Paint Request Please

[gray eagle]

Would like to see a paint of Virtavia's A-4C of VA-153 Blue Tail Flies



This is a close up more detailed squadron patch that you see on the plane above, Couldn't get a closer shot of the flying four leg creature.

[awstub]

I don't fly the Skyhawk much any more (if only it were Tacpacked.....), but I just checked and I do have the paint kit for it......so I should be able do it.

The picture you posted is pretty good for reference, but it would be nice to have a few more from different sides/angles....if you can find some.



Stu

[awstub]

Well, I made some pretty good progress with the Virtavia Skyhawk.....until I got to the tail.
The way they have it configured makes it very difficult to paint.
I tried to match the picture exactly, but getting the tail code to show up properly is darn near
impossible because of the separate texture map for the rudder fillets ...which is not the same
scale as the rest of the texture sheet.
It took me a good part of the day just to get the tail to where it is now and with a few more
hours of trial and error I should be able to get the paint lines to match, but I still cant figure
out how to get the paint onto the horizontal stabilator side plates.
Unless someone knows a way for me to take care of these issues, I'm going to have to shelve it for a while.

[DaveB]

Thanks very much for your efforts Stu. I actually dug the PK out for this and took a look before deciding I didn't need to look any older than I already am!! I'm happy to take it 'as is' if you're happy to let it go like that

ATB
DaveB

[WarHorse47]

I'll take it, too. Looks great. Thanks, Stu.

[Duckie]

Well, I made some pretty good progress with the Virtavia Skyhawk.....until I got to the tail.
The way they have it configured makes it very difficult to paint.
I tried to match the picture exactly, but getting the tail code to show up properly is darn near
impossible because of the separate texture map for the rudder fillets ...which is not the same
scale as the rest of the texture sheet.
It took me a good part of the day just to get the tail to where it is now and with a few more
hours of trial and error I should be able to get the paint lines to match, but I still cant figure
out how to get the paint onto the horizontal stabilator side plates.
Unless someone knows a way for me to take care of these issues, I'm going to have to shelve it for a while.

Hi awstub, if you're using the paintkit from Virtavia, make the "Background" layer visible and the wire mesh becomes visible with all the parts labeled. The rudder is offset and I don't believe it is a different scale. You should be able to make a tem[plate for the V-tail and rudder by cutting and pasting a copy of the rudder to fit the v-tail. Do the striping and reposition it to the original. Some trial and error with incremental adjustments may be necessary to fine tune the final fit. Same for tail codes.

Stock paint kit wire mesh background layer



Cut and pasted copy made into template for paint stripes across v-tail and rudder.




Hope this helps.

[awstub]

Thanks Duckie for trying to help, I really appreciate it. I actually did what you mention and it only partially worked for me. When you try add the tail codes the rudder is actually offset vertically from the stabilizer and it just takes a lot of trial and error to get it to show up correctly. Also, you have to play with the area that covers the rudder fillets to have them align with the rudder texture....which again takes a lot of trial and error.
I went with the smaller tail codes because they don't cover the rudder. Otherwise I would have had to worry about lining up all three textures instead of just the two.

I'm pretty much done (or at least as far as I'm willing to go with it right now) and I'll try to upload it later today.
The Skyhawk's folders are set up in a fairly strange manner, compared to normal FSX aircraft, so it will be up to each user to get it to work.
What I've done with mine was convert it to a "normal" FSX installation by creating a single A-4 folder and copying all of the different model folders into it...as well as the other files an folders needed to get it to work. I'll add this info to the readme so others can di it if they wish.

Anyway, here's what it looks like right now:

[Duckie]

Well, from what I can tell, it looks like you did a bang up job. You are correct in that the v-tail area is not easy to paint for the very reasons you've stated and encountered. And the folder system...

Still, a nice addition to the A-4 "farm".

[gray eagle]

Thanks Duckie for trying to help, I really appreciate it. I actually did what you mention and it only partially worked for me. When you try add the tail codes the rudder is actually offset vertically from the stabilizer and it just takes a lot of trial and error to get it to show up correctly. Also, you have to play with the area that covers the rudder fillets to have them align with the rudder texture....which again takes a lot of trial and error.
I went with the smaller tail codes because they don't cover the rudder. Otherwise I would have had to worry about lining up all three textures instead of just the two.

I'm pretty much done (or at least as far as I'm willing to go with it right now) and I'll try to upload it later today.
The Skyhawk's folders are set up in a fairly strange manner, compared to normal FSX aircraft, so it will be up to each user to get it to work.
What I've done with mine was convert it to a "normal" FSX installation by creating a single A-4 folder and copying all of the different model folders into it...as well as the other files an folders needed to get it to work. I'll add this info to the readme so others can di it if they wish.

Anyway, here's what it looks like right now:

Looks mighty nice, Thank you for your time and effort in making this paint. My Dad was stationed on Corral Sea back in 64/65 time frame with VF-151 (F4B) and the
Blue Tail Flies of VA-153 were with them. I remember him showing old 8 MM movies of this squadron and him staying there goes another blue tail fly.
I lost my Dad about a year a a half ago (91.5 years) He was an avionics officer (Warrant Officer W-3) with VF-151 back then.
Again, thanks for the paint and it will look great on the deck of the USS Corral Sea.

[awstub]

OK, I just got it uploaded under FSX Military Skins-Vietnam .

It includes five versions of A-4E BUNO 147825 and two versions of A-4F BUNO 155026.

Basically each version is based on the particular model it uses (i.e. with or without drop tanks/bombs/rockets/missiles).

