Payware VIRTAVIA - F-111 AARDVARK FSX released

I rushed out and bought this, and I’m left with rather mixed feelings. The cockpit is beautiful, the flight dynamics are good, it’s a very nice airplane to fly (though of course, I’ve never flown a real F-111), but the exterior model looks a little cartoon like.
Maybe we have come to expect to much after models like theMILVIZ F-15?
So to sum up my opinion, it’s a very nice model with a very poor exterior by today's standards, maybe I should have waited for the other one, we will have to wait and see!
<o:p></o:p>
Regards,
Ian.
 
jeansy said:
is there external bump mappig including rivets?
Click to expand...

Maybe I'm wrong, but you don't get noticeable rivets worthy of bump mapping on fast jets. They're all flush with the panels for aerodynamics.

It looks great from where I'm sitting. A good high fps exterior model and a high detail VC is a good fun jet for FS that simmers without high end pcs can still enjoy.

[FONT=Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif]
IanHenry said:
I rushed out and bought this, and I’m left with rather mixed feelings. The cockpit is beautiful, the flight dynamics are good, it’s a very nice airplane to fly (though of course, I’ve never flown a real F-111), but the exterior model looks a little cartoon like.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif]Maybe we have come to expect to much after models like theMILVIZ F-15?[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif]So to sum up my opinion, it’s a very nice model with a very poor exterior by today's standards, maybe I should have waited for the other one, we will have to wait and see![/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif]<o:p></o:p>[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif]Regards,[/FONT]
Ian. [FONT=Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif]
Click to expand...
[/FONT]

[FONT=Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif]Lets also not forget that the Virtavia F-111 has 5 unique VCs. The exterior I'm sure will get the repainters brushes as most releases do. The exterior model itself looks flawless, but lacks minor detail. It just depends whether you spend your time flying from the outside or from within the VC.[/FONT]


Can someone post some hi res screenshots of their EF-111A please.
 
Could some of the adverse comments regarding the model stem from the fact it is so clean? If so, I am sure it will be "dirtied" up be repainters in due time.

Perhaps this is why some feel it is not very detailed?
 
Well it looks very close to the old FS9 Alphasim F-111 that i still use in FSX, with a refurbished VC or, a 10 years old external model with 2012 virtual cockpit. And that's was I would have liked for my Alphasim. I'm sure our good repainters will do their work at the best.
 
I have always said...that the rivets are being overdone in FSX especially on fast jets, that and the panel lines which on some jets are raised....last time I check panel lines on the real fast movers....aren't raised. As to the textures....I am positive we will see some nice weathered textures come out......that is if Virtavia offers a nice layered paintkit unlike what Alphasim used to offer.
 
Good as the VC is according to the posts in this thread, I am left with one question before I decide to buy it. Can someone who bought the plane tell me/us whether the HUD is collimated? For me, the old Alphasim where the horizon line can be just anywhere and the flight path marker shows where the nose is pointing instead of where the plane is going kills immersion for me.
 
thunder100 said:
Hi

What about Terain follow Autopilot?
Click to expand...

Hi Roland, no terrain following autopilot but the terrain following radar display is very nice indeed.

Personally, I'd like to commend the Virtavia team for releasing a great aircraft to the FSX community! This is a 'niche' product, so I don't think we can compare it to the quality of recent releases that are aimed at a different market... Having said that, the VC is simply superb and easily makes up for any flaws in the exterior. Chatting with a buddy last night about the Aardvark exterior reminded us of something a fellow simmer and mentor said many years ago - I quote - 'What on earth are you doing looking at the exterior? You fly the plane from the inside!!' I don't mean to silence those with opinions about the exterior model, I just think we need to appreciate the whole package that's been delivered for a fair price...

I'm still looking forward to seeing the 'other' F-111 when finished. I don't buy that many 'heavy' aircraft or scenery packages, so I can treat myself to the fast jets when they come along!

Like Bone, I think there's enough screenies and info. on the Virtavia / SimMarket websites for us to evaluate the F-111. By the way she performs and the sheer nostalgia of sitting in the drivers seat, I think she'll be in my FSX hangar for a long while.

