Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Smiggyy on December 05, 2004, 04:10:58 AM
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Ever since I was young my burning ambition was always to fly.
I was tested at 16 to join the RAF and passed, but was advised to further my education first and return when I had seen some more of the world, so to speak.
At 18 I applied for real and my world fell apart, my eyesight had deteriorated from 20/20 and was informed I would never fly for the RAF, I re-applied as a rear driver (navigator) and my application was returned with a letter informing me that due to the overwhelming number of applications etc. etc., for 6 months I was shellshocked and distraught. This is where my parents came into their own and after a series of chats my life was put back in order, something I will always be eternally grateful for. Don't you just love em!
This was in 1986, I have since moved on, served in HM Forces Army, and am now a settled family man with two beautiful daughters.
I always had an admiration for the WWII classic prop planes and was heavily involved in modelmaking as boy.
To chance across this game was a pure fluke. In http://www.download.com looking for a flight sim to test and up this appeared.
3 years later, still here!
I was always an avid fan of the Spitfire for its sheer grace and streamlined looks, the history of its initial design, but as a young man reading for england it became more apparent that the Hurricane was the forgotten workhorse of WWII RAF. I read countless testimonies from pilots, namely one Douglas Bader, regarding it's capabilities and handling.
I started flying this kite (IIC) about a year ago in AH, and although I would never profess to be an ace I feel I can now hold my own in it. I never tire from flying it. Although I have to say the MK1 took me by surprise for realism when the engine cut-out on a turn dive!! Love the feel of the MKIID when you loose the 40mm's, the shake is great!
From what I have read all I can say is that HiTech have got the realism and feel for the kite to a tee.
The one thing I love is the feel of climbing through the clouds and that 'breaking through' feeling as you clear it into the blue skies, being able to look around and seeing what I only ever imaged pilots from WWII saw as they did the same.
That's it really, so, a very simple 'Thankyou' to HTC for making a dream come true and allowing me to experience something I had only ever read/dreamt about
Andrew
(aka Smiggy, the moniker is my nickname from my army days when there were far too many Smudgers about for my CO's liking!!!)
Tally ho old beans and race you home for tiffin!
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Yeah this is my life dream too, i've been always obsessed with WO2 fighterplanes.
My first speech as a kid(10 years old) was about wo2 airbattles .
My teachers where always anoyed that i could only draw tanks planes and explosions.
:)
Thanks to HTC i'm not the only freak around.
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Yeap, big
to HTC for what they did and doing.
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I concurr!
HT and Co.
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nice post smiggy
glad things are well for you and this game is great just the damn nits and rooks make it annoying:lol :rofl
see you all in the air
rogerdee
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Great sim, started playing it a week ago, enjoying it so far.
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Nice one Smiggy.
Did you fly in the Battle of Britain scenario?
That's where AH really shines.
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Absolutely!
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Great post, good read. Ty :aok
cheers,
asw
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This is a great post, something a lot of people would not say.
I will add that I have been flying off-and-on here since Air Warrior, where I flew by the handle Anchor. I now fly as Skeeter0.
I hold a commercial pilots license with intrument rating. My lifelong goal was to fly in law enforcement in some capacity. I wound up moving up the chain of command faster than I did toward that goal, and now can't afford to take a pay cut to fly. I now fly in real life rarely. It is expensive and the skies are crowded.
AH2 really does give you a lot of what real flying gives you. It is NOT the same, I will admit, but it is so damn close that it satisfies most of my need.
In my 40's and set in my career, with 3 kids and a great wife, there is NO WAY I would pursue a career change at this point.
For those who fly in real life today, you know how stressful it can be. There is a real risk that keeps you on edge. You can't auger (well you can once) and jump in another plane.
It is SOOO important that AH continue to focus on realism. The most realistic part of this game, IMHO, is takeoff and landing. When you see the ground sink beneath you, it is exactly as you see it in real life. The main difference is you can enjoy it, with worrying about "decision height", the point at which you are in big trouble if you have an engine failure, or mid-air collisions, or ATC procedures.
The truth is you can get a feel for flying in this game, and get to vulch as a bonus :).
Now if I can just get the pneumatic pump that makes my office chair go up and down and back and forth wired to my joystick....... heheh.
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Great Post.
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Fraid not bud, missed it!
And boy do I regret it!
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Fun ain't it ??
Especially for us former/retired-flew at one time-can't afford it anymore-WWII prop plane lovers.
A slice.
I'll take the slice and have fun with it.
Glad it's here for me.
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You nail it quite good Smiggy.
to HTC for almost 5 years of fun!
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Originally posted by Smiggyy
That's it really, so, a very simple 'Thankyou' to HTC for making a dream come true and allowing me to experience something I had only ever read/dreamt about
Smiggyy
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Encouraging thread. Thought I'd be a pilot too but flunked the red lens test (how well you see at jet speeds near the ground). Then found I didn't like actual flying that much anyway (visibility not always great especially in high humidity, noisy, expensive, risky if not sometimes dangerous).
Then came computer flight simulators. Many of the thrills at a fraction of the expense and no danger. Is this a bargain or what?
And ... the fabulous bonus of external views (which Aces High persists in unwisely eliminating on line). Like being in your own movie. Puttering around in an old Waco biplane in FS 2004 is magical.
As is trying out the various immortal warplanes of WWII in Aces High.
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Ho, Smiggy! Nice post. *S*
And Special Events do well and truly rock.
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Count me in
this is the only sim and or game I play
no others even compare.
:aok
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Thanks for the responses!
<>
Smiggs.
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That breaking through the clouds deal is realy impressive.Ive read about that so many times.Sometimes when the ground sinks away into a valley under me I actualy get a dizzy false sence of height.I went sky divin a few years back.We went to 13k to jump.For some reason it didnt scare me a bit.It was just like the many jumps ive takin in AH hehehe.Ya ever see the gun camera footage from planes shootin at bombers or even some 109 bein shot up?When I see em its like a natural reaction to get tenced up like a dog out on the hunt.I start figurin deflection and closing speed automaticlyPretty cool stuff.Good post!
"A bandit at your six is better than no bandit at all"
Pipz