pagsab

I just discovered a simple workaround allowing you to follow another flight leader from takeoff to landing, as in EAW. See https://combatace.com/forums/topic/100042-flying-as-a-wingman/.

As shown on my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@philipsabin1653, I still do most of my tactical air gaming using my own total conversions of air board games, since this allows me to focus in on and savour the formation tactics which are hard to appreciate from the brief flurry of first person aerobatics in real time computer dogfights. When I do play PC air sims, I like to fly entire missions as a wingman and spend most of the time practising formation flying to complement the far shorter and more frenetic experience of combat itself. It is a shame that SF2 and FE2 do not allow the player easy access to this 'wingman experience' as in EAW and some other sims. However, I have just discovered a simple workaround which fits the bill. I am sure that some users have already discovered this, but I thought I would mention it just in case. The first step is to create and save a single mission, either after aborting on the runway in FE2 or from within the mission editor in SF2. Then, exit the sim, open the MSN file in your Third Wire Saved Games folder, and copy the entire block for [AircraftMission001]. Paste it after the final Aircraft Mission, and change its number to the next in sequence. Change the Size in the original Mission 1 to 1, reduce the Size in the new final mission by 1, and in SF2 change the Name at the top of the new mission to an unused friendly call sign. Make any other desired changes, save the MSN file, start the sim and load the amended mission. In FE2, the leader of the new flight should start super-imposed with you and roar ahead as he takes off, allowing you easily to catch and formate with him. In SF2, the new leader begins flying over the airfield, but you just need to take off yourself and then select and padlock the nearest friendly plane, allowing you gradually to climb and catch him at full throttle and join formation. The new AI leaders fly at a stately pace, so you should not be left in prolonged and frustrating long distance pursuit as often happens in EAW. There is more risk of overshooting the leader if you do not cut your throttle as you approach. Formation flying is a fascinating and challenging endeavour in its own right, and it is well worth perfecting it as real combat pilots did as a matter of course during their prolonged journeys to and from the combat itself.