Douglas A-4E Skyhawk 'VPAF' for STRIKE FIGHTERS 2
 
This is a very simple mod of the stock Third Wire A-4E to create a fictional Skyhawk in service with the Vietnam People's Air Force in the 1975 to 1990 timeline.
 
 
BACKSTORY
 
The building up of the Vietnamese Air Force during 1970 and 1971 as part of President Nixon's 'Vietnamization' process saw it become the world's sixth largest air force and in August 1971 it's capability was given a boost by the transfer of 40 A-4E aircraft flown by USN pilots from carriers positioned around Dixie station who delivered them to Bien Hoa airbase near Saigon. Bien Hoa was itself being handed over to the Vietnamese Air Force at that time but a US presence was maintained
to help with the handover of the aircraft and a four-month conversion course for air and ground crew commenced alongside the establishment of the two squadrons chosen to fly the Skyhawks.
 
During early 1972 the Skyhawks saw limited action until late March when they were pitched against the North's 'Spring Offensive' but they were hampered by the poor weather under which the North stormed forward and with the switch to strategic attacks on the North by the USAF the Skyhawks were withdrawn as Linebacker 1, and the more concentrated and effective Linebacker 2, took centre-stage until the bombing was finally halted and an uneasy ceasefire was introduced after the
Kissinger-Tho Peace Accord.
 
During 1974 the drastic reduction in financial assistance from the US began to hurt the Vietnamese Air Force who retired many aircraft to flyable storage condition including the remaining Skyhawks and with limited funds they preferred to reactivate the elderly A-1 Skyraiders for close air support when skirmishes between NVA and ARVN forces began to become more frequent. NVA advances during late 1974 had been slow but steady but the North had continued to build up their forces until
they were unleashed in early January 1975 and advanced quickly to capture Ban Me Thuot and the nearby military airfield where the mothballed Skyhawks were discovered although at least six were damaged by NVA shelling.
 
Like many Vietnamese Air Force aircraft the Skyhawks were pressed into service with the Vietnam People's Air Force who were quick to show the aircraft in service for propaganda purposes but who also found the Skyhawk to be a useful attack aircraft and used the type in the border conflict with the Khmer Rouge forces of Cambodia (Democratic Kampuchea) and the invasion of Cambodia in December 1978 quickly followed by attacks against invading Chinese forces in February 1979.
These actions and the deteriorating spares situation led to the grounding of the remaining Skyhawks in the early 1980's but it is believed that spares were soon obtained covertly to keep them in service until 1990.
 
 
INSTRUCTIONS
 
1. From the AIRCRAFT folder drag and drop the A-4E_VPAF folder into your Aircraft folder.
 
2. From the DECALS folder drag and drop the A-4E_VPAF folder into your main Decals folder.
 
3. From the WEAPONS folder drag and drop the FAB500_M62 folder into your main Weapons folder.
 
 
CREDITS
 
Thanks to Third Wire for the continuous improvement of a great little game/sim.
 
Thanks to the creator of the FAB500_M62 bomb - I just wanted something different compared to the stock FAB's.
 
And thanks to everyone in the wider Third Wire community.
 
Regards
 
Spinners
 
Version 1 - 05/04/13

Junkers Ju-87A-2 flyable plane for
Strike Fighters 2 from ThirdWire, august 2013
 
This plane was build as part of the Munich 1938 campaign for
Strike FIghters 2. Unfortunately due the HDD crash I lost the original 3D file
and layered textures and this is whats left.
There is some hierarchy issue, but you probably never find it :-)
 
Credits:
3D Model Textures by me, Monty CZ
There are 2 versions of data (FM) packed. One by me (A-2) and one by NeverEnough (Bill) (A-3)
Cockpit by Stary
 
Monty CZ

Sukhoi Su-7P 'Fitter-A' for STRIKE FIGHTERS 2
 
This is a very simple mod of the stock Third Wire Sukhoi Su-7P to create a fictional export version in service with the Parani Air Force during the 1968-1999 timeline and includes NMF and Camo skins. This update allows me to include Stary's excellent Su-7 pit.
 
 
INSTRUCTIONS
 
1. From the AIRCRAFT folder drag and drop the Su-7P folder into your Aircraft folder.
 
2. From the DECALS folder drag and drop the Su-7P folder into your main Decals folder.
 
3. From the PILOTS folder drag and drop the PILOT_PARAN folder into you main Pilots folder.
 
4. From the SOUNDS folder drag and drop the SOVIET_DRY and SOVIET_WET files into your main Sounds folder.
 
 
CREDITS
 
Thanks to TK and Third Wire for the continuous improvement of a great little game/sim.
 
Thanks to Stary for giving us this delightful Su-7 pit.
 
And thanks to everyone in the wider Third Wire community.
 
Regards
 
Spinners
 
Version 2 - 24/08/13
 
Version 1 - 22/01/13

MiG-21PFM 'Mongolian People's Republic' for STRIKE FIGHTERS 2
 
This is a very simple mod of the stock MiG-21PFM to give a 'Fishbed-F' in service with the Air Force of the Mongolian People's Republic. I've added an extra 'M' to the designation to keep it separate from the true MiG-21PFM but by all means just add the skin and decals to your standard MiG-21PFM.
 
I was inspired to do this by the outstanding photographs at the following;
 
http://forums.airsho...php?f=40&t=4634
 
Please check it out!
 
 
INSTRUCTIONS
 
1. From the AIRCRAFT folder drag and drop the MiG-21PFMM folder into your Aircraft folder.
 
2. From the DECALS folder drag and drop the MiG-21PFMM folder into your Decals folder.
 
 
CREDITS
 
As always, thanks to Third Wire for the continuous improvement of a great little game/sim.
 
Thanks to Paladrian for the MiG-21 pit.
 
And thanks to everyone in the wider Third Wire community.
 
Regards
 
Spinners
 
Version 2 - 24/08/13
 
Version 1 - 02/09/11

McDonnell Douglas F4H-1 'Project High Jump' for STRIKE FIGHTERS 2
 
This is a simple mod of the stock F-4B to give a representation of one of the most famous Phantoms of all time - F4H-1 149449 that was used to set eight 'time-to-climb' records during early 1962 at NAS Brunswick, Maine and at NAS Point Mugu, California.
 
Most books on the Phantom make reference to this astonishing series of record-breaking flights (even more remarkable as they were production machines and not stripped down prototypes) and there are some good articles on the interweb too.
 
N.B. Stopwatch not included!
 
 
INSTRUCTIONS
 
1. From the AIRCRAFT folder drag and drop the F-4B_PHJ folder into your Aircraft folder.
 
2. From the DECALS folder drag and drop the F-4B_PHJ folder into your Decals folder.
 
 
CREDITS
 
Thanks to Third Wire for the continuous improvement of a great little game/sim.
 
And thanks to everyone in the wider Third Wire community.
 
Regards
 
Spinners
 
Version 2 - 23/08/13
 
Version 1 - 31/01/10

BAe Sea Kestrel FRS.1 for STRIKE FIGHTERS 2
 
This is a fictional operational version of the British Aerospace P.1214 project in service with the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm.
 
The 3D model is by Cocas and I've been honoured to have been allowed to play with it and package it up for release as best as I can with limited time but I hope you enjoy it as much as I have because it's huge fun! Three Royal Navy skins are included in two different shades of grey and I've also included a USMC 'Shamrocks' skin as a bonus.
 
 
BACKSTORY
 
The cancellation of the proposed CVA-01 aircraft carrier in 1966 left the Royal Navy with no replacements in sight for both HMS Eagle and HMS Ark Royal and thus began a slow and painful run down in the Fleet Air Arm's fixed-wing capability. But in April 1973 the Admiralty were given a glimmer of hope by being allowed to procure three 'anti-submarine warfare' carriers of the Invincible class. Whilst primarily designed to accommodate large numbers of medium sized ASW helicopters the Admiralty sensibly allowed for the deployment of the V/STOL Harrier and quickly followed up the order for the carriers with an initial order for 24 Sea Harriers (later increased to 34).
 
Entering service in 1978 (but not declared operational until 1981) the small Sea Harrier force performed remarkably well in the 1982 Falklands Conflict and with confidence high the Admiralty immediately planned for the attrition replacement of the six Harriers lost, the speedy introduction of an improved version and also the design and development of a supersonic V/STOL successor. The first two elements of this plan were immediately approved but, in January 1983, the Admiralty were informed that the Sea Harrier replacement would have to be part of the RAF's Air Staff Target 403 (AST 403) essentially for a planned successor for the Jaguar and Harrier in RAF service.
 
During this time the British Aerospace (BAe) design team at Kingston (formerly the Hawker design team) had been sketching advanced V/STOL designs to meet AST 403 and could see that the involvement of the Royal Navy would lead to a larger UK programme and also open up a larger export market for an aircraft designed both for land-based and carrier-based use. By March 1983 the Kingston design team had dusted off their P.1214 project and offered several versions to the UK Ministry of Defence. The build-up to the 1983 British General Election saw the Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher, make capital of the UK's victory in the previous year's Falklands War and on the promise of 'strong defence' announced the decision to procure a successor to the Sea Harrier on June 2nd, 1983 with an order for 50 P.1214's for the Fleet Air Arm and a further 200 P.1214's for the RAF with initial deliveries going to the Royal Navy. Development moved smoothly and, as a nod towards the P.1214's lineage, the BAe design team renamed the aircraft Kestrel II.
 
