EHSB Soesterberg Air Base Retro 1.0

[ian elliot]

Just for a laugh, thought i'd try it the other way round, still issues around the cockpit and most A's had a glass nose

 

[AVP]

Ian, I have been looking for it but have yet to find it. I have been ignoring the FSX ones as I only installed the FS9 version.

 

[ian elliot]

Ian, I have been looking for it but have yet to find it. I have been ignoring the FSX ones as I only installed the FS9 version.

Here you go, do a search for Canberra at Flightsim, 2004, military, bottom of page 3, any problems give me a shout and i'll send it you

 

[AVP]

Thanks, got it! It would be helpful if he mentioned the the unit in his descriptions, I actually saw this but didn't know it was the one I was looking for.

 

[ian elliot]

Thanks, got it! It would be helpful if he mentioned the the unit in his descriptions, I actually saw this but didn't know it was the one I was looking for.

No prob's, and i dont like the new way Flightsim displays image's either

 

[hertzie]

Hi AVP,thanks for help! Tried to download CC Europe scenery, but got an 404-error. Did a clean FS9 install, let you know what happens.

 

[AVP]

Hertzie, all the CC stuff is on Flightsim.com so you can go there if that works better for you.

 

[Mick]

90% Mick, surprised how well it woks, just some slight issue's around the canopy, you only notice cause i picked a black skin to test. So i guess with a little cfg editing your B skins work on the A,

And Al, that HW skin is from Flightsim

View attachment 168398

If anyone wants to do the requisite fiddling with my skins they're welcome to do it. I can't because I don't have the model. That and also because hobby hobby time is all taken up these days by David's and my current project that's already been delayed rather drastically.

If I recall correctly I painted all the USAFE squadrons, so if they're the same ones that flew the A model - I guess so but I don't really know - it just might work out nicely.

 

[Mick]

Something else occurs to me. The USAF didn't make much use of the B-57A. There weren't very many of them, and most of them were RB-57As and they went to a couple of squadrons, one based in the US and the other I don't know, but I think it was another US-based unit. But maybe it was a USAFE squadron...??? There were some B-57A bombers so they might have gone to Europe.

As for definite USAFE use of the B model, this is what I've got from the cfg file of my B-57B. The squadrons were the 71st and 405th Tactical Bomb Squadrons of the 38th TB Wing. The wing also fielded a demo team called the Black Knights. They might have made an appearance at Soesterberg, maybe along with a couple planes from the squadrons if they were there for an open day or some ceremonial event. In those days USAF wings usually had more than two squadrons, but I don't know if there was a third one in the 38th Wing, or if I just couldn't find out the squadron color to paint one of their planes. It's been so long that I have little recollection of what I found out way back then when I was painting the model

Oh! Also, if the quarry is something to use as AI or static scenery models, Ito made a B-57A that someone could paint up. His models are good for that. I don't have any skins for that one.

 

[Sbob]

Something else occurs to me. The USAF didn't make much use of the B-57A. There weren't very many of them, and most of them were RB-57As and they went to a couple of squadrons, one based in the US and the other I don't know, but I think it was another US-based unit. But maybe it was a USAFE squadron...??? There were some B-57A bombers so they might have gone to Europe.

Mick, this is off the top of my head and I may not get it 100% right, but I recall reading about this.
The "new" USAF wanted a twin jet medium bomber and REALLY liked the Canberra.
Some arm-twisting ensued with BAC and they issued a production license to Martin in the US.
Almost all of the Canberra design was left unchanged with the exception of details like the RADAR, engines (still under development), and a more (US) conventional tandem cockpit and bombing system. BAC didn't have the production capacity to supply both the RAF and the USAF.
I "think" the US only bought (or were loaned) two Canberras for testing and for Martin to look over?

 

[Mick]

Mick, this is off the top of my head and I may not get it 100% right, but I recall reading about this.
The "new" USAF wanted a twin jet medium bomber and REALLY liked the Canberra.
Some arm-twisting ensued with BAC and they issued a production license to Martin in the US.
Almost all of the Canberra design was left unchanged with the exception of details like the RADAR, engines (still under development), and a more (US) conventional tandem cockpit and bombing system. BAC didn't have the production capacity to supply both the RAF and the USAF.
I "think" the US only bought (or were loaned) two Canberras for testing and for Martin to look over?

My reading has told me that the Air Force didn't really like the Canberra that much and the testers did really like the XB-51, but the bomber generals really hated Glen Martin because he had publicly supported the Navy in the "revolt of the admirals" in the huge, public and nasty funding debate when the USAF was promoting large scale procurement the B-36 with funds that the Navy wanted for aircraft carriers. The AF didn't have quite enough clout to completely cut Martin out of the deal, but by rejecting his XB-51 and substituting a license-built Canberra derivative, they greatly reduced his profits from the deal.

It meant making a low altitude intruder out of a foreign high altitude bomber instead of buying a purpose-built American plane for the role, but in those days most of the USAF leadership was really only interested in strategic nuclear war, and didn't really care much about the B-51 or the B-57 and their mission. They would've been just as happy to buy neither plane and spend all their money on strategic bombers. After all, they "knew" that any future conflict would immediately become a full scale nuclear war that would have no role for either the B-51 or the B-57 anyway.

 

[RRD2]

Here are just a few photos that I took, back in the day, of the B-57s I worked on at Stewart AFB, N.Y. and Danang AB, Vietnam. Some of them might have been formerly assigned to Soesterberg... I don't know.

