Analysing and modifying the AFX file with QBasic. - Page 7
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Thread: Analysing and modifying the AFX file with QBasic.

  1. #151

    Phase 1: Nose component

    Hello Ivan,
    The new position of the division between the nose and mid-fuselage components did its job successfully. There is no longer any pilot or canopy frame interference through the metal in front of the windshield.
    Hereīs a blueprint screenshot - I still have to thicken some canopy-frame spars.


    This would be the first part of the operation. I see you have an instrument console - at the moment I have the dashboard bitmap directly on the forward inclinded "floor" panel, but that can change!

    Now for the second part, the mid fuselage, going aft up to the beginning of the aft-canopy slope:

    If the mid-fuselage is a whole component from canopy-sill to the bottom, then the wing fairings canīt be glued to it in one piece, as they portrude aft. Neither will the glue sequence be able to include the exhausts. The Pilot, floor and canopy frame also need glue at the top, so itīs a bit difficult. Would it require further splitting up the mid-fuselage component?
    For the moment itīs not working very well.

    Of course... unless it is done like on the original model. Presumably you still have it this way:
    Exhausts in Mid Wing R/L, upper Wing-Fairings in Inner Win Mid R/L, and lower Fairings in Wing Low R/L (correction: ...in Gear Centre), with the consequent issue of the wheel wells and their debatable display characteristics in Wing Low/LR and duplicated in Gear Centre.

    Interestingly enough, the cockpit "floor" between the two canopy slopes is an entire part, which despite being slightly bent in a concave way, still displays correctly without disappearing.

    Incidentally, in case you were to be interested, the .pdf article about the AiraCobra in Russia is here:

    http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/englis...omanenko/p-39/
    http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/englis...p-39/part2.htm

    The before-last paragraph of the second part mentions the virtues of the aircraft as per Russian pilotsīopinions.

    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp
    Last edited by aleatorylamp; July 17th, 2018 at 10:25.
    "Why make it simple if you can also make it complicated?"

  2. #152
    Hello Aleatorylamp,

    My Assembly sequence is much worse than yours because I am trying to retain the original texture layout.
    The MidFuse Component was split into three Components as I described earlier:
    FuseMidFor
    FuseMid
    and
    FuseMidAft

    The reason for this was that the Nose Component had a different texture and I could not add to that Component without having to remap the texture because it would have extended too far.
    Along the same lines, I divided the TailCone Component into two with a new Component that only has the two bays that were removed from the original TailCone. Again, The TailCone had a different texture and I wanted to retain that.

    At this point, I am finding that I am basically spending time refining and adjusting shapes for what I consider a throwaway model.
    I probably have gotten as much as I ever will from working on the EJ AFX, so it will getting a lot less attention.
    I still should not leave a patient on the operating table and I do want a model for comparison to my own project at some point, so I will at least fix the things I have broken with my modifications.

    Along those lines, the Instrument Console will get adjusted a bit because the shape isn't really the way I think it should be and I was the one that put this in the model. The Flaps need fixed. I will probably leave the Exhausts alone even though they are pretty easy to fix.

    Quote Originally Posted by Aleatorylamp
    If the mid-fuselage is a whole component from canopy-sill to the bottom, then the wing fairings canīt be glued to it in one piece, as they portrude aft. Neither will the glue sequence be able to include the exhausts. The Pilot, floor and canopy frame also need glue at the top, so itīs a bit difficult. Would it require further splitting up the mid-fuselage component?
    For the moment itīs not working very well.

    Of course... unless it is done like on the original model. Presumably you still have it this way:
    Exhausts in Mid Wing R/L, upper Wing-Fairings in Inner Win Mid R/L, and lower Fairings in Wing Low R/L (correction: ...in Gear Centre), with the consequent issue of the wheel wells and their debatable display characteristics in Wing Low/LR and duplicated in Gear Centre.


    I wasn't really sure how I should respond to your statements here.
    I believe you are forgetting the basics of how to use Glue in Aircraft Factory 99: Order Matters....
    Try this sequence:

    PilotHead
    Glue
    PilotShoulder
    Glue
    <I have a LOT more stuff here.>
    CockpitFloor
    Glue
    FuseMid
    Glue
    FuseMidAft
    Glue
    FuseMidFor
    Glue
    TailFor
    Glue
    CFrameL
    Glue
    CFrameR
    Glue
    Exhaust
    ....

    I think with this is enough that you can get the idea.
    My actual sequence isn't quite the same but I have a lot more pieces in the sequence and I am also not going to bother with the Exhausts which are still in the Inner Wing Group.
    If you want to see a much more difficult situation, look at the Supercharger Intake on my Kawasaki Ki 61 and figure how that can be made to work.....

    I actually came across the site that hosts the links you posted but I was looking for cockpit photographs at the time and didn't read any of the stories.

    As it turns out, I don't think I will be using the Paul Matt drawings even for a print reference.
    I believe a different Monografie set is easier to clean up and use. It also happens to be for a P-39Q though....

    - Ivan.

  3. #153
    Hello Ivan,
    Many thanks for your instructions.
    Evidently there were a couple of things I didnīt quite understand in your post #149.

    I thought that the components sliced-off the front and rear of the original Mid-fuselage component, would be stuck onto the Nose and Tail-fuselage sections, leaving a reduced-length mid-fuselage component, but I see now that this is obviously not the case.

    OK, I understand what you are trying to do and why, and I can easily return to the old Nose Component and Texture, and include the front "slice" into the mid-fuselage sequence.

    With the glue sequence you describe, it is obvious now that the exhausts are not in Wing Mid L/R, but incorporated into the glue-sequence covering the cockpit and mid-fuselage elements.

    So, I may deduce from this, that my problem of trying to keep the new distribution of wing-fairings in Body-Main, glued to the lower mid fuselage would then be discarded, and it would be necessary to revert to the original distribution of having wing-fairings and wheel-wells in Gear Centre.

    ...unless of course the "...." at the end of your described glue sequence means that the wing-fairings are to be included at the end of this Body-Main glue-sequence. Iīm not sure if the glue-sequence can cope with all this, but Iīll try it out.

    This was precisely the reason for my question in the first place.

    I donīt believe I was at all "forgetting the basics of how to use Glue in Aircraft Factory 99: Order Matters....".

    I know Order Matters - but I also know that it is a matter of discovering exactly how to put that order together in AF99 in order to to achieve the results one is looking for.


    Iīll see how it goes.
    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp
    Last edited by aleatorylamp; July 18th, 2018 at 11:15.

  4. #154
    Hello Aleatorylamp,

    If you are reworking the textures, then you CAN put the sliced off segments onto the Nose and Tail.....
    Well, Sort of.... You wil =l have to think of scaling changes if you do that.
    The Problem is that the the sliced off segment at the back along with the forward segments of the Tail must live in the Body, Main Group or you are likely to have problems with bleeds with the Wing Fillets.
    That is why I had to slice off a couple segments from the TailCone as well.

    I kept the sections sliced from MidFuse as their own Components because they did not share textures with the Nose or Tail Components and I wanted to retail the original textures. My own project will be designed with these divisions worked out in advance and figuring out where the separations need to be is part of the benefit of working on this "throwaway" project.

    There are enough different options possible for the Wing Fairings that I am not that concerned about making them work on this model yet.
    I just believe it is necessary to put the Wing Fairings and Exhausts into the same Group and they will PROBABLY be in the Body, Main Group to avoid issues with interactions wit the underside.

    You are right, the "Order Matters" comment was Not very nice.
    I had the idea that there would be a lot more issues with this project than it appears that there are. (More Famous Last Words!)
    So far, it looks to be more tedious than really difficult.
    The general arrangements are looking very much like a cross between a Spitfire and a Bubbletop Thunderbolt!

    The AIR file is actually proving to be the most difficult part thus far. I worked out a bunch more numbers last night and tonight I will see if things fit together.

    - Ivan.
    Last edited by Ivan; July 18th, 2018 at 13:07.

  5. #155

    Quite amazing!

    Hello Ivan,
    Yes, your comment was very nice.
    Now, to what extend I was forgetting the basics of AF99 glue sequencing, is debatable...

