What is Scenario Aircraft Converter (SAC)?
SAC is a program developed by members of the Krait's Squadron and other members of the old "Air Warrior" Game Community that allows users to customize the terrain and plane bit maps within Air Warrior if they are using a 3d graphics card and DirectX. Using SAC, you can change the appearance of Air Warrior aircraft markings and camouflage from the defaults, to actual aircraft markings used by units of that era, with correct camouflage patterns, colors, and badgework. You can also change the terrain backgrounds, sky and sea, to match the look of Midway in 1942 or the Battle of Britain, Pearl Harbor, or any other number of air warfare scenarios. You want a terrain with Snow? Desert? Forests? Sac has it, and makes it easy to change within seconds even from within the game, and can be used online (see note below in the install introduction)) as well as offline.

How do I install SAC?
Follow the step by step instructions on this page. You may wish to print it as a reference.
First, make sure you have either the old Air Warrior 3 box version game or the EA AW Millenium update to it already installed.
Next, click on the link below to download the SAC installer to a temporary location on your computer. Sac supports both the original AW3 box version and the EA AW3MV version if you were an old online player and had updated it. The EA MV version if it was updated over an existing AW3 box version also supports the stand-alone offline missions as a separate game. Note: It is now not possible to play on-line in the multi-player version as the AW hosts are now defunct, though single head to head play over a LAN or over the Internet is still possible.

Download sacv11full.exe here.  (Size: 2,938,138 bytes)

Once sacv11full.exe is downloaded to your machine, double-click it to launch the SAC installer.
The installer will ask you which directory you would like to install to.
It is recommended that SAC is installed to the same drive letter as Air Warrior (for example, if Air Warrior is installed to your C drive, then SAC should be installed to the C drive).

An update patch to SAC must also be downloaded and installed to work with the EA AW Millenium Version.
This patch converts the SAC interface to version Sac1.3MV and contains the update to work with the AW3Millenium Version and the new AW Sound Manager and Sac View. An update to Sound Manager from G42s Sound Manager web site is also required for those who wish to use the AW Sound Manager/Sac Seek integrated with Sac 1.3MV.
Click on the link below to download the SAC update to a temporary location on your computer.

Note: Existing users of Sac may use this update file to upgrade to Sac1.3MV version, revert all terrains and aircraft to default before installation then follow the standard instructions below.

Download SACMV13.exe patch here.   ( Size: 202,630 bytes)

Once SACMV13.exe is downloaded to your machine, double-click it to launch the SAC updater. Make sure you install it into your main SAC directory using the browse button, or change the path. The installer will ask you if you want to replace your old sac.exe with the new one. Click 'Yes.'
Once the Sac install is complete and you have now updated it with the patch, you must REBOOT Your Computer before running the SAC program so that the registry is updated.

Now launch SAC (Before you attempt to customize any of the Air Warrior art) as you need to back up the original Kesmai art. You must do this so that Sac will revert artwork correctly to Kesmai default when required.
To do this, follow each step below:

1. Launch SAC from the Scenario Aircraft Converter folder in your Start Menu, or from the Desktop Shortcut.
2. On the menu at the top of Sac click on VERSION. Select the AW3.5MV version of air warrior if you have that version as it will have have opened in the box version AW3 mode by default, so if you have "only" AWMV installed on your PC an error message that it cannot find an "ini file" will be seen -no problemo! Select the AWMV version so that a tick is opposite the MV entry and then close Sac again. On re-starting Sac from your Start menu or Shortcut the MV version will be your default and should now work correctly with AWMV.
3. Click the Red Button that says 'Post AW Patch Check Back-Up.'
4. A large button with yellow/black bands and a Warning sign will appear on the right side of the window that says 'Create/Renew Back-Up.' Click it.
5. A dialog will come up asking 'Are You Sure You Want To Continue?' Click 'Yes.'
6. Your computer will be busy for a few moments backing up the art. When it is done, a message will appear in the SAC window stating "Backup Complete."
7. If you have both the old AW3 and the AWMV versions available, and you wish to use Sac for both, switch the version in the menu bar in Sac, close Sac, and then reopen in your chosen version and run the backup again. Default art for both versions are stored in separate files in your Sac directory.

You are now ready to install planes and terrain art listed below to Sac unless you want to install the optional "dibs" MV1.4 patch first. This is for advanced users who have available alternative dibs screens.

Frequently Asked Questions and Help on SAC
If you have any problems, need help, or have general questions about Sac read the Sac History and FAQ page which has solutions and answers to the most common questions before asking for help by mail: SacFAQ.html -click here!

