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80th Anniversary of VE Day today. Let us not forget the greatest generation.

That flying diamond

"Well, boys, we got three engines out, we got more holes in us than a horse trader's mule, the radio is gone and we're leaking fuel and if we was flying any lower why we'd need sleigh bells on this thing... but we got one little budge on them Rooskies. At this height why they might harpoon us but they dang sure ain't gonna spot us on no radar screen! "

In an era of shifting geopolitical dynamics, the United States sought to withdraw from it's role as the world's policeman and it's President saw the opportunity for the ultimate defence deal - leasing Nimitz-class aircraft carriers and selling the accompanying aircraft to certain friendly countries. The increase in US defence spending and a ramping up of Ford class carrier production ('the Admirals have a name picked out for the next carrier. It's a beautiful name, the best, but I can't tell you what it is') enabled the US to prematurely release some of the earlier Nimitz-class carriers from front-line duties, and while such a move would be unprecedented, it would serve both the US and the recipient nations' interests in maintaining regional stability whilst reducing America's spend on defending others, and offset the trade deficit between the US and countries it had accused of 'ripping them off' by selling more to America than America had sold to them. Japan was the first recipient. Previously constrained by constitutional limitations on offensive military capabilities, the country had gradually expanded its defense posture in response to growing threats from China and North Korea. Leasing a Nimitz-class carrier would significantly enhance Japan’s ability to project power and defend its territorial integrity, particularly around the East China Sea and Taiwan Strait, as well as to protect it's trade routes through the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. For the U.S., leasing a carrier could strengthen the alliance, share the burden of maintaining maritime security, and enable a more distributed force posture without requiring permanent overseas American carrier basing. The carriers would retain the CVN-xx designation, and could be recalled to US Navy service if necessary, allowing the U.S. to retain strategic influence over the assets, although the recipient naton was allowed to choose to rename the vessel. Along with the lease of the carrier came the purchase of aircraft. JASDF F-15 units were re-equipped with various versions of the F/A-18 Superhornet, F-35A orders were switched to the navalised F-35C variant, and additional E-2 Hawkeyes were purchased, as crews from both the carrier and it's air wing were sent to the appropriate US Navy schools to learn new skills and US Navy personnel were seconded as advisers for at least the first deployment. By early 2027 CVN-70, formerly USS Carl Vinson, set off on it's first deployment as JS Akagi, a historic name chosen in honour of the earlier carrier that had been flagship of the 1st Air Fleet, the Kido Butai. That first cruise set the template for most future deployments, beginning with a 3 week shakedown in the Kuril Islands, including intercepts of snooping Russian Bears and other aircraft types, followed by a power projection transit through the South China Sea, including exercises with friendly nations' navies. Exiting via the Straits of Malacca into the Indian Ocean, further exercises were held with the Indian Navy while real-world ASW and air intercept sorties by the air wing kept prying Pakistani (and their Chinese allies') assets at arm's length, before Akagi took up station for around six months in the Arabian Sea. Forays into both the Straits of Hormuz and the Red Sea would feature in all cruises by the Akagi and it's battle group, and the air wing would fly many combat missions, hitting targets in the air, on land and at sea as needed. Relief on station would be by either a US carrier, or more frequently a former US carrier, and Akagi would return home, again making it's presence felt in the South China Sea, for rest and refit before the next deployment.

Some interesting ideas, judging from the current images, the J-36 has a lot of space inside the fuselage, so many people imagine that it will have a very large weapons bay, and even be able to carry ballistic missiles such as the DF-21 inside. I recall that Northrop had a patent for a "weapons tray" during the ATF project. If, and I mean if, the J-36 implements this technology in the huge weapons bay...28xPL-15... Well of course, I don't think this is realistic, both technically and practically, so I don't think I'll do it. Interesting tho...

Doing some tests I often deal with F-103 intercepts. They're tough opponents but when I manage to reach their six it's impossible to let them go. It's a J-4/F-4 Fresco-A without afterburner, this F-103 really let me caught him up. To activate the F-103 periscope, in the data.ini file : [Fuselage] ... SystemName[xxx]=Periscope (replace xxx by next number in sequence) & [Periscope] SystemType=HIGHLIFT_DEVICE CLiftdc=0.0 CDdc=0.002 Cmdc=0.00 DeltaStallAlpha=0.0 AreaRatio=1.000 DeploymentMethod=AUTOMATIC_MACH Setting[1].Angle=8.62 Setting[1].DeployValue=0.85 Setting[1].RetractValue=0.86 MaxDeflection=8.62 MinDeflection=0.0 ControlRate=0.5 RotationAxis=X-AXIS ModelNodeName=PeriscopeCover ReverseModelOrientation=TRUE

just a little weekend joyride

NVA 9K31M Strela-1M (SA-9B "Gaskin") propaganda picture

Over Michigan fields.

It would require some new missiles edited for export because the weapon bays are empty

Egyptian Phantom

Hello everyone! After finishing workiong on F-102, F-106, MiG-15 / MiG-15bis, and F-51 (P-51) revisiting, I am now back to workong on the final stage: Revisitng F-4s and changing the methods of reflector glass tilting from HUD method to actual glass tilt, and the result is GREAT! Looks much better now: USN / USMC F-4B / J / N / S Eagle114th

I don't know if I put in just enough or if I exaggerated with realism, but...it is realistic.

