Top Gun A-4F 'Super Fox/ Mongoose' for Strike Fighters 2 (Mk.II)

+**dtmdragon** · January 27, 2012

Top Gun A-4F 'Super Fox/ Mongoose' for Strike Fighters 2 (Mk.II)

This an update and replacement of the A-4 Super Fox I have previously released: http://combatace.com...updated-270111/ HOWEVER, this mod uses the DLC A-4G as the base model as it is an F model Skyhawk but without the avionics hump which is what the Super Fox is.

So this means if you don't have the DLC A-4G this will not work and you should stick to the previous version in the above link. If you do have the DLC A-4G delete the old Super Fox from your mods folder and use this one instead.

This aircraft is the modified A-4 Super Fox/ Mongoose used as an Aggressor aircraft by the US Navy Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun) from 74 till 94. The Super Fox was the ultimate adversary Skyhawk as it was equipped with updated J52-P-408 engine giving 11,200 pounds of thrust. The Super Fox also had its avionics hump and associated equipment stripped reducing its weight and giving it an impressive, better than 1:1, thrust to weight ratio. Other modifications included the wing slats being bolted closed and removal of the cannons.I have retained the countermeasure dispensers as I couldn’t find any information indicating they were removed but with no ECM or RWR I would advise you to avoid being engaged at beyond visual range.Best way to enjoy this bird is to set up a guns only dogfight with the mission editor and go head to head with a few Tomcats.

Additional Features:

- 9 different Aggressor skins including US Navy and USMC versions.

- Cannon barrels have been removed from the 3D model. However the cannons will still fire and I have modified the cannons to be more accurate and more reliable in an effort to more accurately simulate combat with an aggressor aircraft. By this I mean all you needed to do in real life was to get the 'enemy' aircraft in your gun sight and call "Guns kill" so jamming guns or inaccurate cannons weren't an issue so I've stoped it happening in the game.

- Top Gun Pilot Skin

INSTILLATION:

1, Delete previous A-4F_Super_Fox from your mods folder.

2, Drop the extracted files in to the appropriate folders.

3, If you have an extracted and modified NATIONS.INI file than add the following to it if you haven't already: (If you haven't, a modified NATIONS.INI file is included)

[NationXXX]

Name=AGRS

DisplayName=Aggressors (Red)

Alignment=ENEMY

PlayerFlyable=TRUE

Mercenary=FALSE

PilotNameList=NamesUS.lst

RankList=RanksUSAF.lst

CallsignList=CallsignsUS.lst

Formation.Fighter=USFighter

Formation.Attack=USFighter

Formation.Bomber=USBomber

Formation.Transport=USBomber

Formation.Tank=USTank

Formation.MobileAD=USAD

PilotTrainingStandard=EXCELLENT

GenderRatio=0

CampaignWinMusic=

DebriefSuccessMusic=DebriefSuccess.wav

DebriefFailMusic=DebriefFail.wav

DebriefKilledMusic=DebriefKilled.wav

SpeechFile=USAFSpeech.cat

SpeechTextFile=USAFSpeechText.cat

Medals=MedalsUSAF.ini

MedalTextFile=MedalsUSAF.str

Mod Has only been tested/used in a merged install of ALL SF2 titles with the DLC A-4G installed.

Third Wire DLC A-4G available here: https://store.thirdw...e_dlc.htm

Credit goes to column5 for their A-4E Super Echo which gave me the idea and various skins which I updated to work in SF2.

Enjoy,

Dan.

Submitter

dtmdragon
Submitted

01/27/2012
Category

A-4

+***EricJ*** · January 27, 2012

Nice work!

+**Dave** · January 27, 2012

Exxcellent work!

**Slartibartfast** · January 27, 2012

Outstanding work... :drinks:

+**dtmdragon** · January 27, 2012

Cheers guys

**Spinners** · January 27, 2012

Top Gun Class

+**Soulfreak** · March 20, 2012

Great one! :drinks:

Makes a lot of fun with the Stock F-14A!

