Cougar is almost a must for F4 AF. Other sims, its a nice addition that can give you the edge over anything else. It's metal construction means you won't break it either. It's $200 well spent - I have no regrets, only praise. And, if it possibly breaks - it has user serviceable parts in it - unlike other joysticks. Many people customize it like a car. They put specialized pots in it, and tweak various things, etc. Mine is stock - bought it as they first came out, and works fine to this day. I did re-grease it with plastic/metal compatible teflon grease though - found at any model train store.
Unlike other people here, BVR may be the name of the game, but I have found myself in a furball or two unexpectedly. Lining up on a target to take out an armor column - I found myself sandwiched in a US vs N Korea engagement that I could do nothing about - MiG's on one side (East), and F-15's and F-16's closing from the other. Two MiG-21's in formation decided to make me their target and I was allready low level. That Dogfight switch on the Cougar comes in handy! Downed the first one in front of of me with an Aim-120, and the second shortly after with an Aim-9 - I could see the whites of his eyes as I was switching the dogfight switch off and getting back to a cluster bomb attack! Two MiG's died, Many tanks died, and I bugged out for home with my wingman (whom also got a kill)!
I think its the unexpected things that I love about the sim. SOmeone above said that they think they made a mistake when they get into a furball, but I say that is BS. As they said, the best laid plans in war fall apart.....
-S
PS. i think Track IR is better suited to IL2 - not Falcon. I do not use one. The way IL2 is laid out makes it almost mandatory. Falcon makes it only sort of a neat gadget.
__________________
 
|