Hello, i just got the F-4J Phantom II, i’m trying to use the AIM 7F but just can’t properly lock on any target. i went to test flight to review my controls and it’s all fine (i think). The procedure (that i think it’s the right one to use. i may be wrong at some of my expectations of how it should work, and in this case, please tell me) and sequence of questions i got is this:
1) after finding a target, i press the key to radar lock. Then, the radar appearance changes to track mode and here’s the first question: after it changes to track mode, i don’t see any green square around the target at my cockpit (even though this plane has HMD).
2) even without that green square, i move on and still can follow the target using the radar (still in tracking mode). Then, i press key to lock missile and the second question comes: no matter how close or distant i am from the target when i lock the missile, nothing happens, no warning sound (like it does when it’s AIM 9Ls, for example) or anything that would let me know that i can launch the missile at it’s best conditions.
3) even so, i keep moving on to the next step of the whole procedure, which is launching the missile. When i assume that i have a lock (totally by guess, because i receive no warning telling it’s ready or not), i launch the missle and it goes for about 8km and then it explodes. no hit, no kill, no nothing.
Details:a): this happens only in simulator battles (test flight and real matches). In realistic and arcade, i can see the green square and the red circle confirming the readyness to launch the missile, but it all works because i’m in third person view - when it comes to operate the whole thing from inside the cockpit, i’m in the dark.
Could anyone help me? Is any of my steps wrong about the this?
Im pretty sure the F-4J doesnt have a HMD if you are in the cockpit view you can see the lock only in the HUD that is infront of you.
not sure how it works in simulators because i dont play them, but in ARB you can see two red circles around the target and if both are full you have the best chance to kill.
it is really early missile and the range is not that good, if it looses a lock it just blows up
EDIT
With the HMD it has a VTAS (Visual Target Acquisition Set) used only for slaving its Aim-9G to it.
I mentioned the HMD because it appears on the features of the plane, when i rest the mouse on the pilot, while in X-Ray mode in the hangar. If that’s not HMD, what is it? That was a question that came to my mind earlier but i thought it was. Is the HMD responsible for the green square on target after a radar lock, isan’t it?
About the lock in HUD, i don’t see anything either. Except for an orange bomb display:
this is the sight it is not in the helmet.
that is the general info you get in any scenario.
your radar also not in the helmet.
general info says it everytime
i don’t mind about the radar lock indication on helmet. what makes me feel uncomfortable is the fact that i have no sound or alert or any visual warning that helps me to decide when to launch. I hear nothing, see nothing. It’s only with aim7f as far as i know, but i wish i could use it sure of what i’m doing
didn’t see it moving so far. in test flights or real matches. i know it goes all the way down in bombing procedures with A6, but not sure about f4j either
it us just a something i spotted that is moving in the video.
i would test it out but i dont have an access to the game rn.
but generally if a guy is going headon with the distance of like 5-6 km you have guaranted full lock.
if he is going from left to right or right to left he is notching your radar and it is not worth shooting at him.
and with the rear aspect it is generally better to use an IR missile.
