ST0RM

i fight by 1 Had you tried a search for the word "rotors", you would have gotten your answer.

Nothing has indicated that the H-5s remain in any primary role within the PLAAF. However it's believed that the last few aircraft are HJ-5 trainers, used for various tasks. Interesting that the Chinese are continuing their work on the J-11. Some of the articles regarding the Flanker, mentioned that the aircraft did not meet the PLAAF's goals, hence their push with the J-10 and other indigenous aircraft. Thanks for the heads up Erwin. -Jeff

Why would you want to do that? A slick C-130 would be more appropriate. The guys I know that fly the gunships, don't jump out of them on purpose unless it's burning.

Maneuver kills are pretty common in this sim. I'll get a MiG-21 in a turn fight with me, which gradually gets lower. He'll keep pulling and bleed off his speed and will usually crash while trying to evade. During ODS, an EF-111 Spark 'Vark crew got a maneuver kill on an Iraqi Mirage F.1 when it ran into the ground chasing them. Additionally, then Capt. "Rico" Rodriguez scored a maneuver kill on a Iraqi Fulcrum when it plowed into the desert running from his F-15. -S

Glad you liked the "office". Those Guard jets are so much cleaner than ours. The guys at Pease are pretty awesome also. Always very helpful when we stop through. -Jeff

If I've got any fuel left in them, I'll light the burners for that extra push prior to a Sparrow or AMRAAM shot. I dump them after that. -S

Came across during a net search. It looks pretty basic. More of a testing program than a MSFS quality of sim. Any info on it from someone who has tried it? -S

Thanks for the replies. I'll probably stay away from it, but was curious to know a bit about it.

No, the Hornets didn't trap out until the mid 2000s. The camo'd jets you saw on deck were ex-VFC aircraft, given back to training units and hadn't been fully repainted. Some aircraft were purposely left in an Adversary scheme as they would supplement the full time Bandits. The F/A-18A+ is the A-airframe with the C-model avionics and some other enhancements. The F-16C line started with the Block 25. The 64th AS (Aggressor Squadron) was reactivated with the Viper in the 90's, flying nearly the same jets they've got now. Over the years, they've added a few F-16DJ Block 50s. -Jeff

I've got a separate install of SFP1 with a Greek/Turkish theme. I've added a variety of aircraft for both Air Forces. Yesterday, I noticed that my Avionics.70 radars have crapped the bed. They display large blocky numbers and when the radar sweeps, it keeps the solid sweep image and is unusable. This is something new. I thought it might be only with the F-16s I modded, but it also happened with the F-4E AUP's cockpit/radar. I have not modded it at all. All of my other installs are fine. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance! -Jeff

Something about the NSAWC Hornets. They are high time As and Cs that are trapped out. Deploying them to a carrier would entail flying to a nearby NAS and hoisting them aboard by crane. Even the Blue Angels are flying F/A-18Cs this year that are early Lot Cs and have no carrier landings left. The Navy has taken back some of the F/A-18A+s from the USMC in exchange for their C-models, since the USMC traditionally doesn't operate as part of an Carrier Air Wing. On the Air Force side, many of the 65th AS' Eagles are 1985 models. Nothing to say they couldn't be bailed back to a combat unit if the crap hit the fan. The Vipers on the other hand, are older Block 32, similar to to what our ANG/AFRes fly. As far as deploying as a combat unit. It would really have to get bad for these guys to get the call. -S

