Hey guys,
So, after TG:M i am getting a bit of a fighter jet vibe. And yes i do know about DCS, i have a lot of planes for that but i don’t feel like flying that atm.
The MB-339 i have, doesn’t really interest me all that much. The F-14 we have in MFS is kinda poor, so i narrowed it down to the F-15 and F-35.
Noticed the Eagle just had an update but apart from that i know little about these two.
I understand the radar and weapon systems are not modeled, but how good are the flight models?
Mainly thinking of how close do they fly to the numbers, in stuff like climb and are the speeds they achieve at respecive altitudes realistic?
The F-35 is still classified so its performance is only going to be an approximation, at best. Although IFT make nice aircraft and the F-35 flies well and with the STOVL characteristics of the F-35B it is certainly different to fly compared to anything else in MSFS.
The F-15 is made by the same guys as the F-14 and came out before the F-14, I think most regard it as an inferior model compared to the F-14 - not sure if the recent update has fixed this? From all accounts it flies close to the actual numbers, but does it actually fly like a real F-15 - I’m not sure any of us here really know the answer to that.
The F-35 does not fly well at all, but I have not tried the latest release. The F-35 does not hold trim, and it should be fly-by-wire. Other jets have fbw behaviour in this sim, so they are behind in their development. The F-15 handles very nicely. The problem with the DCdesigns models is their sounds are unpleasant. There are high pitched tones in all their models that are unbearable to me. YMMV.
I have the F-35 and I enjoy it so far… While I agree with some of the other posters here, that the F-35 is not Fly-By-Wire (yet). The developer have been actively communicating through their social media page that they are aware of this, and are still working towards a future update to make the Fly-By-Wire working. They are quite active in releasing updates, and the aircraft is continuously improving.
Especially with the addition of some freeware mods like the F-35 Improvement mod which allows you do deploy flares and countermeasures, and better afterburner texturing, or my very own default weapons payload that allows you to start your flight will full weapons preloaded each time. The aircraft does feels good. It’s far from perfect, that’s for sure. But it’s flyable (if just being flyable is acceptable for you). It’s the latest gen, and that high tech display and HMD is just so cool. But this is my personal preference. The more digital display the more excited I get compared to analog instruments.
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Thank you. How fast do they update the F-35? The MB-339 i own from them has had RPM surge issues for many months now and still is not updated, that does sound worrysome when you mention that FBW needing an update.
Yes it is just for flying. Like setting a route for either A-B or a sort of peacetime patrol. The combat fix i can get in DCS, i do however need a plane to feel believable and sound good.
With reference to the flight model, you can take nothing seriously, against DCS . We don’t need to talk about the system depth anyway.
The only module that comes close to that for me is the Hawk T1. And it also has some weaknesses, especially with the throttle control, where the hands of the developers are tied.
Well update speed is relative really, depending on the features they’re adding or any fixes that they have. We’re alredy sitting at version 1.0.8 now, and assuming the first release is version 1.0.0 on January. That’s around once a month update.
That being said, they do have regular posts on their progress with their projects or any roadmap for their improvement. And their posts are more frequent than the actual updates. But they let you know in terms of where they are and any challenges/progress that they have made.
This I have done a few times successfully. Just make a flight plan in the world map, and the autopilot NAV will follow it. Even ILS landing works.
The F-14 and F-15 flight models are all within a whisker of the real airplanes, as attested by pilots of the real aircraft in both cases. There is a bit of a myth going around that because I don’t place much emphasis on aircraft systems, therefore flight models are also unrealistic. Flight models are in fact the priority for me, and wherever possible are tested by pilots of the real airplanes 
You can judge for yourself though, as I routinely post videos of my aircraft being put through their paces so that potential owners can see what they’re getting - here’s the F-15E Strike Eagle;
F-15E Strike Eagle demo
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I disagree with the OP that the F-14 is “kind of poor). My experience is that it is an outstanding model and loads of fun to fly.
If you are saying you prefer a currently operational jet compared to a retired model, the conversation becomes different.
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No i litteraly mean it looks poor. I love older jets, the F-14 specially which is why this one does not do it gor me (yet)
Four big ones for me are the horrible AB effect, the B/D nozzles look hella strange, the canopy has a much to prominent dent in the middle, and the current textures give it a plastic look.
Also not a fan of how they mashed the cockpit and how the textures look in the cockpit.
So for now i am looking at the 15 and 35
In a nutshell, the F35 feels like a video game - something akin to GTA5 where as the F-15 after the recent update now feels like a credible simulation.
Could you elaborate on that? What makes the F-35 feel that way and where is teh F-15 better in your experience?
Geeez! Just support the hobby and the work these guys put into it and buy them both!..lol
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Haha i would buy all the planes if i had the money 
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Ya…If my wife knew how much and how often I buy these aircraft, I’d be in a world of hurt!..lol I try to justify by telling her how much real flying costs, which I have 140 hrs of.
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Maybe the Just Flight - Hawk T1/A Advanced Trainer (MSFS)? A very complete and well finished aircraft.
The F-15 all day long. There’s a reason why it’s still flying IRL.
Also have a look-see at the Viper by SC designs 
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Thanks. Have looked at that one too but it is both a good chunk more and while a cool little jet that arguably is made to a different standard then most jets, it is fairly similar to the MB-339 that i already own.
I do like that it has an actual Garmin build in though.
It has been quite difficult to find up to date info on these birds. Though the Eagle does get some more Youtube video’s now after tht 1.0.8 update, i usually chech videos to see what tickles me but either there is very little and outdated video’s or they are 3rd person style that show me nothing i am after
Thanks, aye i had a look at that one too yesterday on some YT video’s. Have to say it seem to sound rather good.
However one petpeeve i have with that plane in MFS is that unlike the F-15 and F-35 IRL (duh) and in DCS version i own there is very noticable wingflex and flutter on the F-16, which i believe is not modeled as of yet, and that would be a major immersion killer. (Same for the F-14 btw). Since i love pulling some G’s and looking over the shoulder and see that wing bend.
The 15 and 35 have a lot less flex IRL, so the lack of flex is not really noticable.