Hi guys, I've been working on adding guns A/A mode to the Acceleration Hornet, and it is finally ready. I packaged it as a standalone aircraft (F/A-18 Combat Version). This 'Combat Hornet' is equipped with 20mm M61 cannon and has a fully functional air-to-air gun mode found in the real F/A-18.See the Combat Hornet in action here :(

From the two radar modes, the two gun sights and the flying tracers (with precise ballistic trajectory), everything you experience in the virtual cockpit should be very similar to what you would experience in the real cockpit. You will not be able to shoot down other aircraft, but you will receive an immediate indication on your HUD if a shot was successful and a bullet hit the bandit.The flight model is unchanged from the Acceleration Hornet except for allowing manually controlled flaps and reducing the arresting wire tension for smoother carrier landings. The HUD is an upgrade of the Realistic Hornet HUD by Jivko Rusev and Scott Printz, which allows ILS and TACAN navigation for aircraft carriers. You will also get a couple of additional gauges - an In-Flight Refueling Gauge, PLAT Camera and a Carrier Landing Gauge.You can find a full description of the features and documentation (including Air-to-Air Guns Manual) in the package.The aircraft can be downloaded here:http://www.simviatio...le?fileId=34548Enjoy :biggrin:J.R.

Fantastic work! Thanks for sharing! Truly appreciated.

This is really cool J.R.Thanks very much.

Hey, good stuff. Seriously, I am not into military at all. But it's just fun to try out these advanced HUD features. Nice work.

Hey, good stuff. Seriously, I am not into military at all. But it's just fun to try out these advanced HUD features. Nice work.

Sure, you don't have to shoot anybody to fly the Combat Hornet :( There is so much more functionality built into the HUD, you can also try an aerial refueling, but it's best to have a KC-135 with a refueling boom. And of course it's a naval aircraft, so you just have to land it on a carrier :( It should be much easier with this modification because with manual flaps control, you can fully extend the flaps (the default auto flap logic didn't allow this), which will lower the landing approach speed by about 9 kts, and you will have a more gentle deceleration because of relaxed wire tension (the default was too tight, and you stopped as if you are crashing into a brick wall and the aircraft sometimes would flip over because of the momentum).

JR,This is my first post being a new member. I signed up at this site about a week back. Been getting familiar with the site a bit. Last four years got away from flight sims and first shooters etc., due to terrible work shifts. Now retiring. Bonzai! I just turned sixty four. So it is time to install FSX on a new mid ranged dual core computer I recently purchase to replace my old 1GB system that had WindowsME.... yes that old. With tons of FS2002 stuff that I flew and built panels, modified existing downloaded aircraft then added modified gauges etc., and took it about as far as I could way back when.Enough on intro. Just wanted to let you and perhaps others know, I had been in this hobby for a number of years, so I am not a complete newbie. I look forward to exchanging anything I can learn thatwould help others in the future.I have not purchased any FSX packages yet..... I am scanning tons of stuff on the Internet as well as focusing on the AVSIM Forums to to help me decide what makes sense to purchase. What I needis some advice from you all as to clearing up some questions I have. Statement 1: I understand ABASCUS Flight Deck 6 is a package that one installs with the knowledge it must run as an addon under FSX.I understand VRS Super Bug for FSX falls into the same category.... It needs to have FSX previously installed. And like the other one mentioned probably is called up with FSX or fact similar. What I don't understand is..........Question 1:If one where to purchase either FSX Gold which contains a disk to install ACCELERATION which I assume would be the same as if one purchased FSX Acceleration package along with either Standardor Deluxe ..... Should one expect to see the same aircraft ( F18E ) and all the cockpit/panel functionality as one see's in the various demos for the VRS Super Bug X package.Question 2:If I where to install just the standard or deluxe FSX versions ..... Can I download the F18E package you offer... that would contain all the cockpit/panel functionality that I see in the VRS Super Bug X demos?And then fly it as any other aircraft. I do understand FSX does contain carriers and that with appropriate add on packages one can do carrier OPS. I used to do it with F18s and F14s in FS2002.If my questions where not precise enough I would be quite glad to re-phrase them to make better sense. Lets say my goal would be to have the capability to use all the functionality we see in the VRSSuper Bug ...less any weapon loads or functionality in that department .... to start up from cold.... using all those panels switches and gauges etc.. Then fly it from any airport in the FSX simulator?If you do not feel you can help me on this that is OK. Perhaps you can direct me to some at this site that may have the answers. I don't seek to have weapon capability. I'm interested in the ability tojust fly that wonderful aircraft as depicted in the VRS demo and other videos within normal civilian flight space in FSX. Thank you very much for at least hearing me out.Best wishes to all, good health, and good flying....George

