I was distracted by real life
But they are all finished to my satisfaction and I promise to begin releasing them as single texture packages over the week-end:salute:
Cheers,
Sascha
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The Staff of SOH
SOH Team Project - Grumman Tracker, Trader, Tracer
- Thread starter Milton Shupe
- Start date
I was distracted by real life
But they are all finished to my satisfaction and I promise to begin releasing them as single texture packages over the week-end:salute:
Cheers,
Sascha
I was distracted by real life
Cheers,
Sascha
No problem , I know all to well what that's like.
Whenever you find time, we'll be waiting ..... thanks.
Pete.
Milton.
If you'll send me this package, I'll give the texturing a try. I've never done from scratch, but I'll give it a shot. Maybe some of the mapping is similar to the radial Stoof.
Dave
Duckie
SOH-CM-2024
Speaking of the "Radial" Stoof!
Tail spotting on the Pax River Transient Ramp... :mixedsmi:
View attachment 68551
Tail spotting on the Pax River Transient Ramp... :mixedsmi:
View attachment 68551
Oh my! Sweet Lady!
Duckie
SOH-CM-2024
Done, done, and DONE!
I'll be packaging these up and shipping them off to Milton over the weekend. :mixedsmi:
View attachment 68650 View attachment 68651
View attachment 68652 View attachment 68653
A few more screenies to follow...
I'll be packaging these up and shipping them off to Milton over the weekend. :mixedsmi:
View attachment 68650 View attachment 68651
View attachment 68652 View attachment 68653
A few more screenies to follow...
Duckie
SOH-CM-2024
Duckie
SOH-CM-2024
seawing
Charter Member
Hi Milton and everyone else on the team!
First, I have to say, great work! Really! Flying FSX only, I must say, there a re no complains about the aircraft's behavior in FSX. This is not very often the case with native FS9 aircraft ported to FSX. Thumbs up!
Concerning the turbine version - which I am really looking forward to - would you consider releasing a turbine version of the Trader as well, just like the KC-2 Turbo Trader for the Brazilian Navy? Here is a link to Flightglobal:
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...sation-365929/
That would be awesome, as it shows the "modern" side of this classic design!
Keep it up!
Seawing:salute:
First, I have to say, great work! Really! Flying FSX only, I must say, there a re no complains about the aircraft's behavior in FSX. This is not very often the case with native FS9 aircraft ported to FSX. Thumbs up!
Concerning the turbine version - which I am really looking forward to - would you consider releasing a turbine version of the Trader as well, just like the KC-2 Turbo Trader for the Brazilian Navy? Here is a link to Flightglobal:
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...sation-365929/
That would be awesome, as it shows the "modern" side of this classic design!
Keep it up!
Seawing:salute:
Duckie, great work start to finish! Impeccable details and paint. I look forward to the package.
Thank you so much! 
Thank you so much!
Duckie
SOH-CM-2024
Duckie, great work start to finish! Impeccable details and paint. I look forward to the package.
Thank you so much!
Thanks for allowing me the pleasure of doing it. It was a great experience. I learned a lot and it was fun to do. :salute::salute:
BEEyoutifull!
Hi Milton and everyone else on the team!
First, I have to say, great work! Really! Flying FSX only, I must say, there a re no complains about the aircraft's behavior in FSX. This is not very often the case with native FS9 aircraft ported to FSX. Thumbs up!
Concerning the turbine version - which I am really looking forward to - would you consider releasing a turbine version of the Trader as well, just like the KC-2 Turbo Trader for the Brazilian Navy? Here is a link to Flightglobal:
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...sation-365929/
That would be awesome, as it shows the "modern" side of this classic design!
Keep it up!
Seawing:salute:
Thank you Seawing for the heads-up on that variant.
I have put together a test combination of the C-1A fuselage and the S2T wings to come up with that variant.
Now to add the fueling probe.
Any idea what the interior looks like? I would assume instead of seats, a refueling tank setup?
I will also need a volunteer to do textures, using a combination of the C-1A fuselage and S2Turbo wings/engines, once this is done.
Anyone who would like to do this, please speak up.
Got a basic fueling op modeled, not sure exactly how this should be animated, especially the capture basket on retraction. Anyone seen a video of that in operation. Does it collapse and get drawn inside?
seawing
Charter Member
Hi Milton,
it looks terrific! Great!
For the animation, the refueling hose must be longer. Not sure exactly what length it will have on the KC-2, but there must be a safe distance between tanker and receiver. Look here:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Helicopter_aerial_refueling.jpg
Second, the basket collapses into its fuselage fairing when fully retracted, like so:
http://dmn.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Omega-K-707-stowed-drogues.jpg
For the interior, I guess it will be a removable system, meaning a modular tank, probably on a crate or something, so it can be installed when the aircraft is flying in its tanker role (K) and be removed when it is used as Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD). For the COD I would just retain the seats, that you have for the old C-1A version. So, in the end, you may need two versions of this plane, one in tanker config and one in transport config. BTW, I think (though not sure) the British VC10 has a similar system.
I have only done repaints, though nothing from scratch, otherwise I would surely offer a hand on the textures. Sorry!
Best regards,
Seawing
it looks terrific! Great!
For the animation, the refueling hose must be longer. Not sure exactly what length it will have on the KC-2, but there must be a safe distance between tanker and receiver. Look here:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Helicopter_aerial_refueling.jpg
Second, the basket collapses into its fuselage fairing when fully retracted, like so:
http://dmn.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Omega-K-707-stowed-drogues.jpg
For the interior, I guess it will be a removable system, meaning a modular tank, probably on a crate or something, so it can be installed when the aircraft is flying in its tanker role (K) and be removed when it is used as Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD). For the COD I would just retain the seats, that you have for the old C-1A version. So, in the end, you may need two versions of this plane, one in tanker config and one in transport config. BTW, I think (though not sure) the British VC10 has a similar system.
I have only done repaints, though nothing from scratch, otherwise I would surely offer a hand on the textures. Sorry!
Best regards,
Seawing
I judged the length from this drawing. Since there are no real world versions yet available, I cannot replicate or model what I can't see. It's all a guess. Maybe we should await a RW version.
seawing
Charter Member
Ok, Milton, I understand your problem. Well, I think double the length would be a fairly good guess. But, what do you think of this, releasing the transport version when the turbos come out and when the first Brazilian with tanker equipment is out, release the tanker? Although it would be sad having to qwait until 2015 ...
I also have some more on the Brazilian AEW version. It appears to be fairly close to the Turbo Tracker with only the MAD boom is missing. So, that should not be too tricky to build. Both airplanes might get an EFIS cockpit as well.
I will see whether I can find out more about the conversions! Like here:
The Brazilian navy hopes to refurbish the 8 airplanes they bought to create an embarked squadron with air tanker and AEW planes for their small aircraft carrier, the Sau Paolo, which cannot take the Hawkeye.
And in December 2011 they placed their first related order, contracting Marsh Aerospace, an Arizona-based company specialized in refurbishing Trader airplanes for civilian and military roles. The contract is for refurbishing a first block of 4 airframes and replacing the aircraft’s original Wright R-1820-8WA powerplants with Honeywell TPE331-14GR turboprops equipped with Hartzell HC-135MA-5 five-blade propellers. Marsh will also upgrade the avionics and communication/navigation suite, but it will, most importantly, install inflight refuelling equipment with a centreline hose and drogue system. The four airplanes are to be known as KC-2 Turbo Traders, and will be all delivered by 2015.
There is no indication of how much fuel they can carry, but the Trader with its old engines has a large fuselage which can be fitted with 9 seats or used to carry over 3500 kg of payload. As firebombers, the Trackers carry 3032 liters of Fire Retardant in the fuselage, so there is quite some space for additional fuel tanks expanding the airplane's already considerable fuel capacity.
It won't be a Voyager, of course, but it will be better than a Buddy Buddy solution, and won't 'waste' a fighter bomber in tanker role.
The contract value is 167 million dollars. Added to the purchase cost, each tanker will cost just 41.7 million dollars.
Within the year the Brazilian navy hopes to give the go ahead to a second contract for turning at least 2 of the other airframes into embarked AEW platforms. Interestingly, the Eliradar HEW-784 and Thales Searchwater 2000 sensors viewed as prime candidates for being selected as main sensor system. The HEW-784 is used by the 4 italian Merlin AEW helicopters, while the Searchwater 2000 is used by the Sea King MK7 and is, together with Vigilance pod (APG-80 derivative radar from LM) the main competitor for the RN's future AEW solution as well.
The Trader modified for AEW role would contain the radar in a drop-down radome deploying when in flight from the bottom of the fuselage. This solution is not new for Trader/Trackers, since the original ASW variant of the Tracker used this method for deploying its search radar.
