MigBuster

18 December 2020 Dear Fighter Pilots, partners and friends, Our Winter Sale 2020 has started and will run until the 11th of January. On Steam, the sale will start on the 22nd of December and end on the 5th of January. We are pleased to announce an additional ‘Free to Play’ period starting on the 22nd of December, giving you access to all aircraft and terrains from our e-Shop and Steam for two weeks. We have made improvements to the wear and tear of piston engines as well as the damage model by considering various loads and fractures to the main bearings that occur during flight, combat, and abusive engine management. We are now running Open Beta 2.5.6.59398, which is a really big update. Check out the full changelog; we hope you will be impressed. As this will be our last newsletter before Christmas, let us take this opportunity to thank you for everything you have done for us this year. Without your trust in our team, none of this would have been possible. We are so grateful. Please check out our 2021 and Beyond, you may notice a few cool things that we have in the pipe for you. Merry Christmas to you, your friends, and your families. Thank you for your passion and support. Yours sincerely, Eagle Dynamics Team Free 2 Play Winter Sale We are excited to announce that the DCS World Winter Sale 2020 has started, and that it will run until 15:00 GMT on the 11th of January. Most modules have a 50% discount. For DCS World Steam Edition, the sale will start on the 22nd and end on the 5th of January at 10:00 PST. Modules with a 50% discount: AJS-37 Viggen AV-8B Night Attack C-101 Aviojet M-2000C I-16 Spitfire LF Mk.IX BF 109 K-4 Kurfurst Fw 190 D-9 Dora Fw 190 A-8 Anton Yak-52 Christen Eagle II A-10A Warthog F-5E Tiger II F-15C Eagle F-86F Sabre L-39C & L-39ZA Albatros MiG-15bis MiG-21bis Fishbed MiG-19 Farmer MiG-29 Fulcrum A & MiG-29S Fulcrum C P-51D Mustang Su-25A Frogfoot Su-27 Flanker B Su-33 Flanker D SA-342 Gazelle UH-1H Huey Mi-8MTV2 Magnificent Eight Ka-50 Black Shark Persian Gulf Nevada Test and Training Range Modules with a 30% discount: P-47D Thunderbolt The Channel F/A-18C Hornet F-16C Viper A-10C II Tank Killer Supercarrier Exceptions: F-14A/B Tomcat will have a 25% discount JF-17 Thunder will be only $59.99 Not in the Winter Sale 2020: Syria NS 430 Navigation System for SA-342 Gazelle Mi-8MTV2 Crew Part 1 Campaign F/A-18C Raven One Сampaign The Free to Play period will run for two weeks (22.12.20 10:00 PST - 05.01.20 10:00 PST), and it will allow you to access all DCS World modules for free with no time limitation within the two week period. Note that an internet connection is required for the Free to Play event and that Free to Play modules will not work in DCS World in OFFLINE mode. We hope that you will enjoy some well earned free flight time, and who knows, maybe also to fall in love with your next aircraft or terrain. Warbird Warriors Development Report Fighter engines, and in particular radial engines, are susceptible to master bearing overloads that require fine management skills and attention during operation. To prolong the service life, compliance with manifold pressure levels and RPM recommendations and limitations are mandatory. If not respected, you run the risk of serious engine malfunction, and you will probably be looking for a suitable emergency landing site in short order. If the engine is damaged due to poor management, or excess combat abuse, lowering the manifold pressure (or boost) and engine RPM will help keep the oil temperature within limits. With sufficient oil pressure, it should allow you to execute a controlled emergency landing. The DCS: Fw 190A-8 Anton and DCS: P-47D Thunderbolt now include these new algorithms for calculating and simulating the above, as well as the subsequent damages / failures to the engine. These aircraft represent our latest advancement in modeling, heating, cooling, aging, and damage to power plants and systems. This work will be extended to our older DCS World aircraft, and this will set the standard for all new warbirds coming to DCS World. Open Beta 2.5.6 Multicrew At last, and after a long gestation period, we have added multi-crew capabilities to UH-1H, with playable roles for all four crew members, to the next Open Beta. You can now have dedicated roles to fly and fight with two pilots and two gunners and interchange roles in flight. If the UH-1H does not have M-60 and M-134 minigun installed, you can fly as passengers. This offers a new level of gameplay that we plan to roll out to other platforms in the near future. The Hornet now includes the GBU-24A/B Paveway III laser-guided bomb. Auto IFF/CIT from the AZ/EL A/A page and AZ/EL FlIR Sublevel. Watch DCS: F/A-18C Hornet | Automatic IFF. A redesigned threat search algorithm for HARM for TOO mode has also been added. Read and watch the details DCS: F/A-18C Hornet | GBU-24 Paveway III. We have fixed the logic of the System Point of Interest (SPI) concept. Multiple other bugs have been fixed and new A/A Training Missions have been added to help you hit the ground running. The manual has also been updated. Watch DCS: F-16C Viper | Targeting Pod and Maverick Tips. This update to Open Beta 2.5.6 is our largest to date and includes the MBT T-72B3, SPAAG ZSU-57-2, and APC BTR-82A AI vehicles mentioned in recent news. For a more comprehensive list of updates and bug fixes, please check out the full list of changes. Once again, Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones. Thank you for all for your passion and support, Kind regards, Eagle Dynamics Team