The legendary SU-34 fighter bomber! This is a SFP2 Thirdwire Sukhoi SU-34 Fullback Platypus Duck WIP (stand-in) candidate. I got tired of seeing the empty SU-34 slot at Combatace :). It is basically finished unless someone has a 3d-model I can use. It is based it on the Marcfighters SU-27. I used the fake pilot method to add the hump, canards, much longer tailcone stinger and co-pilot. The cockpit is based on the B-1 bomber cockpit by Alvaroideal. The fake pilot method means the camouflage scheme and additions are a bit limited but if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck then it must be a duck! The data.ini has been modified to represent the Duck. It has a bigger signature among many other electronic and flight model tweaks and is a magnet for enemy fighters. In reality the SU-34 is a much heavier and larger aircraft than the SU-27. Its cockpit is slathered in heavy armor. It flies heaviier as well. The SU-34 eliminated the airbrake on top according to every source I could find. The real Duck includes a resemblance of a toilet, resemblance of a kitchen and a resemblance of bunk space for sleeping. Although it can do effective air combat, this is not its primary role. Imagine dogfighting in a bomber! The Su-34 is seven tons heavier at empty weight and larger compared to the standard SU-27. That's going to have an effect during air combat. The SU-34 Fullback Platypus, Duck cockpit

BVR Shot at 81 miles.

Norwegian Falcons on a Strike Mission....

Hello everyone! SF - CAP now have entered BETA stage and isnow finally released! I am currenlty waiting for the files ot be approved. UPDATE: The mods is now approved and ready to be downloaded. (Thank you Menvra and Eric!) It have been qutie long journey, and I want to express big thanks to Lex2Limit, DTMDragon, Ravenclaw_007, Menrva, Wrench, Daddyairplanes, and everyone who is invovled and supports me in this big mod projects! I feel huge relieved and pure joys bring this new version out. I do realize the mods is not perfect, I do my best everyday. That is why I humbly request for the feedback on this mods, so I can improve it further and fix what needs fixing. Thank you for enjoying the mods! Cheers! Eagle114th

from the Seymour Johnson AFB airshow this yea r today i learned that CAP names their planes T-33 flying demo a few shots from the 4th FW firepower demo and the reason i still went even when everyone else in the family bowed out...... THE HOG!!! not the greatest shots, all taken from my phone camera. but i thought you guys might enjoy they got themselves a new title..........

Here is updated F-4S Phantom II (TMF) with new avoincs overhaul / textures. TMF F-4S Phantom II.7z NOTE: This files are desigend to work with TMF F-4S, please get TMF F-4S first, then install it on top of it. There are two types of cockpit textures, choose one from either folders (_COCKPIT - TEXTURE or _COCKPIT - TW STYLE) I hope this helps you with the roll tab issues. Eagle114th

It's been a while... Longbow (because I haven't had time to install the Comanche yet)

hello, and welcome to CA a couple of etiquette tips: 1 dont include the pics in your quotes unless you are trying to highlight something very specific; 2 in screenshot threads, post a pic even when replying to someone elses post. mando screenie (or some other semi witty comment like i'd usually post above the pic) again, enjoy. have fun. show us what youre flying with!

Today I experienced a thing that was new to me. While testing @Cliff7600 skin for the F-103 intercepting some Harbin H-5 Beagles, I got hit by a tail gunner and caught fire, fire was extinguished after some seconds, but my engine was dead so as I was high and fast started to glide to a nearby airfield, when I tried to hit CTRL + I and the engine restarted!! I made a controlled landing with power and man that was fun and rewarding!

In a not to far future, when Canada has become a member of the EU, the Canadian Air Force will use Eurofighters instead F-35.

Love it!

thanks a lot , that fits perfect with my 1979 cockpits that have the VOR light will add this antenna to the USAF F-4E and F-4G aircrafts

Intercept flown to Molly Hatchet's "Satisfied Man"

It's a VOR/localizer antenna........

SiriusXM ??? == I'll show myself out ....

A german carrier and some german Typhoons I think the Royal Navy would go mad!

A Taiwanese F-103 mod would be cool! Mandatory screen, a Early J-7I over Formosa (cannot be more what if than that )

I like my Doritos with a little extra kick......

slightly more serious but still funny... a few of the bootleg DVDs i bougth in Iraq actually had a "tour the factory" bit in the extras. and yes, it did show smiling workers opening legit DVDs and loading them in one machine, hooked up to 20 others with presumable blanks. was somewhere in the Philippines; not surprising as the Philippinoes working on Balad AB were the best source for bootleg anything without leaving the wire

JS Akagi air wing, South China Sea 2027...

Sitrep: Only one sea to city tiles still has to be done. That's how it looks at the moment: I was experimenting with TOD houses. It would be nice if i could put as many small houses as necessary on the map. But this would overload the game engine and only 500 per tile would appear in game. So i thought, that i could place only bigger houses, as shopping centers and skyscrapers. But skyscrapers should be visible from far distances and should not disappear from 10 km or so. So i think i will make the skyscrapers as normal target objects in a seperate target area. But for the inner city with the skyscrapers i still must create a new tile. It is still a long way.

South Himalayas

Our F-5 escort was right on time........ He missed, due to the closure speed...but only just so.

Flying deep, saves the own life.

This looks like Oscar material, right??

May 10th 1972: first flight of the Fairchild Republic YA-10A Thunderbolt II. the YA-10A would go on to better fame during Desert Storm, when it was better known as ... the Warthog

In-game FJ-3M with Mark 11 Mod 1 gunsight: Eagle114th

strategically this is true but who has the money to practice this? im not even going the "US is so great" route with that. its expensive to maintain 3 carriers let alone 11

I was thinking ‘Rostock’ as most modern German warships are named after places and that’s where the navy headquarters is located.

Yes, we need to remind everyone how important our veterans are.

Ups, small problem. I forgot to save the last changes in the TOD file. So half of the newly planted trees disappeared. Shit happens. Tomorrow i will try it again.

May the force be with you! Happy STAR WARS day!!!!

We come from the land of the ice and snow From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow The hammer of the gods Will drive our ships to new lands To fight the horde, sing and cry Valhalla, I am coming