FastCargo

Flying an aircraft within a thunderstorm is a bad idea. Severe updrafts, downdrafts, lightning, hail, etc. A hurricane has all that in combo. What you find with 'Hurricane Hunters' is that they tend to fly in the 'eye'. The VERY dangerous part though is accidently getting too close to the 'wall', where the strongest weather is. There are plenty of stories of aircraft going straight into a cell, and coming back out in pieces... FastCargo

He wasn't just a great pilot...but a great commander. What he did for the Triple Nickel was legendary. S! FastCargo

Oh my goodness! FastCargo

Guys, the biggest problem is motivating people to stay on the course, that's why I suggested SAMs in the other thread. Otherwise, it'd be easy to just bolt straight across. The Pacific Northwest terrain actually sounds like a great idea! Small, visually very nice with great vertical development. You know, the more I hear about this air racing idea, the better I like it! FastCargo

Wrench: Just finished making the DS mod...finally! USAFMTL: The DS...what is it? HrntFixr (coming in late to the conversation): It's a little handheld game console, made by Nintendo, but that's not important right now. Okay, it was funnier in my head... FastCargo

Hey, just heard a Viper and an Eagle scraped some paint. Heard the Eagle guy had to punch but is okay...the Viper guy was able to limp back and land. Glad everyone's okay...any rumors yet? FastCargo

Not really, and here's why. What about radar info? Sniper pod video, etc. Now that stuff doesn't need to be in the immediate view, it would be easier to overlay it on the outside world then building a virtual pit. As we all know, padlock view through a traditional monitor is disorientating, and not conductive to ACM. Instead by sitting a projected globe, your internal sense keeps a general idea of where the nose is at...as in a real aircraft. Now realize, I'm talking about a way to operate a real UCAV for an ACM situation. The nice thing about this setup is you could look down or straight back...because there is no real floor. Of course, how do you make a sim of a sim...:) FastCargo

Actually, you can have a hot ejection seat, but it's a major pain in the butt paperwork wise. Talking to the founder of Micron computers, who had a couple of Hawker Hunters, said his were full hot seats, but the FAA has to have paperwork for EVERY ONE of his flights. Not a simple flight plan, but pre-approval to fly with armed ejection seats. Plus, the MX costs to have mil-spec maintenance are REALLY high. FastCargo

Been having an interesting time editing and flying the UCAVs around. I've restricted the bombbays so that they can only carry the amount of weapons that can realistically fit (which is NOT much...a standard Mk83 takes up a whole bay, and forget any PGMs over 1000 lbs in yield). AAMs are even worse...either one regular Sidewinder sized IRM, or you can just fit 3 aim-9x's in a bay. Now if I can figure out how to get them to drop out of the bay before they launch (without messing with the weapons themselves...I've already tried increasing the EjectVelocity parameter). I added ECM, expendables, and a laser designator. Probably wouldn't have any of these in a real stealth shaped UCAV...but since stealth, GPS, and buddy lasing isn't really modeled, did this to increase the fun factor. The interesting thing has been the cockpit. I decided to drop in the F-23 cockpit, but deleting the HUD glass, uprights, and canopy rail. I then increased the viewing area of the HUD symbology (why restrict the HUD to a piece of glass that isn't actually there). Then I thought about it some more. With modern 'smart skins', mini cameras, datalinks, and sensor fusion technology, there really isn't a reason for a UCAV operator to have a cockpit at all. For most missions, a laptop, and a mini HOTAS would suffice...with display symbology similar to SFP1/WOV/WOE on the easier gameplay settings with the no-cockpit view enabled. The problem is what to do for ACM, where instant perception of nose position is everything. The trick is to be able to instantly resolve nose position without resorting to a TrackIR type solution (which is still not the same as craning your neck around). An idea is being in a 'globe' with the world projected around you, even on the floor. All you would have is a chair, rudder pedals (maybe), and a HOTAS. The globe would be fully touchable as well (designate a target by just reaching out and selecting it). All relavant aircraft displays would be on projected translucently on the globe. The biggest thing would be to put markings on the globe designating the attitude of the aircraft. Something like looking at a globe of latitude and longitude lines, from the inside...maybe just abbreviated symbols. This would help prevent the disorientation that 'padlock' view sometimes gives. Anyone want to try to build a UCAV 'pit'? :) FastCargo