    Anyway, the result is quite amazing!

    It has worked, by simply fitting your sequence into what I already had!

    I just incorporated your glue sequence into my Body-Main section, observing the necessary modifications to achieve the newly corrected order for the elements in your list: Pilot, floor, mid-fuselage, C-frame and exhausts.

    For the moment, I didnīt change what I already had, just as an experiment, i.e. my newly modified Nose still including the "slice" cut off the forward mid-fuse section, and I kept the horizontal division of top and bottom mid-fuselage component halves, and the fuselage-tail sections. The exhausts this way still ended up glued to the top mid-fuse component half, and the bottom half continues successfully having the Wing-fairings glued to it, with wheel-wells also there.

    Then, I also kept the aft-cabin upper section (on which the air-intake sits) which is separated from the fuselage tail and mid-fuselage sections.

    The attached screenshot shows the perhaps somewhat outlandish way the mid-fuselage section is divided into its three components.


    Glue-Sequencing is something that looks extremely simple and is completely amazing when it works.

    Why it works, or how, is a different matter altogether, even though I know that in theory it is because it establishes an order for parts to be displayed. It is something I will never be able to completely visualize or understand.

    OK on your comments on possible re-distributions of the mid-fuselage "slices"!

    Now I will decide the best maneuever for the sliced-off sections with respect to the texture mapping. I may re-arrange them to improve scaling and distribution.

    I also have to work on the canopy glass, which is not behaving itself yet because it is not included in the Glue Sequence yet - I think Iīll make components out of the structure so as to avoid the places it overlaps with the frame pieces.


    Thanks a lot!
    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Amazing.jpg  
    Last edited by aleatorylamp; July 18th, 2018 at 13:57.

  6. #156
    Hello Aleatorylamp,

    My apologies. My intended comment was that the "Order Matters" was NOT a nice thing to write.

    I guess to me this Glue sequence thing is pretty easy now because just about every project I have done is a single engine fighter and this one is looking like it fits into the pattern pretty well thus far.

    - Ivan.

  7. #157
    Hello Ivan,
    Yes, I gathered as much, and my reply was quite in line, though less incisive.
    A cat is a cat, and canīt avoid its nature, and humans who have cats know that.

    Anyway... A well-working glue sequence is great. Itīs the pleasure of winning the Battle of the Bleeds, although thereīs still a few more details to see to before itīs done.

    Iīd be curious to see how you would continue your version of the glue sequence towards the inclusion of wing-fairings in Body Main, although this may not happen if your model version meets your objectives without needing to be completed to that extent.

    Cheers,

    Aleatorylamp
    "Why make it simple if you can also make it complicated?"

  8. #158

    OK, and No K.

    Hello Ivan,
    The main Cockpit bleed-battle (but for the cabin-glass) is OK, including a last-minute aft C-Frame spar interaction I was getting with the aft-cabin floor.

    However, thereīs one thing still Not OK: The same prop-geardoor interaction as before, as one you were having too some time ago, from a certain forward angle. Iīll have to revise the nose sequence again, which shouldnīt be too difficult.

    Once that is done, it will be the turn of the canopy-glass component and texture fine-adjustments -
    Iīve also just thickened the C-frame spars.
    I donīt think it will be too long to finish the model now.
    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp
    "Why make it simple if you can also make it complicated?"

  9. #159
    Hello Aleatorylamp,

    Humans should be as smart as Cats. We had a pair of Cat many years ago.
    My Children were talking about them about two days ago, so they still remember.

    My plan as always was to try out a few things to test ideas for my own project and fix the things I break along the way.
    There was never the intent of fixing everything that is wrong with this model.
    I suppose you figured out why I was building a Transparent Canopy.
    Part of it was because it looked so nice on your model. Part of it was to test an assembly sequence.
    Even the sequence that I recommended to you has issues.
    You probably don't see them yet because you don't have quite as many pieces in place as I do, but there ARE issues when more pieces are added.

