2019 Imagi-Nation Fighter Rodeo

7.62 · Post by **7.62** » Sat Mar 09, 2019 12:05 am

The first group of aircraft took off this morning from Yer Bouti heading for the Canadian East coast. Two more groups will depart later.
Once all aircraft are across the pond they will cross Canada to Comox on Vancouver Island. From there the last jump across to the ROD will be made on Monday.

The two squadrons have been issued with their team drinking shirts.
Get ready ROD the boys are on the way!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P8BDB1X?_e ... 6XWZ6&th=1

chrisswim · Post by **chrisswim** » Sat Mar 09, 2019 6:44 am

Flying in... Balzac Republic flying over the polar ice cap to ROD with two Beer Pong Tankers. Two more will fly in on Wednesday to ensure enough A-Beer is available. Midway is sailing north-east with some air craft on board. The rest will need to â€˜tankâ€™ it in.

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 8:42 pm

The ROD is very excited about the Fighter Rodeo this year. We brought several truck-loads of privates in from basic training to pick up cigarette butts, paint rocks, and rake the dirt at Vulture Field to make sure that everything is perfect for the event.

ROD's two major news networks; the DNA (Dalmatian News Agency) and INS (Intercontinental News Service) are on hand for the entire week. Many other news agencies from around the globe have already arrived so that they can capture the competing squadrons flying in and taxiing to their hangars.

Several observers and dignitaries have also arrived early. Officials from the United States are on the ground here, as well as a senior official from the Vatican representing the Swiss Guard.

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:18 am

Welcome to the 2019 Fighter Rodeo! Aircraft from all over the globe are arriving today and checking into their respective areas before heading to the reception and cocktail party. Vulture Field is a very large facility, but much of it lies dormant most of the year. All that space is being used this week though as each squadron is assigned a hangar with maintenance facility and ready room, as well as billets for the squadron's personnel.

We envisioned a nice orderly arrival with squadrons checking in, getting settled, and then making their way to the reception in a fancy uniform. That all changed when the beer arrived from Yer Bouti and Balzac. There was a feeding frenzy of sorts as people jockeyed for position, but no one was injured.

Pictured here is VF-54, the Red Raiders, flying into Vulture Field from Naval Station San Andreas.

Pictured here is VF-6, Demons, flying in to Vulture Field from Naval Station Saint Catherine.

7.62 · Post by **7.62** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 11:44 am

First Yer Bouti Air Force aircraft to arrive overhead Vulture Field today.
43rd Tactical Fighter Squadron "Crazy Kats".

(GHQ, CinC & a 1/300 for comparison)

Kat one rolls in (Looks ok from 2 foot away!)

Next overhead a DC-10 freighter set up with a probe-and-drogue air-to-air refueling system along with a gaggle of Phantoms.

7.62 · Post by **7.62** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 11:56 am

Ten minutes behind is a second formation of the same make up 6x F-5, 6x F-4 and a DC-10.
The tanker landing first.

Joining downwind the the aircraft land in a steady stream.

Soon a corner of the field is a little bit of "Bouti"

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Wed Mar 13, 2019 6:25 am

The 2019 Fighter Rodeo got off to a spectacular start this morning! Pilot climbed into the cockpits early to begin their competitions which lasted until sundown. Three events occurred simultaneously today in different areas; the attack squadron pit stop, fighter pilot low-level course, and round one of the head-to-head fighter competition.

In the attack squadron pit stop event, all of the attack squadrons loaded up with inert ammunition ad ordnance and took off with minimal fuel. The 12 aircraft then landed and the ground crews went to work downloading the inert munitions, and uploading new bullets and bombs. Finally, they topped off the fuel tanks and all 12 aircraft got airborne again. Scoring was based on total time on the ground. Here are the results:

1st Place: CoC Attack Squadron
2nd Place: Bulgariadom Attack Squadron
3rd Place: Yer Bouti 43rd TFS

The next event was the fighter low-level course, where each fighter pilot was required to maneuver his aircraft through narrow canyons and around man-made markers. Score was based on total time without missing a turn. Here are the results:

1st Place: ChiDom Fighter Squadron J-10 Aircraft #4
2nd Place: CoC Fighter Squadron F-35A Aircraft #11
3rd Place: Bulgariodom Fighter Sqn MiG-29 Aircraft #5

Throughout the day the fighter pilots also participated in the head-to-head competition for dogfighting supremacy! Aircraft were selected at random to fight each other. 2 points were awarded for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss.

