Note: This will be a WIP and more will be added when I find time.
General Implementation, Coding and modeling:
With a little look into the data mine for the Gr.3 and other Harrier 1 we see these issue pop immediately.
(This list is based off my assumptions of what the figures mean.)
“SweptWingAngle”: 35.0 - 40.0
“WingTaperRatio”(I assume this is mean aerodynamic Chord/could be aspect ratio: 3.175): 2.7 - 2.57
“Length”: 14.3 - 14.42
“StabWidth”(Assuming span of elevator/horizontal stab) : 3.29 - 4.24
“AileronAngles”: 15/15 - 12/12
“ElevatorAngles”: 17/7 - 11.25/10.25
“RudderAngles”: 20/20 - 15/15
Key: first value is in game (is now) - this value is the actual value based on the REA general aircraft data. (should be)
I hardly see how the Devs could calculate that the performance of the first gen Harriers is “Adequate” if they don’t even know what the general data of the aircraft was.
Modeling:
First thing I noticed is that the Airbrakes on all Harrier 1 are the Gr.1 airbrake. I have also shown a comparison between the old and updates airbrake. Half way into the Gr.3 operational life they had an update to the airbrake by reducing it by 6 inches and reinforcing it. I believe it was shortened to accept the AN/ALE-40 CM package aft under the fuselage.
Gun pod:
The ADEN 30mm Gun pods for the Harrier could in fact hold 150 rounds. However 130 rounds was found to be the max amount that could feed reliably. (I have a source for this and a photo will be provided)
Systems Modeling:
We already know that the Sea Harrier has only got a placeholder HUD and the RAF Harriers had slightly different HUDS to the USMC ones.
The Sea Harrier should also get audio warnings about various hazards such as rad alt. The Sea Harrier should have a tone when its on a path to fly into the ground just like many other modern combat aircraft.
Gear speed is too slow/gear speed limit too high:
Here the FA.2 retracts its Gear in approximately 5 seconds.
In game the Harrier takes around double that time to retract.
The actual gear limit was 250 knots in game it is 349 knots. This should only be fixed if they also fix its speed otherwise taking off conventionally will lead to gear destruction before they can even retract.
Engine thrust curve:
The general thrust equation (how I understand it) is that a jet engine will want to continue to accelerate and produce more thrust until the inlet velocity begins to match the exhaust velocity.
The Pegasus engine in game reduces from 21,300 lbs static to only 11,850 lbs at .7 Mach thats over a 50% loss in thrust.
The Pegasus’s rear nozzles have an exit velocity of around 1.5 Mach meaning the engine should not begin to lose thrust until 1.5 Mach. In game it starts losing thrust at less than 50 Knots.
Its easy to see there is already a 55% thrust nerf present of the Harriers for no reason.
SEP or Specific excess power:
This is a very important figure as it determines how much extra engine power you have for a given moment. In an evaluation report of the Harrier Gr.3 it was said to have a SEP of 24,000 with only 17,700 lbs thrust rating while having 85% internal fuel.
To just match that in game with the aircraft in the same configuration you need to use the 19,600 lbs rating. This could mean many things but the one I think of is induced drag (what the devs told me could not possibly be lower than what THEY think it is.) The Harrier has an aspect ratio of 3.175 and that is High compared to a MiG-21 at 2.25 or F-15 at 3.0. A higher aspect ratio means more lift at a given speed with less induced drag. (however the Devs are physicists and don’t think this is possible.)
Conversely all Harriers are overperforming in installed thrust. Yet we can see on the Chart below the harrier at .8 Mach has a twr of near 1:1 in a combat configuration.
