ndicki

File Name: Spitfire MkVb, VCS-7, US Navy, June 1944 File Submitter: ndicki File Submitted: 21 June 2012 File Category: SF2 Series Add On Aircraft Spitfire MkVb, VCS-7, US Navy, 5th - 26th June 1944. Because of the high vulnerability of the SOC and OS2U spotter aircraft normally carried on board US Navy cruisers and battleships, it was felt that naval artillery spotters during the landings in Normandy would need aircraft better able to defend themselves against German fighters. As a result, 17 pilots were drawn from the cruisers CA 31 Augusta, CA 37 Tuscaloosa, CA 71 Quincy and the battleships BB 33 Arkansas, BB 35 Texas and BB 36 Nevada; they were affected to the Air Spotting Pool, based at RNAS Lee-on-Solent, along with two RAF Spitfire squadrons, Nos. 26 and 63, and four FAA Seafire squadrons, Nos.808, 885, 886 and 897. VCS-7 became operational on 28th May 1944. During operations, all aircraft were pooled, which meant that in fact, any pilot from any of the seven Spitfire/Seafire units could find himself flying any Spitfire or Seafire available, regardless of any theoretical 'ownership'. As a rule, aircraft operated in pairs, one spotting, the other covering. After three weeks of highly successful operations, VCS-7 was stood down on 26th June as the fighting moved beyond the range of the ships' guns. As they were on temporary loan from the RAF, all the aircraft used by VCS-7 retained their RAF markings. For use ONLY with SF2 including the Israel Expansion Pack. This will NOT work if you do not have the stock TW Spitfires installed and working. Credits: Model, Flight Dynamics and Decals by Third Wire Flight Dynamics by ShrikeHawk based on TW Spitfire MkIXc Cockpit by Stary Skin, data.ini modifications, sounds and assembly by ndicki Guns by AvHistory Click here to download this file

Er.... yes....

If you can tell us who this (pretend) MkVb belongs to, and what they're doing with it, you get this week's clever bugger prize! Uploading soonish.... It isn't quite as obvious as it might seem!

Finished. As far as it is possible, the serials correspond to those of MkVb aircraft used by units assigned to the Air Spotting Pool during June 1944. It is not possible to determine which were actually used by VCS-7, as the aircraft of a number of squadrons were pooled centrally. Anyway, this is as close as you can get! Uploading tomorrow, all being well.

File Name: Seafire MkIII, French Navy 1948 File Submitter: ndicki File Submitted: 16 June 2012 File Updated: 19 June 2012 File Category: SF2 Series Add On Aircraft Seafire MkIII, French Navy, Carrier 'Arromanches,' 1948 For use ONLY with SF2 including the Israel Expansion Pack. This will NOT work if you do not have the stock TW Spitfires installed and working. Click here to download this file

Always useful, that sort of thing! Cheers!

File Name: Seafire MkIII, No.887 NAS, Fleet Air Arm, 1945 File Submitter: ndicki File Submitted: 16 June 2012 File Updated: 19 June 2012 File Category: SF2 Series Add On Aircraft Seafire MkIII, No.887 Naval Air Squadron Fleet Air Arm, HMS Indefatigable, Okinawa, April 1945 - Japanese Coast, August 1945. It is a little known fact that aircraft of the Royal Navy British Pacific Fleet fought at Okinawa and participated in the final air attacks on the Japanese mainland. All serial numbers included in this package correspond to Seafire MkIII aircraft which served with 887 NAS at some point between late 1944 and the end of the War. Where possible, known individual numbers have been allocated to the correct aircraft. These are marked with an asterisk in the loadout menu. Alternative lower resolution (1024x1024) skin files are included. For use ONLY with SF2 including the Israel Expansion Pack. This will NOT work if you do not have the stock TW Spitfires installed and working. Click here to download this file

Kevin - both updated, tested and working. Typhoid - kind of you to offer, but as many of these have modified parts which are not always immediately obvious, I'm keeping them all well separate.

