Wrench

Nice!!! VERY Nice!! more transports for eye candy! Thank You Monty!!! Wrench kevin stein

Here's another one... a very quick and dirty repaint (I still have to refine my homemade template) of the Ar196 into a 'standin' for the E13A Jake: This would represnt the crusier's airel scouting force, ie: TONE #4 plane. There are some issues with it wanting to take off (especially that troublesome #4 plane!), so I"ll try and fiddle the data ini a bit like the Rex and Rufe to make it so it 'unsticks' due to distortions, it looks like all the markings will have to be decals. I"ll work on it more during the week. I'll try to have some shots of the Zekes later; won't have all the decals, but the skins and basic markings for the 4 airgroups Wrench kevin stein

Reinstalll in an unpatched version. Remember all the discussions about WW2 planes and the post-patch environment? Not reccomended. The issue with weapons is as we've been dealing with for the last month or so....if using an SP 5 install, you'll need to run the weaponsdata.ini THROUGH the SP5 (ie: WoI) weapons editor. That should bring them right back Wrench kevin stein

Oh, and another thought occured to me last night..... We don't have the correct marking for the ANY of the IJN aircraft (well, the Kates for Shokoku & Akagi and Vals from Soryu & Akagi). But they're all Pearl Harbor Attack markings There are as yet, no A6M2 Zeke skins for Nagumo's Forces. The question is: would they be carring the same type of tail marking as seen during the Pearl Attack?? If so, that would be a farily simple decal to create (what with me having a home-made Zero template and all...) And if not, again, it's just needed research to find the correct tail markings. Guess I know what I'll be doing, come Monday..... I surely do not want to make new templates for the Kates & Vals... Wrench kevin stein

Yup, you'll need a hex editor to 'find' and then 'replace' the OLD skin bmp name with the NEW skin bmp name. How do you think we got 30 or 40 different kinds of drop tanks for Zippers and Phantoms??? Or all the differing pilots? BE ADVISED: the bmp name you replace MUST BE THE SAME NUMBER OF CHARACTERS AS THE ORIGINAL meaning: if the skin is named M2000E.bmp and you want it for the N, use M2000N.bmp -- and it keeps the same number of characters. Using your naming conventions, after any repainting of the M2000's tank, save as M2NWing.bmp this would be the 'name' to use when hexediting the M2NWing.lod. Don't forget the ini for the new tank as well. You'll need to change the names inside to point to the correct lod, and don't forget to name THE SAME as the tanks name (M2NWing.ini) If you go beyond the existing number of characters (in this case 11 spots), it'll cause the game crash, as you fouled up the lod. Wrench kevin stein

Might NOT want to run it with the WoI IsrealME.cat...I think that even after the last round of patching, there still may be differences. Which I why I NOT reccomended it use for WoI, and why the IsrealME.cat is NOT listed in the DBS.ini for a cat pointer line. Of course, if you have one of the Original 3 Terrains ™ IN you WoI install, use the GermanyCE.cat. That what I set it up for, and all testing was done in WoE. As I always do WRench kevin stein

baleen, for straining out literaly hundreds of pounds of shrimp and krill at a time. Since whales are mammals, they do have some hair around their bodies...not much, but some. Although, I do agree with FC.... At first glance at the title....one does wonder Besides, it is Pravda fer cryin' out loud!! Ain't they got nothing better to do??? Wrench kevin stein

This is the result of about an hours work... HOWEVER.... there are significant differences between the L and F model. Basically, the Ls were just Cs with the hump bolted on. Which means a shorter nose and the straight refueling probe As you can see, the nose of the F is longer, and has the late model 'bent' probe. and I"ll have to dial in the SAINTS decal just mite...but that easy. I say we leave it as is, unless there is a majority of people (6 or 7 dozen) that really want it. Personally, I've never had a problem -pre or post patch- with the humps showing up as long as my fixes are followed. The game engine will always think it's a jammer pod, and load it. Up to you all! Wrench kevin stein

have to fly those, and get the coordintes.... Looks like a perfect spot for "The Womp Rat Cafe" "Dancing and Dining and Shootouts 'til Midnight" Wrench kevin stein

