yakarov79

@viggen and @dtmdragon, thank you both for this refreshing discussion. I was able to move forward with my Sabre Dog flight... wingmen were firing rockets, and Northern Europe was saved once again. Few small fixes and my Sabre Dog will be again ready to download.

----------------1972 A-6A VA-35, CVW-8 USS America 6.5.1972-3.24.1973 A-6A, (A-6B PAT/ARM) VA-52, CVW-1 USS Kitty Hawk 2.17.1972-11.28.1972 A-6A, A-6B mod0/1 VA-75, CVW-3 USS Saratoga 4.11.1972 - 2.13.1973 A-6A VA-115, CVW-5 USS Midway 4.10.1972 - 3.7.1973 A-6A, A-6B mod0/1 VA-145, CVW-2 USS Ranger 1.16.1972 - 6.22.1973 A-6A, A-6B mod0/1 VA-196, CVW-14 USS Enterprise 9.12.1972 - 6.12.1973 ----------------1973 A-6A, KA-6D VA-165, CVW-9 USS Constellation 1.5.1973 - 10.11.1973 A-6A, KA-6D VA-95, CVW-15 USS Coral Sea 3.9.1973-11.8.1973 A-6A, KA-6D A-6B PATARM VA-52, CVW-11 USS Kitty Hawk 11.23.1973-7.9.1974 ----------------1974 A-6A, A-6B, KA-6D VA-196, CVW-9 USS Constellation 6.21.1974 - 12.23.1974

last batch for the Vietnam air war. for now, I am missing A-6C and KA-6D. Some squadrons did not go color frenzy, so not much extravaganza here... --------1969 A-6A VA-145, CVW-9 USS Enterprise 1.6.1969 - 7.2.1969 A-6A, A-6B PAT/ARM VA-85, CVW-14 USS Constellation 8.11.1969 - 5.9.1970 A-6A VA-35, CVW-15 USS Coral Sea 9.23.1969 - 7.1.1970 A-6A, A-6B mod0 VA-196, CVW-2 USS Ranger 10.16.1969 - 6.1.1970 -------1970 A-6A, A-6C, A-6B PAT/ARM VA-165, CVW-9USS America 4.10.1970 - 12.21.1970 A-6A, A-6C VA-145, CVW-2 USS Ranger 10.27.1970 - 6.17.1971 A-6A, A-6B PAT/ARM VA-52, CVW-11 USS Kitty Hawk 11.6.1970-7.17.1971 ----------------1971 A-6A VA-115, CVW-5 USS Midway 4.16.1971 - 11.6.1971 A-6A,A-6B mod0/1 VA-196, CVW-14 USS Enterprise 7.11.1971 - 2.12.1972 A-6A, KA-6D VA-165, CVW-9 USS Constellation 10.1.1971 - 7.1.1972

