Bird Dog Released

[WidowsSon 135]

Do you mind mentioning some of them so I can have a look without playing where's waldo.

[Todd2 2,112]

I'm just talking about changing the overall appearance.  The cockpit looks much nicer now they rounded off the angled corners and zoomed out the view.  I think it's a decent plane now they even have a USMC paint scheme added on now.

[WidowsSon 135]

8 minutes ago, Todd2 said:

I'm just talking about changing the overall appearance.  The cockpit looks much nicer now they rounded off the angled corners and zoomed out the view.  I think it's a decent plane now they even have a USMC paint scheme added on now.

Those are not changes to the cockpit model. They changed some texture colours and I agree, they look better, but the model is the same.

[Todd2 2,112]

7 minutes ago, WidowsSon said:

Those are not changes to the cockpit model. They changed some texture colours and I agree, they look better, but the model is the same.

Cant you see where they rounded off the edges that were previously angled?  Anyways I'm enjoying the plane now finally it really felt cheap before this update now to me at least it is on par with the default planes.  I'm enjoying flying it esp with the new USMC livery since I was in the USMC.

[WidowsSon 135]

Glad you are enjoying it, but on par with default planes is a clear overstatement.

Haven't found any default planes with an altimeter that doesn't work properly. Its just unfinished. Hopefully this can be a statement that is more difficult to make with version 7 in a few weeks/months.

[n4gix 4,947]

On 9/29/2020 at 4:47 PM, Steve Dra said:

Here is a review by a very good and unbiased reviewer. (and he even waited for the v1.1 patch to come out because he didn't want to unfairly rate the plane until it had its 1st patch...24 hours out of the gate.)

I quite enjoyed both the initial review and the second v1.2 updated review. While the first may have seemed "brutal" I have to say it was well delivered. I'm happy to see that many of the cited items have been fixed, and hope that BB will continue to refine the model.

As a developer myself and having studied the new paradigm in MSFS, I have to say that we devs will have to re-evaluate how we approach every aspect of development. There truly is not much commonality between the way things over the past many years have been done, and the entirely new (and frankly confusing) methodology.

The new sound system using is totally different, but this new system means that we devs no longer have to utilize a self-made or other custom sound module.

[CFIJose 5,485]

On 10/5/2020 at 3:15 PM, WidowsSon said:

Glad you are enjoying it, but on par with default planes is a clear overstatement.

Haven't found any default planes with an altimeter that doesn't work properly. Its just unfinished. Hopefully this can be a statement that is more difficult to make with version 7 in a few weeks/months.

I only came to this thread after watching some of your other reviews and I'm very impressed with all of them. You have a gift and I hope that you continue to deliver these wonderful reviews which I enjoy watching & listening to.

As far as the Bird dog goes, I had the FSX version and that one took a few year to perfect. It was a joy to fly, but it's a plane that I had no interest in buying again. The dev had a very unique way of allowing installations and that was a turn off for me. Every time I hear the name bird dog it's a negative anchor that I wish I did not re-live.

[FrankR409 514]

32 minutes ago, DJJose said:

I only came to this thread after watching some of your other reviews and I'm very impressed with all of them. You have a gift and I hope that you continue to deliver these wonderful reviews which I enjoy watching & listening to.

As far as the Bird dog goes, I had the FSX version and that one took a few year to perfect. It was a joy to fly, but it's a plane that I had no interest in buying again. The dev had a very unique way of allowing installations and that was a turn off for me. Every time I hear the name bird dog it's a negative anchor that I wish I did not re-live.

David’s videos are fantastic, always fair and balanced.  I am subscribed to his channel, and my list of followed content is a small one.

[Steve Dra 7,588]

So everyone has a chance to see that the Dev here is in fact updating this plane, and I hold no hidden agendas 🙂 . (I have a quite obvious agenda that I want new Simmers, who know nothing of our group of venders, to have a chance to at least know the history of the ones they are buying from).

Anyway.....I hear that we're up to version 1.4 and he claims it does address the quality of the gauges....which were about the most clear example of a "Sore thumb" that there ever was!  Having those v 1.0 gauges in your face..... of a plane you paid $29US for was surely making new customers rethink their decision, and I'm actually relived that they were not left hanging, like his other, older customers, which leads to all the hoopla about this devs "history"...that was clearing missing in any sales brochures when he broke into the MSFS market. 🙂

Since that point is moot as he seems to be actively updating and improving the Birddog, it will only become relevant again when the next plane comes out (I'm betting Bulldog) and if the Birddog still needs updates to improve it to a $29US purchase.  Time will tell.  I guess I should ask the Birddog owners here if they feel 1.4 brings the plane to the real v 1.0, and if he moved on to other planes, you'd be OK with never getting anymore updates to it?

In the mean time....wanted to bump this post up with the 1.4 info...and hope to see pics of the improvements being posted.  Curious to see what it looks like...but not enough to buy it at the current price.....I honestly think there is just not enough plane there for that price....esp since we just got a fantastic little Italian jet trainer for $23.50US with a tremendously more complex cockpit and looks to have outstanding modeling! 🙂

 

[sd_flyer 6,047]

OK I got 1.4. Cockpit texture somewhat lacking in my 4k setup. I don't know how original plane looked.

So far I picked up

1. Suction gauge doesn't drop when RPM goes to 100 below

2. Throttle cable animation is wrong. When throttle goes to idle cable partially intersects with interior  

3. Bad sound comparing with Carenao. But here it's in par with Long EZ (as an example).

Flight model is believable. I can start from cold and dark (someone before wrote they couldn't)

I was able to spin L-19 

What I like! Beat up interior and exterior  I love those not "perfect" scratch, torn painting.

Will test more

[sd_flyer 6,047]

throttle cable animation bug

front view

The best part of L19 🙂

[sd_flyer 6,047]

I really don't know what is this black disk at prop hub. I guess dark magic! 🙂

[Steve Dra 7,588]

On 10/19/2020 at 4:54 PM, sd_flyer said:

I really don't know what is this black disk at prop hub. I guess dark magic! 🙂

Not really sure either....but a minor thing in my opinion compared to some of the earlier issues....I guess after you stare at it for a while it starts to become a major thing. 🙂 

Checked to see if it was somehow a thing with the real Birddog...the video below at about 2:20 seems to prove otherwise:

 

On 10/19/2020 at 4:48 PM, sd_flyer said:

The best part of L19

Yeah...and I've heard that she's not giving you a proctologic exam with her feet anymore.  Good on BBS for that!  After 5 updates, the plane seems to be at, what some would call a v 1.0.

On 10/19/2020 at 4:40 PM, sd_flyer said:

OK I got 1.4. Cockpit texture somewhat lacking in my 4k setup. I don't know how original plane looked.

I "think" its actually up to 1.5....and "somewhat lacking" is probably the best you're going to get unless he does some radical re-model and texturing work (I don't see that from him personally, and which is why I have such an issue with this being pushed out of the gate as a $29 addon....especially how the v 1.0 looked!  He has been updating it, true, and a good thing...but it's because he's HAD to!)

I'm super-curious to see where the updates stop on this plane.  If past history has any bearing on that...it will be shortly after he releases his Bulldog (if not before).   Hmmm.....2 "dogs" on the market. (This plane is actually shaping up....to the point I'd buy it for $14.99, sadly its not being offered at that price)