Released! Spitfire Mk IXc for Microsoft Flight Simulator

[Mr.Mugel]

Looks like there was some special sign in the changelog, that screwed up the formatting. Sorry for that. Be sure to download this one though!

[ZsoltB]

I would be happy if at least the pilot could be removed

[jetstreamsky]

Seems to be a few issues with the update so I wouldn’t rush just yet.

[Priller]

Mind elaborating on these issues please?

Priller

[jetstreamsky]

The file is being re-uploaded due to some camera issues, but a few other bugs such as not being able to remove the slipper tank on the clipped wing variant are being reported that will probably have to be addressed a further update (not stated as yet though) on the other hand positive reports about the update are also discussed. Probably by now the re-upload has got through.

[jetstreamsky]

The corrected download is identified as ...1.0.2rc2, it’s not certain that it has successfully uploaded yet, so check your copy to see you have the right one.

[mgr]

Hi,

First impression of the update is GREAT!!!

Take-off and landing roll is greatly improved, much more control on the movement of the plane.
For VATSIM flights, nice to have a modern Radio and Transponder (modeled after Becker units, often found in warbirds these days)

Marcel

[ZsoltB]

Undoubtedly, the flight parameters are more convenient, the basic cockpit camera view has deteriorated compared to the old
I do not use the VR system

[Fnerg]

I've been working away at this for the last few weeks, starting to see some good results now.

Image2 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192064643@N05/]

Image3 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/192064643@N05/]

[Bomber_12th]

The real-life MJ755 departed Biggin Hill, England today on its three-day journey/flight to Greece, where it is scheduled to arrive at Tatoi Airport around noon on Thursday, May 27th.

[Dimus]

The real-life MJ755 departed Biggin Hill, England today on its three-day journey/flight to Greece, where it is scheduled to arrive at Tatoi Airport around noon on Thursday, May 27th.

I've been following that John. Tatoi is my Aeroclub's base, the oldest military field in Greece, as well home of the HAF Museum and the HAF Academy. Unfortunately the HAF does not allow us to fly on Thursdays and in any case work will not allow me to be there to witness the landing. I hope to visit MJ755 in the museum soon. I'll definitely pull whatever strings I have to do so.

[Dimus]

MJ755 arrives in Corfu:

[Dimus]

And finally in Tatoi, escorted by two HAF F-16s:



Seems like a "wheeler" landing, perhaps more prudent for paved runways and the slight crosswind from the right. The closest I have come to this sight is doing a 3-pointer in a Supercub.

Our club's FBO is visible in the end shot.

[Fnerg]

I got an email saying there was an update, then there was an update to the update. Now that I have the latest version, I'm both happy the flight dynamics have been adjusted, cockpit sounds have been added, but disappointed the flashing textures on the cockpit frame as well as the starboard gun barrel were not fixed. I wrote them and they said there would be a fix in this patch.

From modeling, I learned flashing is a draw conflict when two polys are too close to each other, but what seems to be happening is that there are two textures for one part, and they are different colours, flashing like crazy! I guess the fix would be to, make the problem areas the same colours, so at least they flash, but they flash the same colour?

Also on the port side rudder, 3 small patches that can't be covered by paint, looks like the normals are flipped.
(I can post pics after work) Anyone else see that? The patches have "depth light and shadow" so I don't suspect it's a paint issue, but I could be wrong, It's kind of hard to tell.. Jan, Brad, or John, have you noticed these?

Also, now I have a large box encompassing the air scoop. I haven't found the texture sheet for that yet.
Still, my PBR repaint is going to be awesome. I love this model, bumps and all. Just a few curiosities.

[Bomber_12th]

Doug, I know the issue with the starboard-side cannon fairing is because there are two models of the cannon (for some reason), in the same spot, and they both draw their textures from two different locations on the wing texture sheet. To prevent the flashing, I just made sure that the texture for each of those starboard cannon fairings was the same. All that FlyingIron would have to do is delete one of those two cannon fairings from the model.

The new 'box' under the aircraft is the "slipper" tank, which is a version of a drop tank/auxiliary fuel tank. Personally, I think adding it was really quite worthless, as it is something you will never find on a Spitfire flying today - instead, several of them have extra fuel tanks added inside the wings. I think it would have been time better spent adding a few more variations, such as the 'e' wing and the short/smaller rudder.

As of right now, there is a problem with the clipped-wing version, as the slipper tank cannot be removed on that one (thus ruining that model for me, for the time being). Another problem I spotted, since the update, is that on the clipped-wing version there are also now red fabric gun patches/squares placed on the leading edges of the wings where the cannons are, and where of course there shouldn't be any.

