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I could have sworn I was never going to make skins for Strike Fighters anymore. I thought I had promised myself I was done... VMA(AW)-533's A-6E TRAM Intruders as they appeared during a rare carrier deployment with CVW-3 aboard USS John F. Kennedy. The BuNos and modex numbers are specific to the 1986 deployment, but can work for the 1988 Med Cruise as well. Sized for the Thirdwire A-6E (79) TRAM Intruder, but will also work for the A-6E(90) from the SuperPack. 12 aircraft will be represented, all with slight variation in markings. Still WIP, and in the years out of practice, my skills haven't gotten any better, but I might release these when they're done. Forgive the screen archery.

pretty bird

Morning Dragons

I need the help of a native speaker. In the target.data i have several target areas called "... local communist party bureau". Is this correct or should it be: "... local communist party office" ? I like the idea to drop bombs on the bigwigs, guys which send out soldiers to die and hide itself in save distance from the frontline.

Picked a really bad day to be be a Soviet bomber pilot

Got some more work done on the base skin. The weathering is based on photos I have of BuNo 152641, which was with the Hawks as Modex 543 during the 1988 cruise. 152641 and several of the other squadron jets were rebuilt from early A-6As, and thus the perforated fuselage speedbrake. All of them were painted in the standard 3-tone TPS, but were heavily spot painted and corrosion controlled, looking every bit of their nearly 30 years old.

that or Regional Party HQ possibly naming the region if you so desired (Hanoi Party HQ, Quang Tri Party HQ etc)

Yes ...but there is always a but. Starting from 154170, fuselage speed brakes were totally deleted from production and replaced with blank panels. It is noticeable in those A to E rebuilds that airframes with lower BuNo have original perforated speed brake panels. On your screenshots, '159905' was manufactured as E, thus it would never have perforated speedbrakes. In short, any rebuilt A-6A into E with BuNo higher than 154170 would have blank panels. Last A built is BuNo 157029 (later rebuilt into E). The original A-6E production line started with BuNo 158041. In the 30th Anniversary Desert Storm mod, we made A-6E with decal-perforated-speed-brakes. So those airframes that should have blank panels have blank panels, and those with old-style speedbrakes have a decal imitating a perforated surface. edit: Yes there were a few airframes that were modified during service and are exceptions from the rule. In fact there are 3 types of speed brakes. Original perforated, with covered holes with metal patches, and blank metal panel (no hinge here) Official documentation for the tactical paint scheme indicates only two colors, FS 36375 (light ghost gray) and FS 36320 (dark ghost gray). The third color FS36231 would only be on call-outs, the leading edge of engine intakes, intake panels, and panels where stabilizers were attached to the fuselage tail.

they look pretty damn good to me!!

nope nope nope, come on back to us crackhead modders still, nice to see someone else adding their twist to this game

Np bro. I´ll check my SF references HDD. I guess there will be some more sources. f. e. IL-96... will let you know.

Damn Yankees

September 13th, 1979. Tandil, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Around 4 pm, 500 people gathered around the fences sorrounding the Tandil Air Base. The sound made it all clear: the J79s roared above the city. It was the arrival of the first units of McDonnell Douglas F-4E(AR) for the Argentinian Air Force. These planes (C-603, C-604 and C-607) were painted each one in a different scheme, but one caught everyone's attention: C-603 was painted only in a gray scheme. The plane had to be delivered on time, so the camouflage painting was not applied. These were the first 3 of 24 units planned. The second batch arrived in december, that same year, and the rest arrived in 1980, being delivered every 2 months, 4 at a time. The planes served during the Malvinas War, being painted yellow stripes in the wing and the vertical stabilizer, like the A-4s that were already in service.

Taxiing after successful mission.

Aviano '78

Courage my best friend I hope you feel better soon

Keep strong mate! and save your strenght for the new sessions!