Fresh install!!!

[decaro]

Spadman, in the future please use the reply button on the upper-right of tocaff's last post when you want to address him, or anyone else, directly. Otherwise, note the "RE: Installing UV art ..." header at the upper left and "In reply to Joe D." at the bottom of your post.

[spadman]

Oh sorry about that. I guess I am a little new to talking in forums online.

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: Joe D.

Thanks Reg: do you have a link to spookie's site?

Spookies Site: http://mathubert.free.fr/
Note the Go to UV Section link in the top corner. Lots of good stuff there!!

However, you will get a later version of the Mod Enabler fron the JonesSoft site. If you pass your mouse pointer over the underlined text in my posts you will find the pointer changes indicating it is a live URL link. I try to mark all live links this way.

I trust this new artwork doesn't require another fresh install of UV; after playing around w/2.5, I have re-install fatigue.

Art does absolutely nothing to the game except how graphics appear on your machine, even when playing PBEM. The only exception to this is if an art bitmap is missing in whch case the game will crash, so only overwrite art files, never delete.

No need to reinstall (except if you want to restore art files and you didn't keep a backup!!).

I notice you're posting from "down under," therefore I assume this game has great significance for you as it closer to home, i.e., what would have happend if the Japanese retook Guadalcanal and used its airfield to isolate Australia and India from the rest of the Allies? Would we even be having this conversation (in English)?

Its even more significant if you have the opportunity to attend events and actually meet the some of the people included in the game. I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity a couple of times.

As you say I like this game because of it's relevance. It's not some mythical event far removed in time and space being enacted by people you have no empathy with.

[decaro]

Not a problem, spadman, and yes, I can tell you're a newbie by the number of posts under your name. Apparently the longer/more posts you have on the Matrix forums, the more your status/ranking increases, i.e., recruit, trooper, elite guard, etc.
Unfortunately, some players can get arrogant re how long they've been around, but that's not a problem here. Welcome to UV!
Enjoy the game and the info; I can't tell you how many good tips I picked-up and shared on this site.

[decaro]

Thanks again, Reg. I think I'll do the easy install after I create an XP restore point, just in case.
Re relevance: I believe Amelia Earhardt last left PNG before she disapeared into the Pacific and American folklore. Otherwise, most people here only know your region of the world from playing Risk.
I notice you sport a P-40 "Flying Tiger." Don't know if you get History Channel International down there, but they have a new series called "Dogfights" where I have "met" several pilots from your AO who went head-to-head against Zeros and Oscars because -- although the Jap fighters were faster and more nimble -- they had no armor. Allied pilots would sometimes play "chicken" with them and use their six or so 50 cals to put as much lead on target as they could, i.e., our fighters could take more punishment, but their's were made of rice paper.
P-38s had no O(2) for their pilots and couldn't go above 12,000 or so, so I use them at 6,000 to sink barges and transports.
Hell of a way to win a "virtual" war!

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: Joe D.

Thanks again, Reg. I think I'll do the easy install after I create an XP restore point, just in case.

If you are most confident in that method then that is the way to do it. [;)]

Re relevance: I believe Amelia Earhardt last left PNG before she disapeared into the Pacific and American folklore. Otherwise, most people here only know your region of the world from playing Risk.

That is definately their loss. There is no excuse for being ignorant about the world with all the information sources around these days.

I notice you sport a P-40 "Flying Tiger."

See picture below from 1945. Hit the books and see if you can identify it. There's an extra 10 points for identifying the unit!!! (Everyone else, I know you all have the answer but give Joe a chance to reply).

Don't know if you get History Channel International down there, but they have a new series called "Dogfights" where I have "met" several pilots from your AO who went head-to-head against Zeros and Oscars because -- although the Jap fighters were faster and more nimble -- they had no armor. Allied pilots would sometimes play "chicken" with them and use their six or so 50 cals to put as much lead on target as they could, i.e., our fighters could take more punishment, but their's were made of rice paper.

We have History Channel here on cable. However, I find that though it has interesting snippits and spectacular footage, it tends to be a bit light weight on serious topics due to its target audience. There are other sources just as good though not so 'watchable'!!

P-38s had no O(2) for their pilots and couldn't go above 12,000 or so, so I use them at 6,000 to sink barges and transports.
Hell of a way to win a "virtual" war!

All combat in the Pacific tended to be low level for various reasons that become apparent when you do a bit of research on the period. The lack of oxy was no impediment and was probably deliberate, especially considering the difficulties in handling this dangerous substance in a primitive environment. (Do a google search on photos of oxygen fires in the Pacific. I've seen heaps).

[Reg]

A better (and not so contemporary) shot!!

[decaro]

The fighter has the eliptical wings of a Supermarine Spitfire, so I assume that's what it is. Doesn't seem to have the typical armament of one, though, assuming those single projections from the wings are some type of cannon; if they are cannon, it reminds me of some Stukas the Axis refitted to hunt tanks in Russia.

Looks like an extended canopy; a trainer, or extra space for an arial camera?
There's a unit or two of Spitfires that appear in Brisbane late in UV; wouldn't be one of them, would it?
Grey Nurse (shark)?

Re new UV art: successfully installed it the simpleton way; just unzipped the files, and then replaced the two original art files -- ship and transparency albums -- in the UV game folder, where they change from a manilla folder icon into the original album formats. I kept the original artwork in a separate folder, in case I ever change my mind.
Nice colors, though. Jap ship art due in the near future?

[Panama Red]

Joe D:
This is a Spitfire Mk. VIII and it is a single seat with just the canopy open.  The black and white photo is a RAAF 457 Sqn plane.

Armorment is two 20 mm cannon and four .303 MG's, which is typical of most Spitfire Mk. V's, VIII's & IX's.  Early Mk. I's & II's used eight .303 MG's and later Mk. 21's used four 20 mm cannons.

These RAAF Spitfires Mk. VIII's were normally flown out of Morotai Island late in the war.

The RAAF did have some Spitfire Mk. Vc's earlier in the war, but they too only had two 20mm cannons and four .303 MG's.

The first way to tell the difference between a Mk. V and Mk. VIII is look at the tail fin. The Mk. V is rounded at the top and the Mk. VIII is pointed (like the B&W photo). The second way is to look at the air intake under the engine, The tropical Mk. V used a Volks filter (a large streamline filter like the tropical Hurricane used) and the Mk. VIII used just a enlongated filter like is shown in the B&W and color photos.

[decaro]

Well, I didn't do too badly for just off the top of my head; it was hard to see the eliptical wings on Reg's artwork, and I assumed from the shark logo that it was a Flying Tiger. I'm fairly familiar w/WW II aircraft, though I can't tell each and every model.

Spitfire was a high-performance fighter, but it was so resposive that it could be unforgiving if you mis-handle it, esp. during landings. I prefer the Hawker Hurricane; although a transition aircraft -- from the all-fabric bi-plane -- it was a stable weapons platform and the real work horse of the Brits during the blitz. As it had no armour to speak of, Messerschimdt (spelling?) cannon would rip right through it and explode on the other side.

I assume the cannon on this Spitfire was for anti-ship warfare; there was a late model Marauder bomber -- J series -- that had cannon in the nose. Later in UV, you set these bombers to low altitude --was it 1,000 or 100 ft? -- and they will shoot-up enemy APs. However, they will tire easily and have to be re-cyled/rested frequently during the game

Query: Why all the filters on these tropcial aircraft? Something in the air?

[Panama Red]

Vertually all Hurricanes and Spitfires sent overseas have tropical filters to extend the life of the engines since the operating conditions were far more primative than England's airfields (i.e. more dust to wear out the engine internals).

