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Aeronca Champ Interest?
- Thread starter Tom Clayton
- Start date
lagaffe
SOH-CM-2026
Hello,
Cazzie, this afternoon I will prepare another version of tests that I would try to send you by MP before Christmas.
Anyway, to wait here are some images (FS24 sim) of this version which focused on:
- the improvement of the engine (IDLE and RPMs max for each engine: 65HP, 85HP & 95HP)
- the flight_model (slip operations, rudder beahaviour in taxi and flight) and
- the creation of a first draft for PBR text to test in simulators the effect that it could give.
First, the float version (the exterior textures have not yet been worked on and come from textures of FS2004 version)
The cockpit and PBR textures:
Trying to improve the propeller behavior (so that RPMs arrive faster when the throttle is set to ON) the IDLE has some problems: the propeller drops from 400 RPMs to 300 RPMS and the engine stalls. To correct this I wil try to increase a little the efficiency/ decrease the friction of the engine in order to obtain a good IDLE.
Cazzie, this afternoon I will prepare another version of tests that I would try to send you by MP before Christmas.
Anyway, to wait here are some images (FS24 sim) of this version which focused on:
- the improvement of the engine (IDLE and RPMs max for each engine: 65HP, 85HP & 95HP)
- the flight_model (slip operations, rudder beahaviour in taxi and flight) and
- the creation of a first draft for PBR text to test in simulators the effect that it could give.
First, the float version (the exterior textures have not yet been worked on and come from textures of FS2004 version)
The cockpit and PBR textures:
Trying to improve the propeller behavior (so that RPMs arrive faster when the throttle is set to ON) the IDLE has some problems: the propeller drops from 400 RPMs to 300 RPMS and the engine stalls. To correct this I wil try to increase a little the efficiency/ decrease the friction of the engine in order to obtain a good IDLE.
Bushpounder
SOH-CM-2026
Looking very nice, Lagaffe! One thing to note on these Champs - they had mechanical brakes (the one I flew did). When you first start to taxi, you basically have little brakes. As they warm up, they come to you and work very well. I have very little time in one and it was 45+ years ago, but that is the one thing that sticks out. I'm sure there was/is a swap out to hydraulics now if one wanted to. Looking forward to this one!
Don BP
Don BP
lagaffe
SOH-CM-2026
From what I could see while looking for information on this plane, there are many kits to improve them including hydraulic brake kits. Unfortunately FS does not allow to finely simulate this kind of thing, only the 3D modeling allows to transcribe one model or the other.
On the LIC model that served as my basis, this aspect was treated very poorly, I hope to be able to detail it a little more
On the LIC model that served as my basis, this aspect was treated very poorly, I hope to be able to detail it a little more
lagaffe
SOH-CM-2026
All the screenshot above (cockpit views) are taken under MSFS 2024 as I have writed in the comment.
Asobo pilots management has changed between FS20 and FS24 so I want :
1) wait some time for Asobo can review this point
2) use the technique that I have use for the Super Stearman: create 2 pilots and include them in the 3D
Asobo pilots management has changed between FS20 and FS24 so I want :
1) wait some time for Asobo can review this point
2) use the technique that I have use for the Super Stearman: create 2 pilots and include them in the 3D
heywooood
Mayor Emeritus of Taco City
BEAUTY - outstanding!Kevin,
The float version as you have described above, isn't it this one: https://www.balsamodels.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3721 ?
This can be a good beginning for you? If you want to make your own repaint, you can find on AVSim the official paintkit for the LIC Aeronca 7AC (find LIC Aeronca & chapkit.zip) that I use for some repaints.
heywooood
Mayor Emeritus of Taco City
yes - the link takes you to my build thread on the official Guillow's forumKevin,
The float version as you have described above, isn't it this one: https://www.balsamodels.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3721 ?
This can be a good beginning for you? If you want to make your own repaint, you can find on AVSim the official paintkit for the LIC Aeronca 7AC (find LIC Aeronca & chapkit.zip) that I use for some repaints.
Cazzie
SOH-CM-2026
Yep, the LIC Paint Kit will work fine on this plane. The only thing that may need adjestment is the prop blur. Laghaffe's blur is fine for a wooden prop as he has on this model, but "Charlie Brown" had a black metal prop with white tips. And it flies in either sim fine. Here's a Civil Air Patrol Champ from way back.
Cazzie
Cazzie
lagaffe
SOH-CM-2026
Good Year at all,
The textures of the cockpit have been re-worked to be aged in order to correspond to a 1943 aircraft.
On these two images, I pushed the cursor a little too far to see how far we could go ...
For the next version released to TEAM, dust and scratches will be reduced and especially the outside will have the same treatment
The textures of the cockpit have been re-worked to be aged in order to correspond to a 1943 aircraft.
On these two images, I pushed the cursor a little too far to see how far we could go ...
For the next version released to TEAM, dust and scratches will be reduced and especially the outside will have the same treatment
lagaffe
SOH-CM-2026
Good evening,
To have a little more choice in the interiors, I developed another version with more rudimentary seats (the comfortable seats have an inlay with the siggle AERONCA in bump), like army seat, and the interior textures have been treated with less luxury.
Tomorow, I will begin to work on the PBR exterior textures (with crashes and dust) and add some rivets on the front part of the fuselage.
