93 replies to this topic

[IBtheSarge]

In between finishing up the final proof-out of my objects libraries (ran into some "fit check" problems with some of the objects), I've also been doing the initial work-up for restarting Loring AFB, Maine (USA), one of the closed SAC B-52 bases.  This time around, framerates will be VERY friendly, depending on how much AI you choose to put in and what type of aircraft you select for your AI.

It's going to go a bit slower this time, similar to the time it took to put Pease AFB NH together.  Here's a screen capture of the AFCAD for the north part of the base:

AFCAD screenshot updated; see 8th post below

This part of the layout is as accurate as it can be with regard to taxiways, ramp routes, parking spots, hangars and maintenance facilities.  The mix of concrete and asphalt is accurate -- the gross weight of the KC-135's was such that the aircraft needed the strength of a concrete pad.  The BUFFs, when fully loaded and fueled, also required concrete except for the far end of the wings and the outriggers.

The 42nd ARS parking area is correct; I can't vouch for the accuracy of the transient tanker parking area as the photos and maps I'm working from are not modern-day satellite quality (some are old newspaper photos).  The bombers are also in the correct parking spots, though the units in each area may be skewed somewhat ... again, nothing to give me the exact ramp allocations for the 69th, 70th and 75th Bombardment Squadrons.  The three transient bomber parking spots are "artistic license" as they are probably additional uncovered maintenance areas; but, they were the ideal places to set up parking spaces for users who fly in with other-than-42nd Bomb Wing aircraft.  This will allow FS9 to park you in the general area of Loring's bombers without compromising the squadron parking arrangement.  (There will also be one user B-52 spot in the alert "Christmas Tree" parking.)

If you set up AI tankers and BUFFS, the aircraft.cfg files will have to be modified to show parking codes of 69BS, 70BS, 75BS and 42AR ONLY (do not include M002 or M003 in the parking codes) or the AI may (or may not) be parked correctly by ATC.  The same will be true for any arriving F-15C AI representing the Otis ANGB MA detachment that was in-and-out of Loring; that parking code will need to be 102F (102nd Fighter Squadron) for both the fighter ramp and the figher alert area.

Another case of "artistic license" is the incorporation of the second (parallel) runway at KLIZ, harkening back to the B-36 days.  Loring was also the second largest SAC base in terms of bulk fuel storage and munitions storage capability; both will be accurately represented in KLIZ v3, along with accurate placement of the munitions storage area to the north-northeast of the departure end of Rwy 01R.  Included too will be the Loring CERT area to the east of 01R/19L, the only base in SAC with an area ON THE BASE for the release of practice bombs.

Even after the work on the objects libraries is complete, I'm still looking at a release around the middle or end of October (unless a fire somehow breaks out in the seat of my pants ).

Edited by sarge, 20 May 2006 - 05:43 PM.

[Goose]

Wow sarge. It sounds and looks great. I can't wait for the release.

[IBtheSarge]

Goose, on Apr 30 2006, 11:43 AM, said:

Wow sarge. It sounds and looks great. I can't wait for the release.

Thanks; wouldn't go so far as to say "great" -- TCY's project is GREAT (I can't do anything CLOSE to what he's doing in GMAX   ).  A new AFCAD made from photos/drawings, a little terrain manipulation, some custom-made 3D objects.  Just a little place for the military pilots to touch down at/launch from and feel comfortable.  

[one.one.six]

whats tranisent parking again?

[Marshall Carter]

Transient parking is for aircraft that are on their way to somewhere else and are just stopping in for one reason or another.

Your next project should be Otis ANGB, MA.

Edited by Marshall Carter, 30 April 2006 - 02:00 PM.

[IBtheSarge]

spartan.one.one.six, on Apr 30 2006, 01:00 PM, said:

whats tranisent parking again?

Aircraft not home-based at the airbase.  UA (unit assigned) aircraft at Loring was the B-52, KC-135, T-39, and a detachement of the Massachusetts ANG 102nd Ftr Sq's F-15C Eagles.  C-141's, C-130's, B-52's from other bases, KC-135's and KC-10's from other bases passed through Loring for various and sundry reasons.  Since they weren't assigned to the 42nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy), they were "transient" aircraft, in-and-out for refuel, cargo load/off-load, crew rest, etc.

The UA will have dedicated parking spots, coded such that transient aircraft will NOT be parked in the squadron areas.  Arriving transient bombers with parking codes B1, B2, B52, and/or M002 will be parked at one of the three transient spots near the 75th Bombardment Squadron area, or one particular spot on the "Christmas Tree" alert pad.  Arriving transient tankers with parking codes KC10, K135, K130 or M003 will be routed to the parking area south of the 42nd Air Refueling Squadron's slots.

As a user, if you have a B-52 and fly into KLIZ, you will be routed to one of the transient bomber spots if your aircraft.cfg file shows a parking code of B1, B2, B52 or M002.  You will be routed to one of the squadron parking areas only if your aircraft.cfg file shows 69BS, 70BS or 75BS as the parking code.  Same routine if arriving in a KC-135; only way to be routed into the Loring tanker spots is if the aircraft.cfg file has 42AR as the parking code, otherwise it's the transient tanker spots.  The same process applies for any AI aircraft you might load up for Loring; to get them into the squadron parking areas, they have to have the appropriate squadron parking code or they will go to the transient spots.

Edited by sarge, 30 April 2006 - 02:20 PM.

[IBtheSarge]

Marshall Carter, on Apr 30 2006, 03:00 PM, said:

Your next project should be Otis ANGB, MA.

Eventually; right now I'm using Dave O'Brien's AFCAD for Otis.  It's one of several in his nemai4.zip package over in AVSIM's File Library.  STRONGLY recommend all of Dave's military AI packages (four in the New England Military AI -- NEMAI -- series, and I believe there are four packages in his Pacific series).  With permission of the modellers, he includes AI aircraft with his repaint packages (for example, repaints of every unit flying the A-10) along with the TTools data needed for the aircraft.txt, airport.txt and flightplans.txt files.

At some point I may do some "enhancements" to Dave's AFCAD.  Right now, I'm biased towards SAC -- Pease AFB NH (released and available in the FS2004.com Downloads area), Loring AFB ME (in progress), Plattsburgh AFB NY (next on the list), Offutt AFB NE (on the list), Andersen AB Guam (on the list), Diego Garcia (circa Desert Storm), and Moron AB Spain (circa Desert Storm).

Slow process as I'm going for as much accuracy as I can squeeze in using aerial photographs, drawings, diagrams, etc; and, custom-made 3D objects (paint schemes may/may not be accurate, the Pease T-Hangars are textured from photographs of the real hangars) and XML placement to produce absolutely minimal framerate hits.

UPDATE:  Just noticed that Otis ANGB MA was taken off of the BRAC and will not be closed.  Therefore, following (and possibly even simultaneous with) release of KLIZ, an updated/enhanced KFMH will be released.

Edited by sarge, 02 May 2006 - 10:21 AM.

[IBtheSarge]

New T-hangar (closed version) for Loring:

There will also be a taxi-in version, and possibly even an animated version where the doors start sliding open (to the sides) when the aircraft is within 100 ft of the hangar.  The taxi-in hangar will be suitable for both the B-52 and KC-135 aircraft; however, the tail will be outside of the hangar and the doors will NOT close "around" the tail.

[IBtheSarge]

Disregard that initial screenshot of the AFCAD for Loring.  Found an old B&W aerial photo of the base with GREAT detail and every nook and cranny of the base -- main ramp, taxiways, bomber alert "christmas tree", fighter alert pad, weapons storage area, bulk fuel tanks, etc.  It took the better part of three days to just rework the NW ramp:



There are actually three ramp textures in there ... concrete (obvious), asphalt-topped concrete, and macadam (which appears in the AFCAD as close in color to the asphalted surface).  The ramp fuel area is the interim between the bulk storage fuel tanks and actual delivery of the fuel to the birds.  The three yellow "x's" are B-52 parking spots that will be revetted to protect the fuel area.

[IBtheSarge]

Screenshot of above portion of the AFCAD in FS9:



Still have to smooth out that asphalt-to-taxiway transition at the bottom of the shot, just left of center.

[usaf_atc_mike]

Nice!! Looks Great. Will be sure to download that real fast. You planning on doing any more bases soon, if so, what do you have in mind?

[IBtheSarge]

usaf_atc_mike, on May 7 2006, 08:56 PM, said:

Nice!! Looks Great. Will be sure to download that real fast. You planning on doing any more bases soon, if so, what do you have in mind?