So I will chime in, using this as an opportunity to appeal to skinmakers new and old. I know that for many this is obvious, but also sometimes we can forget about something.... When making new skins/templates for existing aircraft (as daddyairplanes said - using as big as possible format 4096x is quite good enough). But before starting a new skin/template make sure, what needs to be done for that model. Many new aircraft (but also old ones) have bump maps (normal) and Specular maps as additional features - that can improve the quality of the model as a whole. So when you are making new templates in higher resolution - make sure to make new bump maps too* - so they will correspond with new skins. It is not (never) going to look good if you have nicely done 4096x skins with beautiful thin lines, and small rivets if you will combine it with - let's say stock 512 bump maps you will have a mess with lines and poops instead of rivets. Interesting is a fact that bump maps can be - 'bumped" and "sunken" at the same time - just a matter of arrangement and creativity. - for example depressed lines and raised rivets etc... The same rule applies to Specular Maps. And this is somehow neglected more often than you can imagine, especially with metal/silver skins. Not going to dwell on why specular maps are used (or not) but since they are used sometimes they also have to match skins. Personally, I love it when a model can use specular maps, as it can give nice depth to the skin. And again wrongly made specular maps can spoil the final effect And specular maps are bringing one more issue. If those are assigned to a model then they should be used always in a specific skin folder despite the skin being silver/natural metal or camouflaged. If a model is using specular maps they also need to be attached to a camouflaged skin folder. Otherwise, the skin will look pale, or too glossy, or too shiny, or simply not the way it should. So no. Specular maps are not only for shiny metal surfaces. Not to mention, that with some practice create nice "different" surfaces. while bump maps should be at least the same size as all skins to have the best quality (4096x or 3072x) and must be inside the main aircraft type folder, specular maps usually can be much smaller (even 4x smaller - 1024x1024, as for some small pieces of model like fuel tanks, extra rails if any specular maps can be even 512x512. And it must be (again) in every single skin folder. * when one has done new templates already - making bump maps is an additional 10 minutes, and it is somehow easy with certain software. examples of mismatch between skin-bump maps - in fact it is hard sometimes to portray it on the screenshot, but hope you will get the idea. skin 2048x2048 mixed with stock TW bump maps and here bump maps based on that new skin set 2048x2048 (by ludo) wrongly edited specular maps. This is an extreme example but shows how it should not be. clearly you can see us air force "brand" on the fuselage and just near roundel additional roundel "underneath" noticeable is the reddish canopy - because I used a specular map from different skin sets where the canopy is painted red. This can be used to advantage when we want to add sometimes something special to the skin.

Keep an eye on your neighbor.

all data file coordinates must correspond with coordinates/meshes on the model itself. COG, collision points, etc, I hardly see a similar configuration with a vampire...(starting with size) but anyway, try Boxcar data/fm.

yes, but in this case AI will not use dispensers at all. AI is only capable of using cmds when chaff-flares are part of the main aircraft data.ini, as I said, been there done that. Solution is few posts above, whole ODS30AE is built this way.

but do you have inner walls or inner walls are made of the fuselage walls generally, you need to have two meshes (best if they are separate) one representing an outside surface of the fuselage and the interior part here like this, otherwise, you will always end up seeing outside (from the inside)

thought you have 7 days to create the world...

but the question is did you do actually interior or are you referring to the "left side" of the fuselage? because to see the interior you need to have one. you can use two-sided materials, but this is just a mirrored version of the fuselage - so not really good solution in the cargo bay.

well, I can see the interior in the screenshot above. I mean floor and guys. what are you referring to? fuselage walls?

did you set your blender into "meter" measure units? Not cm, not inches.

that is a very good idea.

Me, think that it might be again confusion in the designation system. Egypt had Mig-21RF - izd.94RA. The first Soviet MiG-21R was izd.03/izd.94R. All exported airframes were designated as izd.94RA -even for Egypt with underbelly fairing for cameras and those for European countries were also izd.94RA. Some airframes of MiG-21R (izd.94R) were upgraded with R-13 engines and then redesignated izd.96R (izd.96 was a prefix for 3rd generation airframes) - those were not for export. As for UB-32. If I remember correctly when carrying a UB-32 and/or 500kg bomb you have to remove part of the gear strut cover. I mean you can try, but I'm not going to say you'd be successful. It's just a matter of what's hardcoded and the like. Do not try to overthink it. You will make additional fuel tanks or something and it still will not be what you need. You can not expect miracles from an old game, Just adjust to what you can do. Tea was working on ODS30AE, we had a lot of ideas, but in the end, we had to make it work with what we had. In the game, for a model, you will use loadout.ini. and more likely there will be an R or D container loaded. Always. Just add a permanent flare dispenser via data.ini. - then it will always work. And If you want to carry a strike mission in R...just add SPS-141 under (also equipped with 2x ASO-2) and all will be fine. Remember this is a game, and in this game, you can not have everything the way it supposed to be.

