Posts by Gman

Quote from Escapegoat

How many of you tards got covid? How many times? What is it like to be vulnerable to covid and too fragile for a vaccine? I wouldn't know. I've had two vaxes and zero covids.

I had Covid before there were vaccines. Never got a vaccine, have never needed one since, despite spending 2 weeks in a hospital that had 21 rooms, 15 of which had covid patients in a bad way when I shattered my leg, as well as being around TONS of people who were in the middle of their covid infection at subsequent doctor/hospital appointments. I had also been taking Plaquenil prior to Cov19 infection as I have SLE/Lupus and it's a common medication prescribed for that.

My Covid19 experience was a scratchy throat for about 12 hours, and losing my sense of taste for maybe 6 tops.

When stupid forms that have your preferred pronouns as an optional fill in, I always put "His Majesty/Your Highness" in. I then add a foot note that I have a 23 and me link to King Richard's DNA (he fathered at least a couple hundred bastard children they say, so the odds are if you have an ancestry in the UK, you have a fair chance at being a descendent, and thus claimant to the throne).

Here behind the lines in Canada, this is become very common on various forms/etc.

Quote from El Sluggo Loco

So I binge watched episodes 5 thru 8 this afternoon/evening. 6 and 7 were really good. I even remarked to the boss how it was really picking up. Then 8 happened and they totally jumped the fucking shark. Unfucking real the racist pandering. Every conceivable racist stereotype. It's like a late-seventies blaxploitation movie. If I were black I'd be fucking pissed. Hell.. I'm not and am anyways.

Man, I felt exactly the same way. The first few episodes pissed me off, what with the 109s and 190s moving at 1500 mph across the screen, and the tracers looking like they hypersonic as well. So lame, and unrealistic looking considering the $ they spent on CGI and whatnot.

Then some of the later episodes got pretty good. Then the go Tuskeegee go episode came. I could sense each instant of lameness as it came, with the missus telling me to "stfu and just watch" as I yelled and shouted shit a the screen. Talk about wrecking a comeback, and seizing defeat from the jaws of victory.

Phantom is imminent. Ya!

SO much in the pipeline that is badass. C130 will be fun, especially with the inevitable mods for making it a gunship/AC130, hell they devs may even make a gunship available with the release. With DCS adding a lot of ground targets like various infantry and trucks/apcs, an AC130 multicrew would be a riot. Super pew pew.

Coming this year -

Hellcat

F4U1D Corsair

LA7

Mig29 full fidelity - (my favorite fighter since I saw the first time they appeared in the Western world back in 1989 at Abbotsford international air show here in Canada). Cannot wait for this one.

Mig17

Chinook Helo

Kiowa helo

Mig23 (eff ya!)

F8 Crusader - last of the gunfighters, real single engine rocket ship which IMO is going to dominate the cold war servers with only Fox1/early Fox2's and guns

A7 Corsair - great little attack bird, had one of the best systems for unguided bombs even to this day. Also had 1000 rounds of 20mm aboard, so a ton of strafing and even a2a as it apparently had a few really good turns in it before it would be out of energy. Shot down some Mig17s in Vietnam to prove it.

A6 Intruder - next to the Mig29 this is the next most anticipated for me. Having an entire late cold war carrier air wing strike group, at least without the supporting aircraft is going to be so cool - Hornet Cs, F14A/B, A7 Corsair, A6 intruder...just missing the Awacs, Helos, and Cod.

F100 Super Saber

Kfir

A1 Skyraider

F104 full fidelity (just have a mod now with basic fidelity)

Two others I nearly forgot -

Tornado GR1 Ground Attack - When Falcon 3.0 first came out, Spektrum Holobyte was so jazzed by the unexpected sales that they went on to use that $ to produce what was at that time easily the most complex and fun flight sim - Tornado. Having a terrain following radar modeled back then was incredible. I remember flying under power lines in that sim, and the weapons aiming stuff was very complex for the time as well. So it'll be good times to have it in DCS.

Also, Typhoon is still in the pipeline. That plane well own all in PVP online, as it's radar will be easily the best if the model it accurately, but the thing also is an effing amazing turn fighter. With 12 A2A missiles aboard, a great gun, it's going to be a blast.

All of these aren't likely to appear in 2024, but at least 1/2 of them will be early access before 2025 IMO. A lot to look forward too, Vulkan API and the dynamic campaign especially.

I've read/seen from usually reliable sources that Russia is down to just one single operational A50 AEW aircraft. They aren't being manufactured anymore either. It's unlikely China has any of their AWACS/AEW to spare to sell to Russia either. Seriously crippling to Russian air power IMO.

Meanwhile the USA/NATO are adding new 737 Wedgetail AEW aircraft at a pretty quick rate, to replace and augment the current fleet of AWACS planes.

Quote from El Sluggo Loco

Pretty cool...

https://www.instagram.com/reel…eet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

That is pretty cool - I wouldn't mind having those retracting wheel stands on a sport/touring type bike. I'm thinking specifically of the Honda VFR1200 I had, a 2010 model.

