Crusader

It was one prototype with Gardenya ECM, and the other prototype was with SPO-15 RWR (project rejected by the RuAF) and that evolved into the enhanced project of MLA to MLD upgrade.

pix!

According to Russian sources/photos the radio altimeter is "Reper-M" ("N" is probably another case of Letter mis-ID) on the ML series. Two prototypes with internal ECM, the MiG-23MLDG with Gardenya jammer and one other.

They need a new carrier for the big jet

Re: helos and tail rotor damage - it is probably caused by the overall layout of helos and the associated damage boxes. With the heat-emitting engines in the high center the missile could pass through the tail/tail rotor damage box. The DamageRating assigned to the tail rotor Component is important in this case, with "Destroyed" the helo should go down (?) I also remember that some (older) helo dates (e.g. Marcfighters Mi-8) have damage box configs which put them offset from the 3d.

I have this in my notes for altimeters, posted by another CA member some time ago

" ValueUnit=MPS " - MPS is not a valid entry. MPS (meters per second) is in fact the default Unit for vertical velocity if no ValueUnit= is specified. Value Units from the ObjectData dll: KG METERS FEET FT YARDS MILES NM KM FPS KMPH MPH KNOTS LB FPM DEG

8.8 Flak

"Reper-N" is the radio-altimeter. Antennas are mounted in two bulges under the fuselage, at the rear where the leading edge of the ventral fin begins. I do not have the new edition of the Y.Gordon book, but when it really contains such basic errors.. uh oh

I better stock up on CBU, ARMs and ECM... and Weasels.. must.. have.. Weasel!!!

Found the pics in the Life mag archive some years ago. Probably hand-outs for the press. The three HUD pics, two of them were scanned/filed away upside down. MiG-23 pics are not directly related to the 1989 HUD camera pics.

More on the J/N/P variants AIM-9J (original version), 1970-1983 (approx. date of conversions finished) AIM-9J-1 (original version, USAF improved variant introduced in 1977, then renamed to AIM-9P in 1978 Will only be available as AIM-9P in game, from 1977 (I try to simplify as much as possible..) AIM-9J-1 (new version) from 1979 with new optical fuze AIM-9J-2 new upgraded version with SR116 motor and old influence fuze AIM-9J-3 new upgraded version with SR116 motor and optical fuze I set the start date for them to 1980, thats about the time when supplies the new components became available The availability of the new motor and fuze lead to a complete new set of new and upgraded J/N/P missile variants. Existing stocks of AIM-9J could be upgraded to AIM-9N (Danemark N-2, Belgium N-3, more for other NATO members (Spain)). The 9N has the same variants like the new 9J series, but the Guidance and Control Unit (GCU) was updated with all solid-state electronics. That made it better than the 9J GCU, but still not as good as the all-new 9P GCU. The new-production 9P series - again same variants as 9J/N, with the additional AIM-9P-4 with all-aspect capability and improved seeker range(1986), and the AIM-9P-5 with a further improved GCU/seeker for better range/guidance(1989). P-4/P-5 are the only versions with the electronics for SEAM mode and seeker look angle feedback. All E/J/N/P series GCU's have electric-powered cooling, P-4/5 inclusive. To be continued.. EDIT

Open the canopy of the cockpit, linked to the animation of the external model Does not look perfect, the canopy bow is a single mesh = no framed canopy glass with the canopy open In the cockpit ini, add Instrument[063]=OpenCanopy1 Instrument[064]=OpenCanopy2 Instrument[065]=OpenCanopy3 Instrument[066]=OpenCanopy4 ... // ----------------------------------- open canopy [OpenCanopy1] Type=EXTERNAL_ANIMATION_LINK NodeName=Canopy_Frame MovementType=POSITION_Y ItemNumber=4 SmoothDeployment=TRUE Set[01].Position=0.0 Set[01].Value=0.0 Set[02].Position=-0.55 Set[02].Value=1.0 [OpenCanopy2] Type=EXTERNAL_ANIMATION_LINK NodeName=Canopy_Glass MovementType=POSITION_Y ItemNumber=4 SmoothDeployment=TRUE Set[01].Position=0.0 Set[01].Value=0.0 Set[02].Position=-0.55 Set[02].Value=1.0 [OpenCanopy3] Type=EXTERNAL_ANIMATION_LINK NodeName=Left_Mirror_Frame MovementType=POSITION_Y ItemNumber=4 SmoothDeployment=TRUE Set[01].Position=0.0 Set[01].Value=0.0 Set[02].Position=-0.55 Set[02].Value=1.0 [OpenCanopy4] Type=EXTERNAL_ANIMATION_LINK NodeName=Right_Mirror_Frame MovementType=POSITION_Y ItemNumber=4 SmoothDeployment=TRUE Set[01].Position=0.0 Set[01].Value=0.0 Set[02].Position=-0.55 Set[02].Value=1.0

Only TK really knows what the AI is doing with them Cant really see any thing different with AI jets compared to the player. Their hit rate with early missiles is miserable as well!

Yep, I do remember the test with the Magic. I have also changed/updated the warhead explosive mass for my mod. Most stock missiles have the complete warhead weight set for the explosive mass. The real amount is much less. Ive gone one step further. Ive converted the several different explosive types to their TNT equivalent. The results are between 4.9 kg and 6.2 kg explosive mass for the AIM-9's. Combined with the increased fuzing distance, the results are more damaged targets and less immediate fiery explosions.

Excellent summary by Gunrunner And the default values for all AI attack profiles are in the AIRCRAFTAIDATA.ini (ObjectData001.cat).

Found in my saved files, Egyptian launcher vehicle with the backside of the turret visible.

AIM-9 project - next point: the "reduced smoke" motor. One probably reads about that when reading/finding info (old books, lists with AIM-9 variants) in connection to the AIM-9E-2. Its true, but it is only the tip of the iceberg :D And it was not in use in the late 60s. The new motor has a new grain which burns cleaner, producing less smoke. Theres more to it, the motor also has more thrust and gives the missile a higher impulse. Production of the new SR116-HP-1 motor started in 1978, with first deliveries 1979/80. While thrust per second is slightly increased over the old Mk17 motor, the burn time is 3.2 seconds versus 2.2 seconds of the Mk17. The new motor is used with variants of the 9B/E/J/N/P series. The combination of motor and fuse define the AIM-9 variant in combination with the Letter-specific Guidance and Control Section (GCU), the basic variants have no dash-suffix (e.g AIM-9J = basic J variant) Variant = motor + fuze 9J = Mk17 + Mk303 9J-1 = Mk17 + DSU-21 9J-2 = SR116 + Mk303 9J-3 = SR116 + DSU-21 This matrix applies to all B/E/J/N/P variants, the 9P has two more: 9P-4 = SR-116 + DSU-21 9P-5 = SR116 + DSU-21 Fuses: the Mk303 is the original IR influence fuse, the DSU-21 the new optical/laser fuse available from ~1979. Thus the -2 and -3 are generally the best variants, with the 9P-4/P-5 which have all-aspect capability having a further improvement.Of all the variants mentioned above only the 9P-4 and 9P-5 seeker can be slaved to the radar. For all other variants it is required to point the seeker directly at the target to obtain a lock-on. To be continued.. EDIT

AFAIK some Tomahawks, and decoys as well. EDIT: And the Kuwaitis attempted to shoot down Silkworms with SA-7.. no hits!

Naw :) No, Ive not attempted to shoot down a cruise missile with IR missiles. Probably wont work because the game doesnt "categorize" the cruise missile weapon as a target for IR missiles, only for radar missiles. Another thing is that while IR missiles do turn skywards for the sun (after loosing lock or with too much "sun" in the seeker FOV", there is no change of the IR acquisition tone if the player points the seeker at the sun.

Some additional proxy-pix

AI F-4 with AIM-9J - the target Mirage is still within the seeker FOR and the 9J makes the turn and hits

Good that you mention fuzing distance - thats my next point to elaborate on :) Stock missiles have a fuzing distance value of 0 or 0.5 meters. Ive changed that to values (for AIM-9) of 6.0 and 8.0 meters, depending on the type of fuze of the AIM-9 variant. The result is that about 75% of the hits still result in fatal destruction, with 25% causing damage and the target keeps flying on. Some crash after a few minutes or catch fire. Big bombers sometimes need a second AIM-9 hit. Beagle screenies: first a proximity-fuzing hit which caused damage to the right wing, second Beagle is hit fatally.