Flanker562

Laying down the basic camo for now, really thinking of doing the modern F-16 camo down the line...

More touchup

that's fine as I can create the appropriate lists

Dude, I just started.

ok

Got some basics down. Still WIP

So you want something like the bottom image then?

Maybe this weekend, I assume you want the aircraft number on the intakes and Poland uses the Russian 'bort' style correct?

Definitely rusty on the trapping (even though in reality it was a touch and go anyways)

Still makes it look much better...

If you mean buildings no, if you mean ships yes. I've done some testing with the Super Hornet radar and a ship done through a custom mission and locked on it fine. Problem is that it locks too close, 5 or 10 miles (been a long time since I did it) so you carry a Harpoon and well... seems pretty rediculous to me. Anyway to extend the lock on range so I can actually fire outside of the SAM envelope?

Been a few days, getting rusty so yeah, hitting The Range to keep current.

thanks both! Yeah STORM I realized it when I was editing it... I transferred the layers from the Fox because I update it more than the others and caught it. I'm trying to get some weathered ALQ-99 shots as they're always clean.

Thanks! I actually have an updated one right now, just trying to find some good ALQ-99 pictures so I can dirty them up a bit, when I get the time, but here's the updated one:

Ahh the fun times...

VAQ-132 WIP

Just did a couple bouts... and my view is that the Phantom just doesn't have IMHO the energy to maintain the energy curve like the Flanker can. General maneuvering (i.e. banking, etc.) will help get you a kill but the Phantom doesn't have the push like the Tomcat does. So if you can keep the Flanker out of the circle (tried to seriously go vertical, as it just didn't feel like it was happening where the Flanker got on my tail and shot me with an R-73.

Damn... I'll have to try the F-4 against the Flanker and see how it goes then... sounds like the Phantom just doesn't have the oomph... well if properly managed maybe... I'll try it.

Show off

True enough as the Turkey IMHO just is too damn heavy to be trying to always out duel in the circle. So far going vertical on average is the best way to do it since he also goes wide most of the time so you can probably stick to a 'winder and possibly a Sparrow shot. And thanks!

Managed to get off my lazy butt and finish the numbering for the VAQ-132 birds a la Operation Odyssey Dawn/Unified Protector 541 542 543 544 Just have to touch up the skin (add weathering, etc) but here's 542 as a sampler

Me: F/A-18F EPE with 2 x AIM-9X and 8 x AIM-120 gun Opposion: Two Su-27s with 4 x R-73 and 4 R-27 each Decided to try my luck with two Flankers and came out on top. At the start they both broke and one played the target while his wingman or lead decided for my six. So I broke off the target and went for the guy going for my six. He overshot me down to my lower left as he had a wider turn to take. At the third screenshot I was in a Flanker sandwich and it was getting time to really start chopping down the threats so I can keep it manageable to just one. At this point I'm not sure which one did but one continued north which was the time I locked on the northbound while the one to my east (you can see in the second launch shot, I tried to get it all in one but wasn't good enough) was coming around at my level. I fired one 9X as it looked like a perfect stern shot while I retargeted and turned into the eastern Flanker (sixth screenshot) praying that the 9X wouldn't go stoopid on me which in the following screenshot it didn't. With his buddy burning I focused on the remaining one, which pulled me into an energy circle, which I went vertical to get a better position and this time it didn't work. Again he pulled around me as he was circling and while I came over the top I was getting his radar lock, HOBS shooting my remaining 9X while deploying flares and rolling to reengage and to jink at the same time, with the Flanker taking it right in the face. Takeaways is that move move move. You have to think and move fast in order to stay alive, as one aircraft in a sense is easy but two? Makes you think... Liberal use of the overhead map helps gauge your targets movement and also joystick or keyboard use has to be known in order to do this on the fly. Only in the fact that I had to take a screenshot did the bout take longer due to getting angles and the like. Two Flankers are a real treat and also keep situationally aware and take the shot when it presents itself. Had my first 9X go stoopid I'd have a heater left and therefore could slide into an AMRAAM kill and have to be defensive until I can work my way out of it. With the higher maneuverability I could have pulled it off but it would have been interesting. And a note, selecting Fighter Sweep seems to make them more aggressive rather than the Intercept "mode".

Early morning takeoff

Me: EA-18G with 2 x AIM-120C, 3 x ALQ-99 pods, 2 x tanks Opposition: Su-27 with 4 x R-73M2 and 4 x R-27 Naturally the Growler is not the recommended aircraft due to a "typical" configuration the aircraft and tactics is not designed to really mix it with aircraft in a dogfight. However, the main benefit over the Prowler is that I can shoot back, and have the capability for close range dogfight missiles. Again the Growler is not designed nor do tactics reflect the BVR mentality that most fighter pilots have. It's to jam and blow up radars, as it's doing in Libya currently. What the Growler has however despite the weight loading is the same general maneuverability of the E or F Super Hornets. Since I still had the Flanker setup I decided to show how to work the AIM-120 in the knife fight. Forget HOBS shots as at best the AMRAAM isn't a good HOBS missile IMHO. Once he started maneuvering I rolled easily with him tracking him. He managed to try and attempt to suck me in to overshoot but since I'm well accustomed to it I let his speed keep him ahead of me. When we got along the southern coast he started to try and weave in order to force another overshoot. At that point I locked on him, selected my AMRAAMs and shoot him with a straight shot into his rear. Takeaways. If you're down on your luck with AIM-120s then the best tactic so far is to let him extend and set him up for a shot or work him into the point to where he's not maneuvering so much that an AMRAAM shot can work for you instead of going stoopid because the AIM-120 can't maneuver as efficiently as weapons such as the 9X and so on. The reason is that he's defensive and in the no escape zone. There is of course it can be defeated by countermeasures or maneuvering but then again... you may get lucky. Since he's defensive you have to be quick on the lock and then fire waiting to follow up if it misses. This is a case of tactical patience in setting him up for the kill rather than an "easier" way with IRMs but also shows that even a jammer plane can hang with the Flanker.