David Hingtgen

The Osprey Crusader book is GREAT. F-4 books are just as good (I have 2, need to get the rest). Anyways---just picked up another issue of Air Forces Monthly. Very interesting Israeli F-15I pic---had CFT's like an F-15E, loaded with training bombs. I didn't know the F-15I had the full weapons-carrying capability of the F-15E.

I don't think any ADV Tornados got desert camo. There is a special recon Tornado, the GR1A. The 13th Squadron (best markings of all Tornado squadrons IMHO) has them, maybe others. The guns are removed to make room for the cameras, etc. And just FYI there's also the GR1B, modified to carry Sea Eagle ASM's. Still, I want GR4's now, to carry Storm Shadow missiles.

First, here's the Iranian F-14 book review: http://misc.kitreview.com/bookreviews/iran...kreviewkb_1.htm Secondly---the main reason US planes don't have canards is simply because most US designers don't like them, for reasons unknown. Most famously they're not on the F-16, because the chief designer said something along the lines of "The best location for a canard is on somebody else's plane". An F-16 with canards would be insanely agile, since they generally allow a plane to be even more unstable. Canards are much more useful/effective on delta-wing planes (which Europe loves), but as the F-15ACTIVE and Super Flanker show, they can still make a "normal" plane a lot more agile. Can't think of any inherent stealth problems, or the Eurofighter wouldn't have them. And if you add them to a YF-23, it'd still only 4 stabs total, same as an F-22.

I don't have the Iranian F-14 book (yet), but I found a review of it somewhere, those were some highlights.

The F-4X never happened. The F-4E(S) is the successor, and is little more than an F-4E with the gun removed to make room for cameras. They actually exist, and are pretty easy to tell, even though the nose is painted to hide the different shape, so that it looks like any other Israeli F-4. AFAIK they have no performance mods, like cooling tanks etc. But the F-4 is inherently fast, even by modern standards. Will out-run any recon-Hornet or Tornado. Shin--I think you're thinking of the F-4 CCV: http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/f4_30.html

Oh, that map. Thought you meant one "pieced together" by a fan showing AC2 overlaid onto it or something. Going to go through AC4 again tonight real quick to see if anything looks familiar from AC2. (though there's a few branching missions in AC2, so I didn't see EVERYTHING)

Back when the Navy and Air Force had separate designation systems, the F4H (Navy designation) needed an Air Force designation. Next one up was F-110. There technically never was an F-4A equivalent (YF4H maybe), so the F4H-1 became the F-4B for the Navy, and the Air Force's F-110A Spectre became the F-4C Phantom II. All other models continued with the "joint" designation system--thus the F-4D/E/F/G for the Air Force, F-4J/N/S for the Navy. (no Navy F-4 ever had a gun, thus fewer variants) Here's an F-110: http://www.strange-mecha.com/aircraft/Cancel/f110a.jpg Now, the F-110A is the F-4C. However, all F-4C's came into existence after already being re-named F-4C. Any F-4 painted up as "F-110" is actually an F-4B, since the F-4C didn't exist yet. But the USAF wanted some for training and photo ops, so they borrowed some from the Navy. All you could ever want to know about F-4's: http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/f4.html His site is actually an incredible wealth of info for planes, beats GlobalSec/FAS.org http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/uscombataircraft.html

Shin--would you mind not posting potentially large spoilers? (death of somebody) I know, it's apparently in larger version of the trailer, but I hadn't watched it yet, and hadn't planned to. I was just about to post a "when the game comes out, try not to spoil it until at least most of the people here have gotten that far" post... This isn't an RPG, but I do think AC4 had a AWESOME story IMHO, and hope AC5 matches it. Feel free to "spoil" planes, but players and even locations could be pretty big spoilers IMHO. As in, if the last stage in the game ends up being Farbanti or something... Yes, I am the type of person who dislikes even speculation/guesses on plots, as someone always does guess correctly, and then you're thinking about it as you play, and it's little/no surprise when it happens.