View attachment 61404
 
IanHenry said:
I rushed out and bought this, and I’m left with rather mixed feelings. The cockpit is beautiful, the flight dynamics are good, it’s a very nice airplane to fly (though of course, I’ve never flown a real F-111), but the exterior model looks a little cartoon like.
Maybe we have come to expect to much after models like theMILVIZ F-15?
So to sum up my opinion, it’s a very nice model with a very poor exterior by today's standards, maybe I should have waited for the other one, we will have to wait and see!
<o:p></o:p>
Regards,
Ian.
Click to expand...

Maybe I was a little harsh saying that the exterior was "very poor by today's standards", it's just that given the quality of the rest of the model, the exterior is a little disappointing.

Regards,
Ian.
 
Dave Torkington said:
Hi Roland, no terrain following autopilot but the terrain following radar display is very nice indeed.

Personally, I'd like to commend the Virtavia team for releasing a great aircraft to the FSX community! This is a 'niche' product, so I don't think we can compare it to the quality of recent releases that are aimed at a different market... Having said that, the VC is simply superb and easily makes up for any flaws in the exterior. Chatting with a buddy last night about the Aardvark exterior reminded us of something a fellow simmer and mentor said many years ago - I quote - 'What on earth are you doing looking at the exterior? You fly the plane from the inside!!' I don't mean to silence those with opinions about the exterior model, I just think we need to appreciate the whole package that's been delivered for a fair price...

I'm still looking forward to seeing the 'other' F-111 when finished. I don't buy that many 'heavy' aircraft or scenery packages, so I can treat myself to the fast jets when they come along!

Like Bone, I think there's enough screenies and info. on the Virtavia / SimMarket websites for us to evaluate the F-111. By the way she performs and the sheer nostalgia of sitting in the drivers seat, I think she'll be in my FSX hangar for a long while.

View attachment 61404
Click to expand...

Thanks

I have the elder FS9-->updated to FSX version.I think its basically same exterior with a FSX model output and a new(er) VC.I will wait on the other offerings and then decide.

At Simviation (PIG number something ) there is a terrain-follow-Autopilot mod(uses radaraltitude)

Roland
 
skyhawka4m said:
I have always said...that the rivets are being overdone in FSX especially on fast jets, that and the panel lines which on some jets are raised....last time I check panel lines on the real fast movers....aren't raised. As to the textures....I am positive we will see some nice weathered textures come out......that is if Virtavia offers a nice layered paintkit unlike what Alphasim used to offer.
Click to expand...

I agree with the overuse of bump mapping in regards to panel lines and rivets; I can do without it on most aircraft. This new FSX release doesn't use bump mapping. I just looked at the paint kit. It's layered PSD that only covers the external skin of the aircraft; no external stores, no VC textures. The external store textures seem easy to modify (if you feel a need to) even if they're not included in the paint kit.

Tommy
 
Just a question regarding the weapon loadouts. Are they fixed loads and are they not releaseable? I think in the way fsx has gone with the military style weapons and tackpack due to be released I think provisions such as releaseable weapons or tackpack integration is a must.
 
Jeepers , that was quick .... already a patch to the pig ver.s1.1 :running:

Edit : Ian to Ian ... silly me did'nt not read the above .... now were is my gun
 
By posting shots of this model with an FS9 paint, I feel like I did a diservice to the Virtavia team. Sorry, my bad. I hope these shots do some justice, because this model is really a nice one, even though it doesn't have the external detail of other models. The upside to that is awesome fps. You can have a whole squadron of these things fly with you and still have a nice fluid flight.

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That looks pretty darn nice to me!


SOH 2012: "This plane has less detail than the actual aircraft sitting at the local air museum. I will not buy it until I cannot tell them apart!"

SOH 2013: "Why are there no new planes coming out for FSX anymore?"
 
DennyA said:
That looks pretty darn nice to me!


SOH 2012: "This plane has less detail than the actual aircraft sitting at the local air museum. I will not buy it until I cannot tell them apart!"

SOH 2013: "Why are there no new planes coming out for FSX anymore?"
Click to expand...


:applause:
 
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