Cloverfield??? Wrench kevin stein

Ok, skins and decals for the carrier based units are done.... VT-3 & 6 use the same style of numbering ... VT-8 uses/used the semi-old pre-war style of still having the squadron designator (T for Torpedo) in their modex You'll note the now removed wing guns and rocket rail stubs. Gotta LOVE that little tweek!!!! Many years ago, at one of the primier airshows here is SoCal, namely the Chino Air Show, I had the privilige and great honor to meet George Gay and Admiral Dick Best. I just wish I'd had the presence of mind to get their autographs... I'll see what I can find out about the numbering style for the 6 MI based VT-8 detachment. I've got picture of Ens Earnest's after his return, and seem to recall it carried the full designator 8-T-*num*. I"ll dig out my TBF Avenger units in combat book again (like it so hard to turn on the extrenal HD, browse for the pdf, and open it! ) Probably wind up calling the skin folder "VT8Det" for "detached".....should take more than a few hours. Gonna be gone again! this weekend, so I'll try to get most stuff done today or early next week. The solomons IS totally Edwards, just revamped with more target areas, additions 'objects', and hopefuly lots and lots of jungle trees!! Plus the Shortland Islands & Rekata Bay seaplane bases...they look VERY cool, with docks and overhang shelters on the beach for the Rufes and non-existant Petes and Jakes, and etc. It's a major revamp of my revamp of a year or so ago. Wrench kevin stein

VPAF bomber mission are problematic, as there is no LARGE runway on the VietnamSEA map. And those are needed for Beagles, Badgers and Bears (oh my!) Unless, of course, someone wants to re-targetize the map..... Oh, and don't think about changing the MinBaseSize= as you'll probably experience CTDs. Wrench kevin stein

small update, sorry no screeine -- I"ll post one later today. I was able to remove the wing guns and rocket stubs off my TBF-1 mod usng data ini edits.; so it looks a LOT better. I've left the Yagi antenas on, as to not mess up it's use for later (ie: Solomons) usage. Just don't turn on the radar, or comment out the avionics lines. Looks like a small update will be forthcoming for THAT too! Looks like 3 sets of skins/decals, named as so; (ie: that original VT-3 skin I did is for Guadalcanal, so the naming reflects Midway timeframe ONLY) VT-3M VT-6M VT-8M the modex number sequences you'll see ARE 100% historically accurate as used on the Devestators; bunums will be the same as on the Avenger (reusing the same 24 over and over and over....) Since VT-8 Midway detachment only had 6 aircraft, I'm not doing them. Unless really needed. That'll probably create problems via the numbers list, as its well below minimums. Wrench kevin stein on a personal side note, I'm very glad to be putting all the damn historical knowledge I've been amassing my entire life to good use!!

Paul Nortess would be the guy to ask...or, if he's got some A-4F skins -- CHEAT!!!! I think it's on the fueslage bump, but would have to check. Finding the node name would be a bit more difficult, without the OUT file, but that's what hex editors are for EDIT: upper left corner of the body bmp = I cheated and looked at Pauls VA-205 skin. Also, the other bmps are mapped slightly different, so a new skin WOULD be required for "The Saints" I"ll put it on my list .... lets see..that make 273 items, not inculding painting the F-103 drop tanks!!! (which I keep forgetting to do!!) Might have to make new templates, as I've never seen 3rdWire one for the F Scooter....which is ok, as I can expand them to 1024x You all know how I just love redrawing panel and rivet lines.... Wrench kevin stein EDIT: the right and left wings and nose appear identical to the A-4E; so it's only body and tail bmps that need redoing. Just thought I'd let you all know...

