Introduction

The HX-4 Firebird Mk.V is a multipurpose strike/ground attack VTOL gunship. Wielding a fearsome array of weaponry including missiles, unguided rockets, and a ventrally-mounted heavy cannon, the Firebird is a major fire-support asset to its allies, and a terrifying adversary to its foes.

Features

• Full VR-compatible cockpit with selectable day/night modes
• Fifth-generation flight model that smoothly adjusts between hovering and forward flight to combine stability with agility and controllability
• Cockpit screens automatically use the units selected in the game settings
• Change between displaying Altitude and AGL with the flick of a switch
• Functioning 1-to-20-mile radar with custom-coded manually-adjustable range
• GPS navigation system with 12 built-in waypoints
• Zero-zero ejection capability
• Manual engine startup
• Combination of new and old building techniques
• Realistic performance (for a fictional craft)
• Dual tanker/receiver refueling capability

Controls

VTOL: Collective
Trim: Forward/Reverse Boosters

AG 1: FSC Manual Override (Force gyro on)
AG 2: Master Arm
AG 3: Beacon/Nav/Strobe Lights
AG 4: Landing Lights
AG 5: Refueling Probe
AG 6: Jettison Weapons
AG 7: Eject

Other, less essential controls (such as the refuel drogue) are only accessible from within the cockpit. All cockpit controls are labeled.

Note

Trim is controlled both by the right-side levers and the large throttle on the left. This is to allow for HOTAS operation (even though it's a bit weird). Also, full-speed flight will require the collective to be at maximum, with lower speeds requiring less.

Startup

Engines may be started on battery power, or from the generators (if one engine is already running)

Battery: ON
Avionics Master: ON
ENG1 Fuel Pumps: ON
ENG1 Compressors: ON
Starter: ON for 2 seconds, then OFF
Once RPM > 1000, ENG1 Generator: ON
ENG2 Fuel Pumps: ON
ENG2 Compressors: ON
Starter: ON for 2 seconds, then OFF
Once RPM > 1000, ENG2 Generator: ON
FSC Gyro Power: ON

Startup (Simplified)

Click everything on the engine control panel except for the starter.
Then hit the starter.

History

The original version of craft was originally posted to the SimplePlanes website more than six years ago, under the designation "M.A.G.M.A Tech Helikillia". Unfortunately, it was later lost when the creator (whose name I sadly can no longer remember) deleted their account. I had downloaded it to my old iPad though, and it became my main testbed aircraft for experimenting with and testing new concepts when updates would come out. As time went by, I ended up completely rebuilding the entirety of the flight model on five separate occasions (hence the Mk.V), making improvements and changes with each subsequent iteration. With the 1.11/1.12 updates, I decided to go a step further with a complete nose-to-tail rebuild of the original gunship, which resulted in this version, the Firebird Mk.V. Though I have incorporated many new techniques that were simply not possible when the original was built, I have kept the overall style and "simple" aesthetic as a tribute to the original design.

The oldest version I still have is the Mk.III variant (third flight model rebuild), which still maintained the original fuselage and exterior details. I've included a few pictures of the Mk.V and older Mk.III together.

Gallery

Day and night modes

Radar demonstration

Firebird Mk.V and Helikillia Mk.III

Credits

• HUD modified from PlanariaLab's 1Parts HUD
• Cockpit based on Jundroo's Wasp
• Refuel probe modified from Jundroo's Vertigo
• Rocket pods modified from BowTheAvali's F-46 Blue Fox
• Radar modified from Guyfolk's X-02S Strike Wyvern "Archange"
• Startup code based on portions of wheatfield90's NAMC YS-11 with ANA
  

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Special Thanks

Thanks to DeveloperKorzalerke, Freerider2142, and SpartanSR91 for spending an hour of their time to help figure out why this was spamming console errors in multiplayer (and how to fix it).