New version of the F-35 in the works (payware)

[strykerpsg]

Looks fantastic! Guess I'll be replacing your original with an updated model...progression, gotta love it.

Matt

[Dino Cattaneo]

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Almost ready for the Beta testing... The Beta 1 stage will be F-35A only.
Work on the F-35B is started and it's at a good point, although it is taking more time than what I expected due to some weird bug (e.g.animations are screwed up and I do not undestand why...).
F-35C will be the last of the bunch.
Current plan is to include all three variants in the package - but I also need to keep my workload at a manageable level, so probably there will not be many repaints (maybe just one scheme per variant) and there is also a limited chance that the F-35C will be a free upgrade released later on.

[cortomalteseit]

Good job, Dino!
The external model looks very promising, and the internal VC it seems to be more "clear" than your previous version.
Considering the high quality of the details, before the final release, i suggest you to supply also a light texture set for users that have pc's of minor performance.
Thanks, and keep on going!

[Stickshaker]

That looks very nice, Dino! I will certainly buy your new plane (I bought the first version also).
I was wondering: is it possible to have the HUD/HMD symbology move with your head, like in the real plane? And will the STOVL system in the –B operate like in the real plane? So: speed controlled by a switch instead of throttle and stick, and vertical speed (not pitch) controlled by fore-aft stick movements, and left-right (not roll) controlled by left-right movements of the stick?

[XLR8]

Great work Dino . Will the F-35B be a true hovering aircraft or more like a helicopter .

[Sundog]

Great work Dino . Will the F-35B be a true hovering aircraft or more like a helicopter .

Hopefully he'll just enlist the aid of Rob B. for the powered lift part of the flight envelope.

BTW Dino, it looks great and as long as there's a blank texture released for the rest of us to add markings to, like your original release, I wouldn't worry about having only one texture. Heck, if you do want more textures to release, just look around here at the people who painted the previous version and enlist their help for more textures if you want them in the release pack. People at SOH are always willing to lend a hand, that's what makes this place special.

[rcbarend]

Hopefully he'll just enlist the aid of Rob B. for the powered lift part of the flight envelope.

He did; and I will

And will the STOVL system in the –B operate like in the real plane? So: speed controlled by a switch instead of throttle and stick, and vertical speed (not pitch) controlled by fore-aft stick movements, and left-right (not roll) controlled by left-right movements of the stick?

"And will the STOVL system in the –B operate like in the real plane? "
The problem is to know what the real plane exactly does, and how the real pilot commands it exactly.
Unless you're a real (test)pilot, we are probably using the same (incomplete !) sources of info on that.
Like the 10-min Youtube movie, where this guy in the F35B-simulator explains how the F35B goes into hover-mode by clicking a switch on the stick.

So if you state:
" .. speed controlled by a switch ...", how do you think/know that will work IRL ??
I mean this: suppose a F35B wants to land on a moving aircraft carrier at a designated spot, what/how does the pilot need to do to approach the intended landing spot and keep hovering over it ... ??

Not trying to shift the problem from "designer" to "user" here; just trying to clarify that asking " ... will the STOVL system in the –B operate like in the real plane?" is kind of impossible to answer; since no one here knows what "real" is in all detail.

Regards, Rob

[Sundog]

Great news Rob, thanks for sharing.

[fox18delta]

Lots of STOVL info listening to this guy.. switches to F-35B at 1:10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkWuB9wA_18

[Stickshaker]

He did; and I will



"And will the STOVL system in the –B operate like in the real plane? "
The problem is to know what the real plane exactly does, and how the real pilot commands it exactly.
Unless you're a real (test)pilot, we are probably using the same (incomplete !) sources of info on that.
Like the 10-min Youtube movie, where this guy in the F35B-simulator explains how the F35B goes into hover-mode by clicking a switch on the stick.

So if you state:
" .. speed controlled by a switch ...", how do you think/know that will work IRL ??
I mean this: suppose a F35B wants to land on a moving aircraft carrier at a designated spot, what/how does the pilot need to do to approach the intended landing spot and keep hovering over it ... ??

