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[kelticheart]

MVG3d's C.205 conversion upload: please be patient!

Dear friends,

I owe you an apology. I know I promised several times to upload Manuele Villa's C.205 conversion dedicated to the late Luigi Gorrini, the last WWII Italian fighter pilot alive, deceased a month ago.

Aircraft Model, textures, Flight Model and Damage profile have been ready since a week ago. I am sorry, but the great effort to pool resources in creating historically correct 2d and VC panels took much longer than expected.

Beepee, Chalachew worked real hard to convert original MVG3d's FS9 gauges to work with CFS2 and I did my part adapting and translating in Italian existing material, plus touching up the 2d panel bitmap. Everything came to completion the other day, but there was still the necessary documentation to write to make the upload real perfect.

I tried to do my best, last night I worked until 1:30 a.m. to complete the 2d/VC panel user's manual, 10 pages worth of explanations which include:

1. the translated references of the real Veltro panel WWII pictures Manuele sent to me, that I posted here two days ago,
2. additional operating instructions of the three popup windows I add to my 2d panels,

still hoping I could make it for today. But I could not, my job duties, helping my 83-year-old mom preparing the Christmas table (she won't give up an inch in spite of her age and I am proud of her moral strength!) with all the shopping involved, all of it prevented me from meeting the promised deadline.

Unfortunately I only have access to a wide-band connection here at work and my company closes down for the Holy Days today pm until Monday 29th.
There's no way I'll be able to upload an hefty pack through my jurassic 56kps house modem!

Attached below, as a preview of what's in store, the Pilot's Handbook I completed last night. It should give you a taste of the work involved to do something worthwhile.

I know I am a damn' perfectionist, but, if I weren't such, I would probably not be so fond of airplanes and simulated combat flying, the sky doesn't accept any sloppy attitude!

The upload is only postponed for a few days, I will surely comply within New Year's Eve. Providing the Executive Centre up above has not different ideas and buries me with a couple of feet of snow, I'll be back in my office on the 29th.

MY BEST WISHES FOR A JOYOUS CHRISTMAS, FULL OF WARMTH, HEALTH AND LOVE TO YOU AND ALL OF YOUR FAMILIES!


Cheers!
Stefano 'kelti' Denti

​

 

[Rami]

Reply...

Stefano,

Don't torture yourself, you are too much like me with regard to achieving perfection. If our Christmas present has to be delayed, so be it. Take your time and enjoy life, my friend. And thank you immeasurably for all your efforts!

 

[kelticheart]

Stefano,

Don't torture yourself, you are too much like me with regard to achieving perfection. If our Christmas present has to be delayed, so be it. Take your time and enjoy life, my friend. And thank you immeasurably for all your efforts!

Oh, Rami, exactly what I needed, a teacher's point of view!

Please, take a look at the attached Pilot's Handbook and tell me if my translation and instructions are understandable enough, without too many language errors!

Thank you!
Stef

 

[Rami]

Reply...

Stef,

From my perspective, the instructions are very detailed and informative. In addition, I like the extra authenticity effort to provide Italian-language gauges and panel information. This is a, to use a "teacher" response, an "A+" effort.

 

[kelticheart]

Stef,

From my perspective, the instructions are very detailed and informative. In addition, I like the extra authenticity effort to provide Italian-language gauges and panel information. This is a, to use a "teacher" response, an "A+" effort.

Thanks, Rami!

I have to re-edit it to reflect the last changes. I hope Manuele will be happy, because I am spending three times as much with the 2d/vc panels than with the rest of the aircraft.

Last night I completed a brief history of Luigi Gorrini's life, condensed from his past interviews, including the one I got on DVD, some of them published on the Net, and his biography "Vespa 2". It contains things that I already posted here in the past and I hope it shall be a fitting homage to the memory of a man whose mould, like so many others of those generations worldwide, has long since lost.

If I can get to work the last attitude gauge that I found, very close to the standard Regia Aeronautica instrument, I'll be able to meet the 12/31 deadline. Over the Holiday, I completed 90% of all documentation I want to include, which as usual, steals the majority of the time needed to prepare a good quality upload.

It's this #???!!@#@ attitude gauge that's giving me the fits: shows up fine in the panel editor util and then gives me only an empty space in CFS2!

Cheers!
Stef

 

[bearcat241]

...It's this #???!!@#@ attitude gauge that's giving me the fits: shows up fine in the panel editor util and then gives me only an empty space in CFS2!

If its any FS2002/2004 gauge done after circa 2003, don't waste your time man. They don't show in game for CFS2 due to the programming algorithms dictated by newer FS gauge design tools and methodology used after 2003. Its THE principal reason why 98% of the panels of FS conversions have to be refitted with CFS2 compatible gauges. Its a drag too because so much of the original FS gauge work is such eye-candy.

 

[kelticheart]

If its any FS2002/2004 gauge done after circa 2003, don't waste your time man. They don't show in game for CFS2 due to the programming algorithms dictated by newer FS gauge design tools and methodology used after 2003. Its THE principal reason why 98% of the panels of FS conversions have to be refitted with CFS2 compatible gauges. Its a drag too because so much of the original FS gauge work is such eye-candy.

HI, there! HAPPY NEW YEAR DJ!!!

Bull's eye my friend! That freakin' Italian attitude gauge is exactly an ID_xxxxxx.gau designed for either FS2002 and/or 2004, our good Beepee just shed light over it for me.

Even if it shows up in CFGEdit, CFS2 does not display it, for love or money.
My next million-buck question now is: what's the scope of uploading it in a CFS2-dedicated pack, if there's no way to make it work?

Mysteries of life...........

Cheers!
Stef!

 

[bearcat241]

Happy new year to you as well!

The best way to get the static face of that gauge and all of the moving parts working in CFS2 is to painstakingly "borrow" each of the bitmaps from the FS gauge's components and transfer them to an existing similar CFS2 gauge via FS Panel Studio and whatever paint proggy you connect it to. Its basically a copy/paste/overwrite exercise that takes a great deal of persistence and patience to put each component in place with 100% functionality, because FSPS can be a little bitchy sometimes about how you go about it and it will "block" your finish. FSPS's internal gauge editor will allow you to view and edit individual bmps of a gauge with your external paint program, which the editor accesses on your command.

The outer bank index will break out as a static image, but the center horizon reference will show as a separate part because its dynamic in design. My advice would be to choose a stand-alone CFS2 compatible attitude instrument, rename it, then got to work. Avoid editing the bundled gauges found in all of the flyable stockers until you get a better handle for how this works.

DJ

 

[kelticheart]

Happy new year to you as well!

The best way to get the static face of that gauge and all of the moving parts working in CFS2 is to painstakingly "borrow" each of the bitmaps from the FS gauge's components and transfer them to an existing similar CFS2 gauge via FS Panel Studio and whatever paint proggy you connect it to. Its basically a copy/paste/overwrite exercise that takes a great deal of persistence and patience to put each component in place with 100% functionality, because FSPS can be a little bitchy sometimes about how you go about it and it will "block" your finish. FSPS's internal gauge editor will allow you to view and edit individual bmps of a gauge with your external paint program, which the editor accesses on your command.

The outer bank index will break out as a static image, but the center horizon reference will show as a separate part because its dynamic in design. My advice would be to choose a stand-alone CFS2 compatible attitude instrument, rename it, then got to work. Avoid editing the bundled gauges found in all of the flyable stockers until you get a better handle for how this works.

DJ

Thanks buddy! Always precious suggestions from you!

BTW.: I am about to upload the Macchi-Castoldi 205V Veltro Series III conversion for CFS2. Thanks to your teachings, I was able to bring this bird to historical performance specs, so feel responsible for it!

"Macchi-Castoldi" 205V is the correct way to name her, as "Macchi" was the factory, Aeronautica Macchi in Varese, north-west of Milano near Malpensa Int. Airport.
Engineer Mario Castoldi was the chief designer at Aeronautica Macchi. Like his contemporary Reginald J. Mitchell at Supermarine Aviation in South Hampton, he was involved in Schneider Trophy floatplane design during the 1930's.

His M.C.72 racing floatplane still holds the world's speed record for piston engine powered floatplanes. Such speed was reached in a close circuit on October 23rd, 1934, averaging 709,209 km/h.

Cheers!
Stef

 

[kelticheart]

MVG12's Macchi C.205V conversion for CFS2 pack.zip

A new entry has been added to Add-Ons Library, category CFS 2 Aircraft - Italian

Description: To the memory of the late Maresciallo Pilota 1st class (corresponding to a RAF Warrant Officer) Luigi Gorrini, Medaglia d'Oro al Valor Militare (M.O.V.M.), Croce di Ferro di 1a e 2a Classe (Gold Medal for Military Valour, equalling to the British Victoria Cross or the US Congressional Medal of Honour, and Luftwaffe Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class).
Born on July 12th, 1917. Deceased on November 8th, 2014.

By Stefano 'kelticheart' Denti, in strict cooperation with a SOH team composed by:

Manuele Villa, a.k.a. MVG3d;
Allen Downey, a.k.a. Allen;
Dave ?????, a.k.a. Dvslats;
Bertrand Pillot, a.k.a. Beepee;
Giorgio Maragliano, a.k.a. Chalachew;
Mark Shelley, a.k.a. Shessi.

CFS2 conversion pack for MVG3d/Piero Zazzetta's Macchi-Castoldi 205V Veltro 3a Serie (3rd series).

Memorial upload dedicated to Maresciallo Pilota 1st class Luigi Gorrini, the last surviving Italian WWII fighter pilot, recently deceased at 97 years of age.

This C.205 livery, painted specifically for this memorial project by Manuele Villa, depicts Macchi-Castoldi 205V Series III "Veltro", M.M. 92302, "Red 23"-1, flown by Sergente Maggiore (RAF Flight Sargeant) Luigi Gorrini during his service with 1a Squadriglia "Asso di Bastoni" ("Ace of Clubs"), 1o Gruppo Caccia (Fighter Group), Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, based in Campoformido, province of Udine, at the beginning of 1944 and Reggio Emilia from April 1944 to the end of WWII.

Included are alternative full disc and single blade prop textures and a Green Ghost-style DAP gauge-controlled exhaust effect.

By kelticheart.

Enjoy!

To check it out, rate it or add comments, visit MVG12's Macchi C.205V conversion for CFS2 pack.zip
The comments you make there will appear in the posts below.

 

[kelticheart]

Hi everybody!

This time I kept my promise to complete MVG3d's Macchi-Castoldi 205V "Veltro" (Hound) conversion project within year's end and upload it!

It's up in the "CFS2-Italian-Aircraft" section.

Meeting the deadline took me some effort........., but it's very important to me that this pack is a memorial upload dedicated to a man who was my childhood sort of hero: Luigi Gorrini.

As Rami here knows, I had close family connections with Gorrini but destiny decreed I was never to meet him personally, in spite of my deep desire of knowing him personally.
Back at the end of September I went this close, but it did not happen. He had fell ill, he had let go after the death of his beloved spouse. At 97 year of age a fatal blow.

The idea of creating a memorial upload started with my request I addressed to Manuele Villa to change the fuselage codes of his C.205V, already painted in ANR colours, so that I could have Gorrini's C.205 in my CFS2. Deciding to honour his memory and share it with everybody here, was just the next step.

Anyway, this is my tribute, allowed also by the great cooperation with some of the best representative here of CFS2 airplane designer inner knowledge such as Allen, Manuele Villa, Dvslats and Shessi.
A zillion thanks go also to Beepee for his 2d/VC panel + gauges and Chalachew for his assistance and his magnificent conversion job of MVG3d's original Italian gauges.

Converting model, textures and adapting IS4G's 2002 Veltro Flight Model, actually, did not take that long. Finding a strictly historical Veltro cockpit and then Italian gauges to fit took about 85% of the project. I modified the last attitude gauge sent to me by Beepee just yesterday, still I'll have to upload a more historically accurate instrument at a later time, providing I'll be able to get there.

Writing proper documentation took the rest. I stayed up until 2 a.m. last night to complete the Pilot's Handbook 2d panel instructions, which I finished touching up this morning at my work desk, while I wrote Luigi Gorrini's Epitaph, a brief summary of his life as a WWII fighter pilot, during my free time at work, taking advantage of better desktop publishing tools I have here.

I know people tend to avoid reading, just want to install real quick and then shoot at, or go to shoot with, without bothering with the readmes and such....

I never asked before, this time let me ask you, please, for your kind replies. Whether you like what I wrote or not, as I truly poured into those pages the best of myself. I don't mean grammar and spelling, I do not pretend to be 100% perfect with my English.

My summary of Luigi Gorrini's life comes from interviews published on the Net over the past years, from his biography titled "Vespa 2" (Gorrini's callsign) and a near 50 minutes, 2011 interview published on DVD by Ronin Films here in Italy, that I bought in September.
It's a true, sad account of what Italian pilots faced during WWII. Under equipped, badly organised, armed only with their individual guts, considered only as cannon fodder by that callous monster Mussolini, who needed "A few hundred thousand dead soldiers to throw on the winner's table".
On how joining WWII was absolutely neither wanted, nor felt by the vast majority of the Italian people, notwithstanding the appearances, and, consequently, how everything was done amateurishly, unwillingly and on the skin of the poor combatants sent to the various WWII fronts Italy fought, from 1940 to 1943. Then, suffered the consequences of the Sept. 8th, 1943 armistice until April of 1945.

Gorrini paid all of his life for his choice to continue fight with the Germans after the armistice. He was jailed twice and discriminated against in any possible way. He was supposed to retire from the service a full Colonel, but he was only promoted to the equivalent of a RAF Warrant Officer, in spite of his service status and his top decorations for valour awarded to him during and after WWII, by both Italy and Germany.
He held all of his life he was never a fascist or believed in them, he only flew to keep "at least one bomb" from falling on his family house roof. Even back in November, when I read articles about his death over the Net and read comments, there were people, surely young and ignorant, that were toasting to the "death of another fascist".

Actually, his biography reports he was infinitely more respected and appreciated by his once RAF and USAAF former foes, whom Gorrini said "I had to fight only because I was ordered to do it. They were human beings like me and they hadn't done anything wrong to me."

I just want to know whether you got, at least, a fraction of the emotions I felt while writing. That's all.

ENJOY AND HAPPY 2015 TO YA'LL!!!

Cheers!
KH
​

 

[Wayland]

Macchi 205

Lovely! A true masterpiece. Thank you!

Steve

 

[Worthless]

Thanks Keilti....I did read your comments, and thank you for that too. Got to go download now. Happy New Year!

 

[misson]

Congrats!

Great effort and good job ! Thank you to you Kelticheart and friends mentioned.
Cheers
Mario

 

[Blood_Hawk23]

Kelti,

A true labor of love. Its interesting to note that he was born during WWI and die at the anniversary of the start of the great war.

Superb work my friend. Truly.

 

[Worthless]

Outstanding!!!

The 23-1 is superb AC. Congratulations to all concerned....Kelti, MVG3d, Allen, Dvslats, Beepee, Chalachew, and Shessi. I've tried FF and QC and the performance is great. I think I prefer the default BP Panel to the Alpha, and about that....

At first I couldn't get the Alpha panel to display, but upon examining the "Panel.CFG file" I found this line with a KH suffix.

[Window00]
file=VeltroPnl_KH.bmp

Remove the _KH and all is well.

 

[gaucho_59]

2D panel just for this gem...

Very good addition!

This is a more faithful version to the actual panel... with the San Gregorio gunsight and the real instruments.
Available as usual...


Carlos

 

[kelticheart]

The 23-1 is superb AC. Congratulations to all concerned....Kelti, MVG3d, Allen, Dvslats, Beepee, Chalachew, and Shessi. I've tried FF and QC and the performance is great. I think I prefer the default BP Panel to the Alpha, and about that....

At first I couldn't get the Alpha panel to display, but upon examining the "Panel.CFG file" I found this line with a KH suffix.

[Window00]
file=VeltroPnl_KH.bmp

Remove the _KH and all is well.

Darn'....I knew it! After all the care I took to avoid post-upload corrections and updates, something slipped my firewall......simply too many things to keep under control during Christmas Holidays...

I am happy to report I checked immediately the files I uploaded and actually it's not a big error. The Alphaoldies panel I included is the correct one, because the bitmap details I cleared out of the original, to make room for better gauge placement, are not there, so the bitmap is the right one.

I just did not synchronize exactly the upload pack with the working files I have in my CFS2. I had only thought to place my signature suffix "_KH" at the end of the original bitmap filename, to differentiate the old from the new.
This to help avoiding people mixing up the original panel with painted details that would bother the panel I intended. Providing, of course, they have the old Alpha version on their pc's.
During the transition from the unzipped to the zipped pack I forgot to rename the file I included, while in my CFS2 it's correctly named "VeltroPnl_KH.bmp".

Thanks for pointing it out Worthless, you should rename the Alphaoldies panel filename instead of correcting the panel.cfg entry. In this way the original will never interfere with the new one.

Rami, can you correct this overview by editing my pack, or do you prefer me to upload another panel bitmap with the correct filename and then you go in and replace it? Whichever you'd like me to do, but I think the first option is the simplest.

Just rename "VeltroPnl.bmp" 2d panel texture file to "VeltroPnl_KH.bmp".

Thank you everybody for your generous comments. Keep in mind that Piero Zazzetta and Manuele Villa designed this beautiful model, while Allen did the actual conversion, I only wrapped it up with fancy ribbons...

Gaucho_59

I am sorry, but in the panel picture you posted, the gauges shown do not match the historical panel. Please, read my 2d panel user's manual and look carefully at the B/W pictures I included of the M.C. 205 Veltro cockpit. Those pictures come from original Regia Aeronautica flight and maintenance manuals sent to me by Manuele Villa. He even sent me the original spare part catalogue for both M.C.202 and M.C.205. You must have missed them.

Congratulations for your San Giorgio gunsight, which is fine and correctly adapted to CFS2 central point of aim, in reality M.C.202 and M.C.205 both followed the Luftwaffe fashion of shifting the gunsight slightly to the right. This is incompatible with CFS2.

On the other hand the gauge you placed to the left of the gunsight, first of all it does not appear to be a standard Regia Aeronautica instrument, besides that's the correct place for the altimeter, instead.

Even the 5 meter per second V.S.I. gauge you used was never used on the Folgore or the Veltro. They were both equipped instead with the later 25 meter per second V.S.I., the one I correctly included in the pack.
I did not spend almost a month trying to come up with a good explanation of Italian metric gauges, for the majority here used to Allied measuring system gauges, and checking it thouroughly against historical sources, just because I thought I needed to make the upload bigger in size.

Cheers!
Stef 'KH'

 

[Rami]

Reply...

Good morning Stef,

Taken care of. No trouble at all!

 

[gaucho_59]

Corrections!

You are absolutely right.. my apologies as well for the misnaming the S. Giorgio gunsight.
I rushed the repaint job a bit and got a wrong gauge. It is now more faithful to my photograph...

Notwithstanding this... the Alpha Oldies panel still does not have the right shape for the cruscotto..
It does not have the right shape or gauge disposition...
the far top right of the cruscotto is just not right... the one I got is from a photograph.... and the
gauge in question (its face now corrected...) is not flush with the panel.. but screwed on top.. (like I have it)
Also... the bottom right should be the way I have it (also from photograph)
Admittedly, my version is NOT EXACTLY the photograph... but it comes much closer to it...

It should work fine with the present config... one needs to just change the size and position of some gauges a bit.

Cheers,
G.