Battle of Britain 70th Anniversary Repaint?

[paulb]

I purchased the BoB 70th Anniversary package last month. I thought that I do do a repaint or two, so downloaded the repaint kits from the Just Flight site.

As far as I can see the 'repaint kits' contain only DDS files - ie no layered files to assist with painting! This suggests that I have to add rivets/panel lines etc myself!

Surely I am missing something? Has anyone else tried it out? Thanks in advance for any guidance.

Cheers

Paul

[Sphinx_58]

I'm afraid you didn't miss anything. This is how the "paintkits" from AH/JustFlight look like. A similar "paintkit" was included with the Moquiots and Tiger Moths.

Next te the fact they are not layered and do not contain the usual lines and rivets, they are very hard to use as the texture layout from AH models is very complex in most cases and often stretched in an unusual way.

Good luck!

[paulb]

Thanks for the reply. I feared as much. What a bummer! Why pretend to offer a paintkit when it is really the same as the ordinary texture files supplied with the aircraft?

[AndyE1976]

Not sure what you downloaded, but the Spitfire and Me109 paintkits have PSD files in them. The Hurricane kit only came with the trial aircraft when I downloaded it, which is why it only had DDS.

I emailed support and Martyn very quickly sorted out the proper files.

I got all the proper spit and 109 kits straight from their website just a few weeks ago.

[paulb]

Hi Andy

Thanks for replying and for your help. I downloaded all three kits this week, but had only opened the Hurricane as that was the one that I wanted to work on now. It does not have any layered files. Having now checked out the Spitfire and 109 kits - you are quite right, they do have layered files in them. My sincere apologies (to Just Flight and AH) for suggesting differently. But it was the Hurricane that I wanted to do now.

I will take up your suggestion and will email support.

Cheers

Paul

[paulb]

A quick update - I contacted support at Just Flight (as suggested) and have already received a layered paint kit for the Hurricane.

So, to give credit where it is due - WELL DONE JUST FLIGHT!

[bazzar]

All AH paintkits come with layered PSD files, dds files and a stripped down model set for you to check registration of joints, stretches etc. and to try your new paints in the sim before loading in your new texture folder or changing your CFG. The layers usually contain one called "Rivets etc." or "Rivets and dirt" or something like that.

I don't know why you didn't get the layers with the Hurricane. They would be there in the kit.

[paulb]

Sorry Bazzar, but they are not always there - honestly! Another example would be the Mosquito - I purchased the boxed JF version. It does not include layered files as far as I can see.

Cheers

Paul

[ftl818]

Sorry Bazzar, but they are not always there - honestly! Another example would be the Mosquito - I purchased the boxed JF version. It does not include layered files as far as I can see.

Cheers

Paul

Sorry, but where is the multi-layered paintkit to be found? I have both the Spitfire Mk1 and V and the Hurricane, but a layered kit is not to be found!
The files provided are almost impossible to use and I have done a few reapints here on sim outhouse (FCS lancaster) so I know what i'm doing. One more question: why is the texture mapping spread all over the place? Why not one file for the fuselage, wings etc. Look at the FCS paintkit, it is way easier to use!

First objective I would like to adress is the strange weathering, the rainbow colored exhaust staining on the mkV. Maybe true on bare metal as hot metal, but on camouflage paint? (The painter name was perhaps Rembrandt)

Paul D

[bazzar]

Exhaust as we know is made up of a lot of things. Burnt carbons, oil, unburnt fuel and so on. Oil when mixed with moisture produces wonderful rainbow colours. I guess it is all down to personal taste but we prefer to show the exhaust this way. That's where the paintkit comes in if you don't like that.

The paintkits do have layered files. Maybe you haven't downloaded the kit? Do not be confused with the folder; JF_SpitfireMkVPaintkit. This is the in-sim model to test your textures it does not contain the layered files. The paintkit folder has dds and psd layered files in it. Ask Martyn at Just Flight if you are unsure of what you have. It is available.

BTW here is an example of the exhaust staining we are talking about.

