ChampionsVA56

There will be one more drone package coming out shortly.......then I probably will work on a ground target upgrade. I would like to add some more missile site targets.....like the SA-3 GOA or SA-5. The whole package was too large to upload as one unit...so I broke it up into parts. Glad it worked out for you!! I had a lot of fun making this....and learned alot about this sim as well.

View File SF2 Mescalero Proving Grounds Part 5 Another flock of drones has been released by the Apache Spirit Dancers!! -------------MEET YOUR NEW DRONES------------------ F9F-5K Panther: Former front line USN carrier based fighter. Veteran of the Korean Conflict. Retired and placed in service as target drones . An AGGRESSIVE drone with good manueverability but NO countermeasures. Operated by detachment of GRGMU-2 (Guided Missile Group Two) out of NAS Chicoteague,VA. Type fully expended by 1964. QT-33A Seastar: Former T-33A USAF jet trainers bailed to the USN as target drones beginning in 1965. Large numbers makes them very common as targes and expendable. A PASSIVE drone of fair manueverability and limited countermeasures. Operated by the permanent USN detachment out of China Lake. Type finally expended by 1982. QF-4N Phantom II: Former USN/USMC carrier based fighter and upgrade of the F-4B. Retired for drone use beginning in 1985. An AGGRESSIVE drone of good manueverability and EXCELLENT countermeasures. Operated by detachment of the NWTS (Naval Weapons Test Squadron) from NAS Point Magu,CA. Type expended by 2000/2001. QF-86F Sabre: Former JASDF from line fighter built under license in Japan by Mitsubishi. Sent to USA apon retirement and converted to target drones by private contractor. An AGGRESSIVE drone of excellent manueverability but limited countermeasures. First used in 1976. Expended or retired by 1989. Some survivors flown today in display at airshows. QF-59B Airacomet: First US jet fighter. Flown for only a short time in operational service before replaced by better aircraft(F-80). Some examples used as drones and/or drone controllers. An AGGRESSIVE drone of fair manueverability but no countermeasures. Short drone carrer from 1950-56 makes them rare. QB-17L Flying Fortress: Former USAAF B-17G bombers made famous in WWII. Retired in massive numbers at war's end makes them an excellent choice for bomber drone targets. A PASSIVE drone of poor manueverabilty and no countermeasures. A tough target however! Will take alot of punishment, especially from non-cannon type rounds such as 50cal. slugs. A slow target makes for a collision danger for high speed fighters. USE CAUTION!! First deployed as drones in the late 1940's. Last use around 1958. (note: turrets were removed from target drones). MQM-107D Streaker: Purpose built subsonic drone of USAF. Uses an efficient turbofan engine pylon-mounted under fuselage. Its smokeless engine and small profile make it a hard to spot target. A PASSIVE drone of limited countermeasures. First used in 1987....still operational. --------------DRONE CONTROLLER------------------- SNJ-5 : More of an observation aircraft than controller. Pilot sits in front while a range safety officer uses the rear seat. Unarmed. Fun to fly!! ------------Hunter-Killer Aircraft------------------ F-102A Delta Dagger (Hellenic Air Force): In the late 1960's, twenty excess F-102A's were sold to Greece along with a number of AIM-4 Falcon Missiles. These aircraft remained in service until at least 1975. A few can even be found today....sitting derelict in the weeds at Greek air bases.....:{ A full Installation and Credits read-me file is included. Use of the QB-17L and QF-59B require access to the A-team Skunkworks download files. This access is however...NOT...required to use the Mescalero Range or any other aircraft/drone. Submitter ChampionsVA56 Submitted 01/18/2011 Category Full Terrains

Welcome to the club.

I uploaded a new version with the 2 fixes for the Squadronlist and Userlist ini files. It just has to be approved again and then will be available (which it is now)....ENJOY!!

DOH!! I knew I'd forget something somewhere!! Good catch. Ok everyone.......open your USERLIST.ini file in the F4D-1 folder. Copy the following BELOW theUSN entry: [uSMC] ServiceStartYear=1956 ServiceEndYear=1965 Availability=COMMON

I overlooked one SQUADRONLIST entry in the download package. If you would like to add it to your Skyray package...it is as follows: [squadronxxx] Name=VMFaw531 DisplayName=VMF(AW)-531 'Grey Ghosts' Nation=USMC Be sure to keep the numerical sequence correct in the xxx position.