Just updated both to make them carrier-capable and fit a hook. The 'Royal Navy' serial number is totally authentic, and can be seen on many ex-RN aircraft sold to the French Navy, including this one. Until I work out how French serials actually work, I won't be bringing out further decals. Two weeks...

Dead right, spot on! That didn't take you long...

Well spotted Muesli - I haven't got around to doing the s/n s yet! So Jamie Rankin's is just a placeholder and doesn't tell you anything. The real W3312 was lost on 3rd October 1942 off the Kent coast after an engine failure, so this clearly isn't it! But the other markings are correct for what I have in mind...

Cheers, Kevin! I hadn't realised I was duplicating your work though...

LoL! Yes, it is - only I haven't a clue how to do that. Feel free to add an update if you like!

The relief is practically palpable!

It says you can't run SF2NA on Windows XP. Well, TK suggests you don't, as he has no idea what the result will be. So has anybody been bold enough to risk his money and try? What was the result?

Stop laughing! My computer is that old that it really isn't worth buying more. I hope to be replacing it before too long, but I want to stay with WXP because I use one or two older sims that don't like W7...

Thanks - he mentions DX9 but not his OS. Worth following up in any case. Bad news...Even with ForceDX9=TRUE?

File Name: AvHistory WW2 Guns for SF2 File Submitter: ndicki File Submitted: 17 March 2011 File Category: SF2 Series Add On Weapons This file contains the major gun types used by the combatant nations (UK, USA, Germany, Japan, Italy, USSR, France) in World War Two, along with effects for the specific types of tracer colour used by each nationality. All the credit here goes to gregoryp and Bear of AvHistory As I have had to recompile the original file, please let me know IMMEDIATELY if anything appears incorrect or absent. Thanks! Click here to download this file

Not at all my thing, but I'd have thought that fiddling with these parameters would help: [AIData] TakeOffRotationAngle=10.0 [RocketAttackAI] RollInRange=7500.0 RollInAlt=1300.0 PullOutRange=1500.0 PullOutAlt=200.0 ReleaseRange=3000.0 SecondPassRange=6000.0 SecondPassAlt=1050.0 ReleaseCount=16 ReleaseInterval=0.095 AimPitchOffset=-3.3 [strafeAI] RollInRange=4500.0 RollInAlt=1100.0 PullOutRange=1400.0 PullOutAlt=175.0 ReleaseRange=2000.0 SecondPassRange=4000.0 SecondPassAlt=1000.0 ReleaseInterval=1.5 AimPitchOffset=-0.9 From the A-10 data.ini.

This one is taking longer than usual, as the panel lines on the squadron codes and letters are not being co-operative... It's an HF.MkVIIc flown by S/L James O'Meara, OC of 131 Sqn, based at Colerne in early 1944. W/C Pete Brothers commanded the Wing at the time. The pointed wingtips had generally been replaced by standard ones by this time. Most HF.MkVII aircraft were eventually repainted in the standard Day Fighter Scheme as the high altitude threat failed to materialise. And if anyone can tweak the flight dynamics, that'd be even better!

File Name: Spitfire PR.MkXI, RAF, 1943-45 File Submitter: ndicki File Submitted: 15 January 2012 File Category: SF2 Series Add On Aircraft Spitfire PR.MkXI, RAF, 1943-45 The unarmed MkXI photographic reconnaissance Spitfire came into service in early 1943, and was basically a modified MkIX airframe with a MkVIII retractable tailwheel and fittings for three cameras. Further modifications included leading edge fuel tanks and a larger oil tank in an enlarged chin fitted below the Rolls-Royce Merlin 61, 63, 63A or 70 engine. Early aircraft kept the original rounded rudder, while the second production batch had the later pointed type. The serial numbers included in this pack correspond to early production MkXI aircraft with the rounded rudder, all built during late 1942 or early 1943. As such, they can be used for missions dating from February 1943 until the end of the War. As PR Spitfires did not carry squadron codes, any PRU/PR Squadron may be represented. For use ONLY with SF2 including the Israel Expansion Pack. This will NOT work if you do not have the stock TW Spitfires installed and working. Click here to download this file