F-35 Lightning II project update

[Dino Cattaneo]

A very rainy evening has finally given me the time (and will) I needed to complete the remake of the MFD, which was the major oustanding item in my F-35 to-do list. The cockpit now has all the planned functions - while are fewer than the ones of the real F-35, they should be good enough for most users.

So the package is almost complete, meaning it needs some very minor debugging and the external model need to be checked against the recently released pictures of AF-1 and AF-2.
Then I need to write the checklists and the manuals and then it is ready.
The major delay will probably come from the fact that I am moving to a new home during the next couple of weeks... so I really can't tell when I will be able to release it. But I hope that the pictures above show that the project is in a very good shape and VERY close to completion.​

By the way,the Garibaldi STOVL carrier is visiting to my hometown - the fact that I'm seeing it every day driving to my workplace, is revamping my intest in making the F-35B, too. The conversion is not easy as it may seem - but I'll probably give it a try.​

Some additional details can be found on my blog indiafoxtecho.blogspot.com​

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[doublecool]

 

[JensOle]

The F-35 looks very good! Can hardly wait to put some Norwegian roundels on her

How has you solved the helmet display? I did some testing back in the days of the IRIS F-35 for FS9 and made the HUD gauge a 2d sub panel which I could bring up on top of the VC, worked very good with track ir.

 

[peter12213]

Really nice looking, very much forward to this now Dino!

 

[MDIvey]

That looks spot on to me as did your F-14...looking forward to release

Matt

 

[Lionheart]

Very nice work!

Some intricate detail you have been able to fit in there.

Love the panel with the new single piece giant screen.


Bill

 

[wilycoyote4]

......................

The major delay will probably come from the fact that I am moving to a new home during the next couple of weeks... ...........​

Moving is real work esprcially if you've collected tons of stuff. Take your time. Get that move done. Have a party.

The F-35 will get here soon enough. Must be nice to have a carrier in your neighborhood.
​

 

[raptor19]

Its looking great Dino, look forward to its release in due course.

 

[MCDesigns]

As someone that doesn't care for the F-35 styling, I am liking your project more and more, great textures.

 

[XLR8]

Great work Dino ! Thanks for the heads up and pics.:salute:

 

[tigisfat]

perhaps some thunderbird and blue angel paints? You'd seal my sale...:mixedsmi:

 

[Dino Cattaneo]

Thanks for the appreciation!
The more I work on this project, the more I am amazed with the real F-35 program. Yes, it has suffered some delays, and the plane may not be the best looking and most powerful fighter ever...but it is definitely a quantum leap in aerospace technology.

@JansOle
My rendition of the HMD will be a combination of a 3d HUD and 2D sumperimposed information.
In the real F-35, the HMD works like a "Virtual HUD" -i.e. it appears as an exceptionally wide HUD fixed in space. Only few things follow the pilot's head movements.
In my model, the HUD (by Neutrino) will be fixed in space too... but there will also be a simple, superimposed 2D "panel" which will follow, of course, the VC viewpoint.

@Lionheart
Deteail comes at a price... the compiled MDL is almost three times above the size reccommended in the FSX SDK... Should not be a problem for most machines - but this model is far from being optimal for the the less powerful rigs.
The F-35 cockpit is indeed amazing.
Unfortunately, I was unable to replicate most of the more advanced functions of the avionics suite (e.g. the sensor fusion) but most of the functionalities are there.

@wilycoyote4
I admit I underestimated the efforts required... not to mention the time spent at IKEA...

@Tigisfat
I tried to do the Thunderbirds livery (based on LM promotional renderings) but the textures were not on par with the default... I will make another try before the release, but,if I fail,I am sure that a repaint will appear soon.
As for the Blue Angels, I assume they will be flying the F-35C....which is significantly different (it has completely different - and much larger - wings and stabilizers, apart from the landing gear, hook and refuel probe). Due to several constraints, for the moment, I am doing the F-35A only... I am still evaluating the F-35B and F-35C but the differences are not as small as one may think at first glance...

 

[Dave Torkington]

Great work Dino, plastic is on standby

 

[JamesChams]

Coming along nicely, Mr. Dino Cattaneo! :salute:

By the way,the Garibaldi STOVL carrier is visiting to my hometown - the fact that I'm seeing it every day driving to my workplace, is revamping my intest in making the F-35B, too. The conversion is not easy as it may seem - but I'll probably give it a try.

Glad to see God always knows how to help keep you on track with nice motivational incentives, like the Garibaldi STOVL carrier.

Also, do you have any plans to add effects to the model? [ Like the water Vapor effects on High-G turns or the realistic strobe light (A2A 3D-Redux Lights), and, of course, Lotus' Modeled VC/Night-Lighting ].

I'm happy to see that the B & C are upcoming, now, as well; I'll wait patiently for them.

Grazie!

Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
From,
James F. Chams

 

[tigisfat]

@Tigisfat
I tried to do the Thunderbirds livery (based on LM promotional renderings) but the textures were not on par with the default... I will make another try before the release, but,if I fail,I am sure that a repaint will appear soon.

