Aircraft VS super thread!

[Skull Leader]

Here's a not-quite-super model of an aircraft:  The old first release Airfix F-14a in wolfpack markings.  I picked it up for $5 on a "what the hey" whim.  First impressions:  It looks like a F-14...  Sort of.  The cockpit is somewhat Ok for the period, and at least the pilot and backseater's panels look halfway decent.  Panel lines are raised, but it's hard to tell about the detail on the plane, as the plastic is moulded in bright white.  I guess I'll see it when I give it a coat of grey.  No wheel well detail (and not surprising), so it'll be gear up and in flight.  Surprisingly, the wings are geared both together and to the forward winglets that pop out at high speed.  So when you sweep the wings back the little winglets open up with the main wing.  Kinda neat.  Also surprising about the kit is that the decals have survived thirty years in storage, and the test decal responded very well to Microset, then Microsol, and then Solvaset.

If I keep my pace up, I'll probably finish the kit in a couple of weeks.

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I've got no less than three of those kits... despite the lack of detail on a lot of things, they represent a pretty good early-block F-14A. There is a mod or two that needs to be done (the dialectric panels on the sides of the beavertail need to be sanded down) and a new cockpit... but other than that, it's quite acceptable for a model pressed in the mid 1970s.

[Skull Leader]

Ace Combat Zero:The Belkan War

ANNOUNCED!  It's set to premier at the tokyo game show this weekend!

http://www.videogamerx.net/bbs/data/gamescreenshot/ac0.jpg

It was also announced by gamestop and some other sites.

*Note, an Ace Combat 5.5 listing is up at cduniverse and walmart for release in november...this listing was discovered earlier this summer and people are starting to think that Ace combat 5.5 is really for Ace combat 0.*

The story is that the principality of Belka attacks Ustio, and you play a mercenary for the govt. of Ustio.  It takes place 15 years before Ace Combat 5.

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I'm all over it I've loved pretty much ever Ace Combat installment so far, so unless the story is "teh suck", I should like it

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

More info from 1up. Apparently you are part of the 66th mercenary air group, "Gallum Squadron". People say it will probably be out next year, I am hoping it is the rumored Ace Combat 5.5 due out in november...not to mention it seems to be using the same engine. From what I read earlier it seems to be a dynamic campaign and the AI is smart AI that will tune up difficulty to try to shoot you down automatically...progressive I guess? Seems cool to me.

But we all know

Everyone wants this to be

ONLINE

including me!

[Nied]

Those are fairly well-known pics.  However, they are messed up a bit and I often think I'm the only one who notices.  They're shrunk horizontally, as if someone resized them but didn't remember to check the "maintain proportions" box.  It's not really obvious, but is best seen in the bottom photo--look at that F-15, it's almost a chibi F-15 or something. 

The thing is, there is no "correct" version out there AFAIK.  The F-22 is longer and sleeker than these photos suggest.

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THANK GOD!!! I thought I was going insane because no one else noticed that those pictures looks odd. They even published them un-fixed in the latest issue of Combat Aircraft!

[VF-18S Hornet]

TOMCATS FOREVER!!!!!!

[Skull Leader]

But we all know

Everyone wants this to be

ONLINE

including me!

328670[/snapback]

... am I the only one who thinks that online play would be incredibly boring on this after a while? Everyone moaned when 5 wasn't online-capabile, but I didn't see where it would be a very good option to have. Multiplayer would have to be pretty extensive for me to find it interesting.

[Skull Leader]

Off to NAS Oceana! The last public display of a USN Service Tomcat... I'm excited! I plan on shooting TONS of pictures and even some video (I picked up another 1 gb memory card for my camera)

There is talk going around that Capt. Dale "Snort" Snodgrass (USN Ret.), one of the very first F-14 pilots, and now flying an F-86 at airshows, is trying to requisition SIXTEEN tomcats from AMARC (8 bravos and 8 deltas) for the purposes of creating an airshow Tomcat. I imagine most of them would go into mothball immediately as parts cows for one or two active birds. He's getting a great deal of financial backing and support for this, I wonder if the Navy will go through with it?

[David Hingtgen]

AC Zero should be set in 1995 or 1996 (can't remember exactly). So it could easily have Raptors, Flankers etc. I too would love Vietnam era stuff, but I don't think it's too likely.

