SOH Team Project - Grumman Tracker, Trader, Tracer

[p3aewguy]

Reworked the fuselage, wings, built a totally new empennage, new tail wheel, and adjusted attached antennae and undercarriage stuff.

Still a bunch to do to make it an S2F-3.

Lookin' Good, Milton!

Dave

[p3aewguy]

I have an exact font used for US Navy serial and stencils for this era. I use it especially for painting liveries of a USN or Marines aircraft. I am glad to send it to any of our painters if they want to use it for this project. It's a freeware, so it's OK to share it.

I'd like to try it! Sending pm with email address!!

[Milton Shupe]

Does anyone have access to the dimensions of the MAD Boom on the S2F?
Diameter and length is what I need, otherwise I will eyeball it.

EDIT: I eyeballed it.

[CG_1976]

If I'm thinking right the mad boom extends about 2,74 m.

[tankerguy72]

Hope this looks better to you guys, I changed the fonts :salute:
Attachment 47779

[weeebbz]

wow milton you have really done a great job as someone who loves vintage aircraft this will really look great in FSX, and to all of those who are to work on this i know you will make this aircraft shine, i cant wait to put some RCN paints on this puppy

[nigel richards]

Hope this looks better to you guys, I changed the fonts :salute:
Attachment 47779

Very impressive input in more ways than one, Big T.
Love a copy of the 'paint' while stoofing around with sound trials. :salute:

[Milton Shupe]

If I'm thinking right the mad boom extends about 2,74 m.

That sounds great; that's what I shall use. Thank you "_

Hope this looks better to you guys, I changed the fonts :salute:
Attachment 47779

Looks "purdy" to me TG

wow milton you have really done a great job as someone who loves vintage aircraft this will really look great in FSX, and to all of those who are to work on this i know you will make this aircraft shine, i cant wait to put some RCN paints on this puppy

Thanks W, look forward to your craftsmanship.

[Milton Shupe]

Tails, Nacelles, sonabouys, Fuselage, MAD Boom, static discharge devices, other tweeks. Big stuff, except for wing folds (next up), are done.

MAD Boom animated with the Concord Nose/Visor tags.

Once the wings are done and mapped, the texture templates will be ready.

[AndyG43]

Looking great Milton et al.

I was just updating the "Freeware Gems" thread - I think I can spot another entry for that thread coming along nicely!!

[gaucho_59]

Hope this looks better to you guys, I changed the fonts :salute:
Attachment 47779

This font approximates much better, but was not in use until much later in time... aircraft deployed at this time were still using the standard block letters with 45 degree angle corners... i.e. pretty much the late WW2 lettering... (some decals, some hand painted... used until computer rendered post Viet Nam letters and numbers) Viet Nam subdued were still block letters with 45 degree angle corners... \Actually very easy to do from scratch... and viewable in many Squadron Shop style publications...

[gaucho_59]

I use AmarilloUSAF Pro and Long Beach USN fonts for my painting. The AmarilloUSAF Pro and Long Beach USN fonts ares available from T'lai Enterprises for a minimal fee ($36.50 for both, on a single user license.). If you do a lot of painting, it's worth it! I haven't found any freeware fonts that are as good. Believe me I've searched!


Download demos at http://www.tlai.com/med_des/md_ftp.html you can purchase by clicking the "purchase a license" link on that page.

The demos have a limited character set but may do what you need to do.

Hope this info helps my fellow painter's

Dave

I am presently on a 2-week tour of Israel and the Holy land... upon my return I will post an extremely simple tutorial on USAF and USN lettering... whereby you can paint letters on the fly... 100% correct and very easy to do... with your PSP or Photoshop shape tools (rectangle and airbrush)
Sorry I have no access to a paint program and my own computer during this trip...

[Matt Wynn]

ok after real world issues decided to once again shove their boot into my door, i'm back hard at work on the layered masters... hopefully have them finished by the weekend, all things going well...

[Lazerbeak]

Hope this looks better to you guys, I changed the fonts :salute:

Looks really great with a new font, just like the real plane. :salute:

[Wings of Gold]

Truely wonderful work! Using the Concorde nose/visor for animation will not work in FSX, as it is a known problem. Bill

[Milton Shupe]

Truely wonderful work! Using the Concorde nose/visor for animation will not work in FSX, as it is a known problem. Bill

Hmmmm, I'll see what else is available ... maybe water rudder rotate :-)

Status update: Finished wing fold modeling and wing mapping.

EDIT: Hmmm, I see the wing fold hinging is on the rear half of the top surface so I need to move that back.

[tankerguy72]

Such a beautiful aircraft and you have captured it well!! Hats off!!! :salute:

[stansdds]

[HorusJ]

Salivating!
We're not worthy!

[nigel richards]

Hmmmm, I'll see what else is available ... maybe water rudder rotate :-)

Status update: Finished wing fold modeling and wing mapping.

EDIT: Hmmm, I see the wing fold hinging is on the rear half of the top surface so I need to move that back.

She's looking spot on.

Great detail on the leading edge slots too. I wonder if its these that 'whistle' at certain speeds...

[SgtT]

Great Job, keep up the good work!

T.

[Javis]

Boy oh Boy! Milton!! Am i glad i stumbled in here after a long while ( strickly FSX for quite some time now.. ). What a great surprise ! One of my fav militairy prop twins which i have always had a keen eye on to do for FS too ( i got as far as gathering info....:d )

Looking absolutely superb! Congrats to you and everybody else involved in the development ! :ernae:

I have a good mind of installing FS9 back again just for this but i couldn't help noticing a native FSX version is in the works already too. Wow!!! :salute:

If you happen to look for a crew to fly your lovely Tracker,Trader,Tracer ( or 'Stoof' as it was known here in Holland when it was operated by the MLD, flying off of the 'Karel Doorman' ) let me know and i'll ask around in the mess here. The're all seagoing boys (N3N, Turkey) looking for promotion.

Great to see your pension plan has been suspended, Milton, and you're fully back at the vertex grinder wheel again ! It's like the ol' Hotel California, isn't it...You can check out any time you like but you can never leave ! :mixedsmi:

Cheers,
Jan

[Milton Shupe]

LOL Jan. YOu never cease to amaze me with your knowledge of worldly things.

Being retired leaves us with a little extra time on our hands, but in no big hurry to get things accomplished. Yes, we do hope to "fill this gap" of the "stoof" family over time. The E1B and S2F-3-E now and the C1A up next, then the S2T.

Maybe someone will come along, grab the gmax source and add the other S2F variants as well (1 and 2). Euroastar is working on a native FSX variant of the E1B as we speak.

The Eagles had it right, and that has always been a favorite song of mine; loved the guitar work in that one.

Thanks for the kudos, and for dropping in.

[Maarten -]

AHA! So that's where you went, Jan. I missed you here!

Groeten,
Maarten

[mgr]

Hiya Milton,

LOL Jan. YOu never cease to amaze me with your knowledge of worldly things.

Being retired leaves us with a little extra time on our hands, but in no big hurry to get things accomplished. Yes, we do hope to "fill this gap" of the "stoof" family over time. The E1B and S2F-3-E now and the C1A up next, then the S2T.

Maybe someone will come along, grab the gmax source and add the other S2F variants as well (1 and 2). Euroastar is working on a native FSX variant of the E1B as we speak.

May i kindly request on behalf of all the dutch here, also make a S-2F-1 version? The one with the radar on top of the cockpit?


Marcel