It was not a serial production, rather than a 'short run' Additionally you had to put the new electrical wiring in the aircraft, Some Polish Bis, R, and MF were modified. The idea was that any 21 could carry this, as long as it had new wiring for a pod. The principle of using Saturn-2 was that after the reconnaissance run, a pilot dropped a cassette with film over the command position. Pod used diffusion treatment of silver halogen photosensitive materials. The hydrophilic film was exposed at the time of photography and then photochemical processed on board the "plane" in a pod. This shortened circulation time of image information from several hours to about 20 minutes All D, R, and N had ASO-2 dispensers. N additionally had 152(?) illumination flare dispensers. Chechoslovakia also made an additional pod (refurbished D type) for calibrating land-based search radar stations. So technically as long as the pod is carried you can add a flare dispenser into the airframe via data.ini. I would do that, so AI flight and players could use it properly. A very early run of 21R had a pitot tube on the center of the nose LSK modified 21M into reconaisance role, and wingip SPO-3 was a part of modification. And. As I said, some 21R also had FODs, installed Here with N recon pod. Visible Illumination dispensers, and ASO-2 In the center at the pod's rear.

well, it all started as skin pack for thirdwire Intruders. And It was nearly done, but then GKABS released his model. So soon after I started to import my work onto new skins for his model. We made some changes, lot of changes to data and now I have bunch of skins for all A-6 deployments during Vietnam War - compatible with my previous work on A-7 and some other ongoing WIPs (full CVW set for specific cruise). It will be available soon, or little more than two weeks. Still researching some serial numbers. Noteworthy is that those camouflaged birds are made via decals, so we have only few birds with famous experimental camouflages within squadron. It is not perfect, but it is good enough in my opinion. You will see. I think I still have some data work to do, just to add more compatibility to A-7, A-4 in matter of MER and TER racks.

yeah, mostly because pod was almost never used. This is safety.

No way that any gas from this pea shooter will go forward into intakes when "Sparka" is moving at 450-600km/h.

sure. and how many UM/US have you seen with guns? Does anyone even remember the designation of this gun? It was almost never fitted. So I honestly doubt that they would consider installing gun blast plates just because maybe someone will find in storage an old training gun and have a wish to fit it. For some time I was considering the presence of FOD based on which engine is fitted to the airframe (R-13) But I am not going to say that this is true.

Yes indeed, But this is an old lady. We have to decide which product we are talking about - In the photo we have MiG-21F-13, forward cannon, aux intake no plates -the pilot is doomed. And I do not remember seeing plates on F/F-13. Later models izd.76/94 have gun provisions for gun pod GP-9 but moved aft 10th fuselage frame. Here Mig21PFS (izd.94) even here it is visible that gun muzzle is far beyond aux intakes. and attachment point between airbrake panels. Some had retrofitted, some not. Even UM had them. But not in Poland for example. But here: well, how a piece of the metal plate - can stop gasses from going into the intake? Yes it could deflect, but how those gasses are even near intakes since the muzzle point is behind intakes?

Iron Tadpoles. Intruders of the Vietnam War. Still a work in progress but the first batch of drumsticks is ready. 1965 A-6A VA-75, CVW-7 USS Independence 5.10.1965 - 12.13.1965 A-6A VA-85, CVW-11 USS Kitty Hawk 10.19.1965 - 6.13.1966 1966 A-6A VA-65, CVW-15 USS Constellation 5.12.1966 - 12.3.1966 A-6A VA-35, CVW-9 USS Enterprise 11.19.1966 - 7.6.1967 A-6A VA-85, CVW-11 USS Kitty Hawk 11.5.1966 - 6.20.1967 1967 A-6A VA-196, CVW-14 USS Constellation 4.28.1967 - 12.4.1967 A-6A VA-65, CVW-17 USS Forrestal 6.6.1967 - 9.14.1967 A-6A VA-165, CVW-2 USS Ranger 11.4.1967 - 5.25.1968 A-6A and A-6B VA-75, CVW-11 USS Kitty Hawk 11.18.1967 - 6.28.1968 1968 A-6A VA-35, CVW-9 USS Enterprise 1.3.1968 - 7.18.1968 A-6A, A-6B VA-85, CVW-6 USS America 4.11.1968 - 12.16.1968 A-6A, A-6B VA-196, CVW-14 USS Constellation 5.29.1968 - 1.31.1969 A-6A VA-52, CVW-15 USS Coral Sea 9.7.1968 - 4.18.1969 A-6A VA-165, CVW-2 USS Ranger 10.26.1968 - 5.17.1969 A-6A, A-6B VA-65, CVW-11 USS Kity Hawk 12.30.1968 - 9.4.1969 coming soon...1969 -1973

