Arthonon

I've said it a bunch - it's like the old Ford vs. Chevy mentality. Or food. Just because someone likes raw tomatoes and I don't doesn't mean they're a bad person. I'm not going to belittle them for that choice, it's all a matter of personal taste and preference. Why what they like would matter to me at all (and vice-versa) is a complete mystery.

OK, stupid render question here - I only see the option to create an AVI file after recording or editing a track. How can I create an AVI file with the in-game tool to an older saved track? Thanks! Ken

Keep in mind when you talk about naming the new fighter that Flanker is not what the Russians named the Su-27 - that was a NATO designation. I know the S-37 was called the Berkut, but I'm embarrassed to admit I don't recall what the actual Russian name is for the Su-27 - does anyone here know?

What a tragedy - my condolences to all his friends and family

Mikoyan, I have never done it myself, but I am pretty sure you'll need to set up BootCamp, and then buy a copy of Windows XP and install it (I'm not sure if an OEM version will work, though). I'm not sure how it will perform, particularly video performance.

It's not the country or manufacturer that scares me, it's the price! :) I've heard good stuff about Trumpeter, though.

Try here for an F-22 and Su-27 (they're 1/72 scale): http://www.militarytoyshop.com/prodtype.asp?PT_ID=115&strPageHistory=cat And here for a list of all their 1/72 aircraft: http://www.militarytoyshop.com/prodtype.asp?PT_ID=182&strPageHistory=cat

Thanks Eric!

Thanks for the comments, everybody. Bummer you missed it, BuzzU, it was a great show. Chino's not too far away, and the Planes of fame museum is having their show May 19 & 20, so you might want to check that out, if you haven't heard of it already. Rumor is they'll have three P-38s flying that day, and usually have a whole bunch of historic aircraft flying. Last year they had something like 25 in the air at once, including a B-17, B-25s, F6Fs, F4Fs, a Zero, P-51s, P-47s, P-40s, and more. Iguana, the C-17 is the Globemaster III - do you know what plane was the Globemaster II?

Thanks Iguana! At the very end of the show, they did a C-17 demo. I never really thought a cargo plane demo would be very impressive, but they did an amazing job! First, they pulled out to the downwind end of the runway, then they backed up nearly the entire length of the runway (a small GA runway), then gunned it and took off. They flew that thing like a fighter. Here's a shot of the takeoff:

A small general aviation field in Riverside, CA had their annual air show on March 31, and while small, it was pretty impressive. Even though it was a fairly clear day with little haze, and the lighting was very good, I still managed to botch a lot of my shots, either by not having a steady enough hand or by not setting the camera right. Still, I lucked out amd got a few decent shots: #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 This guy came through 2 or 3 acts sooner than scheduled, and I ended up taking the pictures of it at only 1/250 because I was expecting prop planes. This was about the only clear one. #6 The Riverside police department did a demonstration chase and then brought in SWAT via a helicopter #7 #8 #9 #10

Wow, sounds kinda personal. OK, I think I'm done posting in this thread...

I think there's a difference between the two, though. Microsoft is not the one making the add-on aircraft for their product, and they release patches for their product for free, not requiring that you buy an add-on from them to get them. If some company started making add-ons for LO/FC/BS, charging whatever they want, I doubt Bard would have a problem with that. It's when the company who releases a flawed product forces you to buy their new product to fix the first one is what I think Bard is complaining about. You may think that attitude is just as unjustified, and I'm not going to argue either way, but I think there is a difference, nonetheless.

Based on my experiences with the TV news industry, I think they should be required to preface each story with a "based on actual events" disclaimer, just like those movies and TV shows where they know they've changed so much stuff that they can no longer claim it's a true story.

Cool lizard shot! It looks like a picture from a textbook on reptiles or something. What, um, was it that she just ate? Nice sky pic, too - the colors are amazing! OT: I could never leave for work at 5:30 on a regular basis....:sleep:

I'd definitely like to see the female monitor pic - sounds pretty cool - and of course the Javelin shot.

Thanks Rogerdat, I used a Canon 20D with a 100-400mm zoom lens. Iguana, how easily can you catch fast action with that Nikon? I've got a Canon S2 IS, which is a bit older, and I can do OK with it, but my digital SLR has two areas that typically make it much easier for me when shooting this kind of stuff - lenses and general responsiveness. The responsiveness is the biggie, though, because some of the point-and-shoots come with some pretty good glass. dSLRs typically focus much faster, and don't have as much shutter lag (the time between pressing the shutter release and the picture actually being taken). They also usually start up and recycle faster, so I'm less likely to miss any fast moving action. Both Nikon and Canon have good entry-level dSLRs at pretty good prices, but it's the lenses that will kill you. That's what makes the 8800 so appealing - you get a 10x Vibration Reduced (VR - same as IS in Canon parlance) lens attached to a 8MP camera, ready to roll. You can actually buy a new Nikon or Canon dSLR for less money than the 8800, and while it may include a lens, it won't come with a VR/IS lens. Depending on the model and package, you can get a Canon or Nikon entry-level dSLR for under $600US, but to get a VR/IS zoom lens that matches the 8800, you're looking at another $1000-$1500, unless you go used.

Thanks Iguana! I have shots of that Fury, but had no idea it was owned by the same group - pretty cool to know. I'll have to check out their site some more.

Thanks Frazer! I'm using a Canon 20D with a Canon 100-400 L 4.5-5.6 IS USM lens. And yeah, I saw a spot or two that I missed, but it seems like I clean the sensor and after a few zoom adjustments the lens has blown more dust onto the sensor again, so I just try to keep it from getting too bad, then try to clone out what's left in PS. I'm looking forward to one day getting one of those cameras that clean the sensor at startup.

Classic! :thumbup::lol:

Here's another couple of shots of the Polish Lim-5's (I only know their Russian designations, the top one being a MiG-15, and the bottom a MiG-17):

Thanks guys! Yeah, the Marines are definitely part of the Blues - they have at least one Marine pilot, and the Fat Albert C-130 is operated by the Marine Corps. I'm not sure why, but Fat Albert didn't perform during that show.

The U.S. Navy had their 2007 El Centro show on 10 March, displaying a variety of aircraft. El Centro is a fairly small town in the Southern Californian desert, about 120 miles (193km) east of San Diego, and is where the Blue Angels perform their winter training. The El Centro show is traditionally their first show of the year, and they also bring in other performers to round out the show. No A-10s, F-15s, Frogfoots (Frogfeet?), Flankers or Fulcrums were there, but here's a few shots of mine that I think turned out best:

And here's mine - another air show shot: