swambast

would think yes

Look for a file I think it's called huddata.ini and check for an entry that says debug, if it's missing set it to Debug=False something like that. Sorry I'm out right now but can check more later

Try pressing ALT+D or CTRL+D, think I remember that right?

@daddyairplanes Thank you for jumping in, you're right on! In response to your totally fair and insightful question, it's quite simple. Public collaboration, public release. This particular F-105 project will depend on community interest and involvement.

Damn, that is absolutely incredible...

Hello everyone, like most I’ve been swamped with real life demands so hobby time and posting here is quite limited (besides I’m prioritizing a different thrilling ‘Nam project). We can all agree that modder time, talent, attention and output is tough these days. I wanted to explore whether there might be potential interest in collaboration efforts regarding yet another F-105 Thunderchief asset. However, this one is quite different from all the rest – here’s a history and why… Research Efforts and Guidance This version of the Thud was modeled exclusively for the When Thunder Rolled Project. The F-105D base was modeled from scratch undergoing countless iterations based on real-world feedback from Thud pilots, Korat Maintenance officers/mechanics, museum aviation advisors and more. It even included a private photo shoot courtesy of the US Air Force Museum in Ohio where a few team members attended in-person for a truly special day. But perhaps what we’re most proud of, is that Ed Rasimus himself (the legendary fighter pilot and author of “When Thunder Rolled”) was the primary advisor providing constant personal feedback right up until the time of his passing. At one point, we literally had to scrap the entire external model and start over due to a dorsal spine / hydraulic system “shape” concern (which was only evident to the experts). Our version also features a high-fidelity full featured cockpit model built from scratch and based exclusively on reference materials including the flight manuals, cockpit instrument diagrams, etc. So, as you can guess, the mode of operation is to focus the best we can on maintaining historical accuracy and stellar quality. Ed was extremely detailed and his expectations were very high, which caused a lot of back and forth loops – e.g., update model progress, Ed and Advisors check, integrate feedback, update progress...months and years go by, etc. I will never forget the day and the drinks we had celebrating once we got his reply back which simply (and finally!) said “Approved." Textures In addition, the textures were outsourced to one of the most premier aircraft texture artists in the industry – a man with talent that encompasses not just aircraft “game” model texturing, but does actual authentic museum work, aviation magazines, history channel simulations/documentaries and more. The attention to detail was startling – we took guidance directly from the men that flew the machine even about “wear and tear” down to which rivets and staining patterns were impacted by fallout from weathering, panel marker identification, stressed areas, etc. Flight Dynamics As far as the flight dynamics: the F-105 flight model was created using a licensed NASA aerodynamics application and other complex physic modeling tools and took literally 6+ months to perfect. The flight dynamics engineer attested it’s as realistic as he can possibly make it. He used all the flight reference tables from the actual F-105 manual we purchased including of course plots of the J-75 engine performance tables. And then countless scenario testing was conducted to validate the results. The Thud now truly flies like a supersonic fighter-bomber (unlike the stock and incorrect “fighter” profile). You will notice the difference immediately! Flying it now is an incredibly different and more rewarding experience. So, all that being said, one may ask the obvious question: “If you think it’s so great, then what else is needed?” Well, the model was created years ago and optimized for performance based on computer tech at that time. And the truth is, after finally soliciting the approvals we all were mentally ready to shift gears to something else for a while. And that turned into a very long while…LOL. Not to mention the impact of the overall time and cost which was shockingly exorbitant; by far the most ever invested in a "gaming hobby.” But what remained was a “wish list” of desired enhancements. These desired enhancements included things: detailed pylons/drop tanks, landing gear, greater selection of skin textures/liveries, revisiting historical accuracy (we learned even Pilots can have rusty memories, as their maintenance officers quickly noted and corrected), etc. We would consider these all enhancements that could be tackled as smaller projects vs. efforts related to full mesh rebuilds, creating new scratch Photoshop templates. Really, any enhancements or suggestions to increase the historical accuracy, player-immersion and improve the tribute and honor to these legendary pilots AND their support crew always welcomed and encouraged. We feel the foundation is already strong and set - but opening it up for public collaboration could take it to another level. Well there you have it and thanks for reading! If you have any potential interest in helping, especially any of you veteran modders, please feel free to drop me a Private Message.

