Silberpfeil

IIRC, Fokker D.VI can be found as an IL2 DBW1916 model, and Sopwith TF.2 Salamander was a FS2004 model (not sure of current status). Recent pix of the D.VI are available on the web in a few places, and I recently saw one of the Salamander on another site. Here they are - just needed some time to go looking around...

Interesting idea (smaller map with more detail) - would it more closely resemble a dogfight (as opposed to campaign) simulator? To your questions: Yes - I've set up multiple FE2 installs (by theater and time frame) and spent some significant time with adding or subtracting mods to have them reflect the campaign situations. I own several flight sims and can't say I use FE2 daily, but every time I do, I thoroughly appreciate all the work that has been put into this older piece of software by talented folks attempting to make it better. Yes - I would certainly use it and would probably set it up with a separate install (much like I've done with the Caporetto terrain). But what about thinking more globally? As you've mentioned with the Flanders map, I'm sure your experience in building out these very detailed map models has yielded many areas on all of the FE2 maps that could be improved. Why not develop an "upgrade kit" that would incorporate similar improvements to all FE2 maps? Not looking to take any energy away from such a considerable effort for Flanders, but just thinking out loud...

Recently picked up "Star Wars: Squadrons" for $US40 off of Steam. It comes in at 33GB, and running it on a non-VR Windows 10 machine, my initial impression is I wish I had a Users Manual (or at least, I haven't found where it is yet!) because it seems a little clunky to set up with an older flightstick and pedals. And from what I can tell, it uses every bit of the "Recommended PC System Requirements" that it advertises. While it's the same general idea behind the ancient XvT and Alliance sims (which I am intimately familiar with), I haven't been able to "just climb in and fly around" this one as there is lots of new stuff to learn and things to blast into oblivion.

What great customer service, Stephen1918, and right on time for the holiday season! A short turnaround yielding two new significant and historical models for the FE2 aficionados - thank you so very much!

To a fellow aviator that certainly qualified for the "Second Luckiest Pilot" mantle - Rest in Peace, General!

Good job, Stephen1918 - as with all your models it worked well right out of the box! Flying it seems a little tail-heavy, however, so maybe adding some extra weight to the nose (i.e, a second Vickers Mk.2) might help? Only kidding!

Nice looking model, Stephen1918 - good work as usual! I note you've used a photo of Collishaw's "Black Maria" back a few posts regarding the air pump. That ship was modified with twin Vickers and your preliminary pix show the standard single mount. Will there be an option for paired MG's in the model?

From this morning's AvWeb e-zine, something you don't see every day - a short video on temporarily relocating the only XB-70 due some hangar changes at the USAF Museum. https://youtu.be/poyTP6tK-3Q

Not sure what your question is - the "AircraftShortName=" entry is an information label used to populate blocks on other screens. It can be renamed as you see fit if you wish to designate one model as the 110 h.p. variant and the other as the 130 h.p. variant. IIRC, there were also a couple versions with 135 h.p. and 150 h.p. powerplants in service before hostilities ceased.

Strutter_130 is one of the models in the original FE2. If you look in your "mods" folder for the original game under "Objects / Aircraft", you'll see it at the bottom... ...

Did I miss Barbarella's Alpha 7? Easily one of the classiest spacecraft around!

And I think we've been through this once before (note trailing pic of USCGC Mellon circa 1990), but you can sorta stay within the bounds of realism when you mount Harpoons on them, too!

Interesting article by Russ Niles from this morning's AvWeb e-zine: An artificial intelligence algorithm beat an "experienced" F-16 pilot in five straight simulated dogfights in a project designed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency on Aug. 20. The pilot was up against an AI system named Heron and the two duked it out in a Second World War-style forward firing gun battle. The human didn't score a single hit. Heron, which was developed by Heron Systems, competed against five other AI algorithms for the right to fight the human in a computer simulation and the result of the final battle neither surprised nor concerned observers. While significant, the milestone is an early one in DARPA's goal to develop a machine-learning enhancement to human performance with the ultimate goal of "a future in which AI handles the split-second maneuvering during within-visual-range dogfights, keeping pilots safer and more effective as they orchestrate large numbers of unmanned systems into a web of overwhelming combat effects". It's also not the only AI/human research being undertaken by the military. As we reported earlier, a human pilot in a fighter is expected to go up against an AI-controlled drone in 2021 although it's not clear what aircraft will be used.

Great video footage for prospective Spitfire drivers, and an interesting short portion on how to get a Merlin started:

Thanks for the above, Crawford! I note the BrisFit has a wing-mounted "generator fan" - will it work with the same code? And going back a couple more, I never saw the "Stachel" pilot model except in George's post but it reads like VonS has it somewhere in his files. Can that be released for general use? I'm in the process of re-doing my "Blue Max" install and that would be a welcome addition!

As a sign of the times and courtesy of FlightAware, course track of high school student testing a new compass in his father's airplane. Link for the Military Times article is just below the pic: https://www.militarytimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2020/04/30/19-year-old-pilot-spells-f-k-covid-19-in-flight-path-joins-trailblazers-of-military-aviation/

Saw that the initial post of Eugene2 was showing a FE1 Camel with black exhaust, so I went into FE2's CamelF1_150 and changed the ExhaustEmitterName= to display "InlineExhaustEmitter2" and trailing is the result: Looked pretty reasonable, so then I tried the same combination on Eugene2's no-exhaust FE2 SPAD_13 and got this result: A little less distinct, but it's there - so, the file gives the desired effect. Looked in my Effects folder and it's not there, so I'm guessing that maybe it's an original TW FE2 file?

Not really sure if this is what you're looking for, but see below from stock TW Salmson2A_DATA.INI file - under [ENGINE] subfile, there is an entry for ExhaustEmitterName=InlineExhaustEmitter2 which appears to give a pretty reasonable effect.

From this morning's AvWeb e-zine. Case 1 recovery - good weather, all visual, no comms...

Have to dust off my paint kit!

Note that in FE2, pressing "R" during a mission allows re-loading and "U" works for un-jamming.

Excellent! How about some FE2 and WWII pilots?

Could be - close examination shows he has already already upgraded the original drum brakes to the SuperCub conversion kit for disc brakes. Magic Christmas dust or not, he still has to stop on those icy roofs!

Always liked this Tom Newsom print of Santa inspecting the J-3's propeller. By the look of things, I hope he is as thorough with his weight and balance calculations and that he's upgraded that powerplant to the 65 h.p. version! In the background, looks like Santa's six will be covered by a S.P.A.D. XIII this year. Peace on Earth and good will towards men!

Thank you, Stephen1918, for another great WWI model! While I can't hit anything with them, the M17s with their grenade rack look and work great. Now I'll have to learn how to paint it to look like the CL.IV just down the road...