How goes the work?

[hairyspin]

Last winter Milton started a series of tutorials on modelling for beginners. Is anyone still working on a project, let's see what you've got! To start things off, here's my own to date.

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/6194/image16ut9.jpg

but I hope no-one else wasted as much time as I did trying to animate a complicated undercarriage mechanism. It all works now, but I didn't half chase up some blind alleys to get there.

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/3259/image17dn1.jpg

[Milton Shupe]

Thanks for sharing the progress ... looks like you have fought and won the good fight. :ernae:

Keep after it and keep us posted please. :applause:

[thicko]

Granted, I started in Gmax a few months before Milton's tutorials came out, I did learn much from them. Also learned a great deal from the Multi-sub-object material tutorial. Thanks Milton!
Five of this early MiG series aircraft for CFS2 up-loaded here at SOH. Thanks to Goopney who still had his Makemdl interface for CFS2 available.That was the most difficult part of the process. Next I will attempt the CFS3 SDK.
Cheers Thicko

[hairyspin]

And they'll get a warm welcome from the CFS3 community; we have too few Eastern Front aircraft so far! :applause::applause::applause:

[grumpos]

I messed about with this a few months ago. It was more an exercise in modelling than making a start on an FSX aircraft. If Hairyspin's Tempest is for FSX, I'll keep it at the back of the hanger.

Best wishes
Steve P

[Milton Shupe]

Steve,

Great to see you in process. Given the newness and difficulties some have (like me) in doing anything for FSX, I know that anything you can contribute would be highly encouraged and warmly welcomed. Keep up the good fight my friend. :applause:

[Milton Shupe]

Granted, I started in Gmax a few months before Milton's tutorials came out, I did learn much from them. Also learned a great deal from the Multi-sub-object material tutorial. Thanks Milton!
Five of this early MiG series aircraft for CFS2 up-loaded here at SOH. Thanks to Goopney who still had his Makemdl interface for CFS2 available.That was the most difficult part of the process. Next I will attempt the CFS3 SDK.
Cheers Thicko

Man, that looks awesome Thicko :medals:

[hairyspin]

If Hairyspin's Tempest is for FSX, I'll keep it at the back of the hanger.

Best wishes
Steve P

Wheel her out, my dear chap, mine is for CFS3!

[hairyspin]

Bother this pooter

[grumpos]

Steve,

Great to see you in process. Given the newness and difficulties some have (like me) in doing anything for FSX, I know that anything you can contribute would be highly encouraged and warmly welcomed. Keep up the good fight my friend. :applause:

Milton,

Thanks for the kind words. I'm very much a novice with doing stuff for fsx. From time to time I think that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but its so dark in there that I might be going in the wrong direction. :d

Hairyspin,

Drat!!! I'd better get pulling those polys then. :costumes:

Best wishes
Steve P

Best wishes
Steve P

[Milton Shupe]

Scott Thomas has made much progress on the C-162 panel and I am still piddling in the VC. here's a video that Scott did to demonstrate the G300.

http://s242.photobucket.com/albums/ff284/OlJeeps/Videos/?action=view&current=G300.flv

[Aaron B]

All these models look great! I'm going to have to sit down and think of a project for myself to take a shot at.

All the resources are out there!

[pilotwing]

Hello everybody,I want to start doing my own planes,but I dont know anything of programming,can anyone please help me?

[hairyspin]

I'd start with the sticky thread New links for old on this forum - this tells you where to find Milton's tutorial material which I've been making great use of.

Just be warned that you'll need a lot of patience to get used to the tools - if you're as technically minded as a disco queen you might have difficulty, but a year down the line I'm fairly at home with gmax now.

[pilotwing]

Thank you,I will start looking for,and thanks for the warning,indeed I dont have much patience but I will do my best to make something of value in my life

[Lionus]

I really should get back to practicing this stuff. Maybe if I watch some vids about old air racers for inspiration.. I really want to do Macchi M.C.72 and Curtis RC-3.. maybe even armed version of the latter one.

