Best military airfiled + surrounding area, ?

[Dino Cattaneo]

For many of my test flights, my favourite scenery is NAS Fallon by Jim Dhaenens with BlueSky photoreal. It is an almost perfect combination - right level of detail on the ground, good imagery and coverage in the sky...almost perfect for quick fast jet flights.

Still... I am starting to get a little bored of this... I was wondering if you guys have other similar airbases+photoreal surroundings (possibly freeware) to suggest.

I have tried Nellis AFB from MAIW, but the performance hit is noticeable... my other pick would be stock FSX:A Edwards AFB (poor LOD for some objects, but still looking OK from the sky) + BlueSky, but the default photoreal scenery pops-up at low altitude spoiling the illusion...

Spending most of my flight simulation time designing and flight-testing my aircrafts I am hopeful I missed some good releases... any suggestions/recommendations?

[IanHenry]

Dino,
It might be worth looking at ACG's RAF Wattisham, which is very good:
http://www.airfieldconstructiongroup.org/drupal/node/61
and also their Duxford, but that's more suited to historic warbirds, but it is a "must have":
http://www.airfieldconstructiongroup.org/drupal/node/53 it's also available from JustFlight as freeware: http://www.justflight.com/product/iw...truction-group


Hope this helps,
Ian

PS, there are a few more freeware UK military airfields available at JustFlight:
http://www.justflight.com/searchresu...query=Freeware

[dougal]

For many of my test flights, my favourite scenery is NAS Fallon by Jim Dhaenens with BlueSky photoreal. It is an almost perfect combination - right level of detail on the ground, good imagery and coverage in the sky...almost perfect for quick fast jet flights.

Still... I am starting to get a little bored of this... I was wondering if you guys have other similar airbases+photoreal surroundings (possibly freeware) to suggest.

I have tried Nellis AFB from MAIW, but the performance hit is noticeable... my other pick would be stock FSX:A Edwards AFB (poor LOD for some objects, but still looking OK from the sky) + BlueSky, but the default photoreal scenery pops-up at low altitude spoiling the illusion...

Spending most of my flight simulation time designing and flight-testing my aircrafts I am hopeful I missed some good releases... any suggestions/recommendations?

I love Corsica by FranceVFR. I then massively expanded a couple of airports and doubled the number of runways;-) Maybe a little small for fast jets, but if you also add some more FranceVFR scenery of the med coast, it might work well.

[COBS]

I have freeware,
Lakenheath UK
Leeming UK
Lossiemouth UK
with Tornadoes , F-111 AI etc
by UK mil

Also
Pease AB in USA
by Steve Hess
too many Ai to list

Cheers
Karol

[Lawman]

I would recommend the NL2000-photoreal scenery plus their air bases.

[DaveB]

If you're a fan of UK bases.. look at ACG's retro Marham. It also has a traffic file giving you AI Canberra's, Victor tankers and Tornado's. It can be found at the links above or at Flightsim.com. Lovely scenery
ATB
DaveB

[falcon409]

Dino, Jim also did a very detailed Sheppard AFB. I was assigned there to do some work for the School for a couple weeks and my son did his Tech School there and I was able to spot all the buildings I remember without any trouble at all. Very well done.

[ZsoltB]

I have freeware,
Lakenheath UK
Leeming UK
Lossiemouth UK
with Tornadoes , F-111 AI etc
by UK mil

Also
Pease AB in USA
by Steve Hess
too many Ai to list

Cheers
Karol

Hi,

UKMIL EGUL?

Where?

Zsolt

[hschuit]

There is no UKMIL EGUL but AVSIM has the MAIW FS9 48th FW RAF Lakenheath Complete AI Package (maiw_raf_lakenheath.zip).

[ZsoltB]

There is no UKMIL EGUL but AVSIM has the MAIW FS9 48th FW RAF Lakenheath Complete AI Package (maiw_raf_lakenheath.zip).

