Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Custom Skins => Topic started by: hitech on May 27, 2020, 01:52:26 PM
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Hi Gents,
Was wondering if anyone is interested in doing some skins for the CAF.
These are the planes they asked for.
(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=400204.0;attach=32420)
(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=400204.0;attach=32422)
(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=400204.0;attach=32424)
(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=400204.0;attach=32426)
HiTech
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Excellent idea. Hoping our experienced and talented skinners step up. :)
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Aren't the P-51's full?
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Aren't the P-51's full?
That thought crossed my mind as well, but this is HiTech. He'll make the room for the skinner that chooses to do the 51B. :D
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Hi Gents,
Was wondering if anyone is interested in doing some skins for the CAF.
These are the planes they asked for.
(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=400204.0;attach=32420)
(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=400204.0;attach=32422)
(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=400204.0;attach=32424)
(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=400204.0;attach=32426)
HiTech
I'll do the Mustang.
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I'll do the Mustang.
Giggity?
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I can skin the C-47 and the B-29 but I don't have a template for the P-51.
I don't think these are for the MA. IIRC "Fifi" was an original name applied after its restoration so as its not a WW2 plane it wouldn't qualify anyway. Most likely these are for the new CAF game. So am I right to assume these skins should look like the photos, with CAF logos and fresh shiny paint etc? Should I just email them to the support page when they are done?
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Giggity?
Easy now. Lol
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I can skin the C-47 and the B-29 but I don't have a template for the P-51.
I will do the Mustang.
I don't think these are for the MA. IIRC "Fifi" was an original name applied after its restoration so as its not a WW2 plane it wouldn't qualify anyway. Most likely these are for the new CAF game. So am I right to assume these skins should look like the photos, with CAF logos and fresh shiny paint etc? Should I just email them to the support page when they are done?
Gawd, I hope they don't make us put the "Tramp Stamp" on them! :D
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The Mustang is ready save for the nose art and the yellow stripes around the cowling behind the spinner. Those are proving a bit touchy. The scheme is similar to Betty Jane.
https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,393391.msg5219564.html#msg5219564
This has saved me a lot of time drawing wing stripes.
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I can skin the C-47 and the B-29 but I don't have a template for the P-51.
I don't think these are for the MA. IIRC "Fifi" was an original name applied after its restoration so as its not a WW2 plane it wouldn't qualify anyway. Most likely these are for the new CAF game. So am I right to assume these skins should look like the photos, with CAF logos and fresh shiny paint etc? Should I just email them to the support page when they are done?
Yes like the CAF plane.
HiTech
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OK, I'll get started on the CAF skins and email them to the support address when they are done. Do you need these by a particular date?
There's some reasonable photos of the original WW2 "That's All Brother" on the web so I can use that as a reference for a dirtied up version of the skin for the MA.
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OK, I'll get started on the CAF skins and email them to the support address when they are done. Do you need these by a particular date?
There's some reasonable photos of the original WW2 "That's All Brother" on the web so I can use that as a reference for a dirtied up version of the skin for the MA.
Remember you are making the CAF plane not a ww2 version of the caf plane.
HiTech
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Remember you are making the CAF plane not a ww2 version of the caf plane.
HiTech
That begs the question how to deal with the metal. Most of their planes are painted, including those that should be NMF.
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That begs the question how to deal with the metal. Most of their planes are painted, including those that should be NMF.
what is NMF?
HiTech
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what is NMF?
Natural metal finish.
To Varciu ... may ought to skin it per the CAF/Hitech spec/request or you'll just be wasting your time and theirs. Just saying. Have fun and good luck.
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Natural metal finish.
To Varciu ... may ought to skin it per the CAF/Hitech spec/request or you'll just be wasting your time and theirs. Just saying. Have fun and good luck.
I had no intention of doing otherwise, however, having to transition from NMF to their silver paint is going to be a steep learning curve for me. I'll take any input from the gang on how to mimic the silver lacquer on that P-51C. I'm still wrestling with the markings where the nose comes together so no rush.
