[VSKYLABS Newsletter] issued 20 Aug 2024
*The VSKYLABS 'Test-Pilot': F-19 Stealth Fighter Project is an educational/research-based development effort that "brings to life" and realizes the hypothetical 80s Testor's F-19 concept in the most advanced flight simulation environment to date: X-Plane 12 by Laminar Research. It is not an 'arcade' aircraft, nor a 'generic jet fighter' that only looks like the F-19 externally. Extensive, professional real-world experience and knowledge of jet fighter design, systems, performance, handling, and operation were involved in the making of the VSKYLABS F-19. The result is a scientific, graceful, and powerful aircraft that also has a few weaknesses—just like any other real jet fighter. This makes flying it a true-to-life and fascinating experience, especially when exploring the flight envelope and its performance characteristics.
During the development of the VSKYLABS ‘Test-Pilot’: F-19 SF for X-Plane 12, several 80′s Microprose F-19 ‘game’ missions were flown in ‘real-time’ conditions in X-Plane 12, mainly to challenge the 80′s F-19 aircraft concept, as it was originally realized in the Microprose F-19 computer game, using nowadays state of the art simulated environment.
The first mission to be flown ‘operationally’ was the following one (down is a screenshot showing the mission screen vs. the general mission flight plan as measured on Google Earth).
IMPORTANT - quoted from Microprose F-19 80's manual:
"Our (Microprose) selection of regions for game scenarios is not intended to convey a political viewpoint, or promote antipathy toward any nationality or race. Military forces are required to fight whomever their governments says is the enemy (even other family members in a civil war). In this simulation (Microprose F-19), as in all our (Microprose) products, political circumstances of the day dictate who is hostile to whom." ..."In summary, military simulations like (Microprose) Project: Stealth Fighter allow us to experience the vicarious thrills of combat flying without have to declare war on anyone, much less hurt anybody."
The words quoted above reflect the VSKYLABS approach towards any of its military-oriented aircraft simulations. X-Plane is not a combat simulation, and the main focus of VSKYLABS projects has always been (and will continue to be) the joy of flying, the excitement of space and aviation flight, and the fascinating world of aircraft design.
Following the above, here are some of the first impressions and insights of a mission which was flown in a 1:1 scale using the VSKYLABS ‘Test-Pilot’: F-19 SF in X-Plane 12:
The mission presented here was measured at approximately 550 nautical miles in a 1:1 scale (real-world map), slightly above the game's 520 miles measurement (the suggested landing base in the game was at Sigonella, which is in practice located further inland when comparing the maps). However, it was generally quite similar.
The VSKYLABS simulated profile was flown with a fully loaded configuration (full internal fuel, 2xAIM-9X + 1xAGM-158A). No external fuel tanks, similar to the Microprose configuration.
The VSKYLABS F-19 real-time mission simulation included APU startup, taxi, takeoff (using afterburners), followed by non-afterburner acceleration to Mach 0.93 while maintaining low-level flight on the entire first leg to the first target (100 AGL).
After crossing to land, afterburners were enabled (but not operated), and another two-minute flight was made at low altitude. Then, full afterburner power was applied, followed by a pull-up and a simulated attack segment (not reflecting a proposed AGM-158 deployment but still faithful to the 80′s F-19 game).
The flight continued back at low altitude, with a couple of high-G turns, all with full afterburner, simulating a short engagement/evasive turns while accelerating to Mach 1.0 on the way out to the coastline.
The mission then proceeded at Mach 0.95, with no afterburner, approximately 100 AGL, northbound towards Sicily. After presumably being 'safe', the aircraft was gradually pulled up to 18,000 feet for long-range cruise and proceeded to Sigonella at Mach 0.74 until the top of descent, then proceeded for landing.
Just prior to descent, the 'Fuel Level Low' warning was triggered. A safe landing was achieved, but with a very uncomfortable, low fuel level.
Fuel consumption-wise, a lot of parameters are involved in such a comprehensive simulated mission. But in general, wow. Microprose’s 80s F-19 aircraft performance assumptions/predictions and tailored missions planning were truly impressive, in the light of modern analysis using advanced simulation technology, with only a few modifications to the F-19 concept (this will be presented in a dedicated VSKYLABS Newsletter, in the future).
To add that the original mission planning was extremely marginal; a short air-to-air encounter, or an additional 270 or 360 turn over the target area with afterburners, and safely reach to the planned destination would have been impossible. Yet, completing the mission in real-time simulation was extremely exciting!
*Screenshots above are of VSKYLABS ‘Test-Pilot’: F-19 SF v3.0, for X-Plane 12.
Time-Compression in the 80’s F-19 by Microprose:
When first flown the VSKYLABS F-19 in X-Plane 12, over the original 80’s Microprose F-19 missions, it was obvious that something was a bit ‘strange’ compared to the good-old memories of the 80’s F-19 game-play. Here’s why:
X-Plane 12 allows comprehensive real-time physics-based flight simulation over accurate world scenery. After taking off and heading towards the target area (sea or land), compared to the game memories from the 80’s, time seemed to stretch out.
In a 1:1 scale mission, it takes time to cross ~250+ miles to so-called enemy territory, then, bugging out at Mach 1.0 for a couple of minutes. Long minutes passes by... fuel is consumed... climbing to a more economical flight profile... reducing speed to ~Mach 0.7... over the sea, with no land on the horizon, just flying. Time... Flight takes Time!
Complete mission times in the 80′s F-19 game (covering a distance of ~500 NM) were not too long—about 20-30 minutes from takeoff to landing (this was also recreated by playing the original Microprose F-19 to confirm this).
Average simulated mission times in X-Plane 12 were about an hour for a ~500+ miles flight plan, when pushing the aircraft to Mach 0.9 from takeoff to preparations for landing (by a rough measurement).
In the Microprose F-19 game, distance coverage was highly accelerated compared to the 1:1 real-time scale—roughly up to ~8 times faster when reviewing the speeds and mileage in a full-mission profile, where actual average speed was not even close to Mach 0.9.
For more information regarding the VSKYLABS ‘Test-Pilot’: F-19 SF for X-Plane 12, visit: https://www.vskylabs.com/p/f19sf/
The development of the VSKYLABS F-19 for X-Plane flight simulator is approved by Testors/ITALERI S.p.A. However, it is an independent VSKYLABS development effort which is not endorsed and/or affiliated with/by Testors/ITALERI S.p.A
Stay tuned for more fascinating VSKYLABS Newsletters!
Fly safe!
VSKYLABS
