Coming S**n to FSX!

[Tako_Kichi]

After more than a year of hard work, steep learning curves and lots of frustrating episodes I can finally announce that a major US Army Air Force training base c1942-45 is coming to FSX.

Hobbs Army Air Force base in Hobbs, New Mexico was a major training base for B-17 crews prior to leaving for Europe. It was also a base for the Beech AT-11 'Kansan' as these were used to train the bomb aimers, navigators and turret gunners prior to letting them loose on the B-17's. It had housing for 5,000+ crewmen and officers, an on-site hospital, it's own movie theatre, two churches, an on-site railyard/sub-depot to bring in supplies and an on-site factory complex used for the manufacture of the prefabricated buildings units.

What do you get in the package?

The main Hobbs AAF base including AI traffic in the form of B-17's, AT-11's and Stinson L-4's and over 250 custom made building and vehicle models.

Two auxiliary fields at their historically correct locations which were used for touch and go practice and as emergency landing fields in case of difficulties.

Seven precision bombing targets at their historically correct locations.

Note: All of the above airfields are selectable as new items in the FSX airport selection screen.

So enough of the words how about some pictures?

The overview



That apron has parking for 70+ B-17's! It is set up for parking too so you can start at a large number of locations on the apron.

The Flight Line






The Buildings






TO BE CONTINUED DUE TO POST IMAGE LIMITATIONS!...........

[Tako_Kichi]

PART TWO

How about a bit more detail?

Here is the railyard/sub-depot with the factory complex in the distance.



Here is another shot of the factory complex with the munitions dump in the background.



This is the fuel storage area.



This is part of the motor pool.



AI Traffic

A B-17 taxiing out captured by Milton in his AT-11.



The AT-11 AI getting ready to leave.



There is also a Stinson L-4 which flies around and the AI traffic visits both of the auxiliary fields at staggered intervals during the day and night so regardless of what time you visit there should be something buzzing around.

Talking of the auxiliary fields....

Hobbs Auxiliary 1



Hobbs Auxiliary 4



While we are away from the main base here is one of the seven bombing targets.....



You will have to find them all yourself (consider them an easter egg if you like) but I will provide a guide to their locations.

TO BE CONTINUED DUE TO POST IMAGE LIMITATIONS!...........

[Tako_Kichi]

PART THREE

So there you have it. Release is set to coincide with Milton's AT-11 release and the package is currently in beta testing with only the final documentation to do.

I had an enormous amount of help from a lot of people during the creation of this project and more than once the project seemed doomed to failure as I hit problems I simply could not get around on my own. I give my very humble thanks to these people and my gratitude to you is endless.

Finally let's have a look at a shot Milton sent to me of him shooting an approach at dusk!



I hope you enjoy flying there as much as I enjoyed creating it!

[hey_moe]

wow !!!

[starlifter]

Really looks good! I like military bases, past and present.

[robcap]

That I will get, interesting stuff!

[Bone]

I'm looking forward to getting a WWII bomber base in FSX.

I've been hoping someone would do an AI B-17 for quite sometime.

[Sundog]

That is so cool! A home base to learn to fly my Warbirds from as they are released and, of course, to practice on. Nice work and thank you.

[Milton Shupe]

If you would like to read a little more about the actual base and see some pictures of the base, hangars, buildings, runway and flightline layout, download this 5MB file.

http://www.flightsimonline.com/downloads/HAAF.zip

This is some amazing scenery. Thank you Larry.

[FlameOut]

Hot Dog !!!
Thank You

[robert41]

Impressive scenery. Thank you.

[modelr]

WOW! Really looking forward to this.

[Z-AZ1USN]

Not to steal too much thunder, but there is/was another WWII B-17 training airfield
near where I live here in Tennessee. Last Summer, there was a vintage WWII aircraft
air show at the old Dyersburg Army Air Base now arnold field.. B17 "Yankee Lady" and P-51 "Gunfighter" flew in and put on a nice airshow.
Story: http://www.stategazette.com/story/1662198.html

In the 1940s the Dyersburg Army Air Base was a training facility for World War II B-17 Flying Fortress bomber pilots and crews.
The Base was the largest combat crew training school built during the early war years. It was the only inland B-17 training base east of the Mississippi River.
One of the old brick Norden Bomb Site Storage Facilities is still there.

Maybe some body could create Dyersburg Army Air Base scenery for FSX....

[Milton Shupe]

The attached is the fictional photoshop result that Damian did from the HAAF flight line with our AT-11 included.

The AT-11 was used as the first phase of flight training for single engine pilots moving to multi-engine units. Of course the turret gunners, navigators, and bombadiers were trained on the AT-11's before moving up to the B-17's, as were the mechanics.

[robcap]

Hi Milton,

Thanks for the info on the field, you present in the Zip.
Just wondering, did you miss page 2 and 3? the seem not to be included in the download.

Cheers, Rob