Please let me know if there is anything amiss with it.....it's late and I'm deliriously tired, but wanted to get this "out the door" this weekend.

Stu

[Portia911]

This is a close up more detailed squadron patch that you see on the plane above, Couldn't get a closer shot of the flying four leg creature.

That 'flying four leg creature' would be a Griffin.

[DaveB]

It's up now!! Cheers Stu.. I've almost worn out a mouse this morning clicking on the Warbirds library

ATB
DaveB

[jeansy]

OK, I just got it uploaded under FSX Military Skins-Vietnam .

It includes five versions of A-4E BUNO 147825 and two versions of A-4F BUNO 155026.

Basically each version is based on the particular model it uses (i.e. with or without drop tanks/bombs/rockets/missiles).

Please let me know if there is anything amiss with it.....it's late and I'm deliriously tired, but wanted to get this "out the door" this weekend.

Stu

Just think if they did a payload manager like people asked you would only need to do one version instead of several

btw its look quite nice, Im gald you did as the OP send me a request to do it, which i declined to, looks like both parties the OP and painter come of very well

[DaveB]

Did I say the pattern was closed or what!!!!



Cheers Stu
ATB
DaveB

[MDIvey]

Great Repaint thanks Stu.

I've been admiring those camo F-4C paints you've been working on for the SSW Phantom. Do you plan to release those? wondered if you have any plans for this one?... 57 FIS

http://www.verslo.is/baldur/57th_fis/f4/436-a-1000.JPG

Matt

[Mike71]

Nice work!

The original source photo is an A-4C - the repaint an A-4E. However, VA-153 was one of the few squadrons to fly virtually all A-4 models, A-4A through A-4F. Their A-4E's were painted as the photo, but apparently without the squadron patch on the fuselage. These patches, as I recall, were a type of foil material originally. They started to cause problems on A-4's because of corrosion underneath. Stack gasses and hot weather no doubt were an issue and many squadrons stopped using them for awhile. Later I think they made a better type of adhesive and various squadrons started using them again.

The A-4E was a great airplane, no question. Not the fastest, not the biggest, but reliable as hell and wonderful to fly. I flew A-4B's, C's and E's in the fleet, TA-4Js as an instructor, A-4M's as a test pilot. never once did I have so much as a radio failure, let alone anything worse.

[DaveB]

Thanks for posting Mike. A bit of RW info from someone who's been there and done it is always the icing on the cake

ATB
DaveB

[gray eagle]

Did I say the pattern was closed or what!!!!



Cheers Stu
ATB
DaveB

Nice photo Dave

Did you use AiTrackerX to make the group photo? I have it and wondered if that was what you used?

[DaveB]

Hiya Butch

I used AirTrafficFX for that shot and for most of the others I do though I also have AiTrackerX. I posted a screenie some weeks ago of a black Hunter formation taken at a distance and zoomed. That particular shot wouldn't have been possible with AirTrafficFX so both programs have their uses. AiTX is a much newer program and still in its infancy regarding development so I'm sure it will get better given time. Unfortunately, the extra camera shots it adds brings my rig to its knees so ATFX gets used rather more

ATB
DaveB

[awstub]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone.

I searched the web for pictures of VA-153 Skyhawks and found a few different variations of their markings.
The ones with the squadron patch actually should have a slightly different tail code placement, where it covers part of the rudder.
Unfortunately, the way Virtavia mapped the textures for the tail makes it terribly difficult to get something that covers both the vertical stabilizer and the rudder to line up properly.
I decided to cheat and use a later version of the letters that does not cover the rudder.....but even still, it literally took me hours to get it to show up in a halfway decent way.

Since it kind of bothers me, I might revisit it at some point and modify it to have the correct style tail code.......it depends on how masochistic I'm feeling at the time.

Also....I couldn't find any pictures of the F models that showed the paint with any detail, so I just guesstimated it.

[awstub]

I will be releasing the SWS Phantom camo paints in the near future. They are mostly done, but I still have to take care of the bump maps so they match some panel door changes I made.
I'm still a novice and I haven't quite learned how to do that properly yet.

As for the checkered tail Phantom, I might be able to do one in the not too distant future, but right now I am busy working with SIR_RIPPER on planning and preparing for an online scenario using the FSX@War Southeast Asia theater.

Great Repaint thanks Stu.

I've been admiring those camo F-4C paints you've been working on for the SSW Phantom. Do you plan to release those? wondered if you have any plans for this one?... 57 FIS



Matt

[MDIvey]

Great News

Matt

[gray eagle]

Well, I used AI Tracker AI for this shot. + using the avatar mode in P3d I could use the 1st person and just adjust camera view from what is available.

I sure do appreciate that A-4 paint Thanks awstub ya done good! I had to have my son install your paint, got in a state of flux on step 2 (the pic instructions).

[awstub]

Thanks Gray Eagle.

I'm glad you were able to get it to work. I figured that the install might be difficult for some.
Heck, it was difficult for me to figure it out as well.

One good thing about the "custom" install for these paints is that it will be easier to add more repaints to it, since it follows the "normal" FSX folder/ file conventions.

I'm thinking I might create a few more VA-153 paints, enough to have a flight of four airplanes displaying different numbers.

I should be able to do it rather quickly, since I won't have to mess with that evil tail

[DaveB]

Now that's cool. Cheers Stu

Sometimes, you can get away with 'same' registrations on aircraft using ATFX due to the bounding box size of the model in question being oversize but the Skyhawk sits REAL close. I wish other models would sit as close!!

ATB
DaveB