Armament and equipment

[ColoniaLibre]

Hello there!

I had a small issue with a MiG-15 and drop tanks cannot be jettisoned after refuel/reammo at base.

Description: After a multiplayer sortie with an undamaged MiG-15, I landed safely back at the airbase to refuel and rearm. After taking off again with a fresh set of drop tanks, the jettison command failed to release them. They remained stuck to the wings for the rest of the flight, no matter how many times I pressed the button. 😉

Note: The cockpit sound effects for the jettison button were audible every time I pressed it, so the game definitely registered the input, and the aircraft had zero structural damage.

Steps to reproduce: 
1. Join a multiplayer server and select the MiG-15 with drop tanks.
2. Fly a sortie, drop the fuel tanks, and land back at the base without taking any damage.
3. Complete the Refuel & Rearm process (ensuring new drop tanks are attached).
4. Take off and try to jettison the newly attached drop tanks.
5. Notice that the button click sound is playing, but the tanks stay attached.

Expected result: The new drop tanks should detach from the wings when the jettison command is used.

Actual result: The drop tanks remain attached to the aircraft, even though the button click sound plays.

It would be great if someone could investigate this behavior. I hope I'm not mistaken, but maybe it's a small bug, or perhaps I just ran out of luck this time! 🙂
Thank you very much.

Best regards!

[WitchyWoman]

On 7/1/2026 at 6:40 AM, uumembwa said:

Pilots don't use handgun and flare outside of plane in multiplayer.

I bailed out over enemy lines yesterday and the handgun would not even deploy. What good is it anyway if you cannot even see it when you bail out in FPV. Pilots did not use them from cockpit like WW1 they were only for defense after bailing yet they are useless.

[Dash,Polder]

3 hours ago, WitchyWoman said:

I bailed out over enemy lines yesterday and the handgun would not even deploy. What good is it anyway if you cannot even see it when you bail out in FPV. Pilots did not use them from cockpit like WW1 they were only for defense after bailing yet they are useless.

Actually the procedure for a stuck tip tank that wouldn't jettison nor transfer fuel in a P-80 was open canopy and shoot holes in the tank to drain it.  Having a single full tank on the outboard station exceeded the aircraft's trim ability to maintain controlled flight and it had to be dealt with immediately.  

 

[WitchyWoman]

19 hours ago, Dash,Polder said:

Actually the procedure for a stuck tip tank that wouldn't jettison nor transfer fuel in a P-80 was open canopy and shoot holes in the tank to drain it.  Having a single full tank on the outboard station exceeded the aircraft's trim ability to maintain controlled flight and it had to be dealt with immediately.  

 

I am not sure what this had to do with topic?

[Dash,Polder]

You said they didn't use them from the cockpit like WWI, but that's not quite the case.  

[Viking1]

In career mode for my commanders aircraft, once I set it up --

 

-- skin is remembered

-- helmet is remembered

But MODS (G-14 and mirror) I have to set every time. Is this a bug or is it supposed to be lilke this?

[Bert_Foster]

The F86 and F84 Slaved Gyro compass is inaccurate in heading but the biggest issue is the Gyro compass slew or correction rate. These instruments should be virtually instantaneous in the heading update rate for typical turns. F86A flight manual states the Gyro magnetic indicator is accurate for up to +_ 85 degrees pitch or roll.

The F80 Slaved Gyro compass is imo performing correctly the F86/F84 is not.

MIG15

This shows similar problems. The Heading pointer just doesn't move quickly enough. I have use an almost identical system IRL (On CJ6). The heading should be following actual heading in real time, not this almost stuck in glue response.

The Gyro Slaved Heading indicator in the LA11 works correctly.

Edited August 21 by Bert_Foster

[Bert_Foster]

The F86 Artificial horizon has a strange Floating white line that seems to move in unison but opposite to the Horizon line. No such line exists on the J8 Attitude indicator. Its not there on other aircraft.

Edited August 21 by Bert_Foster

[Bert_Foster]

F84 INSTRUMENT SELECT

No matter what combination of Key presses I cannot select the Slave Gyro indicator for adjustment in the F84. I cannot get it to "jiggle" indicating it is selected for adjustment.

[Bert_Foster]

F86 and F84 Gunsight Cage.

IRL there are 2 Cage Functions, Mechanical Cage the lever on the sight head and Electrical Cage a button on the throttle. These do separate things and both need to be modeled.

MECHANICAL CAGE

As the name suggests physically locks the Gyro system, the sight becomes a fixed sight. Mechanical Cage should be Toggle function.

ELECTRICAL CAGE

This when pressed sends a stiffening current to the sight equivalent to a fixed range 600' in the A1 sight (Ref AFM 335-25 Feb 1956 Pg 55). the sight reticle can still move in response to G slip skid etc but the sight is representing the prediction angle at the fixed or "caged range" This is especially useful in Air to Air gunnery where the tight reticle allows effective sight handling. Tactically the recommendation was to hold Elec cage until around 500 yards range then release it. 

At present in game there is only 1 Key binding and it does nothing. Mechanical cage is selected by cycling through the sight modes.

Electrical cage function is required to utilise the Auto bomb system of the A1 sight. Elec Cage should be Press and hold function.

Edited August 24 by Bert_Foster

[LukeFF]

11 hours ago, Bert_Foster said:

F86 and F84 Gunsight Cage.

IRL there are 2 Cage Functions, Mechanical Cage the lever on the sight head and Electrical Cage a button on the throttle. These do separate things and both need to be modeled.

MECHANICAL CAGE

As the name suggests physically locks the Gyro system, the sight becomes a fixed sight. Mechanical Cage should be Toggle function.

ELECTRICAL CAGE

This when pressed sends a stiffening current to the sight equivalent to a fixed range 600' in the A1 sight (Ref AFM 335-25 Feb 1956 Pg 55). the sight reticle can still move in response to G slip skid etc but the sight is representing the prediction angle at the fixed or "caged range" This is especially useful in Air to Air gunnery where the tight reticle allows effective sight handling. Tactically the recommendation was to hold Elec cage until around 500 yards range then release it. 

At present in game there is only 1 Key binding and it does nothing. Mechanical cage is selected by cycling through the sight modes.

Electrical cage function is required to utilise the Auto bomb system of the A1 sight. Elec Cage should be Press and hold function.

Hi, this has been a feature of the game since release. The electro cage function is separate (bound to "cage control") from the mechanical cage (bound to "mode control"). The only thing different from the reference is that right now the electro cage is not "push and hold", but rather "toggle", because it's not handy to"push and hold" from the multi-menu. But we will check if it is presented in the multi-menu at all,

Possibly in the future, there will be a "push and hold" option (with different bindings).

[Bert_Foster]

Thanks for the reply Luke. However the Elec Cage function and Key binding has no effect in the F86 (A1cm) or the F84. What I expect to see is the reticle moving to a 600' range prediction. Pressing the Elec Cage key binding on these aircraft does nothing.

Elec Cage works as expected in the P80.

Confusingly in the MIG15 pressing the elec cage key binding switches the sight from fixed reticle to Gyro mode. It should be tied to the Mode function ... as it is in the F86/F84.

Edited August 25 by Bert_Foster

[IAmNotARobot]

On 8/24/2026 at 8:21 AM, Bert_Foster said:

F86 and F84 Gunsight Cage.

IRL there are 2 Cage Functions, Mechanical Cage the lever on the sight head and Electrical Cage a button on the throttle. These do separate things and both need to be modeled.

MECHANICAL CAGE

As the name suggests physically locks the Gyro system, the sight becomes a fixed sight. Mechanical Cage should be Toggle function.

ELECTRICAL CAGE

This when pressed sends a stiffening current to the sight equivalent to a fixed range 600' in the A1 sight (Ref AFM 335-25 Feb 1956 Pg 55). the sight reticle can still move in response to G slip skid etc but the sight is representing the prediction angle at the fixed or "caged range" This is especially useful in Air to Air gunnery where the tight reticle allows effective sight handling. Tactically the recommendation was to hold Elec cage until around 500 yards range then release it. 

