Silberpfeil

And don't forget this one (or do I have to get my paintbox out again?)!

When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight... Maybe we need a new category named "Model Box Look-alikes"!

On Saturday, 24 April 2021, the U.S. Coast Guard's last Hamilton-class cutter was decommissioned after 49 years of service. In ceremonies held at Coast Guard Base Kodiak, WHEC-724 USCGC Douglas Munro was removed from the list of active duty cutters as the last of the 378-foot cutters. This veteran of maritime security campaigns, drug interdiction, illegal migrant interceptions, fisheries patrols, high seas search and rescue efforts, and of Operations Iragi Freedom and Enduring Freedom was the tenth of twelve ships built during the late 1960's and early 1970's, and the last of that class of twelve to see service. As with the others in her class, she will be replaced by the new 418-foot Legend-class national security cutters, which now serve as the U.S. Coast Guard’s primary long-range asset.

Sikorsky S-55 / U.S.C.G. HO4S-2 1255 circa 1955: Sikorsky S-55 / U.S.C.G. HO4S-3 1300 circa 1964:

When a unique FE2 or SF2 install is run, new files are generated in the C:/Users/=UserName=/Saved Games/Thirdwire/FirstEagles2 or StrikeFighters2 folder. Previous installs have then allowed the newly-generated folders named “Controls”, “Missions”, “Objects”, etc., to be moved elsewhere (with some added statements to the Options.ini file showing where they have been moved to), but the generated Options.ini (and Versions.ini in the case of SF2) need to remain at that location. Can anyone offer some insight on whether or not the Options.ini MUST remain there in order for FE2 or SF2 to work? I've installed a new SSD and am in the process of migrating all (including the former C:/Program Files (x86)/Thirdwire executables) of my FE2 and SF2 installs to the new drive, but the Options.ini and the Versions.ini are resisting the relocation and simply generate new files in their historic location whenever setting up a new install. I've tried modifying the Options/OptionsFile entry found in the executables .ini folder, but no joy. Is this a hard-coded command during installation that cannot be modified? TIA for any replies!

I concur - in some cases their collaboration is fairly evident. Writing of another offering from the same source, I've been working on the Caudron R.XI and bringing that into one of my FE2 installs in its original role as an escort fighter. Original skin is shown in upper right with some other WIP variants also shown:

Watch it - you're getting real close to my heartstrings! In the lower right, especially note the towing service the swift boats called when they broke down...

Not looking to place too many carts before too many horses, I was thinking the same thing last week when admiring the excellent progress Gepard was making with his Operation Seelowe, and especially the landscapes of southeast England and greater London. The possibility of using that terrain model would open up an entirely new set of Missions and Campaigns for those with FE2 interest.

Finally got an opportunity to put the Breguet 14 B.2 through its paces, and noting the excellent work on resurrecting this model by Wilches, VonS, Heck, and others, offer a few DATA.INI changes for your interest. Please remember to back up your originals before incorporating any of these: [Gunner] Position=0.0,-2.2,0.8 MinExtentPosition=-0.4,-2.7,0.6 MaxExtentPosition=0.4,-1.8,1.0 PitchModelNodeName=Gunner YawModelNodeName=GunRing [InternalGun1] MuzzlePosition=-0.575,0.25,0.3 LightPosition=-0.575,0.25,0.3 MinExtentPosition=-0.7,-0.9,0.2 MaxExtentPosition=-0.4,0.4,0.5 [Tailgun1] MuzzlePosition=-0.1,-1.2,0.975 LightPosition=-0.1,-1.1,0.975 MinExtentPosition=0.3,-2.7,0.6 MaxExtentPosition=0.4,-1.8,1.0 [Tailgun2] MuzzlePosition=0.1,-1.2,0.975 LightPosition=0.1,-1.1,0.975 MinExtentPosition=-0.3,-2.7,0.6 MaxExtentPosition=-0.4,-1.8,1.0

I saw that a couple times as I was adjusting some basic data.ini numbers during test flights. Note the "Y" values for the fuel tank's MinExtentPosition/MaxExtentPosition. Not really sure if this is the solution to the problem, but I changed these to have the WingFuelTank included within the Fuselage and haven't had that "forward-looking" leak occur since those revisions.

Is there a mod like this? Target Identification Bomb M84A1 was released by the lead bombardier or a ’’pathfinder” plane to indicate the bomb-release line for the formation. It produced trailing red smoke for a period of ten minutes and design visibility was 15 miles at 25,000 feet. As info, I've tried using LAU rockets to simulate the effect but no joy thus far.

Thanks for the FM, VonS - my reconnaissance version flies just like a big truck!

Thank you - both the FAS and USAS versions are looking good so far! Are you also going to piece together the Junkers J.I?

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!