EricJ

Focusing on the hard part which is the camo but it's shaping up...

The Hunter

Me: J-10A with 2 x PL-8, 4 x PL-12 and centerline tank, gun Opposition: F/A-18F EPE with 2 x 9X, 8 x AIM-120, gun I've always fought the J-10A with the F/A-18F but never been on the other side. Okay... time to be the Bad Guy and take it on. Started out pretty easy peezy as he porpoised for a second then leveled out. Well he slowed down, and I sped forward breaking to the left in order to not get him behind me which didn't work as he turned into me and I tried to energy circle but since I fly with the padlock going on I saw him angling for me. I pulled vertical but knew I probably didn't shake him and he reminded me of that fact when something hit me. Wasn't a missile... but at that point I paused the game because I was curious. What he shot with his gun was my engine along with my rudder. After unpausing I saw him in the padlock follow me then turn north. Though I will remember his AESA was on top of me as soon as he locked me up. And when he went north naturally the lock dropped. Then I asked myself, "why is he going north when he's got me cold?" I was at full burner and now my engine was cold. He obviously knew I was dead before I could figure it out because I was (despite my rudder actuator missing) in one piece. So I figured it out and ejected. The best defense against this aircraft is just cover yourself, and engage him as soon as possible.

A bit early but got the tanks done...

I'd been thinking about it and seeing how it goes with the EPE mod, check your PM inbox

Me: F/A-18F EPE with 2 x tanks, 1 x AIM-9X, 1 x GBU-12D/N, 1 x GBU-12E/U, 3 x Brimstone, 2 x GBU-38 JDAM, gun. (62,050 lbs at start) Opposition: MiG-19 with guns. (I'd say around 15,000 lbs or so) I did this just as a way of showing how flight technology has advanced. For the F-4 loadout from the previous two DACTs I came out at 46,130 lbs at start and had trouble with the "Farmer"... Started out and once he started to maneuver I realized that I only had one 9X against this guy and gun. Knowing my joy and experience of the shredding by the Farmer I chose to make my only shot count. And this is my new Afghan strike loadout as I had to certify I'd be able to surive in a knife fight... just in case. He pulled predictably to the left and started to try and go into an energy circle, with me keeping it around full mil power (I think, all this flying is by feel which is why you don't see the information bar on the bottom left) and pulled hard into him. He shot past and I turned into him again tracking him. Feeling the itch I stroked the trigger in the no-escape range downing him, with me flying past just to make sure. Total time 59 seconds. Takeaways was just better tech that's all as while I nearly blacked out rolling around with him wasn't hard at all. That and I had to watch speed management as well. Sure I could match him but not going to take that chance...

Should be 8

File Name: Speculative/What If VFA-195 CAG F/A-18E File Submitter: EricJ File Submitted: 16 March 2011 File Category: SF2 Series Add On Skins This goes under the double header since VFA-195 is currently transitioning to the F/A-18E but so far no newe on what the CAG jet may look like so after a request made this based on one of the current schemes (or last one). Eric Johnson 2011 Simply drop in your FA-18E folder and go fly. Can work for SF1 except for drop tank textures. Click here to download this file

F/A-18F [Pilot] SystemType=PILOT_COCKPIT PilotModelName=JHMCS_USN Position=0.0000,4.8895,1.1528 SeatModelName=seat_SJU-17 SeatPosition=0.0000,4.8795,0.7228 [WSO] SystemType=PILOT_COCKPIT PilotModelName=JHMCS_USN Position=0.0000,3.566,1.204 SeatModelName=seat_SJU-17 SeatPosition=0.0000,3.62,0.774 F/A-18E [Pilot] SystemType=PILOT_COCKPIT PilotModelName=JHMCS_USN Position=0.0000,4.8895,1.1528 SeatModelName=seat_SJU-17 SeatPosition=0.0000,4.8795,0.7228 I just used the default positions...

Cleaning it up and getting the pattern aligned as well as showing the pylons. Seeing how the camo works more than likely going to do the same. And more than likely the ATFLIR will be camoed the same...

2nd bout missiles only Me: F-4D with 4 x AIM-9E-2 and 4 x AIM-7E Sparrows, SUU-23/A gun pod (should be equivalent) Opposition: MiG-19S with guns Opposite to the previous and on a whim I decided to get the MiG driver back with some 'winder loving. Upon starting I got a lock and fired. It tracked fine and hit him with him pulling off to the left entering an energy fight. Again tone and lock, pressed the button and it went stoopid. After that he started the energy fight but decided to extend to the east, and I leveled off taking the opportunity for another 'winder shot. At the range he was at I did contemplate a Sparrow shot if it went stoopid. I had thought the 'winder went stoopid but it ended up tracking the MiG and downing him. In this case against an opponent like this my heartfelt opinion is that if the virtual taxpayers pay to allow you to fire the missiles, use them. While a more experienced pilot can give you a better opinion and report I don't like putting myself in a position for a MiG to gun me down especially when he outmatches me in maneuverability. Also in the year of good ol' 69. Screenshot sequence bottom to top

1s bout guns only Me: F-4D with 4 x AIM-9E-2 and 4 x AIM-7E Sparrows, SUU-23/A gun pod (should be equivalent) Opposition: MiG-19S with guns I stuck to the gun pod since it was requested despite the loadout above as I wouldn't leave the runway with just a gun, just sayin... Like you Heretic I'm very inexperienced with dealing with heavy fighters (Okay the Fox and Echo Super Hornets as said get the "Rhino" name due to the fact that they are medium to heavy-weight aircraft but handle like nothing else short of the Polecat or F-31A) so I'm sure some more experienced pilots besides Ceasar (though he could do better of course) could help Heretic out here. Anyways.... started the fight and got into an energy circle but tried to squirt him with the gun as I had a near good solution, just missed that's all.. Went for a revolution and went over the top. At one point he came around and tried to shoot me in my cockpit (check out the screenshot where he's directly pointing at me) and thankfully couldn't perforate me since I was moving fast. Since I was restricting myself to guns I couldn't take the shot. After that the MiG-19's maneuverability and the fact that it was ten times as light won in the end as he got me in the tail shooting me down but I successfully ejected. In hindsight I probably should have dropped flaps for low speed maneuverability but not sure if that's really a good idea but of course a more experienced F-4 pilot could say otherwise. In the year of good ol' 69 Takeaways? Read the next report.

I'll give my perspective but I warn you I may give the same results you get...

Cleared (not the real weapon yet).

Okay

I run Win7 and I run it off the desktop and it works fine. For the most part I only use the Weapon Editor when I have to massage older weapons to work with SF2, such as the KF2 weapons and the 5V55K but other than that I go do the _data.ini of that weapon and input the data.

Me: F/A-18E with 4 x AIM-9X and 6 x AIM-120, gun Opposition: Two F/A-18E with 2 x AIM-9X and 8 x AIM-120, gun For someone who flies them virtually everyday it's kinda interesting to see how the AI handles the same jet you fly everyday. In any case the AI wingman went to the left and tried to get me into a scissors almost immediately, even porpoising a bit but again I throttled down to idle and just let him do his thing. On a whim I wanted to try for a close in AMRAAM kill but it went stoopid and flew west. The Super Bug pilot went back towards his lead but lead was still trucking north so I worked on the wingman, getting tired of the lack of threat value and fired my 9X, hitting him hard (in a previous session I had hit him twice but he kept flying...) and he went down. Next was the lead. I think I know what the issue is as far as the lead not committing. I'm guessing that you have to lock onto him because when I locked up the lead he started turning into me. I was about... ten or so klicks out but he was getting closer for a shot so going full AB I decided to expend an AMRAAM as if it went stoopid I'd at least distract him so I could maneuver. Well instead it shot him down. Takeaways. Not every fight needs to get into the close fight especially when you have a threat of the 9X/AIM-120 combo heading towards you as I can handle my own aircraft quite well it's keeping the seekers from acquiring me that's the issue. Sequence is bottom to top.

The Hunted

Me: F-16 Blk 10 IDF with 4 x Python 4 and center tank, gun Opposition: Two MiG-29C Parani AF with 2 x R-27R and 4 x R-60, gun As soon as it started the wingman went left lead went straight. Got into an energy fight with the MiG driver and must say the Parani Splinter is like Day-Glo orange (well...) but like the previous fight the MiG tried to get me in a scissors and another energy fight. He started to extend east and I fired my first Python 4, a good rear shot that was well defeated by flares so the Python went stupid and missed. He jinked left and then went west and I pulled into him firing another Python 4 which this time tracked fine into him. Lead had been like others trucked north and once again when I got to LAX he turned into me going real low but I stayed high and he came back in an energy fight. He extended westish or northwestish and I shot him with a Python 4, shooting him down. I think that most of the time the two Tomcats was perhaps my best engagement as there was a real "oh s@#t" factor that you can't ignore. If the AI is going to act like this then it's getting too predictable too fast, just my 0.02 on the matter.

Me: F/A-18F EPE with 2 x AIM-9X and 8 x AIM-120, gun Opposition: Two MIG-29C-CCCP with 4 x R-73, 2 x R-27R What I wanted to show was rapid target acquisition and engagement with the 9X but I got a little extra "joy" out of it as the opposition didn't get the memo. Once I started I locked the wingman or lead, firing my first 9X as both went high to the left. The 9X drilled the first MiG and I was still targeting visually it as the remaining MiG went down low trying to draw me in by starting an energy circle. I retargeted the surviving MiG and turned into him following him down... sort of. He came up and tried to scissors but seeing it coming I throttled to idle and waited for him to try another logic routine. He tried to scissors some more and once I had the shot I took it as he extended and I throttled up, exploding him. Same with the F-16, higher speed aircraft are great but sometimes speed management (energy management as well...) will keep you alive against slower opponents. Images are out of sequence again...

JHMCS_USN And JAT81500 gave it to me but I haven't updated the Super Hornet file so here it is JHMCS_USN.7z

Realize that this is commissioned work (which the skinwork wasn't) and something like this will cost you about 20 dollars US for me to do. Fair enough?

Me: F-16 Blk 10 Netz IDF with 4 x Python 4 and gun, centerline tank Opposition: Two JAS39C Gripens with 4 x Python 4s (howww???), 2 x AIM-120, gun. Fairly standard with the wingnut taking me to the left while lead keeps on trucking north. Wingman takes me to the coast and is pretty much weaving to draw me forward, which can work if you're not watching your speed. The Viper is a speed demon but after my first attempt I realized I have to watch the speed a bit. Thing is the drag that is induced by the Super Hornets pylons actually in my opinion isn't the greatest deal but overall speed management is actually quite nice. Whearas on the Viper you have normal pylons so it's too easy to hit Mach 1.0+ way faster. In any case the wingnut was weaving and shot him with a Python 4 shooting him down. Lead continued to truck north. Once I reached LAX however he decided to get the fight on drawing me into a couple energy circles. As he moved west and leveled off I fired a semi-HOBS shot at him, exploding him. And in regards to the screenshot with the Gripen... beautiful skin but didn't stop me from shooting it down... Takeaways: As mentioned before my biggest problem is speed management as I tend to hit the burner when... not really needed. In some cases down the road it felt more comfortable to use it but initially it wasn't required unless you manage your throttle and watch what he's doing. Like Ceasar with the Tornado this is my second real time with the Viper in ACM, and obviously is much different when you're used to bomb trucking or strike missions in Afghanistan with zero air threats. Again screenshots out of sequence, may have to actually start using the gallery...

Okay you want it still on the tail because that's as far as I know the only way it's done.

Me: A-7D (78) with 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinders Opposition: F-4D with SUU-23/A Gun Pod, 4 x AIM-9J, 4 x AIM-7E-2, ALQ-119 jammers Upon starting the two Phantoms went high, with the wingman moving to the left and heading south while the lead again took the bait. I took the bait this time knowing the capabilities in 1973 of the winders and Sparrows so I took my time. Initially I had targeted the wingnut and he continued south while I headed north. The wingman was coming around so I had the lock and fired my 9E right into his tailpipe, retargeting the wingman who was coming hard at me. He locked me up and I think he fired a Sparrow, not sure as when I took the log I didn't see it as my gun shots and hits made it impossible to tell. In any case we entered a circle and after a few passes I had at the time a good shot with the 9E so I took that and recalling looks like it was defeated by flares and maneuvering and hell it's old... Anyways at that time it was time to go to guns because... that's all I had so I maneuvered and shot him down with a gun kill. By this time the lead was damaged and really wasn't doing much but just flying north. Opening the throttle I made it up to Palmdale where the F-4 saw me and turned back into me, firing a Sparrow. Dumping chaff and evading (I know it's the Great White Hope but doesn't mean I'm not going to jink) he flew past me and I chased him through the mountains until he manevered into the side of the mountain. I was getting close myself but dropped the "F That" bomb and turned away... The game gave me the kill (I'll take it because honestly I had no choice) but as you can see from the attached log after that Sparrow was fired at me. Plus I was getting pretty dry on the Vulcan so I just got lucky. Not much to takeaway but strictly weapons management for the nuggets to realize. Sure we got high falutin technology missiles (or the crappy early ones) but don't start winging or crying that you're out of missiles when you have a gun remaining. Of course it varies by opponent but if you really want that kill... That and familiarity of the aircraft and your opponent's capabilities. Had it been a more modern fight i would have been more worried due to higher technology. However since it was 1973 I had a better edge against my opponents because mainly I can work it out better. And I'm starting to like the SLUF a little more. Not that I'll become a really cool ace fighter pilot but now gives me more confidence in case I feel like taking it out and get jumped... Sceenshot sequence is all messed up...