Great channel here for Navy news, I've been a member of his site since before he was on Youtube, TONS of great info. Former 20 year sonar man on attack and SSBN subs, and works in classified tech stuff surrounding sonar and undersea weapons still as a contractor.

He says that the submersibles are made in and sent from Iran. Very trusted source.

Quote from El Sluggo Loco

Crew Chief. A 22 year old MSG responsible for a very complex machine and ten lives.

https://b17flyingfortress.de/e…42-30342-taint-a-bird-ii/

Wow, I didn't know that. Did he operate one of the gun stations too, like the top turret or nose guns? Did he talk to you much about flying in the war?

Wait - Sluggish was your father on B17s? Man, that's crazy, I bet you have some incredible stories from him. One of my grandfathers flew on Lancasters doing ferry runs from where they were built here in Canada to the UK, he never dropped bombs though.

Quote from Razer

I’m taking the wife to see the falls from the Canuck side later this year. Should I not go through customs near there? I have a low threshold for bullshit, don’t need an international incident.

I'm going to be in Ontario a fair bit off and on this year Razer, let me know when you're up here. If you have time and the inclination the National air and space museum is about a 3 hour drive from Niagra (everyone and I mean everyone drives 80 if not 85, ask Slamfire), and it's fantastic. Plus one of the curators does QA testing for the same bunch I do some with from DCS/ED, and I'm sure he'd hook us up with a backstage tour - I want to see their Go229 and some other stuff that isn't on display yet.

Beekeeper- I liked it for the same reason. Plus Statham hates the left.

Dune 2 - I can't wait until March 1. Dune part 1 was my favorite film of the last 10 years, and early reports from some Youtube channels I watch and trust say it's possibly the best scifi film of all time. I usually have a hook up at our local Imax, but even those screener tickets are all spoken for, so I have to wait until opening day/night.

I've been watching "See" on Apple+ with Jason Mamoa, pretty good so far, 1/2 way through season 2.

I'll give Mr/Mrs Smith a whirl tonight too. Monsieur Spade is on the list too.

Any ideas?

My father is betting everyone he can get to listen to him that Tulsi Gabbard will be the pick.

I do think it may well be a woman, Kirsti Noem, Gov of S.D. is my pick on that score.

Slow Horses is excellent, I still need to finish season 2 however I thought 1 was really good.

Quote from slamfire

My Bro in law has a US Post Office Box right on the NY Border. He makes the drive over periodically to pick up stuff he buys online and just drives it over the border. Round trip, about an hour.

There is a US mail station drop just south of Coutts AB in Sweetgrass Montana. 90 percent of the business they do is from people in Alberta driving down to pick stuff up. I used to do it every 2 weeks back when my company was doing a lot of LE sales circa early 2000s. Clearing customs with an in person agent was so much less hassle and worth the drive, money, and time.

GG what do you sell - blades, for what exactly? Interested, I haven't been around enough know what everyone is up to.

One of my postal codes ends with "2S5". So, if you have messy handwriting, its pretty easy for orders to get fucked up - I rarely have anything sent to that house. Had Canadapost literally lean a 1301 Beretta tac shotgun in its box up against a neighbors houses because the driver couldn't figure it out (simple), and he/she just gave up and mark it "delivered". Good game, assshat.

Quote from wrag

I confess I like mine... still getting used to it though... but I can get out and ride so... when it warms up that is...

also love the storage area it has beats the saddle bags n trunk on standard bikes considerably IMHO

That's so cool Wrag. I SO wish I had grabbed the one I had a chance at, silver color (my fav next to green), and had about 10,000 KM, so like 6200 miles or on it. Like new. Storage area, I had plans in my head already of getting a fuel bladder or fuel cell I could carry in the large rear middle compartment to extend the range out far enough I could ride through the mountains to BC or to Fort McMurray here in AB where there is a stretch of road where at certain times of the day there is NO fuel for 250km or so. Have a break apart 10/22 and my 14" Mossberg pump 12 gauge stored in there too. Plus get a good audio system for our helmets as the missus would be riding shotgun, and our current setup for riding together - which we haven't done in ages - is old and gimped.

I do wonder what it would handle corners like, I'm sure straight and level flying is pretty good, and simple. Not being able to lean and bring the bike right over especially in tighter turns would be a bike switch that I'll wager is pretty uncomfortable at first.

Quote from Elf Man

I'm glad you still have your leg Gman.

Thanks Elfie, me too.

I watched the entire series as it was released on the platform - stick with it, it continually improves. One of the few shows I'll recommend to just about anyone, but guys like most of us, 100%.

Next surgery I do I plan on doing a rewatch as I'll be immobile for a week or two.

Don't get me wrong, those are "ok" sticks, but they are the bottom end of the VKB lineup. Tons of guys in AH and DSC are using them though.

Slam if you're serious hang on a bit, when I get the new Gunfighter model into my hands you can have my Gunfighter 3, and I have the F14, Luftwaffe, and Space grips for it, which won't work with the new GF4 as they've changed the connectors. The STECSS mini throttle is around $220 I think, and their pedals you can find used for $125 ish for a good set. I have that exact stick but for the Gunfighter, but IMO the stock Ultimate grip on the GF is the way to go.