Entering service in May 1988 with the newly reformed 899 Naval Air Squadron the Sea Kestrel FRS.1 served with four frontline Fleet Air Arm squadrons seeing service in both Gulf Wars and also the Second Falklands War of 2002.
 
 
INSTRUCTIONS
 
1. From the AIRCRAFT folder drag and drop the SeaKestrelFRS1 folder into your Aircraft folder.
 
2. From the DECALS folder drag and drop the SeaKestrelFRS1 folder into your main Decals folder.
 
3. From the PILOTS folder drag and drop the PILOT_RN folder into you main Pilots folder.
 
4. From the WEAPONS folder drag and drop all of the enclosed folders into your main Weapons folder.
 
 
CREDITS
 
Thanks to Third Wire for the continuous improvement of a great little game/sim.
 
Massive thanks to Cocas for creating the 3D model.
 
Both Cocas and I are grateful to Dels for creating the superb F-23/F-29 cockpit used here.
 
And thanks to everyone in the wider Third Wire community.
 
Regards
 
Spinners
 
Version 1 - 27/04/13

Douglas Skyraider A-1J 'COAN' for STRIKE FIGHTERS 2
 
This is a simple mod of the stock Thirdwire A-1J to give a flyable 'what if' Argentine Skyraider with markings for 2nd Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque, Comando de Aviación Naval Argentina as it might of appeared in the late 1950's and early 1960's.
 
This mod requires you to have Strike Fighters 2:Vietnam so that you have the necessary Third Wire A-1 LOD's that are not included here.
 
 
INSTRUCTIONS
 
1. From the AIRCRAFT folder drag and drop the A-1J_COAN folder into your Aircraft folder.
 
2. From the DECALs folder drag and drop the A-1J_COAN folder into your Decals folder.
 
3. From the PILOTS folder drag and drop the PILOT_COAN into your Pilots folder.
 
 
CREDITS
 
Thanks to Third Wire for the continuous improvement of a great little game/sim.
 
Extra special thanks to CA_Stary for the cockpit (original read me enclosed).
 
And thanks to everyone in the wider Third Wire community.
 
Regards
 
Spinners
 
Version 2 - 23/08/13
 
Version 1 - 17/10/10

McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom 'VNAF' for STRIKE FIGHTERS 2
 
This is a very simple mod of the stock Third Wire F-4C to create a fictional Phantom in service with the Vietnamese Air Force in the 1973 to 1975 timeline.
 
 
BACKSTORY
 
The end of the Linebacker campaign on October 23rd, 1972 coincided with the US Government's 'Project Enhance Plus' - essentially the building up of the Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) to an adequate level to sustain effective operations after any final ceasefire and, more importantly for domestic politics, to continue the fight after the complete withdrawl of US forces. In a rush effort, 288 aircraft were transferred to the VNAF including 116 F-5's Freedom Fighters, 90 A-37's Dragonflys and 28 A-1 Skyraiders. Not content with that, South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu specifically asked for F-4 Phantoms explaining that he felt that the VNAF was being issued with aircraft that were short on range and unable to carry the fight to the North.
 
Initially refused, US President Nixon later added an amendment to 'Project Enhance Plus' by allowing the transfer of 36 F-4C Phantoms from USAF stocks. The war-weary F-4C's began to arrive in early 1973 to equip two squadrons of the VNAF based at Tan Son Nhut airbase seeing sporadic action during the uneasy truce and scattered skirmishes of 1973 and 1974. However, when NVA forces burst through the crumbing South Vietnamese defences during April 1975 they quickly captured Bien Hoa airbase to the north of Saigon and immediately swung west to capture Tan Son Nhut airbase catching most the surviving 27 F-4C's of the VNAF on the ground. The Phantoms were inspected and overhauled by Chinese technicians before entering service with the 927th Fighter Regiment of the Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) who operated the type until 1982 when they were grounded by a chronic spares shortage.
 
 
INSTRUCTIONS
 
1. From the AIRCRAFT folder drag and drop the F-4C_VNAF folder into your Aircraft folder.
 
2. From the DECALS folder drag and drop the F-4C_VNAF folder into your main Decals folder.
 
3. (Optional) From the PILOTS folder drag and drop the PILOT_VNAF1 and PILOT_VNAF2 folders into your main Pilots folder.
 
 
CREDITS
 
Thanks to Third Wire for the continuous improvement of a great little game/sim.
 
And thanks to everyone in the wider Third Wire community.
 
Regards
 
Spinners
 
Version 1 - 06/04/13