I've already finished making a few updates for my repaints of PT879 and MJ755 - mainly adding more fasteners to the engine cowlings, and redoing the slipper tank textures to match the lower-body Medium Sea Grey of both - but I've been holding off on making them available until hopefully another patch/update gets released soon.

[Fnerg]

Thanks for the explanation John. I've gotten deep into this model, re-doing the sloppy rivets, weathering, missing lines, hatches, fasteners etc.. I have the tools to do PBR now, which has made me think about detail possibilities, I love it. I'm really enjoying the research part as well, getting into the 'nooks and crannies' of the Spitfire. I do appreciate your knowledge, and your picture posts have been a great help to me.

[DaveWG]

As of right now, there is a problem with the clipped-wing version, as the slipper tank cannot be removed on that one (thus ruining that model for me, for the time being). Another problem I spotted, since the update, is that on the clipped-wing version there are also now red fabric gun patches/squares placed on the leading edges of the wings where the cannons are, and where of course there shouldn't be any.

The visibilty code for the slipper tank is missing from the "mkix_exterior_cw.xml" file. I assume this will be fixed in the next patch, but in the meantime you can copy and paste the relevant code from the "mkix_exterior.xml".

[Bomber_12th]

Thank you, Dave!

I also added a few of the other missing lines of code, between the "AIRFRAME_Radiator" and "SlipperTank" lines, and now the issue with the extra red gun patches on the wing leading edges of the clipped-wing model is now fixed as well.

[Bomber_12th]

My repaint of MJ730 is now available on Flightsim.to, here: https://flightsim.to/file/15921/spit...s-query-n730mj

It depicts the aircraft as it looks today, registered as N730MJ and owned by Jerry Yagen/Military Aviation Museum, based out of the Virginia Beach Airport, Virginia, home to Yagen's Military Aviation Museum.

Here is a run down on the extensive history of this combat-vet Spitfire:

Spitfire Mk.IX MJ730 was originally completed at the Castle Bromwich Aeroplane Factory, located near Birmingham, UK. The factory's chief test pilot, the legendary Alex Henshaw, performed the first flight with the aircraft on December 10, 1943. Within a couple weeks it was disassembled and shipped to Casablanca, in North Africa. There it joined No 417 (RCAF) Squadron and flew missions escorting B-25 Mitchell bombers of the USAAF as part of the Italian campaign. It also took part in supporting the Allied landings at Anzio. On May 9, 1944, it was reassigned to RAF No 154 Squadron and given the fuselage code HT-W. With 154 Sqdn. the aircraft operated from the island of Corsica, flying 95 bomber escort missions for the American forces over northern Italy and in support of Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France in July 1944. It was during this time that MJ730 was captured on moving film by famed director William Wyler, while shooting footage for the documentary Thunderbolt. (MJ730 is believed to be the only warbird flying today that was captured on moving film during World War Two.)

On October 9, 1944, MJ730 was reassigned again, this time to RAF No 32 Sqdn. at Kalamaki, Greece (a former Luftwaffe airfield). There it became the personal mount of Squadron Leader George Silvester, DFC. Before its individual code had been assigned, he jokingly said to his ground crew that there was "a bit of a question mark" over which identity letter to give his personal Spitfire, because as Squadron Leader, he belonged to neither 'A' Flight or 'B' Flight. The ground crew, as a lark, placed a large "question mark" where the individual code letter would have normally appeared. Sqdn. Ldr. Silvester was amused by the gesture and MJ730 was referred to as "The CO's Query". This tradition continued into the 1950s with 32 Squadron's future commanding officers continuing to also display the "?" on their Vampire jets.

At war's end, MJ730 was flown as part of RAF No 249 Sqdn., based in Yugoslavia. After the war, it was ferried to RAF Brindisi, in Italy, where it was stored for nearly a year before it was sold to the newly reformed Italian Air Force. Following a major overhaul, it was based at Centocelle Airport on the outskirts of Rome. Then in 1951, it was among a number of Spitfires that were sold by the Italian government to Israel. Assigned the number '66' with the Israeli Air Force, MJ730 served with an Operational Training Unit at Ramat David airport. In June 1956, it was ultimately retired and was moved to a children's playground in Kabri, near the border of Lebanon.

In 1978, the aircraft, in poor condition, was recovered from the playground by noted warbird owner/restorer Robs Lamplough and transported back to England. A restoration to airworthy was begun, but it was then sold in 1986 to Fred Smith, founder and President of Federal Express. The restoration was completed in 1988, but MJ730 was immediately offered for sale. It was purchased by David Pennell in Birmingham, England, and the aircraft spent the next ten years in the Midlands area, flown at many charity events and memorial functions.