    Where you are chasing bleeds at the moment isn't quite where I am chasing bleeds.
    The Nose Gear bleed needs a lot more testing, but since it was there before I started, I will probably not attempt to address it until I have fixed what I broke.

    - Ivan.

  10. #160
    Hello, Ivan!
    Cats are smarter. They got the Egyptians to treat them as gods, and that was long ago. In the Dark Ages cats had a hard time however. The ruling class installed witch hunts and inquisition, with the resulting anti-cat paranoia. Cats would have stopped the Bubonic Plague, but they were being killed off. Then, the same ruling class decimated native tribes and their Chaman wisdom throughout the whole New World, so now we have modern medicine to kill us off slowly while we continue being good slaves spending our money on medicines, but thatīs getting a bit off the topic of cats...

    Anyway... From what you are saying, when I finish the canopy-glass component, for the moment at least, Iīll leave that area as it is, and resume the bleed-battle with the propeller in the under-nose area.

    Somehow, the more or less fine-working propeller and nose-gear animations donīt get on with each other. There is a nasty case of Glue-Cure Immunity between Gear-Nose and Nose groupings, and there isnīt a Nose/Gear-Nose Glue Template.

    The solution may require everything to exist within the Nose Group. The body cringes at the thought. For a start, Iīll have to get the forward "slice" out of the Nose component again, to free the glued dashboard from the nose area. Letīs see what I can manage with this idea.

    After that, I may even leave the Instrument Console and the Tool-Box behind the pilot for the imagination!
    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp
    "Why make it simple if you can also make it complicated?"

  11. #161
    Hello Aleatorylamp,

    Regarding Cats and modern medicine, there are more nuances than we are going to properly cover here. Let's leave it at that.

    Quote Originally Posted by Aleatorylamp
    Somehow, the more or less fine-working propeller and nose-gear animations donīt get on with each other. There is a nasty case of Glue-Cure Immunity between Gear-Nose and Nose groupings, and there isnīt a Nose/Gear-Nose Glue Template.


    If you look at the SCASM code, you will see how things really work. I believe you will be shocked and disappointed.

    Quote Originally Posted by Aleatorylamp
    The solution may require everything to exist within the Nose Group. The body cringes at the thought. For a start, Iīll have to get the forward "slice" out of the Nose component again, to free the glued dashboard from the nose area. Letīs see what I can manage with this idea.
    This is where I was heading but it is so much work that I am choosing not to do it on the EJ model first. The separations aren't really designed well for the purpose, so with this in mind, perhaps I can make better decisions. This is one of the benefits from working on the "throwaway" model: You get to see the potential problems early.

    Quote Originally Posted by Aleatorylamp
    After that, I may even leave the Instrument Console and the Tool-Box behind the pilot for the imagination!


    I believe that is supposed to be a Radio behind the Pilot.

    ....Now, Back to Flight Model edits!
    ;-)

    - Ivan.

  12. #162
    Hello Ivan,
    Oh Dear! The radio. Ha ha... A tool box would be too dangerous there. What would happen during an emergency stop for an old lady crossing on the zebra stripes, even if it didnīt open in the process?
    Well... probably nothing - there was armoured glass behind the pilotīs head.

    I just had a look at the SCASM code, but I need a more time to identify different the parts involved to see what you mean. Iīm curious to discover what you said.

    Update: I was too optimistic, Iīm afraid. Even my cats would be better at this than me.
    After identifying SCASM nose-gear and propeller animations, Iīm no cleverer than before about whatīs going on in the under-nose area. Obviously the gear-doors/well and upper gearstrut interfere with one (lower) propeller blade (and possibly with the entire nose, for an instant), and not so much with the whole propeller animation, but I donīt think I can pin-point why, other than the short distance between the conflicting elements.

    Different solutions that occur to me are by no means clear. Iīve never put a nose-gear with doors and well into the nose group, and I donīt know what could happen. You have more experience and insight here, and can identify things much sooner, so evidently this is not going to be an easy fix.

    Anyway, itīs only one propeller-blade with the stopped engine, so itīs not too annoying if it stays.

    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp
    Last edited by aleatorylamp; July 20th, 2018 at 02:51.
    "Why make it simple if you can also make it complicated?"

