It has been a little while since I last spoke on the progress of this build. In the years since I made the last development post I've given myself a lot of other builds and even mods that have pushed the f14 to the side for quite a long time.
The simple truth at the moment is that I do not find working on the f14 very enjoyable. As I've found out I do not do long term projects like this that easily, so it is rather difficult to find the drive to actually put time in to finish it up. 80% of the build is already there, though the remaining 20% looks to me like it will take up 80% of the actual effort and brainwork to do.
With that being said, work on the build hasn't come to a complete halt. There are beginnings of the cockpit frame, and a few surface details as I stopped thinking as much about the build's part count.
The flight model is also 90% the way done, only remaining things are to give it proper spin characteristics and adjusting the amount of lift/drag to match it's energy/maneuverability graph. Many back & forth comparison flights took place between dcs and the sp one and I'm pretty confident in it's handling. A lot of time I spend with it is actually just flying around carving through hills & mountains, it is a very pure form of joy.
The Big Question
My ultimate dilemma with the f14 is whether I should spend several months to get absolutely everything finished and polished up, or do as little as I can to polish the experience enough to be functional and fun. Realistically speaking I don't know if I have it in me to lock in for what could be a very long time on a build that will turn 3 years old next month. The f14 for a long time has competed with other builds & interests for my attention.
At the same time, I do feel pressure to make it a full experience as that's what I set out to do when i got the f14 itch 4 years ago. SP2 is fast approaching and before then I really want to get this project off my shoulders and be satisfied with it as well. One way or another, I cannot keep it as a build only me and a few of my friends have access to- the F-14 is just such a unique and extraordinary experience of an airplane that I have to share with everyone.
@F8boa i think more and more likely i may end up doing that
Do you think you would just release it as is?
Its sad the F-14 is no more.
@AuroraBrooke i quite like the 75... though if i make one itd have to be sometime in the future since im not starting any more builds till sp2 is out
@baconeggs I have a plane suggestion.. u don’t have to make it but I’d like to see if u could… could u make a 757???
I'm continually slack jawed at how beautiful these builds are
@baconeggs do a crj 700, I’d really like a realistic crj 700 if u have the time to:3
@BaconEggs I’d rather the regional jet
@AuroraBrooke ive thought about that one every now & then though my interests currently are more towards maybe another wide body or a small regional jet
@BaconEggs ok then… that’s oki:) ik ur not going to but I’d love for u to do the A320:3
@AuroraBrooke sorry my last comment probably came off a little rude lol.... I'll be completely honest and say I don't even think I'm gonna continue with the -200 in the picture up there- I'm pretty satisfied with the NG series and spending as much time as I do on builds kinda starts to feel redundant when its only slightly different
@BaconEggs no
@AuroraBrooke did i ever say i wanted to make the whole family
@BaconEggs but the 737 family wouldn’t be complete without it…
@AuroraBrooke nope
@BaconEggs Could you possibly also make the 737 MAX family?
@TwoTurboMan i will have to make tf30s, i really want to make a block 65/70 with the original beaver tail and some of the other detailing. the B i have atm is more like the 'A+' where it doesnt have any of the digital stuff that was added later, though i may possibly make a version with that if i spend the time
@BaconEggs does the A model have the TF-30 and the B model have the F110? I’m asking because I’m biased towards the A model due to it being a less sophisticated and more analog version. That and I’ve been flying around your old cardboard tomcat for a while and I’m in love with the performance.
@ToeTips @BaconEggs
i second what ToeTips says
would love to see the tomcot
@ToeTips yea,,,, I do at least plan on making a new f14 model when sp2 comes out with some of the new features n stuff
Honestly, you might as well quickly polish it up then release it. If you don't think you'd have the focus to continue working on it then you should probably do what you can and release it. If SP2 comes around and it's still in the workshop, then there's a pretty good chance you might end up making a new F-14 and this one stays in limbo forever.
f14 al wawa mode
real