USEC F117A Nighthawk

[wld427 1705]

Just another thought i believe they shoe horn the new JSOW series of weapons into the bomb bay..... that would be cool

[mattxr 9]

The one that just got released i put it into my addons folder and its not anywhere in the editior lol. Plus got a load of bugs.

So look forward to this version.

[Commando84 0]

How will it handle? does it handle like the A-10 or like the Harrier?

[rocket 9]

I got the Artificial Horizon and compass working in the cockpit tonight, I also fixed up the scale.

Currently the handling of the aircraft is an improved version of the A10 handling. I have evened out the lift envelope so it gains height at much the same rate regardless of speed. It's probably too easy to handle at present, but I will alter the handling on the basis of feedback from the beta.

Regarding the paintscheme, I will be releasing it in the "USEC" paintscheme primarily because I want to get in a little advertising for my gaming group from the release. After the initial wave of downloads is made, I will produce, on request, markings for different countries and other ArmA clans/gaming groups.

[scubaman3D 0]

Very nice model!

Unfortunately for us, the utility of such an aircraft is limited in ArmA.

[max power 21]

Bear in mind when you're designing its handling that this aircraft is very aerodynamically sloppy. It has high drag, low lift, very high stall speed, and poor engine thrust. Realistically, it should handle quite shit.

[mattxr 9]

Bear in mind when you're designing its handling that this aircraft is very aerodynamically sloppy.  It has high drag, low lift, very high stall speed, and poor engine thrust.  Realistically, it should handle quite shit.

Then who would want to play with it..

Its a game, it doesnt have to be relistic lol. It has to be fun!

[max power 21]

I was sort of dancing around that post trying to figure out how to word it. In the end, I decided that the designer of the thing will figure out how best to set it up using whatever sources of information he sees fit. And the fun of the thing will be up to whoever is flying it. It doesn't have guns and has only 2 guided stores so it's not like you need it to be very maneuverable. Personally, I think all of the fun would come from flying around being undetectable, and being able to destroy targets without a trace... In the end any post is just some statement that may lead to useful information or not, filtered by whomever is reading it.

[scubaman3D 0]

Matt Rochelle, there are definitely two schools of thought about your claim

It's really a very well done model but I'm thinking it more useful to simulate SAR missions for SF oriented missions than it is as an aircraft in the game because of realism issues.

[max power 21]

Looking at the thing I'd probably give it a high roll rate... not sure about the pitch rate, bad rudder authority, high stall speed, low lift, highish top speed but low acceleration if that's possible. This is just me, though, and I haven't looked into it with very deeply. It doesn't seem to be as loaded as a fully loaded a10, but I can't imagine that its polygonal wings are very efficient. Likely the slightly more friendly a10 model is fitting enough. The absence of such things that I recommend like high stall speed and low acceleration would certainly keep novice pilots from falling out the sky in scores when they try to correct a stall they've gotten into by applying full aft stick and hammering on the throttle.

[nephilim 0]

dont let yourself get fooled by the shape.

the f-117 is pretty manouverable, it is however aerodynamically unstable, thats why it uses a fly by wire system just like the F-16, which aswell is aswell whould just drop from the sky like a brick if it should have a computer malfuntion.

i remember a test pilot once said that its like a cadilac, just black and sexier.

its not the fastest plane tho, its subsonic, barely reaching 900 kmh, it would be too noisy and the IR signature would increase.

if you look at videos of it you notice that it flies pretty slick actually.

[wika_woo 182]

ok, im not gonna bother with the realism here, but on the outside i think it looks great, functions work really well.

Textures look brilliant on the outside, but the inside textures need alot of atention.

I think the canopy should be manual.

In my opinion it handles really well, but it is a bit slugish with the lift.

the FLIR option didnt seem to work for me either.

Keep up the work

[ArmaVidz 0]

ok, im not gonna bother with the realism here, but on the outside i think it looks great, functions work really well.

Textures look brilliant on the outside, but the inside textures need alot of atention.

I think the canopy should be manual.

In my opinion it handles really well, but it is a bit slugish with the lift.

the FLIR option didnt seem to work for me either.

Keep up the work  

Err? Has it been released? Pass that shit over   LOL    

Either a) Wika has the wrong thread for the F117 or b) He's testing it for a release movie(good job Wika! ) or c)It has been released and I've just been welcomed to last week LOL

[mattxr 9]

ok, im not gonna bother with the realism here, but on the outside i think it looks great, functions work really well.

Textures look brilliant on the outside, but the inside textures need alot of atention.

I think the canopy should be manual.

In my opinion it handles really well, but it is a bit slugish with the lift.

the FLIR option didnt seem to work for me either.

Keep up the work  

Err? Has it been released? Pass that shit over   LOL    

Either a) Wika has the wrong thread for the F117 or b) He's testing it for a release movie(good job Wika! ) or c)It has been released and I've just been welcomed to last week LOL

No it hasnt, he is thinking of the "other" F117 that just got released. Wrong thread wika

This is not the same F117

[Uziyahu--IDF 0]

When I played F-19 Stealth Fighter on the Commodore 64/128, flying undetected while enemy fighters passed you on the right or left was part of the suspense. At the last minute, you open your bay doors, your radar signature increases, your let your ordinance fly, then you close your bay doors and try to survive the attention you've attracted. Poor handling characteristics would increase the suspense, as you couldn't fly so evasively when discovered.

