SimHQ.com - The Simulation Community's = Headquarters

Community News for August 18,=20 2006

Air Combat = News

News Contributor: = Doug "Uther"=20 Lawrence.

European Air War: =

Sandbagger's news has been posted.=20
"Flying Tiger" has = released a P-40 (Old Style Prop, 3rd PS, = 'Hell's=20 Angels', AVG) skin.

Event Photography:=20

"Sundowner" has posted = photos of military jet aircraft. =

Falcon 4.0: Allied = Force:=20

International Dogfighting League = Update.=20

FS2002 /=20 FS2004:=20

"Vigilius" has posted a = FS2004 - Phantom II - Cloud9 blog. =

LOMAC / Flaming Cliffs / = Black=20 Shark:=20

"ruggbutt" has posted an = update on=20 the TouchBuddy project. =

Strike Fighters / Wings Over = Vietnam /=20 Wings Over Europe:=20

Falklands/Malvinas project = update.=20
Suez Crisis, 6 Day War & Yom = Kippur=20 campaigns now available.=20
"Jarink" has released a = F/A-18A (VMFA-115 Hi-Vis) skin.=20

Aviation = World=20 News:=20

Corbi Aircraft dealer for = 3 fuel=20 efficient diesel-powered planes [DA-42 = Twin Star].=20
Picture: Boeing flies EA-18G Growler for first time, = one month=20 early.=20
BAE Systems Successfully = Tests Skylynx II Unmanned Aircraft = System.=20
Cormorant helicopter reaches = flight=20 milestone.=20
Unmanned F-35 in the works.=20
[Reference] F-16 Production Blocks and = Experimental=20 Versions.=20
BAE Systems enters 3rd = phase of US=20 commercial aircraft missile defense = program.=20
C-5 Galaxy undergoes dynamic = runway=20 testing.=20
New Multilayer Thin-film Sensors: = efficient=20 monitoring of aircraft defects.=20
Halifax Airshow lineup unveiled. =
Flight in restored WWII bomber = offers=20 sense of history.=20
Besby Frank Holmes; WWII Fighter = Pilot.=20
Famed WWII pilot honored. = Verinis=20 was co-pilot of the Memphis Belle.=20
Couple hosts 19th Bomber Builders Reunion.=20
Dart Helicopter Services = Receives=20 EASA Approval for Pilot/Co-Pilot and Full Length Float Compatible Steps. =

Land Combat

News Contributor: = Chuck=20 "Magnum" Ankenbauer.

Company of = Heroes -=20 Allied Company Commander:

PC.IGN = reports on the=20 upcoming RPG here. The report also links to a = video of=20 the gameplay.

Naval Combat = News

News Contributor: = Tom=20 "NightCrawler" Mauk.

Pacific Storm:

The German = version of=20 this WWII combat naval game has Gone Gold! For = further=20 information from the German language web site can be = viewed=20 here.=20

This Day in Naval History = - August=20 18:

1838 - Exploring Expedition under Lt. = Charles=20 Wilkes embarks on world cruise.=20
1911 - First Navy Nurse Corps = superintendent,=20 Esther Voorhees Hasson, appointed.=20
1965 - First major amphibious assault in = Vietnam,=20 Operation Starlight captures 2,000 Viet Cong.=20
1966 - First ship-to-shore satellite = radio=20 message sent from USS Annapolis (AMGR 1) in South = China Sea=20 to Pacific Fleet Headquarters at Pearl Harbor.=20
1974 - After flooding in Philippines, = Navy=20 helicopters begin six days of operations to rescue = people=20 and bring supplies (244 flights).

Motorsports = News

News Contributor: = Jens=20 "McGonigle" Lindblad.

rFactor:

Good news for = fans of=20 Karting. Slimjim's Kart mod has been updated to v.=20 1.1.

Thinking about working on a mod for = rFactor? New=20 tools have been released by ISI.

Technology = News

News Contributor: = Bob=20 "KnightRyder" Nielsen.

[H]ardOCP=20 reports here on the big news about Dell = intending=20 to expand its relationship with = AMD.

Community News for August 17,=20 2006

Air Combat = News

News Contributor: = Doug "Uther"=20 Lawrence.

IL-2 Series: Forgotten = Battles, AEP,=20 Pacific Fighters:

Ian Boys has posted a Norway project update. =

Strike Fighters / Wings Over = Vietnam /=20 Wings Over Europe:=20

"The Wrench" has = announced the=20 release of the Spitfire Mk.XXII.=20
"Prowler1111" has posted = a preview=20 of the Skyraider project.

