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  • Please see the most recent updates in the "Where did the .com name go?" thread. Posts number 16 and 17.

    Post 16 Update

    Post 17 Warning

F-14D Tomcat-WIP and volunteers recruiting

Dino Cattaneo

Dino Cattaneo

Charter Member
View attachment 72985

As some of you may be aware of, I am working on a remake of my F-14D Tomcat... I will add some pictures and updates to this post very soon - let me just say that I am quite happy with the current quality of the project.

Reason why I am posting now is that this project is big and I'll need help, and I thought that the entusiasm and knowledge at SOH is a great place to ask for help.

Specifically, I'd need:

A SOUND SPECIALIST - The current Tomcat is using a quite good package from Aaron Swindle. I believe it is good, but it is a quite generic sound package for a military jet.
I'd need someone to develop a custom, authentic sound set for the Tomcat. I have no knowledge at all in this field, so I cannot provide any help or support.

A GAUGE/XML SPECIALIST (TBC) - I have plans to add a RIO cockpit (either from the initial release or as an update) but I will not have time to develop its "special" avionics (i.e. the radar functions). I'd need someone to develop custom XML gauges for the radar display in the RIO station.

The project is freeware - so there is no money involved - but if you consider yourself an expert in these fields and are willing to help with this tribute to one of the most amazing aircraft ever, please contact me.
I may also need the help of other specialists...but I'll announce that later on.
 
@skyhawka4m

I will do all the texturing (interior and exterior) myself, at least for the "base" model - which will be the one you see in the picture (Lo-vis Tomcat Last Flight)
I may need the help of repainters, but that is later on - I'd like to have both a lo-vis and hi-vis template ready, before giving the model to repaints.
 
Hi Dino,

Hope things are going well for you... I've dropped you a PM with an offer.. :)

Regards

David.
 
Dino Cattaneo said:
A GAUGE/XML SPECIALIST (TBC) - I have plans to add a RIO cockpit (either from the initial release or as an update) but I will not have time to develop its "special" avionics (i.e. the radar functions). I'd need someone to develop custom XML gauges for the radar display in the RIO station.
Click to expand...
Hmm... anything involving graphics is not my cup-of-tea, I'm afraid .....
But I'm doing a fair share in the project allready ...:)

Cheers, Rob
 
@David
Yes, everything is fine - except I wish my days were 28-30 hours long, instead of just 24... - thank you!
Thank you also for your offer - I've seen your PM - I will reply soon.

@Rob - Actually you have the privilege of being the only recipient of the provisional external model so far :) !
I have not asked you for the RIO gauges, as I thought you had no time - and besides, I've seen you mostly work on "simulation control" gauges... which, as you know by the draft "wish list" I sent you, will play an important role on this F-14 rendition.
 
As usual,thanks for the appreciation!

As for the kneeling, well... I think I've found a way to do it (at least for the external model) but I have not tested it yet - so I am not sure it screws up something in the cat-launch dynamics...
 
Is there anyway you could make the pilots disappear when parked? I'm not sure why most developers don't make this an option.
 
@Skyhawka4m

Well, the external model is not frozen yet...so there is room for mods. There are several reasons why few models make the pilots disappear - which is a thing I only did in the F-35A version 1.0... One, for example, is the fact you have to model the ejcetion seat so that they make sense even if you remove the pilot figure (i.e. model the harnessing in two positions...) or you may even need to add details you usually will not see or notice when the pilots model are there (like ejection handles, control stick details etc.). It is not as trivial as it may seem. On the other hand, even it is "Flight" Simulator (and not "Parking" Simulator), I waste a significant amount of time just looking at some nicely detailed modes just sitting on the tarmac... and the pilots in the pic above look a little out of place (and the final model will have even more "moving" panels).

@Dave Torkington

Interesting story indeed. I remember the first time I saw the picture... I can only imagine how strange it has been for the pilot...
 
Looking awesome Dino! Love all the opening panels and such.

Question, will there be a clean model? One that has no drop tanks, missles, or bombs? Love to fly in a clean config... replicate some airshow demo flights!
 
Wish I could be of assistance but I am only good at customer service. She sure looks like she is coming along well. I fully expected it to be payware like the F-35 was.
 
Very first picture of virtual cockpit

Here is a quick picture of the new virtual cockpit, to show you what I've done so far... Basically, whaetever you don't see in this picture (except the NACES) is modeled but not textured. I am keeping the polycount relatively low, so that there are enough resources for the RIO cockpit (which I have just sketched at the moment).
HUD is provisional - Jivko Rusev has promised a custom one (thank you JR!) but I have not sent him yet a VC to work on... I will do that soon!
By the way, I wish to thank Ken Simmons of the Castle Air Museum which has provided a lot of fantastic pictures of the real cockpits - I am getting a much better texture quality thanks to those pictures.
With current pace, the pilot VC will probably be ready in no less than 3 weeks... and then, the RIO VC may take another 1-2 months...

PS - Disergard the accuracy of the carrier approach... this was just a to take a picture with the carrier in sight.​


View attachment 73796
 
Glad I saw this thread today. Looks like a good oppurtunity to work with Dino on a project and give a lil something back to the community. I'll be supplying the new and improved sound set for Dino's F14D.
 
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