JR,This is my first post being a new member. I signed up at this site about a week back. Been getting familiar with the site a bit. Last four years got away from flight sims and first shooters etc., due to terrible work shifts. Now retiring. Bonzai! I just turned sixty four. So it is time to install FSX on a new mid ranged dual core computer I recently purchase to replace my old 1GB system that had WindowsME.... yes that old. With tons of FS2002 stuff that I flew and built panels, modified existing downloaded aircraft then added modified gauges etc., and took it about as far as I could way back when.Enough on intro. Just wanted to let you and perhaps others know, I had been in this hobby for a number of years, so I am not a complete newbie. I look forward to exchanging anything I can learn thatwould help others in the future.I have not purchased any FSX packages yet..... I am scanning tons of stuff on the Internet as well as focusing on the AVSIM Forums to to help me decide what makes sense to purchase. What I needis some advice from you all as to clearing up some questions I have. Statement 1: I understand ABASCUS Flight Deck 6 is a package that one installs with the knowledge it must run as an addon under FSX.I understand VRS Super Bug for FSX falls into the same category.... It needs to have FSX previously installed. And like the other one mentioned probably is called up with FSX or fact similar. What I don't understand is..........Question 1:If one where to purchase either FSX Gold which contains a disk to install ACCELERATION which I assume would be the same as if one purchased FSX Acceleration package along with either Standardor Deluxe ..... Should one expect to see the same aircraft ( F18E ) and all the cockpit/panel functionality as one see's in the various demos for the VRS Super Bug X package.Question 2:If I where to install just the standard or deluxe FSX versions ..... Can I download the F18E package you offer... that would contain all the cockpit/panel functionality that I see in the VRS Super Bug X demos?And then fly it as any other aircraft. I do understand FSX does contain carriers and that with appropriate add on packages one can do carrier OPS. I used to do it with F18s and F14s in FS2002.If my questions where not precise enough I would be quite glad to re-phrase them to make better sense. Lets say my goal would be to have the capability to use all the functionality we see in the VRSSuper Bug ...less any weapon loads or functionality in that department .... to start up from cold.... using all those panels switches and gauges etc.. Then fly it from any airport in the FSX simulator?If you do not feel you can help me on this that is OK. Perhaps you can direct me to some at this site that may have the answers. I don't seek to have weapon capability. I'm interested in the ability tojust fly that wonderful aircraft as depicted in the VRS demo and other videos within normal civilian flight space in FSX. Thank you very much for at least hearing me out.Best wishes to all, good health, and good flying....George

Hi George, welcome to the forums! In response to question 1, you are correct. FSX gold contains both FSX deluxe and FSX acceleration, and it does not matter if you buy the gold edition, or if you buy deluxe and acceleration seperately, you will ultimately end up with the same thing.^{In response to question 2, As long as Acceleration is installed (be it seperately or through FSX gold edition) you will be able to fly the hornet as any other aircraft, and three of the included missions are carrier practise orientated so you will be able to get the hang of the differences you will find in FSX compared to earlier flight simulators that you have used.The only thing that I cannot answer is whether you will be realistically able to start the hornet from a cold and dark environment. The aircraft is always loaded with its engines running and to be honest with you I have never shut the engines down. :(}Hope this helps you George.

JR,This is my first post being a new member........George

Hi George, welcome to the forums. To fly the Superbug with all the functionality you may not need the Acceleration Pack/Gold Edition (as Samwise pointed they are the same, but obviously buying Gold is more cost efficient). However, as noted on the VRS website, the Acceleration/Gold is highly recommended. And yes, you can do the full Cold/Dark Startup with the VRS Superbug. Personally I very, very, very strongly recommend getting the Acceleration/Gold, because it is the best simulation of carrier operations ever made :( Actually this is the only reason I got into FSX :( Check out this carrier landing video, it is on Acceleration:

... and this one using the Superbug (again with Acceleration):

Now, there is something I must clear, and I am sorry if you already know this. There are two different F/A-18s that you can fly in FSX. One is the F/A-18A Blue Angel jet that comes as part of the Acceleration pack. This is the one you see here on the dogfighting video (we usually refer to it as 'Acceleration Hornet'). The other is the VRS F/A-18E Superbug, which you must purchase separately and then add to FSX (which is very easy). Again, you probably know this, the VRS Superbug is a lot more detailed, realistic and advanced in terms of avionics, flight model, virtual cockpit and exterior, than the Acceleration F/A-18. Actually, according to VRS - the Superbug is "the most detailed and accurate simulation of a combat aircraft ever developed for Microsoft Flight Simulator".I hope this helps,JR

JR,This is my first post being a new member. I signed up at this site about a week back. Been getting familiar with the site a bit.George

Morning George, welcome to the site. By the by, JR, that F-18 mod is very sweet! :(

Good morning CanadaOne, Sam, and JR,Thank you three for your responses. With JR's extended explainations I believe I have a good feel as to what to expect. I now understand the availability of two versions of the Hornet. And as JR indicatesone can download the improved version he mentioned above from the quoted site. I also now understand that with acceleration package those Hornets will be available within the main FSX simulator. I think I understood correctly that per JR, if one was to also install the VRS Superbug package, then ultimately one can also use their model within normal FSX flights. Not just within the Superbug missions.If that is correct.... then you totally answered all I had asked.Thank you again for your quick responses. Now I must decide if I want to try to find the FSX Gold from a local store as well as the VRS Superbug package verse purchasing them via. Internet. Good flying all,GeorgeNo response required unless perhaps JR senses I misunderstood his statements.

George, all is correct :(

JR,"George, all is correct."Thanks again. Have a great day. George

There is something I forgot to put in the readme :( You can set the default values for some of the HUD and gun options in the 'FA18_HUD_Init.xml' located in <\Panel\FA18_HUD\>. For example HUD color, caged mode, baro/radar altitude, gun fire rate, etc. It can be edited in notepad. These settings can always be changed in flight from the HUD Switch Panel (Shift+2).

There is something I forgot to put in the readme :( You can set the default values for some of the HUD and gun options in the 'FA18_HUD_Init.xml' located in <\Panel\FA18_HUD\>. For example HUD color, caged mode, baro/radar altitude, gun fire rate, etc. It can be edited in notepad. These settings can always be changed in flight from the HUD Switch Panel (Shift+2).

Thanks for the further feedback JR. Once I purchase the package(s), I shall return to these postings for refreshing my mind as to what you suggest. Have a great day,George

One other thing George - dont buy the Abacus add -on, its simply crap and not needed. You can download javiers freeware Nimitz carrier to go with your superbug and you are laughing. Cheers, Mark