**mono27** · April 3, 2012

Nice work!! Now we need the Scal terrain for SF2.

fringeaggressor · April 6, 2012

Big Mongoose/Super Fox fan, and wanted to mention two things of note (that may or may not be editable in the modelling- I don't know how all these things work):

1. The TOPGUN A-4s had their slats bolted closed up until the arrival of "Hawk" Smith as CO. At that point, he ordered them unbolted, as the closed slats, as opposed to being "flex-wing", made them greatly under-perform from their true potential. This was done based on a technicality: that is, Hawk sent a letter stating his intent to remove the limitation on the A-4s up the chain of command, and he never received a reply rescinding the unbolting order. Along with the unbolting instruction to the maintainers went orders to replace the red safety paint with applicable camouflage, so that the world (read, the opponent) wasn't informed of the status of the slats close in.

2. It's my understanding that the ACMI software can only model the M61A1; if the simulated ballistic performance of the Colts can be replaced by that of the M61 (perhaps with the net damage halved, since the system looked at the A-4 as having only one gun, but the model has the proper two), you'd get what you're after.

This is a very nice piece of work. Thanks!

+**Crusader** · April 8, 2012

ROGER BALL!

Great book.

+**dtmdragon** · April 8, 2012

What year were the slats unbolted? If they weren’t unbolted for more than half the operational life of the Top Gun A-4s I won't change them or I could possibly have two year specific aircraft.

Big Mongoose/Super Fox fan, and wanted to mention two things of note (that may or may not be editable in the modelling- I don't know how all these things work):

1. The TOPGUN A-4s had their slats bolted closed up until the arrival of "Hawk" Smith as CO. At that point, he ordered them unbolted, as the closed slats, as opposed to being "flex-wing", made them greatly under-perform from their true potential. This was done based on a technicality: that is, Hawk sent a letter stating his intent to remove the limitation on the A-4s up the chain of command, and he never received a reply rescinding the unbolting order. Along with the unbolting instruction to the maintainers went orders to replace the red safety paint with applicable camouflage, so that the world (read, the opponent) wasn't informed of the status of the slats close in.

2. It's my understanding that the ACMI software can only model the M61A1; if the simulated ballistic performance of the Colts can be replaced by that of the M61 (perhaps with the net damage halved, since the system looked at the A-4 as having only one gun, but the model has the proper two), you'd get what you're after.

This is a very nice piece of work. Thanks!

Edited April 8, 2012 by dtmdragon

fringeaggressor · April 9, 2012

What year were the slats unbolted? If they weren’t unbolted for more than half the operational life of the Top Gun A-4s I won't change them or I could possibly have two year specific aircraft.

1977. Hawk took over the school in December of '76.

+**dtmdragon** · April 9, 2012

I used the following link as the basis for a lot of the info on the Super Fox/Mongoose modifications: http://a4skyhawk.org/2c/mongoose-superfox.htm however most pics on the net of a Top Gun A-4F on the ground seem to show them with their slats dropped, so I think I will do a second year specific aircraft to represent the post 1977 aircraft if your reference material is solid on that date?

1977. Hawk took over the school in December of '76.

fringeaggressor · April 9, 2012

I used the following link as the basis for a lot of the info on the Super Fox/Mongoose modifications: http://a4skyhawk.org...se-superfox.htm however most pics on the net of a Top Gun A-4F on the ground seem to show them with their slats dropped, so I think I will do a second year specific aircraft to represent the post 1977 aircraft if your reference material is solid on that date?

Set in stone. I've also got video of the school in that time frame showing them open.

**Toryu** · April 10, 2012

Fringe, do you have more info on the performance-differences between bolted and unbolted slats?

Looks like the the bolted-shut modification came along with the Blue Angels modification. With the BAs, there certainly was little fancy for an asymmetrical slat-deployment during formation-aerobatics.

