Just a reminder to our fans & friends, the Mayviation Shootout Shootdown first round is this weekend. If you want it, get in!
Information, and the sign-ups, can be found here in our forums. All voting will take also place in the forums.
As the French country side rushes by below me, my world is momentarily peaceful. The only sound is the steady hum of my plane’s engine and the wind washing over the cockpit and past my weathered face. Leaning my head back I close my eyes for a minute and let the bright rays of the morning sun warm my chilled face. Grudgingly I reopen them and squint into the distance, as my eyes readjust to the brightness. Out of a broken cloud bank two black dots materialize. I smile as I have found this morning’s prey. Signaling my wingman, I begin a slow climb into the clouds above me. As I near the clouds the serenity of the morning is ruthlessly broken by bullets flying over my head and tearing into canvas around me. Twisting and turning in my seat I finally catch the chilling sight of two enemy planes on my tail just as I disappear in to the concealing but temporary safety of the clouds.
– Dan Pinkham
Author: Commander Mike “Toonces” Loomis
Introduction
Rare would be the man who, as a child, saw a fighter jet fly overhead and didn’t think to himself, “I want to do that when I grow up!” Unfortunately, most of us don’t become fighter pilots. However, we have the opportunity through computer flight simulation to understand a bit of what goes on in that cockpit, flying 600 knots and pulling 6 Gs.
The enthusiast flies his first simulator, buys more and more hardware, controllers, accessories, and more computer power to run ever more complex software. At some point the inevitable question surfaces- how realistic are home flight simulators, anyway? This article seeks to address this question from an aviator’s perspective.
This article was originally published on May 5, 2012. It has been slightly altered and (hopefully) improved to better celebrate Cinco de Mayo.
Author: Jim Zabek
“On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Mexico on the 201st anniversary of your independence…. We join you in celebrating Mexico’s rich history and culture and to honor the many accomplishments of the Mexican people…. As you gather with family, friends, and loved ones to hear the Grito de Dolores and the bells of independence ringing out in plazas from Baja California to Quintana Roo, know that the United States stands with you as a friend and partner. ¡Viva México! and best wishes for a year of peace and prosperity.” – Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State
Stirring and encouraging words from the United States to its neighbor, Mexico, in recognition of the celebration of Mexico’s independence from Spain. That’s well and good, but didn’t take place on Cinco de Mayo.
Huh?
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Developer: Strategic Studies Group (SSG)
Publisher: Matrix Games
Author: Sean Drummy
Carriers at War is a classic game, and I’m not even talking about the original from way back in the day, I’m referring to the remake by Matrix Games. Most wargames require a substantial investment of time to complete a scenario, let alone a campaign, but the brilliance of Carriers at War is how succinct and utterly merciless the gameplay is. Depending on how brilliantly (or stupidly) you perform a scenario the game could be played through in as little as five minutes before a decisive victor is declared. In many ways this is a very wise design decision. If I just spent an hour setting up my weapons loadouts and task groups only to find five minutes in my ships are spotted and then bombed into oblivion I may be a little disappointed (read: infuriated).
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