In the spirit of the “Old airframes with new technology” thread I figured why not a fantasy thread about Cold War era fighters. Area 88 came to mind and fits the theme. Your mission is to take a Cold War era airframe* and update it with kit to fly as a mercenary for the Area 88 team. Your mission, to survive three years of kill or be killed…
Now we can’t all be flying around with super long-range air-to-air missiles; that wouldn’t be much of a game. So with that in mind, you have to equip your aircraft using both its real physical limits AND a point system. Each aircraft is in a category, limited to a specific quantity of quality points.
* your choices of airframes BY CATEGORY below:
Category IA – Super Flyweights (10 points)
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A-4F Skyhawk
A-10A Thunderbolt II
AMX
Hawk 200
IAR-93
MiG-17 Fresco, J-5 Fresco
NAMC J-12 (prototype)
Northrop YA-9 (prototype)
Scaled Composites ARES (prototype)
Skyfox (prototype)
T-38 Talon
Category IB – Flyweights (15 points)
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A-4SU Super Skyhawk, A-4AR Fightinghawk
Azarakhsh
F-5E Tiger II
YA-7F Strikefighter
J35J Draken
MiG-19 Farmer, J-6 Farmer, Q-5 Fantan
MiG-21bis Fishbed, F-7 Airguard <—-> Super-7 (prototypes)
Mirage III
Su-11 Fishpot
Category II – Lightweights (20 points)
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F-20A Tigershark (prototype)
F-8P Crusader
F-104S Starfighter
JAS39A <—-> JAS39D Gripen
Lavi (prototype)
Mirage F1C <—-> Mirage F1E
Mitsubishi F-1, T-2
Su-25T Frogfoot <—-> Su-25KM Scorpion
X-29 Saber Bat FSW (prototype)
Category IIIA Light Middle Weights (30 points)
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EAP (prototype)
XF8U-3 Crusader III (prototype)
F-16A Fighting Falcon
YF-17 Cobra (prototype)
F-21A Kfir, Cheetah C/D
F-105D Thunderchief, F-105G Wild Weasel
F-106A/B Delta Dart
F-117A Nighthawk
JA37/AJ37 Viggen
Jaguar GR3A
J-8I Finback
J-10 Vigorous Dragon (prototype)
MiG-23MLD Flogger, MiG-27K Flogger, MiG-27H Flogger
Mirage F1M-53 (prototype)
Mirage 2000 <—-> Mirage 2000-5, Mirage 2000N
Rafale A (prototype)
Yak-38M Forger
Category IIIB – Middle Weights(40 points)
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AV-8B Harrier II, Harrier GR7A Harrier II
Buccaneer S.2C/D
F-4G Wild Weasel
F-16C/D Block 52 (non Plus), F-2 Agile Falcon
F-16XL, F-16 VISTA (prototypes)
F-CK-1A <—-> F-CK-1D Ching-kuo
Jaguar ACT (prototype)
JH-7 Flounder
J-8IIH Finback
EE Lightning F.2A <—-> F.6
Rafale F1
Sea Harrier FRS Mk.1 <—-> Sea Harrier FRS51
Su-15TM Flagon
Su-17M4 <—-> Su-22M5 Super Fitter
Category IV – Lower Heavy Weights (50 points)
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F-4E Peace Icarus 2000, F-4F ICE Phantom II
F/A-18A <—-> F/A-18D Hornet
F-111G, EF-111A Raven
MiG-29M <—-> MiG-29SMT Fulcrum
Su-24M <—-> Su-24M2 Fencer
Tornado IDS GR1 <—-> GR4, Tornado ADV F2A <—-> F3
X-32, X-35 (prototypes)
Yak-141 (prototype)
Category V – Light Heavy Weights (75 points)
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CF-105 Arrow (prototype)
YF-4E Kurnass 2000 (prototype)
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
MiG-25PDS Foxbat
Su-27M <—-> Su-30MKI Super Flanker, Su-34 Fullback
Category VI – Heavy Weights (100 points)
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F-14A Tomcat
F-15A Eagle <—-> F-15D Eagle
MiG-31B Foxhound
Mirage 4000 (prototype)
Su-27S <—-> Su-30 Flanker
Category VII – Super Heavy Weights (no limit in points)
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YF-12C Black Bird (prototype)
F-14D Super Tomcat
F-15 ACTIVE (prototype)
F-15E Strike Eagle
YF-22 ATF (prototype)
YF-23A Black Widow II (prototype)
F-111B Aardvark (prototype)
MiG-31M Foxhound (prototype)
Sukhoi Su-37 Terminator
Sukhoi Su-47 Berkut
Likewise your missile selection is weighted by value. Take the number of missiles you want to carry by their value. The sum must be below the points allotted within your category. The weight limits of each model and the associated missile weights would take up too much space in this post so I’ll leave it to you to fiddle the numbers. Here are the air-to-air missiles allowed:
Active Skyflash = 10-points (AR)
Aspide Mk1 = 8-points (SAR)
Aspide Mk2 = 10-points (AR)
Bisnovat R-40RD (AA-6 Acrid) = 20-points (SAR)
Bisnovat R-40TD (AA-6 Acrid) = 15-points (IR)
Bisnovat R-4RM (AA-5 Ash) = 10-points (SAR)
Bisnovat R-4TM (AA-5 Ash) = 8-points (IR)
Denel A-Darter = 4-points (IR)
Denel Darter = 2-points (IR)
Denel R-Darter = 10-points (AR)
Denel U-Darter = 3-points (IR)
Denel V3 Kukri = 1-point (IR)
Fatter = 2-points (AIM-9B; IR)
FIM-92 Stinger = 1-point (IR)
HJ-10 Red Arrow = 1-point (SAL)
Hughes AIM-4F = 3-points (IR)
Hughes AIM-4G = 4-points (SAR)
Hughes AIM-54C Phoenix = 30-points (SAR <—-> AR)
Kaliningrad R-98RM (AA-3 Anab) = 12-points (SAR)
Kaliningrad R-98TM (AA-3 Anab) = 10-points (IR)
Luoyang PL-2 = 1-point (AA-2 Atoll-A; IR)
Luoyang PL-3 = 2-points (AA-2 Advanced Atoll-C; IR)
Luoyang PL-4 = 3-points (AA-2 Advanced Atoll-D; SAR)
Luoyang PL-5B = 2-points (IR)
Luoyang PL-5C = 3-points (IR)
Luoyang PL-5E = 4-points (IR)
Luoyang PL-9C = 5-points (IR)
Matra R550 Magic = 2-points (IR)
Matra R550 Magic II = 3-points (IR)
Matra Super 530D (Mirage 2000-only) = 10-points (SAR)
Matra Super 530F (Mirage F1-only) = 8-points (SAR)
MBDA MICA EM = 12-points (AR)
MBDA MICA IR = 10-points (IR)
Mitsubishi AAM-1 = 2-points (AIM-9E; IR)
Mitsubishi AAM-3 SRAAM = 4-points (IR)
Mitsubishi AAM-4 MRAAM = 12-points (AR)
Molniya R-60 (AA-8 Aphid) = 2-points (IR)
PL-11 = 10-points (Aspide Mk1; SAR)
QW-1 Vanguard = 1-point (IR)
Rafael Derby = 8-points (AR)
Rafael Python 4 = 5-points (IR)
Rafael Python III = 4-points (IR)
Raytheon AIM-120A AMRAAM = 12-points (AR)
Raytheon AIM-120B AMRAAM = 20-points (AR)
Raytheon AIM-120C6 AMRAAM = 30-points (AR)
Raytheon AIM-7F = 8-points (SAR)
Raytheon AIM-7P = 10-points (SAR)
Raytheon AIM-9J Sidewinder = 2-points (IR)
Raytheon AIM-9L Sidewinder = 3-points (IR)
Raytheon AIM-9M Sidewinder = 4-points (IR)
Rb 27 Falcon = 8-points (AIM-26B; SAR)
Rb 28 Falcon = 2-points (AIM-4C; IR)
Rb 24 Sidewinder = 2-points (AIM-9B; IR)
Rb 24J Sidewinder = 3-points (AIM-9L; IR)
Red Top = 3-points (IR)
Sedjil = 10-points (MIM-23; SAR)
Shanghai PL-11 = 10-points (SAR)
Skyflash = 8-points (SAR)
TC-1 Sky Sword I = 3-points (IR)
TC-2 Sky Sword II = 10-points (AR)
Vympel K-13A (AA-2 Atoll-A) = 2-points (IR)
Vympel K-13M (AA-2 Advanced Atoll-D) = 3-points (IR)
Vympel K-13R (AA-2 Advanced Atoll-C) = 4-points (SAR)
Vympel K-13R (AA-2 Atoll-B) = 3-points (SAR)
Vympel R-24R (AA-7 Apex) = 15-points (SAR)
Vympel R-24T (AA-7 Apex) = 12-points (IR)
Vympel R-27AE (AA-10 Alamo) = 20-points (AR)
Vympel R-27ME (AA-10 Alamo) = 30-points (SAR)
Vympel R-27R (AA-10 Alamo-A) = 20-points (SAR)
Vympel R-27RE (AA-10 Alamo-C) = 20-points (SAR)
Vympel R-27T (AA-10 Alamo-B) = 20-points (IR)
Vympel R-27TE (AA-10 Alamo-D) = 20-points (IR)
Vympel R-33 (AA-9 Amos) = 20-points (SAR <—-> AR)
Vympel R-37 (AA-13 Arrow) = 40-points (AR)
Vympel R-73 (AA-11 Archer) = 4-points (IR)
Vympel R-73E (AA-11 Archer) = 5-points (IR)
Vympel R-73M (AA-11 Archer) = 6-points (IR)
Vympel R-77 (AA-12 Adder) = 12-points (AR)
Vympel R-77M (AA-12 Adder) = 20-points (AR)
Xi’an PL-8 = 4-points (Python III; IR)
You are also allowed to carry electronics, but these are limited to pre-2001 off the shelf capabilities. If it was carried by your aircraft model choice then it is an option. But because these capabilities are largely obscure and highly classified, there will not be need to focus on this capability.
So within the limits I’ve put up, construct an airplane-missile combination to suit your air supremacy needs. Don’t like the aircraft? Come up with something within the pre-2001 time-frame that was at least available in prototype form. No chalkboard imaginary airframes, please. There are more than likely options out there I missed. Cut loose with your ideas. Most of all have fun!
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March 30, 2010 at 6:15 pm