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    Fokker fodder: FE's new BE2c
    33LIMA
    By 33LIMA,
    First outing with Stephen1918's latest addition to First Eagles/FE2   Of the three current WW1 airwar sims, one of the areas where First Eagles is ahead (and likely to remain so!) is its planeset. Including variants, I have about two hundred installed! This is not just padding - one of the features which distinguished WW1 in the air was the considerable variety of aircraft which fought it. As FE shipped with a small set of planes which just about covered its intended 1918 era, this particular advantage is entirely owed to Third Wire for making its sims so 'open architecture'...and even more, to the many modders who took full advantage. Amongst the most prolific of late, in the FE field, has been Stephen1918, who has added many a fine machine to the WW1 skies. Recently, a good few of these have been from the eastern or Italian theatres, which both now have planesets about as good as the western front in other sims. But with his latest release Stephen's back on duty on the classic, Western Front - it's the Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c.   This machine needs little introduction. It was a mainstay of Royal Flying Corps combat operations from the very first days of the war until about mid-1917, when it was finally replaced, at the front anyway, mainly by the same manufacturer's RE8. First Eagles has had the BE2 for some time, of course, available from the A Team skunkworks. But with skid-type landing gear and an uncowled sump/lower nose, these really portrayed the machine as it would have flown in the first year or so of the war, 1914-15. The new model provides FE with a long-needed version that's representative of the BE as it appeared from sometime during 1915 to 1917. In this form, though benefitting from a lower-drag V-type undercarriage and a cowling around the angular engine sump, it's still armed with a Lewis gun on a mount operated by the observer from his seat ahead of the pilot. Along with a comparatively low-powered engine, this arrangement was of course the BE2's main weakness, long after the Germans had switched the observer and his gun to the rear seat, with the introduction of the 'C' type machines. It's often reported that the BE2d version moved the pilot to the front cockpit too, but I think this is an incorrect reading of the introduction of basic duplicated controls for the 2d's front cockpit observer.   Basically, the BE2 was a good machine that was retained in service long after it should have been replaced by a better type. Those who flew it sang its praises thus, in imitation of the 23rd Psalm:   The BE2c is my bus; therefore shall I want. He maketh me to come down in green pastures. He leadeth me where I wish not to go. He maketh me to be sick; he leadeth me astray on all cross-country flights. Yea, tho I fly o'er No-Man's Land, where mine enemies would compass me about I do fear much evil, for Thou art with me. Thy joystick and Thy prop discomfort me; Thou preparest a crash for me in the presence of mine enemies; Thine RAF annointeth my hair with oil; Thy tank leaketh badly. Surely to goodness Thou shalt not follow me all the days of my life Else I shall dwell in the house of Colney Hatch forever.   Having found that two-seater careers in FE can be dangerous and short, and knowing the BE's reputation, I was somewhat dreading my first campaign mission in the 'Quirk', as it was known. Ever the optimist, I created a brand-spanking-new pilot. I named him Harvey-Kelly, in memory of the pioneer RFC aviator who landed first amongst the RFC's first arrivals in France in August 1914 and served with distinction until, flying a SPAD, he was killed during 'Bloody April' by von Richthofen's Jasta 11. As the new BE is not yet included in an existing campaign, rather than just flying some single missions, I hand-edited Ojcar's Flanders 'Armchair Aces' campaigns to feature the new plane.   Foolishly, I elected to start my campaign in May 1917. By that time, the Eindekkers were long gone and I was thus unlikely to become 'Fokker fodder' - as critics dubbed RFC machines during the 1915 'Fokker scourge'. Furthermore, 'Bloody April' was over and the RFC was beginnng to receive better aircraft, not least the excellent SE5 from the same Royal Aircraft Factory as the machine I would be flying. But this was still a very dangerous time to be flying a BE...as I was soon to find out!   ...to be continued!

