Download Mission HERE

Many thanks to “Wrench” for providing an updated T-45 Goshawk for me to continue my “training” in. He was kind enough to convert the SF1 version to SF2 for me several months ago and I’m just now getting around to using it. Also note that the T-45 image in the banner is taken from his loading screen. And a final note, for this mission I actually modified FastCargo’s air-to-air intercept mission that he included with his T-38 air-to-air training missions.

Wrench’s T-45 is available HERE!

Fastcargo’s Northrop 2-Seaters package available HERE!

So today we graduate out of the AT-6 Texan II and we are going to take a Navy T-45 trainer up for a spin. I suppose that in reality a T-6 student in the Air Force would graduate up to a T-38 perhaps (?) for air-to-air training, but our virtual career path is convoluted and varied (!).

We’ll take our 2-ship flight from our home base and head north toward the Range to intercept a flight of six Firebee target drones that will be, to say the very least, non-aggressive. For some reason the waypoints that show up in the mission editor aren’t the ones that show up in the mission for our “SMURF” flight, and I have no idea why. The Firebee flight will be coming down from the Range on a southerly heading of about 170 degrees, so we’ll want to fly UP that bearing line to intercept them. Expect to run across them at 16,000’.



Our aircraft will be carrying 4 AIM-9L Sidewinders, which is a fictional loadout for the T-45 and the reason I chose the fly these missions with the T-45 instead of the more realistic T-38A. Apparently you can only carry one air-to-air missile on the centerline station of the T-38A, making for a short mission. It is also worth noting that when I loaded the Sidewinders, I actually thought I was putting on “M” models, which accounts for a couple of mistakes I made flying the mission. We’ll also be carrying an Aden 30mm Gunpod on the centerline.



The T-45 cockpit is nice and simple. I do miss a HUD though.



My wingman waits for me to takeoff and wonders where his wing shadows are.



Acceleration is very slow in the T-45 and the performance is a bit anemic compared to a more high performance fighter.



The aforementioned waypoint problem in the mission can be solved by navigating directly to waypoint #4, then upon reaching, selecting waypoint #3 and following the course toward the Range. That will put you on a direct head on aspect with the approaching Firebee flight.



After takeoff it is a good idea to throttle back a bit or do some shallow turns to allow your wingman to have some overtake to join on your wing.





The sworn enemy is on the distant horizon. Unfortunately for them, they don’t have missiles.



At a bit over 4 miles the little dots start to become big enough to lock on using the padlock feature.



Mistakenly thinking I’m carrying all aspect 9M Sidewinders, I launch my first missile at the approaching Firebees and no surprise it misses.





As we merge I break hard to the left and pop the speedbrakes to fall in behind the Firebees. They respond with evasive maneuvers only when they are being shot at, so they are a great target indoctrination experience since they are easy to shoot down.



My second missile flies off the rail just a microsecond after my Sidewinder growl drops its pitch, meaning it goes off not tracking anything. Unfortunately I had my volume turned way down so it was difficult to hear the missile growl – a mistake I won’t make again. My third missile gets a good lock and tracks in to the target.





My fourth missile likewise takes another drone down.



With empty rails, I padlock another Firebee and order my wingman to engage him. He responds promptly but I’m a bit surprised to see a Sidewinder go flying over the top of my canopy bow as he shoots from well behind me. I don’t know if Strike Fighters models Sidewinders that simply track the highest heat signature, but I’m surprised the missile didn’t go right up my tailpipe! Nevertheless, his missile destroys one Firebee and his second his spoofed by flares.





To my surprise my wingman continues to close on the remaining Firebees and starts firing his Aden cannon at them. I search for a “Cease Fire” command but I never did see one. Perhaps “Rejoin” would have made him cease his offensive maneuvering.



Since I’m out of missiles I close up on one of the remaining Firebees and lay a few canon rounds into it.





And then it’s all over. With little evasive maneuvering, and no worry of getting fired upon the mission is simple and straightforward. We head back to base and near the field I give my wingman the RTB command.





The T-45 is a great plane to fly once you get it airborne (it is a bit of a runway lover). Since it doesn’t have a radar it obviously can’t utilize radar guided missiles, so we’ll have to figure out an alternative for that at some point. The lack of a HUD makes you depend on your ears for Sidewinder guidance, which is a bit old school, but fun nonetheless. You just have to be darn sure of what your seeker is “seeing” before you let the missile off the rail..!





Thanks to Wrench for the T-45 and thanks to all that have helped me at least start to get this sim figured out…!

BeachAV8R

Great stuff Beach - was hoping you'd convert to the jets. Any chance of a link to the mission file please?

smith

Edited the top of the report and added the mission link.. Hope it works!

BeachAV8R

Thanks Beach - I'll try it out tonight.

Nice of your wingman to start firing his missiles at his target while he's still behind you.


Wheels

really dumb off the wall question... how do i get a custom pilot picture?

1) For a bit of fun, try taking off with only 69% throttle, thereby using all of the runway and allowing your wingman to catch up more easily. Works very nicely with old bombtrucks like the F-4 or F-105.

2) Friendly fire incidents with IR missiles really happen, so watch your wingies or other friendly flights when out in the field!

3) The "Rejoin" command usually makes your wingman or flight disengage and form up on your side - unless they're chased by a bandit (aka being in the process of dying).

@Skate, drop the pilot bmp files in MOD\PilotData. There are a few pilot mods on CA too.