Yep, it's easy to add fighters to a campaign...there are several threads about it. I've added french fighters to my 1979 and 1993 versions of the WOE campaign. FastCargo

The USAF/DARPA did some interesting stuff back in the day. Multi axis thrust vectoring, canards, etc. The AFTI/CCV F-16 was doing all sorts of strange stuff long before the russians started the airshow routine with the Mig-29/Su-27. Multi axis thrust vectoring actually is a bit easier than 2-D vectoring in that the hardware is easier to build. If you know how engine nozzles work, all you have to do is close the nozzle asymetrically to get off axis thrust. The best way of course is to build a ring mounted on a rounded collar to get true vectoring... FastCargo

It isn't the buying of the plane, its the expense of the MX and insurance. Especially if you maintain 'hot' ejection seats. It could have been a civilian T-38 at Scott AFB. I think Scott is a joint-use field...civilian side and military side. FastCargo

You do have the proper X,Y,Z coordinates for the pilot model? Also, though Saqanuay is correct for a specific pilot model, you don't have to have that line, in which case it should default to the pilot model included with the sim. FastCargo

Now air racing could work! This would play closer to TW sims strengths. Wouldn't need super detailed terrains either. Maybe even have collidable objects above a canyon to encourage keeping in the course... You could even arm the planes...guns only. Any combat would have to take place on the course...so there is a risk of being in the lead...:) Do you go fast or try to combat your opponents to win? Yeah, I know, defeats the non-combat part. Actually, since we're brain storming here...another way to keep combatants in the course, line the course borders with SAMS that are 100% effective. Stray from the course and you die. Again, the idea would be to discourage trying to stray outside the course. FastCargo

I'd have to agree with eraser on this one. Now that you can have 'missions' in MSFS (and pretty good ones), it's really tough to turn a combat flight simulator into a non-combat one and be able to justify the time and effort. Especially with the terrain... FastCargo

Read these threads, and take your time. Think about exactly what exactly each change accomplishes. http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showtopic=12137 <---- Knowledge base thread http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showtopic=19550 <---- Another example using WOE terrain FastCargo

During a campaign, or one of the single missions, or the computer generated single mission? Which particular version of the Sidewinder? Or any of them? Do you have Bunyaps latest weapons pack? FastCargo

Yes, and no. There are a few differences with what you read and what happened. But I don't know what is publically releaseable. FastCargo

Not quite. FastCargo

Automatic IR SAM missile detection and countermeasures already exist...in fact, we're testing on our aircraft...pretty much a bolt on system. And that's for civilian aircraft... http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/sto.../aw091806p3.xml There are other IR missile detection technologies that exist and have been around a long time - you just needed the room to house the electronics. And that's all I'll say about that... FastCargo

That line is the projected gun line. Also, modern HUDs have 'funnels'. Check this link: http://library.thinkquest.org/C005368/tech/aahud.htm FastCargo

Folks, read the whole damn thread if you want to know the status of something. Sheesh, look at the date and time USAFMTL posted. And what he said. And don't give me any 'I don't have time' BS...if you can post, you can friggin read! Rant over. FastCargo

Use the knowledge base! And Google! It's about as easy as it gets...if you can learn how to post on a forum, you can install WOE mods. FastCargo

The site definitely does work, I downloaded all his F-4B skins. Then tried to install them and RAN OUT OF SPACE! Most of his skins are over 300+ MB in size decompressed...holy crap!! They look awesome though... FastCargo

Actually, it could have been this one: Whiteman T-38 The only other T-38s that are similar (besides the IFF birds "MY" on the tail) are Holloman Test: The black is actually a dark grey so the contrast isn't as high as the picture makes it to be. At least it USED to be that way not too long ago... FastCargo