Admiral189 and CrazyEddies Augusta Westland AW101 Merlin - AI Only

[speed-of-heat]

@crazyeddie thanks for giving us insight into the process, very few people understand the complexity of development work and its challenges, so taking the time to explain it so carefully is much appreciated, thanks for your valiant try and honesty!  Hopefully your effort will come to something in due course when you are ready and if it doesn't then thanks again for the try!

[Babzo]

Thank you for the information. this is a great piece either way I use it with my RCAF collection . earlier you were discussing the scale of the helicopter and that it was scaled close to the right size. would you upload that for now even though its not entirely complete?

[crazyeddie]

We are looking at that ... its possible but we need to do something else first and that may be the better option, but correct scale is part of it. 

 

[Worg]

Thank you for the answer.
Good luck to you for the future.

[rato65]

7 hours ago, crazyeddie said:

I lost control of the whole and I knew then it was time to sit back and take stock.

Sorry to read that. Appreciate the honest and detailed description of reasons, no doubt such a project is ambitious. I was hoping for another helicopter initiative, since they are very rare - at least here in the DCS Forum.

Take a break and take it easy - small steps is what its all about, I believe.

Edited February 19, 2021 by rato65

[crazyeddie]

New link to an updated version posted 20 Feb 2021, we are aware of ongoing issues but if you spot anything new please let us know.

Edited February 20, 2021 by crazyeddie

[sushy73]

Thank you very much guys!!

 

Edited February 21, 2021 by sushy73

[crazyeddie]

We are looking at adding RoughMet textures to the edm for this model and adding the textures to the texture file, in due course.   They are not nominated in the edm at present. 

[jjl9999]

On 2/15/2021 at 7:35 PM, damienntrix said:

Here is an overview of my mods: see attached pdf file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/y4q0w5tcqbm8b3l/MOD TECH AICRAFT DAMIEN.pdf?dl=0

Damienntrix, this is  a  fantastic work.  Would you share for testing ?  Is  this  AI only or some  are  driveable /  flyable ?  By  the  way  I found this AW101 really a  nice  addon  and  working currently to make it flyable reusing the AH6J  EFM for  the moment, and then I will check which parameters I can better tweak.  Currently  struggliing with some side effects I was  not expecting, but  I made  good  progress so far...  

[damienntrix]

upload my mods in the mods section, test this mod 

Edited February 23, 2021 by damienntrix

[crazyeddie]

Added another (fictional) ASW Version, delete previous MOD and replace with V2, please read the ReadMe's. 

 

See page 1 for link to latest version.

 

 

Edited March 16, 2021 by crazyeddie

[sushy73]

Thank you very much for your work guys

[JagHond]

And that day has finally come!

 

With even two different Italian Forces liveries... "Che lusso!", we use to say here in our language (not apted to be translated it, sorry).

 

Thanks a lot for that too, Admiral and crazyeddie.

 

With best regards.

[crazyeddie]

"che lusso" = "what a Luxury" 

 

Delighted we are able to make you happy JagHond, we strive for perfection, but we still have a long way to go.    

 

Anyone who would like to add some air to ground missiles can add this line to pylons 1 and 4, the Merlin does not have this capability in real life but they will fire and hit the target - use Ground Attack mode and they will still hit ships etc.

 

{ CLSID = "{3C612111-C7AD-476E-8A8E-2485812F4E5C}" }, --FAB-250 - Add the next line under the FAB250 on pylons 1 and 4. 
{ CLSID    = "AGM114x2_OH_58" }, --"AGM-114K * 2"  -- Hellfire missiles. 

Edited March 11, 2021 by crazyeddie

[Cdodders]

Where do I install the Tigerfish folder?

 

[crazyeddie]

The Tigerfish and Mk11 Depth Charges are fictional clones - That folder contains 2 skins that make the items they are cloned to look like the fictional  items they represent. Instal them into your Game - Bazar/Temp Textures folder using JSGME or any other prog you prefer, or do it manually - its all explained in the Read Me.

 

[crazyeddie]

There are no Aerial Drop Torpedo's or Aerial Drop Depth Charges in this game, the game does not support that function yet, so we have put 2 other weapons on the pylons pretending to be the weapons currently used - Tigerfish = Mk20 (Similar size and weight), Mk11 Depth Charges = FAB250 (Similar size and weight) and provided textures for both, how to instal those textures is explained in the ReadMe's. There is only one Torpedo that I know of in the game and that is a submarine launched torpedo, which is a very different animal to an Aerial Drop Torpedo, its twice the length to start with, so we did not include it. However, since I was asked here is the line to add that torpedo to the pylons, instal it if you wish and it should drop like any other weapon and explode in the same way that a bomb does, on impact with the water, what it wont do is act like a real torpedo, as I have explained. 

