Direct Mode Bombing - Mil Depression Settings

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Hangar200
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 3:13 am
Location: Hampton VA
Direct Mode Bombing - Mil Depression Settings

Post by Hangar200 » Wed Oct 26, 2016 5:49 pm

Hi,

A quick question for the staff/coders.
Background:
Per the F-4E TacPack Guide, when it comes to direct bombing it says:

"In DIRECT mode, use manual release methods like those in the F-100 with manual reticule depression."

If you have the F-100 for TACPACK I assume that info is in the manual. If not, you can go to the F-100 TACPACK on YouTube, go to the segment about bombing and freeze it on the frames where they show the table to use.

An OK solution - however, I went internet surfing to see what else I might be able to come up with. I fond this strange page http://www.lemonamiga.com/games/docs.php?id=658 that is evidently support for the "Flight of the Intruder" flightsim…tWow! that was a long time ago.

Still it had a set of MIL DETERMINATION TABLES - example below (easier to read in Courier font).

My question, is this about correct for the Milviz F-4E?

EXAMPLE:

Direct Bomb Mil Settings - Retarded Fall
Speed: 450 KTS
Height
(feet) DIVE ANGLE
+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+
|000's| 60 | 55 | 50 | 45 | 40 | 35 | 30 | 25 | 20 | 15 | 10 |
+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+
| 1 | 98 | 110 | 120 | 128 | 134 | 137 | 140 | 141 | 143 | 147 | 155 |
| 2 | 110 | 125 | 138 | 149 | 159 | 168 | 176 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 | 121 | 138 | 153 | 168 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 4 | 130 | 149 | 167 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 5 | 139 | 160 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 6 | 147 | 169 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 7 | 154 | 178 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 8 | 161 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 9 | 168 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 10 | 173 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 11 | 179 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 12 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 13 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 14 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 15 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+

JonathanBleeker
Posts: 3446
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:38 pm
Re: Direct Mode Bombing - Mil Depression Settings

Post by JonathanBleeker » Wed Oct 26, 2016 6:05 pm

I wouldn't know for sure. I paid more attention to getting the Dive Toss, Dive Laydown, and Laydown bombing modes to work accurately.

Hangar200
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 3:13 am
Location: Hampton VA
Re: Direct Mode Bombing - Mil Depression Settings

Post by Hangar200 » Thu Oct 27, 2016 2:00 am

JonathanBleeker wrote:I wouldn't know for sure. I paid more attention to getting the Dive Toss, Dive Laydown, and Laydown bombing modes to work accurately.
…and they do work accurately! Well…as accurate as this "pilot" can fly the profiles…the tutorial on YouTube looks so easy. :D

OK, so let me ask this. With the pop up bomb settings computer, if I plug in Weapon Type, Release Alt, Release Angle, Release KTAS and Target Alt, shouldn't that be enough to determine MILS?

JonathanBleeker
Posts: 3446
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:38 pm
Re: Direct Mode Bombing - Mil Depression Settings

Post by JonathanBleeker » Thu Oct 27, 2016 6:59 am

If you set initial target distance to be equal to bomb release distance, and subtract dive angle in radians, yes.

Hangar200
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 3:13 am
Location: Hampton VA
Re: Direct Mode Bombing - Mil Depression Settings

Post by Hangar200 » Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:13 pm

That suspiciously sounds like something I believe they call "Math" <shudder>… I'll just use the tables I found. :lol:

JonathanBleeker
Posts: 3446
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:38 pm
Re: Direct Mode Bombing - Mil Depression Settings

Post by JonathanBleeker » Fri Oct 28, 2016 5:10 pm

That makes me think of that Al-gebra terrorist group joke....

Hangar200
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 3:13 am
Location: Hampton VA
Re: Direct Mode Bombing - Mil Depression Settings

Post by Hangar200 » Mon Sep 18, 2017 3:09 am

Well it's more than a little ironic when you do a forum search for something and end up finding a thread you started. :D

Anyway…regarding the Laydown method…

As near as I can tell from the manual and excellent YouTube tutorial, you need to enter the Initial Target Distance in the pop-up calculator along with the release & target altitude and speed. This is also entered with the ALT/Range knob in the jet.

I understand the math to get the middle bomb placement, entered into ADV, the the Distance calculated and entered into RANGE and the resulting MILS for Reticle depression…

…so how does "Initial Target Distance" figure into these calculations? That variable is technically the distance of the "Bomb Run"…I'm obviously missing something here (hopefully not the core concept) but I am not seeing how a bomb run
Of 6000 ft (1 Nm) is any different from a run of 24,000 ft (4 Nm) when it comes to figuring Range and MILS.

Or does this some how impact the Advance value?

JonathanBleeker
Posts: 3446
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:38 pm
Re: Direct Mode Bombing - Mil Depression Settings

Post by JonathanBleeker » Mon Sep 18, 2017 8:15 am

Well, in order to know that you are 6000ft from the target at a particular altitude, you need some sort of reference right? If it is not radar or a visual point over the ground, the best option is to set the reticle depression so that when you are 6000ft from the target at the desired altitude, the pip will be spot on the target. So yes it is important. Secondly, you have to enter it into the WRCS because it uses your ground speed to count down from that value the moment you push and hold the pickle button. That way it can know when to release the bomb.

Hangar200
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 3:13 am
Location: Hampton VA
Re: Direct Mode Bombing - Mil Depression Settings

Post by Hangar200 » Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:14 am

Okay…now I see.

I had been using the distance to the target point set into the WSC by the WSO - set up the front cockpit to NAV computer for the heading and distance. Still…so a lot of things going on at once - correct AGL, speed, alignment (usually with a runway)–at 500 kts that distance countdown is spinning - you practically have to stare at it…which can cause its own problems.

So using the PIP at the correct MIL combines alignment and range into one–assuming I'm at the correct altitude - the lightbulb has come on…thanks! 8-)


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