Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Custom Skins => Topic started by: Greebo on November 16, 2006, 03:20:57 PM

Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: Greebo on November 16, 2006, 03:20:57 PM
I've been working on an FAA Corsair Mk II (F4U-1A). This is an aircraft from 1841 Squadron, that took part in the Tirpitz raids in 1944. Going to fiddle with it a bit before submitting, now I can view it in game.

(http://www.gfg06.dial.pipex.com/FAASC1.jpg)
Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: DYNAMITE on November 16, 2006, 03:34:51 PM
I love seeing American birds in Allied revelry!  Looks great!
Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: Fencer51 on November 16, 2006, 09:39:29 PM
Look real good Greebo.  Also, excellent work on all the default F4U skins. :aok
Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: Saxman on November 16, 2006, 11:12:49 PM
Speaking of skins, do you use a base template. And if so, when can I get hold of it? I've got some 1-Hog skins that need redoing. :D
Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: Guppy35 on November 17, 2006, 12:55:02 AM
Greebo.  Any chance of doing KD431?

Have you seen the book "Corsair KD431-The Time Capsule Fighter" where the FAA Museum took their Corsair back to it's original paint be removing the layers above it.

Detail in the book is amazing and it's the most original combat surviving Corsair out there in terms of original paint, stenciling etc.  I'd love to see that bird in here.

Worth it for the skinners too as the photos are great both external and internal shots for weathering and detail.
Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: Kev367th on November 17, 2006, 01:37:42 AM
Nice Greebo.

Dan - Could do with a few Corsair II (1A) profiles :) .
Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: Greebo on November 17, 2006, 03:13:42 AM
Thanks for the kind words guys.

Saxman, HTC gave me a template containing the engine and gear already done, plus the basic outlines, panel and polygon edges of the parts to be skinned. I don't think HTC would want that stuff in the public domain however. I did the panel lines, fasteners, fabric effects, 3D effects, paint and weathering etc.

My current thinking is not to do any more templates. I believe that it devalues the efforts of other skinners who build skins from scratch. What do you guys think?

Dan, I do have that book and doing a skin with 100% authentic weathering does have a certain appeal. The version with the "S" on the side would be a genuine WW2 aircraft. As far as I know no all-blue FAA Corsair with ETO markings ever saw combat. However we have Niks with training squadron markings in the game, so it should be OK.

 I was going to hold back deciding which aircraft to skin until everyone else had posted their intentions. I'm aware I have an "unfair" advantage here and don't to piss everyone off by grabbing all the interesting stuff before anyone else can. I've got a few skins I did on the old templates I can update, anyway. But if no one else wants KD431 I'd be happy to skin it.
Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: straffo on November 17, 2006, 04:03:05 AM
Look fine

When will we have a factory new plane with a shining paint ?

Lot of the planes in AH look to be second hand buy :)
Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: Kev367th on November 17, 2006, 07:05:31 AM
Can't have factory fresh, they have to be weathered or won't get accepted.
Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: straffo on November 17, 2006, 08:05:07 AM
You have a reference for this affirmation ?
Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: Kev367th on November 17, 2006, 08:34:10 AM
Wish I did LOL, it's just been 'known' by those of us who submit skins.

Doesn't have to be heavily weathered, but can't be factory fresh.
Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: straffo on November 17, 2006, 08:43:06 AM
That's why I've asked ,so it's an usage not a rule.

I don't see why approximate texture can be accepted while a 100% correct can be rejected only because it's not weathered.
Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: Fencer51 on November 17, 2006, 11:50:34 AM
It depends on the plane.  One of the Mustangs I did flew 4 missions before it was lost.  Therefore there was little wear and tear on it.  I so documented it to HTC and it was accepted.  I think that as long as the skin represents the aircraft in question at the time frame stated in your submittal that it will be accepted.  Of course I have been wrong once or twice but that was 20 years ago. :lol
Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: Saxman on November 17, 2006, 12:36:49 PM
Thing is all I really need is something with the panel lines and to an extent details like where the skin is fabric-covered.
Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: Greebo on November 18, 2006, 05:22:40 AM
One of the first skins I ever did a few years ago was a Solomons based F4U-1. Someone complained it looked too clean, that Solomons based aircraft were left out in the tropical weather for months at a time. Looking at it, I saw he was right and ever since then I've tried to make my skins look like they've been in a war, not an airshow.

The default 1 and 1A were Solomons based and the 4 flew from a carrier for the last three months of the war. I've got photos of these and similar aircraft showing them looking very beaten up. I am going to tone down the dirt and fading a bit on this FAA Corsair though.

Saxman, I'll have a think about doing templates, but right now I'm against it. Is it that you don't want to do the panel lines, or just don't know how? If you don't know how I'm happy to explain it.
Title: FAA Corsair Mk II
Post by: Saxman on November 18, 2006, 08:32:02 AM
Mostly that I just don't want to do it. :D