Screenshots!

[Frosty]

It was rare for combat aircraft to have been buffed to a high polished shine. We can get a false impression from Airshows and Museums that they all had pristine finishes that gleamed like a mirror. In reality the bare metal finish aircraft quickly turned somewhat flat from exposure to the elements as the aluminum took on an oxide patina. I've researched a fair number of period photos and the large majority did not look like the show planes of today. The effect I do see is that even with a flat aluminum finish you can have pronounced specular effects and a mirror look if you view the surface from a very shallow angle (this is an optical effect for most surfaces determined by physics).

I agree with you on the 'mercury reflectiveness' on some of the aircraft. Especially the painted ones. Paint was meant to hide the aircraft, so except for those high gloss Navy jobs, most aircraft (or at least their painted surfaces) should be rather little or non-reflective. Not to mention the toll that day in, day out flying took on the aircraft. They probably didn't hose 'em down after every mission.
But you gotta admit that even the most skillfull skinner can't do for a 'bare metal' model what the latest developments do! Now it's a matter of finding the right balance...

 

[HouseHobbit]

Finally a computer fast enough to use the contrails
Thanks be to Joshua, and Kathy.
These look Great!
May have to build some missions using all of this soon.

 

[Daiwilletti]

Finally a computer fast enough to use the contrails

May have to build some missions using all of this soon.

Verily HH,

using contrails on a 100 bomber formation would be a wondrous thing.

As an aside, does each "unit" in a formationtype (eg. diamond, echelon) have the same altitude? this seems to be the weakness of the CFS3 setup for formation flying. If the separation could be set up to specify vertical as well as horizontal separation within the formation, that would help with the realism. All those bombers doing mass evasive actions due to the twitchy AI pilots, looks a bit wierd I guess?

Does the skill level affect the tolerance of the pilot to closeness of another aircraft? I.e. do you find that in formations with skill=3, that the evasive manoeuvers are not so bad?

compliments of the New Year,

 

[gecko]

When working with aircraft aluminum it comes off the sheet fairly shiny and reflective, but not like a mirror. Additionally, care is taken not to scratch it as even a small scratch will cut through the corrosion proof pure aluminum coating and expose the aluminum alloy beneath to corrosion.

It would certainly not be polished and waxed like you see at air shows (this is necessary to preserve the aircraft over time though as unpainted metal will corrode much faster than when it is painted) nor would it have been cared for quite so diligently as we do today as the aircraft were not really expected to last long enough for corrosion to become an issue anyways. There should be some decent reflection visible, you can see it in period photos if the lighting is right, but you wouldn't have seen polished and mirror like finishes.

 

[HouseHobbit]

I have a rare set of books(from my father) Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial edition Pictorial History of World War II
1952
In them are thousands of WW2 photos un re-touched some rather graphic.
In them are many late war 1944-45 with Highly polished aircraft.
I realize after a time they would lose thier shine, but as I know from vets who were there, when the 8th desided to use the bombers as bait to bring up the remaining Luftwaffe, the idea of bare metal wasn't always welcomed.
A dear friend who was in B-17's and later B-29's spoke about his to me, along with several other WW2 vets that were in my life years ago, all now have passed unto Our Lord, God bless them.
a few photos (sorry about the quality not easy to do take pictures of pictures.)

And I am grateful my Father got these books while in the Army in 52' never seen another set of them yet.
Thousands and thousands of photos, also have a set for Korea.

 

[HouseHobbit]

Verily HH,

using contrails on a 100 bomber formation would be a wondrous thing.

As an aside, does each "unit" in a formationtype (eg. diamond, echelon) have the same altitude? this seems to be the weakness of the CFS3 setup for formation flying. If the separation could be set up to specify vertical as well as horizontal separation within the formation, that would help with the realism. All those bombers doing mass evasive actions due to the twitchy AI pilots, looks a bit wierd I guess?

Does the skill level affect the tolerance of the pilot to closeness of another aircraft? I.e. do you find that in formations with skill=3, that the evasive manoeuvers are not so bad?

compliments of the New Year,

Hi David, Happy new year..
I have sorted out the formations, as much as CFS3 will allow.
and have then set at different heights, and sizes.

I haven't tested the skill level to see if Expert or rookie make a difference.
I have the Bombers set at Rookie, because the AI gunners at any other setting in 100-200 plane formations make it impossible to survive in a AXIS aircraft when making passes.
The AI gunners are much better then the success rate in real life.(rare to shoot down a fighter)
I will test the skill settings and let you know if this makes a difference..

Working on a set with contrails, for the faster/newer/computers to use..

My older XP machine didn't like the contrails nearly froze it up completely years ago when I first started building large formations
But with the newer computers now available this isn't a problem.

 

[MajorMagee]

The three photos you posted actually show the bright patina I was discussing, and not a mirror like polished finish.

 

[HouseHobbit]

LMBO ( laughing my beard off)
Okay is this better?
One of the truly great aircraft of course, But again the US had the Greatest/Best birds of the allies.
.
OOOPPS! Yea I know open hunting season on hobbits again..LOL!
On goes the Ring!

 

[wiekniera]

just simple shots as usual

 

[wiekniera]

 

[wiekniera]

Big Burger

 

[wiekniera]

 

[HouseHobbit]

Too Cool Wiek, really like the screenshots.
Thanks..

 

[Daiwilletti]

Those shiny birds look amazing. I'd hate to be the aircrew having to polish that lot

 

[mongoose]

I tend to think Frosty and gecko are correct on this one. Bare metal may shine in bright sunlight but paint jobs certainly wouldn't. And I say again the oil slicks certainly wouldn't.

 

[wiekniera]

@hobbit
Thanks owen..glad you like it !

@daiwilleti
Thanks! it's amazing when using the newest shader effect, but for some reason im still using the old shader which for me more stable, little crash impact when using ENB or Sweetfx


Boring time...nothing special

 

[wiekniera]

Lazy day..CFStriography ***
Bloom ON

 

[wiekniera]

BLOOM Off

 

[BorekS]

eeek! just phantastic!!!

I am for Bloom ON

 

[wiekniera]

This ones a bit naughty, it's from a test install I've been playing with.

Hampdens over Cambridgeshire.

This's looks sharp pat !! i like it..WOFF style