 

{ CLSID    = "{LTF_5B}"},

[flyingscotsman]

Just found this and downloaded the Merlin, warts and all it looks great so thanks for even attempting it. If the scale is wrong, I've not really noticed it....pilots were almost always smaller than me anyway haha. All efforts welcome, some work some don't, that's life. Best to know when to stop when it's getting away from you. If you get back to it' It'll be great

[crazyeddie]

The scale was wrong on the first version, we corrected it, its now right.  HOWEVER, we have made the same mistake again and the ASW Model is slightly oversized.  We will fix that and give you another link soon. The Troop lift version is still okay for size.  Sorry for the c*ckup !!

Edited March 15, 2021 by crazyeddie

[crazyeddie]

See Page 1 for the latest Version 3. ASW HC2 Version size corrected, added hellfire missiles to pylons 1 and 4. The Merlin is planned to carry a missile system at some stage but that has yet to be finalised or implemented so I have added twin hellfire launchers in its place.  The game does not support aerial launched torpedo's yet so you should not expect the weapons fitted to act as such, they will explode on impact with the water like any other bomb etc. It is all explained in ReadMe2 - PLEASE READ BOTH OF THEM. 

[Scotty Rotten]

Is the link down?

[fagulha]

Link is down to me too.

[flyingscotsman]

See the Puma is coming up for replacement, and the AW139 is proposed as an off the shelf replacement. I was fuming when we gave our beautiful Merlin's to the Navy, they must've laughed their socks off at that one. MOD decision making at it's best.  So why not re-order the version we had before, commonality of spares etc when operating alongside the RN and I'm sure it's more capable than the AW139....and more importantly, looks better. haha Anyone know if the RN used them as a replacement for the junglie Sea King/Westland Commando?

[crazyeddie]

About 20 or so years ago I went up to RNAS Yeovilton for a presentation by Lt Cdr Adrian Orchard on the future of the Fleet Air Arm. He was CO of 800 Sqn flying Harrier Gr9’s at the time. One of the subjects I raised at the questions session afterwards was what were they going to replace the Sea King airframes with, they were close to retirement then and there was no plan. I suggested the Merlin was the ideal airframe for the Jungglies (846, 845 and 848 Sqns).  The RN already had the HC2 version in service at sea and the technical support in place.  Another 45 or so airframes would be ideal or 24 if they cut the sqns down to 8 apiece, which was being suggested at the time. He said that was not an option, the HC3 Merlin was not blade folding and was not suitable for Cdo Ops, which I suggested was complete bollocks (I had served in 846 and 845 sqns so I did know something about the subject). There was also the matter of cost, they did not have the budget to buy any more airframes, so I suggested we take the RAF airframes and get them blade folding capable.  He stopped the conversation by saying it would almost certainly require a complete rethink for the RN and he favoured Chinooks, which was a crazy idea given the amphibious ships we had then (HMS Ocean).  They would have to stay on deck or be blade stripped to go below, which would make their usefulness in an assault to be almost zero.  The Chinook is a fine helicopter, but it isn’t navalised and it would suffer badly at sea, on an open deck.

Stealing the airframes from the RAF was the only option in the end.  All of those airframes are being converted to HC3/4 standard with folding blades etc  etc and they will equip 846 and 845 Sqns with them in the Commando Helicopter Force, based at RNAS Yeovilton.  848 Sqn was disbanded in 2016.

847 Sqn (formerly 3 Cdo Bde Air Sqn based in Plymouth) now provides armed support to the force flying Wildcats.  I served in that for 2 years when it was in Plymouth.

Cant see the AW 139 being suitable for RAF Troop lift, executive toys at best !!  More Merlins I would say, and make them HC4 capable to fly from carriers, spread the load so to speak.  

[crazyeddie]

Small Update - Added RCN Cyclone livery for Admirals HMCS Montreal. 

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/iqz1g3l3y9x5zr9/Admiral156 and crazyeddie's AH101 Merlin V3.zip?dl=0

 

Edited May 31, 2021 by crazyeddie