DCS: Su-25a | Wrong way to attack. Lesson learned!

DCS: Su-25a | Training flight with Enigma

My first real training mission in the Su-25 'Frogfoot'.  Aside from the Ka-50, I have almost no experience flying Russian aircraft.  It’s not for a lack of interest and more for a lack of time and priorities.  With so many aircraft to fly, I've only now started to get some time to focus on the Russian attack aircraft.

Thankfully, I had someone with experience flying as my flight lead.  Enigma has flown the Su-25 for years.  I was eager to pick his brain for some basics.  Although I could fly the Su-25a, I really didn't know anything about navigation, most of the cockpit instruments, and things like what mode you are in.

The Su-25a doesn't have a HUD (heads up display).  As someone who has flown the US aircraft for a long time, a HUD is so necessary to my being able to get around and keep my head out of the cockpit.  This was going to be a huge change.  Having to look down at the instruments and keeping an eye on your lead was going to prove to be very challenging.

 A very simple mission.  The enemy ground units cannot fire back.  All we needed to do was get airborne, get to the bombing range, drop what we can and head back.

 During the transit Enigma was going to be teaching me a few things about this old bird so I didn't get lost and if I did I could find my way back.

 It doesn't look like much, but the HSI is so valuable to being able to get around in the Su-25.  This took up a considerable amount of our training and instruction.  Without the HSI, I could accidentally fly into Georgia and get shot down.

We spent about ten minutes on the packing ramp, doing start-up procedures and learning some basic stuff like where the flap indicators are, gear lights, etc.  It's so much more immersive and easier learning from a real person.

After a short taxi, we made it to the runway.  Couldn't help but notice how rugged the Su-25 looks.  The cockpit, like the A-10s, is a titanium bathtub.  It can take hits from a 20mm gun round.  That does make me a feel a bit better.

On the runway, a few more quick lessons before we took off and a last reminder of our flight plan.

A quick look over at Enigma and he looks ready to roll.

And we are off.  I was a bit nervous doing a formation take off in my first MP session with the Su-25A.  However, it wasn't as difficult as I thought it may be.

Now it was time to learn how to keep my head up while being able to read the new cockpit instruments.  With no HUD it was going to be interesting.

With no enemies around, I felt safe spending most of my time watching flight lead and staying in formation.  With no digital readout of the aircraft speed, it was more difficult than I thought.

After reaching our IP waypoint, and after a few more quick lessons, we decided it was time to get to the bombing range before our fuel started beeping.

Unfortunately, those practice targets were proving to be difficult to find.  Flight lead was searching for the targets while I was watching his six and trying to stay in formation.

Enigma runs in and dives on the first sight of a target.  I wasn't sure but they looked like BTR-80s or BMPs of some sort.  Perfect target for some iron bombs!

Bombs gone!

Shack!  Good hit lead!  Although they didn't fall on top of the BTR, they managed to get close enough to kill it anyways.

Great, now the target area was marked by that huge explosion, I was easily able to search and locate another target near by.  Now it was my turn.

I lined up the first target I acquired with my mark-1 eyeball, turned and started my attack run.

Bombs gone!

Shortly after I dropped my bombs, I pulled up too hard and I was going to fast, the tips of my wings broke off completely!  However, I was too busy trying to fly to notice the damage yet.  I had some control, but it was very sluggish.  I had no idea what kind of damage I had done to the aircraft until way later.  But as you can see from the above picture, it was significant.

I was relieved to know as I looked back and also got confirmation from flight lead, that I had hit the target.  Now my focus was back to taking this damaged bird home.  How bad to do this on your first training flight.

However, that relief didn't last long.  My fuel gauge was showing almost empty, and we had at least 50km to go to homeplate.  Even though I was able to fly with all that damage, it didn't matter because I had run out of fuel.  Damn, that's two huge fails in one training mission.  Ouch.

One of Enigma's several flybys to check my damage.

Well, I was glad I was able to survive to fight another day.  Ejecting in friendly territory is much easier than ejecting over enemy territory.

It was a fun mission regardless of the mistakes.  I really needed to get some real stick time on this bird and this was the perfect scenario to do it.

