EricJ

And they're worth the money too

VAQ-141 is on the George Bush conducting OEF/OIF support and they're a full squadron. There's a couple but if I read the news the Enterprise is around the area. They may have a Growler squadron (VAQ-138 and I think -136 have them) onboard.

Personally I like the quote from Goldeneye "The trick is to quit while you're still ahead" always comes to mind...

Damn... Nice work!

No problem!

Nice work Slartibatfast! I've never hung around myself if faced with too many odds... they'll be there when they show up

Me: F/A-18E with 2 x AIM-9X, 3 x AIM-120, 2 x GBU-31 JDAM, 3 x tanks, gun opposition: J-10A with 2 x PL-8, 4 x SD-10/PL-12, gun and center tank Much Like when I was the shooter in the J-10A when we finally (after a few minutes) we got into a few energy circles, and on my end the impression was the same as we couldn't get an advantage. I managed to pull my nose into him (harder with all the weight) and fired my first 9X, which went stoopid and missed. After that he started to slow up a bit, starting to get more defensive though this time I managed to turn my nose in better launching my last 9X, exploding him. This one took longer (3 minutes instead of 1 minute and 47 seconds) instead of the Fox because well... the E is slower and therefore I used that to my advantage when I was chasing him. All that weight on my wings was helping that along as well but again after the near overshoot he started to play around. It should be noted that since he was defensive like that all it would have taken was a quick trigger pull... And as well the J-10 likes to do larger energy circles compared to most, which shows the difference in maneuverability of versus these two particular aircraft. The Typhoon has the same configuration but can pull in tighter, and relatively less powerful engines (the J-10 has a Flanker engine) but can match it in the turning fight.

Me: F/A-18F EPE with 2 x AIM-9X, 3 x AIM-120, 1 x ATFLIR, 3 x tanks, 12 x Mk.82s Opposition: J-10A with 2 x PL-8, 4 x SD-10/PL-12, gun, center tank. Just wanted to see how this would work out and it worked pretty good. Started behind him but he started with a scissors and I managed to pull out of overshooting by a nanofart. He went westish and entered for some reason a wider circle fight in which despite the weight I pulled into him, using my burner (no way I could have gotten him with mil power as my speed was dropping fast, natch) pulling into him. I selected my 9X and fired with it tracking and blowing him up. Takeaways was that you have to watch your forward motion even when you're bomb truckin it, seriously as inertia I assume is handled well in the game so yes I throttled down... but again based on the maneuverability not power characteristics I was still able to turn into him, though with that load I had to hit the burner earlier as if lighter I could have gotten him with at least mil power or of course less.

Me: J-10A with 2 x PL-9C, 2 x R-77, 2 x PiLi-12, gun Opposition: F/A-18E Super Hornet w/ 2 x AIM-9X, 8 x AIM-120, gun Starting off the Super Bug acted much like the Su-35 in trying to draw me into a scissors and after a few minutes I decided that I'm not going to get anywhere if I stay behind him for a perfect shot, but given the quality of the missiles (I wanted to try out the PiLi-12 honestly) I wasn't too sure and wanted to take my time with the stock bird. I'll only include the highlights because I think it took about ten minutes. I say this because somehow graphically when I went to the debrief screen I couldn't do anything. Not sure what the deal was but whatever, I got it in screenshots. And my screenshots will show the highlights... In any case I got into vertical and horizontal energy scissors quite constantly. And my recommendation is if you're trying to shoot down the Bug then reverse into it but I would advise that the Bug still can corner (without the EPE) quite well and yeah... there's the 9X there too. I found this out as after doing one of many reversals and seeing the tracers whiz by past my canopy. Eventually got into a good firing position and tried a shot with the PL-9C. Yeah it tracked real great but defeated by maneuver and flares. Again repeat circle. I reversed into him again and I tried my second PL-9C, and well shouldn't have as later on I wished I had it but still worked out in the end. So after this he levels off east of LAX and I setup an R-77 launch but he defeats that by maneuver (he was already defensive) and chaff. Great... So I maneuver some more and nearly get a gun solution but he's got too much energy on me to compensate so he flies past. I switch to (eventually) the PiLi-12s and work a radar missile kill. Problem is by that time I was a bit too close with the radar scope covered in the big "X". Eventually he levels off heading east and I lock him up with the PiLi-12 in no escape range. Still had the "X" and deployed my speedbrakes to get him past that, firing my PiLi-12 and exploding him. Takeaways? The stock Super Bug is an even match for the J-10A, but I would hazard that the Super Bug corners much better and therefore when you reverse into him beware of a face shot. At least at close range expect the gun but at a longer distance it wouldn't be hard to work in a 9X shot either. So I would say that it boils down to skill on this one.

Thanks! But this is an actual CO jet too (photo from airfighters.com):

Minor texture update before uploading, found a good rubber hose texture and applied it:

Cool! Me: J-10A with 2 x PL-8. 4 x SD-10/PL-12A, gun, centerline tank (though due to 3D model issues it's there but graphically not). Opposition: One Su-35 Super Flanker with 6 x R-73M2, 4 x R-27R and 2 x R-27RE, gun Began the fight as normal and the Super Flanker and Flanker versions like to do the scissors most of the time. I almost got caught up but didn't. Went into a couple energy circles but since the J-10A compared to the Flanker is more maneuverable I was able to shadow him very well. He stayed low most of the time and did force me to overshoot and instead of taking an R-73 I went vertical with him staying down near the city of LA. I came around and he gained altitude and I turned into him, feeling my oats and firing my first PL-8, it going stoopid as it was a clean shot, tracked him all but missed him, defeated by flares. Okay fine got it. He continued west over downtown and tried another scissors, but I throttled down to idle and deployed my speedbrakes. I had a perfect shot so I took it, the PL-8 going retarded, not stoopid as it was defeated by flares. Ooookay... the Flanker extends west and I got 4 SD-10s left so I lock him up and fire my first one. It misses, defeated by the chaff and maneuvering by the Flanker. I throttle up and fire another SD-10, with that one going retarded too. When I took the screenshot one of my thought's was "when I unpause it'll probably be a good idea to retract my brakes." I did and battle commenced. Now at this time I had no hope in the Chinese Great White Hope so I stuck to guns. At the southwestern edge of LA he forced an overshoot again and I went vertical, with him trying to spike me with an R-73M2 which was defeated by pure maneuver as I came up over the top. After nearly confusing myself I didn't lawn dart and reacquired the Flanker and battle commenced with me on top of him around that time and I tried to gun him with my SD-10s active. I nearly shot him with a couple bursts but switched to pipper and got behind him and at close range I fired and walked the shells across his body, shredding him while I maneuvered away lest I mid air with a dead Flanker. Takeaways the J-10A can handle itself... so far against heavier opponents... which says something after last night because the F/A-18F was 20,000 lbs or so heavier than I was. Maybe to be more clearer than mud I say heavier and less maneuverable aircraft than a Fox Super Hornet EPE (yes I'll try the normal one some time too). But in that regime the J-10A isn't a bad plane. Just maybe need better missiles fo sho. In my case I'm going to just zip up the images since A) it allows more reading than trying to deal with five million images, and if you want to really see the images, just download the 7z file. J10vsSuperFlanker.7z

And done... touchups and she'll be ready

mescalero range is SF2 only... which is probably why you're getting a crash to desktop...

yes

ATFLIR work...

Thanks! But FastCargo gets a grateful Thank You, if his mapping wasn't as good as it is then it'd look cheaper...

Almost there... gotta work on the ATFLIR as well as other bits but tomorrow it should be uploaded.

Almost finished...

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...