THANKS FOR MAKING LAYERED TEMPLATES!! This would have been a nightmare without.

View File F4D-1 Skyray ULTIMATE PACK for SF2 This mod aims to take the wonderful F4D-1 Skyray as created by Julhelm....and give it the ULTIMATE face-lift. Along with the 4 original skins and the fixes of Julhelm's updates.....I have ADDED 23.............YES TWENTY-THREE more authentic squadrons for you to choose from. You now have access to EVERY operational Navy and Marine fighter squadron which operated the Skyray along with the VAST MAJORITY of utility and test squadrons as well. This is a large but COMPREHENSIVE file for Skyray lovers only!! NEW NAVY SQUADRONS INCLUDED: NATC of Patuxent River NAS, Maryland VC-3 of Moffett FIeld NAS, Calif. VX-3 of Oceana NAS, Virginia VU-3 of North Island NAS, Calif. VX-4 of Point Magu NAS, Calif. VF-13 "Nightcappers" VF-23 " Vigilantes" VF-51 "Screaming Eagles" VF-101 "Grim Reapers" VF-141 "Iron Angels" VF-162 "Hunters" FAWTULANT of Key West NAS, Florida Fleet Air Gunnery Unit Pacific (FAGU) of NAAS El Centro, Calif. Naval Air Reserve Wing 88 of Olathe NAS, Kansas US Naval Test Pilot School of Patuxent River NAS, Maryland NEW USMC SQUADRONS INCLUDED: H&MS-15 H&MS-24 VMF(AW)-114 "Death Dealers" VMF(AW)-115 "Silver Eagles" VMF(AW)-314 "Black Knights" VMF(AW)-513 "Flying Nightmares" VMF(AW)-531 "Grey Ghosts" VMF(AW)-542 "Tigers" Along with the new squadrons and COLORFUL SKINS.... you will find a tweeked fight model, more historically accurate weapons loadout, and a centerline NAV PAC like was carried on the real Skyray. I have also corrected some inaccuracies on the VF(AW)-3 skin to better reflect the NORAD air defense history of this PROMINENT squadron......known as the "Blue Nemesis". A new sound file for the J-57 engine is included. Now it even sounds like a Skyray! An installation READ ME FILE is included. Original CREDITS to Julhelm for his SUPERB Skyray model, cockpit and layered templates.........nicely done!! Honorable mention to NeverEnough for bringing over the Skyray to SF2. Submitter ChampionsVA56 Submitted 01/16/2011 Category Other

The current ASR radar at the main airbase was not turning round and round....so I sent a repair crew. Look for a "fixed" Range Types ini. file in the next drone package. If you just want to do the edits yourself........here they are: (Just cut and paste) [TargetType052] Name=ASR FullName=ASR Radar ModelName=asr.lod TargetType=RADAR ActiveYear=1960 TargetValue=0 UseGroundObject=FALSE DamagePoint=1.0 ArmorValue=0.0 ArmorType=0 RepairRate=0.555 StartDetectChance=80 StartIdentifiedChance=20 IncreaseDetectChanceKey=10 MaxVisibleDist=6000.0 DamagedModel= DestroyedEffect=SmallRocketGroundExplosion DestroyedModel=asr_destroyed SecondaryEffect=VehicleFireEffect SecondaryChance=1000 AnimationID=1 AnimationTime=2.0

This was one of the reasons for so many different types of drones of different abilities( maneuvering, countermeasures,thrust/weight ratio, aggressiveness,etc.). Each time you go up.....you dont know whats coming!! A quick decision has to be made (sometimes REAL quick) about how you are going to deal with the threat. (weapons,tactics, etc). When we are done...I hope to have about 35-40 types for you to deal with. Thanks for your input..............that type of increasing AI would be cool....but I trust that Wrench is dead on........it's beyond this game (and this guys) ability. More drones next week:grin:.

