Has Anyone Seen Me?...my name is N3N

[TuFun]

First in my mind was a twin radial, something similar to a DC3 with a tricycle gears. Something that you or Jan would do.

 

[marijn]

A Convairliner!!! Now that would be a wonderfull surprise!

 

[Javis]

Ok, cat's outta the bag. Convairliner indeed. Well done, Ted, you sure know your landinggears !

Aerial photo is San Diego where many Convairs were build. Arrow points to a building called 'The Convair Sailing Club' but Ted didn't need all that. ;-)

In my flightsim book the Convairliner series has been overly neclected while it made such a good start way back when in the FS5/FS95 times with a, for that time, exceptional beautiful model by master artist Pierre Ardichvilli whom i had the great pleasure to work with (VIP Group). Later on followed by a, also for that time (i believe FS2K), equally beautiful model by Greg Pepper. And with that rendition, possibly created as far back as the previous century...) support for the Convairliner came to a hold. No native FSX version let alone P3D. Many repaints are done for Greg's model so there must be sort of a substantial group of followers of this particular aircraft. Certainly an iconic aircraft as it was the offical follow-up of the DC-3.

Always loved the Convairliner, with its bulky nose and beautifully clean shaped engine nacelles and particularly its empennage culminating in this beautiful symetric endpoint of lines (also because the fuselage is almost perfectly round). No idea why it never followed the route of expansion of its FS propliner cousines i.e. DC-3,-4,-6, North Star, Connie, Stratocruiser and even C-46, the're all there in our beloved flightsim heavens, one even more meticulously replicated than the other. Blatantly missing in this line-up: the Convairliner.

Long story short, time to do something about it. Very much WIP no doubt but it's on the blocks.

Intention is to concentrate on the 240 and 340 (plus militairy variants C-131 and T-29) and see about further development later (in between work on the C-47/DC-3 and N3N will continue. Spice of life and all that.. ;-)

Hope it's a nice surprise for you proplovers outthere.

Cheers,
jan

 

[Javis]

Convair B36 six turning and four burning

Heyman, atleast correct on the Convair !

 

[Javis]

Can't resist a good riddle. No idea what the aerial shot shows. Something that's being restored? The forked u/c legs spells "Douglas" to me, but it doesn't get me anywhere. You haven't teamed up with Bendyflier, have you, and vamping up an Old Shakey? But that wouldn't be mil and commercial. It's probably something that's lurking around in Lelystad... wait ... does it have a crossbar on its nose u/c leg?? Somehow that does ring a bell...

Most probabely a Connie bell, Manfred The Convairliner has such a contraption indeed while the Douglasses didn't. The Connie has one as well but sadly there is no use for a flightsim Connie, beautifully represented in abundance in all of its glory in various ways.

Talk to you later,

Cheers,
Jan

 

[Javis]

Jan,

Its really good to hear there is nothing physically wrong with you.

Thanks, Huub. appreciate it !

I won't allow myself to do any comments on the mental part .

No, better not go there... ;-)

And do the wheels perhaps belong to a Douglas C-124 Globemaster II?

Not a bad guess indeed ! But as you can see it turns out a bit smaller.. ;-)

Cheers,
Jan

 

[Javis]

First in my mind was a twin radial, something similar to a DC3 with a tricycle gears. Something that you or Jan would do.

Spot on, mate !

 

[Javis]

A Convairliner!!! Now that would be a wonderfull surprise!

A wish come true. KLM 240 and 340, right ? ;-)

cheers,
Jan

 

[heywooood]

Heyman, atleast correct on the Convair !

tongue in cheek - can you imagine the B36 hauling pax...lol

..never knew Convair made a 'liner - just knew they were mfg here in SD..a couple of those B36 broke through the concrete at Lindberg Field back when -
a good deal of the ramps, aprons, and the RW itself had to be reinforced to accommodate the pressure applied by those two gigantic main wheels..

besides, who doesn't like to say 'Convair'...

..that IS a beautiful air frame BtW...looks like it was poured out of a bottle..but the tail looks just like the B36. Wonder if it is a straight cross over? how do the drawings compare I wonder

 

[magoo]

That is very pleasing news. Very good selection of a plane that deserves a fat dollop of recognition and would find a lot of hours in the air, much as the real ones still do.

I find it interesting that we still have later Convair airframes mixing it up with regular commercial traffic.....not just in the far reaches and back-country, but throughout continental North America.

One just has to drive by the south end of YVR and look out at the Purolator compound to see anywhere from one to three CV-580's (Kelowna Flightcraft Charter) at any given time, along with the same number of Boeing 727's.

Not a museum.....they're hauling freight day in and day out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHE7gdMrz6E

 

[Bjoern]

Ok, cat's outta the bag. Convairliner indeed.

Where were you three or four years ago when I needed somebody to give the 580 an external overhaul so I could concentrate on the guts and glory, i.e. the interior? :/

I still have the 3ds Max source files though, so if you need anything, holla.

 

[marijn]

A wish come true. KLM 240 and 340, right ? ;-)

cheers,
Jan

Yes indeed sir! I am glad that you are taking this one on. Not to say anything unpleasant about Gregg Peppers one but a true FSX/P3D version...that's a dream coming true.

thanks a lot!

Marijn

 

[WarHorse47]

Well, so much for the discussion on the N3N.

 

[heywooood]

we can chew gum and walk at the same time pal

 

[Javis]

That's my guess Convair C-131 (military) CV 240, 340, 440, etc. (civilian).

