Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 Flogger (Part 5).  I present a comprehensive AI traffic model and texture package for this classic (and still-serving) Russian multi-role fighter.  The MiG-23, with just over 5,000 built, was Russia's first production of a true multi-role aircraft with a beyond-visual-range air superiority role as its primary function.  The aircraft was arguably the direct counterpart of the F-4 Phantom, although it carried about half of the ordnance load.  Nevertheless, in capable hands and late versions, the Flogger has been and is a very potent adversary; having served in multiple conflicts in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.  The MiG-23 entered service in 1970, was eventually operated by 43 countries, and is still in service in 14 of them.  An original 8-LOD model brings this aircraft to the flightsim world.  This package contains the MiG-23BN ground attack variant; with 10 models and 62 repaints.  Original aircraft model, afterburner effects, flight dynamics, and textures by Michael Pearson.  Please read included documentation for credits and disclaimers.

Enjoy

Mike Pearson
Glendale, Arizona
MADE IN THE USA

tj_ap97@msn.com




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TECHNICAL STUFF AND DETAILS (THE BRAGGING SECTION)
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This is where I tell you all about technical things like LODs, animation, and other stuff.  I will keep it as short as possible....

LODs: 8 (main model + 7 levels-of-detail).  The polygon count varies by model and loadout, so the listed counts are for a clean, basic model.

LOD_400: 2861
LOD_200: 2765
LOD_100: 1473
LOD_050: 664
LOD_025: 379
LOD_015: 177
LOD_005: 28

My main computer is a Dell/Alienware custom-build with Pentium i7 3.33GHz processor and 6GB RAM/2GB VRAM; running Win7 and third-party (not Microsoft) virtual Win XP; and my laptop is a Dell custom-build with the top-speed i5 processor, 4GB RAM/1GB VRAM, and the same operating systems.  I have had over 50 of these aircraft set up in my sim at a single airfield, with minimal frame-rate hits; and the overall polygon counts are about 50% of Nick's F-4 models (my comparison models).  My test airfield is WMKB RAAF Butterfield, a nice sea-level airbase.

Animations:  The following list details the (intended) animations for this aircraft, some are default, and some are XML-programmed, some are written into the FDE.

Retractable landing gear with compressing struts and wheel movement (FS default)
Steerable nose gear where appropriate (XML-programmed)
Navigation, Strobe, Taxi, Recognition, and Landing lights as appropriate (FS default)
Modeled lights on animated surfaces (swing-wings)
Animated canopy, asynchronous for two-seaters (XML-programmed), and occasionally fresh-air cracked open
Animated pilot head movement, asynchronous for two-seaters (XML-programmed)
Ground ladder, warning flags, intake covers, and wheel chocks (XML-programmed)
Drooping stabilators on engine shut-down (XML-programmed)
Unique two-stage-XML variable-geometry wings (on certain models); wings swept when parked, extended for taxi, and sweep through all normal flight profiles, 3- or 4-position sweep dependent upon individual aircraft.
Full smoke, reheat and heat shimmer effects (FDE); some effects edited by author for specific aircraft.
Animated drogue chute(s) (XML-programmed).




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CREDITS (MY MOST FAVORITE SECTION)
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I made this aircraft with a LOT of help.....


My wife, for being one of the most hobby-tolerant spouses on the planet.  She says at least it is relatively low-cost, and keeps me from being kicked out of public houses.....

Aircraft Model, Flight Dynamics, Paint Kits as they come, Release Repaints:  Michael Pearson

Historical Consultation:  Wherever I can get it.....

Reference Material:  too numerous to mention, everybody in this section

Beta Testing:  Mike Pearson, Mike MacIntyre, Martin Gossman, Ronald Falzon

Inspiration:  Nick Black, Jake Burrus, Sergey Bunevich, John Stinstrom, Mike MacIntyre, Steve Holland, and any other person who gives freely back to the hobby, regardless of experience or ability (all ya have to do is try...).

Effects:  Nick Needham, Henry Tomkewicz, Kirk Olsson, Graham King, Jan Rosenberg, Steve Holland, et al.  Whatever effects I edited were touched by these guys first, so thanks for getting it started, and for sharing.


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LEGAL CRAP (MY LEAST FAVORITE SECTION)
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This is a freeware aircraft; and in today's electronic age of little-to-no regard for copyrights of people's intellectual property, that really doesn't mean too much.  I will ask some things of this aircraft, and try to my best extent to see that they are followed.

1.  DO NOT UPLOAD THIS AIRCRAFT ANYWHERE ELSE WITHOUT MY PERMISSION; I am pretty generous with people in the past who want to use my stuff in packages, or mirror my files at AVSIM; I just like to keep track.  If you want to use my stuff for your site, or mirror my stuff back to AVSIM, just drop me a and 999 times out of 1,000 I will oblige you.

2.  DO NOT UPLOAD THIS AIRCRAFT ANYWHERE WHERE MONEY IS CHARGED FOR BASIC FILE DOWNLOAD ACCESS.  Freeware means free, if I charged money for it, it would be payware.  I understand that websites have to pay the bills, and that some sites charge money for faster bandwidth or unlmited downloads; as long as the end-user doesn't have to pay money to have access to this file at least one time per day.

3.  With regard to #2, I upload exclusively to AVSIM and AVSIMRus, it's a loyalty quirk with me.  I know this will wind up on Flightsim because somebody won't read this (or doesn't care), but Flightsim and Simviation are okay.  I just don't want to see my stuff on FSPlanet, SurClaro, or FlyAway Simulations; or other similar sites.  To that end, I do keep tabs on where my stuff goes.

4.  As I stated before, paint kits will be released separately, or part of packages.  That means you can repaint them in an un-restricted manner and upload them back to AVSIM or other approved sites without asking me; but please just upload your paints without the models, and refer back to this model for the base package.  If you include my model with your paints, without asking me first, I will see that they are removed from the website until you can fix the oversight.  If you read this carefully, you will figure out that all you have to do is ask me.......



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DISCLAIMERS (THE FUN SECTION)
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1.  THIS IS A FREEWARE AIRCRAFT, WHAT DO YOU WANT, A REFUND?  All complainers, whiners, and the trully un-fulfilled may refer back to this statement, it's my complaint department slogan.....

.....  That being said, this aircraft was carefully and lovingly designed by a imperfect human at, no cost to the end-user, so it ain't perfect, and I really don't care.  I work in the real world, have a career/mortgage/family/dogs/life outside FS, and there is a certain sanity threshold vs. absolute accuracy in the freeware realm.  If I was trying to make money off of this model, the attitude of my effort would be quite different.  This is a virtual hobby up against the real modern world, with both artistic and functional limitations; so art perfectly imitating life just isn't my priority.  This doesn't mean I didn't give it my best effort to make it a really nice AI aircraft, but in the end it is really very nice auto-gen scenery.  If I made a large error, like modeling a nosegear sticking out of the tail, by all means please drop me a line, and I will happily fix it; but if you are writing to complain that XXX Squadron's logo is 4 inches off center by scale in the repaint with relation to the ejection warning stickers, or a similar modeling complaint, don't bother.  I wouldn't write it if similar things hadn't happened in the past.  If you don't like the aircraft, please feel free to delete it from your sim and your computer.

2. Known Issues:  There are some limitations with the AI engine and certain peculiar flight characteristics of this aircraft.  Mike Mac and I can't make it true-to-life with the AI engine of FS9; so that's as good as it gets.  I did make VFR models with no drogue chute, but from the start VFR flightplans have been discouraged with FS9 due to unpredictability, so I can't make any promises....

3.  This is a freeware aircraft designed by a person who has little knowledge of computer stuff outside the realm of what he has to know to survive in the electronic age.  This product has been tested for rendering and functionality on at least four different computers; by several people world-wide; in XP, Vista, and Win7 environments.  I am not responsible if your computer locks up, slows down, takes a nap, soils itself, or has a seizure when rendering this product.



Mike Pearson
28 March 2014