We will both be ready for training #2.

Thanks for reading and good hunting!

DCS: F-15C Quick Battle Mission

DCS: F-15C | Quick Battle

Been a little while since I've flown the Eagle, so I thought it may be a good idea to get up in the air and make sure I keep the HOTAS muscle memory fresh.

This mission was a quick intercept mission.  Flight of two F-15C's vs TU-22 bombers and some MiG-23 flogger escorts.

The F-15Cs powerful AN/APG-63 radar picked up the two MiG-23 floggers right away.  16k feet high, about 19nmi away.  There was no waiting for the action in this battle.  The bombers were also picked up but they were jamming my radar.

My A.I wingman and I ascended to get to a good altitude to fire our missiles.

I kicked it up to full afterburner and fired my first missile at the Floggers.  You can see the AMRAAMs exhaust over my right wing.

One of the enemy MiG-23 Floggers.

The second Flogger.

Before I could blink the first Flogger took a direct hit from two missiles, it was completely annihilated.

That didn't mean I was safe though.  I had two incoming missiles and had to dive down the deck.  During that dive I managed to get my wingman to attack the bombers while I was busy evading.  You can still see the debris from the Floggers on the bottom left.

My wingman got the bombers and from afar, I could see the damage he was inflicting upon them.

Not a good day for Tu-22 bombers.  I did see parachutes so they did at least get their bodies to the ground.

More Tu-22 wreckage free falling to the ground.  Although I was safe at the moment, you never know, so always kick out a few flares here and there to make sure.

Very fun quick battle.  I am looking forward to flying the Eagle in the new NTTR map.

DCS: F-15C - First blood - Training flight gone wrong.

This mission was similar to our last mission.  We had planned on practicing formation flying and brevity, etc.  However, this time we decided to patrol very close to the border.


Our flight (Enigma as flight lead, myself as #2) took off and climbed to 20,000 feet while trying to keep a speed of 350knots.

 We performed some more formation practice.  Everything was going pretty normal at this point.  We eventually made a turn that put us parallel with the Georgian/Russian border.

 Over the radio, we heard a friendly F-16C in a fight for it's life.  Our RWR showed it as a MiG-29 or Su-27.  We decided to turn north, head up to 35,000 feet, and see if we could assist our fellow fighter.  As you can see on the radar picture below, the friendly F-16C is on the left side, while the enemy is jamming our radar so we didn't know what it was yet.  Over on the right side, there was a slow moving bogey at 6k feet.

 For a moment it looked the the F-16C was taking care of business.

 However, the F-16C decided to get the hell out of dodge.  Maybe it was out of weapons, or just needed to get to safety.

 As we continued toward the engagement area, my radar suddently picked up the Su-27 at 34,000 feet.  I wasn't expecting it that high.  I looked very hard in the distance and did finally notice the contrails.  The Su-27 was only 20nmi away!  Immediately I had missile inbound warning.  I'm not sure if Enigma had him locked or not at this point, so I had to make a quick decision to fire back or turn immediatly to avoid the enemy missile.

 Su-27 firing at my F-15C.

 I decided to lock him up and fire.  This was going to be close.  At this point flight lead had him locked as well, and shortly after fired at the Su-27.

 As I made my turn to evade the missile, I glanced over and saw my flight leads Eagle getting ready to launch a AIM-7 Sparrow missile.

 The enemy Su-27 did a quick turn and dive to avoid our fire.  You can see our contrails in the distance.  My contrail is on the right side, and you can see I've already made 90 degree turn and getting the hell out of dodge!

 With the missile still incoming, I started pumping out flares and chaff.  This will be very close!

 A moment later, my F-15C was struck by the enemies missile.  Shit!  No chance to eject, as the missile fragments must have breached the cockpit and killed me.  Ouch.

 Another view of my F-15C after getting hit by a missile.

Unfortunately, our missiles missed the Su-27.  But they did send him running away fast and hard.   Enigma gave chase, but could only go so far without any support from friendlies.  Once he was safe we called it a day.  It's too bad I died, but that will not stop me from making my next patrol.  That's the wonderful thing about being a virtual pilot!