From the Frigid North! As a long time player of Air Sup. and air Strike, I was very much impressed by my sample issue #9. Are you planning coverage of other Air Forces in future issues? (like maybe us "sled-dog molesting" Canucks, we do fly the CF-18 you know ... ) Psycho's revisions were helpful, but missed a couple of things. According to Air International (Aug. 1989) the Harrier GR. 5 has the following station limits; 1,7= 620; 2,3,5,6-- 2,000; 4= 1,000. And in the Sep 1990 issue, the Royal Singapore Air Force Hunter Mk. 74s are shown with AIM-9s and Rocket pods on new stations; call them 13,14= 250 (inboard of 2,3) and 15, 16-- 500 (under the fuselage side by side). On the subject of fighter size and complexity, (issue #9), 1 agree with J.D. The YF-22 and YF-23 are certainly neat-looking and will make great model kits but I don't think that any fighter 10% bigger than an F-15C will stand much of a chance in a visual dogfight against MiG-21 s or F- 16s, because "he who see's first, wins", and they still haven't figured out how to stealth light radiation! For my money, the best of the new generation fighters are the EFA, Rafale, and Gripen, because of their smaller size. Of course, the big winged Agile Falcon F- 16 would have been best (which is probably why it was dropped). It seems the USAF has once again been seduced by the old "technology is best" bugbear, believing supersonic cruise means something, this in spite of the fact that nearly every battle will degenerate into a tooth and claw dogfight at visual range. Even if AMRAAM works (and I say if), I still think that six MiG-21MFs will clobber two YF-23s every time. If you want to have a few squadrons of F-117s for special missions fine; but don't discard the F-14, F-15, F-16 and FA- 18 just because 'better' technology has supposedly been perfected. Where are the rules for flame-out and STOL aircraft and by the way, you didn't tell us how many hexes a landing run requires; picky picky I know. How about a rule for searchlights in visual sighting? Our CF- 18s have searchlights on the port side for just this purpose. Perhaps these would extend the range for visual I.D. at night to 1 hex, provided the target was on the appropriate side. Sincerely, Tristan Scott, British Columbia. Good idea T.S., the searchlight works into left 180 arc, use it; asJor six MiG-21s beating two F-23s ... naw, at least three or four will be destroyed prior to the merge from the eight AMRAAMS they'll take and then the rest will die from heaters while trying to run away due to low fuel after the F-23s blow through and circle back at 45,000 well away from the MiGs ability to reengage them. If the F-23s stayed to dogfight as you suggest, they are stupid and deserve to die. JDW Sled dog molester? I think not. Up here we pay attention to the women first. Are dogs the more popular pastime where you come from? Check six for a maple leaf! Mike "Spectre" Soulier, Ontario. No, but we have conclusive evidence dogs are more popular to Californians who make them wear scarves and intercept low flying plastic cruise discs on command, women also come in a lowly second to surfboards and skate boards there. JDW We Canadians seem to be kicking a substantial amount of Yankee Butt at Origins of late (last four years anyway). I figure its about time we started flying our own aircraft.... Without further ado, Scott Forrest, British Columbia. I hope this issue fits your bill Scott. JDW When you speak of the "Fabulous Baker Boys" of California in the Origins tournament coverage, you really mean "the Fabulous Martin-Baker Boys" don't you? Sincerely, Noel Wright, Arizona Spoken like a true Canadian, even if you aren't. JDW Back to Table of Contents -- Air Power # 14 Back to Air Power List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1991 by J.D. Webster This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com