Jug

Keep in mind, if you're flying a Thud, I have read that anything below 600 knots on the deck and you're toast. Keep your energy up and use the terrain for masking (put a mountain between you and the bad guys....actually a hill will do). I, personally, think the AAA is modeled pretty well. It is hard to hit a fast-mover with a gun and that is that. Most of the AAA guns used in Vietnam were older models and radar controlled groups of AAA were rare, new and largely ineffective. When you get down in the weeds a NVA regular with an AK can take you out as well as a kid on a bike throwing rocks up in your flight path. Those big Phantom (Old Double Ugly) intakes in burner are sucking in everything in sight and at 27,000 rpms jet engines don't need much going through the intake to shell the engine out completely. When an engine shells out it usually takes something important to flying with it (like the elevators or rudder) and usually throw something ugly into the adjoining engine (F-111, A-5, F-4, or other planes with engines that sit close to each other in the fuselage).

Wow! This really rocks. Good job!!

Looks really special. Well Done! Do you know where I can get Zu'r very cool Talon airframe??

You might try a complete reinstall, SP4, the hotfix and then add that big, bad Foxbat. I've had no difficulty and, actually, added the MiG before the hotfix. Try to re-download the MiG from here again. The file may have been corrupted in the transfer in such a way that the .rar did not detect it during unzip.

Keep above the fray and consider the source(s). Your contributions are valuable and needed on all fronts. To all of your detractors, there is the classic Confucious saying, "Bite me!", that may be appropriate.

This bird looks exciting. Excellent texture job! Does anyone know where I can download the Alpha version?

Beautiful job. Did you know the entire Bay of Pigs operation was planned at the Birmingham International Airport in Birmingham, Alabama? If you get a chance to visit this city, don't pass up the Southern Museum of Flight located on the airport. One of the stewards of the museum can tell you all about his 15 missions flying B-26s during the Bay of Pigs operation. Don't ask him his opinion of Jack Kennedy though, you'll get an earful, expletives included. My first T-38 instructor had flown A-26s in Vietnam. Black belly, regular USAF vietnam camo on top, with wing tip tanks. He said the all of their missions were at night and when the pilot fired all eight of the .50 cals, the co-pilot would keep his eyes closed and would take over the aircraft when the pilot released the trigger, because the muzzle flash eliminated the pilot's night vision. The bird was good for two passes and then had to loiter around until the pilot's night vision returned. There was only a piece of canvas, usually old and ripped that separated the pilots from the nose guns, so you can imagine how loud it must have been to pull the trigger and how smoky the cockpit was after a firing pass. I never flew them, but these are tales from (then) Capt Joe Benson, USAF, where ever he is now.

I am a retired USAF pilot and earn my living programming. I love Flight Sims and especially the WoE/WoV/SFP1. I would like to get started in modding, but, honestly, don't know where to start. I understand that there is some software I must buy to get started, but I don't know what is the best or where to go to purchase it. A little help from the membership alreading doing some modding would help here. I would also like to know what the alternatives are (if any). Thanks.

Isn't there an A310 tanker out there somewhere? One of the latest Mods here is for boom lights for the A310 Tanker. Anybody know where it is available for download?

Looking forward to the books publish date. Many good fights without proper coverage.

That fixed the issue. In the F-5E_data.ini, the second line is Nation=Swiss, by changing it to Nation=Brazil, the markings are as they should be. Thank you for the hint, Sidewinder86!

The Swiss wing markings are over-riding every other skin I have attempted to try on the Mirage Works F-5E. I have even removed the Swiss folder from the F-5E directory (WoE) and I still get the wing markings for the Swiss (using the FAB skin). Any suggestions?

"Senta a Pua" is their motto and translates roughly to "Press on". I flew the F-5Bs several times with the 1st Fighter Group whose history stretches back to WWII flying Jugs in Italy when I was a student at the Escola do Comando e Estado Maior (Command and Staff College) in Rio. The Brazilians were just like fighter pilots anywhere and were very gracious to this "estrangeiro espiona" (foreign spy). They were excellent jet drivers and I'd be proud to have any one of them covering my six in a shooting situation. This was in 1984-5 and, if you will bear with me, I will relate a presentation ceremony I was very proud to participate in at the base at Santa Maria. It seems that during the end of WWII lots of things got lost and one of those lost things that was refound and finished was the award of the Presidential Unit Citation to the 1st Fighter Group for their distinguished performance in the Italian campaign. In part due to the fact that the USAF was quite embarrassed at how long this award had been delayed, the USAF decided to do the job right. The Secretary of the Air Force led a contingent of 12 USAF General Officers and coordinated the ceremony with FAB at Santa Maria, traditional home to the 1st Fighter Group. It was the USAF intent that every member of the unit be decorated by an American General Officer. Since there was something like 500 members of this unit still alive, we needed 12 Generals to get through the crowd in an efficient manner. The USAF did it up brown and following a moving speech by the Secretary, the Generals lined up and delivered that small bit of ribbon that meant so much to each of them. It was quite a sight to see all 500 of those older vets marching in with as much swagger as could be managed with the age most of them were carrying (65-75). Some were in wheelchairs and some were gone, but represented by their spouses. They marched to the airfield from an assembly point near their officers club, stood in the hot Brazilian sunshine during the entire ceremony, and marched back in perfect formation. Brazilians sing when they march and it brought tears to my eyes when these old soldiers swept by proud and singing in full volume. It was a sight to behold and one of my fondest memories of my time in that great nation and its Air Force. Mike 1, thanks for a fine piece of work here. Good on you!

I think I may look on EBay, just in case and, as a programmer with a couple of copyrights myself, I certainly cannot entertain anything, but buying the program up front. All my stock picks are in the crapper this month, so I may have to wait until they drift above what I paid for them to gather up the sheckels. I am also a big admirer of your paint honcho's work as well. My spouse is a graphic design artist, so I plan to enlist her help when I reach my own limit for texturing (which won't take long). I have found that a view of the cockpit just outside of the pit so you have some perspective in high-resolution is a great loading screen. I also like the nose-on taxiing view like the ones attached for the EE Lightning and for the MiG-21 for loading. Kinda speaks to me of "big bad jet ready to churn and burn" and gets me in the right place to really enjoy the sim. Lightning_Loading8.bmp MiG_21bis_Loading.bmp

Dragonlady_Cockpit_Loading.bmpDragonlady_Cockpit_Loading3.bmpDragonlady_Cockpit_Loading4.bmp I have a copy of the unclassified tech order which shows all you'd ever want to know about the cockpit for the U-2R. The U-2C was a much smaller lady and her cockpit much more basic. I've got some pictures around somewhere that I can scan and provide. Attached are pics of the C model, the R/TR-1 model and the new "Glass Cockpit" for the S model. Love to collaborate.

You obviously have your facts straight, but I was just recalling from distant discussions with an Indian Air Attache in Brazil in another life. My point remains the same, any jet in the hands of a capable pilot can take on a much higher capability jet driven by a pilot of lesser capabilities and take him down. Either that or the IAF driver was the recipient of the peverbial "Golden BB" (luckiest bullet/AIM-9 on the planet). Doesn't speak well for Lt Dawar that he didn't even notice the loss of his wingman in combat for some period of time. Wonder if he noticed the F-86's shooting at him? Head on a swivel is a very important concept. If you're in the fight zone and you are not moving around and looking around, you are in somebody's sights. Plan on a nylon letdown or sharpen up your fork because you're just about done!

Thanks for the advice, I think I may just start out with 3DS Max. I can just tell CINC House that I am buying motorcycle and when she has a cardiac arrest, I'll let her down gently by just buying the software program. Tactics, my boy, tactics wins the day.