The Spitfire's two 20mm cannons were not for antishipping, but for against opposing planes like the Me 109 and Zero (which also had two 20mm cannons each). The Brits found that one 20mm exploding shell could do a lot more damage to a plane than ten rifle calaber .303 MG bullets that they were using, so the Spitfire V and later aircraft had at least two 20mm cannons each. If you look close, you can see where the factory fitted four 20mm cannons plus four .303 MG's per plane. Once in the field though two 20mm cannons were normally removed due to the loss of performance from the extra weight of all four cannons and their ammo (removing two of the 20mm cannons also cut down on the amount of ammo that had to be shipped out to these theators too).

I too really like to Hurricane, but remember, only the early Hurricanes Mk. I's were all fabric (and fixed two prop versus the later adjustable three prop Hurries). The later Mk. I's, Mk. II's and Mk. IV's all had metal wings, but still a fabric fuselage even though the pilot had as much armor around his cockpit as the Spitfire.

[Reg]

This is the reason why aircraft operating the pacific needed tropical filters.

This is Milne Bay (Gili Gili) airfield in October 1942. Strangely enough Spitfires never operated out of this airstrip!!

ID Number: OG0061K
Maker: Harrison, John T
Physical description: Black & white
Summary: MILNE BAY, PAPUA. C. 1942-10. A BEAUFORT BOMBER AIRCRAFT OF NO. 100 SQUADRON RAAF SENDS UP A SPRAY OF MUD DURING TAKE-OFF FROM GURNEY AIRSTRIP.
Copyright: clear
Related subject: Airfields; Bristol Beaufort; Wet weather
Related unit: 100 Squadron RAF
Related place: Milne Bay
Related conflict: Second World War, 1939-1945

[Terminus]

That's an unhappy Beaufort...[:D]

[Reg]

However, in favorable conditions tropical filters could be removed to improve performance. See the picture below, where No. 79 Squadron RAAF have removed the filters off their Spitfire Vc aircraft while located on Goodenough Island during July 1943.

Note also the lack of jungle in the background which probably explains why they were able to do this.



Note the difference between the Spitfire MkVc and the MkVIII in the previous posts. The real difference is the two stage supercharged Merlin engine on the MkVIII as opposed to the single stage supercharged MkV. This can be picked by an extra 8 inches in length (makes the aircraft look a lot sleeker), the four bladed vs three bladed propellor and the six verses three exhaust stubs on each side of the engine. There are also a few visible air frame differences (as Red noted) as the MkVIII had a completely redesigned fuselage.

[Terminus]

That's still a dirt field though, right?

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

That's still a dirt field though, right?

If you mean Goodenough Island, I'm not sure.

Some pictures in the AWM database show dirt dispersal bays and taxiways but even so there is not much dust even with taxying aircraft. The picture below shows the strip in November 1943 and there is no evidence of any dust. There are other photos of an airfield construction unit (NO. 7 MOBILE WORKS SQUADRON) at work and a gravel quarry so I would say the airfields are well prepared. You will have to look at the photos an decide for youself whether they are sealed or not (unless you can come up with a better reference).

ID Number: OG0343
Maker: Harrison, John T
Physical description: Black & white
Summary: VIVIGANI, GOODENOUGH ISLAND, PAPUA. C. 1943-11. PART OF A HEAVY FORCE OF BEAUFORT AIRCRAFT OF NOS. 6 AND 8 SQUADRON RAAF LINING UP TO TAKE OFF ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE AIR ATTACK ON RABAUL.
Copyright: clear
Related subject: Bristol Beaufort
Related unit: Royal Australian Air Force
Related conflict: Second World War, 1939-1945

[Terminus]

I did mean Goodenough, yeah... Looks like it might have a dirt strip, but not as "dirty" as Milne Bay...

[YankeeAirRat]

It might be a dirt field that had been wet down with water and then rolled to make more compact and solid. Similar to some dirt race tracks were manufactured.