Sep 28, 2015  Aerosoft’s F-14 is not that maneuverable if you use the front wheel steering only. I need to help myself with differential braking but this is unrealistic – the F-14 does not use differential braking for tight turns – the inside wheel actually turns back on tight turns!

This is the full package for the F-14D Tomcat developed by Dino Cattaneo for Microsoft Flight Simulator X and Prepar3D. This is the latest version (v2.40).

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing aircraft. The F-14 was the United States Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter, fleet defense interceptor, and tactical reconnaissance platform from 1974 to 2006.

This package contains an entirely new visual model, with self-shadowing, bump mapping and photoreal hi-res textures, working virtual dynamic cockpit, 3D gauges, and completely new flight model.

Also included is a 150+ page PDF manual outlining aircraft checklists and procedures and how to use the cockpit.

Flaps, Wingsweep, DLC control

Flaps, Wingsweep and DLC are all simulated with the FSX-flaps function, with in total 10 discrete positions; this implies that they are operated sequentially. In this description, the term FLAPS.x to refer to the position of the FSX-flaps function.

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Wing sweep

• Auto or Manual control.
  Clicking the sweep hat switch on the Throttles (in VC) toggles the control mode. Default: Auto.
• Uses FLAPS.0 (swept backward) -- FLAPS.6 (swept forward) or higher.
• In Auto-mode, Wingsweep depends on airspeed:
  • FLAPS.0 when airspeed greater than Mach 0.8.
  • FLAPS.6 when airspeed less than Mach 0.4.
  • and proportionally in between.

Flaps

• Manual control only.
• Uses FLAPS.6 (Flaps fully up) -- FLAPS.8 (Flaps fully down) or higher.

DLC

• Mode of control follows the Wing sweep control mode.
• Uses FLAPS.8 (DLC Off) and FLAPS.9 (DLC On)
• In Auto-mode
  • When airborne, DLC is set:
    • On, when airborne AND AoA greater than 10.5
    • Off, when airborne and AoA less than 7.5
  • When on the ground, DLC is set:
    • On, when Flaps are full, Airbrakes extended and Throttle at Idle.
    • Off, otherwise.

This simulation of Wingsweep, Flaps, and DLC with FLAPS leads to a few restrictions, some of which are valid in a real F14 anyway:

• Flaps can only be lowered when wings are swept in full forward position.
• Wings can only be swept backward (both Auto and Manual) when Flaps are fully up.
• DLC can only be activated when Flaps are fully down.

Note: When Wingsweep control is set to Manual, you can simply step through all Wing sweep, Flaps and DLC positions (in sequence) by using FLAPS Increase and Decrease commands.

Airbrakes control

In general, Airbrakes control is Manual, using the SpoilerToggle function of FSX.

However, a few real-world auto-settings of Airbrakes are implemented:

• Airbrakes are auto-retracted when Throttles are set to MIL power or higher.
• Actual Airbrakes extension is limited by actual airspeed when you activate Airbrakes:
  • To 0 percent extension, when airspeed is above 600 Knots IAS.
  • No limitation (100 percent), when airspeed is below 400 Knots IAS.
  • And linear percentage, when airspeed is between 400 and 600 Knots IAS.
  • No auto-return; meaning that when airspeed drops again, Airbrakes extension does not increase; you have to toggle Airbrake off/on again for full extension.
• When Airbrakes are in the (partial) extended position, FuelDump is forced Off.
• On the ground, Airbrakes are auto-extended when Throttles are at Idle AND AntiSkid is set.

Wingfold control

Wingfold control is Manual, using the ToggleWingfold function of FSX.

However, a few restrictions apply:

• In the air, wings cannot be folded (a trivial restriction :) )
• On the ground:
  • Wings can only be set to fold when Flaps are fully Up.
  • When wings are in fully folded position:
• Airbrakes are retracted
• FLAPS and Airbrakes control is inactive.
  • When wings are unfolded, wings return to a position swept Forward, with Flaps set Up.

Engines shutdown/flameout

In the following conditions, the engines are shut down:

• Gforce becomes less than -4.0.
• Persistent negative Gforce longer than 20 sec, with Throttles in MIL power or higher.
• Persistent negative Gforce longer than 10 sec, with Throttles in full Afterburner power.

When this occurs and the conditions are no longer valid, you can restart the engines in the usual way.

Transonic effect

Visual effect switched On when the aircraft accelerates through Mach-1.

Acceleration package required.

Developer: Dino Cattaneo.

Repaints included

This 'mega' pack includes repaints bundled with the aircraft.

• US Navy
  This two-pack contains VF-41 BlackAces circa 1976 and VF-103 Jolly Rogers circa 2004 - both have bump maps and custom specular maps.
• VF-111
  There are two paints in this pack. The first one represents the F-14A/BuNo161621, 'Miss Molly', VF-111 'Sundowners', USS Carl Vinson CVN-70. The second one represents an F-14A/BuNo 160658, VF-111 'Sundowners', USS Carl Vinson, with low visibility markings.
• VF-1 Wolfpack
  In the scheme of VF-1 Wolfpack on their first cruise aboard the USS Enterprise.
• VF-114
• Dirty Textures Pack
• VMFA-513 Grey Ghosts
  Fictional representation of an F14D assigned to the USMC squadron VMFA-513 Grey Ghosts
• VMFA-122 Crusaders
• Pukin' Dogs
• VF-31 100NK
• US Navy F-14 Top Gun Pack
  From the Top Gun movie. Includes Maverick and Iceman Tomcats
• US Navy 163217/VF-103 Jolly Rogers
  Jolly Rogers '60 years' scheme originally from F-14B
• IRIAF F-14AM
  Included are four repaints of the Dino Cattaneo F-14D (as an F-14AM) in the IRIAF blue scheme: aircraft serials 3-6023, 3-6042, 3-6067 and 3-6079, all from TAB 8.
• US Navy Grumman VF-213 161159
  VF-213 AJ204 F14 that rests in the hangar of the National Naval Museum
• Alternative Afterburners
  Dino Cattaneo F14D Alternative Burners. For a different set of burners for Dino Cattaneo's Grumman F-14D Tomcat. Also, a replacement texture set for black F-14 throttles instead of white ones.
• VF-142 Ghostriders hi-vis scheme
• 163227/VF-11
  VF-11 Red Rippers hi-vis scheme originally from F-14B