Optional MV1.4 Patch for Advanced Sac Users
This new patch provides support for changing the dibs screens in AWMV. These are both the screens you see in Rooms, and also the thumbnails when loading aircraft. An additional button with this patch is provided in the Terrains screen for Backdrops. With AWMV selected in the Sac version, automatic backup of existing backdrops is made when Sac is started, and also a new Backdrops folder is created. The new backdrop files should be placed as zip files in the Backdrops folder for selection, and can be reverted with the normal terrain revert function.Follow the instructions on the install file when run. If any backdrops have been changed manually before this patch, revert to Kesmai default before installing the patch.

  Download SACv14mv.EXE  (Size:225,953 bytes ) Install similarly as per the 1.3 Patch.

Example Test Backdrops install file used for the Nieman Scenario (VVS) courtesy of "Tilt".
Download Test NiemanVVS.exe
Download and Run this file, "browse" and extract contents to the new Backdrops folder in Sac.

Terrain and Aircraft Art to use with SAC

Now that you have SAC installed, you need terrain and plane art files to use with it. The aircraft sets and terrains will then appear on the interface for use by year and scenario. This art is available by downloading and installing the following files to your computer:

Plane Art Sets -last update :March 2000:

1.  SACaircraftv3a3all.exe - This file contains all plane art covering the eras from 1936 - 1956. If you choose to download this file, you do not need to download any of the additional files listed below (since they are all included in this single file). Note that this file is very large and is best downloaded only over a fast broadband connection.
To install the file, double-click it and extract it using the browse button to your main SAC folder. The art files will be available the next time you launch SAC.
Size: 37,320,764 bytes 3/16/2000
 Download SACaircraftv3a3all.exe

2.  SACaircraftv3a3-36-41.exe - This file contains plane art appropriate to the following periods: Spanish Civil War 1936, International Air Races 1937, Battle of France 1939, Battle of Britain 1940; Battle over the Reich, Eastern Front (Summer and Winter), Malta, North Africa, Pearl Harbor up to 1941.
To install the file, double-click it and extract it by using the browse button to your main SAC folder. The art files will be available the next time you launch SAC.
Size: 5,016,898 bytes 3/16/2000
Download SACaircraftv3a3-36-41.exe

3.  SACaircraftv3a3-42.exe - This file contains plane art appropriate to the following periods: Battle over the Reich, Eastern Front (Winter & Summer), Malta, North Africa, Burma, and Guadalcanal during the year 1942.
To install the file, double-click it and extract it by using the browse button to your main SAC folder. The art files will be available the next time you launch SAC.
Size: 6,282,325 bytes 3/16/2000
Download SACaircraftv3a3-42.exe

4.  SACaircraftv3a3-43.exe - This file contains plane art appropriate to the following periods: Battle over the Reich, Eastern Front (Summer and Winter), Italy, Malta, North Africa, Burma, and Munda-Solomon Islands during the year 1943.
To install the file, double-click it and extract it by using the browse button to your main SAC folder. The art files will be available the next time you launch SAC.
Size: 8,431,256 bytes 3/16/2000
Download SACaircrafdtv3a3-43.exe

5.  SACaircraftv3a3-44.exe - This file contains plane art appropriate to the following periods: Battle over the Reich, Eastern Front (Summer & Winter), Italy, Defense of Japan, Guadalcanal, and the Philippines for the year 1944.
To install the file, double-click it and extract it by using the browse button to your main SAC folder. The art files will be available the next time you launch SAC.
Size: 11,312,768 bytes 3/16/2000
Download SACaircraftv3a3-44.exe

6.  SACaircraftv3a3-45-56.exe - This file contains plane art appropriate to the following periods: Battle over the Reich, Eastern Front (Summer and Winter), Defense of Japan 1945, Korean War 1952, Suez Crisis 1956.
To install the file, double-click it and extract it by using the browse button to your main SAC folder. The art files will be available the next time you launch SAC.
Size: 6,352,744 bytes 3/16/2000
Download SACaircraftv3a3-45-56.exe

SAC Help and Information:
If you have a problem with Sac -Try the FAQ page first which has the most common problems.
SAC Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and History Page: SacFAQ page.
Help Desk for Sac via email if the FAQ page doesn't list your problem.:sac@kraits.org
Zeb's Sac Help site: http://www.zeb.clara.net/sac.htm
For other Sac add-on Utilities, Sound Manager and Sac Seek go to Krait's Filestore Page for the linked pages.