General
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This is a carrier-based campaign flying from the Essex Class carrier Bunker Hill CV17. The carrier is in constant motion at a speed of 30kts, so it is suggested that you make use of the Single Misson "KWP00 Carrier Qualifications" to practice takeoffs and landings before beginning the campaign.

The F9F2 Panther by Jerry Beckwith, as adapted to the Korean Campaign series by Fox Four, is a unique aircraft with a fully funcitonal Panel and is equipped with Korean GPS and complete Kneeboard checklists. Please read the Panel Instructions provided in the download.

Trim is particularly important and sensitive in high-speed aircraft so learn to use it to your advantage. For example, a little up trim will aid you turning ability in an in-close dogfight.

There are no restrictions on Realism or Flight Model/Mission Difficulty settings, but if you are not accustomed to flying jets in combat it is suggested that you begin with at the Easy level.

Note:
Key commands, where quoted, are for the FS/CFS1 keyboard layout. These might be different if you use the CFS2 Combat Keyboard.

Navigation and Refueling
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The Bunker Hill will be cruising on three separate stations or tracks during the campaign: Yankee, Dixie and Cowboy, each of which is about 100 miles long. While you may simply follow your WPs and/or warp back to the carrier, manual rendezvous is possible using your GPS nav panel (SHIFT+5). All Korean bases are listed in the GPS menu, as are the beginning and ending points of each carrier station. To go to any Korean base, simply tune your GPS panel to that base and follow the pointer. Each carrier station track is approximately 3 hours long, so you can always find the ship by using your cockpit mission clock and your GPS panel. For Example, you are flying off of Dixie Station. Your carrier is beginning the mission at Dixie 1. When you wish to return to the carrier, you check your clock and find you have been away for two hours. This means the carrier will be closer to the end of the Dixie track(Dixie 2) than the beginning. You tune your GPS to Dixie 2. When you arrive at Dixie 2, retune to Dixie 1 and fly down the track to your ship, which will be about 30 miles away.

All Korean airfields are equipped with Refueling Points. Just taxi into the red square and stop for a refill.

Mission Starts
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The type of mission start is stated in the description of each mission, so that you will be prepared.

Remember that you have Kneeboard Checklists for most situations...Use them.

You will experience four types of mission starts in Bunker Hill:

- Deck Takeoffs - Because the carrier is in motion, you should set your brakes (CTRL+ .) as soon as you hit the FLY NOW.
This will prevent your aircraft from rolling on the deck.
You will notice that your aircraft has been placed as far back as possible to give you a max takeoff roll.
Start engine, open canopy, full flaps. Set trim per checklist.
Open throttle to full and release brakes [ . ] (Period) only after the engine has reached full power.
As you approach the end of the deck feed in a small amount of backstick and hit "G" just as you leave the deck to pull in the gear.
Close canopy and begin retracting flaps at around 130kts. Remember that airspeed is more important than alitude at first.

You should have no difficulty in getting the Panther airborne even with full fuel and armament.
If you do, you may reduce your fuel load in the Player Aircraft section before starting the mission. Even at an 80% fuel level, you should have enough for the mission. Be aware that if you WARP at full-throttle, your fuel consumption is increased accordingly. So cruising and
warping at 85% thottle is wise and economical.

- Airfield Takeoffs - Kneeboard Checklist.

- Airstarts** - No special instructions needed....see **Note at end of this document.

- Simulated Catapult Launches - Before you hit the 'Fly Now' button, set throttle to full and have just a bit, not much, backstick fed in so you don't make a big splash after you come off the Cat.
Simulated catapult shots begin about 5'above the carrier deck with gear, flaps and canopy up and closed, but you are launching from the port catapult. Brace yourself.

WARNING: Cat launches start instantly at the beginning of the mission. Should you wish to delay this, hit the P key while the mission is loading. This will Pause the sim at the beginning of the mission and give you the opportunity to prepare yourself for the launch. Hitting the P key again will trigger the launch. Should you wish to lower your gear and flaps and open your canopy before the launch, You can do so while the sim is Paused. This is not advised, but can be done without incident.
Also see **Note at end of this document.

Carrier Landings
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Landing a jet on the Bunker Hill is no more difficult than landing a Hellcat on a regular Essex. The LSO, however, is not yet carrier qualified, so don't pay him much attention. The deck height of the Bunker Hill is approximately 68'ASL. Approach speed is around 125kts with full flaps, canopy open (CNTRL+E) and hook extended (SHIFT+G). Approach altitude should be about 500' at about a mile, and speed over the fence should be right at 100kts. Just get that hook on the deck before you overshoot the arrestor cables. If you miss the wires, go to full throttle and go around again

Your wingmen cannot land on the carrier, so it is best to give them the Split command before you begin your approach.

If you do not care to make carrier landings, you can always use the 'Press X to End Mission' option.

Jet Combat
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You will find that the flying against all of the Communist aircraft is difficult, and you must learn to use the advantages that you have against the enemy. Turning with the agile prop fighters like the Yak9 and La-11 is not very productive. Use your speed advantage to extend, and then make your attack from an advantageous angle. When fighting MiGs, you can turn with them particularly below 15,000 feet. Your best maneuvering speed in the F9F is in the 250-270kts range. Use your airbrake (Spoiler Key) to prevent overshooting a slower aircraft. Your four nose-mounted 20mm cannon will literally blow another aircraft out of the sky with only a few hits.

Force Feedback
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Users with a force feedback controller will notice the controls stiffening or even locking up with excess speed. The elevators will reverse somewhere around 560 - 570 knots. We feel this is realistic for a first generation jet fighter like the Panther.
To regain control - slow down. Please observe the warning notices on the panel & refer to the checklist for more information.

Ground Attack
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Dive and glide bombing techniques with jets is no different from a prop aircraft. The same is true of rocket attacks. Strafing is another matter. Be careful to keep your speed under control when attacking vehicles, as the more time you have to target them the better your results.

The success of wingman ground attacks on assigned targets is dependent on having the correct setup. For a bombing attack, start at 5,000 feet and 300-350kts and assign targets to wingmen while flying those parameters. See Controlling Wingmen here.
For a rocket or strafing attack, start at 3,000 feet and 300-350kts. Do not designate and assign targets until they are well within TAC range.

**NOTE: If you are flying in Single Mission mode, and the first mission that you chose to fly happens to be an airstart, you may get a screen message: PRESS E to START ENGINE. This only occurs when the first mission you fly after opening the program is an airstart. After that mission, however, this will not occur again. The campaign does not begin with an airstart, so you will not see this in Campaign mode.