SOH Team Project - Grumman Tracker, Trader, Tracer

**Milton Shupe** · October 24th, 2013, 20:37

I assume that stuff washes off???

Can you post some pictures of the retardant as its being dropped. Not happy with the effects as they are. Maybe we can get something more realistic.

**tankerguy72** · October 24th, 2013, 21:07

ask and you shall receive haha! These are pics ive taken on fires in Southern California

**Milton Shupe** · October 25th, 2013, 05:15

TG72, that is exactly what we need to develop a better FX. It shows the solids and weight of the retardant, direction of travel with only small wisps of wind shearing the outer edges back. It is amazing how straight down the mass drops.

It also appears the aircraft is using flaps 15 or 25 during the drop.

If we can get that clumpy thick appearance, I will be very happy. The key will be using the proper texture to set the base for this I think. Maybe something off one of these pictures will do it.

Thank you

**tankerguy72** · October 25th, 2013, 06:20

Originally Posted by Milton Shupe

TG72, that is exactly what we need to develop a better FX. It shows the solids and weight of the retardant, direction of travel with only small wisps of wind shearing the outer edges back. It is amazing how straight down the mass drops.

It also appears the aircraft is using flaps 15 or 25 during the drop.

If we can get that clumpy thick appearance, I will be very happy. The key will be using the proper texture to set the base for this I think. Maybe something off one of these pictures will do it.

Thank you

No problem! I've always wanted a better retardant effect since all I fly in FS is tankers haha. It'll be awesome if you could make something like the pics. Ive heard from some pilots that sometimes they go full flaps for the drop.

**Milton Shupe** · October 25th, 2013, 06:40

Originally Posted by tankerguy72

No problem! I've always wanted a better retardant effect since all I fly in FS is tankers haha. It'll be awesome if you could make something like the pics. Ive heard from some pilots that sometimes they go full flaps for the drop.

Probably a combo of speed reduction plus flaps downdraft helps push the retardant downward to target area?

I will work on a better FX; looking for the FX program that allows you to see changes without having to restart FS a thousand times. Anyone remember that program name?

**tankerguy72** · October 25th, 2013, 06:48

Originally Posted by Milton Shupe

Probably a combo of speed reduction plus flaps downdraft helps push the retardant downward to target area?

I will work on a better FX; looking for the FX program that allows you to see changes without having to restart FS a thousand times. Anyone remember that program name?

I think drop speed is 120-150knots at about 150' agl. Too high or too fast retardant line is too thin, too low or slow and it wasted in a small area. It'd be nice to get the timing right also on how long it takes 1200gals to exit. There are some videos on YouTube, but they do mix up their drops though

**Milton Shupe** · October 25th, 2013, 07:00

Originally Posted by tankerguy72

I think drop speed is 120-150knots at about 150' agl. Too high or too fast retardant line is too thin, too low or slow and it wasted in a small area. It'd be nice to get the timing right also on how long it takes 1200gals to exit. There are some videos on YouTube, but they do mix up their drops though

I now have the dump rate at 50 gallons per second for each of two 400 gallon tanks, so about 8 seconds per dump. I can up that capacity as necessary.

Also, I have the dump effect starting .5 seconds after the switch is hit.

**tankerguy72** · October 25th, 2013, 07:18

Originally Posted by Milton Shupe

I now have the dump rate at 50 gallons per second for each of two 400 gallon tanks, so about 8 seconds per dump. I can up that capacity as necessary.

Also, I have the dump effect starting .5 seconds after the switch is hit.

Sounds good, but you do mean two 600 gal tanks right?

**Milton Shupe** · October 25th, 2013, 07:26

Originally Posted by tankerguy72

Sounds good, but you do mean two 600 gal tanks right?

yes. We have restricted fuel capacity to accommodate the retardant load. Need to know what typical fuel load is in gals or pounds.

**malibu43** · October 25th, 2013, 08:45

Those pictures are awesome, tankerguy72!

Can't wait to see what you come up with, Milton!

