Hi, Last nite I was lucky to see a program called "DOGFIGHTS",on the History Channel,some may have seen it..I found it very interesting in all areas. Other than the feats,and stories shown and described about these legendary pilots,I was impressed with the computer simulation,blending with actual film."There it is" as I shouted to my family, 'The perfect simulation of planes ,scenery,film and all the rest of that elusive stuff I've been seeking.It can be done!Years of spending money,anticipation,promises,and disappointments, "the vision of flawless simulation was there,in front of me.WOW!" So when I went back to my FS,I become disenchanted.Its not that my rig,and results are marginal,but rather they are excellent,for its capabillity..That is until ya see what can be available.Yaa! I know ,what can you expect for a relative few bucks,some say,BALONEY I say,, I want that artwork,technology,nohow reflected in my FS.I would not care if the price had to reflect that quality,#### I spent a fortune pursuing that clarity for years,and many computers..My FS9, like all here I think does in no way represent that ,I took out of the box that first day.My FS9 ,is a living ,growing,ravenous, living monster which lives on free handouts,and lots of cash,and expensive time,which is my most important commodity.WE, and IT will, never be satisfied.BUT, if the technology does exist,and it does,why can't we share it.My Ole default FS9, looks lke Cinderellas sister,and if I did not dress er up,she would never get to the ball.So Ill play with my excuse for "as real as it gets".And dream of some fairy God mother to transform my FS9 so its ready for the handsome prince,ME!! If you check the listings it will run again,best I ever seen. May be available on DVD. VIN "I WANT THAT:-jumpy "PS xxxxmeans dog spelt backwards

Hehe, doncha love it when you see some awesome rendered plane, or such, and wonder why we can't actually fly in such a world? The day is coming, believe me. Compare our current graphics with those that were "tha shizzle" ten years ago. Sure we're in a slowdown, but the next advance in computing, I feel, is just around the corner. All we have to do is wait for it. Yep it's frustrating, but as you said, we'll continue to mod the heck outta our FS9s and wring every last drop of eye candy we can get out of it till the time comes.When FS approaches real life in terms of visuals and flight dynamics, weather, ATC and etc., will I be finally content?Nope. There will always be more to improve, to add, to complain about.Till then, keep modding and flying and making it real, and we all will keep posting our secrets and frustrations here, and sharing our favorite pasttime.-JeremyThe Ozark DogfighterHappy Flying!

YAA! I guess yer rite, BUT!! there will always be that anticipation, we/me, will never be satisfied.Its just out of our grasp,it ticks me to know some where that exists.I hope its tomorrow!I hope its not in the future.Trouble is they trickle feed us this stuff.Like some Oriental water torture.FS10$,FS11$,FA12$ ad infinitum.I guess I know how that dog felt,Pavlov's dog that is. "AND THE MEEK SHALL INHERENT THE EARTH,THEY SHALT BE CALLED GEEKS" Just Joshing ,I LOVE ALL GEEKS,LOOK what they gave us,THE ULTIMATE BUSY BOX!!" Bless em!! VIN

Glad to hear someone else was drooling over the graphics. Graphics aside, all in all, a very entertaining evening. Fitz

http://www.acepilots.com/vietnam/cunningham.html I was lucy to be in the Navy,and work around F4N's on the flightdeck as a Blue Jersey http://www.transglobal-aerospace.co.uk/1-564/AF.html, VF-111 and VF-51.We called them the "Lead Sled".

Hello Jim and all,I too saw the History channel show mentioned. I happen to know 'Duke' Cunningham from my Vietnam days, and it was humorous to hear him admit 'I made a big mistake' . . . the ole 'Duke' I knew would have just passed it off as a trivial matter. You have to remember the history, as Duke claimed some lineage to John Wayne and even had a black flight suit tailored up by some local seemstress . . . he was a character, and also a force to be reckoned with in the air. Old age makes us more humble . . . and on the subject of Duke and Willie, those two were one hellof a team, and being an AF pilot, we always had the age old rivalry about who had the best pilots. Believe me, (there is a very long story attached to this one, and I won't bore you all), but on a particular day during an R&R leave in Saigon, Randy convinced me that the Navy boys really had their act together . . .I was, and am still, impressed by those Navy pukes. Oh, and by the way, in a combat aircraft, he is perhaps the 'best' fighter jock I have ever flown with, bar none!Best to all, Clay http://www.dreamfleet2000.com/gfx/images/F...ers/Dopke01.jpgClayton T. Dopke (Clay)Major, USAF (retired)"Drac"