  13. #163
    Hello Aleatorylamp,

    I don't know if the Radio was actually there and shaped like that in the particular version of the Airacobra that I was building but I do recall that it was a pretty common fixture there. Size and shape varied a bit.

    The Propeller to Nose Gear bleed is actually worse than you might think.
    Try bringing the aeroplane in with Landing Gear down as you would for landing.

    Last night I was not feeling particularly ambitious, so I decided to work on the Cannon and Propeller Spinner.
    The new colour is so that the changes are visible. While I was repainting the Spinner, I decided to make another little minor change in the paint job. I don't think anyone really knows for sure what "Nanette" really looked like, but for now, she is masquerading as a P-39Q-1. Soon she might change to a P-39D.
    There is a LOT of wasted space in these texture files, but I am not planning on correcting that part.... yet.
    With the Spinner and Cannon changes, the Overall Length is about where it should be though I can't say much about the proportions.
    The CoG of the model is still located incorrectly but I don't want to change it because I would lose all of the animation that I have already done.

    The Pilot also needs to be finished because I want to use it elsewhere.

    The Flight Model did not get any changes last night, but the DP file did.

    - Ivan.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Nanette74_LFHigh.jpg  

  14. #164
    Hello Ivan,
    Nanette is a very pretty girl! A very clean and nice-looking cockpit interior too!
    This sort of thing adds a lot to the model! The 37 mm cannon up front is also very business-like!

    Regarding approach for landing and looking at the front, thereīs a moment where the wheel-well makes the gear doors disappear, but itīs very momentary. Then, whatīs more visible, or rather invisibvle, is the disappearance of the inboard wing-root cooler intake. Apart from this, I havenīt noticed anything else.

    I think Iīll take advantage of your experience and save myself the trouble of trying to fight the propeller-blade Bleed.

    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Coming in.jpg  
    "Why make it simple if you can also make it complicated?"

  15. #165
    Hello Aleatorylamp,

    Try timing the screenshot so that the Propeller Blur is in line with the Nose Gear.
    This problem will show up all the time because of the way that AF99 handles Groups.
    The issue with visual priorities of Groups is what I wanted you to find in the SCASM code.
    You don't need to really look for the individual pieces such as Propeller Blades and Nose Gear; just look for the Group that they are in.
    The code is in one massive block at the beginning just after "Main Start".

    Many years ago, I thought I would rewrite that section of the code to make the VectorJump's more reasonable.
    The idea SORT of worked, but was so tedious that I decided not to pursue it.
    Creative use of Glue and Templates gave such similar results with so much less effort that this is what I use now.
    There IS a difference, but you have to look very hard to find it.

    I believe the issue with Intakes is because of reliance on "Automatic Glue".
    Sometimes it is necessary but avoid it if you can.
    I am not going there yet because there are bigger bleed problems with the same Parts from the side.

    The Cockpit on my version needs a lot more work. Not much is textured at this point
    If you really wanted to, you could go crazy with detailing things like the Radio and Instrument Panel.
    I still have a couple bleeds from the underside that have not yet been addressed.

    Have you revised the Flaps on your version? They look pretty good. I still need to work on mine.

    - Ivan.

  16. #166
    Hello Ivan,
    Hmmm... I still canīt see anything in the SCASM code - itīs too abstract for me, Iīm afraid.

    I timed the prop blur screenshot though - it can easily be stopped with the right mouse button. Howeverm, seen from the front I didnīt notice anything except some bleed-overs in the wheel-fork component because itīs so strangely built - I still havenīt changed that.

    Then, my flaps are OK seen from the front, from the side and squared from the rear only! - not so much from other rear angles, when thereīs a very messy moment also involving wheel-wells and front wheel-doors.

    Not very motivating... but at least itīs only momentary... Hereīs some pics.

    I finished the new cabin component and put the two halves into the glue sequence just before the C-Frame halves, although itīs not perfect bleedwise either, but it seems acceptable.