Yes,but FS9 :-(

[delta_lima]

For many of my test flights, my favourite scenery is NAS Fallon by Jim Dhaenens with BlueSky photoreal. It is an almost perfect combination - right level of detail on the ground, good imagery and coverage in the sky...almost perfect for quick fast jet flights.

Still... I am starting to get a little bored of this... I was wondering if you guys have other similar airbases+photoreal surroundings (possibly freeware) to suggest.

I have tried Nellis AFB from MAIW, but the performance hit is noticeable... my other pick would be stock FSX:A Edwards AFB (poor LOD for some objects, but still looking OK from the sky) + BlueSky, but the default photoreal scenery pops-up at low altitude spoiling the illusion...

Spending most of my flight simulation time designing and flight-testing my aircrafts I am hopeful I missed some good releases... any suggestions/recommendations?

Part of the immersion for me is a realistic venue that ties in with the plane I'm flying. So instead of making a bunch of suggestions, I'd ask, "what plane(s) are you flying/testing at the moment" and then recommend based on that. As you can see from below, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of truly 1st class scenery packages. I certainly echo the ACG, and some others - but based on the flying subject, there could be others you might consider.

let us know, Dino - a very small way we can help back after all the great work you do ...

dl

[Christoph_T]

I would recommend the NL2000-photoreal scenery plus their air bases.

I can only second that!!

The airports are ALL payware-quality. Here are some of the airports I use very often:

• I use Eindhoven (eheh) for most early testflights. It has a long runway and enough parking space for every aircraft size. The RNLAF has stationed their DC-10 at the military area of the international airport.
• Volkel Air Base is one of the two bigger active airbases in the Netherlands and it will be the homebase for the F-35 of the RNLAF.
• Soesteberb (ehsb) is an old USAF-Base which is closed now but available as active 80's version.
• Leeuwarden is a modern base of the Netherland Airforce and home to many NATO-exercises. I have flown most of the Mirage 2000 sorties from there.
• For most of the Naval-testing phase with your F-35B and -C I have flown from De Kooy (ehkd). Furthermore the is a big beach on the neighboor island with some targets for some weapon-practices.
• The testflights with my last repaints of the Recon-Metroliner and your Viking were flown from the Valkenburg Air Base (ehvb). In reality this base is closed too.

There are many more airporst and airbases I havn't mentioned. Course of the fact that the Netherlands are relativ small, compared to other countries, every airport can be reached in a short time. And even a hop to the British Airbases is not a big deal;-)
All the airfields look nice with the Photo-scenery which is available for the whole country, but they are very beautiful with FTX-Global and -Vector too!!
At the moment about 80% of my flights are done in this area, course of the incredible work the NL-2000 team has done and is still doing. (Yes, I think I am a big fan of their work!!!!!!!!!!!!).

Christoph

[rezn550]

NAS Lemoore looks very nice.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...ht=nas+lemoore

[henrystreet]

For southern California USA, I use Lemoore by yours truly, Fallon by Jim, China Lake by MAIW (ported to FSX), KNYL by Shehryar Ansari / Brian Kircher. BlueSky photo with all but Yuma. With Yuma, I use Ultimate VFR (best I've seen).

For France/Med, LIED by Dave Torkington & Guy Neild (some of the best freeware period), LFBM etc from SkyDesigners.

edit: forgot...KNPA v2 by Jim D with photoscenery by RealWorld Scenery.

[ce_zeta]

• Torrejón Air base (LETO) near Madrid MEGA link and patch. Source in spanish with the freeware photoscenery (we have all Spain in photorreal).
• Former polish airbase of Zegre Pomorskie (EPKO). Sadly no photorreal surrounding area I think.
• Former Talagi Airbase (Arkhangelsk, Russia). This airbase is included in a photorreal package of Arkhangelsk. Also are included Lahti (XLAL) and Vaskovo (ULAH). For FSX and P3D v1 and for P3D v2.