The Hawk seems to be on pretty standard-looking Phoenix pylon.. Anyways---I've got to get the new "F-14's in Iran" book. Seems that they flew and fought a lot more than thought. Basically, since the F-14's were pre-revolution (and capitalist, American, and everything else) a LOT of their victories were credited to post-revolution weapons, etc. Massive and instant 'revisionist history' is basically what we've always heard about the Iranian F-14's. They apparently embarked on a massive program to replicate the critical parts they needed, and actually kept quite a few flying. A quick review I saw listed 159! kills for Iranian F-14's. Including occurances of when a single Phoenix (of the few working ones they had) took down 3 or 4 MiG's at a time, the blast radius is THAT big, if they're in close formation they'll all go down. (If you catch them unaware, and do a max range launch, entire groups go down with no warning)

I want an F-4C with a gunpod. Or an F-4S, the final front-line Navy version. Or it'd be *really* cool to start with an F-110A. AC2 really has no story, having just played through last night. They're only called "rebels". So they (Namco) can pretty much ret-con any story they want for AC2.

I'd like the SU-30MKI as well----the SU-37 is a one-of-a-kind demo plane, whereas the MKI is actually in service in decent numbers with a major air force. Though all I really want is a Sea Flanker. Su-27K/Su-33. Good, F-5 family is there. Finally---you know, I wish they actually "delayed" the availability new planes a bit in most flying games. I mean, how are you supposed to have fun with the F-4 and F-5 etc, when they make the F-16 and MiG-29 available like 2 missions in? Once you get them, you don't really need to buy anything else until the F-22 or Super Flankers become available. Ok, post-finally: I would make the biggest line possible for the Hornet: YF-17>>>F-18A>>>>F-18D>>>>>F-18E>>>>EA-18G F/A-18D because the C wouldn't be much different from the A, but the D could be the USMC version optimized for night ops, and have much greater ground-attack potential than the A.

I'm wondering if they know enough about the X-29 to actually make it an "upgrade" and not just toss it in. It'd have an awesome pedigree: F-5A>>>>F-5E>>>>F-20>>>>X-29. But I haven't seen any F-5E's etc. Heh heh, I wonder if the YF-23 is unlocked by maxing out the F-15 and F-18. (There are a lot of those plane's parts inside it, only the engines and airframe itself was new)

I looked but couldn't find it. Link? Did find this though, very interesting and cool: <<<Unlocking new aircraft is a bit more complex than simply beating a mission and getting a new plane. Instead, the game totals up a record of how many kills you've earned with each aircraft -- once the kill meter is full, it unlocks a new plane that descends from the first plane. Racking up kills with a vanilla F-16, for instance, might unlock the improved Block 60 variant. Focusing on a particular plane you like, then, will unlock more planes like it, but at the same time, you'll have to develop skills with a wide variety of aircraft types to unlock the complete selection of 50+ planes. >>> That'll rock. Start with F-14A, then you can get the B, then the D, as you gain more experience. Which also explains the many F-16's we've seen. Hmmmn, wonder if the Super Hornet comes from the Legacy Hornet, or is considered its own line. And it also means you won't get a dozen different Flankers unless you want to spend time doing it. I think this is a great idea---if you really like a plane, you can get better versions of it. Wonder if you still have to save up money to pay for them, or buy weapons like in AFDS?

Most everything has been "sketched" at one time or another. An F-14 with F-15 wings, even. F-145?

Those were bonus planes thrown in from other old Konami games. They weren't intended to be "serious" planes. Same as if you put in the Starship Enterprise, a TIE fighter, or a Star Destroyer. The Delphinus etc, were supposed to be "real" planes, in the future.

AC3---I hated every fake plane design, hated the music, didn't like any of the missions. Didn't think much of the environment/background graphics, either. IMHO, AC2 is better in every way. And AC4 beats all. Few GOOD missions are far more enjoyable than many "eh" ones. (See AFDS) AC2 F-15---there is only 1 F-15ACTIVE, and no game has ever had it. They *always* have the F-15S/MTD. It's really easy to tell. S/MTD has rectangular nozzles, ACTIVE has round ones. In real life, the gun must be removed to make room for the canard actuators. It's hard to tell the pre-vectoring but-has-canards NF-15B from the ACTIVE, since they both have round nozzles---you have to get close to see the very different nozzle actuators and linkages on the ACTIVE. I always thought the XFA-27 was totally made up. Cruciform tail and TIE engines is enough for me. Plus the center/forward fuselage and gloves are 100% F-14. And it's got a lot of "Flanker parts".