The competition will continue tomorrow before selecting those pilots that will move on to round 2, but so far there is a strong showing by the RODâ€™s VF-6 pilots and the JAS-39 pilots from Balzac. Anything can happen though. The pilots will all be in the air again tomorrow to continue round 1. The fighter pilots will also compete in the squadron pit stop event, and the attack pilots have their turn to negotiate the low-level course.

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Wed Mar 13, 2019 10:49 pm

The competition is fierce today, despite a minor disturbance late last night at a karaoke bar near Vulture Field. The bar called Twinkle Toes was the scene of a near-riot at last years Fighter Rodeo and some pilots remember this. It seems that they went back to Twinkle Toes to defend their honor, but instead of other fighter pilots they found the pilots that fly local traffic helicopters. There was a small scuffle, but no major injuries. Drivers were without their traffic reports this morning though.

Pictured here is an Su-25 from Bulgariadom's attack squadron about to start the low-level course.

chrisswim · Post by **chrisswim** » Wed Mar 13, 2019 11:20 pm

Congratulations to Yer Bouti.

panzergator · Post by **panzergator** » Wed Mar 13, 2019 11:59 pm

Impressive painting, Guys.

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 6:15 am

The 2019 Fighter Rodeo continued today with another full schedule of competition! The attack pilots got to tackle the challenging low-level course, each taking a turn negotiating the hairpin turns and the irregular curves of natural features as well as man-made markers. Scoring was based on total time, with penalties for missed turns. All of the pilots performed well, but only three get a trophy. Here are the results:

1st Place: Yer Bouti 43rd TFS F-5 Aircraft #3
2nd Place: Monacodom Attack Sqn A-4 Aircraft #4
3rd Place: Yer Bouti 43rd TFS F-5 Aircraft #10

In the fighter squadron pit stop event, all of the fighter squadrons loaded up with training ammunition and ordnance and took off with minimal fuel. The 12 aircraft then landed and the ground crews scrambled to download the training munitions, and upload new training ordnance. Finally, they topped off the fuel tanks and all 12 aircraft got airborne again. Scoring was based on total time on the ground. Here are the results:

1st Place: Monacodom Fighter Squadron
2nd Place: CoC Fighter Squadron
3rd Place: Bulgariadom Fighter Squadron

All afternoon was spent in furious air-to-air combat as the fighter pilots all competed on the second half of round 1. The scoring criteria was the same, so each pilot had a potential for 4 points at the end of the day. Those pilots who had earned 4 points through 2 consecutive victories will move on to round 2. Several pilots with 3 points from a victory and a draw will move on as well. There will be 20 fighter pilots going head to head tomorrow in their quest to be named top dogfighter! Here is the lineup:

A count by nation:

Balzac Republic: 5 pilots
ROD: 4 pilots
ChiDom: 4 pilots
CoC: 3 pilots
Monacodom: 3 pilots
Yer Bouti: 1 pilot

Tomorrow promises to be another action-packed day! In addition to round 2 of the head to head competition, all pilots will be shooting live bullets as the fighter pilots compete in the drone shoot and the attack pilots wreck some ground targets with the attack cannon shoot. On the ground, the support personnel will be put to the test with the squadron maintenance competition.

Hoth_902 · Post by **Hoth_902** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 7:38 am

7.62,

Your jets and airfield look amazing..well done.

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:51 pm

Live ammo in use today!

Below is a photo of a CoC A-6 approaching the range with an external 20mm gun pod. All attack aircraft are competing in the attack cannon shoot - engaging a ground target with cannn fire.

Below are aircraft awaiting their turn to compete in the fighter drone shoot - each aircraft will be directed by an E-2C to intercept and destroy a drone with cannon fire. Pictured here are ROD F/A-18Cs and Bulgariadom MiG-29s in formation behind the E-2C.

