Aeroplane Heaven Grumman XF5F packages

[OBIO]

While going through my many CDs and DVDs filled with CFS2, CFS3, FS2002 and FS2004 downloads, I came across a number of zip files containing the Aeroplane Heaven Grumman XF5Fs. I had totally forgotten about them....they were offered up by AH as freeware through one of their newsletters 2 to 3 years ago...end of 06 I think...about the time I began looking for a factory sealed copy of CFS2. There are a number of variants...short nose, long nose, Army, Navy, RAF, some racers. A dedicated sound pack.

I have the CFS2 versions installed...and they are quite nice! I have the short nosed Prototype installed in FS2004...and it is quite nice..a bit dated by today's standards, but by far the best XF5F I have seen for either sim.

Does anyone else have these? I just fired an e-mail off to Aeroplane Heaven in an effort to get permission to upload these planes to SOH, Flightsim, AVSim, Simviation. I have not seen any discussion about these planes and it would be a shame for them not to be more widely used within the CFS2 and FS2004 communities.

OBIO

I will get some screen shots tomorrow (later today actually) and get them posted.

[whitehawk_2009]

Heck I didn't even know they were made! They'd make an excellent companion to the Grizzly.

WH

[edmoore235]

WOW! What a great airplane. I saw the offer back when, forgot all about it.... shame to lose it to time.. wonder if Aeroplane Heaven will release it?

Ed:jump:

[Henry]

They are pretty dated
at least 6 years old
i did the fd's
but they still work:kilroy:
H

[Mick]

Hmmmm...

I thought they were already in the library here, and maybe some of those other places. I've had them for several years and the backup copy of my installer doesn't require a password, so I got them as freeware, probably right here at SOH. The create date on that zip file is some time in 2004. I believe it's an update of a FS2002 release with Henry's FS9 flight model.

I made a series of authentic repaints, and I believe they're in the library here too. (The paints in the release aren't authentic; AH seems to have a chronic blind spot about authenticity for US Navy paints.)

My Navy paints are nice, but what really grab me are AH's Blackhawk paints from the comic books. Those really take me back!

[Henry]

Hmmmm...

I thought they were already in the library here, and maybe some of those other places. Ive had them for several years and the backup copy of my installer doesn't require a password, so I got them as freeware, probably right here at SOH. The create date on that zip file is some time in 2004. I believe it's an update of a FS2002 release with Henry's FS9 flight model.

I made a series of authentic repaints, and I believe they're in the library here too. (The paints in the release aren't authentic; AH seems to have a chronic blind spot about authenticity for US Navy paints.)

My Navy paints are nice, but what really grab me are AH's Blackhawk paints from the comic books. Those really take me back!
mine are dated 2002
i do not believe there was a password to install just a password
to download from AH, didnt have a big pirate problem at that time.
I must admit i had forgotten all about them
but i do not believe they were ever released anywhere else
and your paints are great
H

[OBIO]

Just searched AVsim, Flightsim, Simv..and no Aeroplane Heaven XF5Fs found on any of those sites. Hopefully AH will grant permission to upload.

OBIO

[Henry]

I dont understand why they are not on AH's freeware
the hornets are still there and they are older
H

[OBIO]

Yeah, the is a bit odd. The Grummans are much nicer than the Hornets.

OBIO

[Mick]

mine are dated 2002
i do not believe there was a password to install just a password
to download from AH, didnt have a big pirate problem at that time.
I must admit i had forgotten all about them
but i do not believe they were ever released anywhere else
and your paints are great
H

Well, my memory isn't reliable going back that far; it's certainly a plane I would've gladly bought as payware. In fact, I think the lack of a password on my backup copy tripped me up and led me to think I must've got it free. I probably bought the plane the day it was released! Now that I think about it, it's hard to imagine myself NOT buying it as soon as it was released!

Thanks for the kind words about my paints!

[brad kaste]

.....It's always made me wonder how well the Skyrocket would have preformed against the Zero. The specs showed strong promise....

[Wim]

Yeah,

great little ac they are, got them way back. Still slips out of the hanger occasionally. Here is one of the bunch.

Wim

[OBIO]

These planes definitely need new skins. I haven't checked out Mick's replacement skins yet..but will do so.

Well, poop! Went to download Mick's skins and only one works...the other come back as not being on the server.

OBIO

[OBIO]

I have been given the Okay by Aeroplane Heaven to upload these planes to the various sites....and they supplied me with a direct link to the original auto installer downloads....for CFS2, CFS3, FS2002 and FS2004.

http://www.heavenlyhangars.com/freestuff/SKyrockets/index.htm

A huge thanks to AH for the link and the planes.

OBIO

[bazzar]

Hello people,

A couple of years ago, we had a visit from a wonderful person who left us a gift which took out the majority of our archived files including the original geometry models..so upgrades are nowhere in the foreseeable future.

BTW I have since discovered who the individual was and the reason I suspect, is that we didn't give him a job at the time. He knows who he is but coming from the "dark side" he probably doesn't care. I still have his original email asking sooo politely if we had work available and how he'd love to help make the company grow...

Now, remember these F5Fs are now 7 years old and showing it but should clean up OK with fresh textures, Don't go looking for a state-of-art VC 'cos it ain't there...