Very good detailed walkaround pics of several military versions.

http://nabe3saviation.web.fc2.com/waC131no1.html

Great site indeed ! Lots of good photo material around but what is remarkably lacking is good scale drawings. Actually i found nothing worthwhile in the net. Tried my luck with a book from the Naval Fighters series. Nr.14 about the T-29, R4Y/C-131 and CC 109. Good drawings i can work with but i think the accuracy remains uncertain. Ah well, for boys with toys it's good enough.

Did find some good sound material though. These P&W R-2800's make some wonderful noise !

 

[Javis]

Well, so much for the discussion on the N3N.

Au!Aai!!Oh!Ouch!! Well, you are right, sir, of course. Sorry.

(this particular N3N thread has been a bit lititgious anyway so it's not that out of the ordinairy.. ;-)

I'll setup a new thread dedicated to the Convair sooner or later.

cheers,
jan

 

[Javis]

Where were you three or four years ago

I was here, with me..

when I needed somebody to give the 580 an external overhaul so I could concentrate on the guts and glory, i.e. the interior? :/

So what about it ? Did you finish it ?

To be honest i'm not exactly a fan of turboprop conversions.

I still have the 3ds Max source files though, so if you need anything, holla.

Ok, i'll keep that in mind, Bjoern, thanks !

cheers,
jan

 

[Bjoern]

So what about it ? Did you finish it ?

I've donated the source file to Bernie Bockheim, who used parts of it for his overhaul of the CalClassic Convairs, but as for finishing it myself, I never found time and motivation to do so. There was so much simplification in Greg's original model that I essentially had to start all over to even slightly bump up the amount of detail.

To be honest i'm not exactly a fan of turboprop conversions.

The differences are rather minor. Just a taller vertical stab, anything engine related, a different throttle quadrant and of course the engine gauges.

Same as for the 340 and 440. Different exhaust stacks and a weather radar nose (which could also be retrofitted to the 340 IIRC, so I'd keep it in mind when UV mapping that area).

Ok, i'll keep that in mind, Bjoern, thanks !

By the way: The book you've referred to is the only source for usable drawings out there.

And you're on the right track regarding the shape of the front window frames. Those were a pain to get even remotely right and required tons of readjustment from photos.

 

[Javis]

I've donated the source file to Bernie Bockheim, who used parts of it for his overhaul of the CalClassic Convairs, but as for finishing it myself, I never found time and motivation to do so. There was so much simplification in Greg's original model that I essentially had to start all over to even slightly bump up the amount of detail.

Yes, it's usually easier and quicker to start from scratch than to try and update an older model. I remember vaguely having asked Tom for Greg's Convair source too many,many moons ago but can't remember what i actually wanted to do with it. ;-)

The differences are rather minor. Just a taller vertical stab, anything engine related, a different throttle quadrant and of course the engine gauges.
Same as for the 340 and 440. Different exhaust stacks and a weather radar nose (which could also be retrofitted to the 340 IIRC, so I'd keep it in mind when UV mapping that area).

Sure, but it's really not so much the physical difference (i do love the shape of the Allison nacelles!), it's more like i'd miss the sound of the Double Wasps dearly ! (don't ask me about the BT-67 blasphemy... ;-)

By the way: The book you've referred to is the only source for usable drawings out there.

That's right. It is remarkable, if you compare 3-view drawings of the same aircraft from different artists, how each of them interprets it differently. I have no clue in the first place how these guys setup something like a 3-view drawing. Looks like it's a lot of wet finger work.

And you're on the right track regarding the shape of the front window frames. Those were a pain to get even remotely right and required tons of readjustment from photos.

I can imagine! A nice challenge indeed that took a few days and a lot BS&T but i'm not unhappy with the result.

Cheers,
jan

 

[Josh Patterson]

Ok, cat's outta the bag. Convairliner indeed. Well done, Ted, you sure know your landinggears !

Aerial photo is San Diego where many Convairs were build. Arrow points to a building called 'The Convair Sailing Club' but Ted didn't need all that. ;-)

In my flightsim book the Convairliner series has been overly neclected while it made such a good start way back when in the FS5/FS95 times with a, for that time, exceptional beautiful model by master artist Pierre Ardichvilli whom i had the great pleasure to work with (VIP Group). Later on followed by a, also for that time (i believe FS2K), equally beautiful model by Greg Pepper. And with that rendition, possibly created as far back as the previous century...) support for the Convairliner came to a hold. No native FSX version let alone P3D. Many repaints are done for Greg's model so there must be sort of a substantial group of followers of this particular aircraft. Certainly an iconic aircraft as it was the offical follow-up of the DC-3.

Always loved the Convairliner, with its bulky nose and beautifully clean shaped engine nacelles and particularly its empennage culminating in this beautiful symetric endpoint of lines (also because the fuselage is almost perfectly round). No idea why it never followed the route of expansion of its FS propliner cousines i.e. DC-3,-4,-6, North Star, Connie, Stratocruiser and even C-46, the're all there in our beloved flightsim heavens, one even more meticulously replicated than the other. Blatantly missing in this line-up: the Convairliner.

Long story short, time to do something about it. Very much WIP no doubt but it's on the blocks.

Intention is to concentrate on the 240 and 340 (plus militairy variants C-131 and T-29) and see about further development later (in between work on the C-47/DC-3 and N3N will continue. Spice of life and all that.. ;-)

Hope it's a nice surprise for you proplovers outthere.

Cheers,
jan

Aw, I was looking at your sketch thinking the MLG was the nose gear and went looking for big propliners! A Convair twin will be nice indeed! It's a shame Basler Turbo Conversions scrapped one two years ago. I had to see it getting chopped up a little every day on my way home from work.