[hairyspin]

Well it's one thing building your aircraft in gmax, can you get it to display in the sim?? I won't pretend these are from the first flight, but with the model hierarchy better understood, progress is now progressing! :jump:

http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/5254/firstflight01qx2.jpg

http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/9572/firstflight02rt3.jpg

http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/8906/firstflight03wv3.jpg


And since I'm building for Combat Flight Simulator 3, we also have working guns....

http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/8252/firstflight04hv0.jpg


Still lots to do and some to re-do (see another thread here) and all textures are very provisional. Anyone else still slogging away?

[Milton Shupe]

Yee haa! That looks great!

Yes, I am plugging away at the Grizzly, near wrapping another Dash 7 version, but put the brakes on the C-162 since there is a payware version coming out soon.

[n4gix]

Milton, those are some of the best looking tires I've ever seen... :wavey:

[Milton Shupe]

Milton, those are some of the best looking tires I've ever seen... :wavey:

Thanks Bill ... I have a thing about gear in general and its contribution to realism, without outdoing the rest of the model of course. Hope that new project is coming along ... looks great!

EDIT: I forgot to mention that the tire tread bmp was provided by Manfred Jahn ... I love it!

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

Milton Say it isn't so!


but put the brakes on the C-162 since there is a payware version coming out soon.I was really looking forward to this plane and I seriously doubt any payware company could do it as well as you and your team!

That said I'm assuming all the tutorials that existed prior to the "crash" still exist? There are a couple aircraft that I've been interested in for some time. I have downloaded the manuals and they have 3-views and a reasonable set of specs - plus there are a fair number of pictures - inside and out... I have been watching for other info. While they are not aircraft that many would likely have any interest in they are aircraft that I might someday try to set my sights on actually flying. I relate more to aircraft like that and that is why I was looking forward to the 162. Anyway I might start piddling around with one of these- probably the blue and white one as it's 75% cruise is 147 kts true and if you trottle back a bit from that over 1000nm range. In Canada we don't have that silly 120kt limit and many of these aircraft are fully capable of more than that although the ones modeled for the US seem to respect that limit in the models disappointing for some of those models.

-Ed-

[Milton Shupe]

Ah, it is only temporary until after their release.

Meanwhile, we have the Dash 7 release looking like February ... textures being finalized, the Grizzly looks good for April maybe, the xp47j after that ... June. Somewhere along the route the C-162 will pop back in there. :)

[aeronca1]

Meanwhile, we have the Dash 7 release looking like February ... :)

Very good news! February being what it is up here in snow country, I'll have a lot of time to fly the Dash 7. :woot:

[Milton Shupe]

After many hours and hundreds of parts, still a long way to go in the VC of the Grizzly, but it is shaping up. Hopefully will be able to map the interior by Monday.

[Milton Shupe]

Damian has started working the textures on this Republic gem, and it looks like he has it well in tow. I am really looking forward to this one. :woot:

[Milton Shupe]

I know that before I got into design work, I was always interested to see the wireframes of aircraft that show the depth of work that go into these aircraft. I know from comments from others that many feel the same way. So I present here the wireframes of the Beechcraft A28 Destroyer / XA-38 Grizzly.

[Shylock]

I'm not a designer, but man I admire the work you guys do for the flight sim community. Thank you

[hairyspin]

Good idea! Another fabulous example is Luca's stunning M-346 shown over at Netwings:- http://forums.netwings.org/forums/showthread.php?t=10867 (http://forums.netwings.org/forums/showthread.php?t=10867).


http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n179/Cacciatore_di_stelle/018.jpg



Mine are unbelievably rough by comparison, but at least they're mine! :costumes:

[pilotwing]

How can you create an aircraft container for CFS3?

[Milton Shupe]

You are right hairyspin ... that mesh looks awesome!

The current state of the XA-38 VC work with a little help from photoshop. :typing:

[hairyspin]

How can you create an aircraft container for CFS3?

Hello pw, for an example see just about any of the stock aircraft folders in the Program Files/Microsoft Games/Combat Flight Simulator 3/Aircraft folder. However to summarise, the basic container is a folder within the Aircraft folder containing the following:-

AircraftName.m3d - the model as exported from gMax
AircraftName.air - the flight model
AircraftName.xdp - the damage model and external stores
aircraft.cfg - this file defines weights, fuel load, contact points and lots of other data concerning the aircraft, duplicating a lot of the data you ought to put in the .air file for reasons I don't yet understand
model textures - these have the extension .dds
Sound folder - speaks for itself, really...
damage effect texture - this has the extension .mos
AircraftName_cockpit0.m3d - the virtual cockpit as exported from gMax
You will also find a file named AircraftName.bdp which you don't need to bother about - it's created by the sim when it first finds your shiny new model there. On the other hand, if you alter the configuration or add new effects, you must delete this file so that the sim rebuilds a new copy including your changes.

