Thanks so much Eric and team. Its the 412 functionality, the things you can do with these aircraft, that makes them so much more than the useless eye candy of all lesser sims...
Harrier Test
Testing on the Benghali map, just for fun, we find that the AI uses the new Hermes Ski Ramp (designed and constructed by western0221) very well and, vectoring to 60', its pretty straightforward for the humies too. Setup to scope the nearby island for hostiles we have a flight of Yak-36s inbound and armed to the teeth.
32 years ago VIFFing-Vector In Forward Flight, was common practice over the Falklands, although it was officially frowned upon. The new S3 harrier can also perform the VTOL party piece to good effect. Dogfighting the Yaks was fast and furious stuff, outnumbered for good measure, the nimble Yak AIs could turn quite agressively too.
VIFFing to turn on a dime the ideal rear aspect for a heatseeker is soon resolved in my favour and the AIM-9L is planted right up the first Yak's tailpipe. The Comprehensive HUD also features a gun mode and CCIP, which is going to make dumb-bombs a whole lot more fun!
Following another game of scissors my AI buddies see off two other Yaks while the last one breaks off and goes vertical - 412 AI is really good! Back on Forward Thrust the Harrier picks up speed again, pulls up smoothly and climbs in pursuit. The Yak pilot yoyos to extend out of heatseeker range but has nowhere else to go as he flys out to the AIM-120 range parameters. My AMRAAM leaps off the rails for 'Splash-Two' as the Yak explodes up ahead.
Recovery is very easy too, once Hermes is overflown, and an approach setup, partial vectoring and full flaps reduces the approach speed to a canter, then a dawdle. Guided by the HUD Velocity Vector, the Harrier smoothly crosses the fantail and sets down as light as a feather, piece of cake!
IMPORTANT KEYS TO REMAP FOR MODERN JETS:
SELECT ROCKET/MISSILE - switching missile types in combat
DEPLOY CHAFF/FLARES - don't leave home without countermeasures
WING INCIDENCE INCREASE/DECREASE - Used for Thrust-Vectoring on the Harrier
If you fly MiGs and Phantom IIs you will already know about:
DEPLOY REFUEL DEVICE
FUEL DUMP
DRAG CHUTE
BLOWN FLAPS
...you should know the rest...