C-97 wip

[mjahn]

These pics made me try a dynamic uneven reflection on the blurred prop blades, in lieu of the usual prop disc:

[stovall]

Great idea Manfred, just another way to enhance the visual realism of aircraft.

[Geomitrak]

That oil cooler air intake couldn't have been easy to model, but it looks perfect.

[manfredc3]

These pics made me try a dynamic uneven reflection on the blurred prop blades, in lieu of the usual prop disc:

Props are looking great

Thumbs up from me.

[Bill Kestell]

In a word ... AMAZING!

[huub vink]

Looks very promising Manfred, however I can hardly fly a virtual aircraft with one single engine. So I guess this one will be too much for me....

Cheers,
Huub

[Ferry_vO]

Looks very promising Manfred, however I can hardly fly a virtual aircraft with one single engine. So I guess this one will be too much for me....

The basics are pretty much the same Huub, you just need to think a bit further ahead because it takes a bit more time and space to change direction. In the good old A2A 377 you will need to fly and manage the engines at the same time... Great model, Manfred!

[tommieboy]

These pics made me try a dynamic uneven reflection on the blurred prop blades, in lieu of the usual prop disc:

Will repainters still be able to create a simple transparent prop disk via the typical editing of the prop texture file? I find the simple old school transparent prop disks are better at masking FPS stutters on the older / weaker computers.

Tommy

[Geomitrak]

Will repainters still be able to create a simple transparent prop disk via the typical editing of the prop texture file? I find the simple old school transparent prop disks are better at masking FPS stutters on the older / weaker computers.Tommy

Thats a very good point.

[mjahn]

Nacelle #1 now in place, also the cuffed Hamilton Standard prop blades. Not much to be seen of the mighty Wasp Major engine itself, I am afraid, so I'll just do some very basic 3D parts, see pic, and the rest will be supplied via the texture.



I can see the point re prop disc vs individual spinning blades. Frame rates is one aspect even though I'm not sure it makes much of a difference either way, will test this though. The other point is, do I want the spinning props as if seen on a photo or a film (then blades have the advantage for good screenshots), or as if seen by the naked eye? It might be a good idea to have both options available (i.e. two models). That said, the spinning discs on the A2A B377 are very nice.

[ColoKent]

The C-97 will be great. Any thought to then reusing the C-97 wings, engine, tail and landing gear for a B-50???

Just a thought...

Kent

[Bill Kestell]

I'll "second" that post. It would be wonderful to have an FSX B-50 ... at least one being a REAL bomber version ... guns and all ... not another one of those castrated weather reporters or navigation trainer types.

Manfred ... lately I'm feeling more and more like Varuca Salt: "I want it all and I want it now". Thanks for feeding my only really "bad habit".

[tommieboy]

.....The other point is, do I want the spinning props as if seen on a photo or a film (then blades have the advantage for good screenshots), or as if seen by the naked eye?

That is why I was thinking with the simple solid disk, you can accomplish either effect via changes to the alpha channel, and you can even come up with a blend between the two which is what I typically do. You just have to decide which effect you prefer and load the appropriate prop texture. I guess it's old school FS2004 stuff, but I still find it a useful option in FSX.

[EDIT] I should have noted that it would be nice to have separate texture files for the front vs. backside of the prop disk too, so we don't see that faint red stripe (from the manufacturer's label) on the backside of the prop.

Tommy

[ColoKent]

I'll "second" that post. It would be wonderful to have an FSX B-50 ... at least one being a REAL bomber version ... guns and all ... not another one of those castrated weather reporters or navigation trainer types.

Bill is right-- a B-50D bomber (with the wing external tanks) and a WB-50 (also with wing external tanks) woul be great in the wake of the C/KC-97 series (which I also am excited ro see).

C-97 looks like it is coming together incredibly well!

Kent

[mjahn]

That is why I was thinking with the simple solid disk, you can accomplish either effect via changes to the alpha channel, and you can even come up with a blend between the two which is what I typically do. You just have to decide which effect you prefer and load the appropriate prop texture. I guess it's old school FS2004 stuff, but I still find it a useful option in FSX.
[EDIT] I should have noted that it would be nice to have separate texture files for the front vs. backside of the prop disk too, so we don't see that faint red stripe (from the manufacturer's label) on the backside of the prop.
Tommy

Front and backside of prop blades - point taken. As for blades vs discs, one could try a visibility condition triggered via the cfg.

Any thought to then reusing the C-97 wings, engine, tail and landing gear for a B-50???

I'll "second" that post. It would be wonderful to have an FSX B-50 ...

Bill is right-- a B-50D bomber (with the wing external tanks) and a WB-50 (also with wing external tanks) woul be great ...

I had this in mind as well... but the 97 will need to come first.

[StormILM]

Oh my! I had contemplated asking if you were considering a B-50D since the general engine, wings and tail are the same. Yes, a good B-50 would be great too! BTW, my cousin's husband used to work on B-50's during the 1950's. Also of note, lots of folks never realized that it was a B-50 that made the world's first non-stop circumnavigation in 1949 which took 4 air to air refueling's with 94 hours @ 1 minute airborne.

[ColoKent]

EXCELLENT! Both the C/KC-97 and B-50 series have been neglected in FSX. Wonderful news. Please ensure paint kits are available for each when released...

Kent

[SADT]

If you are able to regress the C-97 to a B-50, would you be able to regress a B-50 to a B-29? (As much as I know there is the Virtavia B-29, there are a couple of things about it that just don't look quite right.) But as it stands, the C-97 is looking good so far!

If you know at this stage, will it be released like the Connie's and the Starliners, as one completed package, or do you think it will more likely be released like the C-47, in separate stages?

Regards,
Craig.

[tommieboy]

......I had this in mind as well.....

OH MAMA!!!!!!! a B-50.....

Tommy

[mjahn]

For the time being I am happy coming to grips with the exterior stuff, so I don't think a lot about the other things that need to be done, or about any possible follow-ups. And yes, once the thing is flyable in any sense of the word I will release a beta version with a paintkit.

Updated the model on Sketchfab, now with engines in place and a first take on the refueling parts.

Click "View on Sketchfab" to see the model full screen.

<iframe frameborder="0" height="240" width="320" allowfullscreen="" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" src="https://skfb.ly/x6XS?autostart=0&transparent=0&autospin=0&controls =1"></iframe> YC97 WIP from mjahn on Sketchfab.

[Geomitrak]

Looking very good indeed, Manfred - especially in full screen. What a great model !

[mjahn]

Some panel lines adjusted and jet engine #1 added, see link above. The link may be a little bit slow due to the model getting more complex. Naturally the wing dihedral is yet to be added, and the wing textures need to be seen to, but aint she a beauty already?

[Roger]

Fabulous Manfred!

[stovall]

Ohhhhh, a B-29 in the works. Takes my breath away. Fantastic news Manfred.

[Sundog]

Ohhhhh, a B-29 in the works. Takes my breath away. Fantastic news Manfred.

It's not a B-29, it's a B-50. I never thought I would see one of those in FS.