    Sky Combat Ace
    Fates
    By Fates,
    Have you ever wanted to experience being a fighter pilot and experiencing the thrill of aerial combat, other than sitting at your desk playing a sim, then get out to Sky Combat Ace, based out of Henderson Airport, Las Vegas (KHND), just a short hop from the Vegas strip.  I had the recent opportunity to sit front seat with one of the country’s best Combat Flying Experiences, Sky Combat Ace.  They will be happy to pick you up and bring you back from your hotel.  On the ride over to KHND, I reached over and turned up the TOOL song playing on the radio.  We both loved the metal bands, and I had just met Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden at the NBAA Convention, so the conversation was great.  Once we arrived, I was greeted by everyone and they were more then happy to answer any of my questions, but more importantly, they took the time to learn more about me, my past experiences, and you simply felt at home with everyone there.
     
    Sky Combat Ace offers many different packages, between the Extra 330, and the Waco.  The full list of experiences can be found here:  Packages.   There are 4 packages in the Extra 330 that will take you from a basic Air Show experience of Loops, Aileron Rolls, and non-stop Spins, to a longer ride that will include many of the same aerobatics thrills, this time with you controlling the stick!  The Sky Combat Experience is just the start for those seeking a Combat Thrill of Dog-Fighting in the sky. You will take the class room as the Combat Instructors will teach you the basic maneuvers you will be performing in the air.  You will be dog-fighting against friends, family, or enjoying the chance to yell "Jetser's Dead!", as you take on another Combat Flight Instructor in air-to-air combat.   If this thrill isn't enough, then take on the Adernaline Rush which will take on all the aerobatics capabilities of the aircraft and propel you into the rush of a life-time.  After the dog-fighting is over you will execute loops, rolls, cuban 8's, hammerheads, tail slides, spins, and Lomcevak (tumble)....and then it's all capped off with a low level surface attack against an SA-5 Simulated ground target!  
     
       
     
    On this adventure, most would choose the quick, sleek, highly maneuverable Extra 330.  These aircraft are nimble and offer an incredible sense of speed as you fly low.  They also offer a great full canopy view of your environment.  What every fighter pilot wants is visibility, and this aircraft offers all of that and more.  But for me, I was looking for something completely different.  I wanted to step back in time when our fighting aces had open cockpits and multiple wings.  Sky Combat Ace offered just such an opportunity to step into a Waco YMF.
     

     
    The Waco F-Series, best known by sporting pilots of the 1930’s to 1940’s did have some military use.  A few Waco Cabin Aircraft originally sold as civilian, were put into military service in World War II and designated the Waco C-72.  These were typically light transport aircraft.   Although many of you may recognize the Waco F-Series, you may also recognize the Waco Glider, CG-4,  used by the US Army Air Force, US Navy, Royal Air Force during the WWII Invasion of Sicily, Normandy, and Operation Market Garden.
     

     
    I sat down with my pilot, Whip, and we discussed a few items prior to flight.  I wasn’t in for any aerobatics, even though this aircraft is fully capable of just about anything.  There was a quick pre-fight of the aircraft and I strapped in the front seat for the ride.  I took myself back to those early years of Combat Aviation, WWI, and the dawn of Air Superiority.   I’ve been in Corporate Aviation for a long time, and have had the privilege of working and flying on just about anything out there.  However, sitting in an open cockpit bi-plane was a something that I had never done, and this ride was going to be one that took me back in time and experience the early years of Combat Aviation.
     
     
    We strapped in, checked our headsets and fired up the 300Hp Jacobs R-755.  The sound of the Radial engine is unmatched in aviation, but feeling the cylinders fire was even a better experience.  We had a short taxi out to 35L and held short to warm up the engine.  Once the oil temp was up, we were cleared for departure.  Hearing the engine come up to power was great.  Although this is no modern jet fighter, and didn’t set you back in your seat when you released the brakes, it was still incredible to feel the power of the aircraft as you departed the earth’s surface. 
     

     
     It was only to be a nice, slow ride out to the Hoover Dam.  Whip allowed me to take the controls, and it was then that I released that this beast was very agile, and just wanted to climb and climb.  Two wings are much better than one with regards to producing lift.  I was constantly on the stick with forward pressure, even after trimming it out quite a bit.  No electric trim here, just your basic stick and rudder piloting.  Trying to keep the aircraft level at altitude was somewhat tiring on the wrist, I can only imagine the golden days of pilots spending lengthy missions in similar aircraft and how exhausted they might feel after a few hours in the air.   A short ride later we were over the Hoover Dam doing several steep S- Turns.  I pictured myself in a Sopwith and Fokkers on an early 1900’s reconnaissance mission somewhere in Europe.  Things were much slower back then compared to the speed of aerial combat today.  After several steep turns, we pointed the nose back to base and began to head home.  You could definitely feel the aircraft react to the local thermals produced by the small mountainous areas.  The aircraft was more than capable of loops, aileron and barrel rolls,  so if your ready to for a full on combat experience, these guys can surely deliver.
     