Land Combat

News Contributor: = Chuck=20 "Magnum" Ankenbauer.

Announcements:=20

THQ's Company of Heroes has gone gold = and should=20 be in stores soon.

Game = News:

Fileplanet has the "world wide = premiere"=20 demo of Caesar 4.

Fileplanet has the newest F.E.A.R. patch v1.07.

GameSpot=20 has a new preview of Company of Heroes.

GameSpot=20 also has the just released Caesar 4 demo.

Armed Assault Zone reports on a = new=20 William Porter update.

GhostRecon.net reports on a new = Q&A=20 session with the GRAW Producer.

TotalWar.com has updated their = web site=20 with new wallpaper, screens, and video podcast on = the=20 upcoming Medieval 2: Total War. =

From the = Forums:=20

Magnum has = posted some=20 screenshots from the just released, (thou just a = Soldner=20 overhaul), Marine Corps. Check them out here.

Naval Combat = News

News Contributor: = Tom=20 "NightCrawler" Mauk.

Distant = Guns:

Storm Eagle Studios has = released an=20 updated Demo for this naval game. GamersHell has it for = download here.

Pacific=20 Storm:

PSMODS has a new web site = under=20 construction, but it is now viewable, for mods of = this=20 upcoming WWII combat naval game.

This Day in=20 Naval History - August 17:

1812 - Frigate = President=20 captures British schooner L'Adeline in North = Atlantic.=20
1942 - Submarines = USS=20 Nautilus (SS 168) and USS Argonaut (SS 166) land 222 = Marines=20 on Makin Island, first amphibious attack made from=20 submarines.=20
1959 - Adm. = Arleigh Burke=20 re-appointed as Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) for = third=20 two-year term, serving longest term as CNO.=20
1962 - Navy's = first=20 hydrofoil patrol craft, USS High Point (PCH 1) = launched at=20 Seattle, Washington.

Motorsports = News

News Contributor: = Jens=20 "McGonigle" Lindblad.

rFactor:

Weasel_Keeper = has found a=20 link to fixes for tracks that have issues post-1150 = update.=20 Check out this thread in the Motorsports=20 forum.

Gorgeous Essington textures by ][udson = have=20 been released. Visit Hudson Kerr's web site here.

Technology = News

News Contributor: = Bob=20 "KnightRyder" Nielsen.

Cases:

techPowerUp checks out = Thermaltake's=20 Mozart TX Case here.

PCApex=20 looks at Cooler Master's XCraft External HD Case here.

Cooling:

ThinkComputers.org tests the OCZ = Tempest=20 CPU Cooler here.

ViperLair=20 checks out the Zalman CNPS9500 AM2 Quiet CPU Cooler = here.

Graphics Cards: =

PCStats=20 checks out the MSI NX7900GT-VT256E-HD HDCP Card here.

Motherboards: =

TechSpot=20 checks out the Gigabyte M59SLI-S5 Motherboard here.

Epiacenter tests the Phylon = 7F2WE-1G5=20 Mini-ITX Motherboard here.

hardCOREware.net tests Foxconn's = C51XEM2AA=20 8EKRS2H Motherboard here.

Community News for August 16,=20 2006

Air Combat = News

News Contributor: = Doug "Uther"=20 Lawrence.

Event = Photography:

"Top Gun" has posted F/A-18 & F-16 photos.=20
"Ketalar" has posted Red Flag (Nellis AFB) photos.=20

FS2002 /=20 FS2004:=20

ScreenshotPrints MSFS WWII = Competition.=20

RC and = Scale=20 Modeling:=20

"U-96" has posted photos = of tank projects.

Strike Fighters / Wings Over = Vietnam /=20 Wings Over Europe:=20

"Jarink" has released a = F/A-18 template.

Land Combat

News Contributor: = Chuck=20 "Magnum" Ankenbauer.

New Game Spotted:

While shopping for my kids school supplies Monday = at=20 Walmart, I noticed a game titled "Marine=20 Corps" for 20 US dollars. I checked out the box = and=20 purchased it. No where on the box does it mention = "Soldner",=20 but that is exactly what Marine Corps is, it's a = updated=20 Soldner game, with the Marine Corp add-on. (another = patch=20 still needed.) Worth a revisit for just 20 bucks.=20

Game News:

The Wargamer has a review of Rome Total War: Alexander.

GameSpot has a preview video of = Caesar 4.

GameSpot also has a preview, = text and=20 video, of Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War = units.

GameSpot has a preview of Age of Empires 3:The WarChiefs. =

Worthplaying has new screenshots = of Command & Conquer 3.

Worthplaying also has new = screenshots and=20 a new trailer for Caesar 4.

Worthplaying has news of a new = patch for=20 Rise and Fall: Civilizations at = War.

GameSpy has a preview of Forge of Freedom: The American Civil = War.=20

From the Forums:

"Jaguar" has posted a video link to SB Pro PE = with his=20 new sky mod. Check it out here.

Naval Combat = News

News Contributor: = Tom=20 "NightCrawler" Mauk.

This Day = in Naval=20 History - Aug. 16

1812 - USS = Constitution=20 recaptures American merchant brig Adeline.=20
1954 - Beginning = of=20 Operation Passage to Freedom, the transport of = refugees from=20 Haiphong to Saigon, Vietnam.

Motorsports = News

News Contributor: = Jens=20 "McGonigle" Lindblad.

iRacing:

iRacing announces new partnership = with Radical=20 Sportscars. Read the full story at iRacing.com.

rFactor:

Suzuka GP4 v1.1 is out and is = available here.

Technology = News

News Contributor: = Bob=20 "KnightRyder" Nielsen.

Cases:

ThinkComputers.org checks out = the Enermax=20 Chakra Case here.

Cooling:

techPowerUp checks out the = Thermaltake W2=20 GPU Waterblock here.

OC3D=20 checks out the AlphaCool NexXxos NVXP-3 GPU = Waterblock here.

Graphics Cards: =

PCStats=20 checks out the MSI NX7900GT-VT256E-HD HDCP-enabled = GeForce=20 7900 GT Video Card here.

[H]ardOCP checks out the MSI = NX7300 GS=20 TD256E here.

Motherboards: =

Legion=20 Hardware checks out the ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe=20 Motherboard here.

HEXUS.net=20 checks out the ASUSTeK P5W DH i975X Motherboard here.

PC=20 Perspective has an Asus Crosshair nForce 590 SLI = AM2=20 motherboard review here.

Community = News for=20 August 15, 2006

Air Combat = News

News Contributor: = Doug "Uther"=20 Lawrence.

Down in = Flames "Eastern=20 Front":

Down in Flames, the unique air combat strategy = game is=20 expanding with "Eastern Front". Take to the skies = over the=20 Eastern Front with this new expansion for the award = winning=20 Down in Flames computer game. Eastern Front adds new = planes,=20 pilots, skills, campaigns, AI enhancements and more = to=20 expand the war in the skies of World War II. It is = based on=20 Dan Verssen's award-Winning "Down in Flames" card = game=20 design. Learn more here at Battlefront.com. =

EECH / EEAH:

"arneh" has posted = information on=20 the advanced flight model project.=20

European Air = War:=20

"Sandbagger's" latest news has been posted.=20
"Pobs" has posted a = preview of new=20 T-26 tanks.

Event Photography:=20

"S Dirickson" has posted = in-flight photos from military = aircraft.=20

IL-2 = Series: Forgotten=20 Battles, AEP, Pacific Fighters:=20

Sturmoviks over Manchuria: New=20 screenshots.=20
"sparty72" has released a = P-40E ("Bob's Robin", Lt. = Robert. H.=20 Vaughn, 49th FG, USAAF, Australia) skin. =

RC and Scale = Modeling:=20

"Skii" has posted photos = of a 1/72=20 scale Revell Victor K2 project. =

Strike Fighters / Wings Over = Vietnam /=20 Wings Over Europe:=20

Danger! Bering Straits: SP4 = update now=20 available.=20
Adlertag project Part 3: = He-111H8/R2=20 released.=20
Adlertag project Part 4: Eastern = Front=20 He-111H4 skins released.

Land Combat

News Contributor: = Chuck=20 "Magnum" Ankenbauer.

Battlefield = 2142:

EA's = Battlefield 2142 has=20 a new site here.

Naval Combat = News

News Contributor: = Tom=20 "NightCrawler" Mauk.

Age of = Pirates:=20 Caribbean Tales:

IGN has a preview of = this=20 upcoming naval combat game which is being developed = by=20 well-known Akella.=20 To read the article and = view 99=20 screenshots from the game, they are here.=20

Silent=20 Hunter IV:=20

SUBSIM=20 has posted the outcome of their survey that they = recently=20 completed concerning this game and you can view the = results=20 here.=20

Scale Models:

Squadron.com has a = 1/144th=20 Scale Model for sale of the Gato Class WWII=20 Submarine. To check out the details and to order = proceed here. =

This=20 Day in Naval History - August 15th:

1845 - The U.S. Naval Academy is = established at=20 Annapolis, Md., on former site of Fort Severn.=20
1895 - Commissioning of USS Texas, the = first=20 American steel-hulled battleship. Texas served off = Cuba=20 during the Spanish-American War and took part in the = naval=20 battle of Santiago. Under the name of San Marcos, = she was=20 sunk in weapon effects tests in Chesapeake Bay in = 1911. Her=20 hulk continued in use as a gunnery target through = World War=20 II.=20
1908 - First Navy post offices = established in=20 Navy ships.=20
1944 - Operation Dragoon, Allied invasion = of=20 Southern France.=20
1953 - First naval officer appointed = Chairman,=20 Joints Chiefs of Staff, Adm. William Radford.=20
1958 - USS Lexington (CVA 16) arrives in = vicinity=20 of Taiwan during Taiwan Straits crisis.

Motorsports = News

News Contributor: = Jens=20 "McGonigle" Lindblad.

rFactor:

"CasH" = reports that=20 F1RST3 has been updated to support rFactor 1150 and = the new=20 mods in this thread.

WTCC:

The new site = for SimBin's=20 World Touring Car Championship is up. Look what's in = store=20 for the simracer here.

Technology = News

News Contributor: = Bob=20 "KnightRyder" Nielsen.

ExtremeTech = has their=20 "Bang for the Buck Build It: Fall 2006" here.

Community News for = August 14,=20 2006

Air Combat = News

News Contributor: = Doug "Uther"=20 Lawrence.

European Air War: =

Sandbagger's latest news has been posted.=20
"Skylark" has posted a = preview of a=20 P-47C with HCProp.=20
"GunsUp" has released a = Hawker Typhoon Mk.Ib (RAF, = No.175=20 Squadron) skin.

Event=20 Photography:=20

"MeanGreen" has posted Abbotsford Airshow photos.=20
"hbxov" has posted in-flight photos.=20
"Pathfinder" has posted = Duxford photos.

Falcon 4.0: Allied = Force:=20

Force on Force / Red Flag. =

IL-2 Series: Forgotten = Battles, AEP,=20 Pacific Fighters:=20

IL2-MAT Manager: v2.36 update = available=20 for download.=20
"Kristorf" has released a = P-51B (2nd FS, 52nd FG, 15th AF) = skin=20 pack.=20
"Buglord" has released a = Bf-109E-7 (3./JG27,Africa 1941) = skin.=20
"RONNCO" has released a = F4U-1A (No.18 Sqn, RNZAF) skin.=20
Rudi Jaeger has released = a series=20 of Luftwaffe P108 skins. =

LOMAC / Flaming Cliffs / = Black=20 Shark:=20

"Lawndart_VTB" has posted = Virtual Thunderbird screenshots. =

RC and Scale = Modeling:=20

"Kupper" has posted = photos of aircraft projects. =

Strike Fighters / Wings Over = Vietnam /=20 Wings Over Europe:=20

Adlertag project pt 1: He-111H2, = H3 &=20 H4 released.=20
Adlertag project pt 2: Battle of = Britain=20 and Blitz skins for the He-111.=20
"Jarink" has released a = F/A-18A (VFA-204 "River = Rattlers") skin.=20

Land Combat

News Contributor: = Chuck=20 "Magnum" Ankenbauer.

Announcements:=20

Battlefield 2142 Pre-Order = Incentives.=20 EA's Battlefield 2142 pre-order program has gone = live with=20 Gamestop and EB Games! If you pre-order Battlefield = 2142,=20 you will receive a free rank unlock, a coupon from = Logitech=20 good for $40 off select products like the G15 = keyboard, and=20 a USB 2.0 64mb dog tag-shaped flash drive, as well = as=20 content from two upcoming EA games, Command and = Conquer 3=20 Tiberium Wars and Crysis.

Game = News:

Worthplaying has new screenshots = of Medieval 2: Total War.

Worthplaying also has the just = released=20 patch for Rise of Nations: Rise of = Legends.

Worthplaying has a new trailer = and=20 screenshots of Joint Task Force.

Armchair General reviews Panzer Command.

GhostRecon.net has a new Ghost = Recon=20 campaign/mission pack titled Ghost Turbulence.

Hot=20 SWAT Mods has a new map/mission titled Mogadishu Mile.