@daddyairplanes Uh, yeah cool but has anyone tested it on a broader scale? We had multiple custom .DLL updates created for the When Thunder Rolled Project, back in the day when real programming was required, etc. While it tended to work well for specialized needs, we found many times they crashed the engine or stripped other core capabilities. Not trying to minimize what was achieved here, but much more extensive testing is required.

Totally agree, Andrea you have done an amazing job with this update. Your dedication, commitment to making things right and outcomes are admirable and impressive indeed. I am especially grateful for the incredible detail and attention paid to the mission making as that can by far be some of the most challenging and time-consuming tasks. Congratulations, I wish you continued success in your project endeavors and thank you for giving us all the chance to enjoy the 'Nam experience!

Oh man, sucks to hear this! All the best to you, wishing you better days ahead!

An oldie but goodie, the beautiful C-130 from Dels!

@Major Lee An old veteran makes a surprise announcement - wow, so nice to see your post and hope all is well!

@JulioJunqueira Absolutely beautiful and stunning work as always, congrats on this and updates like these get me more enticed to get back into the First Eagles modding world!

@yakarov79 Your attention to detail and historic authenticity is among the best; thanks for sharing this information and contributing to a better outcome for all. And of course @CSomers611 for welcoming the insights and hopefully creating another update soon. But enough of this ANG, let's get back to the 'Nam combat movers next - just kidding, kind of...

Old screenshot; been getting obsessed with the O-1E Bird Dog again. I absolutely love these slow-mover 'Nam aircraft and have some updates planned in the future (but currently totally consumed by a bigger project). Any skinners/texture artists interested in creating higher res skins please let me know!

Oh God, that is terrible news Volker - I’m so sorry to hear about what you’re going through. Wishing you strength, steady recovery, and the very best care during this time. Praying for you and hoping each day brings better progress and comfort!

@GSantini I’ve been away for quite some time and just catching up around here. First, I’m so very sorry for the loss of your Father. Reading your message brought back so many memories, and it’s clear just how much your Dad meant—not only to you and your family, but to all of us who had the privilege of knowing him. He wasn’t just a name in the community—he was a presence, a personality, and someone you could count on. I first connected with your Dad back around 2008. And over time got to really know him not as “Tim”, but as good ole “Jay” or even more personal “TJ” (Timothy Jay). Right off the bat, three things stood out to me immediately—his service as a Marine to this country, his well-earned retirement, and the pride he had in his family highlighted of course by his kids but also a long and committed marriage for over 25+ years from what I recall. Over the years, whether it was emails, forum posts, or even many personal phone calls we shared (I still remember talking with him after he had just gone through getting teeth pulled and dentures—he kept his humor through all of it), he always came across as genuine, grounded, and real. Beyond his character, his impact on this community was truly something special. His willingness to help others—whether it was creating “first ever” model objects, his .ini file wizardry (ground breaking “flamethrower effects” – awesome TJ!) or offering just general modding guidance was incredible. I was always in awe of his depth and scope of knowledge. So many of us old timers learned and enjoyed a greater gaming experience because he took the time to fill in the gap with new assets and freely taught others including me. I especially remember his passion for the Vietnam-era work we collaborated on. He was a huge early supporter of the When Thunder Rolled project, and his involvement helped push things forward in ways that mattered. His collaboration and friendship with Diego on The Brown Water Navy by Overkill was another example. I always had this sense that he was building toward something bigger, always inspired, always creating. And I still think back to stories like his fall from that ladder—40 feet—and how he fought through recovery with grit and determination. That was him in a nutshell: resilient, tough, and when he believed in a cause he was the first to stand with it and actively support it. I miss that kind of character so very much. Your Dad will always be a legend in my mind and many others and always remembered here – not just for what he accomplished but how he did it. And who he was. A Marine, a family man, a mentor, and a friend. Thank you for sharing him with us. God Speed, Steve/Swambast P.S. My last surprise still work-in-progress model I created for him that he always wanted to see in-game "at some point in my life". Not sure if he ever got to enjoy it, but I am grateful for the honor of creating and sharing it with him. Especially considering what it stands for now.

