warning Receiver) & Countermeasures
I really enjoy writing these kinds of sections since ...
Hi folks!
I thought some of you might like a consolidated version of the sensors and weapons sections, especially after I've done a first revision pass. Enjoy!
Hi folks!
Time to clear the skies with the Phantom's air-to-air weapons. History remembers the F-4's prowess in air combat from the Vietnam War. I am sure some of you might have heard of Operation Bolo, a daring mission against the VPAF where Colonel Robin Olds' Phantoms of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) ambushed Vietnamese MiG-21s. How? By flying a route typically used by US bombers during Operation Rolling Thunder, drawing MiGs expecting to find heavily loaded fighter-bombers lik...
2025-03-21 11:00:15 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
This week, we talk about SEAD, also known as Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses. Forget about those fancy AGM-88 HARMs used by the F/A-18... the Phantom works with something... err... older and overall worse in every aspect. Ever heard of the AGM-45 Shrike?
Settle down, it's story time.
2025-03-14 11:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Hi folks!
This is one of my favorite parts to write about so far: the "weird weapons" sub-section. How were air-to-ground missiles when they were first introduced? Well, most of you might already know about the AGM-65 Maverick... but what about the AGM-12 Bullpup? A remote-controlled missile that will absolutely mess with your brain as you try to steer the missile using pre-Nintendo-era janky controls that may or may not work like you'd expect. The Viggenites among you may remember the ...
2025-03-07 11:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
This month, work on the weapons section continues. We will talk about more advanced types of ordnance like missiles and TV-guided bombs. Once that's done, we will continue with everything air-to-air related.
So far, it will be a very busy month but things are progressing at breakneck speed. I think you guys will enjoy what's cooking in the oven. I find it very interesting how most of the weapons used by the F-4 are often precursors to many of the modern weapons used by t...
2025-03-05 12:00:10 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
The air-to-ground saga continues. This time, we will use laser-guided bombs, anti-runway bombs, rockets, the internal M61A1 cannon and SUU-23 external gun pods.
Feel free to consult the attached pdf to see the draft.
2025-02-28 12:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
This is it, folks, that's the part where things go boom! (proceeds to burst into an unhinged, maniacal laughter) We'll start with the simple stuff: dumb bombs and cluster munitions. We have a bunch of delivery modes at our disposal, but for simplicity's sake I decided to focus on the ones that are actually useful... otherwise I'll still be writing this section in 2035.
Dive Tos...
2025-02-21 12:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
The F-4E has an impressive list of toys to play with. However, I thought it would be important to explain a few things before using them. Bomb delivery methods are... a complex subject to say the least. Many of the more complicated ones are used with nuclear weapons (and the lack of precision that goes with it), so we will quickly gloss over them while focusing on the more accurate methods that are of actual use to us within DCS World.
We will also try to untangle fancy ...
2025-02-14 12:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
This month, I finally give the people what they want... Phantom weapon tutorials. This jet is mainly remembered for its air-to-air role in the Vietnam War, but some of you may not know how much capability the aircraft really has when it comes to pound some ground.
While a lot of the F-4's arsenal may appear unsophisticated at first (dumb bombs), the Phantom's systems and sensor...
2025-02-07 12:00:12 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
Before we start launching missiles left and right, let's make sure we can figure out who the friendlies and the baddies are, shall we? Plot twist: it's not as simple as it sounds.
Feel free to consult the attached pdf to see the draft.
2025-02-05 12:00:09 +0000 UTC View PostHappy new year, everyone!
2024 is a year that is difficult to describe. It's been a year of incredible highs and absolute lows. Among other things, I managed to finish the biggest guide project ever after more than 10 months of hard work: RAZBAM's F-15E Strike Eagle. As most of you probably already know with the public Razbamgate (tm) dispute, this was a risky proposition. I still consider it as a significant achievem...
2025-01-18 12:00:11 +0000 UTC View PostHi folks!
When it comes to clunky old sensors, the AN/AVQ-23 "Pave Spike" targeting pod really takes the cake (at least in DCS). Those of you who are used to modern pods like the LITENING or the LANTIRN will realize how easy you had it. Jokes apart, the Pave Spike had interesting capabilities for the time and was mainly used in situations where the general location of the target is already known. There is an interesting aspect to it when it comes to slant range computation or even cuei...
2025-01-15 11:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post