Yes regarding Thirdwire.............a possible update to SF2 for Win 10................ TK has said little outside of: https://store.thirdwire.com/project_sf2_w10.htm

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Thanks for the photos Russ............the guy who did the mod (PureBlue) has this in the readme. Unfortunately the F-104S manual I have makes no mention of the allowed A-G loadouts so unsure if it was authorised for actual use.

In the F-104 Mega Pack the F-104S-CB for Turkey has this weird bomb loadout which the modder has taken from a diagram in a book. Does anyone know if this was actually operational ever on any F-104s?

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/37405/how-israel-got-this-mig-21-that-sean-connery-posed-next-to-was-like-a-real-life-bond-movie The death of the actor Sean Connery at the age of 90 this weekend saw accolades from across the worlds of cinema, celebrity, politics, and more. Among those acknowledgments of Connery’s passing was an intriguing photo posted on the Israeli Air Force’s Twitter feed, which showed the late actor posing alongside a MiG-21 with the number “007” painted on the side, a reference to the fictional British super-spy James Bond, who the movie star had played in multiple films. The story of how the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad brought this Iraqi jet back to Israel is an extraordinary one, the result of an intelligence coup that could itself have been lifted straight from a Bond movie.

https://hushkit.net/2020/10/27/flying-fighting-in-the-gloster-javelin-hot-humid-in-the-flying-flat-iron-an-interview-with-an-raf-javelin-pilot/ The Gloster Javelin was the world’s first twin-jet delta-wing fighter. It was the Royal Air Force’s best interceptor of the 1950s, and was almost brilliant. It did what it was asked to do. It was a large heavily armed (albeit subsonic), day-night all-weather fighter. Unfortunately, the opposition moved the goals by developing air-launched stand-off missiles, requiring the sort of high-speed interceptor performance that simply could not be delivered by the Javelin. We spoke to former Javelin pilot Peter Day to find out if it deserved its bad reputation.

Rolling Thunder should run up to mid or near end of 1968. Steel Tiger was an interdiction campaign in Laos that was also up to 1968. Line Backer 1 and 2 were the other major air wars like Rolling Thunder during the the US involvement and the game was more suited to that type of environment. Outside of that there were other interdiction campaigns like on the Trail such as Commando Hunt or the Cambodia incursion in 71 but not sure if anyone did campaigns without looking. Yankee Air Pirate covered most of Vietnam mission set better than the campaign engine could do it. Likewise if you have the mission editor you can create your own historical missions that are better than what the campaign can do where it comes to CAS etc.

23 October 2020 Dear Fighter Pilots, Partners and Friends, We are pleased to announce that our special DCS World Halloween Sale is starting today and will run until the 8th of November. For our friends who fly on Steam, a shorter but nevertheless substantial sale will take place from the 29th of October until the 2nd of November. In the upcoming DCS World Open Beta update, we plan to deliver the possibility of selecting desired impact conditions for the GBU-54 bomb via the DSMS page for DCS: A-10C II and via the JDAM MSN page in DCS: F/A-18C. A whole raft of additional features and bug fixes will also be delivered. Stay tuned. After the initial release of the AGM-65 Maverick for the DCS: F-16C Viper, multiple bugs were identified during the beta-testing period. The next Open Beta will resolve most of the more pressing issues. Thank you for your passion and support. Yours sincerely, The Eagle Dynamics Team Halloween 2020 Sale On Steam, the Halloween Sale will start on the 29th of October at 10:00 PST and end on the 2nd of November.We are pleased to announce our spooky Halloween Sale. Our EShop sale starts today at 08:00 PST and will run until the 8th of November with most of our products seeing up to 50% discount. Modules with a 30% discount P-47D Thunderbolt The Channel F/A-18C Hornet F-16C Viper Exceptions The F-14A/B Tomcat will have a 15% discount The JF-17 Thunder will be only $64.99 Modules that do not participate in the Halloween Sale A-10C II Tank Killer Supercarrier Syria Mi-8MTV2 Crew Part 1 Campaign F/A-18C Raven One Сampaign We hope this will give you an opportunity to grab some hot deals and add some serious fighters to your hangar. GBU-38 Development Report The key feature for this updated JDAM is the new autopilot. This weapon now incorporates enhanced trajectory laws and provides the capability of programming for an impact with a specific terminal heading and vertical angle. These options are designed to improve weapon effectiveness depending on the type of target. The graph below demonstrates this effect. Effect of desired terminal vertical angle on GBU-38 bomb path Due to aerodynamic restrictions precise impact points are not always possible, in this case, JDAM uses an algorithm to check the impact heading and vertical angle. If the check indicates a noticeable miss, the algorithm will seek for conditions that will allow for an on target hit. In addition, to reduce the probability of a near miss and to improve ballistics penetration, the autopilot will command a zero angle of attack during the last seconds of flight. Viper AGM-65 Updates We encountered a target lock issue with objects in close proximity to the desired enemy. Symbology errors on the WPN page will be fixed in the next update. The seeker depression angle markers are currently being adjusted as well as the Sensor of Interest (SOI). In the next Open Beta update, the addition of the BSGT option and uncage ability will be added. The LOS handoff indication on HUD can also be expected. The possibility to engage target lock with two missiles prior to launching the first will also become available. It will be possible to ripple fire two locked-on missiles with RP 2 option. We are also working on the TMS-right re-command handoff. Thank you again for your passion and support, Kind regards, Eagle Dynamics Team