[heywooood]

Don't forget Ian's Dark Corner...http://www.ianpsdarkcorner.co.uk/

[ian elliot]

Originally Posted by hschuitThere is no UKMIL EGUL but AVSIM has the MAIW FS9 48th FW RAF Lakenheath Complete AI Package (maiw_raf_lakenheath.zip).



Yes,but FS9 :-(

I was wondering that myself, i cant recall seeing an FSX Lakenheath, maybe i'll try the FS9 version and see how it works,

As others have mention'd, cant go wrong with anything from ACG

PS, thanks for the Zegre Pomorskie (EPKO) link, that one passed me buy

cheers ian

[Navy Chief]

Henry Street's NAS Lemoore IS great! I am looking forward, however, to a FSX native version of NATC Patuxent River being done, as well as Whidbey Island ( and NAS Cecil Field too!). NC

[trucker17]

Their is also 14ARD Gorrie. It's an aircraft repair depot in Australia. It was in use during WWII.
The scenery is photoreal, and built by myself and with help from Stovall here, and Ironhand from Lockonfiles.

[Scandinavian]

Airfields of Norway scenery has a pretty good rendition of Bodø in Norway.

https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=e0121...DC8923CA%21105

[henrystreet]

+1 I was thinking of Bodo as well. Beautiful setting and very good scenery file.

[expat]

Ones I like with some "atmosphere"

USA

Loring AFB ported FS9 MAIW scenery (see thread on their boards on mods)
Griffis AFB
Carsell AFB (now NAS Ft Worth)
NAS Key West
MCAS Kanehoe PHNG
MCAS Beaufort (KNBC) S Carolina
NAS Roosevelt Roads
NAS Cecil Field KVQQ

Switzerland (incredible!!)

St Stephan
Ambri
Meringen

All are freeware add ons - you will need to search and track them down

[ZsoltB]

#1 ACG : freeware all
#2 Skydesigners : http://secure.simmarket.com/skydesigners.mhtml
#3 GSNext
#4 Team SDB : http://www.fspilotshop.com/team-sdb-loring-afb-for-fsx-fsx-p3d-p-5764.html

and very great Czech scenery's: http://www.flightsim.cz/list/?group=...=&sim=11&ord=1

[Daube]

I love Corsica by FranceVFR. I then massively expanded a couple of airports and doubled the number of runways;-) Maybe a little small for fast jets, but if you also add some more FranceVFR scenery of the med coast, it might work well.

I second that.
The scenery "Corse PhotoHD" from FranceVFR is payware but the price is quite reasonable.
http://www.francevfr.com/product_photocor.htm
(There is currently a -30% sale, the price gets down to 12 euros...)

But there is also a freeware alternative, but the textures are only 2m/pixel.
http://www.rikoooo.com/en/downloads/...l-v1-0-fsx-p3d

On top of that, you can download and install some freeware autogen to make that scenery look spectacular (I mean, Corsica is a beautiful place, but a photoscenery without autogen spoils everything)
http://www.f-bmpl.com/index.php/cors...en-version-3-1

And on top of that, you can download and install the freeware military base "Solenzara X" from VirtualCorsAir:
http://www.virtualcorsair.fr/aeroports/zara_X.htm

There was a topic dedicated to Corsica in this forum not so long ago. It contains some good screenshots
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...Corsica-Island

[Dino Cattaneo]

Thank you all for the suggestions - I knew most of them... but never had the time to download / install them (I was recently astonished by the number of add-ons I have downloaded but never actually used).

I agree I should have specified which aircraft I am testing, this also contributes to the immersion... At the moment I am working on the new F-35 (for P3Dv2.5 only for now)... so U.S. airbases are preferred...and I definitely need to check-out Leemore. But there are some really cool add-ons highlighted in this thread and I'll surely have a look to all of them!

It is almost incredible that we do not have a FSX native Nellis AFB scenery... MAIW one is cool, but has an impact on the fps on my system.