[ftl818]

Bazzar, thanks

I located and installed the paintkit. It does not help very much though, why putting the panel lines, wear and exhaust in one layer? Now it is impossible to delete one without the other. All three should be is seperate layers. And again why are aircraft parts (like the fuselage) spread over many files. Very cumbersome and unnecessary, just look at the FCS lancaster paintkit!

The picture explains a lot: a present-day glossy, nicely polished (that explains the blue) spifire, hardly an example for hard-pressed, worn WWII MkV's just keeping up with the new Fw190.

Some other examples showing grey-white burned paint with lead deposits (even on the modern PRU Spit).

That's what I want to achieve.




Attachment 22699Attachment 22698

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Paul

[bazzar]

When I started repainting third party add-ons there were no such things as paintkits. We took the original bmp files, converted them to psd at a higher res and then overpainted from scratch. These days people want everything done for them.

We map our models in a particular way for a very good reason to achieve detail. How they are mapped is of no concern to the average end-user..the finished article is all that matters. Those that want to repaint usually are able to work these things out. We also issue a note saying that prior knowlege of repainting and use of paint programmes is assumed.

I am seriously thinking of withdrawing paintkits as an inclusion. They become more trouble than they are worth.

[paulb]

Hi Bazzar

Just my thoughts for what it is worth................

The most important inclusion is a layered file with a layer for the rivets and panel lines and a base layer with any 'photo' type detail eg wheel wells. Without that it is not a paintkit IMHO.

Less importantly, it is desirable (but not essential) for the external aircraft to be on as few textures/files as possible. Anything else is a bonus.

I think that a lot of the apparent frustration in the short thread stems ONLY from the fact that people are simply having great difficulty in just finding the layered files.

BTW, I am experienced in this field and have repainted many aircraft from scratch.

Cheers

Paul

[ftl818]

Hi Bazzar, PaulB


And also my thoughts......

"The most important inclusion is a layered file with a layer for the rivets and panel lines and a base layer with any 'photo' type detail eg wheel wells. Without that it is not a paintkit IMHO."

Indeed, a multi-layered psd with a basic layer with the aircraft ground textures (camouflage or bare metal) and many separate layers with panel lines, rivets, dirt, scratches, exhaust, highlighting or shadowing, decals, registration, etc.

"We took the original bmp files, converted them to psd at a higher res and then overpainted from scratch. These days people want everything done for them".

In the early days this was probably enough, with the high resolution and detailing nowadays it is virtually impossible to take the flat dds and build the layers from scratch. And NEVER EVER overpaint the basic ground layer or at least keep copies of it!
If you make a multi-layered psd which is flattened ONLY at the final stage then there is no extra work involved. Simply supply this psd to the customer, who can alter or add extra layers at will....

"We map our models in a particular way for a very good reason to achieve detail"

Really? I wonder....again, look at the FCS Lancaster design and paintkit. There fuselage and wings are mapped to separate files with the same, I think even much better detail. It's much more the strange way AH designs aircraft as compared to others.

BTW, I am experienced in this field and have repainted many aircraft from scratch.
Me too....

Bottom line could be that some repainters join to take the Spit apart (MkI and MkV) and make a better psd from scratch for everone to use. We paid for a product that is claimed to be photo-realistic, but is not.....

Cheers Paul D

[SpaceWeevil]

When I started repainting third party add-ons there were no such things as paintkits. We took the original bmp files, converted them to psd at a higher res and then overpainted from scratch. These days people want everything done for them.

We map our models in a particular way for a very good reason to achieve detail. How they are mapped is of no concern to the average end-user..the finished article is all that matters. Those that want to repaint usually are able to work these things out. We also issue a note saying that prior knowlege of repainting and use of paint programmes is assumed.

I am seriously thinking of withdrawing paintkits as an inclusion. They become more trouble than they are worth.

Like you say, how you map your models is of no concern to the end user, especially a non-painter like me. Except - well, it kind of is. A big selling point for me as a customer is the variety of interesting 3rd party paints that appear for a particular model. For one reason or another not many people are repainting yours. I doubt it's lack of interest in the subjects, and it's certainly nothing to do with the quality of the models, which leaves what? Just a thought from a twice-over customer who's hovering over making it three.