North Vietnam 1966 to 1972 was usually okay regarding SAMs but depends what you want to compare it with. You can have the skies filled with tracer if you like but requires a bit of modding - example you can easily create a separate install so you dont mess up your current one and try this out because I think it has levels of defence - but there is about 6 parts. Failing that see if there are any separate Mods that up the defence level.

I got mine direct from Thrustmaster in August.....looks like you may need to wait to the end of the month for more.....demand was possibly pushed up by Covid and MSFS2020. https://shop.thrustmaster.com/en_gb/pc/hotas-warthogtm-flight-stick.html The Cougar stick should work on the Warthog base.

Unlikely.................I expect it to be a paid module, being another 3rd party project.

25 September 2020 Dear Fighter Pilots, Partners and Friends, We are pleased to announce DCS: MB-339A is coming to DCS World. This exciting project comes to us from a group of flight simulation and aerobatics enthusiasts who saw DCS as the ideal platform to pursue their virtual flights. The MB-339 is an excellent fighter-trainer, and the simulator is being used by the Italian Air Force cadets. As DCS: A-10C II Tank Killer prepares for takeoff, we are happy to share our development progress on the AGM-65L Laser Maverick, GBU-54 Laser JDAM and APKWS laser-guided rocket. We are confident that this major upgrade will be an exciting addition to this iconic and effective weapons system. Check out the Tank Killer introduction and Laser Maverick video and how to use GBU-54 Laser JDAM. The Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association is running their Thunder Over Kutaisi 2020 Livestream Airshow on the 26th of September at 20:00GMT. Watch the trailer. Thank you for your passion and support. Yours sincerely, Eagle Dynamics Team IndiaFoxtEcho New third-party developer and module Following the successful community mod and motivated by customer feedback, the software house 3rd party developer IndiaFoxtEcho has submitted their MB-339A for initial evaluation. We are pleased to announce that they have been granted a DCS World license agreement to bring their project to DCS World as an official product. The official DCS: MB-339A will include improved cockpit geometry, new textures, and multiple systems such as: Electric system with battery charge / discharge Bus-bar and circuit breakers Fuel system with fuel dump and fuel unbalance Complete oxygen system including interior cabin pressure Navigation system with GPS / TACAN / ILS and Flight Director Main and emergency hydraulic system with relative hydraulic consumptions Smoke system (for aerobatics) Weapon systems The module will also receive a damage model, detailed flight manual, and many missions. A-10C II Tank Killer Development Update DCS: A-10 II Tank Killer is currently undergoing a lengthy closed testing period to ensure accuracy, stability, and a smooth launch. We continue to improve the Helmet Mounted Cueing System (HMCS) indicators, add more skins and mission content, and tune flight model changes. We encourage you to get familiar with the new weapon systems to hit the ground running. This update is being developed in parallel with the A-10C VR Training Software for the United States Air Force 355th Wing. AGM-65L Laser-Maverick Development Progress In this video we introduce the primary features of this substantial update and instruct on the use of the AGM-65L laser-guided Maverick. The Laser-Maverick provides excellent range and ease-of-use to lock onto a target by using the targeting pod. GBU-54 LJDAM Development Progress The GBU-54 is a 500-pound bomb with options for INS/GPS and laser-homing guidance. It can be loaded on all 1760 smart racks. While INS/GPS allows launch-and-leave and the ability to engage through cloud and smoke cover, the laser-guidance provides increased accuracy and can engage moving targets. It’s up to you to determine the best guidance based on the engagement. Watch DCS: A-10C II Tank Killer - GBU-54 Laser-JDAM. AGR-20A APKWS Development Progress The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) is a cost-effective method of engaging unarmored and lightly armored targets based on pinpoint laser-guidance. Both M-151 high-explosive and M-282 penetration warhead versions are available with seven rockets per each LAU-131 rocket pod. With a range of approximately 5 miles, the APKWS offers accurate firepower. Get a grip on how to use the APKWS with DCS: A-10C II Tank Killer Laser-Guided Rockets. Thank you again for your passion and support, Kind regards, Eagle Dynamics Team

