Military AI Works

Oh yes, the NATO secret book that we used to get every month. I remember that the default use was to authenticate the time that the order was given/received but in reality we just used to pick one at random on the page to avoid embarrassment if somebody had their clock out.

Do you remember the Linos as well for mode 2s? I had fun and games with that one weekend whilst in CGY Ops.

I always wondered why it was so difficult to complete a good authentication with a joining RAF MPA. They were obviously on a different page to the rest of the world

It wouldn't surprise me. That is why at CGY Ops we just used one at random on the correct days page.
We figured that everybody could find the right day at least.

petebramley wrote: ↑21 Dec 2019, 09:47 I always wondered why it was so difficult to complete a good authentication with a joining RAF MPA. They were obviously on a different page to the rest of the world

To busy eating our Honkers and Dairy Cream Sponge to worry about joins !!!

Jim


When I was on ground tour as our Maritime Crew Trainer sim staff.
For a voice join on one of our lighter moments I was Able Seamen Roger Standby Wait Out with adenoids and a stutter. Took forever.

Henk/Martin,

Did the stand alone P3Dv4 Yorkshire bases conversion package get uploaded please? I've tried to find it but to no avail.

I have 40 Jet provosts operating out of Linton-on-Ouse in FS9 and FSX but I now need to test in P3Dv4. Although I converted the relevant .bgls myself and could see the scenery, for some reason the buildings are not now showing.

John

John, I have waited until triggered. Henk copied the file in your FTP folder, I publish it later today.

Thanks Martin, I'd forgotten about the copy. No hurry then for the upload. In fact it's probably better held until I've checked that everything is working fine with the JP's.

John

That's what I thought...

Just checked Linton and the scenery is fine, but the AFCAD will need anti-pushback nodes added to the parking spots to stop the aircraft reversing on the flight line and also to stop pushback through the hangar walls for those parked there.

I'll add those and on the other AFCADs too towards the end of the project and let you have copies.

John

Just a quick update with where I am with the JP's.

This is the latest paint - one of 6 display scheme T.3A's of 1 FTS at Linton-on-Ouse:



40 T5's/T.3A's are now at Linton:





17 T5B's are set up in Tim's scenery of RAF Finningley, however with the mix of Dominies and Jetstreams, there will need to be some rationalisation of the parking:



Next job is to paint and set up 30 JP's at Church Fenton and 40 at Cranwell.

John

Linton looks stunning with the JP's - I will be happy to replace the Tucano's with them.

They look great John. Really looking forward to them.

For Finningley, couldn't the hangars from Linton be used? They look the same type and the Linton ones are open allowing for parking inside, just how it would have been in real life I'd have thought.

I'm not sure about that Dale, we obviously have permission to convert the scenery, whether we can use the objects elsewhere is a different question. They are not in a library. If Tim wanted C-type hangars with open doors, I certainly have some.

John

Found an interesting source for call signs: http://www.the-guide.nl/callsign/

It has several for Jet Provosts:

1 FTS: CASTER, L.O.U., LON
3 FTS: CASKET, POPLIN, TEMPLATE
6 FTS: DARLY, F.Y.J., SPARROW
7 FTS: C.F.J., C.F.T., SWORD
CFS: WHISKEY

Great find Henk. Added to my bookmarks.

John

Finningley is coming on. As John shows, it’s useable right now, but parking does need some thought. In my time there (1987-91), it was rare to see more than four or five Dominies on the line, and a similar number of JPs. It would indeed be useful to have the hangars accessible and open, as that would allow a good deal more parking spaces. At the moment, I’m using Ted’s C-Types, as they have the correct rendered finish. If I were to build specific hangars for Finningley, I’d have a couple open at least at one end (probably 3 and 4, as they were the Dominie and JP hangars respectively). However, that’s a way down the line yet.

John, re our PMs, I have found that Finningley did indeed have pan lighting in the form of very slim aluminium floodlight stanchions, about 30ft high, with a four-light head on each (if I’ve interpreted the shadows on a couple of photos correctly). I’m in the process of adding these for the P3Dv4 version with dynamic lights, but the FSX version with light pools will take a bit longer as I haven’t mastered that technique yet!! There were also lights on the hangar ends, but the specifics of those I don’t know yet. I might also have a go at the mobile lights used in YUAS’s dispersal.

I’m also having a go at the missing buildings (OM Annexe, old and new Nav Schools, METS/JP Sqn building, 1950s OMQs, Main Gate). I’m aware, however, that time is pressing if FY is to be available alongside your JPs, so I’m happy to go live as-is if you wish that, with the caveat that a v1.1 will be available relatively shortly (depending on real-life work commitments!).

Thanks for the update Tim. There's no hurry. I've been working on the FS9 version of Finningley. The buildings are still usable from the SCASM scenery I made 17 years ago as a beginner in scenery design. However the trees are disgraceful and I am thinking of replacing those with 1 draw call blocks of efficient and better looking Gmax trees that cover much wider and denser areas. I have also replaced the AFCAD with yours, if that's OK. That means the tree blocks will also align with what you are doing if I give them to you in the right format. You will probably only have to place 3 "objects" and I can give you the coordinates for those.

I'll have a look at my C-type hangars with doors open/closed and find the closest fit to Finningley's. I'll let you have those in FSX/P3D format too. FSX light splashes are easy to do and I'll show you how.

Just out of interest, my old FS9 scenery has the long multi-cell special weapons bunkers on the site we discussed. I must have been working from something, but I have yet to find the reference material.

John

John
To go with Finningley it would be nice to have RAF Misson its about 3 miles east with Bloodhounds, I know you have those maybe a thought for when you get bored


Gary

Gary, the Misson site and its Bloodhounds were decommissioned when Finningley was returned to the training role in around 1968. JPs and Bloodhounds do not go together in this context!

John, all noted - and thanks! I’ve no idea what reference material you might have had, but it would obviously make sense that there was some special weapons storage locally. However, the Google Earth 2002 satellite image shows the bomb dump in some detail, and there’s no evidence of the kind of bunkers I believe you’re talking about. I’ll post a screenshot of that image in the morning.

I agree Tim, I've studied all the GE Historic imagery and the store is not there. However, two clues:

The first is an extract from Wikki re Finningley in the Cold War:

"The Cold War years and after

Unit stores for atomic weapons were also constructed to house Green Grass in Yellow Sun, Violet Club and Blue Steel weapons. The airfield became known as the home of the 'V' Bomber after Avro Vulcans, Handley Page Victors and Vickers Valiants had all been stationed at the base. Finningley maintained its nuclear weapon storage facility for many years".

The second is a video I found that is set just prior to the closure of the base. Have a look at frames around 20:39. The store could be the mound in the background below the departing Tucano. It doesn't show the cell doors. The frame is blurred, but they could be on the other side:



Finningley is really difficult to research. There's not a lot of information on the net. What is sometimes useful are the various airshow videos shot around 1990. I've spotted the Watchman radar and the lighting towers on the ramp.

I'm just repainting some green C-type hangars for you. I'll give you 3 models: closed both ends, open both ends and open one end.

John