FS2004 Aircraft Grumman F-14A Top Gun Tomcats by Dean Mountford (Flight Sim Studios)
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Gmax release with virtual cockpit for FS2004.
VF-1 "Maverick", VF-213 "Iceman" and VF-1 "Cougar" Top Gun Aircraft.
Released by Permission

CREDITS:
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While I did a lot of the upgraded effects and Top Gun repaints on this project, I must thank the following people for helping make this project a possibility...

Dino Cattaneo..........original FS2004 F-14 Release and Textures
Jeff Dobbing...........original gmax F-14 geometry
Aaron Swindle..........sound effects
Rob Barengdregt........XML gauges / special effects
Jan Rosenberg..........special effects
FSD group & other......military gauges
Paul Schwerdtfeger.....specific F-14 gauges
Toshikazu Shimizu......XML gauge code / special effects
Nick Needham...........XML gauges / Special effects

All code is copyright of the respective authors and may not be re-distributed, disassembled or modified without the original authors permission...

Please read the original_readme.txt file from Dino for further details on the Tomcats...

Released April 28, 2004 to flightsim.com and avsim.com and this package may only be released to other websites by permission.


INSTALLATION:
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Just unzip on the main FS2004 directory, enabling Winzip to recreate the proper folders.

NOTE:  If you have Dino's F-14B's already installed, or have any of the packaged sounds or gauges installed already, and are asked to overwrite, feel free to click on "NO"
 as these files should be the same., (it should be okay to overwrite all but I take no responsibility should you do so).


INSTALLING "GHOSTRIDER" VOICEPACK
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Open Editvoicepack and import "Ghostrider.vcpmod" to add the Ghostrider Callsign in Flight Sim.  Don't forget to update your GVP.



LIGHTING OPERATIONS:
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As seen in the movie the nav lights and anti-collision lights were usually on separately.  I have added the NAV lights separate from the beacons.  To fly in daytime press "O" to turn on the main anti-collision lights for regular operations.  Otherwise to turn on all NAV lights press "L"


FURTHER NOTES ON CONTROLS:
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This aircraft has a catapult and arrestor gauge installed...

To use the catapult, click on "ARM" and then throttle up to 100%, click on "ACT" in 5 secons the catapult will launch you to 160 kts.

To use the Arresting Hook, either activate it on the panel or use the controller you have already assigned (as per Dino's notes)


SPECIAL CONTROLS:
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WING SWEEP AND FLAP CONFIGURATION
F5-F8 contol both flaps and wing sweep.
F5 = maximum sweep and no flaps (supersonic flight configuration) 
F8 = minimum sweep full flap (landing configuration).
F8 then F7 = take off configuration

TAILHOOK
This aircraft features a tailhook.By default, the tailhook HAS NO CONTROL assigned. 
To operate this you should assign a control (keyboard or joystick) in Flight Simulator.
Note that, without external modules, this hook is purely cosmetic.

SPOILERS
To operate from carriers without the help of external modules, this aircraft has "superspoilers".
DO NOT OPERATE the spolier control while flying.
See below for details.


CARRIER OPERATIONS:
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This aircraft is designed to be capable of taking off and landing on flight simulator carriers without any external module.
To properly operate from carriers you should set the weather condition to have 20-30 knots blowing in front of the carrier.
Therefore if the carrier is heading towards North (000) you should set 20-30 knots wind blowing from 000.

TAKE-OFF
Provided you've properly set the wind, you should be able to takeoff from catapult 4 (the one on the extreme left of the deck) with no problem.
Set the takeoff configuration (F8 and then F7), engage brakes, apply full throttle and then release the brakes.
Note: the real F-14B takes off without afterburners, as the accelleration would be so fast that the landing gear cannot retract before the "maxium speed with gear extracted" is reached.

LANDING
To operate without external modules, this aircraft has "superspoiler" that is the spoiler efficiency is fictionally boosted to "stop" the aircraft as soon as the spoiler command is activated.
Approach the deck at 170-180 kts (landing configuration: full flap and minimum sweep -F8- gear and hook extended) - throttle about 30%
As soon as you touch the deck, extend the spoilers for immediate arrest.
Of course this is not what happens in real life...

OPERATING WITH "ARRESTOR CABLES" OR SIMILAR MODULES
If you wish to use this aircraft with external modules for carrier operations, such as Arrestor Cables you may want to exclude the "superspoiler".
To do this, open the "Aircraft.CFG" file with a text editor and change the line "spoiler_limit=1000" to "spoiler_limit=45".
Check the module instructions if you need to do so.


NOTES AND KNOWN ISSUES:
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Nobody is perfect...and you're getting this for free...so please excuse the defects of this package!
Here are the major defects of the package in my opinion:

Outside model
- some light leakage...Shame on me, but the gmax model looks OK. I think it's a rounding problem....
- engine intakes and nozzles are not animated. I'm facing the dreaded "scale error". I should redo the parts in gmax but I do not have time for this.

Virtual cockpit
- 3D levers not animated, see above
- You cannot drag the levers with the mouse...We need to wait for Microsoft to release their new SDK.

Flight model
- While I AM an engineer and a pilot, I've never flown the Tomcat, nor I have enough data to validate a flight model.
  I think that flight behaviour is acceptable, especially between 200 and 400 knots.
  Still you'll have to fly approaches at 180 kts, which is a bit too fast, and you'll have a pretty fast bird over 500 knots...
  Ok, the Turkey is fast...but its acceleration is not this fast!
  Also, performance at hight altitude is not accurate.

Panel
- well, ACMI panel is non functional. Nor the RWR is. Sorry.  

LEGAL STUFF:
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This package is FREEWARE. You cannot make money from this (this includes upload to pay-to-enter sites, commercial CD's and, in general, any from of transmission that involves exchange of money).
NO CHANGES or modifications of any kind to this package are allowed.
This software should not harm your computer - BUT IN ANY CASE I ACCEPT NO LIABILITY for anything that may be caused by (or you think that may be caused by) the usage of this sofware.
If do not accept this or you have any doubt please DO NOT USE THIS software.

LEGAL STUFF FOR REPAINTERS:
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You are encouraged to repaint this aircraft at will, but please follow the conditions below.
- Please distribute the textures only and the relevant instructions to add these to FS9.
- I'd like if you could paint only "real" (non fictional) liveries of F-14B (BRAVO) version only.
  F-14A and F-14D have slight, but significant differences, and are different planes.
  You can find details of "B" versions and paintschemes in many websites, such as "Tomcat Alley".  

FINAL NOTES:
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I wish to thank Dino Cattaneo and everyone involved in helping get this project completed.  
It has been a labor of love and a dream to complete this project since the days of FS5/FSFW95 and finally it has come up quite nice...

It was a real learning curve with the FX files, and I've managed to pull of some cool stuff by creating FX that have been merged and am extremely thankful for all the XML code that was provided for this project.  Most of the code was modified by me in order to work, but I want to especially thank Rob Barengdregt for coding the swing wing nav lights XML and for all this assistance you have given me in Betatesting this project and wisdom you have shared...  Hope this meets your expectations...

IN FUTURE:
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I'll probably be adding some updates to this package as time goes on.

Possible upgrades include a F-14A MDL, Formation Strip Lights, Upgraded Sonic Boom FX, Upgraded Wing Vapor, and some more refinements...  I also want to add good landing light FX for the nosewheel but will leave that to a later date...  I also couldn't get the HUD working on this version and will add it at a later time if possible...

For now it's time to release this baby and let everyone be Maverick for a day!!!  :-)

Happy Landings

Dean Mountford
www.flightsimstudios.com
[email protected]