No.............open the manual on a tablet and follow it along. Fairly easy but there will be differences in procedures and systems so you will still need to read up on a few things but shouldn't be much. You should be pretty good by the time it gets out of EA though whenever that will be............. 2023?

The training Missions in BMS are really good and have a dedicated and very detailed pdf manual that is where you should start. Using the DCS manuals might be confusion.....might be viable to an extent if you use the US Block 50 only............a lot is the same but there are also many differences. (Note the DCS guides are not complete and probably wont be until a few years after it comes out of EA)

Eagle Dynamics have a cut off date of 1980 for anything like that......so should expect the same here for this material.

No point trying to compare an F-4 with an F-15/16 they are on a different planet when it comes to retaining energy in a turn. Ensure your throttle is calibrated properly outside the game if possible...trying to remember if debug view shows Throttle state. Usually keep speed up and use the Vertical where you can and don't get slow........a lot of aircraft will outturn it easily when slow like the MiG-17F for example.

Pass on Open Track - TrackIr has always worked fine so potentially some may have used OpenTrack in the past. Minimise game.......leave another App open and use basic Alt + Tab would do it.............although how many times it will work per session cannot say. Recording Software back in the day was Fraps although I used NVIDIA Shadowplay which was built into GEForce Experience and is now just part of the in Game Overlay. Expect a lot will do it.

That is how things used to happen with traditional programming......so in computer game AI it was essentially scripted and followed a set number of options it has been programmed to do by a Human..........and is therefore very limited. That approach is not practical for AI. This AI agent takes a totally different approach using what is called Reinforced Machine Learning. So for this dogfight trial they take a baseline AI agent that can do next to nothing..........and then basically tell it the environment and what it can do (Pitch Roll etc) then it has to work the rest out by trying something and getting rewarded if correct or being asked to try again. So after 4 months and probably millions of attempts of learning it was rubbish but after 10 months of learning it was far better. So for the trial it trained itself to a good enough point. During the Dogfight trial itself it could only go on what it had learnt itself up to that point which was clearly adequate for that....but the potential is clearly there for further development..........expect there is still a very long path to travel. I don't think being better than Humans at BFM over time is a problem.....the problem I have is reliability and predictability of the training data it ends up with ......even with basic programming computers just pi$$ off and do their own thing too often.

Don't put more than 20p on that is all I will say

The future DARPA really see is a manned fighter Jet where the AI does all the flying ( inc BFM) and the Man does the cognitive mission parts. So the pilot essentially can go from jet to jet without ever having to learn how to fly it. Some potential Advantages of AI Never get tired and always 100% No training Very quick reactions (OODA) Can flawlessly fly the numbers Can do more G but not really as big a deal as most think.

Quite possibly one of the biggest news stories ever in the history of combat flight simming is now set to take place where a gamer will take on Heron Systems AI Falco in a simulated BFM 1v1 Guns bout. For those not familiar, last month the small AI company Heron AI systems beat its AI contenders in simulated F-16 1 v 1 BFM dogfights including entries from companies such as Lockheed Martin. As a winner it then took on a real life US ANG F-16 pilot (Callsign Banger) and soundly won that also 5-0. Now poor old Banger did tell Heron Systems that he had about 2 days training in VR before taking on the task - of course gamers might say he needed about 2 years to be any good which may have led to some in the media including former F-16 pilot C.W.Lemoine implying that a gamer might have done a better job. Therefore the winner of this years "Folds Of Honour" competition will get to fly off against Herons AI in a similar BFM match. Folds of Honour is a 1v1 BFM Guns only competition in DCS taking place this September - anyone can play and all proceeds goes to the Folds Of Honour charity. Register Here: https://givergy.us/FightforHonor2020/?controller=home Event information: https://splashonegaming.com/fightforh... Event Discord: https://discord.gg/7KNegQB

Very impressed myself - has quite a bit of depth but fairly easy to fly the stock aircraft around. Have been touring places like Malta, Guadalcanal, Rabaul, Oahu, Guam, Iceland, Hong Kong, so some amazing terrain and places to land. Indonesia is pretty challenging in a Cessna 172 with the many dirt runways on the mountain slopes.