Lucas_From_Hell

Last time I played it, everything was working - and everyone engaged everyone big time (a little too much in fact - friendlies expended all missiles on F-5Es sitting out or range and flying in valleys, while the F-16s used me as a targeting drone :D) I downloaded my version from tne DCS wesbsite though (I believe it was somehow updated), you could try downloading that one and giving it a go?

Fantastic Rob, thanks for sharing. Being in and out of the loop for a while, lots of things come and go, but VH only gets better and better every time. Great job, guys :thumbup:

Sweet rig! :)

Bad wording on my part there, but to my understandment the LAS requirement was created to introduce a versatile and advanced aircraft capable of deploying PGM, providing CAS/COIN in low intensity conflicts while considerably reducing costs. To me it seems LAS was created to effectively release F-16s, A-10s and other aircraft from this function while providing a suitable replacement for these missions. For COIN, it's a pretty fit aircraft built for the role. Although the A-10 has been doing a great job, it's an old airframe built for a different conflict. I love the Hog, but I believe the A-29 can do the job just as well (in some ways, it reminds me of the Skyraider, maybe it's just me though).

AFAIK the LAS drama ended quite a while ago. I am open to corrections of course, but last time I checked the LAS winner would be the one to work in the roles described above.

Mother of Thud, Prowler! She's a beauty all right, great work. DCS or AI, I want two! :D

I've been refraining from commenting on this for a while, but 4 pages is too much :P The US Air Force has already chosen EMBRAER's A-29 Super Tucano for CAS roles in the future. Do a little Google for more information, but in short it is a turboprop aircraft made specifically for this role (CAS/COIN) unlike the converted trainers other companies offered. It's flying with a handful of 3rd world air forces, and has already seen combat fighting guerrilas and insurgencies. Operating costs and loitering times are better than jet powered aircraft (including the Hog, which frankly is overkill against the enemies the US armed forces have been facing). It's a pretty robust aircraft and is armoured against the kind of ground fire expected in COIN environments. The systems are very advanced as well. Anyway, there is more information on the web than I can give you, but in short, it was made for this kind of mission, and I'm pretty sure it'll perform well in it. Save more advanced aircraft for more advanced threats.

Just updating: chapters 6 and 7 are up, with a dose of comic relief in there too. Link to part 6: http://graspthesanity.blogspot.se/2013/11/to-miles-6.html If you like it, leave a comment here and I'll relay it, the author was askingnfor feedback on it :)

Hi folks, I’m back from a rather long ‘posting hiatus’, but I believe the occasion is worthy :D To the point, I came cross this great piece of military fiction and I believe I ought to share it with you. It’s set around the US Navy in 1939, right before the war in Europe broke out. A Petty Officer is reassigned from an aircraft carrier to a destroyer in the Atlantic fleet, and is tasked with a ‘special mission’. It is mostly historical regarding the context, but the author takes some artistic freedom every now and then. Without further adue, here's the link to it: http://graspthesanity.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/to-miles.html The story is updated daily, and is currently on chapter 5. To navigate to new chapters, see link at the bottom of every post" That all being said, I hope you all enjoy it, and leave a comment to let the author know if you do :)

I'll do a little search in the threads; as said before I'm not sure if it's the Corsair (back when it was said Prowler said the second module was unannounced). Skimming through, I saw that a couple of weeks ago it was announced that the Harrier was moved in the development schedule. I'd say it's best if we wait a bit and get some information from RAZBAM members themselves, they've been (like all other developers here, we're pretty lucky) a very friendly and interactive bunch all along, whatever information they can give us, they will give us :) Also, whatever time they take to finish a module, it's for the sake of realism - they've said over and over that they're only talking about A-10C-level realism and nothing less. They have different teams for each aircraft so they're mostly independent from each other and, unless we get official word on the order of release, it can be said it's all up in the air (and that the F-15 may come sooner, later, or in the middle). It all depends on how much challenge is each aircraft putting up for them (e.g. the Harrier has vertical flight/vectored thrust dynamics which need to be studied and done, the Eagle has two seats and advanced avionics and etc.)

According to Prowler earlier on this thread, it is 3rd, after the T-2 Buckeye and (I believe) the Corsair :)

As far as I recall, we have JSOW implemented since FC2. I don't think the Hornet can carry them in-game, however. From the Encyclopedia:

BAe River Harrier? :music_whistling: Nice link, Namelos :) From the same website:

If our pessimistic guesses are right, it's pretty upsetting indeed. Those photos are from 2011 though, maybe they were undergoing repairs or upgrades of some sort (I've often seen operational aircraft being serviced looking like that in hangars; Torzhok is a training/testing facility so heavens know what's up there). In the photo that says "Last Flight DD/MM/2009", the inspection also dates from 2009, we've seen it airborne after that in 2010. In both the 2009 and 2011 photos, the aircraft look the same (seemingly abandoned, basically). They might just keep them outdoors, maybe the hangars are/were busy (or there weren't hangars)- OK, decided to investigate. Check GoogleMaps everyone. Type Torzhok in the search bar and find the helicopter base (it'll already be in the frame), then look about. As you can see, no hangars, no nothing basically, all helicopters (and a truckload of 'em, that) are out in the open. The Ka-50s are on the south-west parking areas, you can see the black Ka-50 without the rotors on the first parking space from the centre, sitting tail to tail with another Ka-50 (with its rotors on). It might be Nº26. The image is from 2013, by the way. Does anyone have any reliable proper info on it? I'd risk a guess and say most aircraft are operational, with some left for parts - cannibalising happens to all of us at some point after all.

