BMS F18 A and C upgrade - community involvement
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What IMO makes BMS special is the Viper and hopefully soon new methods of creating textures…but IMHO the F/A-18 is a kickass design. I read this book about it in the late 80s/early 90s and was very impressed by its almost flawless reliability and powerful radar as well as reported maneuvrability, avionics suite and high AOA capability.
It may have less powerful engines, but it it is not the only fighter in the US inventory history with comparably weak engines and excellent performance.
The Sabres e.g. are heavily underpowered for today’s terms (not the Canadair, Avon and “H” versions), but nevertheless stand as some of the very best and popular (aomong those who flew it) fighter jet designs.The F-5, which is the very base for the YF/-17A, later F/A-18 design, also has weak engines (ok, it is lighter) and I personally know a pilot who prefers it over a Viper with regard to flying comfort.
OK, carry on!
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The Viper is a kickass design too… Pioneered a lot of technology. FBW…
The Hornet will be awesome to have, for sure, but Falcon is still about the viper. -
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Variety is nice too, and some naval ops would be outstanding IMHO.
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:p:cool::p
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Wow that puts the sidewinders maneuverability into perspective. Thanks for that!
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F/a-18 is sow sure but I thought its thrust:weight was pretty good?
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F/a-18 is sow sure but I thought its thrust:weight was pretty good?
It is powered by two General Electric F404 turbofan engines, which give the aircraft a high thrust-to-weight ratio
1.15 F/A-18E/F
1.09 F-18CI believe these number to be very close (mind you dependent on load and fuel state.)
But on a full tank a GAS No not true.
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Are you sure for these 2 numbers???
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Are you sure for these 2 numbers???
Engines. The aircraft is powered by two General Electric engines: F404-GE-400 in Lot 13 and
below and either F404-GE-400 or F404-GE-402 in Lot 14 and up. The military thrust of each
F404-GE-400 engine is approximately 10,700 pounds with maximum afterburner thrust in the 16,000
pound class. The military thrust of each F404-GE-402 engine is approximately 10,900 pounds with
maximum afterburner thrust in the 18,000 pound class. The aircraft thrust-to-weight ratio is in the 1
to 1 class.Aircraft Gross Weight. Basic aircraft gross weight varies from 24,000 to 25,000 pounds.
1.28 Ratio off the least power and the heavier gross weight but this is not accurate
“dependent on load and fuel state.”
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1.28 Ratio off the least power and the heavier gross weight but this is not accurate
“dependent on load and fuel state.”
The NATOPS FA-18ABCD manual does give those figures but I cant find an empty weight - so assuming ~50% fuel and 2 engines only - minus those weights at the lowest figure the empty weight is around 14,800lbs - which is a lot lower than I’ve seen in other sources for the FA-18AC (e.g. 23,050lbs http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_fighters/f18_7.html)
Although it could be correct - and be interesting to see the installed thrust figures at SL - but then again its not the most useful of metrics IMO.
In my opinion, the Viper’s biggest strength is its brute force: it has lots of horsepower. The biggest kick in the pants-next to a catapult shot off an aircraft carrier-is the kick from stroking full afterburner in a General Electric-powered, bigmouth Viper on a cold winter morning. With a greater than 1.2:1 thrust-to-weight ratio at takeoff gross weight, it takes all of 1,200 feet to get airborne at 160 knots, and the jet can be supersonic just two miles later, if it’s left in burner. The acceleration is unbelievable! If there weren’t a 7G restriction on a fueled centerline tank, I would easily have 9G available to pull straight into the vertical and accelerate on the way up. Of course, I’ve done the “quick climb” to 15,000 feet, and after level-off, I still have 350 knots. The Viper can out-accelerate most anything in the air, including the Hornet.
To accurately compare the Hornet’s performance to the Viper’s, I took off from the same runway. The Hornet needed 200 feet more than the Viper to get airborne at about the same speed, and at the end of the runway it had only 330 knots versus the Viper’s 500-plus. The best climb angle that I could get out of the Hornet before airspeed started to decay was 45 degrees, and I leveled off with 200 knots; the Viper’s climb took one minute less. The Hornet’s lack of thrust seems to be where all the critics linger, and that’s valid-to a point. When a pilot flies into battle, lots of thrust is nice to have and is definitely fun to have, but it isn’t necessarily a must-have-depending on the aircraft’s other attributes. Like the Viper, the Hornet has different engine versions in inventory, but even with two “big motors,” the GE-404-402 has 18,000 pounds of maximum thrust each, and in a drag race, the Hornet would be no match for the Viper. -
Ye gods! As a turkey driver i should hate this plane…but no way! Having this in BMS, a plane so opposite in design philosophy and in some ways in performance… PvP would never be the same again! Keep up the good work
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Bonedust, quick cover your ears…… ……
I am one among many who want this beast in BMS so dont listen to them……Please…***** PERFORMANCE *****
***** POWER *****
MORE INFO - http://www.fas.org/programs/ssp/man/uswpns/air/fighter/f18.html
Just 3 more video’s of the F-18 showing off ……
Psst… what no power please!
There’s always a mixed crowd…
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Remember, its not the Fight nor the Plane in the Dogfight its the Fight in the Dog (YOU) that counts!..…:p
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SkyKnight coming in my F-18C to a theater near you……
Cheers,
SkyKnight
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where is the base template?
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where is the base template?
I’ve been away for the last 3 months.
I’ll speak with WaveyDave when I get back to see if its ready to be released to those who want to skin.
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You know I’m waiting to start with spanish skin (and others if you need help) mate
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You know I’m waiting to start with spanish skin (and others if you need help) mate
Me too
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I could try my hand at some Marine skins as well.
Thanks Bonedust.
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Spanish skins will be available?
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3d model is not yet available
When we access the model, we can develop the skins
Fresco+