Not trying to shift the problem from "designer" to "user" here; just trying to clarify that asking " ... will the STOVL system in the –B operate like in the real plane?" is kind of impossible to answer; since no one here knows what "real" is in all detail.

Regards, Rob

Hello Rob,

My input is based on two flights in the F-35 cockpit demonstrator where the VTOL controls were explained to me by Lockheed Martin personnel, after which I made a few landings. I don’t pretend to know more about the system that I told in my post, and I certainly do not know whether the flight behaviour of the sim was totally representative of the real plane. But I think the basics that I mentioned (the way you give control inputs) is correct.
I wrote two short articles about this for a Dutch aviation magazine. If you want I can send them to you.

[Stickshaker]

And yes, I did land on a moving ship. The controls are completely decoupled (it feels like an arcade game). So if you adjust your forward speed to first overtake the ship and then fly beside it, let’s say on the left side, you then move the stick to the right. The plane will move to the right, but forward speed will not change and you will stay at the same altitude. If you are above the place where you want to land, push the stick left to stop the movement to the right. Make small adjustments to speed to move fore or aft relative to the ship if required, and then push the stick forward to lose altitude. Again, the controls are decoupled, so your forward speed will not change. I understand this is because a datalink between the plane and the ship with differential GPS keeps track of the exact position of the plane relative to the ship. By the way: as I said, speed is controlled with a switch on the throttle. A short push down is one knot up, a longer push down is ten knots up. Short push up….. well you can guess.
Of course all this only works in STOVL mode (a switch on the upper left of the instrument board if I remember correctly, used in other versions of the plane to control the tailhook.

[rcbarend]

And yes, I did land on a moving ship. The controls are completely decoupled (it feels like an arcade game). So if you adjust your forward speed to first overtake the ship and then fly beside it, let’s say on the left side, you then move the stick to the right. The plane will move to the right, but forward speed will not change and you will stay at the same altitude. If you are above the place where you want to land, push the stick left to stop the movement to the right. Make small adjustments to speed to move fore or aft relative to the ship if required, and then push the stick forward to lose altitude. Again, the controls are decoupled, so your forward speed will not change. I understand this is because a datalink between the plane and the ship with differential GPS keeps track of the exact position of the plane relative to the ship. By the way: as I said, speed is controlled with a switch on the throttle. A short push down is one knot up, a longer push down is ten knots up. Short push up….. well you can guess.
Of course all this only works in STOVL mode (a switch on the upper left of the instrument board if I remember correctly, used in other versions of the plane to control the tailhook.

Hi "Stickshaker",

Now, that's some great info. Just what I needed

I can implement it almost exactly as you describe, including the switch to control the fore/aft speed.
And yes, I would be very interrested in the articles you wrote. Can you EMail them ?

I can do even better...
Since Dino is still working on his -B visual model, I'm using the old IRIS (made for FS9, now freeware) F35B as testmodel to implement my VTOL stuff.
If you want, I can send you a test package to experiment with. I just need a day or two to implement the speed switch, and change the elevator control for V/s up/down during VTOL.

Can you contact me via normal Email to continue this conversation ? Because you probably have more relevant info then you know
I'll PM you my Email address (it's also in the READMEs in all my VTOL addons).

Best, Rob

PS: Do I assume correctly that you are Dutch, like me ?? (

[Stickshaker]

Hello Rob,

I’ll be glad to help. E-mail with the articles should arrive any moment.

[rcbarend]

Hello Rob,I’ll be glad to help. E-mail with the articles should arrive any moment.

Hi Hans,Thanks; got them, and helps a lot. See my Email reply.Groeten, Rob

[Dino Cattaneo]

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A quick update - above are the different visual models for the F-35A with JDAMs, JDAMs+fuel tanks and CBUs. F-35A is now ready for Beta, so I'll move to the F-35B.