OK, I'm possibly just being dumb .....

[AndyG43]

.... but I'm having problems with some ported products, specifically the Just Flight Spitfire pack (apparently will work in FSX but not FSXA) and the Plane Design Spitfire XVI. It is, I understand, a common problem with both the transparencies & the prop disk showing as solid black. The prop is an easy enough fix, I'll find one on another aircraft that works and use that, but the transparencies have left me clueless; I've found any number of solutions via Google, some I just couldn't get my head around and the others I couldn't get to work.

So is their some kind soul here who can give me an idiots guide on how to fix this. I'm rebuilding my FSX setup and want to include a varied selection of warbirds, without those two products I'll have a big hole in my hangar.

[vonstroheim]

Seems to me you're having the usual issues with FS9 or port-over aircrafts... Sometimes it's not worth the trouble...

Looks like the RealAir Spitfire installer is now unlocked for former customers. Give it a try? It's a wonderful aircraft! Comes with RAF West Malling (UK) scenery...

[DickB]

I converted the PD Lancaster (another beautiful a/c) to native FSX a while back, so most likely I had to solve the transparency problem on that, though I can't recall the details right now. I don't have the PD Spitfire, but I do like Ed's work.

This is the bible for converting flyable FS9 a/c to FSX:

http://www.calclassic.com/convert_tutorial/

It's a bit intimidating, and assumes familiarity with free tools like Model Converter X and DXTBmp, but section 6 talks specifically about changing materials and textures. Para 15 in that section discusses transparency. I'm afraid it's not an 'idiot's guide', but it might help.

Basically I <<think>> you need to locate the glass texture (usually called something like glass_t) and convert it to a format (e.g. DXT3) with an all-black alpha channel. You can do that with DXTBMP and an image/paint program. If that doesn't work, then you may need to convert the a/c to native FSX first. That's a much bigger job. But you may have to do that to get the prop animation right anyway.

Totally agree with vonstroheim about the RealAir Spit BTW. Very nice.

[AndyG43]

Thanks for the replies gents, much appreciated. I shall head over to Calclassic and give the tutorial a read.

I have the RealAir Spitfires, bought them years ago so I was able to redownload them, and I agree they are absolute gems. I also have the A2A WOP3 Spitfires (also gems), the AH Spitfire trainer and I bought the Justflight Spitfire V yesterday; I'd have had their Mark IV as well if they'd also had the option of the standard non-cannon wing, to serve as a Mark XII. So I've got a lot of options covered but all of those have one problem in that none of them have the bubble canopy which leaves a mahoosive gap. Here's hoping Calclassic gives me what I need.

[rohan]

Andy,
if you are specifically looking for a Spitfire with a bubble canopy, then you might have two options.

I found a file in the library here with a description that includes the text -

"AR213 (G-AIST) for the A2A WoP3 With Accusim Spitfire Mk.1a

I suggest flying this aircraft with the variable pitch 3 bladed prop and bubble canopy as that is how she flies today."

Or you might look for a file by A. F. Scrub at flightsim.com called "spitfiremkxviii.zip".

Hope that helps,
Ro

[AndyG43]

Andy,
if you are specifically looking for a Spitfire with a bubble canopy, then you might have two options.

I found a file in the library here with a description that includes the text -

"AR213 (G-AIST) for the A2A WoP3 With Accusim Spitfire Mk.1a

I suggest flying this aircraft with the variable pitch 3 bladed prop and bubble canopy as that is how she flies today."

Or you might look for a file by A. F. Scrub at flightsim.com called "spitfiremkxviii.zip".

Hope that helps,
Ro

Sorry, wasn't being very clear, when I said bubble canopy I meant that later lowback Spitfires. However, I shall get that repaint (as I said, I'm assembling a warbirds collection) and the A.F. Scrub models could well be the answer that I should have thought of. So off to Flightsim it is.

Thanks.

[vonstroheim]

If I understand correctly what you mean by Lowback Spitfires, there is Rob Richardson's Supermarine Spitfire Mk XXIV here at SOH, native FSX with nice VC...



...or A.F. Scrub's Supermarine Seafire Mk XVII, naval version with tail hook, merged with RealAir Spit's VC, here too at SOH:



Can't find "spitfiremkxviii.zip"... Can't close door...

[AndyG43]

"Lowback Spitfires", yes! Put the vagueness down to old age. As the current plan is to concentrate on warbirds some of Rob's aircraft are lined up & ready for installation, I'll be using the Spitfire 24 to double as a 22. The Seafire XVII is a good suggestion, thank you.

The search continues.

The ultimate plan is to have a couple of 'installs' to swap in and out, so I'll be able to have one for Cold War jets (a la Ian Elliot), one for WW II etc. It'll be a pain in the proverbial having to hangar loads of aircraft but, as Microsoft didn't give us the option to have multiple installs, it'll have to do. C'est la vie.