The Gunfighter is IMO the best stand alone desktop stick you can get right now. The StECS throttle is exceptional for the price, and again, the pedals are fantastic.

I should be sharing around a lot of the hotas I've collected over the years, at least the one I have doubles of, which are many. 4 complete Warthog sets, a couple Cougars etc. TM really pissed me off with the stick issues, it seemed all I did was tear them apart to regrease them or change out the sticktion ring. They did hit one out of the part with their F16 throttle - I've been using a Cougar throttle for DCS F16 flying but after trying their new F16 throttle in a store, I'm sold, it is solid AF and doesn't have the wear issues that the stick has had. So ya, once I get my new order of VKB, Virpil, and that TM throttle I'll let you know Slamfire.

I have some extra codes for DCS modules as well - I need to contact ED to be sure they'll still allow me to transfer them, but it shouldn't be an issue. I gave several to MurderFace a while before he passed, and I know he had a lot of fun with them but was just started to figure things out when he got so sick. Fuck I hate illness, everything about it.

Quote from El Sluggo Loco

Canadians and their condescending fake politeness are the worst. And they fucking HATE Americans. The barely contained contempt boiling just below the surface... you don't like us, so figure it the fuck out then.

You're just used to dealing with Canadians out East. Ask Slamfire, he's front out there, and though there are many like Slam who are normal decent people, there is a majority who are as you described. How do you think we've been stuck with Trudeau for so long?

While there are idiots out here in the West, the ratio is a lot lower. SO many Calgarians with $ that I know are peacing out for the USA.

Nice Trike Wrag. As mentioned I had a chance to buy one from an estate but failed to pull the trigger as I felt my leg was healing well enough that I could be back to riding this past riding season. No go on that one, I was scheduled for amputation but when I was getting wheeled from the surgeon's office to the surgery side of the hospital, the doc decided to take another look and remove some decaying tissue and presto, leg is on the rebound, slowly, and I'm keeping it, at least for now. Saved by minutes literally from being a peg leg pirate. Anyhow, I'm going to have to ride a trike for a while, or one of the reverse trikes or whatever, at least for next season coming up.

I took years off riding because of what lupus did to my left hand especially, but new treatments and injections directly into it helped it big time circa just pre covid time frame. So I got one season back in before all the BS and then snapping my leg into pieces.

Escapegoat, try an HD out on one of their test drive days. I grew up on Jap bikes too, first bike was the 1990 VFR 750, then had every Fireblade/CBR after that, 900rr, 929, 954, 1000x3, etc. Rode other stuff too, but always had a Honda sport bike of some kind. I borrowed - well rented really - an Ultra Classic HD from a friend and rode it almost coast to coast one summer, all the way to PEI in Canada from Calgary. Pretty great on the highway, made it effortless even in rain and shit weather a couple of days. I'm not saying you'll love HD or even like it, but you should ride a few just to say you did it.

I swore by CH for years, told anyone I got into AH or flew with in squads that they were nuts for not using the Combat/Fighter stick - throttle didn't matter as much, nor pedals IMO, but I have 4 sets of full CH gear and 2 of their pedals still, one set being NiB, another has maybe 2 hours on the stick and throttle. Before busting my leg to shit and all the associated problems that came with it I was collecting HOTAS and buying new things monthly. Posted some pics on FW, once I get flying again I'll do some more. I have 5 Virpil bases including their very first one, CM2, CM3 and both new and old Warbrds. I have their collective (the good one) and 3 grips for it too. Also have 12 different grips for my Virpil stuff, F16 TM grip, F18 grip, and all of the grips Virpil has made including left and right hand Alphas for Star Citizen zooming stuff. 4 Virpil throttles too, their first and 2nd gen and 2 of their newest 3rd gen. A couple of their switch boxes too, both with the gear handle.

I also have VKB stuff, which is what you should look at Slamfire. VKB Gunfighter and their new TECS throttle are both smaller footprints than Virpil and the Gunfighter sticks are much lower to the table surface, like CH gear equivalent IMO. Stick is fantastic, throttle is ok as well. VKB pedals are great too, very fine motor skill control point of the angle and not the leg/knee moves them, very precise, and cheap for what you get. As much as I'm team Virpil, I'd recommend VKB to anyone not planning on using desk clamp mounts and planning on playing off their keyboard/monitor surface or table. I have all my Virpil stuff except the collective set up with MonsterTech mounts and rails on my gaming tables/desks. VKB I use for AH as muscle memory is all CH pattern/height/etc, and I just shoot more accurately with my forearm resting on the table while holding the stick.

I have a bunch of rudder pedals too, VKB pedals, Slaw pedals x 2, Virpil pedals, and 1/2 dozen others like CH, Saitek, etc.

Oh ya, since the Ukraine war began, Canada has been assessing a 50% tax penalty on most of Virpil's stuff that is manufactured in Belarus or wherever. Most of their new stuff is now being made elsewhere, but some guys got crazy bills when their product arrived they weren't expecting. Glad I missed out on that.