B-17G 447th BG 710th BS "D-Day Doll"

[Devil 505]

More info on Scheherazade, the OD 447th Fort in the color formation picture above:

http://www.447bg.com/42-31225.htm

126 missions without a mechanical abort.  First mission Dec 30, 1943 - last mission April 21st 1945.   Man.

You really should skin her. The OD and yellow look great together.

[Citabria]

Looks amazing Oboe.

The color palette on the default skin “A Bit o Lace” was taken directly from the large color photograph of that B-17 in flight.

I stretched and aligned as much of the photograph onto the skin as possible to see if the technique would work as it was my first attempt at bare metal and photographic extraction onto a 3d model.

The results were so impressive that it literally looked like a 3d photo…

Because it was.

[whiteman]

great work Oboe!

[oboe]

You really should skin her. The OD and yellow look great together.

I could do this without too much trouble for a scenario.   Which would be great to see.   We also have multiple skins for the 303rd, 91st, and 100th BGs.   Would love to see a massed formation of these skins, winging their way into the Third Reich in a scenario.

Thanks Fester and Whiteman, much appreciated.

When I first started experimenting with bare metal, and put together a huge matrix of base grey values, with every combination of SPEC, PWR, and ENV values, and took notes on the results in game.  Nothing looked completely right - it wasn't until, like you, I started experimenting with pulling natural metal from color photos and using those images directly on the skin that I really had success.  Real work bare metal has so many minute shades and colors built in - a single shade of grey/silver will ever look authentic.  Just tons of manipulation copy, paste, clone, adjust color balance, etc.   

Even now my Spec and Power values still change from skin to skin.   Can't see to find a formula that works in all cases.

[Guppy35]

If only we had the E and F models...

But then I suspect some of you guys would be too busy skinning E's and F's.  I'm curious how many purse duels there would be for the Belle though. 

The E only flew a couple in the ETO, so the F and G would make the most sense.  Yes the E flew more in the PTO, but the F was also there.  So in my mind the compromise would be the F model to go with the G.

[oboe]

I think the G has more interesting skinning subjects, as their numbers were comprised of both OD and bare-metal birds. 

AFAIK, F's were pretty much all olive drab.    I think also late in the War the 8th AF went all in for using color for unit identification, so lots of interesting colored wing stripes, chevrons, colored/patterned tails, and big colored borders on the tail triangle letter IDs.

[Volron]

The E only flew a couple in the ETO, so the F and G would make the most sense.  Yes the E flew more in the PTO, but the F was also there.  So in my mind the compromise would be the F model to go with the G.

Oboe mentioned an 8th campaign type setup that started earlier, which is why I brought up the E.  Of course, he did not mention how much earlier either.  I agree in that the F should come first, before the E (which could be used in PTO setups).

[Devil 505]

I think the G has more interesting skinning subjects, as their numbers were comprised of both OD and bare-metal birds. 

AFAIK, F's were pretty much all olive drab.    I think also late in the War the 8th AF went all in for using color for unit identification, so lots of interesting colored wing stripes, chevrons, colored/patterned tails, and big colored borders on the tail triangle letter IDs.

And yet, the single most iconic bomber of the war was the B-17F "Memphis Belle". I'm still befuddled as to why the F was not added to AH along side the G.

[Guppy35]

And yet, the single most iconic bomber of the war was the B-17F "Memphis Belle". I'm still befuddled as to why the F was not added to AH along side the G.

I'd guess that it had to do with events.  The Fs were pretty much out of there by early 44.  Escorts were unable to take them in and out like they could later on with the Gs.  Tough enough to get bomber guys in numbers when they had escorts all the way.  What nose set up too for an F?   The no gun clear nose from production?  Single 50s?  twin 50s with no bomb sight? etc etc.

I'm not anti add a B17F.  Heck I'd love to see them all including B17C/Ds so the RAF Forts could be done that were bombing Norway etc, or the ones that were in the Philippines when Colin Kelly won the MoH.

So just my thought as to why they went with just the G

[Vraciu]

Survivability in the arenas.

Some Fs had a lot of guns up front but nothing beats the G overall.

[oboe]

I think the G is marginally more survivable in the arena with the chin turret, but the production numbers tell the story I think - more than twice as many G's were manufactured as F's: