A Lionheart Classic rolls out of the restoration shop

[OBIO]

One of my favorite vintage planes takes to the skies after a lengthy rebuild and restoration....and this one is a Lionheart Classic. The Aeronca LC. Back in my CFS2 days, when I got tired of flying WW2 war birds and shooting down other WW2 war birds, I would fly various FS2002 and FS2004 planes that I had converted to CFS2 so I could simply FLY some of the classic radial aircraft. And Lionheart's LC was one of those that I converted for use in CFS2 and one of the first planes I downloaded and installed when I got FS2004 for Christmas 2008. I started on this project way back in 2007, but never finished it. A while back I started on it again and lost the project in a HD sneeze. I started it for the third time recently...and by golly, I have the first skin done. This is a redo of the original blue with white stripes scheme, but with enlarged textures where applicable and a boat load of added detailing. Simulated ribbing and cloth details, some panel lines where there is metal covering. I used a slightly darker shade of blue on the plane. Will redo all the stock skins and then do up some skins using vintage fuel signs as the inspiration (already have the Sinclair inspired Green and White one done and most of the Phillips 66 orange and black one done...that one is a racer themed job with scallops).

Not sure when I will have the full project wrapped up...got a lot more paints to do, and need to re-fit the interior and finish the overhaul of the 2D and VC panels...but here are some screen shots of the first restored exterior.

OBIO

[TomSteber]

Looking good. Man, do you ever just fly?

[OBIO]

DO I ever just fly?.....maybe an hour a week I just fly. I get so involved in tweaking and "improving" planes that I really do spend far more time working on sim planes than flying them. I have said before that I don't have a Flight Sim, I have a Aircraft Maintenance Sim.

OBIO

[Lionheart]

Nice work OBIO!

:ernae:


From that one shot, it looks like it has retractable landing gear. Pretty cool looking.


I cant believe I didnt model the insides of the landing gear fairings... arrgh...



Bill

[OBIO]

Given that the LC was done in August 2004, this would be one of your first planes Bill....and for a beginner modeling effort....it is quite nice...and even after all these years she is still a great plane and a real joy to fly.

I have 1 more stock skin to redo. Then I will finish the panel work, then the sound pack, then this baby will be ready to roll to the download library. The redone Yellow and Black scheme is my favorite one...but then again, I have a thing about yellow planes with black trim....ala Piper.

OBIO