But wait.........there's more!! Glad its working out well for everyone. Next drone pack will be out early next week. Will include the F9F-5K Panther, QF-86F Sabre,QB-59B Airacomet, another missile drone(the STREAKER!) and of course.....the old QB-17 Flying Fortress!! The drone controller will be a Navy SNJ and the bonus aircraft....well...a SURPRISE for you Hellenic (Greek) Air Force fans........Champ

View File SF2 Mescalero Proving Grounds Part 4 The Apache Spirit Dancers have angered the God of the skies!! Here are more target drones for your new range. This is the next drone package release for the Mescalero Proving Grounds. Please be sure to have parts 1 ,2 and 3 already installed. INCLUDED with this package are the following NEW target drones and BONUS aircraft: THE QF-80F Shooting Star: Former front line USAF fighter of the Korean era. An AGRESSIVE drone of good manueverabilty but no countermeasures .Operated by permanent USAF detachment from the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron. Type was fully expended by 1964. THE QF-106A DELTA DART: Former front line USAF/ANG interceptor. Retired and placed in AMARC storage,Arizona. Recalled for target drone use beginning in 1986 because of its availability and high performance. An AGGRESSIVE drone of fair maneuverability and good counter- measures. Type fully expended by 2005. THE AQM-136A Falconer II: Former Tacit Rainbow cruise missile(cancelled). . Originally designed as a stand-off weapon to saturate enemy air defenses. Re-designed as an inexpensive aerial target. A PASSIVE drone with poor manueverability. Low speed and limited countermeasures make it an easy missile target. Its small size HOWEVER makes it a difficult gunnery target! Air launched from drone control aircraft, it follows a pre-programmed GPS flightpath. Recovered by parachute unless destroyed. THE F6F-5K Hellcat: Former front line carrier fighter of the USN in WW2. Propeller driven. One of the first full scale conversion drones ever used. Operational from late 1940's until fully expended in 1960. An AGGRESSIVE drone of good manueverability and no countermeasures. Operated by permanent USN detachment from China Lake. THE QF-4G Phantom II: Former USAF SEAD aircraft (Wild Weasel).Retired and placed in AMARC storage,Arizona. Currently being recalled for target drone use as other Phantom types are expended. First drone use in 1998. An AGGRESSIVE drone of fair/good manueverability and EXCEPTIONAL countermeasures!! Operated by rotating detachment of the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, Tyndall AFB,Florida. Type should be fully expended or retired by 2011 as QF-16A becomes available. --------------DRONE CONTROLLER------------------- THE F9F-5KD Panther : Drone controller conversion of the F9F-5P Photo-recon Panther. Extended nose (once for cameras) allows excellent location for drone control equipment. Pilot can fully operate and/or assume command of drones via radio control. Operated on a limited utility basis from 1955 until 1965. As always: A FULL installation READ-ME and CREDITS enclosed. Use of the F6F-5K requires access to Geo's Aircraft download site. This access is however...NOT...required to use the Mescalero Range or any other aircraft/drone. Submitter ChampionsVA56 Submitted 01/12/2011 Category Full Terrains

I have been using it exclusively with the F4D-1 Skyray mod for SF2. Best results seem to come from near gun range distance (1/2 mile-ish or so) and timing your launch JUST BEFORE the target makes a full course change(turn) in the other direction. THIS is just my technique. If the missile gets there close to the time his turn is parallel to your course.....he can't react fast enough to counter with a maneuver. It's timing and practice to over come the limitations of this "sluggish" missile. BTW.....Thisseems to work with the Falcon Missiles as well....but you even have to be more precise( and tweek their ini's a little cause the current settings seem pathetic). If you want a set of Falcons that have been tweeked.....let me know. (Kill accuracy about 50 percent). CHAMP

It doesn't seem to matter which one you use. I'm a forward slash kinda guy ....HI-YAHHH!!!

Glad it's getting a warm reception. This was my first BIG terrain type project. Had to learn alot by trial and error and by using this forum to ask questions. Stand by everyone for another drone pack (Part 4) which should be out early next week. Drones will include the QF-106, F6F-5K Hellcat,QF-80F, QF-4G Phantom and a surprise missile drone (thanks to FastCargo). The drone controller will be the F9F-5KD Panther.....a re-use variant of the recon Panther. Haven't decided on a Hunter Killer yet. Here's a neat website with a great story about the F6F-5K Battle of Palmdale ........................CHAMP

THIS IS a really nice facelift for ANYONE who has installed GH3!! Very nicely done. The Vietnam SEA terrain has never looked better guys!! TOP NOTCH download.