You may find that an aircraft folder contains more than one model - to supply variants of an aircraft type, and more than one VC model per aircraft - bombers have a bomb-aimer's position and may have multiple gun turrets. These multiple models are defined and controlled by aircraft.cfg.

You may also find the model(s) and VC(s) are actually in a model sub-folder, textures are in a texture sub-folder and weapons or loads peculiar to the model are in a pylons folder, but the basic container is the folder containing all these - to delete a model, just delete this folder and its contents, but don't rush to delete the stock models - the sim depends on some of them for basic functionality :banghead:

For more info, see the SDK documentation:-
http://www.microsoft.com/games/combatfs3/cfs3_sdk.aspx (http://www.microsoft.com/games/combatfs3/cfs3_sdk.aspx)

[hairyspin]

And another from another 3dsMax user (gMax for professional users :costumes:), also from Netwings:- http://forums.netwings.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5439&page=1 (http://forums.netwings.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5439&page=1)


http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/8250/wires063qv.jpg

[Milton Shupe]

Yes, that is indeed a work of art.... painstakingly crafted and babied to the end. :applause:

[pilotwing]

I'll guess it's time for me to show up this:

My first model, The Antonov An-225

[FelixFFDS]

I know that before I got into design work, I was always interested to see the wireframes of aircraft that show the depth of work that go into these aircraft. I know from comments from others that many feel the same way. So I present here the wireframes of the Beechcraft A28 Destroyer / XA-38 Grizzly.


Milton - You know that I've always been a proponent of the wireframe shot.....

Just think - the ultimate flightsim modeller's magazine "Down to the Wire" with the wireframe centerfold of the month!

All kidding aside, that's where the artistry of the mesh comes out.

I get more understanding - and ideas - on how to do/adapt my modelling from seeing wireframe screenshots.

[hairyspin]

I saw one of these brutes summer before last, just 2000ft up on final approach above where I was working. It's so BIG you think it's flying too slowly to stay up. Also from where I stood the port inner engine was hidden and I at first thought the third engine on starboard was wing cargo for a repair works! :redf:

It'll be good to see this one with some more details like undercarriage - how many wheels has the Antonov?

[pilotwing]

how many wheels has the Antonov?

Fourteen on each main landing gear,four in the nose landing gear,also there is only one An-225!,with another one in production

[pilotwing]

It's alive!

At last i exported my antonov in CFS3!,It flies like a spitfire,but it flies!

[hairyspin]

Well done, pw! Now the work begins....

[Milton Shupe]

Well done, pw! Now the work begins....

Yes, truer words were never spoken. :amen:

After 6 weeks, we are finally getting the VC in shape. No outside textures yet though.

[hairyspin]

Yes I do wonder what that placard in pic no.5 should say? :costumes: Looking very good, Milton; you've given me a couple of ideas.

But with reference to my last post, a few pointers to the flight model building process would be great. I've got Jerry's FDWB and AirWrench (paid for) and have managed to tie myself in knots over what to do first, next, etc. - the pics of the Tempest in flight were made borrowing a stock MS aircraft, just dropping in my .m3d from gmax suitably renamed. :banghead: I expect you did the same, pw?

[Milton Shupe]

For a flight model, simply start with some aircraft that is of the same caliber as yours. That is, a twin prop taildragger, or single engine tricycle gear, a 2-engine jet, etc. Rename the .air file to be for your project. Change the .cfg parameters to describe your aircraft, especially the geometry and engine and props.

Now open airwrench and point to your air and cfg file folder.
Fill in the parameters on each tab in airwrench.

That's the basics off the top of my head.

The author, Sparks, is in a sister forum here on Flight Dynamics:

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/forumdisplay.php?f=42

[Milton Shupe]

Windrunner is developing some awesome textures for the XP47J. I think you will love it! I am just getting into the VC heavy ... slow painful work.