How hard can that be? With the Scooter, you just place the 2nd pilot about where the toplight goes, dropped down about .5 meters. This'll put him about where the engine compressor section would be, buried in the fueselage. The 'new' ejection seat would have the same mounting position as the A-4L.LOD. Which should, hopefully, place it exactly where it went before. So, bascially something like this maybe?? Of course, this is ALL off the top of my head; I'll have to try and find some time to test this. Another thought occurs...if the aircraft is damaged, wouldn't the hump get jettisoned along with the canopy when the 'pilot' exits (yes, if you watch, the canopys DO come off, but ejected pilot in his chute is ever seen) The other alternative, of course is to NOT use the A-4E(L) and A-4L as they are based on the A-4E, and just reskin using the A-4F lod/skin maps. Thereby eliminating the hump and it's bmps once and for all. The markings on the hump, for VC-13 could be done up a decals. You'd still call them A-4E(L) and A-4L, but they'd be using the newer F lod. The only thing I don't know is where exactly the hump is mapped to on the skin bmps. Just some thoughts... Wrench kevin stein

There's supposed to be a package around here somewhere for both the Venom and Vampir, but I could only find the Venom kit. Wonder if it's in the WW2 "What If..." Vampire F.3??? anywho...try these: Might need to fiddle the Yaw sections to look 'over your shoulder' a bit ... don't go more than 135-140. Wrench kevin stein EDIT: found the F.3 with the spit pit http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...p;showfile=3891

Well, I'd suggest doing it like how I've done TF 58.1, 58.2 & 58.3 for the Mariana map ... each group has its own "seepiste", shamlessly borrwed from the Midway map (as does Ozawas' Combined Fleet Carrier Strike Force). Theoretically, you could place one next to each of the parked carriers; although you may have to split ENTERPRISE & HORNET's TF into 2, so each CV has their own, and the campaign ini (I assume!) would point each carrier air group to it's approiate 'landing strip'. Yorktown being the easiest, as it's already got it's own That way you could leave the carriers as non-manuvering units As to a Maruader, don't forget the "B-26K" is actually the Douglas A-26, which didn't see SoWesPac usage until 44 or so, and as everyone knows, is a completely different aircraft. OTH, to be toally non-historical, one could clamp a trop to the B-25B that already exists or the A-20C (I know the Russians had torp equipped Bostons) As to the Avengers, one of the best things about the US Navy in WW2 is, everything was painted the same! At that time frame none of the individual air group markings had been implimented; I don't think the geometric "G" types showed up before late 43/early 44. There are seaplane bases in the as yet uncompleted Solomons rebuild -just waiting for Deuces to finsih off adding trees- and then I can test it. It's very COOL using a seaplane in the actual ocean. The only drawback is on standard game generated single missions, it places land-planes there. The other float planes would be a super addition, expecially in the Solomons where Petes were a problem... I'll start the VT decals tommorrow, and should have something by the beginning of the week. Wrench kevin stein

I noticed that during testing, too. Is it just me or are the Russian SAMs a lot nastier on this terrain??? Don't forget people ... look for them Easter Eggs!! Wrench kevin stein

Got it! Unfortunately, since I can't model.... Do you still want those 5 views?? Or the skin bmp? Don't have access to the lined UVmap. We can get them to mate seamlesslly, via position edits in the aircraft data ini. The best examples would be the avionics humps for the A-4E(L) and A-4L Skyhawks, and the Argentine A-4P/Q and some other one, plus my single-seat F-110 Wraith (phantom). You just 'dial in' where it sits on the existing aircraft lod, and it blends right in. Blackbird: my Night Lightning or the original L version I build it out of? I'll assume the M, and place it somewhere for you to get. Wrench kevin stein

