EE Lightning?

**UKMIL** · March 23rd, 2011, 03:52

now, the problem is, i planned a Harrier first, so do I do the Harrier, or the Lighting?, or even the Jaguar? so much choice

**Chris Keane** · March 23rd, 2011, 05:02

Originally Posted by CavOk

I realy envy people with the skill to get under the bonet of an FSX model. There is so much going on here it is now difficult to keep up with what needs changing where. Could someone pull it all together and post an upgrade? There is so much interest in this iconic aircraft. Personaly I would willingly make a donation for Help the Heroes if someone could do this..perhaps through the UKMIL website?? Any takers?

Skills!? I only started this since I found out that AlphaSim had gone bust, so the chances of a port to FSX from them were nil. This is the first (and probably last) I'll ever play with.

Just play around with the files, see what changes, look at other aircraft, make mistakes, try again.
I'm no different, here are the two bitmaps to 'fix' the AWP in the F2A, just drop them in the panels folder. Look at VCplane23.bmp - have you any idea how many positions and rotations I tried? Load FSX, yuk, flip, load FSX, yuk, rotate, load FSX, yuk, move to the bottom, load FSX - oh! that works - but there's a little line down that edge, photoshop, 1 pixel pencil, save, load FSX, goody, next panel. Remember, nobody starts out as an expert.

F2A VCplane16.bmp & VCplane23.bmp to be dropped in the panels folder;

Attachment 33778

***Dangerous Beans*** · March 23rd, 2011, 11:05

Hey Chris, you don't have to keep restarting FSX, just change plane then change back.

**Chris Keane** · March 23rd, 2011, 13:05

ok, ok, - I meant load *into* FSX

**jetwelder** · March 23rd, 2011, 16:28

just joined this site...bought the virtavia pack....transfered to fsx.acc.....its going to take me a while to absorb all the fixes.....ive been building a fmk6..first build...but virtavia pack in fsx is probably as good as ime likely to produce...so one year of learning how to use the tools not entirely wasted...what ive learned will help me to fix the virtavia pack...

but only with advice from you experts....fixed black bar and distortion...wing vorts shouldnt be a prob....the early marks lose some guages...removed gau files...kept cabs...

i will prob be asking some really stupid questions....when ive absorbed the info....

maybe i will switch to building some lightning missions....which means i need...ai....bears,concorde,u2,tanker...etc....tha nks muchly people....jim

gmax1.2...gimp 2.6.11...crazy bump...panel studio...aired..fsx sdk...etc..etc....jim

***hschuit*** · March 24th, 2011, 10:23

Thanks to Chris Keane I figured out now how to fix the remaining "shimmering" of VC panel bitmaps when a light / burner effect is switched on. The only problem left is the radar screen which still turns into a mirror when a light is activated. For anyone interested I attached all the fixed F6 pit bitmaps. Just unpack and copy them into the ALPHA EE Lightning_F6\panel folder:

Attachment 33871

I will try to do the F1, F2A and F3 later. Sorry CavOK for throwing this out in bits & pieces, it is just to soon to package all fixes in a neat single file yet, still issues to be solved. Besides that I am afraid to violate copyrights as long as these models are not released as freeware.

**Chris Keane** · March 24th, 2011, 11:46

I never had a problem with the radar screen! That's VCplane10 by the way.
Are you seeing the same problem as with the SWP & AWP?

Anyway, after a ten second splurge with the fuzzy brush, try this;

Attachment 33870

I wish I could remember what the graticule looked like, but it was 30 years ago

***hschuit*** · March 24th, 2011, 12:02

Chris, thanks again! Looked at it and found out that I somehow did delete the bitmap file reference from the panel.cfg [Vcockpit10] section, stupid me, fixed that now

Secondly, I updated the ZIP below : It now contains VCplane5.bmp, took out the VCplane10.bmp.

**peter12213** · March 24th, 2011, 12:03

Great fix guys can this be done for the "T" models too please?:salute:

***hschuit*** · March 24th, 2011, 13:36

Originally Posted by peter12213

Great fix guys can this be done for the "T" models too please?:salute:

Peter, I have not looked into the T-bird VC's yet but will give it a try this weekend. Which one do you need - T4 or T5 ?

**peter12213** · March 24th, 2011, 15:08

Both please Henk. T5 is the main one though mate, actually I did have a fix for the Black gunsight too but I've forgotten that so I will post a fix when I get a chance!

Much appreciated! :salute:

**Chris Keane** · March 25th, 2011, 06:53

Morning hschuit & paulb,

Can you confirm this is where we're at?

Attachment 33908

The two major problems (as I see it) are the overwing tanks - FSX no longer has INCREASE_CONCORDE_NOSE_VISOR so the config switch won't work, and the manual start.
I'll have to throw my hands up with the tanks - that's buried in the model file, but the manual engine start feels like it should be do-able. I so hate xml.

***paulb*** · March 25th, 2011, 08:12

Originally Posted by Chris Keane

Morning hschuit & paulb,

Can you confirm this is where we're at?