These have a sentimental value for me as they were our very first product. This included scenery for the BlackHawks and a load of other stuff and Lady Blackhawk in her very own ship. Henry was certainly involved together with others (some who have sadly slipped away) from around here, who helped out. It is one of the reasons we have always supported these halls, without SOH , AH would have had a stiffer time of it getting started, let me tell you.

Mike should have arranged things by now so I hope you get these old birds going again...:engel016:

[OBIO]

Again, a HUGE thanks to Aeroplane Heaven for these planes, and all the others have have produced as well, and for making it so easy to bring these beauties back into circulation. The Skyrocket has always been one of my favorite "Should Have Been" aircraft...how can you go wrong with two radials and a sleek design. I am working on a paint template for the planes...have the wings nearly done (need to work on the airelon details), just finished the nose section (short nose at least). I will be increasing the size of all the texture files to 1024 by 1024 for sharper final skins. Will be working on the aft section of the fuselage next. Once I have the template totally done, I will bang out some skins for this neat little bird....with this being a Should Have Been, there is no limit to the possible skins....PTO and ATO Navy Skins, USMC, USAAF, RAF, RCAF, RAAF. I think this little bird will look amazing with some Operation Torch desert paints.

OBIO

[edmoore235]

A giant thanks to AH for releaseing these wonderful aircraft!! WOW WOW!

Ed:wiggle:

[aardvark62]

A new plane and new clouds. WOW !

[Mick]

These planes definitely need new skins. I haven't checked out Mick's replacement skins yet..but will do so.

Well, poop! Went to download Mick's skins and only one works...the other come back as not being on the server.

OBIO

OK, I just put them up again. There's one pack of four paints, the XF5F in Navy liveries for 1941, 1942 and 1943, and one for the XP-50.

Disclaimer: I did these paints years ago, so they're probably not up to my current standards. In fact, I haven't even looked at them in quite a while, so as I type this I must admit that I don't even really know what they look like!

[Mick]

Blackhawk scenery?

Blackhawk scenery?

I have the FS2002 and FS2004 versions and neither one has any Blackhawk scenery.

Where can I find the Blackhawk scenery?!

[aardvark62]

Mick - that's your 1943 paint in the screen above (the one that was still available). Many thanks! Looking forward to downloading the others when they become available.

[Henry]

Blackhawk scenery?

Blackhawk scenery?

I have the FS2002 and FS2004 versions and neither one has any Blackhawk scenery.

Where can I find the Blackhawk scenery?!
Believe me its not a loss
another henry creation
henry in training
i do not think i still have it:icon_lol:
H

[Motormouse]

Blackhawk scenery?

Blackhawk scenery?

I have the FS2002 and FS2004 versions and neither one has any Blackhawk scenery.

Where can I find the Blackhawk scenery?!

scratching my grey cells,probably the cfs2 version?

ttfn

Pete

[Henry]

It was freeware
because of the tools i used
i bet AH does not even have a copy
as i stated
its no loss
H:icon_lol:

[OBIO]

There is no scenery in the CFS2 package either...I think the scenery was lost when some black souled individual attacked their site. Luckily, the planes are still there for all of us to enjoy.

OBIO

[Henry]

I think the scenery was lost when some black souled individual attacked their site.

OBIO
I guess there is some good in something bad:applause:
H

[hawkeye52]

Thank you Bazaar and AH. As an ex-Grummanite, I am pleased to see the little-known XF5F filling the gap between the popular F4F Wildcat and the F6F Hellcat. Not too many folk realize that the F7F Tigercat was a development of the Skyrocket.

- H52

[Mick]

Awww...

Well, it would've been cool to have a scenery of Blackhawk Island.

[bazzar]

I guess there is some good in something bad:applause:
H

Henry you are too modest. Getting out of that field with a mountain at one end and the ocean at the other was no walk in the park.

Unfortunatley, yes the "black soul" did rob the world of another early "henry"

At some stage I'll take a look through some old CDs I've got kicking about and see if a copy has miraculously survived. :engel016:

[Helldiver]

Ask anyone before WWII what was the greatest and latest in aircraft and they would always say the Grumman F5-F and the Bell YFM-1 Airacuda.
Hey, even Terry and the Pirates flew a Skyrocket.
The Navy elected not to go with it figgering one engine per airplane was enough. But it did lie the groundwork for the F7-F. As far as bombers was concerned nothing compared with the B-19 .
That being said, how can I get my grubby paws on a F5-F. Where's the download, Henry?

[OBIO]

Helldiver

The AH Skyrockets can be downloaded from this link:

http://www.heavenlyhangars.com/freestuff/SKyrockets/index.htm

I will be uploading the auto installers to the SOH, Flightsim, AVSim and Simviation sites this week.

OBIO

[OBIO]

The long nose version looks good in OD over Neutral Gray paint. Have to do the detail work on the long nose texture file...then will have a complete paint template done that will cover the long and short nose versions....then let the painting begin.

OBIO

[OBIO]

Have the paint template done...or at least the lines part of it. Need to add some more detailing, some shading and hight lighting (which really needs done on a paint by paint basis to achieve the right look)..but the painting will soon commence in earnest. Have a very quick Mid-War US Navy paint done....needs some color adjusting and detaiing...but here's an early screen shot.

OBIO