Baltika: Got the hangar and loading screens done for the "Vinda-way"; just need to write the readme. How should I release it? I am seriouly embarassed by this aircraft (with no insults to Bunyap that originally built the wirraway). I think it's the worst POS I've ever done -- and I've done a lot of 'stand in' birds. (btw, there's an FM-2 standin coming out soon, too) Although, it DOES fly pretty nice! Send it to you, or just put it at my site? I don't want to lower the real estate value here at CA by uploading this hack job! Wrench kevin stein EDIT: since we don't have Devastators, I"d suggest just upgrading to the TBF-1 mod I did. I can whip out historically accurate fues number decals for VT-3, 6 and 8 with little effort. W

A duck's quack does not echo Wrench kevin stein

Delta, if you're patched up to the most current level (ie: 10/08), you'll need to run the bunypak THROUGH the new weapons editor (the 2/08? 4/08?? version) anyway, this is the link: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...p;showfile=6075 Now, step by step: install the game, patch to the most current level unzip the bunypak (or any other WepPak) to a temp folder somewhere that's easy to find NEVER unzip stuff directly into your game install. It's real quick and easy way to f*** everything up. I don't give a hoot who's stuff it is...it's safer in the long run to unzip or run the exe to a temp folder. It may take a few more minutes to manually move things around but -SAFTEY FIRST!!! Ok, now that we've move the bunypak into a new /Weapons sub-folder in your main /Objects folder -you may need to create it, but no biggie. What I do is create yet another folder in ALL my game installs, called "Weapons_Editors", and put the weapons and gun editors DIRECTLY into each of them. So, when you open it, you don't have to browse to the install you're working on. You'll still have to set the "compatibility mode" for the 2 editors; right click on the exe, you'll see Properties at the bottom; click on that. You'll see a bunch of tabs at the top of the next 'page', one of the is "Compatibility" click on that to open it. It'll look like this: You'll notice this is set for Win98; it also works for win95 if it's still available (don't know if you're on Vista or XP - mine is XP) Click the "APPLY" button, and you're all set. Then, open the weaponsdata.ini for the bunypak and just click on anything, just to get to the next screen. Click "OK", then click SAVE --never use the SAVE AS button!!!!. This will rebuild the ENTIRE weapons pak to the latest standard. Now, mind you, 98.6% ™ of these weapons need complete overhauls (a lot of the small paramters need upgrading), but now it'll work at least. Then, your work really begins....as you'll have to extract from the objects cat the data and loadout inis for every single one of the stock aircraft and put them into their respective folders. Then you can make the edits as shown in my "Bunyap Pak Weapons and Loadout Fixes Thread" in the knowledge base. OR... you can go through the weaponsdata ini, with the editor and rename ALL the Soviet/WarPac weapons BACK to their NATO designations and attachment types (but I'd keep them WP & Soviet) ie: R-3S returns to AA-2 and etc. this is mostly for missiles; the bombs and such pretty much retain the same names (RBK-250, FAB-500, etc) Either way, there's a LOT of work involved. Wrench kevin stein gwar: you ARE evil!!!

They burn out in the air, like they're supposed to. Just use the one in the bunypak; it works exactly as advertised...drop them from around 5000 feet, and it'll light up amost one whole terrain tile. be advised, however...your wingmates will think they're IR CM flares, and will drop them when under attack. It's real funny to watch in the WW2 installs -- Blenheims on a night raid, pumping out flares like Atolls were after them!! Wrench kevin stein

As many times as we say it, people STILL aren't getting it straight -- post patch game REQUIRE the post patch weapons editor. Oddly enough, the 06 gun editor still works as advertised. Consider the weaponsdata ini as just a listing of what weapons are available. The weaponsdata.dat file is in, well, let's just call it "machine language" that the game engine reads to fill your loadout ini. And when extracting, you don't need to pull the weaponsdata.dat file. The weapons editor CREATES a new one everytime it's run. I would, however, suggest creating a /Weapons folder for the new weapondatat ini and dat files, as well as a place to store all the various and sundry lods and bmps and inis. Wrench kevin stein