Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Custom Skins => Topic started by: Vraciu on July 14, 2018, 10:30:26 PM
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Thanks to Puma44 for catching the main problem and Devil505/Oboe for helping me get it right.
Devil's Exhaust Tutorial is located in the original thread. Good stuff.
Tutorial Direct Link: http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,393674.msg5223137.html#msg5223137
Skin Version 1: http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,393674.0.html
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This P-51B named "First Of The Few" was part of the 31st FG, 309th FS. I could find no details about the airplane or who flew it. My only reference photos were a couple of grainy thumbnails cached by search engines. Very frustrating.
It is olive drab over gray but had the paint stripped off the tail, presumably to make the red stripes more visible. It was originally skinned by Player1. I retained his version of these (cleaned up) as a hat tip to his artistry. This is one that really didn't need much to update it—I could have almost gotten away with a restoration rather than a redraw as the basic work done was quite good overall. However, since my name is going to be on it I went ahead and did everything over.
(http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=393688.0;attach=30202)
(http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=393688.0;attach=30206)
(http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=393688.0;attach=30208)
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Looks good! :aok
I know its hard when you're looking at someone else's skin and you can't find any real pics or profiles of it.
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Looks good! :aok
I know its hard when you're looking at someone else's skin and you can't find any real pics or profiles of it.
Thanks, dude. I still think it looks better on my end than post-upload. I have tried everything I can think of to mitigate that.
The lettering is going to bug the hell out of me now. I could live with it as long as no one objected. LOL :) I'll make them perfectly accurate once I find a decent photo.
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Thanks, dude. I still think it looks better on my end than post-upload. I have tried everything I can think of to mitigate that.
The lettering is going to bug the hell out of me now. I could live with it as long as no one objected. LOL :) I'll make them perfectly accurate once I find a decent photo.
No worries, the shots look good.
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The lettering is going to bug the hell out of me now. I could live with it as long as no one objected. LOL :) I'll make them perfectly accurate once I find a decent photo.
It looks like reversed italicized Helvetica or Arial. I'd change it to something that looks more handwritten, if anything just for aesthetics.
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It looks like reversed italicized Helvetica or Arial. I'd change it to something that looks more handwritten, if anything just for aesthetics.
I can try the Helvetica. What I have now is arial bold skewed left. If I could just find a good photo... :bhead
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQZjqIsOGZmXKMJ4jbldjCMYp9ofu5jhFPhnbTfhkyG3BAWz9FI)
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To be clear, I'm not objecting to the Arial, I'm just offering a suggestion. There are lots of free fonts out there that are designed to look like hand-painted or printed letters. It shouldn't be hard to find something looks more period-authentic for WWII hand-painted nose art than Arial or Helvetica. But it's just a suggestion.
<S>
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Totally understood. But let's face it, when you post a skin in this forum you are definitely running a gauntlet of very attentive eyes...
:salute :cheers:
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Very Nice V :rock
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Nice improvement Vraciu.
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I can try the Helvetica. What I have now is arial bold skewed left. If I could just find a good photo... :bhead
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQZjqIsOGZmXKMJ4jbldjCMYp9ofu5jhFPhnbTfhkyG3BAWz9FI)
Helvetica and Arial are very similar fonts. Like Oboe said, look for something that looks more handwritten or in this case, hand painted.
Curious how the original skin initially got submitted without lots of photo documentation, I always thought it was required for submitting. :headscratch:
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Very Nice V :rock
Thanks, man. :cheers:
Nice improvement Vraciu.
Thank you, Olga*. :salute
—
* Nigerian slang for head of the house, aka the big cheese.
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Helvetica and Arial are very similar fonts. Like Oboe said, look for something that looks more handwritten or in this case, hand painted.
Curious how the original skin initially got submitted without lots of photo documentation, I always thought it was required for submitting. :headscratch:
I’m pretty sure documentation was provided but it was not accessible via the adoption process. Skuzzy has been building out the skins interface and so that info will be there going forward. I just think this skin was put in before that capability was fully implemented.
Lyric or Guppy will eventually track one down, I hope. We will get it fixed somehow.
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Okay here's the photo
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Okay here's the photo
Outstanding! Thanks for taking the effort to snap that picture. Much appreciated. :salute
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I’m pretty sure documentation was provided but it was not accessible via the adoption process. Skuzzy has been building out the skins interface and so that info will be there going forward. I just think this skin was put in before that capability was fully implemented.
Lyric or Guppy will eventually track one down, I hope. We will get it fixed somehow.
When this skin was submitted the first time it was very hard to find much on this squadron with regards to the striped tail on the O/D P-51B variant. The guy who did this skin sent me PMs took some liberty's with what I sent him back to make a skin that he simply wanted to do and nothing based off of reality. I have been sniffing about and there is not much more of anything to add even with Facebook. Facebook has been my source of late of many of the skinning possibility's I have forwarded to Skinner's.
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When this skin was submitted the first time it was very hard to find much on this squadron with regards to the striped tail on the O/D P-51B variant. The guy who did this skin sent me PMs took some liberty's with what I sent him back to make a skin that he simply wanted to do and nothing based off of reality. I have been sniffing about and there is not much more of anything to add even with Facebook. Facebook has been my source of late of many of the skinning possibility's I have forwarded to Skinner's.
Any suggestions?
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Any suggestions?
Well yes!
First off the source photo.
(https://i.imgur.com/CRubPT0.jpg)
Little big but I did that so you can see the nose text better.
OK as the text underlined says this was the very first P-51B they got. So we know from other complete photos of the B models we have they did not get the stripes right off the bat they only had the tail numbers showing. We most likely will never know what this planes number was so that's out to skin it that way.
So did this plane survive long enough to get stripes? Who knows did it get its paint stripped off the tail so the red stripes stood out better. Maybe?
If you want to go with a theoretical plane that could be correct then I say stay with what you have got or go with what ever you like because all possibility's could be correct.
Or dump this particular aircraft out right and go with a completely different plane from the squadron.
I personally don't mind either just my two cents worth.
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Well yes!
First off the source photo.
(https://i.imgur.com/CRubPT0.jpg)
Little big but I did that so you can see the nose text better.
OK as the text underlined says this was the very first P-51B they got. So we know from other complete photos of the B models we have they did not get the stripes right off the bat they only had the tail numbers showing. We most likely will never know what this planes number was so that's out to skin it that way.
So did this plane survive long enough to get stripes? Who knows did it get its paint stripped off the tail so the red stripes stood out better. Maybe?
If you want to go with a theoretical plane that could be correct then I say stay with what you have got or go with what ever you like because all possibility's could be correct.
Or dump this particular aircraft out right and go with a completely different plane from the squadron.
I personally don't mind either just my two cents worth.
Jackpot! Great picture.
I would just as soon skin something we know more about. What other candidates from the squadron exist?
I know you've seen the pics in the other thread, some of which have disappeared.
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,363590.msg4835722.html#msg4835722
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Do we know which airplane this is?
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s199/guppy35/Flying%20Forts/OD31st_zps768c1a97.jpg)
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There's this one, too:
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There's this one, too:
Do we have any photos of it?
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I wasn't able to find any. "HL" is squad code for the 308th FS though.
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I wonder if that's an HL airplane I posted.
May have to break down and buy the book.
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I wonder if that's an HL airplane I posted.
May have to break down and buy the book.
I have the book.
No complete O/D P-51B/C in it.
Several bare metal ones not sure of squadron affiliation off the top of my head.
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Okay. Fair enough.
How about this one?
(https://www.worldwarphotos.info/wp-content/gallery/usa/aircrafts/p-51-mustang/P-51B_Mustang_31st_FG_309th_FS_Wz-I_43-7020_On_Trailer_Italy_1944.jpg)
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I think the red diagonal stripes on the bare tail of an all-O.D. bird are more interesting. Then with the red and yellow wing stripes its a really sharp-looking a/c.
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I think the red diagonal stripes on the bare tail of an all-O.D. bird are more interesting. Then with the red and yellow wing stripes its a really sharp-looking a/c.
Yeah...but it sounds like it’s a work of fiction. :(
If I could find one from this squadron with the tail and letter codes then I don’t care about ditching the nose art for FEW.
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Yeah...but it sounds like it’s a work of fiction. :(
If I could find one from this squadron with the tail and letter codes then I don’t care about ditching the nose art for FEW.
There should be bare metal version photos and profiles in the book I sent you.
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There should be bare metal version photos and profiles in the book I sent you.
Got it. Many thanks. Hate to do NMF since I already have one, but...
Not much to work with on the OD side.
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(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s199/guppy35/Flying%20Forts/OD31st_zps768c1a97.jpg)
I'd say this one is a "HL" bird. You can see the very top of a letter code on the fuselage. Looks like the top right of the "H" and the top of the "L"
It surely is not a "MX or "WZ" code and the stripes tail is clearly evident.