Attachment 33908

The two major problems (as I see it) are the overwing tanks - FSX no longer has INCREASE_CONCORDE_NOSE_VISOR so the config switch won't work, and the manual start.
I'll have to throw my hands up with the tanks - that's buried in the model file, but the manual engine start feels like it should be do-able. I so hate xml.

Hi Chris

Well you are way ahead of me! Well done!

I am still suprised that this old Lightning works so well in FSX!

It was this thread that caused me to go back to the Lightning. (BTW, I love the aircraft, but I probably spent far too many hours working on the FS9 version. As with many things in life, you can get too much of a good thing!).

Anyway, I will keep in touch with the developments in this thread and will slowly move all versions into FSX.

I will read through your attachment and give you feedback.

BTW, I have found all of my old layered PSP files.

Cheers

Paul

**Chris Keane** · March 25th, 2011, 10:01

Look forward to it, meanwhile, another valium and a look at Eng1_Start.xml

***hschuit*** · March 25th, 2011, 10:23

Chris, I put my comments in the attached: Attachment 33914

**JensOle** · March 25th, 2011, 13:25

I just found this thread, great work everybody! Thanks a lot for bringing the good old Lightning back to life in FS. The end result is quite amazing, the model actually looks good in FSX.

I'm reading up on all the fixes, a lot of stuff posted here in the thread, anyone which can give me the complete fix list with everything I need to do? It will be much appreciated.

I have started to dig out my old master texture files for the Arabian silver Lightnings too, I'm looking into making the textures and alphachannel textures more up to date for viewing in FSX.
The multirole "Arabian" F.53 mark has always facinated me as beeing the "ultimate" Lighting not being hold back by either political or financial reasons as was the case with the RAF marks. A shame I cannot get the 8x rocket pod loadout to show in FSX... (FS9 screenshot)

**peter12213** · March 25th, 2011, 19:10

That's great news Jens, and I know I wish we could get the various model loadouts to show too!

**JensOle** · March 26th, 2011, 04:14

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Here is a wip of the new Kuwaiti F.53 repaint. The T.55 metal paint is also more or less finished. Just needs to wait for the VC magicians here at the SoH to do their magic with the see through textures. <o

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***hschuit*** · March 26th, 2011, 05:21

Jens Ole, I like that!

Not much luck here with the T-Bird VC. I could fix the panel see through effect quickly but got nowhere with that damn black gunsight reticle. I checked for missing textures, MDL material alpha issues and could not find any issue there.

Then I looked at the gunsight reticle switch coding and this is what I think the problem is: The gunsight reticle switch uses the model's secondary exit which does not work in FSX for the T4/T5 MDL files. I had this problem before with other portovers (rear canopy Captain Sim TF-104G). It looks something similar like the issue with the concorde nose/visor triggered model configurations (overwing tanks, refuelling probe and missiles).

Until somebody has a better idea I would recommend flying from the VC right hand pilot seat LOL, no gunsight there:

Attachment 33957 Attachment 33956

For what it is worth, attached the fixed panel bitmaps (unpack & drop into the panel folder):

**Chris Keane** · March 26th, 2011, 05:39

Originally Posted by hschuit

Chris, I put my comments in the attached: Attachment 33914

I like it! I thought I was the master of idle until I saw your EngStart2_CABIN.xml
I used to sit there flicking the lights on and off manually to check the textures, never occurred to me to automate it

I don't have the fx_shockwave lights so I'll have to leave that to someone else to look at.
Still playing with manual start...

***hschuit*** · March 26th, 2011, 08:35

Attached the complete set of F2A panel bitmap fixes for the "see through when switching a light on" issue:

Unpack & drop into the ALPHA EE Lightning_F2A\Panel.F2A folder.

**JensOle** · March 26th, 2011, 09:07

Thank you for the T.5 VC textures! A pitty with the gunsight.

Two shots of my Kuwaiti T.55 repaint. Compared to the RAF T.5s, the T.55 was fully combat capable with among many things the large ventral tank with cannons and the wings from the F.6/F.53.

**Chris Keane** · March 26th, 2011, 13:24

No-one has mentioned thumbnails yet, here are mine if you haven't already done yours;

Attachment 33992

I've managed to get the manual start working - but they won't shut down.
I am beginning to loathe xml.

***paulb*** · March 26th, 2011, 21:27

Originally Posted by Chris Keane

No-one has mentioned thumbnails yet, here are mine if you haven't already done yours;

I am still trying to find my old files, move them across, and look at the fixes!

Cheers

Paul

**Chris Keane** · March 27th, 2011, 03:30

Got the manual startup/shutdown working, but I'm still not happy with the sound - it doesn't seem to be in sync. Can you confirm this on your setups.

Attachment 34012

I should mention that you need to follow the following procedure;

Battery on
Fuel valve on
Engine start master on
Engine start isolator on
Press engine start
At above 20% rpm - Fuel pump switch on *

* unless you want to do it below 20% for a convincing wet start - keep the brakes on!