gbnavy61

My worst damaged-aircraft scenario was self-inflicted. I was making a strafing run on the Range in a VF-32 F-14A. I botched my approach badly and was correcting while paying less attention to my altitude. By the time I realized I was coming in a little too low, I pulled up hard but couldn't avoid the ground completely. I ended up ripping the port external tank and the entire port stab clean off, along with tearing the leading and trailing edge flaps off the port wing. I was trailing smoke all the way back to the runway and it looked like I'd shed a few fan/compressor blades based on the holes in the port nacelle and the top of the fuselage. Both engines kept working fine, though. I was very relieved when I threw the handle down and got three down and locked. I dropped the hook and came in for the no-flap, short field arrest. Unfortunately, didn't think to grab screenies.

That would sure get the company's attention more than someone dying (as we've clearly seen). However, I think the odds of that happening aren't too good.

Fair winds and following seas, Shipmate.

That's the truth. But unfortunately we live in a society that largely cares about money first and foremost. People come second. It shouldn't be that way, but it is. This is the kind of bullcrap that happens when politicians are giving out freebies to companies that don't deserve them. I think the government should be coming down hard on all contractors for the slightest screw-up. As it is now, though, contractors get away with murder (in this case literally) - cost inflation, projects coming in excessively over-budget, unnecessary and lengthy delays, and shoddy workmanship. I think somebody ought to take all these folks to task. Any company that claims to 'support the troops' and pulls something like this is only BS-ing themselves. This disgusts me, but the sad part is, I can't say it's unexpected.

Everything I've read on the ship camo patterns says they probably did very little to confuse the enemy - that's why they stopped using them. Also, as for the false canopies, I agree with something I read - if you're close enough to see them, you're close enough not to be fooled. I think we ought to stick with varying combinations of dark and light greys and light blues. Seems that they would be the least visible across the broadest range of scenarios.

Holy jeez, dude. For me probably Chuck Yeager's Advanced Flight Trainer. I remember all the box airplanes - at least I don't ever remember seeing any that looked sorta like the real thing . That game was a bit over my head for the age I was while playing it. The funniest part was after you bought the farm, ol' Chuck would pop up and fire off some stinging remark: "You call yourself a pilot?" or "That's a sorry way to land an airplane," etc. Then, probably, The Blue Max - another old Commodore game. I remember this one actually needed a cassette tape to play. Strike Eagle, Top Gun, some Harrier game, an F-16 game, and Ace of Aces all for the Commodore. Another good sim I've played between now and then is Warbirds II. That was just a fun game to play and you could fly a whole range of WWII planes - fighters, dive bombers, big-wing bombers, etc. Lots of fun. I remember that the damage modelling in that iteration of the game was some of the better stuff I'd seen to that point. Often you'd take hits that wouldn't just cause you to explode, but you're guns might jam, or you'd get an oil leak, or your tail would get shot off. Two of my other all-time favorites are Aces Over Europe and Aces of the Pacific - by Dynamix. Loved those games.

There was something similar at NAS Glenview - a highway that ran right along the perimeter fence. It also happened to run right across the end of one of the runways. My family used to go there every year for the airshows until the base closed. But sometimes, we'd just swing by the the base on Sunday mornings and park along the highway and watch. A couple times we got to see a few jets coming or going. I was so bummed when they closed the base down.

Well, just going by the pictures, I'd have to go with MacGyver. I don't see Jack Bauer toting a guided bomb/missile on his shoulder like it's no big deal. (It's a Baby Ruth. It's no big deal.) Also, I'm not up on my firearms, but it kinda looks like Jack's gun is sans magazine. But, in his defense, he's probably just going to pistol-whip the bad guys to death - so why waste money on bullets? Economical, I like that. Of course, if he were really that concerned with America's well being, he'd buy the bullets to support the economy. Tut tut, Mr. Bauer.

What about Thundercat? Oh wait...

Anyone else experienced a problem in flight like this? Playing a single mission recce flight on the Range map in the new MF A-7C (Awesome jet, btw - though there's no radar, unless I don't have the right AvionicsXX.dll in WOV?). Got overhead the range and started blasting stuff, had two BLU-1's and two of the twin 2.75" rocket pods loaded. Proceeded to nape, rocket and strafe targets until I felt like an RTB was in order. On the way back I notice that when I let go of the joystick, I get a slow roll to the left, unless I engage the wing leveller. This gets to be a real pain as I get slow for landing, having to hold right stick in to counter the roll. I end up on the left side of the runway often right next to the edge lights. I have the Saitek X52 stick/throttle combo. I have set the deadband in the Saitek control panel to that I don't have any errant aileron inputs from the stick when it is in the neutral position. I also DON'T have the rudder controls mapped to the twist (can't stand the twist function) so I'm not getting stray rudder inputs that would account for the roll either. I've also experienced this with other jets, like the MF F/A-18A. However, on takeoff and the initial climbout, everything is normal. I pick up the roll after dropping ordnance. Anyone know what's going on?