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Which hoses me as I need a WZ.
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Another book that may have something suitable:
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/VyAAAOSw0UdXsgOk/s-l300.jpg)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/In-a-Now-Forgotten-Sky-The-31st-Fighter-Group-in-WWII-P-40-US-Spitfire-P-51-/122912300745
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Another book that may have something suitable:
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/VyAAAOSw0UdXsgOk/s-l300.jpg)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/In-a-Now-Forgotten-Sky-The-31st-Fighter-Group-in-WWII-P-40-US-Spitfire-P-51-/122912300745
Just ordered one will be here in a few days.
Wait and see till then!
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You guys rock. Thanks. :cheers:
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Which hoses me as I need a WZ.
Only three photos of olive drab P-51's in the book that arrived today that I can glean any information off of.
First one I got you a WZ & an A to boot. :aok With all the dirty snow on the tail not 100% sure it is bare metal & red stripes I think 99.9% will do?
(http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/P51%20Mustang/img314_zps9qvfc3cc.jpg) (http://s1002.photobucket.com/user/barneybolac/media/P51%20Mustang/img314_zps9qvfc3cc.jpg.html)
Since it has a blanky on to keep the engine warm and it has the aircraft code A and we know the first P-51B had a special name on it & if we combine the first P-51B for the group and the letter A & just myself assuming it just might I mean might have this hidden under it. :rock
(http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/P51%20Mustang/img312_zpskfsd5bn2.jpg) (http://s1002.photobucket.com/user/barneybolac/media/P51%20Mustang/img312_zpskfsd5bn2.jpg.html)
(http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/P51%20Mustang/img313_zpswsfztkgt.jpg) (http://s1002.photobucket.com/user/barneybolac/media/P51%20Mustang/img313_zpswsfztkgt.jpg.html)
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Excellent! Now we are getting somewhere.
Third photo link is broken.
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Excellent! Now we are getting somewhere.
Third photo link is broken.
Strange shows on my end deleted link and reloaded it.
Shows now on your end?
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That did it.
I can't believe these suckers are screwing us out of the code letters!!!! Didn't anyone know how to take pictures back then? :bhead :bhead :bhead :bhead :bhead :bhead :bhead
LOL :)
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That did it.
I can't believe these suckers are screwing us out of the code letters!!!! Didn't anyone know how to take pictures back then? :bhead :bhead :bhead :bhead :bhead :bhead :bhead
LOL :)
None to be seen that's why.
Sorry couple of pages stuck together missed this the first time through the book.
(https://i.imgur.com/aQk6am7.jpg)
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:aok
So, I can code it WZ*A and take the name off or leave it...
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:aok
So, I can code it WZ*A and take the name off or leave it...
I think so.
In reality it was always a hypothetical skin before you got to it.
All the changes you have done so far and what ever you will do will only make it a better skin than it was.
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I think so.
In reality it was always a hypothetical skin before you got to it.
All the changes you have done so far and what ever you will do will only make it a better skin than it was.
Fair enough. I'll get on it.
And just for the record, I am not trying to monopolize the P-51 skins. If anyone wants one that I've already updated I'm happy to give it up (with maybe one or two exceptions that I've grown attached to). I'm not doing this to monopolize the skins. I'm doing it to make them better. I think I am improving on what's there and that's the goal, not to "own" every Mustang. Nobody else seems to be interested in updating them since Oboe left, so I am fixing what I can fix until someone better comes along to take over.
Also, there are a bunch I'm not planning to even touch. I figure I will do a handful more and be done. The others are good enough as they are or are more complex than my skills can handle. I'll at least have made a dent in it in any case which I think was an effort that was worth undertaking.
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Also, there are a bunch I'm not planning to even touch. I figure I will do a handful more and be done. The others are good enough as they are or are more complex than my skills can handle. I'll at least have made a dent in it in any case which I think was an effort that was worth undertaking.
Time to tackle something all new, I think.
October scenario will need some P-38. :D
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Time to tackle something all new, I think.
October scenario will need some P-38. :D
I heard the 38s had wrapping/stretching issues so I decided to wait until they were revised.
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Decided to go with WZ*A and no art on the nose. Thanks to everyone for their help, especially Lyric1 who tracked down the image used.
(https://i.postimg.cc/ykFQkz68/fullsizeimg.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ykFQkz68)
(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=393688.0;attach=30851)
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:aok
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:aok
Thanks for your help tracking down that photo. :salute