Today I decided to give the F15I some love. I always looked at it as a generic F15E export so I figured it was more of a skin. I did a little research and they are actually quite solid and modernized with tons of neat features. Fun fact, this version in game is equiped with the new GE F110 engines which is really the big difference in the new EX. It is being touted as the fastest fighter ever built with a top speed of mach 2.5 with Afterburners. The F15I doesn’t seem to have a higher top speed in game. Mach 1.5 at 40000ft gets you where you need to go just fine and just the aesthetic difference adds more variety. It would be cool to see the EX added to this pack in the future but definitely after they fix up super sonic flight.
I figured I would appropriate its first flight by starting at a random AFB in southern Israel with my destination as Aleppo Intl. My mission: experience a sortie that probably happens all the time at least to the border. Mainly I wanted to survey the level of detail the bing satellite maps have of the War torn nation. Something I cant believe I didnt think of before. I was not disappointed. Obviously the buildings dont have damage but they do have darkened spots from the superimposed data giving a little idea of the destruction. Once I was over the border I liked to imagine I was striking fear in the hearts of thousands of men as I roared overhead.
our f-15E and I models are based on the PW f100-229 engine. As long as you are not using live weather you will reach Mach 2.50-2.55 at 45000ft and Mach 1.2 at sea level. all other altitudes have been squared with the actual flight envelope. If you are using live weather, you will be affected by a bug in which the temperatures exceed 200 degrees Celsius in the tropopause, so you will not be able to reach the top speeds.
I tried turning it off and setting clear skies. They all still top out around 950 kts during level flight at 45,000. Im on xbox if that makes a difference. I usually stay near the deck at 500 kts anyways.
Also, all 3 of the others have the older PW-229s but Im 99% sure these are modeled after the new GE-129. Earlier I managed to find a pic of brand new one IRL with these engines that Israel ordered. I cant find it now. A few other export variants are being manufactured with them now too.
F15-EX
Don’t go by IAS (Indicated Air Speed). That measurement is dependent on air pressure, which is very low at that altitude. Instead, look for the TAS (True Air Speed) and/or GS (Ground Speed) indicators. Better yet, look at the Mach number.
950 knots at 45,000ft will be somewhere close to Mach 2.5 off the top of my head. As LameLefty says, IAS is less accurate as altitude increases and means nothing at high levels.
I took the I model out of MCAS Miramar west over the Pacific. Loaded with 100% internal fuel, no external tanks and stores, I climbed at full military power to FL450, then hit full AB. I topped out at around Mach 2.46, or 996 KIAS. TAS was 1,412 knots, and Ground Speed was 1,409 knots. Speed was very, very slowly creeping up (I mean VERRRRRY slowly!) - perhaps with 20% fuel or less I’d have hit Mach 2.5 but I wasn’t interested in waiting around to find out.
I realized that looking at the weapon control panel shortly after posting… In my experience working with F16 HUDs, Ive never seen pilots move the speed tape off of TAS. They also aren’t even capable of displaying IAS. Just CAS, TAS and GS. TAS is the most accurate for tracking 3D motion. Its the only relevant speed information used by data links. Air defense Radars, be they friendly or enemy, will be calculating your TAS. So its optimal for the HUD to show what everyone else is seeing. Its also essential for Time on Target and better for maintaining formation. My work involves making flight computers and data links secure and efficient with horrible bitrate RF. I have really only ever worked with FBW systems that automatically compensate performance in low density air. The setup Im used to seeing is essentially reverse of the F15 with CAS usually onscreen below. My new project is on algorithms to sync Radar topography information between varying NATO systems. A decent scale example of everywhere on Earth in HD is good to have so Ive only really been low flying and didnt really notice. This game is perfect for extra studying while having fun.
I couldn’t find a way to change chase camera ASI or on the F15 HUDs if they are capable of it. Somebody let me know if you can for either without mods. I read something about limitations in the current version involving HUDs and more options are being added for devs. Its not really a big deal but for QOL it would be nice.
Also looking at my own screenshot, the aspect ratio of the TV I was forced to usewas cutting off that TAS in the bottom left. I have a good more portable monitor now and I can see it
How many of you have paid attention to the wheel details of the F-15?
I typically don’t do take offs in 3rd person unless I’m going to make a video, but I could be wrong but to my recollection, I don’t recall other jets tires look like they are moving, where as the F-15 on takeoff, if you turn the camera angle to the side and zoom in, you see the tires rotate and that detail is not on other planes.
Just a few images from the WIP update to the F-15 Eagles, in this case the F-15C cockpit, which is being fully re-modelled and re-textured using all the knowledge I have built up over the past year;
There’s no update yet for anyone. Dean has just shared some WIP photos of the re-texturing work as a preview teaser for the update coming next year. As per usual, I would expect JustFlight to have the update for PC users who bought there at least a month before MS gets it onto the Marketplace.
I haven’t picked up any DC/SC designs with poor textures being one of the big issues. Keep upgrading them to the standards set by other developers (we know who they are) and I’ll surely be tempted to buy. Flight model is the other biggie for me. It needs to represent the real aircraft in all configurations and validation by IRL pilots through testing or using the public release. Keep up the good work to attract new customers and keeping exiting customers happy.
looking forward to this