[Pegasus V]

What is the size of a squadron in FS2? Is it just a wing of four? Or is it several wings? Thanks.

[Su-tehp]

Normally, a squadron will be made up of 12 ships, so that would be three wings of four. But any squadron will have a small number of reserve pilots to fly additional fighters when pilots who are wounded in acion can't fly. So I figure an average squadron will have 12 regulars and up to 6 reserve pilots, for a total of (maybe) 18 ships.

However, in the SOC mission in FS2 where you are hijacking the NTT Sunder, the 185th NTF squadron (the one that you and Snipes betray), there are about 16 or so ships in the squadron (including you and Snipes), instead of the regular 12. My guess is that Snipes decided to put the whole 185th (including the reserve pilots) in the mission, so that more NTF pilots would be "sanitized" during the covert op.

With you and Snipes as the only survivors of the 185th, who would dispute your word about being ambushed?

What Snipes didn't forsee was that he would get transferred immediately afterward, leaving you alone and holding the bag....

But to get back to your original question, a squadron "officially" has 12 ships, so three wings of four.

[Pegasus V]

Originally posted by Su-tehp
Normally, a squadron will be made up of 12 ships, so that would be three wings of four. But any squadron will have a small number of reserve pilots to fly additional fighters when pilots who are wounded in acion can't fly. So I figure an average squadron will have 12 regulars and up to 6 reserve pilots, for a total of (maybe) 18 ships.

Thankyou very much Su-tehp. This helps a lot. Thankyou.

[StratComm]

Actually there are at least 20 ships in that mission, (Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma, and Epsilon wings with four fighters each), and possibly a few more.  Seems like I saw a kappa in there too, but I could be wrong.  Half of the ships actually do blow up, and there are usually still a good number remaining.

By the way, did anyone ever want to be part of the "skulls" SOC squadron that jumps in to save your and snipes' tails?  Those guys kicked some serious tail in their tricked out Ery's.

It is also possible to have a wing of six fighters (some missions utilize five in friendly wings, but it's rare); Epsilon may be the only wing that can actually be designated as a six-ship wing but I know that the engine supports it.  And there are usually at least four wings in a squadron, possibly five or more, so that puts the Freespace total for ships in a squadron to possibly 24 (including reserves)

[Hippo]

Originally posted by StratComm

It is also possible to have a wing of six fighters (some missions utilize five in friendly wings, but it's rare); Epsilon may be the only wing that can actually be designated as a six-ship wing but I know that the engine supports it.  And there are usually at least four wings in a squadron, possibly five or more, so that puts the Freespace total for ships in a squadron to possibly 24 (including reserves)

The mission where you have to scan parts of the Sath. has 6 epsilon...

[Pegasus V]

The first scouting mission of the Nebula: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Kappa I think.

[LtNarol]

A standard squadron is always exactly 12 fighters, split into 3 wings (or as some refer to them, flights).  Now, reserve pilots and ships do exist, but a standard deployment of a full squadron only involves 12 fighters (or should).  As for there being so many wings, do all the wings necessarily have to be from one squadron?  What makes you so sure that wing designations (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, etc) are not assigned per engagement?

[Pegasus V]

Originally posted by LtNarol
What makes you so sure that wing designations (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, etc) are not assigned per engagement?

Good point.

From Dictionary.com

squad·ron
n.
1.   A naval unit consisting of two or more divisions of a fleet.
2.   An armored cavalry unit subordinate to a regiment and consisting of two or more troops.
3.   A cavalry or armored unit of a European army, corresponding to a company.
4.   A basic tactical air force unit, subordinate to a group and consisting of two or more flights.
5.   A multitude or horde: “Squadrons of flies like particles of dust danced up and down” (T.E. Lawrence).