Forgive my asking such a question, but, what qualities etc. about him that made you believe he was the best fighter pilot you ever flew with? I am a mere 42 yo 220 hour cherokee ga pilot, but I am wondering if it can be put into words.Thanks,ThomasN15802

I love reading your posts, Drac, especially when you talk of the old days. I owe you a big thanks!Thanks for all the great infoThanks for the great storiesThanks for serving our country and coming back in one piece!I had 3 close relatives who faught in Nam, 2 made it back, but one died just days after his discharge, before I was born.1 other relative was in service in Alaska during Nam2 grandfathers and countless uncles in WWIIIn short, keep on postin' and I'll keep on readin'!Oh, and on topic, bring on the graphics, FS10!!!:D-JeremyThe Ozark DogfighterHappy Flying!

Hello Jeremy and Thomas,First, thanks for the kind words. my wife tells me the older I get, the better I use to be . . .war stories are sometimes like that.On what made the 'Duke' the best combat fighter jock I'd ever met or flown with, well, probably a great combination of things.First, I'm sure 'Top Gun' honed his skills greatly(the actual base and training, NOT the movie), and brought about the fact that if you screw up, you can easialy die.He had the killer instinct -- not only that, but a huge desire to do the job, do it well and survive.He and Willie D clicked together -- almost like they knew what each other were thinking all the time, they were an amazing crew to watch and patern yourself after, and their combat record proves it.He studied the old masters from WWI - II - and Korea. It's still done like that and that is what situation awareness and combat readyness are all about.He made sure he used his skills to his greatest advantage and when he did make a mistake, he learned very quickly from it -- make too many of the same mistakes in an combat jet and you're a lawn dart or casket material.He studied his enemy and their aircraft, knowing each strengths and weakness's. He used the F-4's positives and tried to minimumize the weakness's the aircraft had. From what I understand, he was almost anal about it . . .always reading and training.Lastly, he was one of the few who are natural combat pilots. I was a great B52 Aircraft commander and pilot, and I was a damned good F-111 and F-4 jock, but I wasn't a natural. I had to work very hard to do the combat routine, because it didn't come that natural to me -- With Duke, well, he made it look pretty easy when all knew it wasn't.We find people like that occasionally, and like the cream, they rise to the top. He wasn't interested in being just a 'good' combat pilot, he wanted to be the best . . .and in my opinion, in the Navy during that time, he was and his record shows it.AGain, I was a great pilot, that came natural to me, as did driving racing cars later in life . . . but the combat aspect of it, came very hard for me . . . flying 52's before the 111's and F-4's probably saved my life, giving me the seasoning I needed to survive and become a better pilot . . .that's just the way it happens some times. I can remember being very upset not getting combat jets right off the bat . . . but in hindsight, it's probably why I am still alive now. Life is funny that way sometimes.Best,Clayhttp://www.dreamfleet2000.com/gfx/images/F...ers/Dopke01.jpgClayton T. Dopke (Clay)Major, USAF (retired)"Drac"

Thank you for that wonderful story about Mr. Cunningham.In those murky days ,when the Duke,and many others were doing their job,and others not doing theirs.It was most gratifying, and enlightening to be aware of hero's such as they.It was difficult to glean out of the coverage then, the real story of these great men.In a time when our service people were being abused not so much by the enemy, but by our fellow Americans ,their experiences in that hostile place made me and others proud to be an American.As some of us were to old to participate in that thing, we were hungry for hero's,and hero's we got. They really don't need any eulogy from anyone.For in their hearts they were truly the "Right Stuff"It was in the words of "Jose Wales", the character in the Clint Eastwood movie , "THAT DAM WAR". VIN

Drac,It's great to read your comments here, particularly since I spent a good part of yesterday underneath the Phantom at the San Diego Aerospace Museum...that's where they put the exhibitors for the Avsim Conference...and the museum's F-4 is painted to look like the bird Duke and Willie flew when they got their fifth. It's mounted on pylons, where it perpetually chases the museum's MiG-17. Duke's book, "Fox Two" was the subject of our dinner conversation at the banquet. It's a helluva read.