KLIZ will either include or be immediately followed by Otis ANGB MA.  Next on the list is KPBG (Plattsburgh AFB NY) as a companion FB-111A base to my already-released Pease AFB NH (KPSM).  Reese AFB TX (KREE), circa 1966-1970 as a T-37/T-38 UPT base, then Andersen AB Guam, Diego Garcia followed by Moron AB Spain (both circa 1990-91 for Desert Shield/Desert Storm), Kadena AB Okinawa, Osan AB Korea, and the re-opening of Clark AB Philippines.  McClellan (SA-ALC) is on the list as well as Tinker and San Antonio ALC's, plus a re-work of Kwang-ju AB Korea (the "Kwang"), Taegu AB Korea, and eventually Canon AFB NM (an F-111A/E base in the earlier years).  Oh, and George AFB CA was added to the list just recently.

[usaf_atc_mike]

Awesome, quick little request, what about Myrtle Beach AFB? Heck I never heard of it untill the other day. Just a little request, others sound great though, I need a major upgrade at Cannon with all my AI F-16 traffic.

[IBtheSarge]

All that's needed on the NW ramp now is some KC-135 and B-52 AI aircraft.  



One hangar, placed 14 times; one flightline fuel storage tank, placed twice.  System locked at 30.0 fps, all objects in view yields 29.8 fps.  Also adjusted terrain using EZ-Landclass -- new ground texture on the base, local trees around the base, default autogen to represent the base infrastructure, and even adjusted the location of the city of Limestone so it's properly positioned with regard to the base.

Decided to change aircraft:  

Edited by sarge, 11 May 2006 - 08:19 PM.

[IBtheSarge]

Bird in the barn:

[usaf_atc_mike]

Looking Nice!!

[IBtheSarge]

usaf_atc_mike, on May 12 2006, 06:43 AM, said:

Looking Nice!!

Thanks, Mike; looking forward to your Alaska package, too.  I've got Dave O'Brien's military packages and there are paints in there for all kinds of birds in the AK vicinity.  Gonna be real sweet to have accurate ramps to put 'em on.  Let me know if you think there's anything I can do.

KLIZ needs taxiway/runway signs, ops buildings, a terminal, control tower, fire/crash/rescue, a tank farm, and munitions storage igloos.  And it will be finished.  I've decided to include Otis ANGB MA with the package since a detachment of Otis F-15's stood fighter alert at KLIZ back in the days.

[IBtheSarge]

Northwest ramp, control tower/base ops and fire/crash/rescue bottom of screenshot right of center:



Next area in work is the southwest ramp and the south ramp adjacent to the fighter alert pad.

[one.one.six]

Looking Nice Sarge.

Cant wait for Clark Field.

[IBtheSarge]

spartan.one.one.six, on May 20 2006, 06:31 PM, said:

Looking Nice Sarge.

Cant wait for Clark Field.

  It's coming .... but first I gotta finish Loring, Otis, and Plattsburgh.  Just did some more mods:

1.  (If you look at the AFCAD screenshot on pg 1, 9th post from the top)  Changed the three eastern most parking slots labelled "M003" to two spots, and added a three-bay tanker maintenance hangar in that location.  The middle and south bays are taxi-in (and that's where the two spots are) and the north bay has closed doors.

2.  The SW (base ops) ramp now has a three-bay maintenance hangar (middle bay partially closed).  Each side of the hangar has two C-9A/C-9C parking spots and one parking spot for AF-1/AF-2.  Working on the general fighter maintenance hangar in that area just off of the taxiway.

3.  Roads have been layed in around the bomb dumb, and from the bomb dump to the B-52 alert "Christmas Tree," with a branch off to a point coinciding with the  middle taxiway between the two runways.

To do yet:

1.  Structures on the pad between the base ops ramp and the fighter alert pad (three hardened aircraft shelters already on the fighter pad).

2.  Munitions route from the "Christmas Tree" to the fighter alert pad.

3.  Bulk fuel storage area behind the fighter alert pad.

4.  Munitions storage igloos, support structures, and fenceline in the bomb dump.

5.  Create the CERT area east of Rwy 01R/19L (Loring was the only base with a bombing range -- training munitions only -- actually on the base).

6.  Find a way to get rid of a persistent autogen power transmission tower between Rwy 01L and the parallel taxiway on the south end.

Otis ANGB is also coming along and will be released simultaneously with Loring.  (Otis' 102nd Fighter Interceptor Wing provided the F-15's for alert duty at Loring.)

Some of the texturing on the buildings isn't 100% accurate, but it's close.  Layout and positioning is as accurate as the aerial photos from the 1980's allow, which is pretty close to real-world locations.

(And Clark will be near 100% accurate.  After four years there, I can even get the positioning of the hill near the old Top Hat club with the WWII Japanese caves and bunkers in the right location.  The Cope Thunder ramp will be there along with the T-39 ramp, Medevac ramp and the Hq 13AF building.   )