Flanker 2.51 Training Mission #9 Today we will be flying the Su-33 on our first ground attack training mission. Loaded up with 2 FAB-500 General Purpose bombs and 4 KMGU-2b submunition dispenser racks our target is an enemy airbase:
The first order of business is finding our target using the ground radar. I switch to the ground attack mode and turn on the radar which gives me a wide field radar picture in the right MFD which is approximately represented by the diamond in the HUD. The circle at the bottom of the HUD is the Continuously Computed Impact Point (CCIP). You can just barely make out the faintest outline of an airbase on the MFD:
Pressing the + key zooms in the MFD to a higher resolution, clearly showing the airfield:
Further zooming as the range decreases starts to show us details of the target area; here a row of B-52 bombers on the apron:
There are two slight problems with the admittedly simplified ground radar system in Flanker 2.51. First of all objects tend to pop into view on the radar as you draw closer, apparently as the graphics engine starts rendering the scene at X set distance from your aircraft. Second, although this would be considered a cheat, you cannot manipulate the radar controls while the game is paused. I like that you can do that in JF-15 and JF-18 but in F2.51 you had better be proficient at slewing and targeting since you have to do it on the fly.
With the line of B-52s designated and the pair of FAB-500 GP bombs armed I peer through the HUD concentrating on the lineup. As the bombing computer senses all the correct parameters have been met the release authorized (NP) cue comes up in the HUD:

Bombs away!

I dont know if there is an interval setting in F2.51, but I should have set it to a couple hundred meters since both of these bombs will likely hit in the same location:
Boom! Scratch one Mega-Fortress:
The ground radar shows the burned carcass of the destroyed B-52:
Coming around for a second pass I will employ the KMGU-2b bomblet dispensing system:
Keeping the same designation spot I reach the release point and the softball size submunitions spread from the ejectors:
The pattern drops right across another B-52 setting it ablaze:
A better attack plan would have been to align the attack axis lengthwise down the flight-line to give a better dispersal of the bomblets along more targets. Moving the targeting cursor I aim for the other end of the flightline:
This string of bomblets gets some hits, but none of the targets is hit bad enough to catch fire:
Turning my attention to the adjacent apron I designate the row of B-1 bombers (which should have been targeted before the B-52s probably) for a strafing run with my canon:
The lineup is critical on the strafing run as there are very few rounds (150) in the Su-33 cannon:
Smoke pours from the cannon as I hurl lead into the line of bombers:
A good pass resulting in two of the B-1 bombers catching fire:
One of the awesome graphics features of F2.51 is seeing a burning vehicle or ground object burn for a random time then explode with an impressive shock-wave:
The second B-1 blows up seconds later:
The next pass nets another B-1:
The map view shows the carnage, though it could have been better with more thoughtful placement of the KMGU-2b munitions:
And if someone can solve my problemhere is the map view again and Ive selected an area with the mouse, a dialogue box pops up but there is no text in it! How can I fix this?
With my ordnance expended I return to base executing a troop rousing low pass:
Ive heard a lot of people complain about the ground radar part of F2.51, and while nobody has ever touched Janes F-15 in this department I feel that it is adequate to get the job done and provide a sense of realism. There are plenty more types of weapons yet to be explored BeachAV8R