I just went through AC2 again. Yeah, I forgot about the "apparently they're really Sopwith Camels" 9,000ft ceiling. Anyways---the AC2 F-14 is right! No ailerons, no glove-vanes, and uses h.stabs as its primary control, and they are its only controls with the wings swept! How'd they get it right there, then TOTALLY screw it up for AC4, and then slightly fix it a bit for AC5? Maybe AC6 will get it right---like AC2 did! Only place I definitely recognized was North Point, which is the very last mission. Will quick cycle through AC4 again to see if anything else looks familiar now. AC4 starts at the eastern part of the continent and heads NW, AC2 starts SW and heads NE. And AC5 appears to be primarily on a different continent all together.

I think AC4 and AC5 have a much greater link than 2 and 5. I mean just look at the map of AC5's world--it's AC4's, exactly. Murska Air Base, Farbanti, North Point---nearly every place mentioned and flown over in AC4 is right there in AC5. It seems to focus on a different part of the world, but it's the same world. Task for this week: play through AC2 again, paying attention to story. (I sold AC3, thought it was utter crap IMHO, but keep and dearly love AC2)

Gamestop shows their versions, I imagine the others (from EB) are quite similar, except for being different squadrons... http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=B281067A PS--anyone else think it's great we get a Tomcat on the cover? Finally, a game that DOESN'T have the F-22 as the end-all be-all promo-plane...

Pics at Gamestop seemed to show 1 flag and 2 squadron patches for the Yuktobanian ones. I pre-ordered from EB this evening.

Triple Nickel's currently at Aviano with F-16CG's. Paired with the 510th (also F-16CG's) as the 31st Wing.

Yup, Robin Olds was commander of the 8th Wing in Vietnam. A big part of the reason they rock. AC5 has F-4E's, but I'd love an old-school F-4C with a belly-mounted gunpod. 8th Wing has always struck me as being unique in that the WING is known as the Wolfpack, but nobody really knows the squadrons well(currently the 35th and 80th). Very few wings have names--the 1st wing isn't anything AFAIK, they're simply the wing at Langley. 4th wing? Nope. 366th? 388th? 36th? Nope. The 18th Wing is the only other one I can think of, being the Shogun.

Decisions, decisions: Gamestop pre-orders come with replica flightsuit patches from the Yuktobanian AF, while EB pre-orders come with those from ISAF. Or ESAF, or whoever it is this time. (I normally get 99% of my games from my local independent shop, but with bonus DVD PLUS bonus patches from the chains, it's too hard to resist)

You know, after sitting in a real USAF F-16 simulator, a Flightstick just doesn't do it for me anymore.. (It's hard to describe the throttle motion--clunky and smooth at the same time) Anyways--this pic confirms what I thought I saw on earlier YF-23 pics: http://acecombat5.namco.com/screens.php?sc...23_form_041.jpg They added the gun, and in the right place, too. Right side, in line with the leading edge of the wing. Though I wonder if the real thing wouldn't have done more like the F/A-22 and have a recess and a flip-up door, rather than a bulge. I also now realize the "Wardog" insignia is very similar (IMHO) to the Wolfpack's. The USAF 8FW Wolfpack, not the USN VF-1 Wolfpack. 8th Wing is quite famous in Asia, since they're stationed at Osan. When something about US planes is made in Japan, you can bet it'll resemble the squadrons at either Kadena, Atsugi, Misawa, or Osan. Here: Front plane is Wing Commander (new unique logo), second plane is the one I'm talking about (traditional 8FW Wolf's head)

This time they had practically complete failure of roll control. Saw the video, does continuous aileron rolls the whole way up it seems. Note: aileron rolls, not barrel rolls like absolutely every news agency says. 99% of people (and even "aviation experts") think that if you simply hold the stick to the side and roll a 360, that's a barrel roll. Nope, that's an aileron roll. A 4-point roll is a "stepped" aileron roll. Barrel roll: sidestick AND backstick. Making a corkscrew-shape, as viewed from behind. Continuous loss and gain of altitude, while moving laterally left and right. As opposed to the aileron roll, where the plane doesn't "move" at all (asides from forward). I've seen footage of Super Flankers do 4-point barrel rolls, but I don't see any reason why any other plane couldn't.