    Then, the inner cooler intake at the wing root: Youīre right - itīs in with Automatic Glue - i.e. itīs the only thing in Inner Wing Mid L/R. But, glued to the wingroot inside the already cluttered Body-Main Glue sequence may be problematic. ...Or not... maybe it COULD work...

    Ups and downs, merry-go-rounds,
    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Shot-Flaps-side.jpg   Shot-Flaps-rear-side.jpg   Shot-Flaps-rear.jpg   Shot-rear-mess.jpg  
    "Why make it simple if you can also make it complicated?"

  17. #167

    Serious improvement under the nose!

    Hello Ivan,
    Thinking a bit further about the Lower-Nose Propblade/Gearwell and Geardoor interaction,
    the problem is the Gear-Nose Group, which is also the cause for the messy view of the
    forward geardoors seen throught the fuselage from behind.

    Gear-Nose should really only contain the nosewheel and nosegear-strut, and if possible,
    only the lower part of the latter.

    The glue-strategy is similar to the mid-fuselage components, where horizontal splitting
    of the component allowed A) wing fairings to be glued to the lower component,
    and B) exhausts to be glued to the upper component.

    So: Still in Body-Main:
    The nose component, preferably including the slice cut off from the mid-fuselage because
    of the long nose-gear doors, is split horizontally into top and bottom components.

    The top component continues to have the dashboard (and maybe the instrument console?)
    glued to it, and the bottom component has A) the insignia-down wheel-well glued to it first,
    followed by B) the lL/R glue-sequence for the L/R wheel-doors.

    Now the propeller blade only interacts with the gear strut, not with wheelwell and wheeldoors.

    This actually works!

    Next step:
    Cut the Wheel strut into upper and lower sections, keep the lower section in Gear-Nose and
    try to include the top part in the aforementioned new sequence.
    Now Iīll see if this can be.

    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp

  18. #168

    A bit better still

    Hello Ivan,
    It seems to have got a bit better still!

    Moving the long nosegear-strut into Body Main as well, glued just under the wheel-well and putting the strut into the L/R Glue Sequence for the L/R wheel-doors provided a further improvement.

    Only the wheel and its yoke is left in Gear Nose, and now only the tip of the propeller blade interferes there. Letīs see if I can get the top of the wheelyoke out of there as well!

    This way all that will be left of the nose-gear strut in Gear Nose are the wheel-yoke sides, and they will expectedly display better as well, without filling in the triangles as happens now.
    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails nosebetter3.jpg  
    "Why make it simple if you can also make it complicated?"

  19. #169

    Nothing is perfect

    Hello once more!
    Instead of editing a post, Iīm adding... but probably adding is better.

    I reduced the height of the lower nose-component by one row of parts, as I was getting nosedoor bleeds through the nose-component side seen from above-rear-sideways. Now the lower component is only the two lowest panel rows. All the others are in the upper or main nose component.

    I also fixed the yoke on the nose gear a bit better, but the Nosegear Strut placing into the Glue-Sequence could probably be improved - now thereīs interaction between the inside of the wheel-door and the outside of the Nose Component bottom.

    Additionally, thereīs interaction between the main wheel-wells and the Nosegear Strut and door.

    Uffff... If itīs not one thing in one place, itīs another in another.

    Update: Now I did update - but it seems pointless to add another post just for this.
    I canīt get it any better, at least for the moment, be it by ordering parts differently, or by moving around nosegear-glue. Thereīs just too many elements, and some angles simply donīt give a clean display, although many others do. Nevertheless, all in all, it seems a bit better than yesterday.


    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp
    Last edited by aleatorylamp; July 21st, 2018 at 03:29.

  20. #170

    Nanette

    Hello Aleatorylamp,

    Nanette had a lot more attention last night and this morning.

    I never did like the nose contours, so I revised them a bit.
    I still don't think the shape is ideal, but it is a lot better than when I started.
    I got tired of trying to figure out the naming convention for the Parts, so I used the originals as templates to create my own set of Parts with new names that help me find things more easily.
    The rebuilt Nose is shown in the first screenshot.

    There is going to be a lot more work done in this area for the Nose Gear.
    I believe I have a solution, but I need to try it out first.

