The very first jets I worked on as a mechanic.

[+drdoyo]

I started working on these a year ago (ALREADY? Time flies!) I had put this aside because I'm getting old and my memory isn't as reliable over the 16 years since we retired our Phabulous Phantoms. I recently ran into a trove of photos of our birds, so I can now sith some dgree of exactness reproduce all 24.,,(+) F-4Es that we had in the 163rd TFS. I say plus because a couple of the birds have alternate histories from the rest. A couple of pics (I wanted to post them with Pave Spike and GBUs but I didn't take any pics with that loadout....yet ).

 

The Wing Boss's bird

 

 

 

 

A couple of the other birds

 

 

 

 

[+Spectre_USA]

I really like that 4 shipper with the 3 different skins!

 

Fort Wayne, Indiana? Cool enough, great job!

[+Dave]

Very nice work indeed. It;s nice to be able to re create aircraft skins of ones you worked on isn't it? Once again the beauty of this series shines through.

[+drdoyo]

Very nice work indeed. It;s nice to be able to re create aircraft skins of ones you worked on isn't it? Once again the beauty of this series shines through.

 

 

Indeed Dave!! For a very long time I had hoped for a game that I could fly a good F-4 and repaint it into one of the birds I maintained, but with the SF series I can make the entire wing

 

I might start digging for F-16C block 25 pics too :yes:

[+drdoyo]

Ok folks, here's an update. I've been redoing the Asia One, and European One skins. The decals are all done. All tail numbers are accurate. There were 24 birds at any one time (2-Asia1, 3-European1, and 19 Egypt1 schemes). I have all 30 decal serials for the jets we had between 1986 and 1991. Here are the latest screens of the green skins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[+Dave]

Hey drdoyo good work.......

[Badfrank]

Looks really nice!

In which resolution you made them?

[+drdoyo]

Looks really nice!

In which resolution you made them?

 

The textures are 1024x1024. To be honest the JPGs I've uploaded don't look as good as the screen shot BMPs. Some of these birds went to Luftwaffe ownership and were based at Holloman AFB. The rest went to the Greek AF.

 

I'm happy with the painting now, so it's time to revert to my other old job....smashing some rivets then I'll work up the documentation.

 

Thanks for the encouragement guys

Edited October 17, 2007 by drdoyo

[Talos]

I know I am really looking forward to this. I love the USAF Phantoms after Vietnam, up to and including Desert Storm. These look supurb. *makes mental note to read The Warbirds again*

 

I wonder if it would be possible for you to release the base schemes seperately without the squadron markings. It would be very nice to have good higher-res Phantom base schemes to use, plus the DS grey and Egypt 1.

Edited October 18, 2007 by Talos

[MiGMasher]

Nice stuff indeed!

[+drdoyo]

I know I am really looking forward to this. I love the USAF Phantoms after Vietnam, up to and including Desert Storm. These look supurb. *makes mental note to read The Warbirds again*

 

I wonder if it would be possible for you to release the base schemes seperately without the squadron markings. It would be very nice to have good higher-res Phantom base schemes to use, plus the DS grey and Egypt 1.

 

Sure Talos, can do! The only unit markings that is part of the skin are the FW and fin cap. Everything else is a decal.

 

Wish I still had Warbirds and the rest of the series :) They were great books !!

[Talos]

Awesome, thanks a lot drdoyo.

 

Yeah, I love them, although I only have the first one. I stumbled on it at a church booksale, the old hardcover edition.

 

Hmm, someone needs to do the 45th TFW...

[mppd]

By all means, please upload the files! The birds look great. I can't get enough of the Phantom.

Mike D.

[mppd]

By the way, how are you guys getting wingmen to fly in such close formation for screenshots?

Mike D.

[+drdoyo]

By the way, how are you guys getting wingmen to fly in such close formation for screenshots?

Mike D.

 

Mike, I edited the formations.ini so that it has finger four and diamond . It was part of a Blue Angels repaint that I started about the same time as the F-4Es

 

 

A quick update:

 

I was adding the rivets, and decided to go a lot more indepth . I have finished a complete multi-layer PSD template for the left wing after thinking of Talos's question some more. I'm going to do up the rest of the jet in the same mannor and release the templates also. It's much easier to adjust and feather the paint with layers . I've added grease, leaks, and shadows too. Let me get a screenie for ya.

[+drdoyo]

Couple -o- pics. The left wing is the only part painted so far with a layered template and the pattern feathered, but you can compare it to the rest of the jet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers!

[Talos]

Sweetness!

 

Those wrap-around schemes are great and the detail on the left wing is looking good.

[+NeverEnough]

Very nice work! What a fitting tribute to some beautiful warbirds.

[mppd]

I'm going to upload a set of 1024 pixel F-4 textures that I tweaked from Sundowner's template to go with my tailcode decal project (with his permission). I don't see the advantage of the 2048 pixel size for normal external views, and it really drags the framerate down on modest systems (mine). I'd love to see your work for release - can't ever get enough Phantom skins.

 

Can you send me a copy of the formations.ini for those tight shots?

 

Thanks and keep up the great work,

Mike D.

[Talos]

I assume your's are the normal SEA non-wrapped camo, mppd? Then we'd have a good selection of them together with Drdoyo's work. 1024x is definately an upper limit on what's needed for clear resolution on the skins. My computer is crying at the idea of running 2048s.

[mppd]

Roger that, standard SEA 3-color scheme. Minimal stenciled markings, fairly worn finish. Trying to spiff up the textures using some photo scans of engine exhaust nozzle petals, and rear fuselage bare metal areas. Changed some panel lines and paint pattern to match photos from war zone. I should stop over at the Bradley Air Museum to get some digital pics of the F-4D they have, but am working 12 hour days (third shift to boot) so free time is minimaluntil late November. No sharkmouth on the E nose.

 

Mike D.

[FLT]

fist of all: very nice work!

 

i´ve got two questions:

1. What terrain you were flying by taking these screenshots?? (looks great too!)

2. What have i to edit in the formation.ini to get my wingman so close on my wing??

[+drdoyo]

I'm going to upload a set of 1024 pixel F-4 textures that I tweaked from Sundowner's template to go with my tailcode decal project (with his permission). I don't see the advantage of the 2048 pixel size for normal external views, and it really drags the framerate down on modest systems (mine). I'd love to see your work for release - can't ever get enough Phantom skins.

 

Can you send me a copy of the formations.ini for those tight shots?

 

Thanks and keep up the great work,

Mike D.

 

Sure can Mike. I'm at work for a couple more days, so I'll look at the files when I get back. It involves editing a couple of files, and it's not 100% on the menu cosmetics but it is workable. I'll tak a look when I get home Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

Thanks guys!

[+drdoyo]

fist of all: very nice work!

 

i´ve got two questions:

1. What terrain you were flying by taking these screenshots?? (looks great too!)

2. What have i to edit in the formation.ini to get my wingman so close on my wing??

 

 

Thanks FLT!

1) That's RAZBAM's Korea terrain, you have to pay for it but it's well worth it IMO. I'm not home now, so if someone could post the link that would be great.

 

2) See above post I'll post the text changes

Edited October 28, 2007 by drdoyo

[FLT]

thx drdoyo!

 

looking forward to pimp my formation.ini :yes: