RAF_Louvert 101 Posted March 15, 2012 . Keep in mind Hauksbee that I did not build that beautiful little craft but only dropped it into my OFF install. The Bleriot is the outstanding work of Jean-Michel Castagne and you can grab it, and his two-seater version as well, here: Bleriot XI for CFS3 Also, when it comes to the airfield and surrounding area, I am only tweaking the already fantastic efforts of our OFF devs. My part in this is really only researching and placing the needed items about in the French countryside, along with some repainting of buildings. But thanks for the kudos on my minor contributions in this. . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herr Prop-Wasche 7 Posted March 15, 2012 Looking good, Lou. The XI would be a nice change of pace to fly, I think, and would give us a greater appreciation for the rapid advances in aviation from 1911 to 1915 or so. If I am correct, isn't the XI a wing warper? If you have any questions about the FM, don't feel shy about sending me a PM. In regards to the FMs I have been working on: I am 95% finished with them. It's just that the last 5% seems to want to take 50% of the total time! More specifically, I am totally done with my revisions to the German planes and most of the Allied planes, with the exception of updates to the N28, Fokker EIII, Spad VII, and the 220 and 235 HP variants to the Spad XIII. The main delay is in testing--every little FM change requires an additional round of testing, and I want to make sure I get things just right! Again, I apologize for the delays, but I am trying--I really, really am! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
33LIMA 972 Posted March 15, 2012 Looking forward to this HPW, as well as Lou's 'Pau-mod'! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted March 15, 2012 The main delay is in testing--every little FM change requires an additional round of testing, and I want to make sure I get things just right! Again, I apologize for the delays, but I am trying--I really, really am! I guess we underestimate the test time caused delays a lot. Already with my skins, it sometimes takes a long time to build an all new one. And that must still be minor compared to your FM work and testing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herr Prop-Wasche 7 Posted March 16, 2012 There are just so many aspects of flight that have to be checked and re-checked, each time you change something: speed at sea level, speed at different heights, climb rate, dive speed, turn rate, etc. I also have to check to make sure that certain aspects of flight aren't altered whenever I make a change--things like roll rate, stall behavior, etc. One little change can mean an hour or more of testing! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted March 17, 2012 . Just a quick update before I head out the door again. I got home from my latest roadtrip and was up early working on the Ecoles de Pau. I did a major rearranging as I sorted out that I had originally placed the Bleriot school a bit too far south. In addition, I've managed to mesh two of the existing OFF aerodrome templates for a much better overall effect. I've also added a rail spur up to the southern edge of the complex, though not really visible in this shot. Just finished placing a row of barracks south of the Bleriot school and will continue to sort out the placement of all the other fiddly bits when I get back home. This is actually kind of fun. Must run for now, but I should be back this evening to work on the project further. Cheers! Lou . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
33LIMA 972 Posted March 17, 2012 This is shaping up nicely! On a point of detail, I think the darker, lower-contrast perimeter track around the Wrigth/Astre field looks a lot better than the lighter (default?) shade track around the nearer landing field, altho the latter probably helps spot the field at long range. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted March 17, 2012 (edited) Prosit! (hic) (or Pfalz, after HPW's latest mod has made it less skittish). what is this Sir?..I must have missed it!".....is it available yet? And Lou...I LOVE this project!...what a fabulous Idea!!! Edited March 17, 2012 by UK_Widowmaker Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
33LIMA 972 Posted March 17, 2012 what is this Sir?..I must have missed it!".....is it available yet? AS YOU WERE! AS YOU WERE! Settle down now! No, HPW's final FM mod isn't available yet, still in testing...patience, patience, now, lads...like OFF2, it'll be worth the wait. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted March 18, 2012 Lou, your 'little big' project looks cute so far! I have just tried to find a short and compact Wiki info about that school, but - nothing. Even when I only typed in "Pau", I saw a rather short page about the town, but no one there seemed to remember this time. Which I find a pity, and quite strange. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted March 18, 2012 ...but then I found this - if you speak French, you're lucky. http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/Ecoles_Pau.htm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted March 18, 2012 . Glad you approve of my efforts Olham. And I had given that link to the Ecoles de Pau page in one of my early posts in this thread, but thanks for noting it again. Been doing some more work on fields this AM and also came across a great old map from 1914 of the Pau area that will work very well for navigating the cross-country flights. But wait ... WHAT THIS? Practicing turns above the military school? Could it be?! It is! It's Stumpjumper's wonderful old Caudron G4 from Phase 2 . . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted March 18, 2012 Sorry, Lou, I obviously missed your previous link - as I missed Stumpy's Caudron for Phase 2. Guess I was still too new with all the sim settings and the forum (you guys made my first forum I ever joined!); so I didn't step even further back then, into modding and such stuff. I always thought it would be nice to see the Caudron in OFF - it is a (yet missing) French two-seater, and it has a special characteristic shape that makes it quite distinct. Wouldn't be an odd plane AFAIK - the Caudron was no outsider, was it? If it will not be in OFF II, would it be possible to use Stumpy's model to replace the Strutters in a French unit - could an AI squad fly them? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted March 18, 2012 . Not to worry Olham, always better to post info twice than not at all. I have to apologize to LIMA and WM for missing their posts just ahead of yours. Many thanks Gents for the kudos on my latest project. To your question about the Phase 2 G4: You can add it to a mission as long as you don't have it try to land or park it on the runway. The plane will actually 'sit' about two feet below the ground, so it crashes everytime it attempts a landing. I imagine this is simply a coding difference between P2 and P3. None-the-less, you can have them flying about in the OFF skies, and they are a fun sight to see. Also, the G4 was used a lot by the various air services early on in the war, so it would be s good one to have in the OFF 2 stable ... hint hint. . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted March 18, 2012 Lou, I am - in many respects - a stone age brain (no, wait - they must have been more intelligent - they made it through an ice age!). So to make my request more precise: if I download it and throw it into the aircraft folder - how would it become chosen by any squadron? Or must I tell my OFF, that Escadrille XY should use the Caudron instead of Strutters? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted March 18, 2012 . Olham, I may have been unclear when I used the word 'mission'. I meant it in the context of building a stand-alone mission, or group of missions. That is the only way to use the add-on planes and such in OFF. The sim itself will not recongize the new items in campaigns. Hope this helps, mein Freund. . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted March 18, 2012 So..are you doing a mission pack Lou?...that can be completed before a new pilot heads off to glory? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted March 18, 2012 . Something along those lines WM, though what I am leaning towards is a single 'mission' that has no routes shown on the in-sim map. TAC will also be useless for navigation as I will only give three generic waypoints in the mission that will have nothing to do with the actual flights. Instead, the pilot cadet would have a list of tasks he must properly complete before being brevetted, much like our RL counterparts had to do. It would be based on the requirements of the day, which were more-or-less as follows. Initial practice of taxing up and down the field, but without taking off. Once proficeint at this the cadet could move on to: 5 - take-offs and landings 1 - climb to 1000 meters above aerodrome, throttle back, circle down and land 1 - hour long flight to 2000 meters, cadet's choice of route 1 - triangle trip of 200 km, prescribed route using paper map and in-sim compass 2 - trips of 150 km, prescribed routes using paper map and in-sim compass Successful completion of the above would earn the pilot his brevet afterwhich he could be given additional combat flight training in something like the Bleriot 2-place, (which we also have available in OFF thanks to the fine efforts of Jean-Michel Castagne). . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herr Prop-Wasche 7 Posted March 18, 2012 . Just a quick update before I head out the door again. I got home from my latest roadtrip and was up early working on the Ecoles de Pau. I did a major rearranging as I sorted out that I had originally placed the Bleriot school a bit too far south. In addition, I've managed to mesh two of the existing OFF aerodrome templates for a much better overall effect. I've also added a rail spur up to the southern edge of the complex, though not really visible in this shot. Just finished placing a row of barracks south of the Bleriot school and will continue to sort out the placement of all the other fiddly bits when I get back home. This is actually kind of fun. Must run for now, but I should be back this evening to work on the project further. Cheers! Lou . Me likey, Lou! Looking very nice. And with a Caudron, to boot! I really like the idea of loading this up at the beginning of a new career to simulate early flight training of the time. I like your flight school curriculum. If I can find the time, I will try and investigate why the Caudron sits a foot or two into the ground. Should be something that can be fixed with an FM tweak. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carrick58 23 Posted March 21, 2012 Far out, This project of Lou's sounds great with a G4 to boot ! Maybe do the same thing for the German side using the Av or Rumpler then EIII ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted March 21, 2012 (edited) I guess the Germans were not part of that school, carrick. Maybe guests though? Of course, if they asked me, I could make a guest appearance, no problem! Now - which scarf should I wear? Are my goggles clean? My moustache - does it need fresh pomade? Where are my white deerskin gloves?! Edited March 21, 2012 by Olham Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