    Regarding the Exhaust bleeds:
    I believe I was able to address that in a reasonable manner.
    The first couple tries did not work but this was around 2 AM and I was making stupid mistakes.
    By the time I went to sleep, it still was pretty broken even though I was pretty sure there was nothing wrong with my idea.
    As it turned out, there really WASN'T anything wrong with my idea.
    The big problem that I found this morning is that the Exhausts are each shifted by a slight amount.
    Once I removed that shift, everything worked as I thought it should.
    The idea is to duplicate each Exhaust in the Inner Wing and also in Body Main.
    Attached is a screenshot showing the results.

    I figure if it shows up without problems in this area, it should not have problems elsewhere but I haven't checked out all the angles yet.
    I also found that the current pieces really don't fit together well without Wing Root bleeds from some angle unless the Fuselage and Wing Fillets are "integrated" better than they are here.

    This project has gotten way past where I had intended when I started but perhaps there are another couple experiments to try.

    - Ivan.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails NoseJob1.jpg   Exhausts.jpg  

  21. #171
    Hello Ivan,
    There is always more than just one road that leads to Rome.
    Looks like we are getting somewhere! Very good. Itīs interesting that you are going further than you had originally intended.

    Your model is certainly looking very interesting, especially the cockpit.

    Once your idea yields the expected results, of course Iīd be interested to to see how you solved the two main problems on this model: A) The Wingroot and Exhaust, and B), the Nose-Gear / Propeller.

    I also noticed the irritating shift on the exhaust, as well as the inconsistent left-to-right switching on some of the other elements like geardoors and geardoorglue.

    But for a few short moments of different inteactions between elements from different angles, these are not too bad, and the improvements Iīve arrived at are all-round very acceptable.

    The model looks good and behaves well in the air. Iīve adjusted the mid-fuselage texture a bit more, but the markings still need a bit of attention.

    Cheers
    Aleatorylamp
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Image3.jpg   Image2.jpg   Image1.jpg  
    "Why make it simple if you can also make it complicated?"

  22. #172
    Hello Aleatorylamp,

    Getting somewhere or avoiding getting somewhere?
    Keep in mind that time spent on this project is time NOT spent on my new version of the Airacobra.
    The techniques are transferable to some extent which is why I keep working on it.
    The flight model is near 100% transferable.
    Refining the model in other ways is really a waste of time though it is hard to resist because the broken stuff is so obvious and the fixes are so easy in general. They problem is that EVERYTHING is bent or broken to one extent or another.

    Regarding the issues you pointed out:

    A) I believe the Wing Root to Exhaust issue has been addressed. I just have not checked all the angles yet and if it turns out that there is a problem (which I do not expect), I do have a more elaborate solution.

    B) The Nose Gear to Propeller issue does not look to be terribly difficult. It just looks to be a bit tedious to rebuild all the pieces that need to be changed. I am doing my best to NOT change the shapes even if I don't think they are optimal.
    This is also why I had to adjust the Nose first. It would not have made sense to adjust the pieces around the Nose and then adjust the Nose and have to do it all over again.

    C) The Trailing Edge of the Wing Fillet to Outer Wing isn't quite right. It wasn't matched up when I started but since I was there to work on Flaps, I probably should fix that area as well.

    D) The Pilot needs more work for shape and textures.

    E) The Instrument Panel and Console are shaped incorrectly and also need to be textured.

    F) The Flaps need a bit of testing to see if an idea that I have will work. I don't need it on this model but it might look good on another model.

    - Ivan.

  23. #173
    Hello Ivan,
    OK, I wasnīt quite clear about the exhausts, and thought there was something additional to duplicating them in Inner Wing and also in Body Main. Interesting!

    I also had trouble with the wing-fillet trailing edge matching points. It was difficult to see the reason for the mismatch, and it didnīt make much sense. After rounding off the fuselage, it became clear what had to be done with this part, so that was OK.

    At the moment Iīm filling in cracks and adjusting textures a bit better, and
    basically, as far as Iīm concerned, Iīd be just about done with this model, similarly to your case, but for different reasons.

    It will be very interesting to see how your new build starts developing once the preliminary phases are complied with.

    P.S. It will of course also be interesting to see the results of your current tests on the different areas of the model you have mentioned as far as shapes and building techniques are concerned, but donīt let this hamper the progress required for your own version.

    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp
    Last edited by aleatorylamp; July 21st, 2018 at 21:39.
    "Why make it simple if you can also make it complicated?"

  24. #174

    Pull on One String....

    Hello Aleatorylamp,

    I was trying to address a bleed last night and managed to cause this situation as shown in the screenshot.
    It looks to me like I may have to do some extensive rebuilding in the aft Wing Fillet area.
    It is like seeing a loose string and when you pull on it, the whole mess falls apart.
    Every time I fix one area, something else breaks.

    The Pilot textures were improved a bit but still need work. The shape of the Pilot's Head was improved as well.
    I didn't get quite as far as I wanted on the Nose Gear / Propeller issue.

    Yesterday, I decided that it might be a good idea to have a real 3D reference for a P-39 Airacobra, so I found a model that I had bought many years ago. It is a Monogram 1:48 Airacobra and looks to be a P-39D-1. It isn't assembled, but the single piece that is the underside of the Wing shows what the Fillet and Trailing Edge should look like.
    It is a very old kit, so it was made back when the moulds were newer and is probably better detailed than the modern pressings.
    I bought it at one of the IPMS events for $4 or maybe less. The price tag shows $4 but it may have come as a part of a deal with other kits or sold at the end of the show when prices tend to get lower.

    - Ivan.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails OneString.jpg  

  25. #175
    Hello Ivan,
    Do you remember a scene in an old futuristic film, when someone gets their hands on
    some REAL steak to grill, as opposed to the soy-substitute distributed by the state?

    Your plastic P-39D model is like that - something to drool over and say "Wow! Lemme see!".
    Now THAT is an empiric reference to go by! If you were going to build it, I could only say:
    Send a photo when you finish, even if unpainted! (I never painted my plastic models).

    ... but Iīm sure you wonīt have the time. And, thereīs a ton of photos of plastic models on
    the Internet anyway... I just got carried away!

    Anyway, it looks like you are making good headway with the problems Iīve been dealing with
    lately. If I were to give myself exam marks for it, Iīd say about 7/10 for my efforts and results,
    and 0/10 for the Instument Console and Radio though! Iīm still mustering up courage for that.

    Another thing:
    I remember that a while ago, we discussed that my CoG positioning was within feasible limits,
    and I saw you addressed the subject on your Airacobra thread a couple of days ago.

    Your reference to the Datum Line is presumably the one on the diagram in your post:
    3 inches (0.25 ft) forward from the Tip of the Spinner - the point your 11.48 ft measurement to the CoG starts from. This would then be 11.23 ft from the tip of the Spinner.

    In my case, I have the CoG at 11.47 ft from the Spinner tip - just under 3 inches further back, which is acceptable for my purposes.

    Vertically, I have 0.9 ft (10.8 inches) below the engine thrust line. Compared to your estimate of 0.75 ft (9 inches), Iīm only 1.8 inches lower than that - so thatīs fine too!

    Today Iīve been looking at all the photos of Russian Aceīs P39D-2īs, trying to pinpoint one without the wing-guns. I like Unit Nr. 138555, Fuselage Nr. 27, belonging to Pilot 1st.Lt.Iskrin Nikolay Mikhailovich, Spring 1943, as it seems to have survived the war, but itīs difficult to tell if he flew it without the wing-guns.

    I may just use one of the registration numbers in the Russian article, paint that in yellow on the tail, and use a plausible green colour scheme with a red star.

    Thereīs controversy about the red spinner and red strip on the top of the fin/rudder, so I have to decide what to do there, as it would make it look rather boring...

    Additionally, the blue-circle backgound is also controversial, as this seems only to apply to the English units crated over by the north route - not the D-2īs shipped via Iran, as these only had white roundels ex-factory, so I may take the blue out and draw a white outline around the red star.

    We shall see....
    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp
    "Why make it simple if you can also make it complicated?"

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