How to: firing rockets with the K-14C Gyro sight

[LukeFF]

A new feature of the K-14C gyro sight, which can be found on the F-80 and as a mod on the F-51, is the ability to accurately aim and fire rockets with the sight set to gyro mode. This is made possible by a new command, whereby you can manually cage and uncage the sight. The basic steps are as follows:

• Set the sight to gyro mode
• Set the sight to the minimum range
• Tilt the sight according to your dive angle and the aircraft you are flying
• Begin a stable approach to the target, with your sight on the target
• Uncage the sight
• Track the target for at least 4 seconds
• Press the rocket firing button

[Avimimus]

Is the procedure similar for the "A-1" gunsight on the F-84E? I gather it had a ground attack mode... I just haven't figured out how to use it yet!

[LukeFF]

I'm not totally up to speed on the F-84, so maybe some experimentation is needed. 😄

[Huetz]

Here's the section from the flight manual of the F84G. Do we know if this is modeled (there is also a very interesting auto-bombing mode mentioned in the section before that)? 

 

Edited June 30 by Huetz

[Plurp]

27 minutes ago, Leifr said:

Unfortunately this isn't modelled yet.

In the meantime I am using speed brakes in the dive which will alow you to use the bottom ring on the gunsight.  If firing the inboard rockets, either side it is at about 6 o'clock.  Use 7 to 8 and 4 to 5 o'clock for outboard rockts. 

Edited June 30 by Plurp

[LukeFF]

1 hour ago, Plurp said:

In the meantime I am using speed brakes in the dive which will alow you to use the bottom ring on the gunsight.  If firing the inboard rockets, either side it is at about 6 o'clock.  Use 7 to 8 and 4 to 5 o'clock for outboard rockts. 

The response given above by Leifr is not entirely correct - there is a cage/unage feature with the F-84 that can be used when firing rockets, and the sight is set to "rocket-gun" by default. The auto-bombing features are not yet modeled.

EDIT: I just flew the F-84 with the rocket firing methods described in the right-hand column, and they work pretty much the same as described here. Thanks for sharing that. 👍

[LukeFF]

Also, I've updated the information above in the first post - I missed a critical point. 😬

[Leifr]

17 hours ago, LukeFF said:

The response given above by Leifr is not entirely correct - there is a cage/unage feature with the F-84 that can be used when firing rockets, and the sight is set to "rocket-gun" by default. The auto-bombing features are not yet modeled.

EDIT: I just flew the F-84 with the rocket firing methods described in the right-hand column, and they work pretty much the same as described here. Thanks for sharing that. 👍

Hi Luke! 

Fair, but I was more responding to the ordnance selector and rocket dive angle rotaries in the F84. They're big and obnoxious on the dash, and I think folk would expect to be able to interact with them in the correct manner when using ground-attack options - more so when original manuals refer to them with illustrations. I look forward to them being modelled in the near future.

Edited July 1 by Leifr

[LukeFF]

8 hours ago, Leifr said:

Hi Luke! 

Fair, but I was more responding to the ordnance selector and rocket dive angle rotaries in the F84. They're big and obnoxious on the dash, and I think folk would expect to be able to interact with them in the correct manner when using ground-attack options - more so when original manuals refer to them with illustrations. I look forward to them being modelled in the near future.

Yes, these functions are planned to be modeled later, that is fair enough. 🙂 

[Freddie]

As for the original post. The sight depression settings quoted are excessive in the simulation. For me, 17-18 mils for HVARs seem to be the sweet spot in F-80 in a shallow dive about 15-20 degrees.

[Avimimus]

On 6/30/2026 at 10:50 AM, Huetz said:

Here's the section from the flight manual of the F84G. Do we know if this is modeled (there is also a very interesting auto-bombing mode mentioned in the section before that)? 

From what I've understood the F-84G had a number of upgrades to make it into a nuclear strike aircraft and the LABS system was one of those upgrades. So, it would require adding a new variant to the sim (as the F-84 we have is the F-84E).

I'm also not sure the F-84G would add much. It arrived in 1952 and the upgrades were mainly focussed on increasing range and adding a nuclear strike capability. While it had a more powerful engine it also had a higher take-off weight and its speed was limited by aerodynamics (hence why the swept wing F-84 was eventually introduced after Korea). So it is very interesting, but we're unlikely to see it. I'd personally prefer having them put effort into an SCR-720 than having LABS.

[LukeFF]

5 hours ago, Avimimus said:

From what I've understood the F-84G had a number of upgrades to make it into a nuclear strike aircraft and the LABS system was one of those upgrades. So, it would require adding a new variant to the sim (as the F-84 we have is the F-84E).

I'm also not sure the F-84G would add much. It arrived in 1952 and the upgrades were mainly focussed on increasing range and adding a nuclear strike capability. While it had a more powerful engine it also had a higher take-off weight and its speed was limited by aerodynamics (hence why the swept wing F-84 was eventually introduced after Korea). So it is very interesting, but we're unlikely to see it. I'd personally prefer having them put effort into an SCR-720 than having LABS.

Well, that said, the rocket firing procedure and controls are essentially the same as in the E model; they've just not been modeled yet.

[Avimimus]

2 hours ago, LukeFF said:

Well, that said, the rocket firing procedure and controls are essentially the same as in the E model; they've just not been modeled yet.

Yes, that is what I thought you meant! I'll look forward to it!

[LukeFF]

👍

In the meantime, rocket firing with the F-84 is reasonably accurate when one uses the fixed reticle and the little gap at the bottom of the circle as the aiming point. 

[Uther]

6 hours ago, LukeFF said:

👍

In the meantime, rocket firing with the F-84 is reasonably accurate when one uses the fixed reticle and the little gap at the bottom of the circle as the aiming 

Thanks Luke. The F-84 is the plane I've decided to put my time in to for now, Really enjoying it. Think I've finally got my flight sim mojo back with Korea!