"Green"/Biofuel for USAF and Navy aviation...

[raketenjagdpanzer]

Part of the big problem in T2k is of course the near lack of aircraft on either side...I imagine that what's left of the US military holds back some avgas for emergency contingency purposes here and there; at least in my head-canon, the handful of Tactical air units in Europe at least have scraped together enough to hold off an "end times, now-or-never" type counterattack, plus keep the engines periodically spun up.

Stateside there likewise might be a few B52s (3-5) and perhaps a B1 and B2 remaining in terms of strategic air power, but, again, held out for an absolute emergency situation.

There's been some talk over the last few years about "ATJ" or "Alcohol to Jet" biofuels, that are essentially the same as the "brewed" fuels (probably filtered to a higher purity, though) that are already in use in ground vehicles in T2k - so I would think that this could be discovered and put to use during the reconstruction phase in the US; the ability to shift supplies via air would be a huge, huge asset.

[.45cultist]

Part of the problem is that the heavies rely on altitude for part of their defense. T2013 stated a very low ceiling on such fuels.

[mikeo80]

IMHO, IF SAC kept some B-52's in reserve, there would also be some AGM-86 ALCM's held back. A BUFF can carry 20 of these things. There were 1700+ produced by 1986.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGM-86_ALCM

Plus, IIRC, B52 crews had practiced low level flight for some time by T2K. I would also think that some KC-135's would have been kept in reserve to serve the BUFF's.

This combination should overcome the problem with alcohol or "bio-fuel".

I can also see ANY refinery that Mil-Gov gets its' hands on will be producing jet fuel to keep the BUFF's full tanks.

My $0.02

Mike

[Olefin]

Keep in mind if you are playing the orginal game (and not 2013) that MilGov still has refineries working in Oklahoma and Illinois - and even the Robinson faciilty at 1 percent of capacity could still make a decent amount of avgas.

So aircraft in the US being operational is definitely still feasible and not just for last gasp operations. As "A River Runs Through It" stated there are still flights going to and from New England being staged thru the NJ airfields that MilGov controls - they are rare but they are being done - and they have enough gas to operate some aircraft on a limited basis

the real issue may be getting the fuel to where the planes are - i.e. if you have all your SAC assets sitting in Colorado and your refineries are in OK and IL then its not going to be easy to get them fueled up

the reality is that most avgas that will be used will be for transport flights except in places where you may need to fuel up attack planes - which in the US would be on the Oklahoma and California fronts against the Mexicans and Soviets and against New American forces in the Ozarks and Florida

thats why I never saw the Ozarks module as very realistic as to the air threat against MilGov units - not with the Robinson refinery as close as it is - wouldnt take long to make enough avgas to put a couple of planes in the air - and even an old P-51 would make short work of any ultralights and dirigibles

Let alone the fact that the 197th probably still has operational Stingers - they never went overseas and never face enemy air - and even one of them would blow the guts out of a dirigible

CivGov units on the other hand would be SOL - as far as I can see they dont control any working refineries

[rcaf_777]

Originally Posted by Olefin

the 197th probably still has operational Stingers - they never went overseas and never face enemy air - and even one of them would blow the guts out of a dirigible

Would a few 50's or M240 do the same thing, you could do it with a M-72 LAW if you great a luck shot

[pmulcahy11b]

All you really need to do to a dirigible is pop it a few times.

[Olefin]

Originally Posted by rcaf_777

Would a few 50's or M240 do the same thing, you could do it with a M-72 LAW if you great a luck shot

depending on the height you could even nail it with a tank or AFV gun - as long you can elevate to hit it - a few HE or HEAT tank shells (which the 197th have a bunch of) would make short work of dirigibles

and a LAW or RPG may be effective depending on the dirigibles height - they did score on helicopters in Vietnam with them

and any unit with an operational AA gun, especially radar controlled, and you can kiss New America's Ozark Air Power goodbye