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Hey Vraciu, have you seen the following website that shows the P-51C "Tuskegee Airmen"
https://cafriseabove.org/aircraft/
there is a pic of Col. Gray standing beside the P-51C at this webpage
https://cafriseabove.org/leo-roger-gray/
my old pictures of that same P-51C from back around 2000/2001 are as if it was chrome dipped panels, heh....
maybe the pics of the C model mustang at the above webpages will be of help to you...
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Plenty of pics here for the P-51.
https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=%20P-51C%20Mustang%20Tuskegee%20Airmen
Fifi.
https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=B-29%20fifi
C-47.
https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=C-47%20thats%20all%20brother
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I wouldn't worry too much about NMF v silver painted finish Vraciu. I'm just going to switch off the layers on my B-29 template that show the tone variation between different individual panels as well as the layer for the darker silver painted areas that I use for NMF aircraft B-29 skins.
The issue is more a question of how polished the finish is. The CAF's silver-painted B-29 looks to have a relatively dull finish compared to many WW2 B-29 photos I have seen, but their P-51 looks a bit more shiny and polished than the WW2 finish. So the specular, environmental and power maps will need to be adjusted one way or the other to match the required finish.
My MA version of the C-47 will lack the CAF logos and will have a duller finish to the paint. I'll also add back all the paint chips and dirt that I'm turning off for the CAF version.
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Thanks everyone for the info.
G, my panel variations are baked in as I ran out of layers on Paint Shop. At the time the easiest solution was to merge the metal layers in question. Had I seen your build log my Mustang template would be organized far differently that's for sure.
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I've done the CAF C-47 and B-29 skins and will email them to the support page tomorrow.
(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=400204.0;attach=32445)
(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=400204.0;attach=32447)
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:aok
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Nice
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Nice work, G! :)
(I'll have the Mustang done tomorrow. I'm zeroing in on the paint color for the silver. Otherwise it's just about finished.)
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One nitpick. I believe the overwing markings are actually a pretty bright white on "FIFI" if I recall.
Edit in: Also the spinners are shiny now. Again, minor stuff.
http://warbirdsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/FIFI-Scott-Slocum-photo.jpg
(http://warbirdsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/FIFI-Scott-Slocum-photo.jpg)
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Looking at various photos I don't think the wing walkways are white, but you are right they should be lighter than they are so I'll alter that. The front of the cowls and the fabric surfaces are a fair bit shinier than the rest of the silver on my skin but I overlooked the spinners so that will be fixed too. Thank you for pointing these issues out.
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You’re welcome. Glad to help. :cheers:
They used to be white but it’s been a long time since Boeing repainted her. The smudges from black soled boots have taken a toll.
The spinners used to be black but after Cavanaugh helped them get some new engines they went to being polished.
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I've done the CAF C-47 and B-29 skins and will email them to the support page tomorrow.
(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=400204.0;attach=32445)
(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=400204.0;attach=32447)
Very nice Greebo.
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All done.
(https://i.postimg.cc/8cKLBh8r/fullsizeimg.png)
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Nice!
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Nice!
Thanks. I appreciate the help.
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:aok
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A special CAF Thank You to Vraciu and Greebo for the fantastic skins! And thanks to everyone else that contributed to the effort.
An FYI on the C-47: it is the restored actual That's All Brother that led the D-Day Invasion flight, and it is painted as close as possible to the way she looked when she departed for Normandy. (Our archivist found dozens of photos taken before the launch - the markings are exact, including less than perfectly straight lines. The colors are approximations based on 70+ year old photos.)
Thanks again!
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A special CAF Thank You to Vraciu and Greebo for the fantastic skins! And thanks to everyone else that contributed to the effort.
An FYI on the C-47: it is the restored actual That's All Brother that led the D-Day Invasion flight, and it is painted as close as possible to the way she looked when she departed for Normandy. (Our archivist found dozens of photos taken before the launch - the markings are exact, including less than perfectly straight lines. The colors are approximations based on 70+ year old photos.)
Thanks again!
You're most welcome. Hope they're of use. It was fun doing one for you. I've been hanging around the CAF since the early 70s down in Harlingen. Great times.
I read about the restoration on the C-47 some time ago. Such a neat story.
Please let us know if you find any mistakes. We can update the skins with corrections.