I just love WIP pics, don't you? :jump:

[pilotwing]

Yes,basically that is what i did,and i also found AirWrench and another named Aired,but since i dont have the serial for airwrench,i cant do an accurate .air file or simply make the plane touch the ground

[pilotwing]

By the way,do FS2004 planes work in FSX?

[Milton Shupe]

Yes,basically that is what i did,and i also found AirWrench and another named Aired,but since i dont have the serial for airwrench,i cant do an accurate .air file or simply make the plane touch the ground

This may help explain how to position your model in FSim.

http://www.oregon-coast.net/Tutorials/CofG/index.htm

This will help you set your contact points for the gear and suspension:

http://www.mudpond.org/contact_points.pdf

[hairyspin]

There's a very useful program which lets you do this visually. It displays your model and you place and move the contact points around until they're where and how you want them. Calculating static height and pitch is also a pushover. Unfortunately it's no longer supported (or sold) but it can still be found if you look hard enough. The name is Aircraft Container Manager for FS2002/2004

To get AirWrench to work, you need certain pieces of paper. Green ones. Twenty, to be precise. Or you can use Jerry Beckwith's Flight Dynamics Workbook if you already have MS Excel. FDWB is free.

[Milton Shupe]

A few screenshots here as Windrunner finishes up the exterior textures for the factory bare metal. I am still trudging along in the VC. :faint:

[hairyspin]

I do like that! :ernae:

[hairyspin]

....i cant do an accurate .air file or simply make the plane touch the ground

PW, for another good article on contact points, see:- http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?loc=articles&page=cp (http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?loc=articles&page=cp)

[crashaz]

Gramps took pity on me and gave me his work to finish out. I learn a lot from reverse engineering as well.

Will be doing a CFS2 model.. but this baby is going to shine in FSX as I redo the textures up to a real high resolution with all the power of FSX material including lighting and bump mapping.

Have already started tagging the model and setting up the FSX animations
Some minor changes will be made to the existing aircraft to include the arresting gear and the clamshell doors at the bottom of the aircraft below the pilots feet.... for the bombadier's position.

Of course we will get the interior model done as well. Lots of detail to add there to include the bombadiers positions (above and below) as well as tail gunner/radioman.

[Milton Shupe]

That looks like an excellent starting point crashaz ... have fun. :wavey:

[pilotwing]

Here it is,my Gee Bee for CFS3

[pilotwing]

I found a link to the container manager,when i download the file says its incomplete,but maybe thats just me, so hope it works for you

The link is:http://soft4share.com/flight_simulator_2004_-_aircraft_container_manager.html

[pilotwing]

Yes, I am plugging away at the Grizzly, near wrapping another Dash 7 version.

Is there a posibility that one of these two come out for CFS3?,or they can be used in FSX?

[Milton Shupe]

Is there a posibility that one of these two come out for CFS3?,or they can be used in FSX?

The Grizzly and XP47J can be used in FS2002 or FS2004. Either version can be converted to CFS2. However, I think that CFS3 requires changes. I will make the gmax source available for anyone who wishes to convert it for use in CFS3.

There will not be an FSX version (meaning native FSX).

[pilotwing]

Well...there's always the pics of the grizzly,and the hope of hairyspin's release of the tempest!

[pilotwing]

There is a link tho the Aircraft Airfile Manager in a post by sparks,the thread is here:http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?t=4541

[Milton Shupe]

Damian is in the final phase of exterior textures and she is looking sweet! His bare metal work is striking. :jump:

Hopefully we will get the XA-38 out during April.

[pilotwing]

Awesome textures!!!

[hairyspin]

There is a link to the Aircraft Airfile Manager in a post by sparks,the thread is here:http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?t=4541

No offense pw, but I'd recommend spending $20 US and doing most of the work with AirWrench. For an FDE newbie like me, it saves a lot of headaches. The one thing I'd emphasise is getting aircraft.cfg fully done before firing up AirWrench. Works with CFS1, 2 and 3 as well as FS8, 9 and X; which is more than AAM can do afaik.

AAM could be used later when I've a better idea what I'm doing, but only for fine adjustments imo......

[pilotwing]

I really dont know because i cant open AAM

[Milton Shupe]

I really dont know because i cant open AAM

PW,

I have FS2002 installed as well. So, if I want to use AAM, I simply copy my FS2004 aircraft folder I am working on to FS2002. Then open AAM configuation, browse to the FS2002 main folder, and open it. Works fine that way.

