FSX Tigercat SOH Native Conversion Progress

[gman5250]

Mr. Shupe has handed the F7F-1 off for FSX/P3D conversion. I've started on the work and will post updates on this blog. All thoughts, helpful photos and suggestions are welcome. I'll be giving this work high priority attention...I really love this particular airplane.

At this point she is very much a WIP, these shots have no spec assigned and the light is variable depending on angle. I'm working on alpha balance, rivet and panel height and adding stress contours. There is a lot of detail work to do. This skin is a working bare metal skin, not a representation of any know aircraft.
I'll be offering a comprehensive paint kit with the release of the native bird. Photoshop format with all necessary layers broken out.

Starter photos of the light study and bump mapping. I'll be designing the light and color work to take advantage of P3D2.5 DX11 rendering, so this girl is going to be gorgeous.

Below: Light study for skin reflection and bump height. Very WIP at this stage, but an indication of how drop dead gorgeous she is. These shots are all P3DV2.5.

[IMG]http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab202/********/F7F_043_zpsgnbrjxtr.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab202/********/F7F_042_zpsdmvauzl4.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab202/********/F7F_045_zpsy5c2irmi.jpg[/IMG]

[gman5250]

[IMG]http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab202/********/F7F_046_zpsnpbkryjc.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab202/********/F7F_044_zpszq7yfynn.jpg[/IMG]

[fsxar177]

Pretty cool!

Been awaiting some more work on the Tiger for sometime!

- J

[Bomber_12th]

Great work, GMan! I'm looking forward to seeing how she goes as you continue to work on the project.

Joseph, I can already see this in your mind's eye! ; ) Would be a lot of fun for sure to round the Reno pylons in an FSX native F7F.

[fsxar177]

John,
You know me too well..

My Friend, photographer Michael Erwine took these last year;



You can view the rest of the gallery HERE

- Joseph

[gman5250]

Ya know, the pickin's are fairly slim for skins on this plane. I thought I'd do the conversion work and the PK, but hadn't decided how far to take the liveries. I've got the source art for the restorations, so it's all do-able at this point. I'll set the model up to be receptive for the spit and polish restorations. If anyone wants dibs....now is the time to speak up.

[WarHorse47]

Yum.. this is gonna be good... (my photos, btw)

[WarHorse47]

..and one more for good measure, taken just a month ago... tee, hee

[fsxar177]

This is too much fun!

Some of my own photos from Reno, 2013.

[WarHorse47]

Hahahah... found another one but fsxar177 beat me to it...

[gman5250]

A few based on the original flying testbed....she's definitely a babe.

This is the first opportunity I have had to design a paint kit and skins on a platform where I have actual control of the model. In the past, I've always adapted the art to the existing model. With the Tigercat, I can control the light from the model first, then create the art to take full advantage of DX10 and up. The FSX model will reap the benefits of course, but Prepar3D is where she is going to shine....no pun.

Man...I love those spinners on "La Patrona". Maybe Mr. Shupe will make a set if everyone has been good this year.

Prepar3DV2.5 straight screen caps. No filters or touch ups | ASN Weather | REX TD/Soft Clouds | Scenery by ******** |
[IMG]http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab202/********/F7F_047_zpsdkxnkopz.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab202/********/F7F_050_zps890wqxlr.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab202/********/F7F_049_zpsk46m4o0p.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab202/********/F7F_048_zpshftb3k7z.jpg[/IMG]

[falcon409]

WH, this is the livery I did for mine. Fly it all the time in P3D but no shine, so I'm looking forward to what "gman" is working on for sure.

[Sundog]

Thanks for previews and the actual screenshots. I hadn't realized one of the privately owned Tigercats was using spinners. It looks great! (Both Gman's and Rod Lewis')

[WarHorse47]

Here's another one from Reno 2005

[Pips]

This is great news!

I have a real thing for whole family of Grumman fighters, from the F4F onwards. And the F7F is my favourite! It was a shame that it didn't get to see active service during WWII. It would have proven a nightmare for any Japanese fighters!

[hairyspin]

Will you guys please stop that, I'm drooling all over my keyboard!

[Dumonceau]

An FSX/P3D native Tigerkitty? I must have died and gone to heaven!!!

[greenie]

You can't keep a good man down - go Gman !.....thanks

[WarHorse47]

Thanks for previews and the actual screenshots. I hadn't realized one of the privately owned Tigercats was using spinners. It looks great! (Both Gman's and Rod Lewis')

Guess that the spinners were for Reno? Have to research that one...

[Bomber_12th]

The silver one, "La Patrona", owned by Rod Lewis, is tuned for air racing (it used to be "Big Bossman" when owned by Mike Brown), and has been fitted with the spinners for a couple years now (its base paint scheme is loosely based on the test/prototype example, which did have spinners, but were larger). The F7F N6178C (the one with "JC" on the tail) also has more recently been sporting prop spinners as well.

Rod Lewis owns/operates two Tigercats, "La Patrona" and "Here Kitty, Kitty" (N747MX and N700F).
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Grumm...a6f68004ad6052
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Grumm...a6f68004ad6052

Jim Slattery owns/operates two Tigercats that were production-consecutive - BuNo.'s 80374 and 80375 - and are painted in matching paint schemes (N379AK and N7629C).
https://www.facebook.com/wwiiaviatio...type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/wwiiaviatio...type=3&theater
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Grumm...a6f68004ad6052
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Grumm...a6f68004ad6052

The Historic Flight Foundation owns/operates "Bad Kitty" (N6178C).
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Grumm...a6f68004ad6052
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Grumm...a6f68004ad6052

Avstar Inc. owns/operates Tigercat N6178C (this one used to be owned by The Fighter Collection at Duxford, when then registered as G-RUMT).
http://flightaware.com/photos/view/5...rt/date/page/1
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Grumm...a6f68004ad6052

[jankees]

wow, looking great!

[Daveroo]

im not sure whats happening here?..is this update to the outside?...the VC wont be being updated?...or will it...and will the ported (or the one setup for fsx ) of the airtanker be being updated in anyway?
i love my airtankers....and the F7F and S2T seem basic to me..not very good (for FSX) VCs which is where i fly...not often does the pilot sit outside on the wing watching the pretty paint job...takes away the realisum of a simulator to me...outside flying is for arcade games ONLY MY OPINION,and mine alone..im saying you all should follow my lead.

[falcon409]

im not sure whats happening here?..is this update to the outside?...the VC wont be being updated?...or will it...and will the ported (or the one setup for fsx ) of the airtanker be being updated in anyway?
i love my airtankers....and the F7F and S2T seem basic to me..not very good (for FSX) VCs which is where i fly...not often does the pilot sit outside on the wing watching the pretty paint job...takes away the realism of a simulator to me...outside flying is for arcade games ONLY MY OPINION,and mine alone..im saying you all should follow my lead.

Based on what I'm reading here, the Tigercat will be converted to native FSX, however only the exterior is being reworked. I don't read anything beyond that. If he's completely redoing the VC he hasn't mentioned that and I think he would have at some point. While the VC isn't the very best it could be, It's always been quite acceptable. . .hasn't kept me from flying it almost every day for the past several years.

[Daveroo]

Based on what I'm reading here, the Tigercat will be converted to native FSX, however only the exterior is being reworked. I don't read anything beyond that. If he's completely redoing the VC he hasn't mentioned that and I think he would have at some point. While the VC isn't the very best it could be, It's always been quite acceptable. . .hasn't kept me from flying it almost every day for the past several years.

ok thank you for your reply its what i was after...ty

[ce_zeta]

Amazing Gordon, as usual!!!!