With the occasional Mike and Tee versions flying around in the AGGR squadrons, the policy was propably also a standardization- and safety-issue (at least during the 80s).

fringeaggressor · April 11, 2012

Fringe, do you have more info on the performance-differences between bolted and unbolted slats?

Would AoA v. Mach (including regions of buffet type), showing the nice addition of available AoA units below 0.7 be of assistance? If so, I can forward the two applicable NATOPS pages.

With the occasional Mike and Tee versions flying around in the AGGR squadrons, the policy was propably also a standardization- and safety-issue (at least during the 80s).

Smith had a fairly reasonable opinion on that subject (paraphrased): "if you're an aggressor and you can't feel the fact that the slats aren't deploying symmetrically, you're in the wrong occupation".

**Toryu** · April 11, 2012

I actually do have a NATOPS of the E/F/G (although only for the -6 and -8 engines) here :)

Just made a quick and dirty-search for performance-related stuff yesterday night. I'll have to re-read that again, though :D

I haven't found anything about different departure-tendencies or pitchup tendencies, though.

Smith had a fairly reasonable opinion on that subject (paraphrased): "if you're an aggressor and you can't feel the fact that the slats aren't deploying symmetrically, you're in the wrong occupation".

I have read some pilot-input and other then Pax-River evaluations, they're pretty conclusive on the roll-onset being pretty much controlable, gradual and noticeable in advance.

NATOPS states, that at 5 KIAS above stallspeed (or was is 5 units AOA below stall? It really was late last night :D ), you'd need full aileron to counter the roll...

Edited April 11, 2012 by Toryu

**Toryu** · April 12, 2012

Fringe, do you have the AoA over Mach graphs for the P408 engines as well? :salute:

+**HomeFries** · April 15, 2012

dtmdragon,

I really like the job you did, but I'm having an issue that hopefully you can help solve.

I am using your modified NATIONS.INI, but I can't get Aggressors (RED) to show up as a nation when I choose to fly the A-4F in a single mission. As such, I'm afraid I'm missing some of the "national" markings.

The datafiles all look consistent, so I have no idea why I can't get Aggressors to show up.

Thanks,

+**dtmdragon** · April 15, 2012

I just re-downloaded the super fox pack and installed it in a clean mods folder and it worked fine. So I don't know what you are doing wrong, all I can say is make sure you follow the installation instructions in the readme and override any files if you are prompted. The nations.ini file should be sitting in the 'flight' folder inside your mods folder.

dtmdragon,

I really like the job you did, but I'm having an issue that hopefully you can help solve.

I am using your modified NATIONS.INI, but I can't get Aggressors (RED) to show up as a nation when I choose to fly the A-4F in a single mission. As such, I'm afraid I'm missing some of the "national" markings.

The datafiles all look consistent, so I have no idea why I can't get Aggressors to show up.

Thanks,

fringeaggressor · April 16, 2012

Fringe, do you have the AoA over Mach graphs for the P408 engines as well?

Let me dig a bit around the hard drives to see. :)

+**HomeFries** · April 16, 2012

The nations.ini file should be sitting in the 'flight' folder inside your mods folder.

Thanks for the reply. I had NATIONS.INI in the Menu folder, and thought that it was working because some of the other changes actually took. :dunno:

Operator error on my end; It's working sat now.

**Toryu** · April 16, 2012

BTW:

The photo-section of the NFWS on the Skyhawk-Assn's website does back-up Fringe's information.

Right up to 1977, the slats on most pictures are wired shut, afterwards they're re-activated :cool:

http://a4skyhawk.org/3e/nfws/nfws.htm

Edited April 16, 2012 by Toryu

fringeaggressor · April 21, 2012

Just a head's up- nothing as of yet. Still searching to see if I have anything on the aforementioned airframe/engine combination. :)

Top Gun A-4F 'Super Fox/ Mongoose' for Strike Fighters 2 (Mk.II)

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