YF-23 PAV 1 v.4

**Mach3DS** · April 30th, 2017, 19:23

I'm working on a revised texture with more accurate coloring, panel lines details and hand made fonts and unit insignia to achieve the most accurate representation that I can of PAV 1 flight demonstrator. I'm currently out of pocket but I'll post a few images web I'm home tonight.

**b52bob** · May 1st, 2017, 05:59

Looking forward to it. It's a great plane.

**Mach3DS** · May 1st, 2017, 07:11

Sorry guys! Didnt mean to disappoint...got home much later than expected last night. I'll post images after work today. A little more insight: what to expect, more even color matching. I'm going for something that will look more like the images. Yes, there are color swatches that tell you what the color the ghost grey That was used, but it's very light in the sim....so I'm using that and going just slightly more grey and darker to more evenly match a range of photos and video. I want to say grime, over the unless, but I know it was likely some kind of RAM seal and touch paint that gives the impression of a dirty surf's e area over the inlet. And custom specular to drive home the lighting and make it look as realistic of a material as I can.

***Sundog*** · May 1st, 2017, 15:09

Hi Rick, in front of the inlet was actually a porous material that sucked the boundary layer out from in front of the inlet and dumped it over the top of the wing. My guess is it was some sort of dark gray rigid foam.

**Mach3DS** · May 1st, 2017, 16:12

Originally Posted by Sundog

Hi Rick, in front of the inlet was actually a porous material that sucked the boundary layer out from in front of the inlet and dumped it over the top of the wing. My guess is it was some sort of dark gray rigid foam.

Thanks for the info sundog...I'm actually referring to on top of the inlet over the blended fuselage.

***Sundog*** · May 1st, 2017, 20:07

Originally Posted by 000rick000

Thanks for the info sundog...I'm actually referring to on top of the inlet over the blended fuselage.

Are you talking about the vent air where that air was vented overboard? There was a permanent "open venting area" between the inlet and the main fuselage on top and there were two doors over each inlet that would open at certain conditions. In ( http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...es/yf-23_4.jpg )this photo it does look much darker on the nacelles behind the vent doors on the nacelles, but I'm not sure why. Although, I can see good wear patterns on PAV-2, in that you can see the dirt easier on the second prototype due to the lighter color. Such as the APU exhaust stain on the bottom center line and some dirt/wear from the vortice coming off the inboard leading edge slat/wing juncture.

**Mach3DS** · May 1st, 2017, 21:31

Sorry for the late pics....

Redoing my previous PAV1 work. It was one of the very first "paints" I ever tried in FS. I thought it was time to give it some new life again...Color is more matched to images...at least trying to in my eye....The wings are the OLD v3 color. The fuselage is the NEW color match. The speculars are the OLD. NO Dirt and or messy touch up paint marks and seal is added yet to the paint. The speculars that I'm working on will really make this bird pop out...Still EARLY EARLY WIP. Roundel markings and squad markings need orientation adjustment yes yes...I'm aware! lol.

***Sundog*** · May 1st, 2017, 22:19

It's looking good.

**Mach3DS** · May 2nd, 2017, 05:17

Thanks Sundog. After looking at this, it too is just slightly too dark. But it's very close. I will go just a tad more blue and just slightly lighter grey. I think that will do it. The hour glass needs a white outline as well...details details....

***Jafo*** · May 2nd, 2017, 06:57

Hardest thing is convincing yourself that one photo's colour is more 'accurate' than another's ...as so often they are different...

Bit like that old saying...."a man with 2 watches is never sure of the time".

**Mach3DS** · May 2nd, 2017, 07:07

Originally Posted by Jafo

Hardest thing is convincing yourself that one photo's colour is more 'accurate' than another's ...as so often they are different...

Bit like that old saying...."a man with 2 watches is never sure of the time".

So true! However there is video of this beast...the problem is that even if The color is technically correct the sim really washes out the color sometimes and makes things look terrible...im trying to compensate for that just a bit....those dang photos drive me nuts...

***Jafo*** · May 2nd, 2017, 15:42

Re the sim washing out the colour....have you set your monitor to a 'colour standard' via one of the online tools that at least try to set a base line?
People's perception and setting of their monitor in their local surroundings can and does vary dramatically...so what's good on yours may be horrible on another's.

About the only way to be sure is to find empirical documentation of the real animal's RGB colours...and set them accordingly, irrespective of how bad they look...or don't...

**Mach3DS** · May 2nd, 2017, 22:00

Refined Color...

***Jafo*** · May 3rd, 2017, 06:05

Gotta admit it's looking pretty darn good.....

....must mean my monitor matches yours....

**Mach3DS** · May 3rd, 2017, 07:01

Thanks. Now to add the dirtier areas...

**Mach3DS** · May 5th, 2017, 14:19

Almost finished...adding final specular elements and some missing markings...

Different lighting conditions. Versatile and kind of reacts the way the real one did in photos...with color tone....exciting!

**rvn817j** · May 6th, 2017, 06:41

Looking very nice. I went off and purchased the a/c from Milviz in anticipation of this skin! I remember seeing this aircraft fly at a NAS Miramar airshow in the early 90's. After seeing it fly I thought there was no way Northrop would lose the competition. I've been about as good at picking stocks!

***Sundog*** · May 6th, 2017, 15:20

Well done, Rick!

**Mach3DS** · May 13th, 2017, 14:41

You may find v4 in the Warbirds library. completely redone diffuse and specs. Including new patches insignia, custom made fonts, and redone "hourglass" from first flight.

**Mach3DS** · May 13th, 2017, 15:13

DL link.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...tid=3&id=22662

**DaveB** · May 13th, 2017, 15:42

Cheers Rick

ATB
DaveB

**Mach3DS** · May 13th, 2017, 15:52

I should probably state that I made the thing to be completely compatible with P3Dv3. However it will work with FSX but might be a little more contrasted as FSX trends to be more reflective and bright by default thanP3D.. But it shouldn't be very noticeable. Also to get the canopy as in the photo you need to have dynamic reflections set to ON.

***Sundog*** · May 13th, 2017, 16:05

Thanks Rick!

**Mach3DS** · May 13th, 2017, 17:55

Hope you enjoy it everyone. I'm going to do PAV 2 as well. There was a mod done some tume ago with alternate FDE but it no longer works in P3Dv3. I'd like to figure out how to add AN effects and do the GE engine FDE.