Vought RF-8 Crusader project, 2018 - Page 3
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Thread: Vought RF-8 Crusader project, 2018

  1. #51
    A minor update for those following: after a Turkey-stuffed Christmas and Boxing Day I felt the need to convert calories into polygons, so I've finished off the fuselage and wing sections, including the tricky-to-shape-nicely upper wing centre surface. Apart from some minor smoothing issues the shape is now at a stage I'm reasonably happy with, which means the fundom of basic texture mapping can begin for the larger surface areas. I aim to have undercarriage doors, exhaust section and camera apertures built in by New Year, along with the cockpit interior "bucket" so that detailing work can begin.

    A couple of shots of the exterior basic shape. Hopefully I'll be able to share more interesting, textured in-sim images before too long.



    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Fuselage_shaped1.jpg   Fuselage_shaped2.jpg  
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  2. #52
    Charter Member 2015 delta_lima's Avatar
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    Looks great Dean!

    Thanks again for taking this gem of a project on. It’s going to be a great 2019!

    Happy New Year to you and all your family.

    DL

  3. #53
    You're welcome DL, Happy New Year to you and yours too!
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  4. #54

  5. #55
    Quote Originally Posted by jymp View Post
    Any update for this bird recently ?
    I'm afraid not at the moment. I'm fully occupied with a commercial project, and the day job's become quite busy lately also so there hasn't been anything to report on the Crusader. However, work is ongoing, it's just at a slow pace for the time being until more time gets freed up. I'm still aiming for a late Spring / early summer release but can't promise anything more solid than that right now.
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  6. #56
    Hi folks,

    Sorry for the lack of updates and progress for the RF-8G Crusader, I've been utterly up to my neck lately and have not had the chance to do much with the project. I do hate it when plans get derailed though, as I like to hit my deadlines - I've had a chance today to pick up where I left off and hopefully will get back on track now with the development.

    A quick screenie, canopy glass modeled and material applied. I'm about to sort the texture maps for the fuselage and control surfaces, and then it'll be on to modeling the undercarriage bays and doors. Landing gear will go in last, along with animations and detail work, before work on the VC begins.

    The good news is that I'm getting used to Blender now, so this model will have Ambient Occlusion for the VC and possible PBR materials for P3D v4.4, to ensure that this bird is fully up to date

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Maps.jpg  
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  7. #57
    Outstanding, Dean. Thank you!!! Pete

  8. #58

    Great site for Aircraft tech info

    Sorry I'm late to the party, but if you're still looking for technical data http://aviationarchives.blogspot.com/ is an excellent source for LOT's of planes, including all 3 versions of Crusader. And he's always adding to it, and will look for data you request. The owner of the site is a former McDonnell-Douglas engineer. There are lots of lofting drawings for various aircraft, flight and maintenance manuals, and tons of other info. It took me days to search through the site.

    For instance, I just started flying the Milton Shupe Invader, and he found a POH for me.
    Last edited by FlyingsCool; March 15th, 2019 at 09:17.

  9. #59
    Quote Originally Posted by FlyingsCool View Post
    Sorry I'm late to the party, but if you're still looking for technical data http://aviationarchives.blogspot.com/ is an excellent source for LOT's of planes, including all 3 versions of Crusader. And he's always adding to it, and will look for data you request. The owner of the site is a former McDonnell-Douglas engineer. There are lots of lofting drawings for various aircraft, flight and maintenance manuals, and tons of other info. It took me days to search through the site.

    For instance, I just started flying the Milton Shupe Invader, and he found a POH for me.
    Brilliant resource, many thanks!
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  10. #60
    Charter Member 2015 delta_lima's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DC1973 View Post
    Brilliant resource, many thanks!
    Forming up fantastically, Dean. The materials choices will make for a fantastic finished product.

    Btw, not including prototypes and the TF- model, there were at least 8 versions of the fighter just off the top of my head and two of the photo recce version.