The airplane will carry 2 or 3 consoles for the radar operators, and almost certainly will be re-engined like the KC-2 Turbo Trader.
The advantages of a Turbo Trader solution for AEW are very noticeable: it has a longer range, is faster, can stay in the air for longer and, very important, fly much higher than an helicopter, giving a better detection range to its radar. A Sea King MK7 can fly its surveillance patrols at 15.000 feet, but will routinely stay down at just 10.000, while a normal Trader will fly at 18.000 and a re-engined one will be able to patrol at 25.000 feet, exploiting the Searchwater's performances much better.
And if the airplane was fitted with a refueling probe, its tanker sister could expand its patrol endurance in any moment.
The Brazilian navy is very serious about its expanding and improving Navy and carrier strike capability. It has also chosen a remarkably cost-effective solution to air refuelling and AEW.
Greetings,
Seawing
I also have some more on the Brazilian AEW version. It appears to be fairly close to the Turbo Tracker with only the MAD boom is missing. So, that should not be too tricky to build. Both airplanes might get an EFIS cockpit as well.
I will see whether I can find out more about the conversions! Like here:
The Brazilian navy hopes to refurbish the 8 airplanes they bought to create an embarked squadron with air tanker and AEW planes for their small aircraft carrier, the Sau Paolo, which cannot take the Hawkeye.
And in December 2011 they placed their first related order, contracting Marsh Aerospace, an Arizona-based company specialized in refurbishing Trader airplanes for civilian and military roles. The contract is for refurbishing a first block of 4 airframes and replacing the aircraft’s original Wright R-1820-8WA powerplants with Honeywell TPE331-14GR turboprops equipped with Hartzell HC-135MA-5 five-blade propellers. Marsh will also upgrade the avionics and communication/navigation suite, but it will, most importantly, install inflight refuelling equipment with a centreline hose and drogue system. The four airplanes are to be known as KC-2 Turbo Traders, and will be all delivered by 2015.
There is no indication of how much fuel they can carry, but the Trader with its old engines has a large fuselage which can be fitted with 9 seats or used to carry over 3500 kg of payload. As firebombers, the Trackers carry 3032 liters of Fire Retardant in the fuselage, so there is quite some space for additional fuel tanks expanding the airplane's already considerable fuel capacity.
It won't be a Voyager, of course, but it will be better than a Buddy Buddy solution, and won't 'waste' a fighter bomber in tanker role.
The contract value is 167 million dollars. Added to the purchase cost, each tanker will cost just 41.7 million dollars.
 |
| Carrierborne air tanker? You bet, and for bargain price as well! |
Within the year the Brazilian navy hopes to give the go ahead to a second contract for turning at least 2 of the other airframes into embarked AEW platforms. Interestingly, the Eliradar HEW-784 and Thales Searchwater 2000 sensors viewed as prime candidates for being selected as main sensor system. The HEW-784 is used by the 4 italian Merlin AEW helicopters, while the Searchwater 2000 is used by the Sea King MK7 and is, together with Vigilance pod (APG-80 derivative radar from LM) the main competitor for the RN's future AEW solution as well.
The Trader modified for AEW role would contain the radar in a drop-down radome deploying when in flight from the bottom of the fuselage. This solution is not new for Trader/Trackers, since the original ASW variant of the Tracker used this method for deploying its search radar.
The airplane will carry 2 or 3 consoles for the radar operators, and almost certainly will be re-engined like the KC-2 Turbo Trader.
 |
| And AEW solution as well. Not an Hawkeye, but a quantum leap in capability from an helicopter based solution. 25.000 feet of patrol altitude against 15.000 at most, and up to 7 hours in the air. As a plus, it is intended to use the Searchwater 2000 which the RN already uses. Again, it promises to be cheap as chips. |
The advantages of a Turbo Trader solution for AEW are very noticeable: it has a longer range, is faster, can stay in the air for longer and, very important, fly much higher than an helicopter, giving a better detection range to its radar. A Sea King MK7 can fly its surveillance patrols at 15.000 feet, but will routinely stay down at just 10.000, while a normal Trader will fly at 18.000 and a re-engined one will be able to patrol at 25.000 feet, exploiting the Searchwater's performances much better.
And if the airplane was fitted with a refueling probe, its tanker sister could expand its patrol endurance in any moment.
The Brazilian navy is very serious about its expanding and improving Navy and carrier strike capability. It has also chosen a remarkably cost-effective solution to air refuelling and AEW.
Greetings,
Seawing