**tankerguy72** · October 25th, 2013, 10:00

Originally Posted by malibu43

Those pictures are awesome, tankerguy72!

Can't wait to see what you come up with, Milton!

Thanks Malibu! I saw your earlier post about trying to contact us at SATO on Facebook. Sorry for not replying must have missed it.

**Milton Shupe** · October 25th, 2013, 14:26

Originally Posted by tankerguy72

I think drop speed is 120-150knots at about 150' agl. Too high or too fast retardant line is too thin, too low or slow and it wasted in a small area. It'd be nice to get the timing right also on how long it takes 1200gals to exit. There are some videos on YouTube, but they do mix up their drops though

Okay, found the info: before drop, Full Flaps, 120–130 knots, dive to target and drop at 150" AGL

**Blackbird686** · October 25th, 2013, 15:01

Originally Posted by Milton Shupe

Okay, found the info: before drop, Full Flaps, 120–130 knots, dive to target and drop at 150" AGL

Then pull back smartly on the yoke! (Sorry, I couldn't resist!). The screen shots of Tankerguy's repaints look fantastic! Just like the real deal.... Good stuff, chaps!

BB686:USA-flag:

**Milton Shupe** · October 25th, 2013, 15:27

Making some progress with a more realistic drop effect and have added sounds to the effect as well. Cool :-)

**tankerguy72** · October 25th, 2013, 15:41

Thanks BB!

Cant wait to see what you've come up with Milton!

**malibu43** · October 25th, 2013, 16:52

Originally Posted by tankerguy72

Thanks Malibu! I saw your earlier post about trying to contact us at SATO on Facebook. Sorry for not replying must have missed it.

No worries. Someone answered most of my questions, and I think I found the rest of what I was looking for after some more searching. That P2V WIP looks pretty sweet...

**Milton Shupe** · October 25th, 2013, 18:58

Originally Posted by tankerguy72

Thanks BB!

Cant wait to see what you've come up with Milton!

LOL Well, it is slow, tedious work but I am making progress here, just starting to zero in on where I need to be and then I can start tweaking it. The texture is key and I will need some help on that to get the perfect effect. I do have sound working for it as well but too noisy outside to hear it of course.

***Duckie*** · October 25th, 2013, 19:32

Wow, Merlin...er, ah, Milton, that is coming along very nicely! LOL!

And, TG72, No. 180 and No. 70 look outstanding. I thought pic no2 of 180 and pic no3 of 70 were real and you put them up for comparison! Well done.

**Milton Shupe** · October 25th, 2013, 20:39

LOL yes indeed. Still chugging away trying to improve on the FX and trying to zero in on some improvements, for better or worse, not so sure. :isadizzy:

**tankerguy72** · October 25th, 2013, 21:02

Thanks Duckie! as always texturing compliments from you mean a lot!

Wonderful work Milton! My tankers are waiting for some mudd dropping now!!!

**Milton Shupe** · October 26th, 2013, 04:01

Originally Posted by tankerguy72

Thanks Duckie! as always texturing compliments from you mean a lot!

Wonderful work Milton! My tankers are waiting for some mudd dropping now!!!

Thanks; I assure you that still screenshots do not do it justice.

Still a WIP trying to adjust colors, volume appearance, flow rates, smoke and trails.

**tankerguy72** · October 26th, 2013, 12:09

Sitting on the ramp at RDD

Attachment 94734

**Blackbird686** · October 26th, 2013, 13:05

Nice shot TG! Couple of radial Stoof's in the background too.

BB686:USA-flag:

**Maarten -** · October 28th, 2013, 02:11

Hi there,

I thought this unique clip had been removed from youtube, but I found it again today. It features the interior sounds of a Canadair CL-215 scooper fighting a fire at Istanbul Ataturk Airport some years ago. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WOGxXKIIR4

Cheers,
Maarten

**Firekitten** · October 28th, 2013, 02:53

Right! I'm back from an evil evil weekend on Salisbury Plains so its back to work on finishing the Turbo Tracker cockpit graphics, shouldn't be long now I hope! I should have the finished stuff off to Milton before the end of the week!