    DL

  11. #61
    Quote Originally Posted by delta_lima View Post
    Forming up fantastically, Dean. The materials choices will make for a fantastic finished product.

    Btw, not including prototypes and the TF- model, there were at least 8 versions of the fighter just off the top of my head and two of the photo recce version.

    DL
    Thanks!

    Yeah, the 'Sader had lots of versions. I think the chaps at RFN are not far off releasing their F8-E, which will cover the fighter side of things. I'm focusing on the RF-8G for now but might squeeze in an earlier version too, it all just depends on my workload over this year and lots of other projects I've got lined up that I can't wait to get started on too - I'm my own worst enemy!
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  12. #62
    Charter Member 2015 delta_lima's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DC1973 View Post
    Thanks!

    Yeah, the 'Sader had lots of versions. I think the chaps at RFN are not far off releasing their F8-E, which will cover the fighter side of things. I'm focusing on the RF-8G for now but might squeeze in an earlier version too, it all just depends on my workload over this year and lots of other projects I've got lined up that I can't wait to get started on too - I'm my own worst enemy!
    Well happy as I am for any F-8, and I have a very big soft spot in my heart for the RFN crew and their amazing models, the prospect of a photo version RF-8G is the stuff of dreams for photo recce nuts like me. I’m sure TARPs and a few others feel similarly.

    Thanks for taking this on and for the updates.

    DL

  13. #63
    It's amazing what a few free hours can achieve once I get them! All texture maps for the external model in place, a few renders in MCX to show off. This is the "unjoined" fuselage, so there are some polygon shadowing issues that don't normally appear and will vanish once all the components are joined up again into a single mesh. Looking good methinks, and it's always a fun moment for me to texture the airplane and bring it to life a little - I always liked the colouring in bits







    Will probably model the undercarriage next, and see about getting the airplane into the sim for some more screenies. Watch this space!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Render3.jpg   Render2.jpg   Render1.jpg  
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  14. #64
    She lives! A quick in-sim test of the model, which I find quite handy for spotting errors. The model is still in separate pieces for texture map purposes, so there's still some polygon shadowing here and there that will be gone soon. Lots of work still to go and I'm away now for a few days so won't be able to do any more until next week.

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails a.jpg   b.jpg  
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  15. #65
    Go NAVAIR!!! Thanks, Dean! NC

  16. #66
    Charter Member 2015 delta_lima's Avatar
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    Looks super, Dean.

    From the shots of the TRS2, your treatment of details like canopy and landing gear will make this model delightful.

    Easily the most anticipated aircraft project in FSX ever from my perspective.

    DL

  17. #67
    Quote Originally Posted by delta_lima View Post
    Looks super, Dean.

    From the shots of the TRS2, your treatment of details like canopy and landing gear will make this model delightful.

    Easily the most anticipated aircraft project in FSX ever from my perspective.

    DL
    Thanks DL! I can't take credit for the TSR 2 model though, it's by Dave Hanvey and was originally modeled for commercial release, I think by Virtavia. Dave's retired I think from sim development so Henk, Mal and myself have taken on the completion of the project.

    Every time I see a model like Dave's though, it inspires me to match the quality. The RF-8G will be no different in quality
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  18. #68
    Charter Member 2015 delta_lima's Avatar
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    Found a couple nice shots of the photo Crusader in it's later years. Of course, the high-vis schemes of the 60s and 70s are the most widely known, and to some niche fans of the Crusader, the later reserve (VFP-206/306) schemes are more common, but shots of operational squadron (in this case, VFP-63) RF-8Gs in low-vis paints are far less common. This set is from VFP-63's 1982 Kittyhawk / CVW-15 WestPac cruise.

    I (hope / figured folks) would like to see these.