Overall, I'm immensely surprised and pleased by this announcement. I figured it'd be like 2 years for another PS2 AC, or 3 for a PS3 one.

I personally would love to have the same cast as AC5, as by the end it seems nearly half of them were involved somehow. I want Pops as my wingman!

[David Hingtgen]

BTW, for anyone who doesn't recognize the name Snodgrass right away, here's probably the most famous shot of him flying an F-14:

Imagine what he'd do with a GE-powered one stripped down for an airshow...

[twich]

I wonder how much trouble he got in for pulling that little stunt? He looks damn close to the deck and it looks like his wingtip would scrape the deck if he was too close to the carrier...damn impressive picture and maneuver!

Twich

[Axelay]

AC Zero should be set in 1995 or 1996 (can't remember exactly).  So it could easily have Raptors, Flankers etc.  I too would love Vietnam era stuff, but I don't think it's too likely. 

Overall, I'm immensely surprised and pleased by this announcement.  I figured it'd be like 2 years for another PS2 AC, or 3 for a PS3 one. 

I personally would love to have the same cast as AC5, as by the end it seems nearly half of them were involved somehow.  I want Pops as my wingman!

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HELL yes! Huckebein! Pops was definitely one of my favorite characters in AC5.

Is it just me, or is it Bartlett who says "are you still alive?" at the end of the trailer? It sounded like the same voice actor. Can someone please confirm?

[David Hingtgen]

Random thought I just had:

Since the F414 is exactly the same size as the F404, it would be easy to put in the F-20. That would give the F-20 a combat (not empty) power/weight ratio of nearly 1.5 to 1. What could have been...

[Graham]

But we all know

Everyone wants this to be

ONLINE

including me!

328670[/snapback]

Heh, I for one have no interest in online play at all. Never have. Guess I'm in the minority.

Guilty confession, I still haven't gotten round to playing AC5 yet, despite buying it when it was first released. It is next on my 'to play' list though, right after I finally finish Killzone.

I seem to be in this habit at the moment of buying games then not playing them until 6 months or a year later

Graham

[Skull Leader]

I wonder how much trouble he got in for pulling that little stunt?  He looks damn close to the deck and it looks like his wingtip would scrape the deck if he was too close to the carrier...damn impressive picture and maneuver!

Twich

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There is a doctored version of the picture running around that claims Snodgrass had his wings clipped for that maneuver. I met him at the Little Rock airshow a few years back and he denied that anything ever happened after that picture (indeed, he went further up the command chain long after the photo occured). In airshow terminology, what he's doing in that picture is referred to as a "knife-edge pass" (putting the airplane up on the wing), and it's one of Snodgrass' signature maneuvers. He did several in his F-86 at the show.... many much lower to the ground than he is to the sea in that picture. Seeing him and Ed Shipley in tight formation doing those passes was just amazing!

[Major Johnathan]

BTW, for anyone who doesn't recognize the name Snodgrass right away, here's probably the most famous shot of him flying an F-14:

Imagine what he'd do with a GE-powered one stripped down for an airshow...

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Wow.... seriously, that's not a photoshop job? If I were one of those deck hands, I'd faint.

[Major Johnathan]

There is talk going around that Capt. Dale "Snort" Snodgrass (USN Ret.), one of the very first F-14 pilots, and now flying an F-86 at airshows, is trying to requisition SIXTEEN tomcats from AMARC (8 bravos and 8 deltas) for the purposes of creating an airshow Tomcat. I imagine most of them would go into mothball immediately as parts cows for one or two active birds. He's getting a great deal of financial backing and support for this, I wonder if the Navy will go through with it?

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That's incredible, I hope it works out. I wonder if the Navy would dare go through with it, his private Tomcats would be blowing the Navy's Hornets away at the airshows.

The first privately owned squadron capable or air superiority over anything else current.

[Retracting Head Ter Ter]

Not 100% official, but pretty close:

Singapore has selected the F-15 over the Rafale, will also get 200 AMRAAM's.  Hmmn, I wonder if it'll be called the F-15S.  GE or PW?  CFT's or no?

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The local papers here are calling it the F-15T already. T for Temasek (Malay name for Singapore used in the 19th century).

The Defence Ministry is claiming that they are meant for replacing the Super Skyhawks so they should be geared for ground pounding and that should mean getting the CFTs with the bomb pylons.

