A return to the danger zone with Heatblur’s DCS: F-14B(U)! Is it worth it to upgrade?
Quick summary· AI-generated
The author spent weeks flying Heatblur's F-14B(U) upgrade and reports it's a substantial improvement over earlier F-14 variants. Key upgrades include the new VDIG(R) display (replacing the old VDI/HUD) which provides better information flow comparable to the Hornet and Viper, support for JDAM attacks in multiple modes, and training missions covering new systems. The module comes with an official manual and community training videos. The learning curve is steep, but the author feels the materials are in place to master the aircraft and believes it's worth flying more — a positive signal about the upgrade's value.
Excerpt from Stormbirds
I’ve been putting in as much time as I can muster with Heatblur’s DCS: F-14B(U) upgrade in the last couple of weeks and I wanted to report back on what I’ve found with the aircraft since my other article came out several days ago. How is it? What can it do differently? Is it worth the upgrade price? Let’s talk!
Training and combat with upgraded Tomcat
Training and combat scenarios have been what I’ve been up-to most recently
Since my first article, I’ve been using the upgraded Tomcat in more aerial duels, air to air interceptions, and using it in a strike role. It’s been fun to get back into the Tomcat and also be reminded that you really do need to dig into the systems and learn a jet like this over a prolonged period of time. More time than I have, but, nonetheless I think I now have a really good sense of what this jet is about. And I want to fly it more! That’s a good sign.
Heatblur have released their manual in the last couple of days and some of YouTubers have been releasing training videos focused on how to do various things with the jet.
The F-14B(U) also comes with a collection of training missions that focus in on its unique features such as how to do JDAM attacks in both pre-planned and target-of-opportunity modes.
While the training sessions have been informative, its operationalizing a lot of these efforts into something that works online and offine that I find takes the most amount of time. Truly understanding how to employ these weapons in different ways is going to take some time but the materials are in place so if you do end up picking this airplane up, you’ve got everything you need.
Into combat with the upgraded cat!
The “office!” The earlier models had red lighting but this time around we’ve got green!
There’s an awful lot to unpack with the new upgraded Tomcat!
The new VDIG(R), replacing the old VDI and HUD, gives the pilot a whole lot more information. I always felt that I was a bit behind the curve when in the older F-14B or A in multiplayer scenarios that also included the Hornet, Viper, Thunder, etc. All of them had better information flows showing off RWR contacts, enemy aircraft positions, and more all via the HUD. The F-14B(U) joins in on the party with that kind of symbology displayed up front.
You have your speed, altitude, target information, you know when you’re in parameters to shoot, you’ve got RWR contacts sprayed out across the edges of the display, you can see a countdown on when AIM-54s are expected to…
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