[Milton Shupe]

Well, if we keep it up, we will ultimately be able to beta test this. :)

http://www.flightsimonline.com/mas/aaf1.JPG

http://www.flightsimonline.com/mas/aaf2.JPG

http://www.flightsimonline.com/mas/navy1.JPG

http://www.flightsimonline.com/mas/navy2.JPG

[pilotwing]

Thanks Milton, but i dont have FS2002 or 2004, i only have CFS1,CFS3, and just started FSX,so i think i will work whit the work book,BTW the grizzly looks awesome!

[Milton Shupe]

With the Grizzly work mainly behind us, back to the xp47j and admiring Damian's excellent bare metal work.

http://www.flightsimonline.com/mas/xp47j-w1.JPG

http://www.flightsimonline.com/mas/xp47j-w2.JPG

http://www.flightsimonline.com/mas/xp47j-w3.JPG

[aeronca1]

Reserving HD space right now! :applause:

[pilotwing]

Impressive! how can you make those bare metal textures, they truly shine!

[Milton Shupe]

I suspect you can look at the Grizzly bear metal textures to see what is done. Damian Radice (windrunner) did both. Excellent work on his part.

[pilotwing]

Then consider it downloaded

[Milton Shupe]

Trying to get the basics of the AT-11 in place while taking a break from the Grizzly, and before I get back into the xp47j. We now have the nose and the new/old round windows cut in. We'll need some roof work, a turret, some bombay doors and bombsite door and we will be on our way ...

http://www.flightsimonline.com/mas/at11-3.JPG

[tobob]

Here's what I have been working on. I am new to this so it's not perfect. I have always enjoyed flight sims and when I found out I could design my own it was a revelation. Now I can't get enough. Here are a couple shots of my WIP s. I need to work on surface animations and proper texturing. I will gladly take any suggestions.

Thank you Milton for your tutorials and reposting 'UVW Mapping' by the late John Howard White. Truly excellent works!

[JSpal]

Tobob, looks like you are way ahead of me. That Beaver looking one looks nice!

I started on this one last night. I'm working in another program, but I've successfully imported it to .3DS format, so it looks like I'm going to be able to use the program I am more familiar with for most of the work - which is nice because it shortens my learning curve dramatically as far as modelling goes.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/JamesISpalding/bronc009.jpg

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/JamesISpalding/bronc007.jpg

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/JamesISpalding/bronc008.jpg

It's a conecpt aircraft. I decided to do something that's not real for my first attempt, so that I'm don't get too bogged down in trying to get all the details right. It's a concept for a 21st century update of the OV-10 Bronco.

I'm going to start all the cockpit modeling tonight and see how that goes.

I don't think it looks too bad considering I've got all of about 3 hours into it so far.

[Milton Shupe]

tobob.

Great progress on your projects. :ernae: Hmmm, I wonder what happened to your attachments or screeenshots ...

JSpal, obviously you have some great skills in your design program to get this far in a few hours. That is great looking modeling even if you are not worrying about details at the moment.

[tobob]

Thanks for the kind words fellas. Here is a re upload of my screenshots. Not sure what happened to them, the server problems not helping I'm sure.

JSpal, that is incredible work for a couple hours. I have spent dozens of hours on these and there still no where near perfect.

[JSpal]

To cut down on the complexity of my first project - expecting texturing and animation to take me a while to muddle through - I started a second, more basic plane today.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/JamesISpalding/ch750a001.jpg

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/JamesISpalding/ch750a002.jpg

I'll call this one "inspired by the Zenair CH750" (link) (http://www.zenithair.com/stolch750/750-photos1.html). I say "inspired" because as close as most of the fuselage and wings are to the real thing, the nose is way off and I worked on three different versions of the nose for more than two hours just to get it this close. I spent longer on the nose that entire rest of the aircraft.

I've still got a lot of work to do on it, but I think it will be easier to finish this one than the previous one since I won't have any landing gear or many other details to animate. I'll come back to the other one once I get through with this one.

I've got it imported into Gmax now, but glancing through the tutorials just now, I realized that the version of Gmax I have installed (the one from my FSX Deluxe SDK) doesn't have an option to export to .MDL.

Is there a script I need to download to do that or am I missing something???

I work quickly on the modeling part because I've been playing with this same program for about 8 years now so I know all the tricks to get things done fast, but the texturing it going to be the hard part for me. I've never messed with anything like that before. The modeling program I use (SolidEdge) handles all of the texturing inside of the program in a much different way than 3DStudio or GMAX do, so I'm exporting the model to GMAX and dealing with textures from there.

[Milton Shupe]

The face of an aircraft, just like with humans, can make or break it. Looks great here to the untrained eye though.

Gmax does require a gamepack plugin which is FsModelExp.DLE. MakeMdl (the compiler) and FsModelExp.DLE (creates the .x file) comes with FS2002 Pro version and with FS2004. It also comes with the Scenery SDK from MS and I believe is downloadable from FSDeveloper.

[tobob]

I have to say I have learned so much from the C162 Tutorial. I'm way more comfortable with using gmax now. Cutting and slicing were unknown to me before this as well as a whole arsenal of tools and techniques. I was using fs design studio for awhile but now I realize how powerful gmax really is.

So, here is my C162 in the works. I still need landing gear and will attempt the suspension animation. There really is a wealth of information in this tutorial and recommend it to anyone interested in modelling. There are quite a few gmax tutorials out there but this one is, in my opinion, one of the most thourough and informative.

[Milton Shupe]

Wow! That is looking great! Looks as if you are getting the hang of gmax for sure. :ernae: :jump:

Thanks for the kudos too; I appreciate that.

[tobob]

I have been busy! Here's another WIP. It's a Cessna CR-3. It was a race plane used in the 30's I believe.

I just got hitched on the 30th. Now I'm going on my honeymoon so I will be taking a break from modeling and taking care of someone else!!

[Milton Shupe]

Making some slow progress on the AT-11 with the turret in place, a larger entry door, the bomb sight in the nose, and bomb bay doors cut in. Hopefully I can get this remapped soon so the exterior textures can be started while I have a go at the VC.

[Milton Shupe]

Lots of sidetracks this past month so I invested a little time in a vintage craft exploring fabric covered wings. Nice learning exercise trying to get it just right.

[hairyspin]

Looks like a lot of fiddling with smoothing groups?

[jhefner]

Milton;

Thank you very much for the gmax tutorial. I learned a lot of techniques from it, and I think the quality of builds went up greatly after reading through it. I have also recommended it to others.

Here is my latest work; the Ushakov L-P-L. A 1936 design for a small flying submarine. It was seriously studied, but the technical problems could not be overcome, and it was never built.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxyf3O_SyYQ&feature=related

I am building it for CFS2, FS2002, and FS2004; so I am trying to keep the mesh as simple as possible for good frame rates. The outside is probably 95% finished.

http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/32746/2003833830079522983S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2003833830079522983gEvhgJ)

I built my dynamics files using the FDWB. It flies well; but in FS2002, you get an Overspeed warning at the same speed it flies fine in FS2004; still trying to figure that one out. It also flies too fast in CFS2, need to figure out how to slow it down.

http://inlinethumb20.webshots.com/7251/2995387530079522983S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2995387530079522983FPcsMY)

The guns and torpedoes work in CFS2; but am trying to get the torpedoes to work while it is sitting on the surface; since the original probably did so.

http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/44399/2020257310079522983S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2020257310079522983tTTpmy)

And yes, it dives under water in all three simulators! Your perspective the VC moves back and up into the "conning tower", where you are then looking out through the periscope.

http://inlinethumb27.webshots.com/12698/2771368900079522983S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2771368900079522983loAjzr)

http://inlinethumb64.webshots.com/42239/2023137600079522983S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2023137600079522983PFyTIV)

http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/44637/2288110040079522983S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2288110040079522983ClXDMq)

Still need to finish what I think the levers and trim wheels would have looked like in the VC.

http://inlinethumb16.webshots.com/43279/2200592710079522983S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2200592710079522983fXJRMm)

Thanks Milton for the tutorial, MoparMike for the Russian multiengine gauges, and Thicko for the torpedo load.

-James

[Milton Shupe]

Looks like a lot of fiddling with smoothing groups?