[Guest Bromgrev]

I seem to be in this habit at the moment of buying games then not playing them until 6 months or a year later 

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Waiting for all the cheats to be published, eh?

[Zentrandude]

There is talk going around that Capt. Dale "Snort" Snodgrass (USN Ret.), one of the very first F-14 pilots, and now flying an F-86 at airshows, is trying to requisition SIXTEEN tomcats from AMARC (8 bravos and 8 deltas) for the purposes of creating an airshow Tomcat. I imagine most of them would go into mothball immediately as parts cows for one or two active birds. He's getting a great deal of financial backing and support for this, I wonder if the Navy will go through with it?

328893[/snapback]

That's incredible, I hope it works out. I wonder if the Navy would dare go through with it, his private Tomcats would be blowing the Navy's Hornets away at the airshows.

The first privately owned squadron capable or air superiority over anything else current.

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If it helps recruit more into the navy im sure they would.

[Knight26]

Random thought I just had:

Since the F414 is exactly the same size as the F404, it would be easy to put in the F-20.  That would give the F-20 a combat (not empty) power/weight ratio of nearly 1.5 to 1.  What could have been...

332156[/snapback]

It's a nice thought DH, and believe me I would love to see it, but it could never happen. The mounting lugs for the F-404 and F-414 are in different places. Boeing convinced the engineers at P&W, or is it GE, I forget to change the lug configuration and spacings in order to keep such a thing from happening. I mean come on do you really think the navy would be as shot in tail with the Super Hornet if they could just re-engine the existing hornet and get a much better fighter?

[Skull Leader]

Random thought I just had:

Since the F414 is exactly the same size as the F404, it would be easy to put in the F-20.   That would give the F-20 a combat (not empty) power/weight ratio of nearly 1.5 to 1.   What could have been...

332156[/snapback]

It's a nice thought DH, and believe me I would love to see it, but it could never happen. The mounting lugs for the F-404 and F-414 are in different places. Boeing convinced the engineers at P&W, or is it GE, I forget to change the lug configuration and spacings in order to keep such a thing from happening. I mean come on do you really think the navy would be as shot in tail with the Super Hornet if they could just re-engine the existing hornet and get a much better fighter?

332246[/snapback]

Bah! Here in the south we weld new motor mounts on engines for cars that weren't supposed to get 'em all the time! Grab yer weldin' torch and get to work!

About Snodgrass: I'm pretty sure the Navy would have 8 Bravo tomcats to give him, but virtually every D at AMARC is listed on 72-hour turnaround (the active war reserve)... I don't think they'd give those up so quickly. Then again, I could be wrong. The F-14A I take care of at Tulsa is still a completely flyable plane (engines and all) and IT'S still listed on the 72-hour turnaround list (it's engined, flyable, and near a runway), but we still have it. I guess we won't know until it happens!

[David Hingtgen]

I was thinking it's NORTHROP and an *F-5* variant. They went from 2x J85's to 1x F404. That's a heck of a lot more work than F404 to F414. They built the X-29's from two F-5A's and spare F-20 parts. And the F-20 has plenty of extra room in the back end---the rear fuselage is widened simply to keep the underside the same width and shape as the original F-5 despite the narrower engine installation. If they need more room to redesign the mounts, it's there without affecting aerodynamics at all. Unlike the Legacy Hornet, where's there's not a spare inch in the aft fuselage.

[Knight26]

Good point DH, maybe I will suggest it when I get to Edwards, of course what would be super cool would be an X-29, number 2 with the VTC, reengine it with the F-414 and Thrust vectoring. Oh man now that would be sweet, and i doubt anything in the sky could touch it in a 1v1 engagement.

[Skull Leader]

LOL, of course, true to Macross Plus fashion, no one would be able to pilot it either!

[David Hingtgen]

White Rhino, Vandy Five:

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Wow that looks awesome!

I was at the oceana air show, I should upload some shots this weekend.

It was definitely cool seeing the QF-4E flying around and in formation with the falcon and 2 sabres. I also saw it at langley earlier this year during a legacy flight with other fighters and the F-22. Truly an awesome sight!

[Skull Leader]

Wow that looks awesome!

I was at the oceana air show, I should upload some shots this weekend. 

It was definitely cool seeing the QF-4E flying around and in formation with the falcon and 2 sabres.  I also saw it at langley earlier this year during a legacy flight with other fighters and the F-22.  Truly an awesome sight!

