2019 Imagi-Nation Fighter Rodeo

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Fri Mar 01, 2019 9:03 am

Itâ€™s that time of year again!

The Republic of Dalmatia is pleased to announce that the 2019 Fighter Rodeo will be held March 11th through the 17th at Vulture Field on the central coast of the ROD!

The International Fighter Rodeo â€“ a week-long event that brings the best combat pilots together from all over the world to hone their combat skills and to promote camaraderie and interoperability. It is tradition that the Fighter Rodeo be held the week of St Patrickâ€™s Day, and since that holiday falls on a Sunday this year we will be holding the event from Monday March 11th through Sunday March 17th.

The ROD invites each participating nation to send 2 squadrons to the event (one to compete as a fighter squadron and one to compete as an attack squadron). Each squadron will consist of 12 combat aircraft and no more than 150 total personnel. Additional support aircraft and personnel are welcome, though they will not be involved in the competition. The ROD will provide housing and meals for all participants, dignitaries, and media as well as fuel, live ordnance, training ordnance, and ground transportation.

There will be three competition categories: fighter, attack, and support.

Fighter Category
-Low-level course. All 12 pilots will complete a challenging course at low altitude, negotiating a series of man-made markers and natural terrain features designed to test a pilotâ€™s ability to maneuver at low altitude. Score is based on time and accuracy.

-Drone shoot. 6 pilots will be selected to intercept an unmanned drone and destroy it with cannon fire. Aircraft will be airborne when the drone is launched and will be directed to the target by AWACS aircraft. Time will start when the fighter is 20 miles away from the target. Aircraft without internal cannon will mount an external 20mm gun pod for this event.

-Head-to-head. 6 pilots will be selected to participate in a 1-on-1 dogfight with another fighter. 2 points will be awarded for a victory, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Pilots will participate in 2 dogfights and then the pilots with the most points will enter a semi-final stage leading up to one pilot being named top dogfighter.

Attack Category
-Low-level course. All 12 pilots will complete a challenging course at low altitude, negotiating a series of man-made markers and natural terrain features designed to test a pilotâ€™s ability to maneuver at low altitude. Score is based on time and accuracy.

-Cannon shoot. 6 pilots will be selected to attack a stationary ground target and destroy it with cannon fire. Points will be awarded for accuracy. Aircraft without internal cannon will mount an external 20mm gun pod for this event.

-Bomb drop. 6 pilots will be selected to attack a stationary ground target and destroy it with a 500 lb unguided bomb. Points will be awarded for accuracy.

Support Category
-Aircraft maintenance. A panel of distinguished aircraft maintenance experts will inspect all 12 aircraft and award points based on the overall readiness and condition of the squadronâ€™s aircraft.

-Aircraft pit-stop. All 12 aircraft will begin the competition airborne with a full load of blue painted training ammunition and ordnance, but with minimal fuel. The entire squadron will land and be refueled by the ground crew. All ammunition and ordnance will be downloaded and replaced with a full complement of red-painted training ammunition and ordnance. Time will start when the first aircraft touches down and will end when the last aircraft lifts off after refueling and rearming.

The rodeo will culminate in a major air battle with all aircraft participating in a force-on-force exercise that will test combat skills as well as the ability to operate effectively in a multi-national force.

[GMâ€™s Note: No real people or micro armor aircraft need to move for this event. Please just add pics of your aircraft and let me know who is participating. All competitions will be resolved by dice roll. Aircraft can be in any scale (1/285, 1/600, 1/2400). You do not even need to have a full squadron â€“ the squadron commanderâ€™s aircraft will do!]

If you would like to participate, please notify the ROD Ministry of Defense and include the squadron designations and aircraft types.

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Fri Mar 01, 2019 9:04 am

2019 Fighter Rodeo Schedule of Events

Monday March 11th (Daylight savings time begins!)
Squadrons arrive
Welcome reception & cocktail party hosted by Commander, ROD Naval Aviation

Tuesday March 12th
Fighter squadrons low-level course
Head-to-head fighter competition, round 1
Attack squadron pit-stop competition

Wednesday March 13th
Attack squadrons low-level course
Head-to-head fighter competition, round 1 (continued)
Fighter squadron pit-stop competition

Thursday March 14th
Fighter drone shoot competition
Attack cannon shoot competition
Head-to-head fighter competition, round 2
Aircraft maintenance competition

Friday March 15th (Beware the Ides of March!)
Attack bomb drop competition
Head-to-head fighter competition, finals

Saturday March 16th
Massive air battle
Awards ceremony
Barbecue hosted by Commander, ROD Air Combat Command

Sunday March 17th (St Patrickâ€™s Day!)
St Patrickâ€™s Day Party and concert by rock band Tongue Box and rapper Big Fattie
Vintage aircraft air show and fly-by
Squadrons depart

7.62 · Post by **7.62** » Sat Mar 02, 2019 1:49 am

Yer Bouti is training hard for the fighter Rodeo.
41st Tactical Fighter Squadron with F-4 "Phantoms" and the 43rd TFS with F-5 "Crazy Kats" will attend..
Both units have increased flying hours and the completion is ferocious for a place on team Yer Bouti this year.

Last years long flight to the ROD was aided by the Balzac Air Force. With Yer Bouti not being on the best of terms with Balzac right now, work is under way to allow the deployment to be conducted by YB assets alone.
A request will be sent to Canada for airspace transit.

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Sat Mar 02, 2019 5:59 am

That's excellent news from Yer Bouti! Will the 41st TFS be competing in the fighter category and the 43rd competing in the attack category?

Not sure which versions of the F-4 and F-5 you are flying, but we have KC-135s based in the ROD that can fly out to meet you and we have KA-6Ds on our carriers that can also assist with aerial refueling if that will help you get here.

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Sat Mar 02, 2019 6:05 am

The ROD has also announced which squadrons will be representing the home team at this year's rodeo, and for the first time ever both squadrons will be from the ROD Navy. Both squadrons participated in the recent New Year War, distinguishing themselves in combat - the Demons being recognized as the top performing combat squadron in that conflict. This was almost the first year that an F-4 squadron did not compete as well, but the Red Raiders upset a rival Air Force F-16 squadron to continue the legacy of a Phantom squadron participating in the Fighter Rodeo.

Fighter Squadron
VFA-6 "Demons" F/A-18C

Attack Squadron
VF-54 "Red Raiders" F-4S

MechCommander · Post by **MechCommander** » Sat Mar 02, 2019 11:32 am

Yer Bouti's request for transit over Canadian Airspace has been granted.

chrisswim · Post by **chrisswim** » Sat Mar 02, 2019 3:47 pm

To Canada, the Balzac Republic, Monacodom, and CoC would all like to follow Yer Bouti Air Group through Canadian airspace. We request to be 4 miles behind YB aircraft. Of course there will not be any bombs.
.
Fighter Rodeo
Balzac Republic,
The Balzac Republic is planning to send an air wing of JAS-39 Gripens for A2A, 12 Draken for ground attack to the ROD Rodeo. Support will also be there, couple of C-130 and 6 C-160 aircraft.
.
Monacodom
Monacodom is planning to send 10 F/A-18 C and 4 F/A-18 D models with two seats. In the ground attack, 12 A-4. 8 C-17 will support the competition. KC-10 tankers
.
Commonwealth of Chrisdom
The CoC is sending a wing of 12 F-35 A models, and 2 extra F-35 A as substitutes if needed. In the attack role 10 A-6 and 3 EA-6 Intruders, along with KC-10 tankers, 8 C-130 support craft with crew.
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CHIdom
CHI is sending 12 J-10 aircraft with 2 Il-76 support craft & crew. No ground attack craft.
.
Bulgariadom is sending 12 Mig-29 aircraft ad 12 Su-25, with 4 Il-76 craft with support crewmen.
.
Special announcement, Balzac Republic has 2 of its 3 special aircraft tanker that will be making an appearance. Itâ€™s is cooled liquid refreshment.

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Sat Mar 02, 2019 10:17 pm

Excellent news from Balzac, Monacodom, CoC, ChiDom, and Bulgariadom! We will list them simply as "fighter squadron" or "attack squadron" until the squadron designations are determined.

We're also very excited about the Balzac liquid refreshment. Indeed this has become one of the highlights of the entire event! [I have a mental image of a KC-135 sitting on the tarmac with the boom lowered and a guy guzzling right out of the boom while a crowd of rowdy pilots cheer him on]

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Sat Mar 02, 2019 10:34 pm

So far we have 156 aircraft registered to compete in 13 squadrons from 7 nations. We still have over a week before the competition begins. Who else is going to attend? Canada? Gator State?

chrisswim · Post by **chrisswim** » Sat Mar 02, 2019 10:47 pm

Besides the Boom, with 3 nozzles, we have 12 taps per side, two nozzles each. We didnâ€™t want 3 since there could be an â€˜under-pressureâ€™ if tooooooo much was being drained at one time.
Hope that will work for all the pilots and crews, attendees. We are working on Bar-B-Q freighter. Not sure that it will be ready this year. Budget issues you know.

7.62 · Post by **7.62** » Sun Mar 03, 2019 3:43 am

redleg wrote:That's excellent news from Yer Bouti! Will the 41st TFS be competing in the fighter category and the 43rd competing in the attack category?

Yes Sir, F-4 are the best fighters we can deploy at the moment. Mig-29 are on guard for the home front.
YB is working on it's own tankers for the flight out.

A thank you to Canada for the transit.

From the Avtur Brewery, Balzac.

Despite huge losses at the last two Fighter Rodeo's we will be again sponsoring the Pewter Cup. The ale will flow again and it will cost us a fortune!
The brewery almost went broke but a last minute takeover saved the day!.

"4-Q Brewery on behalf of SYB holdings is pleased to announce the acquisition of the Avtur Brewing Company (Balzac). We look forward to keeping the long held traditions of this Great Beer maker alive! See you all at the 3rd annual ROD Fighter Rodeo at Vulture Field March 11th-17th."

But don't take my word for it, check out 4-q.ca

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Sun Mar 03, 2019 4:33 am

I love the website!!

MechCommander · Post by **MechCommander** » Sun Mar 03, 2019 9:17 pm

the CofC and there subsequent Doms, is not allowed to fly in Canadian airspace, please seek an alternate route.

As for Canada's participation in the fighter rodeo, thats up to the government to decide.

chrisswim · Post by **chrisswim** » Mon Mar 04, 2019 7:01 am

Okay, Thank you, the Balzac Republic will use Canadian airspace following YBAF. We will give you the location of a couple of their aircraft that crash in the wilderness.
Remember, the Balzac Republic is not a 'dom'. We do not get into any of that.
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Well, we will fly to Iceland, then Greenland, northern Greenland and then tanker over the Polar Icecap, then to ROD.
.
Since the change in corporate label and brand, but not the ownership. Our beer is
A-Prime, A-Ultra, A-Lite, A-All for One. A-Have Another? and finally, A-I'll have another.

MechCommander · Post by **MechCommander** » Wed Mar 06, 2019 11:13 pm

After days of deliberations the Canadian Goverment has decided not to participate in the Fighter Rodeo, the members of parliament believe that it could lead to "unintentional hostilities" among Canadian pilots and those of country's who allied themselves with the CofC.