Geezer

Lookin' good, Steve. I can see why you aren't real happy with the gunner - TW code doesn't give model makers much flexibility when making gunners!

Here ya go. Note it is an FE/FE2 map. http://combatace.com/files/file/14440-italian-terrain-incl-1915-1917-campaign/

While not an SF2 guy, I have been following this thread with great interest. The comments about a more cohesive, collective mod effort have a great deal of merit. The modest numbers of talented modders working on WW2 stuff and First Eagles stuff could make real contributions so long as the subject matter was not confined to jets. If some sort of accommodation could be worked out, I would happily contribute my graphics talents to such an effort.

Outside the small First Eagles community, gterl's Italian front map is not well known. It is an outstanding example of TW map making.

Good looking stuff!

With assistance from Wrench, Stephan1918, and Stary, it looks like rear view mirrors work in FE2 and can be added to the CR42. Concept demonstration shots below, using Wrench's CR42 files as place holders while I develop my own files. Setting is gterl's excellent Italian front map for First Eagles. EDIT: I've tweaked some of gterl's colors. Because of the art training I got in my miss-spent youth, I unconsciously use the color theories of the European masters (Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Rembrandt, etc). I'm contemplating a couple of how-to articles for modders, explaining how to adjust colors for pre-computer realism.

Heh - so do I. I have six biplanes planned, plus some early monoplanes.

Got it flying - temporarily using Wrench's CR42 files. Still a bunch things to tweak, such as the pilot.

Working on completion of the model so it can be flown ingame. Thinking about damage modeling. The model will have two fuel tanks, one oil tank/two oil coolers, and a hydraulic pack that can be damaged by enemy bullets. That got me thinking about structural damage, and the unique nature of the 1940 desert mod. It would be unrealistic to continue using the standard FE concept of battle damage causing portions of wooden wings or fuselage to break off when hit by large numbers of bullets. The stars of the show may be biplanes, but - unlike WW1 aircraft - they all had metal structures which resisted rifle caliber bullets. While rifle caliber bullets fired by all of the combatants might strike fuel tanks, etc statistically most of the bullets would hit the metal structures. Rifle caliber bullets were largely ineffective against metal aircraft structures, which is why air forces transitioned to auto cannons that COULD destroy aircraft structures. So....when hit by bullets, I'm thinking about just having the fabric skin peel off the wings, exposing the metal structure. EDIT: Yes, I know that Japanese aircraft were highly vulnerable to machine gun fire, but there were two factors that made this situation unusual. Japanese aircraft had very light weight structures that were more easily damaged, and they were being hit by .50 cal bullets that were more powerful than "normal" machine gun bullets. Because the Browning .50 cal machine gun was unusually powerful, the US continued using it long after other countries had switched to auto canons.

Good job, looks very convincing.

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