U R most welcome. More drones will be released over the next few weeks. Good catch on the file naming issue. I always FORGET to do that (early onset Alzheimer's excuse). CHAMP

View File SF2 Mescalero Proving Grounds Part 3 The Apache Spirit Dancers have brought forth some more target drones for your new range. This is DRONE PACKAGE #2 for the Mescalero Proving Grounds. Please be sure to have parts 1 and 2 already installed. INCLUDED with this package are the following NEW target drones and BONUS aircraft: THE QF-9J Cougar: Former front line carrier fighter of the USN. An AGRESSIVE drone of good manueverabilty but no countermeasures.Operated by permanent USN detachment from China Lake. Type was fully expended by 1975. THE PQM-102A DELTA DAGGER: Former front line USAF interceptor. Retired and placed in AMARC storage,Arizona. Recalled for target drone use in 1975 because of its performance simularities to the Soviet Mig-21. An AGGRESSIVE drone of fair manueverability and limited counter- measures. Type fully expended by 1986. THE CQM-10B BOMARC: Former USAF air defense missile. Retired in 1972 and converted for target drone use. A PASSIVE drone of poor manueverability BUT SUPERIOR SPEED!! A pair of ramjet engines can hold MACH 1.7 over the range and MACH 3.5 at higher altitudes. Limited countermeasures. A "shoot quick or it's gone" target. Designed to simulate the MIG-25 Foxbat or SR-71 type recon aircraft. Ground launched via self contained booster rocket. THE QT-38A Talon: Former USAF supersonic Advanced Trainer. Obtained by USN in 1975. and converted to target drone. Retrofitted with belly-pod containing limited countermeasures. A passive drone of fair/good manuever- ability. Operated by permanent USN detachment from China Lake. Type still operational but retirement is immenent. THE QF-4B Phantom II: Former front line carrier fighter of the USN. An AGRESSIVE drone of good manueverabilty and good countermeasures.Operated by rotating USN detachment from US NAVAL MISSILE CENTER in. Point Mugu,Calif. Type was fully expended by 1990. --------------DRONE CONTROLLER------------------- THE FJ3-D2 Fury: Drone controller conversion of the FJ-3 Fury. Pilot can assume command of errant drones and activate self-destruct mechanism via radio control. Armed with (4x) 20mm cannon as secondary termination choice. Operated on a limited utility basis from 1955 until 1966. -------------RANGE "HUNTER KILLER" AIRCRAFT------(one of my personal favorites!!) THE F4D-1 Skyray: Short-lived, front line carrier fighter of the USN and later USMC. Designed as an interceptor for the fleet. Holder of several speed and climb-to altitude records of its day. Has (4x) 20mm cannon in wings with limited ammo. Primarily designed to intercept with unguided "Mighty Mouse" rockets in external pods. Can be con- figured to use early sidewinder missiles instead. Capable, but NOT USED for air/ground operations (due to wing stress problems). Limited internal fuel makes drop-tanks neccesary. VERY limited combat time over range once tanks are dropped.....WATCH YOUR FUEL!! Non-carrier use over land requires carrying of external NAVPAC which contains needed avionics for navigation (VOR-OMNI) and instrument apporach use (ILS). This pack is non-droppable and carried on centerline. Your Skyray wears the colors of FAGU.....the Fleet Air Gunnery Unit,Pacific out of NAAS ElCentro,Calif. 1958. A full READ-ME file with installation and CREDITS is included. ENJOY!!! Submitter ChampionsVA56 Submitted 01/05/2011 Category Full Terrains

Yep...I see what you mean. I just flew a full mission up north and yes......terrain is wonderful but the targets were out of place. So.......put old terrain back for now and wait! Can't live without my gold expansion pack...no way.

I just ran it with the Vietnam Gold expansion pack.......no issues here. This new terrain set......... IS TOP NOTCH. Very nicely done Stary. This time Vietnam looks like........well........VIETNAM. Fly to low on this terrain and you get waterbuffalo poo on the windsceen. An A+ dude.

I would have loved to do a PDF installation file like the previous range....but.....uh...I don't know how!!! Guess I must have slept through that lecture in college!!! SO......if anyone out there would like to help...?????