There’s lots of F-14 news flying around right now so let’s talk about the latest information coming out along with some bonus info about a real life Tomcat being spotted on the set of Top Gun 2.

Cockpit walkabout for DCS: F-14

Heatblur has a video series about the DCS: F-14 module. You may have forgotten about it because its been a long time since we saw the last episode. Now, episode 2 is out and its a pilots cockpit walkabout which goes through extensive detail on what instrument is what in the cockpit of the F-14. This is focused on the pilot cockpit (and we assume a RIO video will come soon.

Magz fires off six AIM-54s at once

Magz turns the F-14 into a six shooter with a hypothetical situation where he must down six Tu-95 Bear bombers at one time. Fortunately, the F-14 Tomcat together with the AIM-54 Phoenix missile is capable of doing this – under specific circumstances.

Magz walks us through those circumstances and shows off a couple of different setups. We also see a really awesome looking new livery for the DCS: F-14!

RedKite goes back to 1994

DCS YouTuber takes a flight in the F-14… it’s just not the one coming in DCS. Instead, RedKite is flying Microprose”s F-14 Fleet Defender title circa 1994 and in it he shows off some of the F-14s systems in that sim plus some fun easter eggs that Microprose was able to cram into an otherwise very serious title. I had forgotten just how much that team was able to do in terms of serious simulation detail back then.

Tomcat spotted on set of Top Gun 2

In an altogether not surprising move, it seems that the plot of Top Gun 2 will somehow fit the otherwise retired F-14 into their scenario. A static display F-14 was spotted on the deck of the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Check out this article from The War Zone and Tyler Rogoway about the spotting of the jet and then a follow up on what appears to have the F-14 crashed into a barricade – all part of the movie making magic.

More release date discussion

Everyone wants to know when the F-14 will release. Some speculated that it would be February 14th (now passed) and others have been making memes out of the vague release date given on the DCS World Steam Store page. So far as we know the release date window remains winter 2019 and that takes us right up to March 31st.

Matt Wagner had at one point suggested that the F-14 may come in February, however, Cobra from Heatblur walked that one back fairly quickly.

So, we still don’t know and there are still several weeks left before we get out of that winter 2019 launch window. Stay tuned folks!

Update February 15 at 11:44 pm: Cobra, one of the developers from Heatblur, had this to say on r/Hoggit tonight:

We’re really close to announcing a release date now- especially after the next stress test this weekend.

Cobra8472 on r/Hoggit

Soon folks! Soon!