It's common knowledge that I'm not a huge fan of the Raptor. It's A-to-A ability is nearly unmatched (the Typhoon does pretty darn well) but it still lags behind in the A-to-G role. In today's limited budget, that should have been a larger priority and it hasn't. 187 jets will do fine. The F-35. Another jet that I feel is not needed. Gone are the days of a large force on force conflict. Surgical strikes are the key. We've got Preds and Reapers doing great work. Combined with the Raptors above who advertise their ability to "kick the doors down", the UAVs can go in and hit the stragglers. The money would be better spent on additional F-15Es and the newer Blocks of F-16s. The UAE paid for all of the R&D for the Block 60, so why didn't we grab some? The F-16CG Block 40/42 jets are 20 years old and the AFRes/ANG are just now getting "new" Block 30/32s. Gates has killed the CSAR-X competition and VH-71 program. The MH-53 retired in 08, leaving the HH-60Gs to soldier on with the CV-22. Guys, the -60s are also 20+ years old and were only bought as a short term airframe. Plus the CV-22 still has several limitations due to the tilt rotor design that a conventional helo can only do. After all is said and done, the USAF took it in the nuts, while the Navy is going to do pretty well. They still get their new carriers (1 every 5 years), a few of the new class of DDGs, plus they want to reopen the DDG-51 Burke class ships, the new SSBN to replace the Ohios and more Super Hornets. I hope they plan on making those Super Hornets full time tankers, because ours are nearly tapped out. -S

That photo rocks! Glad to you see around and kickin'.

She looks gorgeous. And that render just became my desktop image. Thanks!

Was wondering when the Ernie was going to make an appearance. Nice Sid, very nice!

If the basic aircraft.ini doesn't match the file folder name, it won't show. That's the usual mistake. Maybe check your spelling?

Canada Mexico Cuba Panama Puerto Rico Guam Japan Iceland Norway Portugal Spain England France Germany Ireland Belgium Holland Luxembourg <--- It's a country, albeit a tiny one Austria Switzerland Italy Greece Turkey Egypt Kenya Saudi Arabia Kuwait Qatar United Arab Emirates Iraq Afghanistan Pakistan That's about it. They all had their positives and negatives. I'm glad to have seen them.

I think you've captured it nicely. From reading the various stories from pilots in Vietnam, once they had eyes on the missile, they followed the glow to see if it was guiding on them or not. Nice work!

Thanks Vig. Ken Middleton had a pretty tight relationship with the Otis guys, so when the jets stopped through here on the way to AMARG, I had the camera ready. I sent him some of my shots for his site. BTW, 77-0102 was one of the two jets that first responded to the Twin Towers. Shame it wasn't preserved. Jeff

Seems to be the standard around these parts also.

After I wrote that last line, I did start to wonder if it was possible to set up an A/R area, like the carriers have. In it, the tanker would simply orbit, with boom down or hoses out. Seems simple enough, but I'm not sure if it's in the code. -Jeff

The Jedi Master hit it pretty well on the head. They slow roll everything. Everyday I look out across our ramp and see two Italian KC-767s, Italy 1 and 4. They're 2 years behind their delivery schedule. In the very first tanker contract deal, Boeing hired Darleen Druyun (and her family members) after she gave them the initial contract for the KC-X, before allowing other companies to submit a bid. On the second go, Boeing took their time and even requested extra time for their tanker proposal and still lost to Airbus. On this one, they filed a complaint, resulting in the cancellation of the winning aircraft. In all of this, who loses? The people actually needing the equipment in the field. With the C-17, their Long Beach plant was turning out aircraft faster than planned, so the USAF order was filled in less time than they estimated. Boeing began crying to the USAF that if they don't buy more aircraft, they would be forced to shut down the line. Luckily the CAF, RAAF and RAF bought aircraft. They are still asking for more aircraft to be purchased. As JM alluded to, the 787 is also behind by at least a year or more. This week, I read that Delta has canceled their order for the Dreamliner. Acquiring Mac-Air should have been a huge money pot for them. Instead, their decision makers are putting them out of contention with each failed bid.

Got them all and they all rock! Eagle Engaged was written by Steve Davies and Doug Didley. Col. Dildey (Ret.) was my Vice OG Commander at Eglin, so he knows the Eagle. Smoke Trails is done by Jamie Hunter. He's pretty large in the aviation photojournalist world. I work through him on some photo submissions for a few magazines. Great guy! Lastly, Tomcat Bye-Bye, Baby is written more as a series of testimonies of former F-14 crews. It's an interesting insight as to the feelings of the guys/girls and their jet. How's that for a review? -S

There's that NEED word again. Hmph...

I was going to refrain from bringing up the KC-767/KC-330, but it seems that the Airbus has become the tanker of choice. Another of Boeing's plans gone under.