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General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Greebo on April 04, 2004, 01:48:56 PM

Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Greebo on April 04, 2004, 01:48:56 PM
I've just uploaded my new Hellcat skin to AH skins (http://www.ah-skins.com/index.php). This is of a Royal Navy Hellcat Mk II of 1844 Squadron FAA serving in the Pacific in 1945.
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Furball on April 04, 2004, 02:04:12 PM
didn't know you are british greebo, great skin :)
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: 214thCavalier on April 04, 2004, 03:39:21 PM
Now you know i just have to use that :)
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Squire on April 04, 2004, 03:42:04 PM
Looks great.
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Greebo on April 04, 2004, 07:35:46 PM
Thank you guys. Could also do a USN Hellcat pretty quickly if anyone's interested.
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Wadke on April 04, 2004, 10:31:13 PM
Yes! A Kitty Skin! :D
Nice work Greebo!
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: CurtissP-6EHawk on April 04, 2004, 11:22:36 PM
does anyone have the F4U templets yet?
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Soulyss on April 04, 2004, 11:24:31 PM
Is there a general FAQ, how to for skinning in AH available?
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: 214thCavalier on April 05, 2004, 04:43:06 AM
Greebo will ya stop talking about it and just DO IT !

Oh and btw, be quick about it !

;)
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Greebo on April 05, 2004, 04:02:59 PM
Slave driver! OK, USN Hellcat now up at AH Skins (http://www.ah-skins.com/index.php). This is an aircraft I spotted in a photo of USS Randolph's deck, in the book "Hellcat" by Barrett Tillman. It is probably from either VF-12 or VBF-12, but could be VF-16. Anyone know for sure?
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Rafe35 on April 05, 2004, 05:20:51 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Greebo
Slave driver! OK, USN Hellcat now up at AH Skins (http://www.ah-skins.com/index.php). This is an aircraft I spotted in a photo of USS Randolph's deck, in the book "Hellcat" by Barrett Tillman. It is probably from either VF-12 or VBF-12, but could be VF-16. Anyone know for sure?
It's a VF/VBF-12 squadron for F6F-5 Hellcat and it was the most colourful Hellcats in the Pacific in 1945.  I believe they shot down 125 Japanese aircraft in 1945 before War ended.  

Rafe :)
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Squire on April 06, 2004, 05:37:58 AM
Hey Greebo we need you to do a FAA 1945 skin on the F4U-1D (Corsair IV) next :)

Would you consider this one?

http://www.hsgalleries.com/gallery04/corsairmkivms_1.htm

Btw the serial # is KD658 but its not visible in that photo, as well, the wheel covers have "15" on them. Im sure better sources can be found for it somewhere.  Its Lt. Hampton Grays Corsair IV (F4U-1D), British Pacific Fleet, 1945. Thought it was one of the better looking schemes.
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Greebo on April 06, 2004, 06:53:06 PM
Nice job on the Corsair kit, Squire. I've been mulling over what skin to do next and Lt Gray's aircraft is certainly a candidate. The only thing that puts me off is it such a similar scheme to the last one. OTOH at least it is a welded aircraft (suffering from rivet fatigue after the F6F) :) I'll think about it for a few days and let you know.
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Greebo on April 06, 2004, 06:59:21 PM
Thanks for the confirmation Rafe, thought it was probably V(B)F-12, but just wanted to make sure.
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Citabria on April 06, 2004, 10:24:32 PM
greebo excellent skin.

did you work in 2048 res then reduce it to 1024?
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Squire on April 07, 2004, 03:51:13 AM
Greebo here is another scheme that looks really cool too:

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Fea1/801-900/Fea818_Corsair_Lutz/gal818.htm

Now, thats a Corsair II (F4U-1A), but the version we have in AH is the birdcage model F4U-1, but I dont see why it wouldnt be a perfectly good custom skin for the F4U-1D, at least the canopy looks right for it.

I think the BPF roundel and the two tone camo looks really striking.

Appreciate you considering either.
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Replicant on April 07, 2004, 05:07:18 AM
Very nice Greebo!

I'd love to see the following Hellcat of 800 Sqn, Med Sea, mid-1944
(http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/44_1081332378_f6f.jpg)
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Greebo on April 07, 2004, 06:05:37 AM
Thank you Citabria, I actually went to 3072 resolution. In retrospect this was a mistake as with 40-50 layers the files ended up at close to a gigabyte each. They became very slow to load and save towards the end. Making bits of the skin (engine, wheels) as seperate files and pasting them in finished helped a bit. Still, live and learn.

The problem with the camouflaged FAA aircraft is that limitations in most of the AH USN skins won't allow them. The F6F for example uses the same piece of art for both its left and right fuselage sides and another piece for all four tailplane surfaces. This is why I went for "101" and "11" as the fuselage numbers and left the airframe number off the FAA version. Perhaps when HTC do an F6F3.......

Most Corsair versions have the same problem with the tail, both the top and bottom surfaces have to be the same colour, which effectively means all dark blue schemes only. The only one I can camouflage is the F4U-1. So currently I'm looking for info on FAA birdcage Corsair schemes. Thought I could combine that with the Lt Gray version as my next projects.
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Squire on April 07, 2004, 07:09:02 AM
I think the birdcage would look good in that second camo scheme too. Hmm, didnt know about the limitations of the F4U-1D skin thats too bad.
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Rafe35 on April 07, 2004, 04:41:09 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Greebo
Thanks for the confirmation Rafe, thought it was probably V(B)F-12, but just wanted to make sure.
No problem, Greebo and if you need US Navy info, I'll be glad to help you out.

Rafe :)
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Greebo on April 09, 2004, 02:51:39 AM
OK, I've found a birdcage camo scheme here (http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=HA00646) which should work OK. There are some issues with the way the F4U-1 textures are done (wing leading edge is a nightmare) but I can probably work round them. So my next skins will be that and the Lt. Gray F4U-1D.
Title: New skin: FAA Hellcat
Post by: Squire on April 09, 2004, 06:21:49 AM
Looking forward to either :)