MigBuster

RAF Tornado fighter jets have flown with parts made using 3D printing technology for the first time, defence company BAE Systems has said. The metal components were used in test flights from the firm's airfield at Warton, Lancashire, late last month. The parts include protective covers for cockpit radios and guards for power take-off shafts. It is hoped the technology could cut the RAF's maintenance and service bill by over £1.2m over the next four years. BAE engineers are producing the parts for four squadrons of Tornado GR4 aircraft at RAF Marham in Norfolk - with some parts costing less than £100. Mike Murray, head of airframe integration at BAE Systems, said: "You are suddenly not fixed in terms of where you have to manufacture these things. You can manufacture the products at whatever base you want, providing you can get a machine there, which means you can also start to support other platforms such as ships and aircraft carriers. "And if it's feasible to get machines out on the front line, it also gives improved capability where we wouldn't traditionally have any manufacturing support." 3D printing - which has been hailed as the future of manufacturing - works by building up layer upon layer of material to build complex solid objects. In September, US space agency Nasa announced that it is planning to launch a 3D printer into space in 2014 for the first time to help astronauts manufacture spare parts and tools in zero gravity. It is thought it could help reduce the costs of future missions. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25613828

There must be a few Catalinas we can dig out of a museum............. Hope its not related to this http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?pg=2&id=471123

You would hope no one procures airframes based on staged 1 v 1 WVR dogfight exercises - otherwise Typhoon & Rafale would probably selling like hot cakes. As I said before - integration of Gripen E into an air defence network will make them a far superior fighting force - regardless of any rumored airframe advantages.

What patch does WOV need for YAP3 - 2008? - could be shader related There is an enbseries HDR mod i used to use with WOV / YAP that did similar things to sweet fx and boosted fps.

Airliners all look the same to me obviously

Are you talking about the mission editor in SF2?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEGFkq1L7Gc

Well I wasn't going to analyse it to much - looks like F-16 v FA-18 to me

Interesting - lots of differing points of views in the comments as well

It sounds nations related In the flight folder is there a NATIONS.ini - check that it has the nations you want to use Check the nation of the jets and weapons in the aircrafts _data.ini for any spelling mistakes If not looking like patch related - if no one else can chimb in

Check out the scenery and the very makeshift landing strips this guy deals with in his Pilatus http://vimeo.com/55589011#

Hello Rick and welcome I have seen that a few times over the years (Random game bug) - not that common - you can normally carry on and ignore it.

Easy to fly and great mods available - is also 10% off at Thirdwire

Is that your new years resolution?

What did you add? - should have said just check that the correct nations are there (France for example). When it stops normally are you getting any crash reports regarding any dlls? Can you post screens of Windows Explorer showing the SF2NA file structure? When you tried reinstalling are you using the same SF2NA exe file - or did you create another copy? Are you running any other exe files from your install to run other versions - do they work okay?

Going back many years I used Hyperlobby - other more regulars tended to use Hamachi though - Streakeagle might be the best to speak to

Happy new year to all - may this one be vastly better than the last.

At least Volkers Vipers didn't have a cockpit clogging up the air intake

If Derby is good enough for Israel then its good enough for Brazil - it could be superior to the R-77 variants for all we know (especially export). AMRAAM combat firing shows it was never a silver bullet - it would certainly be naive to think it hasn't vastly improved though as JM stated - but so have Counter Measures. This does kinda go with my point though that if you pay more for the F-16 then you get support that may allow you to do things like detect incoming missiles - because it doesn't matter what you are flying if you don't know a missiles coming your way!

Someone else has commented on it not working in the latest patch I see In Terrains\IcelandNA\iceleand_Nations.ini are they added: [LimitedNationList] FriendlyNation001=USN FriendlyNation002=USAF FriendlyNation003=RAF FriendlyNation004=RoyalNavy FriendlyNation005=AustralianNavy FriendlyNation006=NewZealand FriendlyNation007=FrenchNavy

SAAB advertise Derby already as a weapon option for Gripen - only info is that its a lengthened Python 4 with active seeker head. http://www.saabgroup.com/Global/Documents%20and%20Images/Air/Gripen/Gripen%20product%20sheet/Gripen_Weapons.pdf The AIM-120 - which is due for AIM-120D has the biggest budget and actually has combat experience so on this basis only it should be superior by a good margin - but there is no real world data to back up any modern missile performance....... Now Brazil would appear to have 11 x AWACs type platforms (Embraer) - so if Gripen E avionics can integrate into the wireless network then that could have been another consideration. Although its a good point that equipment must work when you come to use it you must remember that storage,handling and maintenance in between manufacture can affect things - I have a whole book of malfunctioning AIM-7Ms fired in ODS as told by USAF pilots. On the positive side Sweden have vast experience in operating front canard aircraft on a budget with data link technology - and an airforce that can work together with superior SA potential due to better sensor fusion and networking will have a distinct advantage over those relying on radar range of a single fighter. Unfortunately avionics, radar range and RCS range are unknowns when it comes to what these airforces actually have (or will get) - but its fun to speculate sometimes

Sorry which mod are you using exactly? - generally some files will be missing or something is not in the correct place

Can check the Su-15_loadout ini - or make it flyable and load it up for that year and see what its using Do you have many Soviet weapon add ons?

Yes but they are essentially a replica of the original file structure in SF1/WOV If you can find the right folders to put the files in it could still work

On the plus side Chilean Vipers don't need to fly over Brasil on the defensive. Had a skiing instructor a few years back from Chile - works in Chile for their season then goes to Andorra for their snowy season - he dint mention the Argies though. Brazil have been using F-5EMs - Based on their use of TurboJets and tiny fuel load you would certainly expect Gripen to have better range than these. Do either have A-A tankers ?