As for the Blue Angels, I assume they will be flying the F-35C....which is significantly different (it has completely different - and much larger - wings and stabilizers, apart from the landing gear, hook and refuel probe). Due to several constraints, for the moment, I am doing the F-35A only... I am still evaluating the F-35B and F-35C but the differences are not as small as one may think at first glance...

I didn't know it was that different. I sure wouldn't mind having the wool pulled over my eyes just to see a blue angels repaint, and I'll bet others would feel the same, like Shylock and Jim Dhaenans. :ernae:

 

[Dino Cattaneo]

@ James F. Chams

In the current build, most of the effects are the default ones - exceptions being the A/B and VC lights. I'd like to add the Vapor effects - will look into that in the next weekend. I will probably leave the default lights - at least from the initial release.

@ Tigisfat

Well, yes at first sight the F-35A,B and C may seem almost identical... but a closer look will reveal that the structural differences are big (see the attached image).
On the other hand, avionics are almost identical (there is an APG81 demo video that is simply jaw-dropping!)

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[skyblazer3]

Two weeks ago I had the chance to visit the Lockheed Martin Fighter Demonstration Center in Washington, DC. While there I got a wonderful briefing on the F-35 and the chance to fly their F-35 demonstrator. It was like a simulator, but tuned down as to not be classified, and to be simple enough for politicians to fly. I was there with a group of old fighter pilots (F-100 Drivers from my father's old squadron) for a reunion. One of the guys associated with the squadron works for Lockheed and got us in for a briefing and some flight time. Here are a few photos of the F-35 demonstrator with my father and I at the controls:

Needless to say, I'm ecstatic about Dino's upcoming release. I'm sure the flight model and system modeling will be outstanding. If only Dino could include a 1.5 million dollar cockpit for us to sit in!

One last photo, here I am flying formation off of a Flanker in the F-22 demonstrator:

Cheers,

Chris

 

[Bone]

Awesome pics skyblazer3, what a treat!

 

[Sundog]

That is very cool. I'll take one; of course I can't afford it, though.

I love the pic of the Blue Angels and T-Bird F-35. You didn't happen to get a pic of them from the bottom as well, did you? None the less, thanks for sharing.

BTW, did your Dad enjoy it as well? I would be curious to know what he thought? The new pilots have it way too easy?

 

[skyblazer3]

I unfortunately did not think to get a photo of the bottom of the models. I suspect that flying a six ship demo of F-35s would be a terribly expensive proposition for either the Air Force or the Navy, but Lockheed-Martin knows the power of the Blues and the Thunderbirds as a symbol.... and they are trying to capitalize on that to sell aircraft.

I can report that the pilots very much enjoyed flying the sim. Most of these guys had been out of a fighter cockpit for some time, and it took them a little while to get used to the force sensing stick. Understanding the HUD was another problem. We jokingly asked Lockheed if they had any F-35 sims with steam gauges. Besides that, most of the pilots had no problem flying either the F-35 or the F-22 sims. A few were over-controlling the aircraft in the pitch-access, but they got used to it in no time. The only people who were able to fly formation in the sim were myself and an 82 year old ex- F-86 driver who now owns a Mig 17 that he flies at airshows.

My father really enjoyed the vertical landing on a carrier. The way it worked is that he flew up to the carrier visually while slowing his speed with an auto-throttle and then transitioning into the vertical flight mode. He kept decelerating with auto-throttle and then transitioned his view from outside the aircraft to a MFD that displayed infra-red imagery of the carrier that a sensor on the outside of the F-35 was picking up. He was then able to push forward on the stick to control the vertical decent rate. More push meant that he increased his decent rate, and no input on the stick kept him at the same altitude. It was a very smooth procedure and he set the F-35 down on the deck of the carrier without having to look outside the aircraft.

The most impressive thing about the aircraft to the pilots, was it's stealth and sensor capabilities. This is obviously something that is difficult to appreciate in FSX, but it means a lot to real world combat pilots. Many of the guys in the squadron went on to fly F-105s and F-4s in Vietnam so they had a healthy respect for AAA and SAMs. They were absolutely floored by the reported capabilities of this aircraft to accomplish the mission while attracting very little attention to itself.

My favorite part of this whole thing was listening to the 88 year old squadron commander, who had flown P-47s in WWII (and later Thuds in Vietnam), talk about how he attacked targets in his P-47 compared to how the F-35 attacks a target. World's of difference.

Sundog, I agree with you that when it comes to flying the airplane, new pilots have it way too easy..... but they do have a tremendous workload when it comes to managing all of their systems. Tracking insurgents through an IR camera and talking to the guys on the ground while you maintain your orbit and formation at night is a lot of work for a single seat aircraft. There is also the reality that you can't get away with as much as you used to. If you over-G the F-35 there is no getting away with it..... the airplane sends a transmission back to base and your commander knows about your error before you get out of the aircraft. There is also the terrible restrictions in the freedom of individual aircraft commanders to carry out their mission as they see fit. If a bomb is ever dropped off the aircraft, the pilot has to be able to completely justify that action and prove that it was 100% in compliance with the ROE. It's a bit of a different story than I've heard from F-4 drivers in Vietnam. But, it's a very different world and the aircraft are much more expensive. I'm just glad I get to fly all this stuff in FSX without having to worry about getting shot at!

Cheers,

Chris