WhiteBoySamurai

I've gotten a lot of requests for ships, especially since the release of North Atlantic. Though I already have my hands full with Russian battlecruisers, updates to existing ships, and various side projects, I would like to ask the community what you would like me to focus on next. Ideally, I'd like to get one country at a time outfitted with enough ships for randomly generated task forces, and my own personal preference would be to prioritize the Taiwan and Korea terrains/campaigns. Regardless, the needs of the community come first, so please vote! The ships and other objects I'm listing in the poll are ones that either 1) I have already gathered enough info to build and/or have already "laid the keel," or 2) I have received donations of partial or potentially convertible models, or links to/archives of reference material so I can get started quickly. I'll eventually do others as well, so write-in nominations are welcome. However, if anyone already has one of the aforementioned models under construction, please let me know. I'll cancel mine and save us potentially wasted time. A few notes on these potential projects: -I have much of the groundwork for the Aegis ships (Arleight Burke FltIIA and Atago) already laid out, and as they share some components these would probably be completed concurrently. -Before the NA screenshots were released and I found out that TK had already done a great looking Spruance, I was making one myself. This would be rather simple to retrofit into a Kidd class. -Now that we have a slew of Russian ships with working flight decks, we need an appropriate helicopter. The Ka-25 is a relatively simple design, so I think I could build one. The flight model is another story. -An aircraft carrier will take me a lot longer than any other individual ship, but I'll be working on it steadily. -For write-in ships, line diagrams and high-res photos are always appreciated.

The second of the Izumo class helicopter carriers, Japan's largest warship since WW2, was launched a few days ago, and given the name of one of the IJN's most infamous fleet carriers. http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3048 Her flight deck is actually longer and wider than WW2 Kaga. While the Izumo class are not intended as offensive weapons, I'm sure the choice of name will rustle some jimmies in certain countries.

View File Ka-29 Helix-B This model represents the Ka-29 Helix-B assault helicopter in service with the Russian armed forces. It is a development of the Ka-27 naval helicopter and primarily designed for amphibious assault. I created this mod as "practice" using a free model I downloaded long ago. The skin is rather low-res and I have not made any attempt at improving it. However, I did create slow/fast rotors, animated doors and shock absorbers, as well as lights and weapons. The flight model is a work in progress. See the readme for full details. No cockpit is included by default; use whatever you have available. Please feel free to post improvements to the skin and/or flight model. Animations: Cockpit doors: Shift+0 Cabin doors: Shift+9 Submitter WhiteBoySamurai Submitted 03/15/2015 Category Other  

File Name: Kidd class and Kee Lung class destroyers File Submitter: WhiteBoySamurai File Submitted: 21 April 2014 File Category: Destroyers This model represents the Kidd class destroyers, multi-role warships based on the Spruance class. Originally built for the Imperial Iranian Navy, they were cancelled after the 1979 revolution and completed for the US Navy instead, serving from 1981 until 1999. After decommissioning, all four ships were sold to Taiwan. They were recommissioned for the Republic of China Navy as the Kee Lung class starting in 2005. These ships are included in the package as a separate variant with updated weapons and custom decals, and are capable of leading ROCN task groups in missions. The Kidd class will join existing USN task groups once installed, but for ROCN task groups, you will need an additional ship pack. See the readme for full details. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or constructive criticisms regarding this model, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you! Click here to download this file

Starting work on the Crotale. The launcher texture is borrowed from my Lafayette and is just temporary. The copy is identical to the original (at least externally), using the same Hotchkiss 4-wheel truck. I'll include a separate version for France and international users in the pack. Finished the Type 89 multiple rocket launcher. I hate to admit it, but this is kind of a neat vehicle. 40 rounds + 40 more in an on-board reload system. They can really mess up an airbase.

whiteknight, for this pack I'm doing a few mobile SAMs: The slightly older HQ-61, Crotale copy HQ-7, and modern gun/missile combo Type 95. The missiles are already done for the first two. I would like to build an HQ-9 launcher, since I'll need that same missile for certain PLAN ships soon, but I can't find any good reference material for the radar systems they use.

While in Hiroshima this year, I visited the Kure Maritime Museum (呉市海事歴史科学館), also known as the "Yamato Museum." Kure was (and is) a major shipbuilding city, and the museum there is a treasure trove of history. Here are a few photos I took there. That's the decommissioned submarine Akishio across the street, attached to the JMSDF Kure Museum (which I also went to). The traffic barriers are armor piercing shells. The pier just outside the museum is a 1:1 mockup of the Yamato's deck. I took this from the forward anchor position, facing where the #1 turret would be. Only a small fraction of the ship is represented, but it's still huge. This is a 41cm (16") gun salvaged from the battleship Mutsu. One of the first things you see when entering the museum is the famous 1:10 scale model of the Yamato. She is glorious. The museum has a lot of static displays as well. Type 2 torpedo. Kaiten suicide torpedo. Kairyu midget submarine. Zero Model 62 fighter-bomber. Type 91 AP and Type 3 AAA-incendiary shells for the Yamato's 46cm main guns. Two more shots of the Yamato. There were many other exhibits, including the history of the city of Kure, naval battles of the IJN, the evolution of shipbuilding, and a multitude of smaller-scale model ships. If you happen to visit Japan and have any interest in warships or military history, I highly recommend this museum.

A couple more vehicles nearing completion:

This May I took a trip to southern Japan. Marine Air Corps Station Iwakuni was hosting its 40th annual Friendship Day, a huge airshow to display solidarity between the US and Japan. Thanks to my friend Nengajyou Aki, I had the best seats in the house. Here are some of the photos I took.

Sorry I've been away for a while. Travelling, working, new SO, etc. I completely rebuilt the 600gal wing tank I had been working on for the F-2. The dimensions are as accurate as I can get them based on photos and diagrams. I re-purposed a skin by ace888, since it fit so well. I'm currently building some modern PLA vehicles. These will get a lot of use in the Taiwan and South China Sea terrains. I started these a while ago, but was quickly overwhelmed by the sheer number of variants and sub-types of these designs. So I'm sticking to the most common/interesting ones. When I'm finished with this ground vehicle pack, I'll get back to working on ships.

I was hoping to get through the week without any more awful news, but I came home today and saw this-- Two police officials were stabbed to death in their home near Paris. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36524094 They were not only partners, but a couple. RIP. Their son survived, fortunately. Like the perpetrator in Florida, this psychopath also declared allegiance to ISIS, and had connections to jihadist groups.