mppd

Check out this airshow lineup - September 1945. I don't even know what all these planes are...

Can anyone kindly post any photos or drawings clearly showing the center double AIM-9 Sidewinder rail arrangement on the F-104G in Europe - the default WOE parts could benefit from an update. New drop tanks coming, plus some other detail parts. Are the rails towed outboard a bit or are they vertical? A front view would be very helpful. Thanks, Mike D.

Just found that illustration also! Thanks very much for the help. Definately towed out, not vertical. Even though there are so many photos on the Internet of European -104s, very few close-ups of the rails, and no good walk-around shots of it anywhere. Also another question - there seemed to be two styles of underwing tanks - one slightly larger in diameter. I assume this is the 195 US gal tank, while the tip tanks are 170 gal. Is the smaller diam tank underwing also 170 gal - as this looks the same diam as the tip tanks? It is not specified anywhere.

Thanks very much - greatly appreciated.

Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement. Roger the above. These are the three key elements of the issue, according to a SWAT team instructor that I used to shoot with....anything else is secondary.

WOW! What a nice video. Didn't know they had a Hun now. Hope it makes it up here to the Barnes or Westover show some time. F-100s used to fly here in CT/Mass every day...where did the time go? I used to spend all weekend at BDL hanging around these birds. I have tons of color slides of 'em. I miss the military birds of the 70s so much...

Dave is right - maybe the clip was a bit "loaded" with action compared to real video clips from WWII that we have all seen, but it might not be bad. If I can tolerate all those "Dogfights" episode simulated video and not complain about how unrealistic they seemed (they should have used a Third Wire product instead of what they used...) I could certainly watch this.

Anyone ever try changing the carried ECM pod "JammerStrength=" value to extremely high values? Would this negate the SAM effectiveness? Of course the "pod formation" deal can't be simulated in the sim. USAF Weasal F-105Fs/early F-105Gs were supposedly required to carry an ECM pod per regs in SEA by 1967-68, but never turned them on as it scrambled their RHAW scope returns. The later F-105G had built-in ECM pods in lower fuselage (to free up a pylon for AGM-45) but again rarely turned them on when working over NVN per crew stories that I have read. Mike D.

'Lot to be said for those long black coats though...makes it much easier to carry a full size handgun.

Actually they were vanes. Not sure you want to add this much detail though!

A very well done and well researched add-on. Good job. Thanks, Mike D.

Ummm...think they missed on that one also.

Would anyone have a photo which they could post of an A-4C of VA-36 Roadrunners - the markings as provided in WOV are for when the unit was assigned to Air Wing 3 aboard the Saratoga on a med cruise. It flew on a Vietnam cruise from Oct 1965 until June 1966 with Air Wing 9 (NG tailcodes) aboard the Enterprise but I cannot locate any photos anywhere. The other three A-4C squadrons on that cruise had simple fin tip colors and an intake squadron marking so I assume this unit did too. Thanks, Mike D.

Disregard - found one at the super A-4 Skyhawk site at a4skyhawk.org

Congratulations Dave. Glad everyone is O.K. Mike D.

Happy birthday to you Sony. Wish you the best. Mike D.

It didn't make the news because Jennifer Aniston just got a new hair style last week....the popular press only covers what's really significant in the world today...

A nice addition - good job.

Yes - but only on one side (actually usually on the right side only), left has no rails at all. No AIM-9s at all. Thanks.

After the fun and games ended in Southeast asia, the Ubon LORAN F-4Ds moved with the wing to Kunsan (tailcoded "WP"), then all LORAN D-models ended up with the USAFE 23rd TFS at Spangdahlem (tailcode "SP"), and the two AFRES F-4D units at Carswell and Tinker (tailcodes "TH" and "TX").

A better solution is to make the tapelights a new 3D part on the base airplane - that way they will illuminate, plus the backing strips mesh name can be called out in the decals.ini so that the tailcodes and decals appear on them, but still under the yellow/green strip. That's how the 1972 SEA F-4D release will be (two weeks...). Looks great though.

O.K. - let me know if you need anything from me. I'm really trying to wrap up all these 3D F-4s - too long for them to be a WIP while I was occupied with other projects, and it really is a first love. I still have almost no experience with SF2.

@wrench and Piecemeal.... keep this in mind when working with Phantoms, a book on modeling the F-4 i have states that there was alot of inconsistencies in painting, marking and how the birds corroded and weathered. this helps the modeler(or modder) in covering any slight inaccuracies. Boy how true this is - a project of mine has been all of the F-4D serial numbers and markings for the two squadrons at Udorn in 1972-73. These guys were in transition to dump the tailcodes per new AFM-66 regs, plus the 555th TFS was renamed the 4th TFS with yellow trim colors (the Rivet Haste F-4Es arrived as the 555th TFS), plus Combat Tree airplanes which arrived at the end of 1971/early 72 had leftover markings from Kunsan - lots of markings inconsitancies all around - very interesting period to view photos. In the meantime, trying to maintain airplanes and fly combat missions at the same time...

Kevin, it is indeed just a screenshot in Max with the old 1024 textures. The centerline pylon is now correct (longer) - but who looks underneath it anyways...anyone is welcome to the LORAN towelrack as a separate part along with the texture if you'd like it. Always freeware to anyone. I'll probably try to steal some of the great textures from Sundowner and TK for some parts though. I have not had a problem with framerates with added detail parts - it is the hi-resolution textures which really drag framerates down for me...loading times may be longer though.

We've come a long ways since then...I have all of the Vietnam era F-4s coming, although I use them in the 1st gen sims, they should work converted for SF2. Made a lot of 3D tweaks to Crab_02's original files, more details that few would care about except rivet counters, and fixed some errors that I had made. Still using my old 1024 pixel skins though. 1967 Ubon F-4Ds first, then updated and corrected F-4Cs.