In 1998, Jerry Yagen acquired the Spitfire. Following an overhaul of the Merlin engine while it was still in England, it arrived at the Fighter Factory facilities in Suffolk, Virginia in early 2000 and has been flying in the US ever since. The aircraft, along with the majority of Jerry Yagen's extensive collection of flying warbirds, is now based at and operated from Virginia Beach, Virginia, where Yagen has built the Military Aviation Museum.

Everything about this repaint is as close as I could realistically get it to match the real aircraft, including all new camouflage and markings (roundels, fin flash, codes, stencils and 32 Sqdn. bugle/emblem, all created new to specifically match the restoration).

[Bomber_12th]

Some more screenshots I liked.

[Bomber_12th]

Updates are now available for my previous three repaints. These updates include new and modified cowling fasteners, updated wing walkway and wing trestle stencils on PT879 (that are now exact), customized "slipper tank" textures (so they match the same Medium Sea Grey of each), and minor improvements to the wing normal maps on PT879.

With the updated textures for MJ755, I've also included a fix for the clipped wing model, which corrects two problems that have existed since version "1.0.2rc2" of the FlyingIron Simulations Spitfire. With the fix installed, the "slipper tank" will now be able to be dropped/removed as it should be, and the extra wing leading edge fabric patches/gun port covers that shouldn't be present will now be removed.

https://flightsim.to/file/14644/spit...pitfire-g-clgs
https://flightsim.to/file/13861/spit...pt879-restored
https://flightsim.to/file/13859/spit...tory-delivered

For the wing walkway and trestle stencils on PT879, I thought I had them correct originally, having recreated them from scratch, from as many photos as I could find of the restoration and a couple of other recent restorations with the same stencil type. The style/'font' of these particular stencils is very unique and is specifically accurate to Castle Bromwich production (they used a completely different stencil type than on Supermarine production). However, all of the photos I had been using were taken at rather extreme angles. Shortly after releasing the repaints, I received a photo of one of the stencils, taken straight on with no distortion, from PT879, so I was able to go back and completely redo those stencils again, so that they are now 100% accurate. They're "taller" than I had previously depicted them. On the PT879 restoration, for which these stencils are directly drawn from, they were copied from tracings that had been made of the original preserved stencils/paint.

[shotgunshack]

Updates are now available for my previous three repaints. These updates include new and modified cowling fasteners, updated wing walkway and wing trestle stencils on PT879 (that are now exact), customized "slipper tank" textures (so they match the same Medium Sea Grey of each), and minor improvements to the wing normal maps on PT879.

With the updated textures for MJ755, I've also included a fix for the clipped wing model, which corrects two problems that have existed since version "1.0.2rc2" of the FlyingIron Simulations Spitfire. With the fix installed, the "slipper tank" will now be able to be dropped/removed as it should be, and the extra wing leading edge fabric patches/gun port covers that shouldn't be present will now be removed.

https://flightsim.to/file/14644/spit...pitfire-g-clgs
https://flightsim.to/file/13861/spit...pt879-restored
https://flightsim.to/file/13859/spit...tory-delivered

For the wing walkway and trestle stencils on PT879, I thought I had them correct originally, having recreated them from scratch, from as many photos as I could find of the restoration and a couple of other recent restorations with the same stencil type. The style/'font' of these particular stencils is very unique and is specifically accurate to Castle Bromwich production (they used a completely different stencil type than on Supermarine production). However, all of the photos I had been using were taken at rather extreme angles. Shortly after releasing the repaints, I received a photo of one of the stencils, taken straight on with no distortion, from PT879, so I was able to go back and completely redo those stencils again, so that they are now 100% accurate. They're "taller" than I had previously depicted them. On the PT879 restoration, for which these stencils are directly drawn from, they were copied from tracings that had been made of the original preserved stencils/paint.

Utterly superb and more than likely the most accurate flight simulation spitfire repaint ever made. Thank you.

Geoff

[shotgunshack]

Some more screenshots I liked.

Is that a pilots animated head I see?

[Bomber_12th]

It is! They made the head of the pilot animated ever since the latest update (along with fixing an LOD/distance issue that had previously existed with the pilot model). Especially with the latest update, it is my favorite aircraft in MSFS. It's very rewarding to fly due to the exceptional accuracy of the flight model. It's a joy to listen to, with excellent Merlin engine sounds and unique sounds tied to every switch/lever/function in the cockpit. There are a number of unique systems reproduced as well, such as requiring the use of the wobble pump and primer to start it, and having both the starter and booster coil switches individually functional, but also tied together (so that you can press both together, as you would in reality). And it is of course fantastic to look at.

I'm currently about 40-50% done with the Mk.XVI TB252, the next repaint I'll be releasing.

[ZsoltB]

Great,but What exactly is the number of the update?