At present in game there is only 1 Key binding and it does nothing. Mechanical cage is selected by cycling through the sight modes.

Electrical cage function is required to utilise the Auto bomb system of the A1 sight. Elec Cage should be Press and hold function.

Hi, i just checked this issue in public version of F-86 with A-1CM and seems all work just like you described (except "push and hold" feature). This electric cage applies only to gyro sensors, increasing their electro-spring stiffness, so the range-finding mechanism still works in parallel and you can measure the range correctly (manually or by radar) and see the reticle get bigger or smaller, but the sight will override it by 600 feet when it comes to deflection calculation. There is no effect if throttle twist is already in 600 feet position and no radar target is locked. Can you give any other details of the problem?

[Bert_Foster]

Ahh. Brought the sight off the min stop range ... Elec cage works.

Throttle default position should be Fully anti clockwise. The throttle is spring loaded to this position. In the game its the opposite the default position is fully clockwise or min range.

According to the various manuals Radar ranging can only take place with the throttle at the fully anti clockwise position. 

Edited August 26 by Bert_Foster

[IAmNotARobot]

In this case fully anticlockwise position is related to min range, right? As i remember correctly, gyro sensors should be stiffen most of the time to prevent damage from vibration and bumping its limits, so min range need to be applied

[Bert_Foster]

No clockwise rotation reduces range, anti clockwise increases range when stadimetric ranging. The current mechanisation in game is incorrect.

References F86A/E/F Flight manuals. USAF fighter weapons manual AF 335-25

HOW IT SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.

The default/resting position of the throttle should be fully anticlockwise. In this position the system is set up for radar ranging. The throttle twist is held in the anti clockwise position by spring pressure. (In game the default position is rotated fully clockwise ... incorrect)

After radar lock on the reticle is displayed predicting the lead angle requirement for the radar range with current radar range displayed on the range drum. At the longer ranges the lead is so great that the reticle may not even be visible and the reticle if visible is very "loose" and hard to control.  In these circumstances the pilot may decide to press and hold the Electrical cage button. When this is done a fixed sensitivity current equivalent to 600feet is fed to the sight. The reticle now jumps to this 600' elec cage range. The reticle is now visible firm and easier to control. The range drum still indicates actual radar range. As the pilot approaches firing range he releases the elec cage button, the reticle is now again fed actual radar range the pilot now carries out the tracking task. Blipping elec cage was a known technique to assisit the pilot in determining the plane of motion of the target... especially when firing on a towed banner.

In the game when you press Elec Cage the throttle rotates fully clockwise to the min range position. This is incorrect. Pressing elec cage will not result in ANY throttle twist movement.... recall that the throttle twist is held in the fully anticlockwise position by spring pressure.

STADIMETRIC RANGING

Should the pilot decide to manually range, he rotates (against spring pressure) the throttle in the clockwise direction. As he does so the range drum will show the range value equivalent to the throttle twist position. With the wingspan correctly set and the reticle diameter (controlled by clockwise rotation of the throttle) set to touch the target wingtips then then the correct range will be indicated by the range drum and the reticle position will accurately provide the prediction angle for that range and aircraft body rates.

As soon  as the pilot starts rotating the throttle clockwise you are stadimetric ranging, if the radar is locked on the radar range will be disregarded as you are manually ranging. If you let the throttle go it would return to the fully anticlockwise position (under spring pressure) and then you are back in radar ranging mode.

Edited August 28 by Bert_Foster

[JG14_Jagr]

I've been trying to figure out how to actually get the sight to function but what I see is the red light on and the sight acquires the target and immediately goes down to the smallest sized circle even though the Migs wings are extending outside the circle.  Whats the proper way to get this thing working to use the radar ranging to engage properly?

