Got back too late to join up. There was something I wanted to try out to see if it worked on MP, I think you might have liked to see the results of it, if it worked.
But I did get my sixth flight in the F-86 last night. With some remorse, it was the first one that did not end in a passable landing. I decided to take the bull by the horns and have my first air to air engagement versus the classical rival; an expert Mig 15. What ensued was probably the most exciting few minutes of sim flying I have ever had. Some great combat snaps from the replay afterwards, like the images I used to draw in the comic strips I made for my own and all of art class' entertainment in school.
There is an old, eternal argument about which was the better fighter of these two; zoom climbs, usage as an energy fighter, slow rate of fire cannon versus six concentrated point fives, etcetera. From some old reading, I recall the comments of pilots regarding the predictor sight; some of the old WWII veterans who flew in Korea complaining that a piece of chewing gum stuck to the windscreen would have made a better sight. All so well reproduced in the sim, I made the mistake of slouching the seat down and hence the sight spent most of its time off the reflector plate! I sympathize with the vets' comments, for now, though I am probably using the sight incorrectly as yet.
Nonetheless, with apologies to the Mig-15 fans, I am of the "F-86 brigade", and from the beginning of the engagement, when I first spotted the foe moving in on my six, I perceived it was pretty obvious that the F-86 was indeed superior as a fighter. Great, WWII style dogfighting in fast jets. I was invariably able to extricate myself from tight situations and turn the tables by taking the F-86 into the vertical plane during the five minute fight, and eventually got a solid hit into the flank of the opponent. Unfortunately, however, we touched each other at that point (yep, I did an Urwumpe!).
The Mig was already a goner, and I suddenly had a plateful of problems at hand. The emergency procedures state; if on fire, EJECT! No way, I am not wasting my favorite aircraft if I can help it. Luckily, I was near Kobuleti, so; engine shut down, check battery and alternate flight controls on. The gear seemed to be damaged, and missing part of the wing and an aileron made it very difficult to fly, but I managed a sort of landing.
Some dural sheet and the rivet gun and it will be as good as new! Tough old bird.