To have a little more choice in the interiors, I developed another version with more rudimentary seats (the comfortable seats have an inlay with the siggle AERONCA in bump), like army seat, and the interior textures have been treated with less luxury.
Tomorow, I will begin to work on the PBR exterior textures (with crashes and dust) and add some rivets on the front part of the fuselage.
lagaffe
SOH-CM-2026
Hello,
As for Aeronca, I was able to get back on full-time and the flight model seems to be progressing well (version 0.7 given to the Team for tests) thanks to the knowledge that I acquired in the last 6 months on other aircraft : hey, working on other projects, doesn’t mean that the one which is in pause does not advance, it just advances more slowly, that’s all but then he catches up the lost time
Since MSFS2020 appeared, I have been working with Blender 2.83 and all my projects are based on this version and the Vitus plugin. Since then, the plugins to export to MSFS have made a lot of progress and the current reference is based on Blender 3.6 plus the latest plugin 1.3.3 from Asobo. As I have write on the Canso PBY post, I have tested Blender 4.2 and a new plugin from RonH but it is always in development and but this choice cannot be used in production at the moment
Consequently, migrating to this new environment allows you to stay on supported tools and be able to benefit from the latest improvements. This would be interesting for the Aeronca but also for the Canso PBY and the others projects ...
After a test done last month which ended in failure using the integrated tool of migration of materials, I found another method that is a little slower but gives a safe result.
In fact it consists of duplicating the Blender file to a working version and removing all materials. Then we open this file with the chosen version of Blender and recreate all the materials so that the shaders are recreated correctly in accordance with the export plugin.
The migration of the Aeronca (Blender model) based on this process took only ... a simple afternoon. The advantage of this new platform is that it will allow me to add fogging and frost on the windshields in a very simple way
I tested this last month (19th Mars) and it worked very well. As you can see on this pic, it's possible to add a lot of details on the windshield, now:
Here it is just the result of the first tests, not the final result that I want to add to this project.
As for Aeronca, I was able to get back on full-time and the flight model seems to be progressing well (version 0.7 given to the Team for tests) thanks to the knowledge that I acquired in the last 6 months on other aircraft : hey, working on other projects, doesn’t mean that the one which is in pause does not advance, it just advances more slowly, that’s all but then he catches up the lost time
Since MSFS2020 appeared, I have been working with Blender 2.83 and all my projects are based on this version and the Vitus plugin. Since then, the plugins to export to MSFS have made a lot of progress and the current reference is based on Blender 3.6 plus the latest plugin 1.3.3 from Asobo. As I have write on the Canso PBY post, I have tested Blender 4.2 and a new plugin from RonH but it is always in development and but this choice cannot be used in production at the moment
Consequently, migrating to this new environment allows you to stay on supported tools and be able to benefit from the latest improvements. This would be interesting for the Aeronca but also for the Canso PBY and the others projects ...
After a test done last month which ended in failure using the integrated tool of migration of materials, I found another method that is a little slower but gives a safe result.
In fact it consists of duplicating the Blender file to a working version and removing all materials. Then we open this file with the chosen version of Blender and recreate all the materials so that the shaders are recreated correctly in accordance with the export plugin.
The migration of the Aeronca (Blender model) based on this process took only ... a simple afternoon. The advantage of this new platform is that it will allow me to add fogging and frost on the windshields in a very simple way
I tested this last month (19th Mars) and it worked very well. As you can see on this pic, it's possible to add a lot of details on the windshield, now:
Here it is just the result of the first tests, not the final result that I want to add to this project.
Cazzie
SOH-CM-2026
Merci beaucoup lagaffe! Charlie Brown has now flown in every MSFS since FS2002, I sent a screenshot to his owner Gil Cahill and he replied his father Herb was smiling like a mule eating briars from Heaven. Many good memories in this actual Champ.
Cazzie
Cazzie
Attachments
lagaffe
SOH-CM-2026
Hello Cazzie,
The person who ask for this project also received the latest version and has problems with the contact points: during some landings, the front gears sinks into the ground.
Personally I had experienced sometimes this on the v0.612 but more in the v0.720 version.
Did you have this kind of problems? It would be interesting to have an other point of view.
PS: Good screenshots !
The person who ask for this project also received the latest version and has problems with the contact points: during some landings, the front gears sinks into the ground.
Personally I had experienced sometimes this on the v0.612 but more in the v0.720 version.
Did you have this kind of problems? It would be interesting to have an other point of view.
PS: Good screenshots !
lagaffe
SOH-CM-2026
Hello,
If the two official testers accredit the current version of tests (v0.870), I think I can open up a little more the number of people in this TEAM. If the people who worked with me for the Stearmans agree, they can let me know.
Initial tests should be carried out on the flight model and engine.
This scenery represents the aerodrome of La Ferté-Alais (LFFQ near Paris). This airport was the subject of my first add-on for ... FS2004 in 2010.
This is the native version MSFS.
If the two official testers accredit the current version of tests (v0.870), I think I can open up a little more the number of people in this TEAM. If the people who worked with me for the Stearmans agree, they can let me know.
- The flight model and engine management seem very good (98%)
- The modeling is 80% ready, there are still some things to bring.
- Textures are also well advanced: 90%
Initial tests should be carried out on the flight model and engine.
This scenery represents the aerodrome of La Ferté-Alais (LFFQ near Paris). This airport was the subject of my first add-on for ... FS2004 in 2010.
This is the native version MSFS.
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