Fantastic video, fantastic aircraft, fantastic work! Happy birthday, and many more years to come!

Thanks, Satan :D Bless probe-and-drogue:megalol: It'd be cool to have a proper tanker module though :)

They already know what the forums want, now they're interested in the other shares of the community - less active, more casual simmers :) We're not special snowflakes or anythign y'know, any customer has as much right to an opinion as we do - ED knows what to do with the input. If anyone noticed though, results seem to repeat themselves on Facebook (which is probably made up of forum-users anyway - after all, 43000 of us, it's more than likely that 2000 have facebook): -270 votes for DCS type vs. 9 votes for FC type. In other words, preference for future DCS aircraft is 30 times bigger than for their Flaming Cliffs counterparts.

I believe RAZBAM (who are doing a F-15E and T-2 Buckeye, and later on a Tornado GR.4 and A-6 Intruder) said for single player it'll be either AI controlled (similar to the UH-1), or one person handling both if you want to. From the amount of two-seater planes and helicopters in the works, I believe they're working towards implementing a number of players flying the same aircraft (the VEAO team discussed it in one of their BAe Hawk threads, try reading through them to see if you can find something). It is, however, pretty complicated as noted various times by loads of people (one reason being how people's connections would handle so much information being exchanged at such a fast rate; GGTharos did an extensive post on it but I can't link to it; perhaps check posts by him to see if you find it). IMHO, when they implement it, the biggest problem with multiplayer aircraft will be coordinating it well (particularly if you're with someone you're not used to flying with), and trying not to kill the person next door during an attack run or while they try to evade SAM/AAA :D I believe they'll keep the AI/single player approach optional for multiplayer because, as you noted, having an idiot (or anyone else, sometimes) on your backseat or giving you a lift can be the worst of experiences. Similarly, being a rookie with a pretty aggressive (as in aggressive flying, not angry :D) pilot who's logged hundreds of hours can make the experience a bit too shakey.

Jack Donovan, former B-52 EWO, thus inventing the YGBSM motto :)

There ain't no party like a SEAD party :D F-105 taking off in 1971.

After a lot of lookin' about, found a source that called it Mi-24VM (VN is a different version, but thanks for the help :)). Funnily enough, most Russian sources still call it Mi-35 or Mi-35M. Go figure.

It was Mi-35M4 ('sides the Israeli avionics, essentially the same as Russia's -35 [they're getting the Mi-35M designation in the end, unusually getting the export name]) they flew, my apologies. They're not upgraded Mi-24s though AFAIK, but fresh helicopters. Pretty capable, a couple are already in service. Also, the 12.7mm MG became a double-barrel 23mm cannon.

The F-15 is still active, and is receiving upgrades. The Eagle and Strike Eagle fleet is expected to fly until 2025, that's a pretty long time. Also, the F-15E is probably staying around beyond that mark. You did forget the F-16 (800+ of them :D) on your list of US fighters. To get an idea, we're already missing some A-10C features because they're classified, and that's an upgraded 1970s aircraft. When it comes to modern fighter, it gets even harder. Coretex Designs (who are making an F/A-18E) had to choose the APG-73 over the APG-79 because of the lack of public information on the latter. I can't even think how would they be able to model an F-22 and especially an F-35, since it hasn't even been introduced properly. My vote went to the F-16 because it is at this point the USAF's (and many NATO air forces') 'go-to' true multirole fighter, much like the F/A-18 is the Navy's. A second reason is that although the thread says "Western", it should actually read American. It's much of a shame to ignore all the European legendary designs. Fortunately third party developers are doing a very good job on that, although so far I've only seen British aircraft. PS: JAS-39 anyone? :D

Double checked here, the rotor's hub is titanium, my bad. About the taking-off with one engine, I got this info from Mi-35 pilots. The cargo in the back was something Soviet pilots did in Afghanistan to avoid having to RTB to rearm. It wasn't proper cargo, rather a mechanic and some ammo. They'd land, the lad in the back would get out, rearm and they'd proceed. :)

I can't check your tracks now, but keep in mind that the Mi-24 is sturdier than most helicopters. Rotors are titanium, cockpit glass is insanely thick (saw it personally, can't tell the specs, but I recall it works at least against 12.7mm rounds), plus the front fuselage has hardened steel 5mm armour, and it can take off with only one engine. Obviously that doesn't make it impossible to destroy, but it does make it much harder. Not an Mi-24, but seems like this Kiowa took a missile to the fuselage as well, and they still managed to bring it down safely. Pilot later flew it back home from the location.