The bomb bay in the first photo, taken at Stewart, is packed with ECM gear. We supported them on penetration testing deployments against DEW Line radar installations, mostly in Canada. Some mighty cold winter nights spent waiting for the birds to return out on those flight lines at North Bay and Cold Lake!

The other photos are of some of the basic models we had at Danang in '65 & '66.

I apologize for getting off-topic, here. I just thought that these might be of general interest to a few B-57 aficionados in this thread.

I am curious to know if any of the flightsim B57s have modeled those smoky jet engine cartridge-start sequences that we loved so much?
I presently only fly in FS2024 and I don't think they've ported over any 57s, yet.

 

[ian elliot]

As for definite USAFE use of the B model, this is what I've got from the cfg file of my B-57B. The squadrons were the 71st and 405th Tactical Bomb Squadrons of the 38th TB Wing. The wing also fielded a demo team called the Black Knights. They might have made an appearance at Soesterberg, maybe along with a couple planes from the squadrons if they were there for an open day or some ceremonial event. In those days USAF wings usually had more than two squadrons, but I don't know if there was a third one in the 38th Wing, or if I just couldn't find out the squadron color to paint one of their planes. It's been so long that I have little recollection of what I found out way back then when I was painting the model

Im not an expert but there's another paint by Henry up at Flightsim, He dosnt give much details in the read-me, but i had a look online, and the close'st pic i could find to his skin seem'd to be operating out of Japan or possibly Clark, maybe the same one's that found there way to Ben Hoa and Danang as in RRD2 pics a few years later

I am curious to know if any of the flightsim B57s have modeled those smoky jet engine cartridge-start sequences that we loved so much?
I presently only fly in FS2024 and I don't think they've ported over any 57s, yet.

Not that i know of im afraid, although i have seen film of the start ups, well impressive, DH Venoms and Vampire's are the same, its something us Brits like to do, making a lot of noise and smoke
I guess we have gone of topic a bit, but its an era of aviation where all intested in and sort of relate'd, so i guess its ok

 

[Mick]

I just went back to early in this thread and saw the profile of the RB-57A that was based at Soesterberg. I have no reason to doubt it's authenticity, so it seems that there were indeed A models based there.

I perused my hangar drove and found that I have a B-57A by Bill Hoelker that I apparently hacked together from his Canberra B.2, since the AIR file is from his v.2 of that model. It includes skins for silver and black B-57As with no squadron markings. I suspect that I painted them myself but the model was released twenty years ago so I can't recall for sure.

Anyway, I'd be happy to share the model and the skins if someone wants to add the appropriate unit markings for planes based at Soesterberg. I'd offer to do that myself if I had time but I don't; life has been rather busy these days.

 

[AVP]

Sorry guys, a little confusion going on here. There were never any B/RB-57 or Canberra's assigned to Soesterberg, this only got started due to me asking Mick about paints for Spangdahlem and Sembach and only because I had mentioned I like flying his 38TBW paints from Laon AB in France I did a while back.

Ian, Yes, the 38th had 3 squadrons, you're missing the 822nd which Mick did paint (as I have all 3 of them) and is also painted in the Laon scenery on JY ai version. Laon traffic files have the 822nd visiting Soesterberg in the 55 and 57 traffic as well as the Black Knights visiting in 57. All available in the Bonus traffic files in this scenery for those who want to them visiting. Of course you must have installed the LFQX Laon scenery to see them.

Ian started a Canberra thread that this can continue on if anyone wants chat about the Canberra's and paints or pictures. One of my favorites so I shall post as well.

 

[hertzie]

Hi AVP, as this topic is "hijacked" by Canberra-lovers (nothing wrong with that, though ), and I wouldn't start a new one I do hope this message comes through: I did a fresh FS9-install, I downloaded all the scenery you said that has to be in the addon-folder and activated it (except " The FS2004 Custom Scenery Library Files 1 and 2, available at Tom Gibson's California Classics website here: http://www.calclassic.com/scenery.htm" scenery from which I get an 404-error) and the result is that I see some buildings and 1 or 2 Meteors, But the whole American side with Daggers or Super Sabres don't show. And as I look into your scenery folders I also don't see any planes, only trees or buildings or vehicles. So I wonder if there's something wrong with your download?

hertzie

 

[ian elliot]

Hi Hertzie, ive been testing this for a while, but thought id delete everything and do a fresh install, for me, everything appears just fine. As for traffic, is your traffic slider set to 100% ?. The FS2004 Custom Scenery Library Files 1 and 2 are also available from Flightsim, hope this helps

 

[AVP]

Do first check Ian's suggestion above. However, I am a bit confused by your statement you don't see planes in the scenery folder. All the aircraft releated to this scenery are in the Aircraft needed folder of course go in your Aircraft folder on your system. Make sure you read the instructions related to each aircraft as some are complete aircraft and some require you to download the original and then update from my provided folders. Traffic files should be placed where you normally put your traffic, in a frech install that would usually be in Scenery/World/scenery folder. You may know all this but just want to make sure things are located in the right place. That would also explain why you are not seeing much.. The calclassic stuff, in this scenery we just use the cars and some odds and ends, no buildings so if you see one of the custom building you should be seeing them all. Are the Hangars showing up on the Dutch side? Which scenery do you have active, 50s or 60s? Which traffic files? Happy to help if I get enough info to guide you.

Al

 

[hertzie]

Hi AVP & Ian, no worries, everything's ok. Did everything anew on another drive and it is working fine. Thanks for interest and help, much appreciated!

hertzie

 

[AVP]

Great enjoy