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The Staff of SOH
A Lockheed "Rounder"
- Thread starter Milton Shupe
- Start date
Blackbird686
SOH-CM-2025
"I know that somewhere out in this vast ocean, there's a tall sailing vessel with a drunken lot of sailors aboard her..."
"Drink up me hearties, yo ho!"Looks fantastic Nigel....
But does she fly as good as she looks? Given the superb quality of your work... I'm sure the 'Chief' will set the standards for that. You're a tough act to follow matey! Who needs payware when you have quality like this?BB686
"I know that somewhere out in this vast ocean, there's a tall sailing vessel with a drunken lot of sailors aboard her..."
Looks fantastic Nigel....
BB686
I assure you Mate that there is aplenty drinking water available for all who desire it, however, the "good stuff" is running low. You might ask "srgalahad" who is somewhere out in the South Pacific running between islands.
As for the Harpoon flight models, Fliger747 has been tweaking them since 2012 and we feel they are "just right", individual controllers and sensitivities aside.
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
I've been greatly enjoying following the progress on this project! And I love the paint work (and paint choices) Nigel!
Here are some related modern-day photos I thought would be worth posting to this thread, of two of the Harpoons that fly today and Nigel has recreated through his paint work.
"The Pacific"
"The Aleutians"
Here are some related modern-day photos I thought would be worth posting to this thread, of two of the Harpoons that fly today and Nigel has recreated through his paint work.
"The Pacific"
"The Aleutians"
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
Tom, the FM-2 in the photographs was restored by "Wild Warbirds" in Uvalde, TX, owned/run by Conrad Huffstutler (who I believe is a year or two younger than I am), and who is also seen piloting the aircraft. It was restored to absolute original condition, including the correct original wartime engine type with water injection, original Curtiss-Electric prop, original working WWII radios and all other wartime equipment including the gunsight which also works, all original primers/paints, and the only WWII warbird restored with a working original shotgun/Coffman starter (using original WWII-era shells). Recently the aircraft was purchased by the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum, and is now based and flying out of Granite Falls, MN. http://www.warbirdsnews.com/warbirds-news/wild-warbirds-wildcat.html
Shotgun starter in action on this aircraft: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65qrzgbTTcQ
(Sorry for the thread drift!)
Shotgun starter in action on this aircraft: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65qrzgbTTcQ
(Sorry for the thread drift!)
Hi Willy,
This one (and the L-57 and L-60A and teh Vega Ventura) have been sitting in the paint shop backlog for many months collecting dust. Only so many FS9 painters around willing to do real artwork, interiors, gauge bmps, and paint kits.
If I can make the time, I will setup an AI version and upload it for you.
Willy, et al,
Attached is a stripped out Lodestar L-18; just the essentials of the exterior model, no interior other than walls, floor, and bulkheads.
No panel, no sounds, and minimal textures I could get to without rebuilding parts.
I did not optimize or rebuild exterior parts so it is still a high poly AI aircraft.
But, except for the main textures that must be painted, all others are reduced in size for fast loads.
Once you paint the main textures (that were mapped for high res), then reduce them to 512 as bmps and then maybe convert to 8-bit or DXT3.
This should then reduce total texture folder size to around 5 MB.
I left the air file as a standard aircraft type so you can test it. Afterwards you can switch that over to type 2.
If you want the 2048x2048 texture templates, let me know.
Attached is a stripped out Lodestar L-18; just the essentials of the exterior model, no interior other than walls, floor, and bulkheads.
No panel, no sounds, and minimal textures I could get to without rebuilding parts.
I did not optimize or rebuild exterior parts so it is still a high poly AI aircraft.
But, except for the main textures that must be painted, all others are reduced in size for fast loads.
Once you paint the main textures (that were mapped for high res), then reduce them to 512 as bmps and then maybe convert to 8-bit or DXT3.
This should then reduce total texture folder size to around 5 MB.
I left the air file as a standard aircraft type so you can test it. Afterwards you can switch that over to type 2.
If you want the 2048x2048 texture templates, let me know.
Maarten -
Charter Member 2016
Hi Milton,
I've never created a bare all metal template before, so I shall have a try. I can't promise anything though, since for repaints I always relied on the bare metal textures of other people (in particular Nigel can't be beaten so far), and I don't have "layer"programs such as photo shop or paint shop pro.
I can't put up any deadline for myself right now, due to health.
Cheers,
Maarten
I've never created a bare all metal template before, so I shall have a try. I can't promise anything though, since for repaints I always relied on the bare metal textures of other people (in particular Nigel can't be beaten so far), and I don't have "layer"programs such as photo shop or paint shop pro.
I can't put up any deadline for myself right now, due to health.
Cheers,
Maarten
Hi Maarten,
Creating the alpha needed for bare metal textures is quite complex when you can't work with layered files. Have you ever considered to use gimp? It is free and once you have learned how to manage layered files is much easier to create repaints. I fully agree that it takes quite some time before you can fully use all the possibilities which this program offers, but it is really worth the effort.
You can find some useful tutorials here: http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=35
Cheers,
Huub
Gents, just for clarification, I am not looking for someone to fill in for Nigel on this one. Nigel will get to this one once the Harpoons and Bounty work is done ... so it is next in line.
I meant that we have a lot in the queue right now and Nigel is backed up, and finding someone with his talents that is still interested in doing FS9 or freeware is impossible.
I appreciate your willingness and your patience; we will get there.
I did put the AI up for you guys to paint and use as you like. The exterior is high quality and 2048 templates are available.
I've been looking at the texture mapping and thinking that this is a good opportunity for me to really pull out all the stops and see what I can do. And I'm currently looking at what I consider to be some of the best bare metal in FS9 ever done and think I've got it figured out how it was pulled off.
I'm treating this as an on the job learning experience. And if I can improve my limited skills, then so much the better.
I'm treating this as an on the job learning experience. And if I can improve my limited skills, then so much the better.
That sounds great Willy. With the classic aircraft you like to fly, that bare metal work will help a lot.
Do you want the 2048 paint templates to give you more work room?
EDIT: Attached 2048x2048 templates for exterior
Maarten -
Charter Member 2016