Geezer

Surface mapping, called UVW Unwrap in 3dsMax, is probably the most tedious and exacting task of 3D model making.  Yesterday, I was in the mood so I started mapping the Sopwith Triplane and M-S Type P.  After thinking about Crawford's observation about inner and outer wheel surfaces, I am making space in the mapping diagram for both surfaces.

Thanks!

28 minutes ago, whiteknight06604 said:

I love that type P . I love them both actually. I'll try to do some digging on the net about armament but honestly with a small baby at home time is hard to find. 

The Type P is the unsung hero of French aviation in 1916-17.  It was designed as a more powerful improvement of the Type L.  565 were built, parceled out in twos and threes to most all French observation squadrons.  It was also used by the British and Russians.

Maybe you can help me with research?  I have been slowly working on two Morane-Saulnier aircraft that were used by Russia.  The M-S Type I was armed with a Vickers gun so the gun installation was different from the earlier "Bullet" types that were armed with Hotchkiss or Lewis guns.  Shot of the Type I model shows my best guess at the Vickers installation - but its only a guess.  Can you locate  better information?

Russia also used the Type P, but I can find only one reference and it shows a Madsen MG.  Is this correct?  Second shot of the Type P shows the more or less "normal" armament used by the British and French.

Took a break from the Bleriot and worked on the Nieuport 28 cockpit.

4 hours ago, Coupi said:

With a lot of detail !!! 

Added the rigging and control wires.

Getting much appreciated help from a couple of guys on the Berg D.1 gun sights, which will require significant offset from the aircraft center line. 

Working on the Bleriot gunner today.

My Windsock Data File of the Berg D.1 arrived yesterday, so I spent today tinkering with "accurate" colors.  The problem with Austro-Hungarian camo schemes is that almost no reliable information has survived the last 100 years. My 2002 edition of Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War One deleted the color camo illustrations found in the original 1993 edition because few of the colors could be reliably authenticated.

The Windsock Data File has a color photo of a Berg D.1 rudder that has survived, and its colors are less saturated (less vivid) than most of the color references found on the internet.  Granted the color pigments have oxidized in the last 100 years, but even so the colors are quite dull and unsaturated.  So.....I spent a couple of hours tinkering with my artwork to better reflect the sample shown in the Data File.

The N21 above includes a Lewis gun installation.  Attached are the pdf artwork files, plus templates.

N21 Art & Templates.rar

21 hours ago, Crawford said:

Judging by Stephen1918's airplanes, a stretch modifier works. But, of course, no one can make you do what you don’t want to do.

Any real world professional knows that perfection is impossible, which is why - at some point - it is necessary to say "that's good enough."

I've been slowly rebuilding my old files, as I had to clear my HD to make way for a contract job.  Attached is a Russian Nieuport 21 armed with a Lewis gun, that needs file work to run ingame.

Nieuport_21 Lewis Gun.rar

EDIT: Crawford - I realize you have good intentions.  I'm not trying to piss you off, because I appreciate your help.  You must understand that I am busy with the Bleriot and interruptions disrupt my production flow.  

Adjusted the tints of the colors to simulate a vintage look.  May fool around a bit more, but it is close to a balance between "accurate" color and atmospheric color.

It's been a while since I worked on the Caudron, and I forgot to delete two objects that should not have been part of the game LOD1.  Below is new LOD1 that deletes the unwanted objects.  On my rig, flying in FE2, the ventral gun does not display.

1-25-19 Caudron_R11.rar

2 hours ago, Crawford said:

Thank you. Already much better than before, but the problem has not completely disappeared, and a new one has appeared. Please, when you have time, look at the CaudronR11 again. It will be a shame if this beautiful model will be burdened with minor flaws.

The only solution to this particular problem is to deform the wires by using a stretch modifier in 3dsMax.  That is more effort than I am willing to expend on a project that has already consumed months of my time.  Plus, I do not know if it would work ingame because of the old 1999 game engine.

In your bottom shot, the ventral Lewis gun is shown outside the aircraft.  Has anyone gotten this third gun to work correctly?  If not, I'll delete it.

22 minutes ago, whiteknight06604 said:

love it. I think this will end up being my favorite aircraft to just fly around and "sightsee" in. looks amazing. 

Thanks.  The will be two or three versions, depending on the rifle armed observer working out.  The Lewis gun armed version is certain, though it will have a limited field of fire.  Then, there will be an unarmed version for use very early in the war.

Got the flying surfaces mapped, and started tweaking the colors.  The museum shots of the Italian Bleriot show colors that have darkened over the years - particularly the fabric - so I'm working on colors that are lighter.

Both you and Stephen1918 are to be commended for your excellent work! 

8 hours ago, Crawford said:

I noticed this bug a long time ago, but I didn't have a chance to ask you: can this be corrected somehow?

 

I'll look at the model, fix it, and then post a new LOD1.

EDIT: Posted below is latest version, with new LOD1.

1-24-19 Caudron_R11.rar

Attached is the Caudron R11 cockpit LOD, plus the aircraft.  The only changes to VonS's latest files:

- Position of ww1PilotNew3 (original XYZ coordinates have been commented out with //) in the DATA ini

- HideExternalNodeName=Tub in COCKPIT ini

I'll let you guys tweak the coordinates so the cockpit displays ingame.  

Caudron_R11 Cockpit.rar

Finished building the Nieuport 28 cockpit this morning.

6 hours ago, VonS said:

Great pics Geezer! Attached below is an experimental particlesys file with even smaller MG smoke effects than in the particlesys file included with my ver. 9.5 FM update pack - these double-up nicely as cigarette smoke for pilots, but tweak the emitter coordinates in your data inis for realism.

For the MS type H and G variants, use something like:

ExhaustEmitterName=MGSmokeEmitter
ExhaustPosition=0.0,0.0,0.65

To put out the pilot's cigarette, turn engine off. 

Representative pics. below.

Von S

 

 

Got it!  Thanks.

 

40 minutes ago, Crawford said:

Good news, Geezer!

Do you need a walkaround of the Italian Bleriot XI Type 2 in the the Aviation section of Turin Polytechnic's museum (however, this plane is also a replic, not the original )? I have no link, but if you need, I can upload the folder to the file sharing service (15 photos, bottom and side view, 19.6 MB).

Thanks for the links - the cockpit shots were helpful.

9 minutes ago, Sky High said:

What I want to know: where the hell do I keep my matches?

WW1 trench lighters were often made from expended rifle cartridges.  The perforated sleeve would slide up to shield the flame from wind.  

Started surface mapping the Bleriot XI Type 2 this morning.  As Crawford pointed out, few Bleriots were identical due to significant detail variation.  Therefore, the model is a hodge-podge of details grafted on to an airframe based on the Italian Bleriot shown above.