    http://youtu.be/AVyE_KSiVuM
     
    We turned to final for 35R, and enjoyed smooth landing and rollout.  As we taxied back to the hangar, I couldn’t help but long for going back in time and learning more about those that defined aerial combat.  Sky Combat Ace was a great experience and I would highly recommend to anyone traveling to the Las Vegas area.  I will be returning in a couple years for my next NBAA convention out that way, and I definitely be looking them up for another ride.  It may be in the Extra 330 as we experience more modern aerial combat techniques.  Either way put these guys on your bucket list and enjoy everything they have to offer.  Please visit their website and check out the many options from scenic tours to full throttle combat experiences, you will enjoy every moment.
     

     
    Notes and References:
    http://www.skycombatace.com/
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WACO_Classic_Aircraft
     
      

    CombatACE Spotlight: Interview with Wargaming... Developer of World of War Planes
    Skyviper
    By Skyviper,
    CombatACE Spotlight: Interview with Wargaming   15 years ago a group of friends got together and created a small company that quickly grew over the years. They would focus on strategy based games and put many players to the test. Wargaming is a Russian based company that has developed popular titles such as World of Tanks and World of War Planes. Mr. Sergey Burkatovskiy, the Vice President of Development, has agreed to do an interview and share with us the story of Wargaming.   In 1998 Wargaming was founded by military strategy enthusiasts. What events inspired this small group to found Wargaming? Wargaming was created by Victor Kislyi and his friends who had a passion for computer games.The idea was to switch from playing games into making their own projectsand implement their own vision and desires. During college years,Victor and his brother visited the United States where they learned about the tabletop strategy ruleset De Bellis Antiquitatis. After becoming instant fans of the game they decided to create its PC version. Back in Belarus and out of university, Victor and his brother founded a development studio with a few close friends who shared their passion for games.   What were some of the challenges the group faced and have they overcome those challenges? The transition from a development team into an international company has been a vigorous challenge for us. Talent acquisition and management are much more complex in an international environment. So much time has been devoted to re-structuring the company to create strongleadership in key regions and offices. We’ve also worked diligently to ensure our corporate policies and operations standards are consistent across the globe, while still respecting regional business customs.   Another challenge we have encountered was our expansion into new markets.You can't go into China with the same game client you have prepared for the European audience, and the marketing strategy that works perfectly in the US may be a complete failure if used in Singapore. You can’t address different regions with the same approach; it just doesn't work that way. That’s why we had to tweak ourglobal marketing strategy each time we entered a new region.   How did the company survive and manage to release Operation “Bagration” during the economic crises in 2008 that wiped out many of Russia’s game development companies? No matter how harsh the economic situation is, a really good game will always find its audience. Operation “Bagration offered a state-of-the-art experience for its time.   What inspired the creation of the very successful 2010 release World of Tanks? Our development team is composed of military history enthusiasts. Most of us are from Belarus or Russia and were raised in post-World War II era, giving this topic significant meaning for us. By the time we dreamed up World of Tanks, the company had already shipped several titles set in the mid-20th century. Using our favorite topic for a new game seemed to be a perfect choice.   When Wargaming was recognized by the Guinness Book of Records for having 90,311 players simultaneously playing on the same server, how did that impact the company? It inspired us to improve and grow the game even further, and allowed us to consider the idea of evolving the World of Tanks core concept into a series of WWII-set free-to-play MMO games.   Was the release of World of Warplanes something the fans demanded or was it something that had to be done? We first discussed developing a flight combat MMO game when World of Tanks was still in Closed Beta. Many devs on the team are passionate about flight sims, and making a game about warplanes was a longstanding dream of ours. World of Tanks players shared that passion with us, which pushed us to begin work on World of Warplanes.   How will World of Warplanes differ from other, similar MMOs? World of Warplanes is one of those “easy-to-enter and hard-to-master experiences”, that will keep players engaged for a long time. The game is user-friendly and accessible for beginners without removing a challenge for experts,creating a gratifying experience for everyone.   Intuitive UI, multiple control schemes, and a full-blown Tutorial Mode assist rookies in grasping the flight combat basics, while experienced players are offered a deep system of manual control settings, versatile upgrades, customization options, and a realistic flight model to master their tactical and piloting skills.   World of Warplanes is a free-to-play title integrated with World of Tanks through a single user account and Unified Premium Service. Players need to register only once to get access to all of Wargaming’s projects, websites, and premium account.   According to the FAQ page you are looking to have 100 aircraft from each nation you will add to the game which is impressive. What kind of work goes into making an aircraft? How much time is spent and how much research goes into the development of your aircraft? Before introducing any aircraft, a team of historical consultants run a detailed study of that model. They collaborate with numerous military museums, archives, and libraries around the world, learning as much information about vehicles, nations, and technical characteristics as possible. Once the plane description is ready, artists design 3D models of the aircraft reproducing historically accurate tech specifications. Then, historical consultants check the model's authenticity. If they find any discrepancies, the plane returns to those artists to correct them. Oncea model is approved by historians, the game balance team begins tweaking its combat characteristics to fit it into the ten-tier system. Initial specs are continuously readjusted based on the feedback from super testers before the warplanes are released. The team continues to fine tune them several months post-launch, gathering and analyzing combat stats.   What kind of flight simulation enthusiasts is World of Warplanes seeking to target? Casual flight simmers or hardcore flight simmers or something to appeal to both of those groups? A variety of aircraft classes, a wide range of combat objectives, and realistic flight model will appeal to flight stimulator fans. Detailed vehicle and crew upgrade systems will attract strategy gamers. Accessible controls, dynamics, and short session PvP gameplay format will attract first-person shooter fans.   What are some of the things, for those in the flight simulation community, that can be expected from World of Warplanes now and in the future? We’ll continue to introduce new combat scenarios, including the Squadron Battles requested by our player community.The number of battle arenas will increase with special focus on winter maps. We will start growing the existing tech trees to include all the three featured warplane classes. Then, we’ll introduce new nations into the game.   It appears that Wargaming has everything covered from tanks to planes, and now even warships. What inspired the creation of World of Warships? With tanks on the ground and warplanes in the skies, introducing naval warfare seemed to be the most logical next step.   What are your goals for this MMO? World of Warships will appeal to military enthusiasts keen on naval warfare, and gamers who prefer the strategy genre; drawing anew audience to the Wargaming.net universe.   What can players expect to see in World of Warships? How many nations will there be initially and how many ships for each nation? We’ll start with American and Japanese naval forces. Soviet, German, British and French ships will be added later on. As for ship types, World of Warships will feature battleships, aircraft carriers, light and heavy cruisers, and destroyers.   Will Wargaming combine World of Tanks with World of Warplanes and World of Warships to come up with a dynamic game that will let players use land, sea, and air tactics to conquer their opponents? Merging tanks, naval, and air forces within a single battleground will cripple the game balance of the three titles. The three projects differ from each other in terms of gameplay as theyhave a different combat pace and battle arena size. Each warfare type has its own targetability—tanks are vulnerable to attack from sea and from air and planes don’t stand a chance against heavily-armored military vessels.   The integration of World of Tanks, World of Warplanes, and World of Warships will occur on two levels—on the Global Map and in terms of the unified economic system. In terms of Clan Wars, players will support each other through special consumables. The latter will allow them to transfer Gold and Free Experience between the projects. With the Unified Premium Account, players will have access to the premium status benefits in all Wargaming’s titles.   Will Wargaming have modern versions of World of Tanks, World of Warplanes, and World of Warships? Our titles focus on vehicles of 1930–1950 with no plans to introduce modern warfare. Warplanes, tanks, and ships of the chosen era used minimum automatic technologies, and the combat outcome depended on players’ experience and teamwork, leaving computers and homing missiles out of account and providing for a deep skill-based gameplay.   What is the future for strategy MMOs and how do you see Wargaming shaping that future. The two prevalent trends are free-to-play and multiplatform, and Wargaming is among the companies actively involved in the both. The company’s line-up embraces PCs, consoles, smartphones and tablets, offering a variety of free-to-play multiplayer online experiences so everyone can pick the platform they prefer, or enjoy Wargaming’s trademark gameplay on several devices.   Another perspective global trend that we are happy to witness is crowdfunding. A few years ago many exciting games had no chance of getting published because software giants are only interested in mega hits. We are seeing that change—developers can go outside the traditional studio model and find support for their product through existent fan bases.This has created great opportunities for small to medium sized companies to work with non-traditional methods to reach their fan base and provide products that these people will support.   Do you have any final thoughts for your fans? We are grateful for your feedback and have even more fun games in store for you.   Thank you, Mr. Burkatovskiy, for taking the time to chat with us. Below are some links that will direct you to their associated game if you’re interested in checking any of the titles out. Thank you for stopping by and checking out today’s CombatACE Spotlight.  

    Gterl's Italian Front for FE/FE2
    33LIMA
    By 33LIMA,
    Not for the faint of heart - battling Huns and high ground in scenery to die for!   The latest campaign for World War 1 air combat sim First Eagles/First Eagles 2 is by Gterl and covers the fighting between Italy and Austria-Hungary, 1915 to 1917. Those of us who have been following the development of this new terrain have been slavering over Gterl's screenies and waiting keenly for its release, which has now come:   http://combatace.com/files/file/14440-italian-terrain-incl-1915-1917-campaign/   Better still, the terrain comes complete with a campaign, which - as usual with FE campaigns - you can play from the perspective of any of the flyable planes in any of the featured squadrons, on either side - so it's actually a set of campaigns, covering both scouts (as fighters were called in those days) and the two-seater 'working planes' which mostly did the important stuff - reconnaisance and bombing (although this distinction evolved over time and was only coming into vogue about the time this campaign starts).   As the download page says, you need also to download and install the listed freeware aircraft, most available here at CombatAce, the others at the A Team Skunkworks. Be careful to respect and observe the different registration and download rules at each site.   http://combatace.com/files/category/360-first-eagles-add-on-aircraft/   http://cplengineeringllc.com/SFP1/   Many FE players will already have most or all of these planes installed - I had all but one of them! If not, it's more than worth the effort.   The campaign is built for First Eagles Gold (=original First Eagles plus the Expansion Pack) but works equally well in First Eagles 2, which is what I play. Only thing to note here is to observe the slightly different installation drill for FE2 - for example, the stuff in the folder 'Groundobjects' [plural] should, for FE2, go into a mod (sub-) folder called 'Groundobject' [singular]. Old hands with Third Wire sims like FE and Strike Fighters will know the drill; anyone else can get the 'gen' here at CA on the SF2 knowledge base, or ask for advice.   It's not needed, but I made a second install of FE2 just for this campaign; amongst other things this means if I fly a single mission, I'm less likely to find myself fighting against or alongside planes that didn't serve on the Italian Front. Again, there are posts here at CA which describe the drill for both first (FE) and second generation FE2) Third Wire sims; ask if in doubt. Not difficult and second nature once you know the drill.   The Campaign begins! I elected to kick off playing for the Italian air arm, which I gather was called the Servizio Aeronautico before it became independent of the Army and adopted the more familiar title of Regia Aeronautica.   I usually favour the 1916-1917 era as the earlier planes are decidedly underpowered even by 1917 standards. But this time I decided to start at the beginning, in June 1915. So I created my pilot - Umberto Bernadotte - and found myself assigned to 1a Squadrigilia Veneto, based at San Giovanni.   First thing I noticed was the quality of the opening campaign briefing. It was short but nicely written, I thought, and brought a wry smile to my face. A perfect mood-setter.   We were allocated the Voisin LAS, 120 HP engine version. This is a pusher biplane with a radial engine, unusual compared to the more common rotaries. It's also a two-seater, with the pilot in front and the observer behind, with a Hotchkiss machine-gun mounted on a frame above and behind the pilot's head. I believe this type of machine scored the first recorded air-to-air kill back on the Western Front. Although later, bigger and more powerful Voisins gave sterling service as night bombers, even by mid-1915 they were rather obsolescent and I was not entirely looking forward to taking one of these machines to war, over potentially mountainous terrain, and likely against better-equipped foes. But I had signed up and orders were orders!   And for my first mission, those orders were to carry out an offensive patrol over Flugfeld Galital. This was an Austro-Hungarian aerodrome some distance to the north, on the far side of what looked from the planning map to be some rather high ground.   I decided to take five of us, using the 'Roster' screen to select four companions from the bottom of the list. I got Biron, Pinna, Buscaglia and Novelli - yes you get decent localised names! I'm not sure if this is because I have Capitaine Vengeur's medals pack, or some other mod, installed, but it's a neat touch.   I didn't waste any time, accepted the default loadout (no bombs, I was not going to weigh us down on our first flight over high ground) and headed to the flight line, where my virtual mechanics had the prop swinging as I popped into the cockpit. I opened the throttle immediately, countering a tendency for my machine to nose up on its four-wheel, cart-like undercarriage. Any attempt to pull her off quickly seemed futile and my heart was in my mouth as we got closer and closer to the trees at the end of the airfield. In FE you can 'ghost' through trees but it was still pretty scary! I managed to edge her gently off the grass just as the boundary came up and just about cleared the tree-tops, knowing from past experience with the Voisin that she would happily stall if pushed too hard. Phew!     I gained height slowly, being careful to keep the speed up and not pull the nose up too steeply, for fear of a stall close to the ground, which could have only one ending. Gradually, as we gained height, I was able to spare a bit of time to observe and admire my immediate surroundings, which consisted of pleasant, arable land, fairly level and scattered with many tracts of woodland.     So far, so good! But there was a long way to go. If I had known what lay ahead, I would have been a lot less keen to keep going!   ...to be continued!

    CombatACE Spotlight: Interview with 331 Killerbee
    Skyviper
    By Skyviper,
    CombatACE Spotlight: Interview with 331 Killerbee     In today’s CombatACE spotlight we’ll be focusing on Killerbee who is a long time member and mod developer for the Strike Fighter series. He is also a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.   So, 331 Killerbee, please, tell us a little bit about yourself. I was born on August 27, 1954 in Maryville Tennessee. I come from a long line of Tennesseans that have served the United States Military since the Battle of Kings Mountain. My Ancestors were Wautaugans and are considered one of the first Families to settle in the Frontier in 1772. This applies to both sides of my family as that both have direct ancestors whose names are on the Wautaugan Charter which was a treaty with the Cherokee Tribe and is generally regarded as the first act in the formation of the Great State of Tennessee. As mentioned, I had family at Kings Mountian, also at New Orleans in 1813. Chickamauga in 1863,Saint Mihiel 1918, Leyte Gulf 1944, and Ton Son Nhut 1968. As you can see, I come from somewhat one might call a Military Family. I attended Farragut High School in Knoxville, TN. I graduated in 1971. I played and lettered at Football all four Years as an Offensive End. On June 13, 1972, I joined the U. S. Marine Corps and left for Parris Island, South Carolina. 20 Years later, I retired as a Master Gunnery Sergeant at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. After My Military Career was over, I went to work for the Government again at Y-12 Nuclear Weapons Plant at Oak Ridge, TN for the Department of Energy. I took a partial retirement from DOE after 10 years as weapons production has come to a halt, and layoffs were about to begin. I'm been lovingly married to my wife Ann for 27 years.   What prompted you to join the United States Marine Corps? At that time, The Draft was still in effect. And being a prime candidate for the Draft, I just didn't want to end up in just any Branch of service. This is not a Public Knock against the other Services, but it was my opinion that the Marine Corps was the very best there is. So in true Tennessean fashion, I volunteered before I was drafted. Also, Vietnam was still going on. If I was going over there, it would be as a Marine. But that never came to be.   What did you do in the Corps? I was an Aviation Ordnanceman. We had a saying in the Corps that said this: Avation Ordnanceman. A Man that transforms a Commercial Airliner into a Death and Destruction Device. If it went "BOOM" and went on an Aircraft, I messed with it. I also maintained the Weapons Systems on the Aircraft the Aircraft I worked on were the F-4S, A-4M, AV-8A, TA-8A, Av-8C, AV-8B. As you can see, mainly, "Light Attack" aircraft. But they were far from ever being "Light".  
    Do you care to share any fond memories you have about being in the Corps? Not at all. But there are so many after 20 Years it's hard to think of just one. But I'll share this one because it first comes to mind. I was with the VMA-223. The "Bulldogs" stationed out of MCAS Cherry Point, NC with A-4's. We deployed to MCAS Yuma, AZ. for an AWTU (Air Weapons Training Unit) Exercise. My load crew and I were out on the flight line loading Mk.82's on the Squadron's A-4Ms for that day's flight schedule. All of a sudden there was an A F-4 that was rolling on takeoff and in full burner, heard two loud rocket blasts. We Ordies looked up right away because we knew something wasn't right because we knew what rockets sounded like. Sure enough, the Pilot and RIO just ejected and parachuted to the ground. Crash Crew got a hold of them, not for a few bumps and scratches, they were OK, but the amazing thing was the F-4. It continued to circle the base for what seemed to be at least 15 Minutes. The F-4 had lost all hydraulic pressure during roll, froze the control surfaces. The Gears started to collapse and the arrestor hook had dropped. It's a wonder that they ever got airborne. But I can still see that canopy-less F-4 going around, around and around....before it ever hit the ground.   Wow I’m glad the pilot and RIO are okay. Thank you for telling that amazing story so, what interest you about aviation?  Everything. Even if it goes into Space, I dig it... I'm a true Aviation Geek.
     
    What types of aircraft do you like and what do you find fascinating about them? The first aircraft I ever worked on was the F-4S Phantom. So it'll have to be that. Even though I worked on Harriers a lot and they are fascinating in their own right, it’s the Phantom. It just looks "Mean" to me. I think of it as the "Pit Bull Dog" of fighter aircraft. The U.S.'s first true Multi-Rolled Fighter in my mind.   So it's Phantoms because I was a Phantom Phixer' first in My Career.   What got you interested in flight simulation? My late Son. It was an Interest we were able to both share. I feel he wouldn't have been interested in Aviation and Flight Sims had I not be around Military Aviation for all those Years.    Do you remember the first flight sim you ever played? Falcon X.0........ It was DOS driven   What motivated you to arrive at CombatACE and stay over the years? It was more migration than anything a dedicated Community. Friends, Members and Contacts that I was able to establish over the Years.  It's truly the Friends.....They are Priceless.
      When did you start modding? When my son and I picked up a copy of Strike Fighters Project 1 by Third Wire, Published by Strategy First. That would be back in 2002.  
    What do you enjoy most about modding? The since of Accomplishment and being able to share with others your accomplishment.   What are some of things unpleasant things about modding and how have you dealt with them? What's unpleasant is investing a large amount of time in a mod only to come to the conclusion that it won't work. It's frustrating, but I step back for awhile, gather myself back in, and always keeping in mind that this happens in "Open-ended" Sims. It's the nature of the Beast.    What modding tools do you use and why? Presently, I use PhotoShop, PaintShop and Gimp. Texture Painting is my true niche. I also do object placement in Strike Fighters, but I use only Graph Paper and Pencil for that.....   What is your favorite mod that you have created? I think the Series of AV-8B Harrier II Skins have to be my favorite.....   What is your favorite mod that you did not create? Man, this is a tough Question....And I'm sorry, there is just not one single Mod, but there are several that I could point to as being a favorite. It's a testament to the quality of Artist were have here.    Who is a Modder or group of modders you admire and why? First of all, I admire our whole Community. For the most part, since 2002, This community has stuck together through thick and thin. It also grows stronger by the additions of others that join our Ranks on a daily basis. I have established Friends here over the Years that are just Priceless. And I'll do anything for them.   There are two gentlemen I'd like to call out as being My "Friend" and high quality Artist. On top of that, these two have been there when I've needed them the most. And likewise, if they needed anything from me....All they have to do is ask. Its' done. They would be Sundowner and Ravenclaw_007. Gentlemen, you are true "Friends" and I'm very honored to have you so.    Do you have any favorite quotes or thoughts about being here at CombatACE you’d like to share? Being a "Hard Corp" Flight Simmer for the last 11 Years, has taught me this. There is no better Flight Simming Web Site out there than CombatACE. It's second to none. Thank You for allowing me to be involved in this Interview.
      Again, I feel privileged and honored to have had this Opportunity. Thank Yall' so very much.  SEMPER FI!    Thank you Killerbee for taking the time to tell your story and for being here at CombatACE over the years.  Below are some photos Killerbee shared with us of his USMC days. Thank you for stopping by to check out today’s CombatACE Spotlight.   A Young Buck with VMFA-235...     My last Duty Station. VMA-331 Bumblebees. I'm the 4th on the Right Second Row Kneeling......       Even Changing Crews seemed to be a Big Deal....

