Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Custom Skins => Topic started by: Vraciu on January 23, 2021, 11:06:07 PM
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An update to this one: https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,393873.msg5225618.html#msg5225618
Thanks to Devil505 for his guidance regarding the yellow paint. It's a real bear to get right. This is a complete redraw.
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Lt. Robert J. Farney
P-51D-15-NA "Croghan Cruiser" / "Waverly Democrat" (E2*V)
S/N 44-14827
361st FG, 375th FS
Europe - 1945
This is Lt. Robert J. Farney's P-51D-15-NA "Croghan Cruiser" / "Waverly Democrat" (s/n 44-14827) of the 361st FG, 375th Fighter Squadron.
Born Sept. 25, 1921 in Croghan, New York, he graduated from high school in 1939 and began his flying career by training as a cadet pilot at W&B Flying School, Chickasha, Okla., and Aloe (Texas) Army Airfield. After finishing cadet training, he entered the Army Air Corps on April 15, 1944, and served with the 375th Fighter Squadron throughout the European theater of operations. He was stationed at Debden, England, and in France.
Lt. Farney primarily flew P-51 "Mustang" fighter planes and logged a total of 53 missions, mostly escorting bombers in battles in the Rhineland, Germany, Ardennes, France, and Central Europe. He named his assigned fighter plane the "Croghan Cruiser."
An interesting anecdote of his describes his experience on an engine break-in flight (new aircraft were required to be tested, a.k.a. slow-timed, prior to use in combat. Lt. Farney's diary described it thus: “Flew Major Keppler’s ship for 30 minutes and when the engine practically quit, I made a forced landing down wind. I ended up down the lot and tore the plane all to pieces. What a day.”
He received many decorations and citations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters. Mr. Farney was recognized in three books written about World War II, "Aces & Wingmen" by Danny Morris, "Little Friends" by Steve Gotts and "Mustangs" by Robert F. Dorr. He was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant on Dec. 23, 1945, at Fort Dix, N.J.
He married Theresa C. Bush on May 5, 1948, and the couple had four children. He died in 2008 at the age of 86.
Offsite Images:
(https://i.postimg.cc/gGkJk5LW/MODahss108.png)
(https://i.postimg.cc/9c8f4pyq/MODahss103.png)
(https://i.postimg.cc/XjNGFht4/MODahss105.png)
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Comparisons are always fun. I never liked the original yellow. :)
(http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=393873.0;attach=30438)
(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=402216.0;attach=33641)
Before and After:
(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=402216.0;attach=33639)
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Nice improvement with the yellow. I think think the blue regressed a little though. Seems to glow now. Need a little desaturation.
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Nice improvement with the yellow. I think think the blue regressed a little though. Seems to glow now. Need a little desaturation.
I actually desaturated it quite a bit from where it was. Perhaps the spec maps are throwing some light on it.
What color blue should it be?
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Its a great looking skin Vraciu. Is there a colour photo of a similar 361st FG Mustang that shows the blue they used? The only similar colour in my palette is US Light Blue which I have set to RGB 54/88/115.
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:aok
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Thanks guys.
G, I'll have to take a look for one. I want to say I used an average of the colors depicted in profiles of the squadron. I'll get back to you.
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I actually desaturated it quite a bit from where it was. Perhaps the spec maps are throwing some light on it.
What color blue should it be?
The color looks fine, you just need to shift it towards gray to take the edge off.
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Beautiful job, Vraciu. Croghan Cruiser never looked better in this game. Great improvement on the lettering of the nose art too.
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Beautiful job, Vraciu. Croghan Cruiser never looked better in this game. Great improvement on the lettering of the nose art too.
Thanks, Oboe. Welcome back. Looking forward to seeing your work again.
It's amazing how our skins change with time. I think our eyes pick up on things differently as we go.
D, I'll work on the color and post an update.
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Nice
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Nice
Thanks bud.
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Desaturated blue with added noise. Sorry for the poor quality of the images. I didn't zoom in as far as I did before so they're slightly more pixelated.
(https://i.postimg.cc/ryYfJR1f/MODahss125.png)
(https://i.postimg.cc/MKMdrZtq/MODahss128.png)
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I think you nailed it. :aok
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I think you nailed it. :aok
Thank you, Sensei! :) It definitely looks better. You have a good eye.
To answer Greebo, I have not yet found any color pictures with the blue paint, but the color profiles, for what they are worth, seem to be this shade.
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Thank you, Sensei! :) It definitely looks better. You have a good eye.
To answer Greebo, I have not yet found any color pictures with the blue paint, but the color profiles, for what they are worth, seem to be this shade.
Looking good V, :aok
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Thank you, my friend.
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Outstanding. And thank you for the history. I'm a history nut especially of the 8th Air Force. History makes the aircraft imho.
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Glad to do it, Hajo. Thanks for the nice words.
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Another good looking pony.
:salute
Sik
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What he said. Great bird there V. Love the work on getting that earthen-yellow done right. :salute
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Thanks, gents. I credit Devil505 for talking me through the yellow. It's a tough color to nail down.
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Its a great looking skin Vraciu. Is there a colour photo of a similar 361st FG Mustang that shows the blue they used? The only similar colour in my palette is US Light Blue which I have set to RGB 54/88/115.
Yes.
https://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/2540
(https://i.imgur.com/Tpr38xah.jpg)
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Okay, now you're just showing off! :neener:
Good find.
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This skin is killer. :rock