Uh yeah, LOL...this!

Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear that! I actually had the opposite problem to begin in, I couldn't get 3DS Max to launch WITHOUT the Service Pack, go figure! I agree, I absolutely hate Windows 11 with a passion. One other thing that did help, and of course your results may vary, is turning off/disabling the stupid OneDrive integration everywhere!

GKABS, see if this can help. I had a very similar issue on a newer computer build where the menus would randomly disappear or get "torn up." Installing the 3ds Max Service Pack was step 1. But after that, the most important "fix" for me was to change the default rendering to Direct3D rather than OpenGL, Software renderer, etc. Maybe give this a shot and see if it helps.

LOL, well I'm not any of these guys but I've gladly helped Gepard out in the past with such items. Quick check and I clearly see one of the largest and most prominent structures there is the UPS Logistics Hangar, massive indeed. I don't have a particular interest in this airport and I'm consumed with other projects, but if you're looking for something quick to fill a large space that is fairly accurate and "good enough" then I can keep going on something like this (quick mock-up) and share it with him.

Awesome GKABS, love the Thuds for sure. Looks like a File404 base model perhaps with some enhancements? Always great to see some Thud Love!

Sure! It would be good to have a few beta users to see if it works for Gen2, and of course I could easily improve it with expanded capabilities as needed. Anyone interested just PM me.

Not sure if this would help, but ironically enough it was created for the Gen1 series but should work in Gen2 no problem. A looong time ago I was asked to create this custom program for Dave here which I remember he found helpful. It basically allows you to set up scenarios to remove planes you don't want in the current install to a backup location, and then simply move them back once done. It remembers "Favorites" so you can have a Favorite that selects say all WW2 aircraft and then moves them to a temporary backup location while you fly in the 90's era, etc. Anyway, not sure if it helps but just putting it out there.

@Gepard Hi Gep, thanks again for all of your support on the terrain updates. I could have sworn I did a Karst collections waaay back in the day. And behold I actually remembered right and found some old screenshots. These were from over 15 years ago under the Gen1 engine, wow! Anyway, they can be upgraded with higher fidelity, smoothness and improved in a variety of other ways to meet today's standards. When I get a chance, I'll give it a go and report back.

@SgtSaunders Thanks for your interest. Unfortunately, overall community interest and support has been nearly non-existent with the exception of perhaps 2-3 fellow supporters (you know who you are and have my gratitude). Therefore, due to personal real life conflicts myself, overall specific Gulf of Tonkin progress has been horribly slow perhaps with the exception of the incredible efforts exhibited by Gepard! That being said, what's been done or in-progress is very high fidelity and exciting. Here is current SITREP: Custom and historically accurate North Vietnamese P-4 Torpedo Boat: COMPLETE Custom and historically accurate USS Maddox (DD-731) Sumner-class destroyer: Heavy Work-in-Progress and exhausting due to the research efforts/hybrid transition timing USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) Essex-class Aircraft Carrier: Base model outsourced, paid for and secured - NOT STARTED F-8 Crusader – U.S. Navy fighter jets from the USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) carrier group: WIP/NEARING COMPLETION: Authentic F-8 skins/textures, complete high-res cockpit texture overhaul, authentic load-outs/high fidelity weapons and overhauled flight model and numerous other historical tweaks to increase immersion and accuracy. As mentioned real life has been challenging over the last several months, but I will continue to push progress the best I can along with the few supporters. I hope to post more screenshots in the near future!