    IL-2: 3 Sqn SAAF in East Africa
    33LIMA
    By 33LIMA,
    Flying a South African Air Force Hurricane against the Regia Aeronautica in a WW2 backwater     Notwithstanding the mounting excitement around upcoming new sims, there's still plenty of life in classics like IL-2. I for one was keen to try out a couple of new campaigns released by Greybeard which featured a little-known theatre of operations, Ethiopia and eastern Africa. Here in 1940, Musolini's forces staged an initially-successful offensive into British-controlled territories that was soon rolled back after some stiff fighting, in the air and on the ground. I decided to make a start flying for the victors, in a campaign which puts the player into the cockpit of a Mark 1 Hawker Hurricane in Number 3 Squadron, South African Air Force. The campaign announcement is here:   http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3864227/No_3_Sqn_SAAF_in_East_Africa#Post3864227   I much prefer to fly IL-2 with the Dark Blue World mod. This campaign uses a particular version of the Dgen campaign generator by Asura and although it likely works in DBW I decided to make this my first outing with the Team Diadalos patched version. Before installing DBW I had taken a copy of my IL-2 '46 install (a simple cut & paste operation gives a fully-functional second install) and I patched this with the latest official patches and then the TD patches, to get it fully-up-to-date, then installed the DGen mod and the campaign.   Here's the briefing for the first mission. I was assigned to lead a section of three Hurris on what the USN would call a Combat Air Patrol from our base on a rather barren, possibly volcanic, island off the coast opposite the opposing front lines. Clear enough, although the squadron was described at one point as an 'eskadrilyia' (Hungarian?) and the briefing didn't mention the presence of friendly aircraft, whose radio chatter I began to hear early in the mission.     Anyway here we are, lined up and good to go. The recommended skin is quite superb, don't you think?     Without further ado, I locked the tailwheel, tested the controls, and started up. Flaps set, I opened the throttle gradually to reduce swing, and was soon airborne. Gear and flaps up, I swung right into a climbing turn inland, and having put on a couple of thousand feet, levelled off and throttled back on a course just off north, waiting for my flight-mates to catch up with me.   The island base is nicely done; in fact it reminds me of the old RAF verse, that goes like this:   'A little bit of Heaven fell from out the sky one day And landed in the ocean, oh so very far away. And when the air force saw it, it looked so effing bare They said 'THAT'S what were looking for We'll put the squadron THERE!'     We didn't have long to wait, for the enemy to show up! While my wingmen were still some way behind, I head the call on the radio 'Fighters! One o'clock!'. And there they were - two specks to my right front, about the same level. I gave the others the command to get stuck into them, and turned into them myself, as they appeared to do likewise.     The enemy was a pair of Fiat CR42 biplanes and they were short of neither manoeuvrability nor aggression. I gave their leader a fairly wild burst from my eight Brownings as they whizzed by in a frontal pass but it was no time at all after that before one of the b***ers was above me and shooting, ignoring the tracers from ground MG fire.     For some reason, he then rolled away, perhaps distracted by one of the others. This gave me the chance I needed, and I didn't waste it. I chopped the throttle and rolled in after him, being careful not to push my Hurricane - which I had found in test combats to be prone to stalling - too hard. I got in a good burst and though he was in my sights only briefly, it was enough.     Breaking away and taking stock, the sky seemed clear of enemies, so my comrades had evidently got the other impertinent Italian airman. I ordered a reform, and was relieved that both my chaps answered the call. Relaxed but still alert, I steered south towards our assigned patrol area, throttling back again to let them close on me before gaining height again as we headed into...what?     ...to be continued!

Portal by DevFuse · Based on IP.Board Portal by IPS


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