F-4 Simulator on USS Midway

[Rino]

The F-4 sims are just like the real cockpit, front/rear seating.  There's another ride there that has the tandem seating config. though.  

Like I was saying, the sims aren't all that accurate as far as the controls go.  The back seater has a controls similar to the front seat, there are a few small differences though.  

I wouldn't let that part of it deter you from trying it out though.  It's still fun.

     In a real F-4 <USAF type>, the WSO/GIB has flight controls but almost no forward view.  That
was more an emergency measure so the "guy in back" could try to save the airplane if the pilot
became non mission capable.  It actually worked one time on an RF-4C out of Bergstrom when a bird
came through the windscreen and about amputated the pilot's arm.  The WSO managed to get everyone
back on the ground safely.

     Of course in a real Phantom, the front seater depended on the back seat to lock his Sparrows
up.  The APQ-120 could auto-magically track targets up to 50 miles out, well beyond max AIM-7
range.  It also had a neat feature known as Auto-Acquisition.  The pilot could hit his pinky switch
and the radar would switch to air to air mode and the antenna would track down about 20 degrees
and scan up about 60 degrees.  Anything within 2 degrees either side of the radar boresight line
and 5 miles out or less would be automatically locked on.  It was basically a panic mode if you got
bounced while moving mud.

[Rino]

     Found this on a russian site no less, rear seat of the Phantom.  See what I mean about the forward vis?
BTW the little joystick on the right hand side is what we used to control the radar cursor to lock up targets.

[MachFly]

    Found this on a russian site no less, rear seat of the Phantom.  See what I mean about the forward vis?
BTW the little joystick on the right hand side is what we used to control the radar cursor to lock up targets.

(Image removed from quote.)

WOW

Visibility is next to 0, those set of controls are almost useless because the pilot won't even be able to see where to land.

[AAJagerX]

Ya, they have a computer screen set up for the back seater to use.  Not all that accurate, but a good time nonetheless.

[Rino]

     This is the flower of 1960s technology with some 1970s stuff tacked on  
No computers, just windscreens and instruments.  The rear seater was trained as a navigator, but most
pilots allowed them stick time for the obvious reasons.

[MachFly]

I finally got to USS Midway and was able to "fly" on thous simulators. Unfortunately last month they "upgraded" (upgraded is what they said, I said downgraded) their simulators to F-18s. They took an empty shell of an F-18 cockpit attached CH stick and throttle inside and $5 headphones, they put a screen to show all the gauges instead of the real ones and a screen infront of the cockpit to show what's outside and the HUD but the canopy frame would block my airspeed and altitude indicators. I believe they forgot to buy a set of cheap rudder pedals because it had none (no rudder controls at all). And worst of all it was powered by microsoft flight simulator X  . All for $20 for 15min.
And there still advertising that thous are real F-4 simulators that the US navy used.


But the fish market restaurant was great, thanks for the advice  

[AAJagerX]

Man that sucks about the sims...     Sounds like they really went arcade mode on it. 

Did ya get the shark at the fish market?  That place is outstanding!

[MachFly]

I asked for the shark but they did not have it, they also went though a lot of trouble to try to find me one. Eventually I just ordered a lobster, it was great. They even gave me the window spot on the 2nd floor  .


I figured that they did that to the sims because most people who come there don't know much about flying so they figured they don't need to spend money to support the good ones.
When I got in the cockpit the guy come up to me to explain the controls, points at the throttle and says "this is your gas" so I interupt him and ask "where are my rudder pedals?" he looked at me so surprised and said that none of the sims have them.  
Either way I probably should have asked my money back for miss advertisement because they said thous were the real sims that the navy uses.

[AAJagerX]

No Thresher steaks???  What is the world coming to? 

That's one of the things I love about that place...  If it wasn't caught, they won't have it shipped in at a reduced quality to keep the menu the same. 

Did you find time for the harbor tour?

[MachFly]

They said the sharks come and go, so it's not like their gone for ever.

I did not get a chance to take the harbor tour, but the view from midway's deck was great as well.