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Did you see the embarassing Naval heritage flight on sunday? They tried to pass one of those "Sabres" off as a Fury! (still wearing USAF markings and all). I wonder why the corsair didn't fly that day? Or better question still... WHY DIDN'T THE TOMCAT PARTICIPATE!? Seriously... on both days, the Tomcat was pretty much taxiing to parking as the heritage flight started. On Saturday it was the Corsair, a Legacy Hornet, and a Super Hornet. On Sunday they replaced the Corsair with Dale Snodgrass in his Sabre (it wasn't a fury... I don't care how hard you try... and the announcer went as far as to call it a "Sea Fury", which I'm pretty sure is a different aircraft all together)

You won't often find me giving game point to the boys in blue over the navy, but the Air Force had a MUCH better organized heritage flight (although the presence of a USAF prop-fighter might've made it better). The United States Navy needs to go to AMARC and donate about 5 naval phantom airframes to the Collings Foundation (the ones in charge of the QF-4Es on the airshow circut), so that we can see navy phantoms at airshows again (even better, paint 'em up in squadrons that don't exist anymore... do a VF-114 or VF-96 F-4J, and do an F-4S in VF-301's heater/ferris paintscheme... maybe an old F-4B or N in VF-84 markings.

Here's a few of MY shots from Oceana (can't wait to see yours, Shin!).

The QF-4E popping the chute after the Heritage flight on saturday:

A VFA-11 "Red Rippers" Superhornet (it still has the CVW-7 tailcode on it... that's strange!)

VFA-131 "Wildcats" Legacy Hornet demo plane

VF-32 Squadron Commander's plane after the Fleet tactical demo on saturday

Lastly, the VF-101 retro paintscheme bird after the Fleet tac demo on saturday (this plane did the final Tomcat demo EVER on sunday)

[Skull Leader]

A few more pictures... most of these were taken with my 35mm SLR (I'm not cool enough to own a DIGITAL SLR yet...). Also, my paintshop pro skills are not yet at the level where I can effectively clean a photo up, but I want to learn!

First up:

Dale Snodgrass beating up runway 5 in a low pass after the heritage flight on saturday

The VFA-106 "Gladiators" Superhornet demo, pulling vapor

(and now what EVERYONE wants to see...)

The VF-101 "Grim Reapers" demo plane doing a high-speed knife-edge pass

The Tomcat starting to "clean up" after a mock carrier landing

.... he then climbs in full burner into the sky! (I know, the picture is dirty as hell!)

[Apollo Leader]

Jeremy, that F-86 sure looks familiar! It was here at the Offutt Air Show back in August.

[Skull Leader]

Cool, aren't they? They aren't the youngest jets on the block, but they still turn a head or two! Snodgrass likes his knife-edge passes nice and low, the man's pure dynamite!

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

I want to see him fly an A-4 Mongoose..now those things I hear are mighty manueverable for what they are.

I also want to see one with afterburning F404.

[Knight26]

A-4 Mongoose? It's a SKyhawk man, or a scooter.

[Knight26]

A-4 Mongoose? It's a SKyhawk man, or a scooter.

[Skull Leader]

Kinda raised an eyebrow here too... never heard of an A-4 "Mongoose" (unless it was some sort of special variant I just hadn't heard of). "Skyhawk" or "Scooter" is all I've ever heard.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

I read in a topgun book that an A-4 Mongoose is an A-4F decked out for mock ACM by use for the naval aggressor squadrons. It's got tuned up higher thrust engines than the regular A-4s, with extra weight and equipment stripped off to make it lighter. Maybe it is an unofficial nickname, either way the scooter is awesome and a nimble attacker and good dogfighter in the right hands. I know the BFM it demonstrated in the topgun movie and the BFM in the movie in general are all hollywood and not really practical, but that movie made the Mongoose seem AWESOME....Seeing it flown that way was really cool....and it seemed so dangerous too.(Yes I am a diehard who can accept topgun as a hollywoodified movie knowing real ACM is nothing close....hey come on guys its real planes flying instead of CGI and balsa models...for the most part....its gotta amount to something!)

And for you 1/18 fans...a new company.

http://www.warbird-photos.com/gpxd/viewtopic.php?t=2751

1st release is an F-86, WW II birds coming, and the official site of the new company has hints at a F-15 and F-14.