Shooting Stars

[Willy]

I just "finished" my paint kit mods for the AlphaSim F-80 and uploaded the first victim.

F-80B-1-LO Shooting Star 45-8648 #34, 22nd FS, 36th FG, during the Berlin Air Lift. This aircraft was sent from Howard AFB in Panama to Germany for the Berlin Airlift.

This whole thing started with me experimenting with how to do bare metal from scratch and redoing the paint kit. I picked this one as it's a fairly simple paint scheme and while I've done it before, this is an earlier scheme that's different from the previous release.

[Mach3DS]

Willy, are you going to make the paint kit available? is this for the freeware F-80?

[Willy]

Yes, it's for the now freeware AlphaSim F-80. I've still got some tweaking to do on the kit. I'm wanting to have separate layers for the differences between a P-80A, F-80B and F-80C. That and there's still some more detail work to do.

[sbp]

Any good panel suggestions for the P-80, F-80 & T-33?

sbp

[Willy]

I just use the VC these days so the 2d is just kind of there (unless I remove it). I do rework the vc textures and have that in mind for the F-80 once "production" starts up again. I've got some period photos of the panel and vc to go by.

Messing around with this one. A fictional "what if" based on the idea of the Pacific war lasting up into late 1946 into early 1947 (Operation Downfall) I'd done several of these before I decided that I needed to change how I was doing them. I've fiddled with the metal "recipe".

[Mach3DS]

Willy, I spent a half hour converting the "native" P-80 found here in the SOH library to incorporate Alpha channel, specular, bump and fresnel. This is the first archaic attempt and results. I'd very much like to marry up this model with your texture work. If you've got the panel lines and rivets saved as a layer in each PSD (or whatever texture editoe you use) we can create the bumps pretty easily. Higher resolution textures will yield a fantastic result and your textures are looking superb! I've converted the model to use .dds format. You can see only the tip tanks and fuselage have the bumps applied...thats why the wings and hstab are darker. Even at this meager resolution and super sloppy and quick attempt the outcome is looking good. What do you say?

[Willy]

Now that's looking sharp!

[Jafo]

Any good panel suggestions for the P-80, F-80 & T-33?

sbp

I was messing with one a couple of years ago....then lost eagerness and moved on to something else....
This is what it was....


[probably went back to my Thud one]

[Willy]

Rick, check your PMs.

[Willy]

Here's what I'm currently using in the VC (I rarely use the 2d anymore). Mostly gauge changes and the majority are from a F-84F cab that I picked up from somewhere that I like the look of better than the ones that came with the F-80. I'm about due to change it around again when I'm ready for a short break from painting. Something about the VOR/ILS gauge that just don't sit right with me. I'll probably go to the one out of the Real Old Salt F9F Panther set.

[Willy]

A bit more shine (maybe too much?) This is just some test textures while I re-adjust the shine a bit. Decided that it was a bit dullish.

[sbp]

Jafo & Willy,

Sure hope you guys come up with a new variation panel for the P-80, F-80 & T-Bird.... Jafo I do use your outstanding fighter panels. Have also been using the revised AH F9F fs9 panel but could not seem to find the missing gauges....Can manage to change a few edits in acft/panel cfg files but half to kinda feel my way around.....But, I sure do love to fly'em!

Thanks,

sbp