Firefly

Found this page on NVA attack helicopter tactics, could be useful! https://www.nva-flieger.de/index.php/taktik/arfk/angriffsverfahren-gefechtsordnung.html

Hello Gleam, thanks for dropping by. Our commander will be with you shortly.

You might want to have a look at this: https://stormbirds.blog/2020/08/01/grim-reapers-qa-with-eagle-dynamics-reveals-future-details-for-dcs/ There are some gaping holes out there, no doubt about that. I'm looking forward to the MiG-23 and AvioDev's Mirage F1, they will spice things up on the Cold War server. The Phantom represents a massive missed opportunity, I'm pretty sure people would be lining up to buy it. The Century Series aircraft, while very nice, wouldn't be a sound business proposition for ED - IMHO it's far more likely they'll get picked up by 3rd party devs. I still don't get why the A-4 Skyhawk mod hasn't been picked up as an official module. The Kfir mod also looks amazing, I hope they become a full-time dev. Oh yeah. It's a shame ED put the AH-1S on the back burner, BLUFOR could use some proper attack helicopters. When it comes to modules, the Su-17 is at the top of my wishlist, right up there with the Su-24 and full-fidelity early Soviet 4th gens.

Also quick note - the Armeefliegerkräfte also flew the Hind. In late 1989 the KHG-5 "Adolf von Lützow" received the first of its 12 Mi-24Ps. They also had 20 Hind-Ds and numerous Hips.

Not much to say except "I want this".

Two more videos from GS. Ate's handling of the Mirage 2000 is masterclass.

Couldn't agree more. I'm a 90s kid, so of the RX-7s the FD would be my first choice as a weekend racer, but I'd happily drive around in an FC Turbo II. Pop-up headlights and rotaries make everything better (except when you're left collecting bits of apex seals from the rear muffler, but that's a minor inconvenience). On another note, your avatar looks a lot like Niki Lauda's lid from the mid 80s, except with reversed colours and reoriented stripes. You have fine taste in helmets.

Pardon my French, but heilige Scheisse! If I were the surviving pilot I would've sent a crate of fine Scotch to Republic Aviation...

Thanks for posting this, that enjoyable to watch. Nice to see that classic SCCA mix of Miatas, Civics and BMWs. It's not that different from a typical Yuropeen trackday. Many moons ago my dad and I bought a 240Z with the intention of turning it into a historic rally car. Unfortunately life got in the way and after a few years (and well into the rebuild process - rollcage, bucket seats, stiff suspension, orange paint and all) we had to sell it. That was my first true love on four wheels. I even remember her serial number - HLS30-52689. I miss her so much...

Nice work! My favourite Jug is the P-47M, the final variant to serve with the last Thunderbolt fighter group in the ETO (56th FG). The one below was flown by Bolesław "Mike" Gładych, a Polish fighter ace who served with both the RAF and the USAAF.

Question to our members from across the Pond - is this how one becomes an American?

While watching this video again I noticed something interesting... The channel's name is Hannes Mallwitz. I happened upon that name while browsing the German Wikipedia. As it turns out, the second (and last) commander of Marinefliegergeschwader 28 "Paul Wieczorek" (MFG-28), based in Laage, was Hannes Mallwitz... Coincidence? I think not. Either way, I can get in touch with the channel's owner through YouTube and ask him whether he was the actual CO. Judging by his video library I'd say there's a solid chance he is. This could prove useful in the future.

Not a video, I know, but WOW what a collection of Cold War birds! Check out this guy's LSK/LV album, it's glorious! https://www.flickr.com/photos/109661044@N07/

Agreed. Every time Ate goes into the vertical following the merge GS just turns and bleeds energy, keeping his speed up by following a downward spiral, hoping to outmanoeuvre and/or outlast Ate in a contest of "who blinks first". Not a sound gameplan if you ask me. Had it not been for Ate's lack of experience in the virtual F/A-18 he would've drilled GS' brains out in every fight. One of the best dogfights I've ever had in DCS was against an F-5 pilot, who came in low and fast. Following the merge we circled anticlockwise, neither one of us able to get a shot off. I made the mistake of pulling too much AoA and bled waaaaay to much speed (at one point the Fishbed's delta wing becomes a giant airbrake), so the F-5 quickly found itself on my tail. I went into horizontal scissors and by some miracle I dodged every burst. Low on fuel and with energy quickly fading I opened up the airbrakes and pulled a Maverick to let him past me. Had it not been for the fact that the guy panicked I would've been blown out of the sky in short order. Instead I spent the last drop of my energy on pulling just the right amount of lead for guns, severing his wing with a lucky burst. In a quick debrief with Alpenwolf (who was the REDFOR GCI that day) I came to a simple conclusion - what I should've done was to go into the vertical right after the merge. That way I would've gotten an energy advantage over the F-5, which has a slightly superior sustained turn rate but accelerates less quickly than a Fishbed on low fuel with the emergency afterburner on. Fighting on equal terms almost got me shot down...

Ate's aggression is almost palpable. Wow. Thanks for posting this!

Lovely little video of Colombian Kfir C.10s in action. Funny how you can take what is essentially a 1960s design, stick a big honkin' American stovepipe in it and then decorate it with all the electronics imaginable to create an affordable modern light fighter (who needs a Gripen anyway?). The Colombians didn't cheap out on it either - note the Python 5s, i-Derby ERs, LGBs and targeting pods. Word has it they also have AESA radars. I'll bet you the French designers never, not even in their wildest dreams, imagined that their design would soldier on for more than half a century.

Sounds like fun!

I love this guy's enthusiasm for the Raptor and for flying itself.

Russians... Gotta love 'em. 🤣

That's a different event mate, Duxford hosts several shows every year. When I bought my tickets to FL2020 there was no prize lottery... And I'd give A LOT to be able to fly in a 2-seater warbird.

Cheers man, hope to see you there in 2021!

Having played Wargame: Airland Battle and Red Dragon (also Eugen Systems titles) I got selected to do some beta testing of Steel Division: Normandy. To be perfectly honest, I hated every minute of it. After a few online matches I uninstalled it and never looked back. I hope they got it right the second time around.

Happy to hear it! I had the tickets booked for this year's show, but it'd been cancelled for obvious reasons. My uncle and I are heading there next year, hope the pandemic subsides by then.

How to make a three-point landing, Soviet style. Anatoliy Kvochur and the MiG-29 making a courtesy visit to Abbotsford (Canada), August 1989. Pictures of that historic event: F-15s of the 21st Tactical Figther Wing intercept the Fulcrums over the Pacific. F-15s and MiG-29s on their way to Elmendorf AFB.