Gaming Digital Combat Simulator Thread

[Astro SG Wise]

Yeah, sorry, I thought that's what it was, but I didn't know that Su had thrust vectoring. I have the first version of DCS, and the Su models cant move, at least that's what I thought.

Actually not.
When you are turning with stalled or nearly stalled wings, you maybe get a lot of lift force for turning at high g, but also you have a huge amount of drag more: Your energy budget shrinks rapidly.

Well, when do you really experience high G forces? Isn't it the resistance of the air on the frame, centrifugal force? Well, if one turns excessively hard, you still have a good movement rate, but the pilot is getting pretty crushed. In the F-22, there would be a higher rate of turn, then all you have to do is get back up to speed with the engines. The Raptor's enginees have boasted a super cruise without afterburners. [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercruise"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercruise[/ame] (section on F-22, scroll down).

 

[Urwumpe]

Yeah, sorry, I thought that's what it was, but I didn't know that Su had thrust vectoring. I have the first version of DCS, and the Su models cant move, at least that's what I thought.

The DCS aircraft are just Su-27 and Su-33, the later Su-35 and Su-37 are not yet included.

Well, when do you really experience high G forces? Isn't it the resistance of the air on the frame, centrifugal force? Well, if one turns excessively hard, you still have a good movement rate, but the pilot is getting pretty crushed.

most of the g forces in an aircraft are lift force, drag is usually only a minor factor. But more lift usually also results in more drag. That is for example also why aircraft have a specified rotation speed during take-off. If you rotate too soon, the higher drag hinders you gaining the necessary speed for take-off. And can sometimes force you to fly at higher AOA and higher drag for keeping some little altitude.

In the F-22, there would be a higher rate of turn, then all you have to do is get back up to speed with the engines. The Raptor's enginees have boasted a super cruise without afterburners. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercruise (section on F-22, scroll down).

Different concepts. Supercruise means first of all, that the engine produces enough thrust for passing the wave drag without the use of an afterburner. It does not mean you have always enough thrust to compensate higher drag during turns.

 

[C3PO]

Ever since pilots figured out what [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Immelmann"]Immelmann[/ame] was doing, stalling is probably the worst thing you can do in a dogfight.

 

[Urwumpe]

Yeah... listening to Boyd is the better idea even today.

Energy–maneuverability theory

 

[Quick_Nick]

Yeah... listening to Boyd is the better idea even today.

Energy–maneuverability theory

I just got to this section in my Flight Mechanics textbook shortly after seeing your post.

 

[Evil_Onyx]

And here I was thinking the whole point of the stealth fighter concept was to Detect, Identify and Fire a missile or two at the other guy before he did the same to you.

It is also worth noting that the F-22A dose not have an electro optical sensor system that most Russian fighters and the Typhoon has. It is essentially reliant on radar, and other aircraft sensors (via Link) and of course the MK1 Eye ball.

Any argument about a 1 on 1 engagement of modern military hardware is totally academic, No sane commander would allow an unsupported engagement. Tactics and Training have a much larger effect on the out come of an engagement that pure equipment quality (although it helps).

 

[Quick_Nick]

Also from my textbook:
"I take back all the bad things I have ever said about the A-10. I love them. They're saving our asses!" - Lt. Gen. Chuck Horner, 1991, during Gulf War 1

 

[Astro SG Wise]

So, unrelated (sort of) question. As far as G-Forces go, how much do fighter pilots need to train for? What about Soyuz launch?

 

[Urwumpe]

So, unrelated (sort of) question. As far as G-Forces go, how much do fighter pilots need to train for? What about Soyuz launch?

You don't train for anything there. You train mitigation strategies to fight negative effects as long as possible and how to operate an aircraft under g-forces. You train for a proper endurance, because this prevents cardiac arrests under high g.

But there is no: Trained for maximal x g.

A Soyuz launch ends at 5g, but a launch abort can exceed 20 g.

The g trousers and modern g suits are more important for preventing problems.

 

[ex-orbinaut]

I had all but forgotten that I had this one pre-bought and waiting for release. It has been out for a while now, and I finally got a chance to download and try it on a short 20 minute flight. As usual, I was enchanted with DCS renditions, in which it is not the greatness of the simulated aircraft portrayed that is emphasized, but its small, characteristic "faults" that made it what it was, and hence a believable representation. I was eager to try out two or three things I had read about ages ago about the Fifteen from allied flight reports of the "defected" one.

A. Its notorious spin, with its odd, no opposite rudder, stick against the white line recovery. B. High speed "wing heaviness". And C. lastly, tailplane compressibility caused by the installation of elevators instead of stabilators at a time when trans-sonic aerodynamics were still not completely understood, which resulted in the "locking" of the elevators in power dives and the inability to pull out untill speed was reduced (a problem first manifested on the P-38, of all things - Ref Martin Caidin's "Fork Tailed Devil").

Again I say, I was thrilled. It was all there. Plus, it is rather cute!

It is quite a good beginner's model for potential DCS simmers, I think. Uncomplicated, low tech fun you can get up and running quickly, but with some hidden "barbs" to show you it is a seriously realistic sim. Otherwise no vices. Easy to take off, fly and land, so long as it is kept within some limits!

Great stuff, IMHO!

Some radios to fathom out, still. And no good manual, yet, unless you know Russian. Pictures say a lot, though!

 

[Fabri91]

A sale is going on now on Steam with many modules discounted up to 70%!

 

[ex-orbinaut]

So, I had some time today to do a bit more with that Mig-15, and then try it out in a fight against an F-86. But first; some literature. As there is no good manual around for the Mig 15 (seems a bit of a waste to make such good modules as the F-86 and Mig-15, and then not have a comprehensive manual to go with them, as from release), I did some reading on line and found this interesting article, which contains this declassified report in pdf (note, direct pdf download). Not bad, and I was later glad I had read through it before going into the fray. This module in DCS is the first I have flown that has a good representation of an emergency landing gear extension system, by pneumatics, which is great.