Thanks. That works well enough. Much appreciated.

Has to do with the Avionics files that the radar uses. I guess it's been set up for WOI. I also don't have radar as I'm using WOV. Apparently, there is a patch in the works for other than WOI games that will bring them up to WOI standards. After that, it shouldn't be a problem. If you're running WOI, I have no idea.

No, I am no relation to that "bloke." I also don't think that's a valid comparison. But thanks for assuming you knew what I meant, rather than asking for clarification. I believe it's naive to think that everyone and his brother isn't working on ways to defeat modern stealth systems. Therefore, I believe it's just a matter of time. Any countermeasure can be gotten around eventually.

At least it's not just me then.

Said it in another thread, but again, great job on this one. Aside from my radar issue, because I still use WOV, this jet awesome. She's responsive to throttle changes, handles well, and packs a punch. The HUD is a great tool, as well. This jet is a joy to fly. BZ!

Nah. Nothing shoots at you at the Range and I don't think I ever got low enough to take damage from my own stuff going off.

I agree. The more Tomcats, the better. Not to criticise, but I think we could do with a version 2 of the mighty F-14A from the MF. It's a fine aircraft, and I don't think I could do better myself, but I think the 'Cat could use an update to the physical model - it's good, but a little bit off in certain ways. The pit could stand an upgrade as well - I know there's a dl, but if we could roll all of this fine stuff into one package, that'd be sweet. Also, a genuine D model would be nice, too. Something with a dual-chin pod and the GE engines with the correct 'turkey feather' nozzles. Any one know if something like this is in the works? Tomcat Forever, Baby!

I do have FM on hard, but as I changed direction, the wind should have also been coming from a different direction - whereas the jet always wanted to roll left. I thought about the asymmetry and I have noticed the effect in game, but I highly doubt that is it since in each instance I've had a symmetrical load. Does the in-game joystick deadband and sensitivity override other settings? Maybe that is a culprit.

Just had the C out for a spin on the Range. Awesome! Never hit that much with regular bombs and rockets before. HUD is sweet. Sucks about the radar, I'm in the same boat. Very nice job, guys.

Hey, it's not the pilots' fault that they can't fly their high-tech F-22's past the Internation Date Line to get to Iraq/Afghanistan.

Kinda like Super Hornet. Seems like a cheap solution to a bigger problem in Naval Aviation - lack of a high-tech, high-speed strike-fighter. The old 'band-aid' fix in action. Anytime, Baby! If Grumman had a chance to put their Tomcat 21 in action, we'd have a jet more capable than SH right now. With the 14's radar and IRST, plus some structural and engine upgrades (thrust vectoring included), I bet it would give even the 22 a run for its money - especially with a new AIM-54. As usual, though, cost shoots down that idea (though it doesn't help that the Navy's been pissing money away for R&D the last 3 decades). I'd love to see a new Navy strike-fighter with the best attributes of the Tomcat (wing-sweep, radar/BVR missile system, endurance, strike capability, etc.), plus some upgrades. I think SH would play a great second fiddle to a jet like that. I, personally, think JSF is a waste of time. It's too expensive for the limited capabilities it brings. VTOL is nice, but can that make it drop bombs better than a SH or current Block F-16? Stealth's days are numbered, too. Conventional aircraft can do the same job as well for much less money. Plus, for blue-water Navy ops, I'm a believer in the "two engines are better than one" concept (you can argue that one all you want, it won't change my mind). Anyway, I agree with the general sentiment that a US Super Flanker would be a big waste of time and money. We should buy one and make use of Russian aerodynamic design techniques. Let's face it, US jets have technology in spades over Russkie jets, but they still have been able to compete with US designs up to the F-22.

That's pure awesome, Slick. Nice.

That sux. I had lunch there with some buddies about 5-6 years ago.

Ah, good old 'Strike Eagle.' Used to play it on the C-128 (in C-64 mode). Those triangles didn't stand a chance. I'm glad the complexity and the eye candy has improved over the years. But at the time, it was a blast!

Question: How can I get drop tanks to show up as selectable for the appropriate aircraft? I know the tanks exist, I've seen them via the weapons editor, but, using the F-4 as an example, I can't load the 370gal tanks on the wings in every instance - sometimes they're not on the list. Furthermore, I know there are several versions of them (multiple F-4 370gal tanks) but I've never seen more than one version selectable (the SEA camo topside, grey underside). Would this depend on the mission type (I'm doing single missions in WOV), the terrain (I have a few addon terrains) or possibly the year? If not, then any other suggestions? I know the usual tricks of editing the country of use for the particular weapon point to get bombs and missiles to be usable as well as changing the years of operation to get things to be selectable. I can't see how the year would affect it, since I don't think that's an editable parameter for fuel tanks. Tried scouring the forums here, but didn't see anything relevant to this particular issue. Also, the SUU-23 gun pod's textures are jacked - the barrels are the same grey as the main part of the pod. I think the texture may have been mapped wrong? I'm not too into that level of modding to know how to begin to fix that.