In a small photo above that I attached (Czech 5603), it is clearly visible that the gun is more aft of those aux intakes. Gun is installed after the 10th fuselage frame So I am not sure how gases from a gun can go there considering that the aircraft is moving forward. (this behavior would be against the law of physics). And why are those FOD plates installed on UM then? No gun there. (yes I know some could carry gun pods, but some never carried anything and still had fod plates installed). There is nothing automatic on those doors, simple hinge and flapping doors, not even spring loaded. Gravity is operating those doors. Had no chance to talk to 21 pilots, but I had a lot of time with guys who kept them flying.... hmm....not sure but seems like one contradicts another.

Maybe this is not a good place to talk about it, but I feel it is necessary to point out some things and misconceptions about Fishbed. According to the discussion from the screenshot thread: Those are not gun blast protection plates, The Instruction, and technical manual clearly state what it is. During production of the 21 many changes were made on the production line - and then some of the changes were retrofitted to previously produced types. One of those changes was adding a small fence under the auxiliary air intake under the cockpit on both sides of the fuselage. Unfortunately "gun blast" myth started in the wets long ago by so-called experts - claiming that plates protect engine from gun blasts. They are FOD protection of the engine on take-off, landing, and taxing from anything from the nose gear. I think in the manual it is called Взлётная створка воздухозаборника - or something like that....FOD plates are installed between the 9th and 10th fuselage frame to protect against ingesting foreign objects into air channels. Auxiliary intakes themselves are operated by pressure differences outside and inside the air intake channels. Those covers in the intakes would never be open when a gun is firing. Auxiliary intake doors are there to relieve pressure difference and provide additional airflow to the engine on take-off and landing (low speed). On the inside lip of intakes, there is a seal that makes them completely tight, but only under pressure. Because doors are simply hinged, on the ground those intake doors would never be completely closed and there is a small around 1 cm gap. In-flight they close totally with the pressure inside the air duct forcing them to the outside surface of the fuselage. So during the flight - when you are firing a gun - the doors are completely closed. It is not usual to fire a 23mm gun on the ground with a running engine while you are on the airfield surrounded by ground crew, aircraft, and vehicles. So there is little chance of any gun gases coming into the intake and damaging the engine. And yes, those plates can be observed on two-seaters too - which has no gun, and at some point, plates were retrofitted to older models, that is why when there is confusion it is "better" to address them by "factory given name" designation. F - prod.72 F-13 - prod. 74 PF - prod. 76 FL - prod.77 - export version of PF PFM- product 94 (изделие 94) and type 94N for a nuclear strike capable model. R- prod.94R M- prod.96, MF- prod 96A , but there are also export variants that also had different designations like 96A00 etc... SPS system (blown flaps) was introduced when PF and PFM were in service already. I guess countries were adding local names to an existing fleet of 21 to avoid confusion. However SPS is not an official MIG-21 subtype. In Poland, we had PF and PFM but unofficially PFM was called SPS just because it was the first to have that system installed. And yes East Germany had a strange way of dealing with designations - here PFM has nothing to do with soviet PFM - as it was PF modified with RP-21 radar....East German PFM is izd.76A while "true" PFM is izd.94 (including early production of PFS. Then izd.94A in German service was SPS.