Not at all. The upper wing uses the same smoothing group; it is simply the mesh affect ... check the left "bones" picture. The double lines are the ribs and sit higher than the spread edges.

[Milton Shupe]

James,

That is some awesome project work there ... very challenging and aggressive.

The flight model seems to be quite the challenge as well. It's looking great! :applause:

[Milton Shupe]

Having fun piddling with the dh-80 ... a beautiful British Classic

EDIT: UPdating Pictures

[Milton Shupe]

This screenshot is a good sign of progress. Will start the interior model this weekend. :jump:

[Milton Shupe]

I got started on the VC this weekend. This is usually a slow process for me due to lack of good reference material and dimensions of parts but there is progress.

And, Damian has started on the textures / templates. :)

[Milton Shupe]

Trying to test this on the FSX side at the same time with FS9. So far, just a few minor texture issues but these are temporary.

[FelixFFDS]

That looks to be a nice runabout!

(Uncle Milton - modelling for FS-X!! What is this world coming to!)

[Milton Shupe]

That looks to be a nice runabout!

(Uncle Milton - modelling for FS-X!! What is this world coming to!)

Not natively for now ... just as a port over.

[Milton Shupe]

Getting close to release here ... a few screenies

http://www.flightsimonline.com/dh-80/dh-1.jpg

http://www.flightsimonline.com/dh-80/dh-2.jpg

http://www.flightsimonline.com/dh-80/dh-3.jpg

http://www.flightsimonline.com/dh-80/dh-4.jpg

http://www.flightsimonline.com/dh-80/dh-6.jpg

http://www.flightsimonline.com/dh-80/dh-7.jpg

[BushAV8R]

Very nice Milton! :applause:

[Milton Shupe]

With the Puss Moth released, I am back on the AT-11, sweating the details again. :wiggle:

[Matt Wynn]

looking Fantastic Milton keep up the great work :ernae::ernae:

[pilotwing]

Its good to be back!, and whit a new model, its a F6F Hellcat, still got a lot of trouble whit landing gear and folding wings, but i think its looking good, and i can finaly fly one of Milton's models!

[Milton Shupe]

PW, that's looking like a great start there with a popular aircraft. :applause:

Just wrapping up the exterior on this one and sending to the paint shop while I work on the VC.

[hairyspin]

Some interesting pics of another wip over at the CFS3 forum. This is a model with a long and convoluted history, but Nachtpiloten and a few others have taken it over and it seems we're finally going to get a PBY for CFS3. That's a Catalina, if you didn't know.... :mixedsmi:

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?t=25995

[Milton Shupe]

That is great!

I do wonder what became of the F7F though ... that was showing progress from StarSpeeder_3000.

And, what of the xa38? Are you still planning to convert it to CFS3?

[hairyspin]

The XA-38 is progressing slowly, distracted by Windows 7 issues which are now solved - nothing to do with modelling, I hasten to say. I think I'm taking a different approach from Clive with the Beech 18, so there's a bit still to do...

[pilotwing]

Wait, what happened to the tempest?

[pilotwing]

PW, that's looking like a great start there with a popular aircraft. :applause:

Thanks, and the hellcat keep progressing:

[hairyspin]

The Tempest got into the VC and into lots of particularly knarly knots, so I started (the VC) again. I've now got the windshield and canopy looking more like they should without strange artefacts and the interior shell less tankish, so that's slowly making progress too.

[hairyspin]

I've now got the windshield and canopy looking more like they should without strange artefacts...

Like this with the canopy partly open...

[tobob]

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd317/Tobob1/fsscr007.jpg


http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd317/Tobob1/fsscr006.jpg

Thanks again Milton!

tobob

[hairyspin]

Nice job, tobob! :applause::applause:

[pilotwing]

-hairyspin: Looks like a good start for the VC

-tobob: Awesome texture!, in which flight sim its going to fly?

And i cant stay behind!:

[N2056]

Wow! You guys are doing great on these projects! :icon29:

[tobob]

Thanks guys. It flies in fs2004.
Animations work including doors and suspension. VC needs some texture work, gauges and switches are not working. That's beyond me at this point. It's about 80% done.

Keep 'em coming! :ernae:

tobob

[pilotwing]

At last, a proper sited, loaded F6F, whit a nice (I like to think) texture!