But first a note on my new rig. About half an hour into my first Mig 15 flight today, I noticed rather a lot of hot air coming at me from my computer. It seemed to be emanating from the PSU area, up front, and was distinctly warm from the exhaust fan at the back (glad I put those fans in, now. No, they are not a gimmick!). I figured maybe the GTX970 was pulling a bit too much juice for my 600W PSU, though by rights a single GPU shouldn't. So, I cut short the flight, loaded up Precision-X, capped the frame rate target to 55 fps, and made a custom fan speed vs. GPU temp profile, aiming to keep the temperature at around 70º C, with 50% fan speed at 80ºC, then 100% if it exceeded that temperature. This worked great. With the fans gently doing their work, I realized they had never been turning before, so I dared to up to 60 fps capping with this configuration and all was still well, the temperature never going over 78ºC and the fans never going into "galactic overdrive". So, it was not the PSU's fault, after all. Solved, and though I am sure everyone here is streets ahead of me with regards this issue already, I do feel obliged to offer a caution to anyone who might obtain a relative beast of a GPU like this one, for the first time; DO be prepared to go into fine tuning the thing's performance and DON'T expect to just simply <ahem> "plug and play", like with a lowly GTX650!

Back to the Mig 15; In the early stages of the dogfight I deliberately made the known error of trying to fight a turning battle with the Sabre, and got a bit peppered by 0.5 rounds on one of the passes. I reverted to using the Mig's superior climb rate to stay out of trouble, it's saving grace over the Sabre and - violá - I suddenly owned the sky, being able to chose at will when and where to swoop in and take a shot before climbing back up. Sad as it was for me to bring down my much venerated F-86, it was an easy picking in the end. Maybe it was just as well that North Korean pilots were not as well briefed in ACM as their USAF counterparts in the real conflict -or rather; lacked the combat experience USAF pilots had to apply them - or the kill ratio might have been very different to what it was. I am just wondering what back channel political discussions might have gone on between the UK and the USA for the former's "naivety" in providing the Nene to Stalin and thereby allowing the USSR to produce such a highly "competitive" fighter at the time.

Still, I had taken some damage, which included the utility hydraulics, this giving the opportunity to try out the emergency gear extension procedure (I had the manual open on my tablet next to me for reference). The flight ended with a successful precautionary field landing...

Anyway, that's it from me for a little while, again. :lol:

 

[Fabri91]

And now DCS spring sale for non-Steam users!

DCS: Flaming Cliffs 3: $39.99 to $11.99 (70% off)
DCS: A-10C Warthog: $39.99 to $11.99 (70% off)
DCS: Black Shark 2: $39.99 to $11.99 (70% off)
DCS: P-51D Mustang: $29.99 to $8.99 (70% off) 
DCS: Fw 190 D-9 Dora: $49.99 to $14.99 (70% off)
DCS: Bf 109 K-4 Kurfürst: $49.99 to $14.99 (70% off)
DCS: Combined Arms: $19.99 to $5.99 (70% off)
F-15C for DCS World: $9.99 to $2.99 (70% off)
Su-27 for DCS World: $9.99 to $2.99 (70% off)
Su-27 The Ultimate Argument Campaign: $9.99 to $2.99 (70% off)
A-10A for DCS World: $9.99 to $2.99 (70% off)
Su-25 for DCS World: $9.99 to $2.99 (70% off)
DCS: MiG-15bis: $49.99 to $19.99 (40% off)
DCS: F-86F Sabre: $49.99 to $14.99 (70% off)
DCS: UH-1H Huey: $49.99 to $14.99 (70% off)
DCS: Mi-8MTV2 Magnificent Eight: 49.99 to $14.99 (70% off)
DCS: C-101 Aviojet: $59.99 to $17.99 (70% off)
DCS: MiG-21bis: $49.99 to $24.99 (50% off)
Hawk T.1A for DCS World: $39.99 to $19.99 (50% off)

Time to get that MiG-21, if someone is interested! Very interesting to fly!

 

[Hielor]

And now DCS spring sale for non-Steam users!

They need to bring that to Steam users so I can throw more money at them!

 

[Fabri91]

They did so a couple of weeks ago, I'm afraid!

 

[Quick_Nick]

Summer sale TODAY through June 8.
http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/shop/

Steam sale likely to follow soon after.

And when did they do this sweet website redesign?

 

[orb]

Steam sale likely to follow soon after.

The Steam Summer Sale 2015 is starting on June 11 according to a few articles on Internet. Do you think the DCS sale on Steam will come a week earlier, but with some lower discounts (or no discounts) on the summer sale later, or will they rather be merged?

 

[Quick_Nick]

The Steam Summer Sale 2015 is starting on June 11 according to a few articles on Internet. Do you think the DCS sale on Steam will come a week earlier, but with some lower discounts (or no discounts) on the summer sale later, or will they rather be merged?

I'm betting on DCS modules having the greatest discount at some point during the Steam Summer Sale whether or not a separate sale happens. I would say just look for the prices to match the ED store sales; if the discount on Steam isn't as good, then it hasn't reached its lowest Steam price yet.
As for when the sale begins, I've seen that date as well but I don't believe there's ever official info for that ?

 

[Fabri91]

DCS Flash Sale is going on now, with many modules discounted 75%!

 

[Urwumpe]

DCS Flash Sale is going on now, with many modules discounted 75%!

The problem is not the flash-sale... right now I have no plane in sight that really want to own. The F-14 is the next attraction to me there.