Aero Commander AC50A(HC)

[ToniJH]

I removed the animation and deleted the luggage compartment from the 520 and 560. Something about the luggage area was causing gmax to crash and I could not find the source of the issue. However, in the current AC500 version, the luggage door and compartment is back working fine.

Oh, ok. No problem, i can still enjoy these planes fully Probably there is a conflict with polygons and that's why it crashes gmax, is there check errors etc system in Gmax?

[expat]

That looks great expat; maybe others would enjoy your change should you wish to share it. :-)

Delighted to be able to share something for a change, LOL !

Still not sure if it is that much darker . . These are files I made for your last portover upgrade of the AC's a year ago or so and just playing around with the shade of color in the main texture and alpha. They definitely made that model's glass darker, but with the FSX native model and glossy reflection on the glass it's sometimes harder to tell depending on the angle the sun is reflecting etc.

Open your favorite paint folder, back up your existing files and drop these in (or in the aliased common "texture" folder if you want to change all paints). Also, these are not DDS files (they are bmp's), so if you have both in the same folder together, one (bmp?) may take precedence over the other, i.e., they won't overwrite each other).

This screenie is the FS9 portover model with darker windows (much less reflective vs native FSX model):

[falcon409]

A WIP based on an earlier post. No bumps, no spec. Try as I may I cannot get my head around the process.

[jmbiii]

.............Try as I may I cannot get my head around the process.

Ed, do not feel like the Lone Ranger.

[BendyFlyer]

A WIP based on an earlier post. No bumps, no spec. Try as I may I cannot get my head around the process.

Looking good there falcon but I am afraid I agree your not alone there, it is the one area of flight sim that I really struggle with and have mental block about (Gauges, FDE's, Air Files, Configs, coding, etc no issues) but my head hurts when I try to come to grips with textures, alphas, bump maps and speculars not to mention texture mapping of models. I am not sure why this appears to become so complicated. I have tried using 3 different paint programs to see if it was the tools but they all do the same things so it must be me. Sometimes you cannot teach an old dog new tricks.

[mikew]

Milton,

Thanks so much for the converted Aero Commanders, loving them all over again! Are paint kits still around anywhere?

Thanks,

Mike

[Milton Shupe]

A WIP based on an earlier post. No bumps, no spec. Try as I may I cannot get my head around the process.

Ed, do not feel like the Lone Ranger.

Looking good there falcon but I am afraid I agree your not alone there, it is the one area of flight sim that I really struggle with and have mental block about (Gauges, FDE's, Air Files, Configs, coding, etc no issues) but my head hurts when I try to come to grips with textures, alphas, bump maps and speculars not to mention texture mapping of models. I am not sure why this appears to become so complicated. I have tried using 3 different paint programs to see if it was the tools but they all do the same things so it must be me. Sometimes you cannot teach an old dog new tricks.

Not a painter, but this is what the SDK says about it.

Looking very nice ED, but not sure about the rivets, as nice as they look. I'll find an post a couple of pics of the one in the museum which is a 680 but the 560 may have been a little different.

[Milton Shupe]

Milton,

Thanks so much for the converted Aero Commanders, loving them all over again! Are paint kits still around anywhere?

Thanks,

Mike

Mike, I'll have to look around. I have some of them, some may be here or at Flightsim. Let me get back to you with a list of links.

EDIT: Mike, I have scoured all my archives and cannot find a single paint kit for the Aero Commander series. I know that Flightsim must have them as so many repaints have been done.

[falcon409]

Some changes to the livery based on some excellent photos from Milton. Work continues though.

[sidler]

Awesome job Falcon!! Is this one for me?


Dick

[Milton Shupe]

Thanks to WND who sent these paint kits to me, I have uploaded a package to the library for the Aero Commanders.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...der-Paint-Kits

[Milton Shupe]

A WIP based on an earlier post. No bumps, no spec. Try as I may I cannot get my head around the process.

Bjoern I think posted the following at FSDeveloper several years ago:

In case someone asks, here's the bump map creation procedure in a jiffy:

1. Create a grayscale version of your main texture, emphasize parts (dark = e.g. panel lines/light = e.g. non-flush rivets) depending on desired "standoutability" in the sim.
2. Unify all layers.
3. Run bump map creation plugin with default settings (unless you want to have something very specific).
4. Save/export the resulting file in .psd format.
5. Run the .psd through Imagetool in command line mode (ideally via a batch file)
Syntax: imagetool -batch -nogui -nomip -dxt5 -RedInAlpha -dds -nodither *_B.psd
Note: Only works if your bump map filename ends in "_B", otherwise specify the filename.
6. Wait.
7. Done. Easy, huh?

[mikew]

Thanks to all for digging up the paint kits. Such great models!

Mike

[falcon409]

Complete as far as I can take it. I'm considering a custom Hangar for those who have the ability to place scenery objects. . .something that would look "Presidential", lol



OOOPS. . .noticed I had forgotten to open the vents in the engine cowl behind the spinner. . .done now for sure!

[falcon409]

Maybe something like this. . .

[wellis]

Complete as far as I can take it. I'm considering a custom Hangar for those who have the ability to place scenery objects. . .something that would look "Presidential", lol



OOOPS. . .noticed I had forgotten to open the vents in the engine cowl behind the spinner. . .done now for sure!

Splendid! Looking forward to it (and the hanger would be great as well)

[BendyFlyer]

Excellent work there Falcon. Look forward to this release a great compliment to Milton's great aeroplane (which was in itself a great aeroplane). Now to have a look see if the farm/ranch that Ike lived on still is around with an airstrip. I can see I am going to be spending a lot of time in this bird. I used to fly them in the RW and they were the real deal as far as being a pilots aeroplane. Good performance, beautiful handling, good systems, great cockpit and just plain fun. Still the aeroplane I enjoyed flying the most, the rest seemed agricultural by comparison (especially the Dash 8).

[BendyFlyer]

Falcon, this is completely off topic but it seems Eisenhower used the Gettysburg Airport W05 about 5 kms to the North of the farm. Guess you will have to put the Presidential Hangar there. The airport is in FSX under Gettysburg Travel Centre W05. Nice and short, lots of trees but a new Hangar would not go amiss there. The AC560 goes in and out there with no problems (look out for the trees.).

AC560 at Gettysburg this morning with a short of the area on climb out as well.

[falcon409]

Thanks for that suggestion BF. This may end up being more than just another livery as I'm looking at redoing Gettysburg now and I've had an offer from another member to knock out the bumps and specs for me, which will complete the livery to most everyone's satisfaction. Work continues!