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    I hope you're well Dean, and the progress shots thus far look amazing. Thanks in advance for this labour of love.

    dl

  19. #69
    Quote Originally Posted by delta_lima View Post
    Found a couple nice shots of the photo Crusader in it's later years. Of course, the high-vis schemes of the 60s and 70s are the most widely known, and to some niche fans of the Crusader, the later reserve (VFP-206/306) schemes are more common, but shots of operational squadron (in this case, VFP-63) RF-8Gs in low-vis paints are far less common. This set is from VFP-63's 1982 Kittyhawk / CVW-15 WestPac cruise.I (hope / figured folks) would like to see these. I hope you're well Dean, and the progress shots thus far look amazing. Thanks in advance for this labour of love.dl
    Thanks DL! Those shots are great, I'll keep them handy as work progresses. On that front though, sadly, nothing has been done since the last progress update as my day job is taking up almost all of my time. The rest is taken up with commercial sim development as I try to get DC Designs off the ground. There just aren't enough hours in the day right now for freeware, although I'm hoping to pick up the threads after the summer and finish the RF-8G. I'll post back as soon as work continues, sorry for the delays folks!
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  20. #70
    In VFP-63 Detachment 2 we went to overall top surface gray but didn't go with the low-vis markings until our last cruise in 1981. Here are two shots of Det 2 aircraft circa 1979.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Det_2_622_Cat_2.jpg   Det_2_NORIS.jpg  

  21. #71
    Charter Member 2015 delta_lima's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DC1973 View Post
    Thanks DL! Those shots are great, I'll keep them handy as work progresses. On that front though, sadly, nothing has been done since the last progress update as my day job is taking up almost all of my time. The rest is taken up with commercial sim development as I try to get DC Designs off the ground. There just aren't enough hours in the day right now for freeware, although I'm hoping to pick up the threads after the summer and finish the RF-8G. I'll post back as soon as work continues, sorry for the delays folks!
    No worries, Dean! I've been waiting a decade and a half since Carl nixed the idea of an RF- on the original Alphasim model a decade and a half ago. A few months is nothing, especially with the advanced texturing you're doing. This will be so worth the wait.

    Have a great summer, relax, look after the stuff that feeds your family, we'll still be here.

    Tarps, those are great schemes - love those pics. They help convey well the full longevity of the Crusader's service - can't think of many naval airframes putting in almost 4 decades of active service like those RF and French (E)-FN units did.

  22. #72
    Some neat stuff on how the cameras were operated in the RF-8 (AKA F8U-1P) Crusader in this old training film:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHCXwnjKXa8


    The flare ejection stuff for night shots towards the end is really cool! Had no idea the RF-8 cameras had a "flash" feature!

  23. #73
    Charter Member 2015 delta_lima's Avatar
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    Cool footage - thanks for posting.

    dl

  24. #74
    SOH-CM-2024 MrZippy's Avatar
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    Great footage except for that stupid squid wearing his Dixie cup on the flight line! The 2 Flare guys had it right wearing the work ballcap!
    Charlie Awaiting the new Microsoft Flight Sim and will eventually buy a new computer. Running a Chromebook for now!

  25. #75
    Quote Originally Posted by DennyA View Post
    Some neat stuff on how the cameras were operated in the RF-8 (AKA F8U-1P) Crusader in this old training film...
    Good flick, Denny - I can almost hear the movie projector running in the back of the classroom.
    The RF-8's cameras and circuitry were upgraded several times over the years but the controls stayed pretty much the same. Night photo as a combat mission was discontinued early on during the Vietnam war; as you can imagine the photo flash bombs helped the North Vietnamese 37/57mm gunners see the RF-8 as it made its photo run. Night recce was left to the RA-5C's with their IR and side-looking radar systems.
    Interesting fact about the plane's viewfinder: From the view screen in the cockpit to the lens window at the top of the intake, it was a single very large unit, basically a big periscope. God forbid that a drive motor for the traveling grid should burn out or some other electrical glitch occur, it was a major b*tch to remove and replace. A classic piece of 1950's electro-optical technology that remained with the jet for its entire service life.

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