Searching for the F18D

[lancer27]

    Hi, I was wondering if anyone knew where I could find the link to the F18D v15.6 ?  I have the F18C v16.1 and I am having a blast with it. I have downloaded the Tackpac addon for the airplanes and plan on upgrading them both (working on the F18C currently),but I seem to be at a loss as to where to locate v15.6 of the F18D. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

[Victory103]

Had to re-read your post, now understand you have the TMAP mods by Kea. Inside the .zip, only the "add to aicraft.cfg" file added, so I assume you are looking for the original "D" aircraft.cfg? Since "jimi" mentioned most work as going to be on the "C" model, I haven't mod'd the "D", only mildly working the CS (Capt Sim) "D". Older thread and I couldn't get the downloads to work:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,10839.0.html

[lancer27]

   Hi, I found the link you were referring to and thanks. But now it seems I have developed two new problems: 1) When I transferred the liveries I had installed into the F18D to the Tackpak version of the airplane (from the Tackpak download to upgrade the airplanes) only the ones that came with the Tackpak  showed up in FSX (the VMFA-533 bird) The others I had, all the VMFA (AW) squadrons, the aggressor squadrons, the Navy Test Pilot School one, and the VX squadrons liveries didn't appear in FSX.  and 2) when I selected the available F18D's to fly...upon pressing the fly button, the warning message came on screen and said, "Graphics card does not meet minimum requirements for shader support. This product requires a GeForce 3/Radeon 8500 class or better graphics card. Flight Simulator will now exit". I have never seen a warning flag like that before. FSX runs just great as I have it and the F18C is working perfectly fine. Does anyone have any ideas on what could be going wrong? Any help or suggestion would be greatly appreciated.   

[lancer27]

    UPDATE....Hi, the good news is that I now can load the Tackpak enhanced F18D without a graphics card flag coming up. I re-booted my machine and now I can select the F18D, press the fly button, and off I go. The bad news is that once in cockpit I have a green warning band on top of the screen which says: Hornet FCS missing or unexpected configuration. And I seem to be in the Blue Angels number 7 cockpit, the cockpit with the stop watch and smoke select switches in it although I selected the VMFA(AW)-533 livery which is the only livery I have for the F18D. The HUD says FCS Fail on it.  I switched to an outside view, moved the stick and all the control surfaces work fine, the rudder works fine. The load out screen also works fine. Does anyone know of any possible reasons why I maybe getting a FCS Fail on HUD even though all the control surfaces work? Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.   

[PhantomTweak]

Make sure you put the latest, up-to-date, HornetFCS.dll, that came with the v16.1, into your Panel.Fleet folder. Then, alias the D model's panel= lines in the [flightsim.0] (etc) sections of the D model's aircraft.cfg.
Alternatively, copy the Panel.Fleet folder from the v16.1 over to the D model's folder, and then change the panel= lines to Fleet.
I can't swear to it, but I seem to recall reading someplace the BA cockpit is the only one the D model uses, so the above methods MAY not work. I'll see if I can dig that up, if it exists.
In any event, try copying the HornetFCS.dll file over to the D model's Panel folder. I think that will fix that problem. You DID allow the v16.1 to install the correct NETFramework Release (I think it's called) in while it was installing, yes? It seems to be locked while doing this, but it's not, Go get a cuppa Joe, or a snack, or something, and just let it run. It's NOT locked up. I promise
Hope all this babbling helps a little...
Pat☺

[lancer27]

    Hi, I swapped out the A-A's panel.Fleet file of the FSXBA2016 v15.6 of the F18D with the A-A panel.Fleet file from the FSXBA2016 v16.1 of the F18C, the configuration file (in both aircrafts) was already set to =fleet, I hopped into FSX selected the F18D, got into the sim and I still am having the same green ban across the top of the screen that says: Hornet FCS missing or unexpected configuration and the HUD says FCS Fail. Do you think I am using the wrong variant of the F18C panel.Fleet file to swap? Maybe I should use the Base variants panel.Fleet file instead? 

[jimi08]

Lancer,

A few things here:
1.  As stated by PhantomTweak, make sure you have the latest HornetFCS.dll file from the 16.1 version.

2.  With the 16.1 version, you will need to make sure you have the latest version of Microsoft's C++ Redistributable running so the FCS will run properly.  If you have an outdated version, it will produce the green bar and the FCS Fail in the HUD.  Although the jet can be flown and flight control surfaces can be seen moving with the FCS working, the jet will not fly properly and within programmed specifications.  If you install the 16.1 via the autoinstaller, it will install the C++ file automatically.  If you opt for a manual install, the executable is located in a folder called "redist" that is located in the Hornet's main folder.  Another option is to download it directly from Microsoft's website at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48145.  Make sure to download and install the x86 version (vc_redist.x86.exe).

3.  15.6 version is pretty outdated at this point.  I would recommend downloading and installing the 16.1 variant and either swapping out the mdl files of the Charlie for the Delta or amend the CFG and add the extra files needed to add include the Delta alongside the Charlies.  Don't forget to copy over the camera/views section of the Delta model so you can access the back seat view.

4.  If you do decide to use the Delta cockpit mdl, (the one with the rear seat view), you will have to live with the additional Blue Angel augmentation in the front seat.  If you can't live with the Blue Angel stuff in the front, then you can just use the Charlie mdl, but of course, you will not have the back seat modeled in.  Can't have it both was as it sits now.

Hope this helps.

[PhantomTweak]

Microsoft's C++ Redistributable

THAT was the name I was trying to think of! Thank you Jimi
Apparently my brain has gotten full, and the new stuff is pushing the old stuff out slowly...  
Pat☺

[lancer27]

     Hi, OK I have downloaded and installed the F-18C v16.1 and downloaded and installed the tacpack for the F-18C/D, (for the C) ran FSX, selected the F-18C and all ran well and great. I then checked my programs and features from my Control Panel and saw that I have Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 v 14.0.24210.0, which I believe was installed along with the F-18C. The link to Microsoft was actually a link to an older version of the MS Visual C++2015 (the F-18C's version is newer than it). I then took the fa18c_cp_A-A.mdl and FA18C_CP_Interior.MDL from the F-18C's Model.A-A file and placed them into the Model.A-A file of the F-18D. I ran FSX, selected the F-18D and I got a flag that said: Visual model could not be displayed. FA-18D VMFA-533 05 A-A.  I am pretty sure I must of missed something but I am not sure where or what it is. Any help would be greatly appreciated.     

[jimi08]

I would open the Model config file and make sure the file names listed there within are the same as the names of the delta model files (normal and interior).  If not, change to match and save.  Also, check the aircraft.cfg and make sure that you have the correct title listed in the "model" section for the aircraft you want to use.  In the example below, I have "tactical" listed so that it will draw the 3D model from the Model.Tactical folder.  Both this and the model.cfg file have to be configured correctly for the models to show up correctly.

Code: [Select]

[fltsim.2]
title=FA-18C - VFA-147 Argonauts Line Test TP
sim=FA-18_17.1
model=Tactical
panel=Fleet
sound=
Hope this helps.

[PhantomTweak]

I have Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 v 14.0.24210.0, which I believe was installed along with the F-18C.

The latest version I have is 14.0.23506, so as far as I know, that's what the v16.1 installed. Mine works fine. If yours works properly with the newer version, that's great. I would check your list, and see if that's installed too. I can't say that the newer version ISN'T the right one, I'm just saying mine works fine with the older version.
Just a heads-up 
Pat☺

[lancer27]

     Hi, I opened the model config file and the file names were for the F-18C. So I changed them to match the names in the D model. I checked the aircraft config file and made sure that for model it was equal to the A-A variant of the F-18D v15.6. I started FSX, selected the F-18D A-A variant and.....No flag. The flag was gone but the strange thing is that an F-18C loaded and was rotating in the display box in VMFA(AW)-533 markings. I selected an airport, pressed fly now and I was in the Blue Angels cockpit with the stop watch and smoke switches. And also, unfortunately, I still had the green ban on top of the screen that said Hornet FCS-missing or unexpected configuration. So after some time thinking and deliberating and also re-reading your earlier post on maybe the Blue Angels cockpit is the only cockpit the F-18D uses, I have decided that I can live with flying around in the Blue Angel cockpit. I however seem to still have the green ban and FCS Fail on the HUD issue. I was wondering if you say that v14.0.23506 is working for you, should I give it a try, or would the later version that I have  it make trying it mute?

[PhantomTweak]

I would see about install the version I listed. You can have several versions running concurrently (big word for the week ). The v16.1 autoinstaller installs that version, iirc. Just run the installer and select it from the menu, and it should install it for you. Remember, during the installation of the C++ Redistributable, it may SEEM to lock up, but it's not. Just let it go until it's all the way done.
Also, did you put the Hornet_FCS.DLL that comes with the v16.1 into every Panel folder you can find? Better to have it in too many Panel folders than not enough, ya'know?
Good luck!
Pat☺

[Kea]

@Lancer27:

Do you prefer the Blue Angels model with BOTH front and rear pit views or the Fleet model with ONLY the front cockpit view? I can save you a lot of hassle by giving you a link to the latest D models with TacPack and all my liveries if you want - it'll just be a bigger download for you. Bear in mind the liveries for the C models may not work seamlessly with the D model.

[lancer27]

   @PhantomTweak
     Hi, the version of C++ Redistributable that you have comes with the F-18 v16.1? I am wondering why it did not seem to install it on my machine?  In theory, I should also have the version you mentioned but when I checked Control Panel>Programs and Features, I did not see v14.0.23506 on the list. The latest my list says I have is v14.0.24210. Could it possibly be there somewhere hidden?


  @Kea
     Hi, A TacPack enabled D model would be very nice...Thanks. I am not caring if it has just the front cockpit or both. Basically what I am trying for is to build up a Navy aggressor and Marine Corp fleet of aircraft to fill out my FSX hanger.