[JG14_Jagr]

So going over the functions, the game has made the mechanical cage lever part of the "mode" option.  The electrical cage is what is called the "cage" function and it is a toggle when it should be a press and hold system. It doesn't fully cage the gunsight, it defaults it to a preset range (200) while it is being held down.  I can see this being useful in long range chase scenarios where a non maneuvering target at 1700 could be accurately engaged, but overall in the game its essentially useless in practice for high G high maneuvering aircraft.

[Bert_Foster]

IRL Elec cage sets a 600' range sensitivity for the A1CM sight and 850' for the later A4 series sights.

[LukeFF]

1 hour ago, JG14_Jagr said:

The electrical cage is what is called the "cage" function and it is a toggle when it should be a press and hold system.

A press-and-hold system is planned for the next update, which will apply to all USAF planes. 

[Bert_Foster]

Hopefully with the other mechanization errors fixed 😁

[Bert_Foster]

J8 ATTITUDE INDICATOR BUGS

The J8 Attitude indicator in the F86 has numerous bugs. It is a confused presentation of what the real thing is.

The first Obvious one is the stray floating extra horizon line. It does not exist in real life. .... needs to be removed..... covered in previous posts.

There should also be an OFF flag.

The second series of errors relate to how the instrument performs in the vertical. Take the loop as an example. In the game as you approach around 45 degrees Nose up/Down the circular bullseye symbol is visible. This should not be the case. the bullsye symbol should only become visible approaching the vertical (in fact the aircraft symbol touching the outer periphery at 70 degrees Nose up, both up and down. it represents the Zenith and Nadir of the sphere.

Then in the game at the vertical the AI goes berserk and almost looks like its toppling. Then on completing the loop there are large errors and it takes a while to erect correctly. This is incorrect. What actualy should happen near the vertical is a controlled precession through 180degrees. This is a very smooth process IRL and a common aspect in many attitude indicators. After a loop there will be SMALL errors that will be corrected very quickly by the J8's auto erection process.

The Diagram below is from the USAF TP55 Instrument Flying manual that describes the J8 attitude indicator and more importantly shows the complete presentation as the pilot sees it during a loop.

Edited August 30 by Bert_Foster

[=FB=VikS]

30.08.2026 в 08:12, Bert_Foster сказал:

J8 ATTITUDE INDICATOR BUGS

The J8 Attitude indicator in the F86 has numerous bugs. It is a confused presentation of what the real thing is.

The first Obvious one is the stray floating extra horizon line. It does not exist in real life. .... needs to be removed..... covered in previous posts.

There should also be an OFF flag.

The second series of errors relate to how the instrument performs in the vertical. Take the loop as an example. In the game as you approach around 45 degrees Nose up/Down the circular bullseye symbol is visible. This should not be the case. the bullsye symbol should only become visible approaching the vertical (in fact the aircraft symbol touching the outer periphery at 70 degrees Nose up, both up and down. it represents the Zenith and Nadir of the sphere.

Then in the game at the vertical the AI goes berserk and almost looks like its toppling. Then on completing the loop there are large errors and it takes a while to erect correctly. This is incorrect. What actualy should happen near the vertical is a controlled precession through 180degrees. This is a very smooth process IRL and a common aspect in many attitude indicators. After a loop there will be SMALL errors that will be corrected very quickly by the J8's auto erection process.

The Diagram below is from the USAF TP55 Instrument Flying manual that describes the J8 attitude indicator and more importantly shows the complete presentation as the pilot sees it during a loop.

 

We have A-1 Gyro, not J-8 (it was installed later).

here is discussion about it
 

 

[Bert_Foster]

Thanks Viks.

The extra floating horizon line is still incorrect. The comments above regarding controlled precession on the J8 apply equally to the A-1.

Edited August 31 by Bert_Foster

[Bert_Foster]

Cockpit Altimeters. This would seem a global issue in the pressurized types. If you are say up at 30,000'/ 10,000m and open the canopy ... no change is reflected on the cabin altimeter it remains showing the last pressurized value.

Hard to say on the MIG15 as the Cab diff instrument is pegged at Max diff value even on the ground !

Edited September 15 by Bert_Foster