There needs to be a script, maybe using invisible targets, that causes ZU-23 and Shilka gunners to fire randomly into the air in the hopes of getting lucky and tagging one of these babies. Flying through one of those s-storms would be like C-47 pilots dropping paratroopers behind the lines at Normandy.

I understand that the angular surfaces cause the radar blip to blink to those watching on the ground, so they have an idea where the bird WAS, but not an idea where it IS.

Unfortunately, maps still haven't achieved the size needed to make jet flight-combat all that fun, in my opinion.

[frederf 0]

Frederf, my thoughts exactly. The main reason I chose this aircraft is because I wanted to model a stealth aircraft so as to increase the options of commanders to use Air support early but be caused to choose their targets wisely. The F117A was a natural choice for a first attempt, as there is fairly good information and technical drawing, game models, textures, and resources out there for the aircraft. The F-22 does not have this same exposure. If this is a success and once I've finished my C130, I might look at doing the F-22.

I'm glad to meet someone of a similar mindset when it comes to infantry support. Playing 15-30 man coop missions in ArmA about 100 times you get a feel for what makes an enjoyable game.

Piloting in coop games is such a tricky matter. Most pilots, no matter how good they say they are, will get shot down or crash as a result of getting cocky or greedy. Most missions are made with a high degree of enemy and low risk of collateral damage which makes use of aircraft a balancing act between doing what seems more successful (having the plane nuke everything) and doing what is fun for the other 97% of the players (maneuvers, ground stuff).

[wika_woo 182]

I saw one released on http://www.armedassault.info/

Is it the same one?.. I assumed it was the same one..

i dont know, you guys are confusing me now

[NoRailgunner 0]

Wrong assumption on your side wika_woo. Released F117 is from SerapH]X[Lt (very first word in the News) not from icemotoboy.

[wika_woo 182]

lol... ok now im not gonna post here for a year now, i feel like a right ass..

[wipman 1]

Hi, i don't like the USEC markings on the aircraft, but it's not my

addon. Make future versions with other klans/gaming groups could

please the members of those groups so it wouldn't be a bad thing;

but i'll like to have an USAF version of this good looking plane for

enforce the realism feeling once in game, and this is the same reason

for which ain't like too to have different variants of this plane from

other countrys than the EEUU, mainly because it wouldn't be realistic

and will make the addon, to weight much more with textures that

i wouldn't need or use (those versions). So what i'll do, will be to

do the USEC and USAF versions into the same (alpha) addon and

then do the other klans/gaming groups versions in separate stand

alone addons (.pbo's); but yet again... as i've said... this isn't

my addon and all this will be just what i'll do if it were my addon.

Let's C ya

[Kerry 0]

diiaammm lookin good!

[ravenholme 50]

I have one tiny request, for your public release, could you remove the USEC markings in favour of USAF, or do them as a variant.

Apologies for giving you extra work, but would make it more authentic for us who are not part of the USEC.

[frederf 0]

Hi, i don't like the USEC markings on the aircraft, but it's not my

addon. Make future versions with other klans/gaming groups could

please the members of those groups so it wouldn't be a bad thing;

but i'll like to have an USAF version of this good looking plane for

enforce the realism feeling once in game, and this is the same reason

for which ain't like too to have different variants of this plane from

other countrys than the EEUU, mainly because it wouldn't be realistic

and will make the addon, to weight much more with textures that

i wouldn't need or use (those versions). So what i'll do, will be to

do the USEC and USAF versions into the same (alpha) addon and

then do the other klans/gaming groups versions in separate stand

alone addons (.pbo's); but yet again... as i've said... this isn't

my addon and all this will be just what i'll do if it were my addon.

Let's C ya

I would happily edit the F-117 for USAF markings if they aren't provided by the original mod team.

[wipman 1]

Hi, i dont/wont edit another's man addon for my own use and much

less for release it, because it'll unable that edited addon to be used

in MP, which is the main use that i give to the ArmA and the main

use that i'll like to give to most or certain addons; and as im not

in any klan or gaming group... i just play in public servers, where

at least... the Johnn's USMC (woodland) replacement works; but

most of the missions used in public servers don't use addons at

all so they don't "fill" all the available game's options that we may

have if we really get to use addons that have a reasonable balance

between realism and playability. Anyway... all what i know is that

this F-117A looks good, but to me, it'll look much better with the

real USAF markings in the 1St Alpha release. Let's C ya

[rocket 9]

The primary reason this addon was made was for my members at USEC. We've produced a number of addons, to the same standard, and the release of the F117A will be a test of how the community takes the release of our aircraft.

The primary reason I am releasing it is to up the profile of USEC, so releasing it at the start in USAF textures would be somewhat counter-productive. As I stated, once I'm confident that we've achieved a good level of exposure for recruiting, I'll release the USAF variant - and even do other variants for other gaming groups if they'd like.

Obviously it would be counterproductive to my aims to allow others to edit the textures and release straight away also. Quid pro quo... Gotta get something for the hard work

As an update, I have nearly all the gauges I can possibly get working in ArmA, now working. Looking forward to releasing it within the next 12 hours.