From the = Forums:=20

"Panzer = Meyer" shares a=20 few screenshots from a multiplayer game of Star = Wars:=20 Empires at War. Check them out here.

Naval Combat = News

News Contributor: = Tom=20 "NightCrawler" Mauk.

This Day = in Naval=20 History - August 14th:

1813 - HMS Pelican captures USS Argus.=20
1886 - Secretary of the Navy establishes = Naval=20 Gun Factory at Washington Navy Yard.=20
1945 - Japan agrees to surrender; last = Japanese=20 ships sunk during World War II, Aug. 15.

Motorsports = News

News Contributor: = Jens=20 "McGonigle" Lindblad.

Race Report = - This=20 Weekend on SimHQ.net Motorsports:

Saturday's = Races:=20 Newcomer "Zetallun" won the Newbie Main Event on = Saturday=20 taking his '79 F1 Ferrari on a flag-to-flag win at=20 Barcelona. Second went to a hard-charging "Shepski" = followed=20 by "AMK" to complete the podium. In the Lupo Madness = race at=20 Monaco, another newcomer led the field. "Thomas" in = his=20 first appearance came in first, with "AMK" placing = 2nd and=20 "SpongeBob" ("scpd755") finishing a strong 3rd. BTW, = did you=20 know if your Lupo flips and goes into the water = beside the=20 yachts, you can't recover it? The contestants wanted = more,=20 so a second Lupo race was run. This time around it = was=20 "SpongeBob" taking his first win, "Shepski" in 2nd = and=20 "Thomas" placing 3rd. Read more here in the event thread. A = discussion on=20 the next Newbie event is here.

Sunday's = Races:=20 Another large field showed-up to do battle in = the=20 Advanced Main Event on Sunday. "Jer" tripped through = the=20 lights with a blistering 1.39 and change during = qualifying,=20 setting fastest time of the weekend for '79 F1 mod = entrants.=20 The race was a flag-to-flag win for "Jer" who had it = going=20 his way. 2nd was "Jedi Master" who hasn't had a = chance to=20 race since the first event. He made up for lost time = with=20 his charge to the front. Third was "Chipwich" for a=20 well-deserved podium finish. Sunday's Lupo race was = a=20 continuation of the hi-jinks from Saturday's events. = "Chipwich" and "Docjonel" put on a first-class show = with=20 their dicing back-and-forth with Chipwich taking the = final=20 lead followed by "Docjonel" and "AMK". As was the = case on=20 Saturday, a second Lupo Madness race was run, and = this one=20 proved to be the carnage-fest of all Lupo events = this=20 weekend. In a race that swapped leads and crashes = more times=20 than countable, "Chipwich" took the honors followed = by=20 "Weasel_Keeper" (just in from a Guard weekend) with = a=20 tenacious "AMK" placing 3rd. Rumor has it there was = a wild=20 man from Oklahoma seen wandering around in a Lupo at = different points in the race but the reports have = not been=20 substantiated. Read more here in the event thread. A = discussion on=20 the next Advanced event is here.

You can see = the weekends=20 full results and download the rFactor replay files = here.

rFactor:

The GSMF German PCC 2005 mod has = been updated=20 to v1.2 to comply with rFactor 1150. It also = features new=20 and improved physics.

PCC 2005 Australia, PCC 2005 Asia and PCC 2005 Great Britain have been = updated=20 to 1.2. All are extensions of GSMF's PCC 2005 and = require it=20 to be installed.

Community:

SimRacing = Connection=20 closes its doors after 7 years. A list of tracks for = NASCAR=20 Racing 2003 will be maintained at this url. Read the = details=20 here. We'll miss = SRC.

Technology = News

News Contributor: = Bob=20 "KnightRyder" Nielsen.

Cases:

Hardware=20 Logic checks out the Apevia X-Pleasure Case here.

DriverHeaven looks at the Antec = P150 here.

Cooling:

MADSHRIMPS has a Motherboard = Chipset=20 Cooler Roundup here.

BCC=20 Hardware checks out the Zalman CNPS8000 HSF here.

Graphics Cards: =

PCStats=20 checks out the MSI NX7900GT-VT256E HD Card here.

Motherboards: =

Virtual-Hideout.net checks out = the=20 SAPPHIRE PURE Crossfire Advantage Motherboard here.

Phoronix=20 checks out Abit's KN9 Ultra here.

The Tech=20 Zone checks out the ECS 945G-M3 MicroATX = Motherboard here.