Military AI Works

Asdro, can you not see that your endless requests and suggestions are part of the problem for FS9 designers. It's one element of the decision I took to cease designing for FS9.

Creating a moving pilot head animation in FS9 takes about 3 minutes and slightly longer in FSX/P3D because of the need to tag the animation. Building the model in the first place can take 200-300 hours.

Probably a bit late now, but I have a suggestion for you. On the deluxe FS9 disks is Gmax. Install it, register it at Turbosquid and then find the "Build a House" tutorial on the same disks. Build the house and texture it, export it as a model and place it in FS9 with ADE.

At least then you would have a better understanding of what you are talking about. It would also enable you to contribute somehting if you want to continue with FS9 models.

John

Don't think you can register GMax at Turbosquid any more - there's some info there that says they were 'asked' to withdraw it. I believe there is a workaround, but I don't know what it is. Hopefully it doesn't involve buying 3DsMax!

asdro wrote: ↑22 Dec 2021, 14:46 I could live without animations like moving pilots heads.

That's very magnanimous of you, asdro!

What about anims like retracting gear and canopies?

Steve is right, animation in FSX/P3d is different to FS9 - the xml code is different, the direction of the pivot points are different and the need to animation and viz tag is an added requirement. The key frames also need to be set up for things like wheels (tires) and props. In FS9 the stock part names do it for you.

Deleting the pilot head animation is neither here not there.

John

Does anyone have a particular affinity with the A-6 Intruder please, perhaps a squadron worked on? That would be 1996 or earlier.

I have the base airframe modelled and mapped and I'm just starting work on the load-outs. I have some ideas for paints, for the last units in service, but if anyone wants something special, please post.

John

Totally unique, but fitting perhaps. Devil 501/505 from the movie "Flight of the Intruder" would be cool...

Mat

Hello John,

Totally personal, but if I can ask, VA-34 on their last days like this one, in fact one I met at this occasion : https://www.airliners.net/photo/USA-Nav ... 128/513196

And why not VA-176 while on board USS Forrestal circa 1990/1991(my first encounter with an aircraft carrier)?
I know... i’m too much nostalgic

Thanks for asking and honestly having a lot of fun with your Prowlers
Fred

+1 for the 'Flight of the Intruder' and 'Blue Blasters' Big A-6 fan here, entirely because of Stephen Coontz. If you want to get a real insight into Carrier Ops, read 'The Intruders'.

SeanG

Jonjon wrote: ↑28 Dec 2021, 13:39 Hello John,

Totally personal, but if I can ask, VA-34 on their last days like this one, in fact one I met at this occasion : https://www.airliners.net/photo/USA-Nav ... 128/513196
.
.
Fred

For goodness sake Fred, that is far too cute to be a warplane

True

It's a long while since I watched "Flight of the Intruder" but I was able to watch a few clips on YouTube this evening, looking for the load-outs. I was also able to grab a few still shots for reference for the paint schemes.

Wikki says that one aircraft carried 10 Mk83's and they look like retarded "Snakeyes" to me. That's convenient because I had already modelled them as one load-out for the Intruders generally. I think the other aircraft carried two AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missiles, but I'm not sure.

Could any fans of the film confirm the load-outs for me please?

John

On my 1st USN cruise in 96, VA-75 was on their last deployment. They painted one of the jets up as an A-6A delivered in SE Asia, as you mentioned the last units in service (VA-75, VA-196).

John,

If I recall one of the missions in the movie involved an Iron Hand loadout... early version carried Shrikes...later version carried AGM-78.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Iron_Hand

Mat

PS...

https://www.aoadecals.com/SS001/SS001-1.jpg

Good scheme reference for both aircraft...

Thanks for that - most useful. I'll include both Mk83 and AGM-78 loads. I painted the CAG bird for VA-34 this morning and I have found the serials for 9 further low viz examples from that unit. I'll paint VA-165 after those, which is where the Intruders in the film came from. I also have a couple of other units in mind, plus what I can find for other units suggested here.

John

Hello John,

Will you include the KA-6 (tanker) and the EA-6A (only dual seats) versions in this new package ?

Thanks a lot.

Regards

No mission creep this time I'm afraid. Just be satisfied with what you are getting.

John

Very cool John, was wondering about the A-6 since I saw and downloaded the EA-6 this morning. I did 4 cruises in Air Wing 2 in the 80's and 90's, and had VA-145 in all of them, and VA-155 in the Desert Storm cruise

That's what I was looking for Dave - someone with an affinity with the Intruder.

I need to research your two VA's a bit more, but a quick look suggests that VA-145 in the 1980's would be a good choice. It gives me the opportunity to include a high viz scheme and the CAG aircraft has a very nice tail design. Not sure about VA-155 at the moment, it needs a bit more searching, especially for serial numbers.

I'll certainly do something for you though.

John

Here's a link that a guys in Japan has put together over the years with occasionally will have bureau numbers on airplanes on different cruises. This link here was the last cruise for the USS Ranger in 1992, and the last one for VA-155 as well. My squadron (VF-1) was decommissioned as well. http://www.gonavy.jp/CVW2-NE1992.html

As an add-on. VA-155 wasn't around for very long, I think about 7 years from starting up to getting shutdown. They joined our airwing after the 1989 cruise, which they took the place of VMA-121, as 121 was switching from A-6's to F/A-18's (they are now F-35B's in Japan). CVW-2 had the distinction of being called a "heavy" or "all-Grumman" airwing for a few years. We didn't have any light attack in the airwing from 1986 to 1994, instead having a second A-6 squadron taking the place of the 2 light attack. Imagine being on the flight deck of a carrier and being in one going to war with over 35 Intruders on one ship!!!! I always thought the A-6 was a cool aircraft, but really didn't think about the punch she could throw until Desert Storm. Seeing A-6's going off the deck with 24 500lbs bombs, seeing 10-15 per strike going off, and then those some 10-15 coming back EMPTY!!!! Somebody got their teeth knocked in with all that!!!!