Right you are. I do recall an F-86 pilot that took out two MiG-21's in one of the Indian/Pakistan border disputes. My point is you have a tremendous advantage with a jet you can yank and bank without fear of departure. The Su-27 stands alone as almost unlimited in that capability. Knowing this, of course, the wise pilot when taking one on, just refuses to enter into the arena. The driver who optimizes the advantages his craft has and choses his battles (a lot like marriage) will be successful. As any P-40 pilot of the Flying Tigers will tell you when flying against Zeros, get high, dive like a banshee, hose the first one you see and depart the fight. I believe Eric Hartmann did much the same thing time and time again against the Russians. I always lived by the saying that the outstanding pilot uses his outstanding judgement to avoid situations where he might be required to demonstrate his outstanding skill. I'm still alive and others aren't. I still think a good investment of US taxpayers money would be in 5 or 6 squadrons of Su-27's for the USAF.

The good news is that all that doesn't apply here. Gimme a century series and turn me loose to turn and burn. All that fancy stuff is way to complex for a fun flight sim. At the end of the day, all that matters is that you had a great time, rode some good friends hard, trashed some ground targets, and hosed a few bad guys without dealing with the stress of really killing someone. Ain't it great?

Thanks for the info Capun. Big fan of your work here and know how much time you have invested in it. Well done! I am going to do some modelling. I guess I'll start with GMax since I have FS2004 to get a feel for what it is all about, but my aim is to have the proper software. I'll look at them all, but looks like I'd better get ready for 3DS Max. Be glad to offer what assistance I can to persons who need help with cockpits. I only have time in the following front offices: F-5E, F-5B, MB-339, Tucano, T-38, T-37, A-37C, B-52G, U-2C, U-2R, TR-1, C12A, and the Mirage IIIEBR. (couldn't do anything right). Not that it changes gameplay one iota, but cockpit mods for AI aircraft to make them flyable, should match the number of engines to the applicable cockpit. An F-4 cockpit (2-engines) is a little less realistic in a MiG-17 and an A-4 cockpit is the same in a MiG-19. Not casting any asparagas at anyone who did the work, but its a good place to start. Bye the way, you can get some cockpit pictures here http://www.airliners.net/search/ and they make great loading screens as a lead in to the sim.

Thank you. Doing some research on the web right now.

Never putt-putted around in Vark, but I have heard it said that absolutely nothing could catch it when it got up to speed low level. Surprising enough, the next best thing to a Vark for speed in the weeds is the venerable Thud (F-105). They are neck and neck and the rest of the pack to this day are quite a ways back. Since they are all sitting on posts these days, maybe the Fencer rules as the speed king in the dirt.

If the Su-27 flight model is anyway near correct the Flanker will rule. Nothing particularly steathly about the "Stork", but if I can put you off my nose in a high speed yo-yo, you will be the occupant of the perverbial smoking hole. Have you seen the teaser film here of the model being done by some craftsman (much better credit deserved)? Somebody yells "Fights On" and I'm driving a jet you can point anywhere anytime, you're dead meat. A little respect for the Sovs top of the line. I'd take it any day over an Eagle or a Viper in a fight.

I know other people have had this problem as I have read some of the solutions on this forum. I just cannot remember how to get the pilot to show up in the seat instead of behind it. (SFP1 SP4, MiG-21MF, add-on pilot ) I just finished a clean reinstall and am re-creating my aircraft fleet from add-ons (starting with what mods are available to the stock aircraft). Please, can anybody point me in the right direction? I also have my F-15 fleet (all of them) on the runway ready for takeoff (one at a time), but they are jumping forward and back rapidly about 3 scale feet. Anybody else see this? Anybody got a fix? Thanks

I have just been modding merrily away, and have been so delighted with fooling around with all mods available that I haven't flown enough to know which airfield I am at. It is the default airfield (D11?) you get directed to in the desert scenario if you don't change anything. I do not have the QT mod installed. I have all patches installed and the Microsoft's April issue of 9c installed. The problem with my jerky aircraft on the pre-takeoff runway is, unfortunately, not limited to my F-15 fleet. All of my aircraft are straining at the bit to get airborne. Really irritating. As soon as you add the power, release the brakes and begin the TO roll, the aircraft settle down nicely. Anyway, thanks for the help.