Tried? Sure! Even managed to keep it on the tarmac… but I’m pretty sure the pilot would have to be unconscious so they don’t realise I have absolutely no idea where I’m going and take over 
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Despite my stupidity, it looks like I’ve been configuring the plane correctly for takeoff and landing (slats out and flaps down), but had the switch in the wrong position 
. So the airplane is smarter than I am it seems. How I missed in the -1 is a mystery, but it’s clear on pages 2-25 and 2-26. Out and Down for takeoff and landing. 
I’ll just head to the bar now.
-1 Flight Manual Chart
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Good find! Like you, I’ve been using the switch wrong but yeah - the plane is obviously designed to keep us pilots safe 
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I am not sure if this info was out in the open yet… Do we know which block is the F-4E?
yeah I know I should know but I do not. 
All my brain power is devoted to the Eurofighter details.
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I love how bolted on some bits of it feel, like the RWR.
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and the gaffa tape round the cables
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LOL, I mostly can’t wait for the TISEO…
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Anyone know what the MC stands for?
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I believe for McDonnell. Could be wrong. Other McDonnell aircraft (of that time) have a similar structure for their block designation, like F-15C-40-MC and F/A-18A-15-MC
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Jester just told me that my last landing was ‘almost’ as beautiful as Meg Ryan 
.
I’m definitely getting more consistent, acceptable to Jester landings now… the insults are happening less often.
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Yea, one minute I want to promote him (“good call there Jes’” - [the Mig I didn’t see]), then 30 minutes later I’m ready to punch him out - in a good way, with a parachute 
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I legitimately understand Phantom Phanatics, now.
I thought I understood them somewhat before, but now? I definitely do. It was really a perfect storm of what was once the most advanced fighter-interceptor in the world that had a checkered combat career that turned exemplary then filtered into National Guard units with a unique airframe community culture. An airframe that has seen the kind of development few ever get that matured it from an interceptor into a lethal multimission fighter.
I love Phantoms now!
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I was expecting to be underwhelmed because I was aware I had high expectations after re-reading Robin Old’s autobiography recently, but I continue to be surprised at how stable and controllable the Phantom feels compared to the Tomcat and Mirage F1. It’s also nice to have the IFF interrogator (looking at you, Mirage!) and Sparrow for air-to-air, but most of all I’m getting an impression of how good the Phantom must have been for ground attack compared to other aircraft of the day - and how close it was to the ideal of a “self-escorting strike fighter” that I’d argue we got with the F-15E Strike Eagle and maybe the F-18 as well (certainly the Rhino).
That said, the precision weapons are definitely best used during the day - trying to get a guided bomb off diving down into the tiny barrel of visible ground from a flare is terrifying! For night-time strike missions I think the Viggen still has it faded, if only by a little.
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Dumb question, but Jester won’t lock friendlies, will he? Reading Palace Cobra, it seems like the WSOs were locking flight lead before the wheels were in the well.
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Hmm. I’m still at the stage where I’m having trouble getting Jester to lock anybody at all, but if you mean by short-press on the “Jester Interaction” button then he doesn’t seem to - but I’d wait a couple of seconds and check for double bars on the radar repeater before firing myself!
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Yeah, I was following another 4 ship of Phantoms, showing long bars on the scope. And there was another friendly offset to the right about 20 miles further. And I tried to get Jester to track or lock any of them and got, “no can do” from the back seat. I just wondered if it was possible to lock a friendly, like a tanker at intercept, or a flight lead at night on a join-up. I tried both the contextual and Jester wheel without success.
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Hmm, that [not able to lock good guys] doesn’t sound right. Perhaps a minor oversight on HB’s part?
I haven’t actually tried it yet myself however[1]
Way…waaaay…back when I recall (strange the stuff you can recall when you were young) during briefings on a new procedure we were to support (this was early F-15’s, A-models) and they (Eagle drivers) mentioned that on departure they were doing a “RADAR trail” (among other things).
This was a common ‘thing’ at night and lousy weather. Just don’t know the particulars.
I had no reason to ask but assumed it would require a lock, at least a quickie; would get annoying to the person being locked (warning noises I guess).
[1] spent the last two days building in published low-level routes (IR/VR); today it was the Sidewinder Low level thing, with Jedi transition (complete with a ‘crowd’ standing on Father Crowley’s lookout. Yea, the terrain needs work but if you go fast, and do it near dawn/dusk, it’s kinda fun. Or at least different.
There’s a LOT that could be done with the Nevada map - if they’d just put some love there! One sortie you exit at point “J” and attack ‘stuff’ nearby - after a 250 miles flight, at low level! (get gas before point Alpha).
This image is from here, but seems to be old. It actually looks [a little bit] better now than in this shot:
So, I’m behind on the Phantom.
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That’s great. Jester yawned and said he could go to sleep during my most recent landing, it was so smooth. I have worked out how to use guns and Sidewinders reasonably well. I am struggling with Sparrows at the moment however. I’m almost there. Know anout binding the V key for Jester, not having a fuel tank in the centre line, etc but haven’t got the radar working correctly yet.
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Jester keeps telling me how horrible mine are, I shall continue to land it like the naval variant until his attitude improves (or my skills do).
I have had a very mixed bag with the Sparrow and Jester. Part of it is using the Echo rather than a later variant. Another part is Jester locking up the ground versus the bandit on multiple occasions. At range I’ve had better luck deactivating jester, hoping in the back seat and locking and shooting the bandit, then letting him constantly loose lock until we’re well within visual. Bad guys are Backfires at FL350, and I’m at around FL250-300. Should be ideal radar conditions.
The close combat modes with a Mike and locking the target up from the front seat I have a solid success rate.
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