VARIANTS

Darkstar with working radar and revamped cockpit interior

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED VARIANT: Darkstar with an all-new cockpit interior, featuring a radar and a roll indicator

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"They want Mach 10? Let's give 'em Mach 10."

--- Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

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It took over 3 months since I uploaded my own version of @Mattflat101's original Darkstar for me to notice and fix a problem with the engines where the jet takes off too quickly.

I published a fixed version of this yesterday (as of writing) but forgot to add navigation lights and fix the buttons which are hard to see at nighttime. I apologize for having the post removed.

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NOTES

I also added a gyroscope AG5 to make the aircraft stable while flying at hypersonic speeds at altitudes of 90,000 to 100,000 feet. At that altitudes, manually level the aircraft and activate AG5, then activate autopilot. In the previous version of this Darkstar, the jet becomes highly unstable if autopilot is enabled while flying at high speeds at said altitudes.

During test runs, I prefer to take off and fly this thing at cruising speed until I reach 20,000 feet, in which where I deactivate engine 1 AG1 and engine 2 AG2 and then engage scramjets AG3 for hypersonic flight up to altitudes of 90,000 to 100,000 feet.

Be advised. This speedy boi takes forever to turn at hypersonic speeds. I prefer to fly this thing in a straight path, though.

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Lockheed Martin Darkstar
Hypersonic test aircraft

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CONTROLS

AG1 = left engine power
AG2 = right engine power
AG3 = engage scramjets
AG4 = navigation lights
AG5 = gyroscope
AG6 = landing parachutes

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FLIGHT INSTRUCTIONS

Read carefully. Craft instructions are also available in-game.

TAXIING

• Maintain throttle at 1%. Apply brakes if necessary.

HYPERSONIC FLIGHT

• Once you have taken off, maintain pitch angle at 20 to 25 degrees and climb to 20,000 - 25,000 feet, or at any altitudes to your liking. Once you've reached your desired altitude, shut down engine no. 1 AG1 and engine no. 2 AG2. Wait for a few seconds for them to shut down completely, then hit scramjets AG3 while once again maintaining the pitch angle at 20 to 25 degrees while climbing at even higher altitudes.

DON'TS

• DO NOT pitch the aircraft at 30° and above or you may have difficulty in leveling the aircraft. Climb up to altitudes of 80,000 - 100,000 feet while manually leveling the aircraft. Once the aircraft is now flying horizontally, activate the gyroscope AG5 before enabling autopilot. Now wait for the jet to hit Mach 10.

• DO NOT activate scramjets on takeoff or the plane will lose control.

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The aircraft has four engines in total: two for cruising speeds and another two for hypersonic flight. The engines located inside the outer engines and with the activation group number of 3 are the ones used to make the jet go hypersonic. You can edit its XML if you are not satisfied with the aircraft's speed.

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FIXES AND NEW FEATURES

• fixed problem that causes the aircraft to take off prematurely
• fixed autopilot system which makes the aircraft unstable at high altitudes when scramjets are engaged
• added a gyroscope AG5 switch in the cockpit
• fixed buttons. They are now easier to see in the dark
• fixed in-game craft instructions. AG4 and AG5 are now added. Parachutes are moved to AG6
• added navigation lights AG4
• added navigation lights AG4 switch in the cockpit
• added back the Synthetic Vision System camera in front of the aircraft to assist in landing.

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@Mattflat101's ORIGINAL DARKSTAR

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GALLERY

The Darkstar Program logo.

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Features a Mach counter


As seen on Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

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Luminous buttons for easier access during night operations

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As seen on Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

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As seen on Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

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Original aircraft credit goes to @Mattflat101.

Happy flying!