...I used have a custom AAA install but when more and more full real servers went UI I decided to follow suit.Now some of the non UI mods really take my eye ...Can I put them in my UI install or will I not get online ?
Whether you can get online depends on if the server enforces CRT=2. Some additional mods are not CRT=2 sensitive and some are, so you will just have to see. You may have to disable some additional MODS (rename folder with minus sign) to join some servers.
What I would recommend STRONGLY is the following..
It sounds like you have a basica UI 1.1 installation that is working fine. If so, create a new Folder in your Program Files Directory and name it something to differentiate it from the regualr IL2 folder (1946 Modded) Now, copy your entire existing IL2 Sturmovik 1946 directory to that new folder.. create a shortcut to the new .exe in that new folder. Now MOD it as much as you want and if you have troubles you can always delete the entire directory again and copy over a new clean version and try again.. You can run as many different versions as you want.. SAS, Histomod etc. Just need a distinct shortcut to it in its own distinct directory.