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Fri Mar 15, 2019 5:19 am

It was live ammo day at the 2019 Fighter Rodeo! All competitor aircraft started the day with a full load of live ammunition for their guns. Those aircraft without internal guns had a 20mm gun pod mounted and calibrated before todayâ€™s events began. The first event was the fighter drone shoot. Fighters formed up on an E-2C that was circling off the coast and then they each took their turn in the drone hunt. A drone was launched from the coast and the Hawkeye directed the fighter to intercept. The clock started when the fighter was exactly 20 miles away from the drone and it stopped when the drone was destroyed by cannon fire. All of the fighter pilots were able to destroy their respective drones. Here are the best times (3 was apparently the lucky aircraft number!):

1st Place: ChiDom Fighter Squadron J-10 Aircraft #3
2nd Place: ROD VFA-6 F/A-18C Aircraft #3
3rd Place: Monacodom Fighter Sqn F/A-18C Aircraft #3

After the fighters blasted their drones, it was the attack pilotâ€™s turn! The attack pilots were each directed onto a ground target on the aerial gunnery range close to the low-level course. Targets were 20â€™ shipping containers painted in one of several low-visibility colors (OG, gray, tan, brown, and black). Pilots had to identify the correct target and engage it with cannon fire to destroy it. Here are the results:

1st Place: Bulgariadom Attack Sqn Su-25 Aircraft #3
2nd Place: Balzac Republic Attack Sqn Draken Aircraft #2
3rd Place: Yer Bouti 43rd TFS F-5 Aircraft #9

While all of the aircraft were busting caps, the competition continued on the ground. A team of distinguished aircraft maintenance experts toured Vulture Field, corralling the aircraft as they returned from events so that all 12 aircraft in the squadron could be evaluated for maintenance status and combat readiness. After thorough examination of each aircraft and careful deliberation, the team issued their judgement in the squadron maintenance competition:

1st Place: ChiDom Fighter Squadron
2nd Place: Balzac Republic Attack Squadron
3rd Place: CoC Attack Squadron

In the afternoon, 20 fighter pilots went up for their second evet â€“ round 2 of the head to head fighter competition. Each pilot fought two dogfights against other competitors with the same scoring criteria as round 1. After an afternoon of vicious air to air combat, 4 pilots roe to the top of the heap to move into the final round of competition. Here are the pilots that will compete for the title of Top Dogfighter:

ROD VFA-6 F/A-18C Aircraft #5
Balzac Republic Fighter Squadron JAS-39 Gripen Aircraft #8
Monacodom Fighter Squadron F/A-18D Aircraft #12
Yer Bouti 41st TFS F-4 Aircraft #1

Tomorrow will be an explosive day with the attack bomb drop and the final head to head competition!

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:54 am

BOOM!

This morning all of the attack aircraft strapped a 500-pound unguided bomb under their wing and they headed to the aerial gunnery range for the bomb drop competition. Once again, attack pilots were given a 20â€™ shipping container as a target and they had to identify it and destroy it with a bomb. This event had the spectator stands filled to overflowing as the pilots came in from the east, flying over a mountain range and then dropping down into the impact area before dropping their ordnance to the delight of the crowd. Competition was fierce. Here are the results:

1st Place: CoC Attack Squadron A-6 Aircraft #6
2nd Place: Yer Bouti 43rd TFS F-5 Aircraft #7
3rd Place: ROD VF-54 F-4S Aircraft #10

After the dust settled, the focus shifted to fighters â€“ specifically the four fighters taking off for the final round of the head to head competition. Two separate engagement areas were designated for the dogfights.

The first engagement was ROD versus Monacodom in an F-18 showdown in Area A while Balzac Republic took on Yer Bouti in Area B. The ROD and Balzac Republic won their engagements.

The second engagement pitted Yer Bouti against the ROD in Area A and Monacodom versus Balzac Republic in Area B. Yer Bouti and Monacodom won their respective dogfights.

The scores were tied across the board, so after refueling from a KC-135 the third engagement saw Balzac Republic going up against the ROD in Area A while Monacodom went after Yer Bouti in Area B. ROD and Yer Bouti won their engagements, so at the end of three engagements the ROD and Yer Bouti both had 4 points while Balzac Republic and Monacodom both had 2.

All of the pilots were exhausted from the three previous dogfights, but one more fight was necessary in order to crown a new top dogfighter. After a hard-fought fourth engagement the standings were announced:

1st Place: Yer Bouti 41st TFS F-4 Aircraft #1
2nd Place: ROD VFA-6 F/A-18C Aircraft #5
3rd Place: Monacodom Fighter Sqn F/A-18D Aircraft #12

Congratulations to the Yer Bouti pilot for taking home the biggest trophy of them all and winning the title of Top Fighter Pilot for 2019! There will certainly be much celebrating tonight, but donâ€™t forget that the air war will start early tomorrow morning.

And the garrison commander of Vulture Field kindly asks that whoever stole all of the toilet seats from the VIP visitorâ€™s quarters please return them to the post maintenance depot.