Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Custom Skins => Topic started by: FTJR on May 05, 2021, 09:51:12 PM
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My thanks to Vraciu for his feedback, patience and tips and of course to Lyric for his help (as usual) in finding information on this aircraft.
Less than a year after its baptism of fire at Port Morseby, 75 Squadron returned to New Guinea and soon after newly promoted Squadron Leader Geoffrey Atherton assumed command.
By this time the surviving E models had been phased out, replaced by the newly arriving models. The aircraft chosen by Atherton was one of the first N models that the RAAF received arriving in August of 1943 and was painted in US version of the colours stipulated by the RAAF, the dupont paints weren't an exact match though.
No. 75 Squadron moved to Goodenough Island in October 1943 to support the Allied offensive in the Louisiade Archipelago and New Britain
Again named Cleopatra this remained his aircraft until he moved on to his next assignment.
(https://i.postimg.cc/DwbS7shQ/Clipboard07.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/5Xb43X6j), (https://i.postimg.cc/dtf7M6bt/Clipboard08.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/9rGXZdXv)
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Man, something about white tails... :x :joystick: :D
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:aok
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My thanks to Vraciu for his feedback, patience and tips and of course to Lyric for his help (as usual) in finding information on this aircraft.
Less than a year after its baptism of fire at Port Morseby, 75 Squadron returned to New Guinea and soon after newly promoted Squadron Leader Geoffrey Atherton assumed command.
By this time the surviving E models had been phased out, replaced by the newly arriving models. The aircraft chosen by Atherton was one of the first N models that the RAAF received arriving in August of 1943 and was painted in US version of the colours stipulated by the RAAF, the dupont paints weren't an exact match though.
No. 75 Squadron moved to Goodenough Island in October 1943 to support the Allied offensive in the Louisiade Archipelago and New Britain
Again named Cleopatra this remained his aircraft until he moved on to his next assignment.
(https://i.postimg.cc/DwbS7shQ/Clipboard07.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/5Xb43X6j), (https://i.postimg.cc/dtf7M6bt/Clipboard08.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/9rGXZdXv)
That looks really good.
Here are some areas where I think some adjustment can be made to make it even better.
1. The demarcation line for the underside color on the cowl seems too high, especially towards the front. Typically the colors change near the panel line lower on the cowling. Maybe this is something seen in Lyric's reference?
2. The demarcation of the wing camouflage colors seems to be the seam between the upper and lower wing halves on the bitmap. I would add the top colors to the leading edge of the lower wing half and blend it in to the demarcation line on the cowl. I can only see this issue inboard of the landing gear housing because you have the white ID marking outboard, but I assume it is the case for the entire length of the wing.
3. The underside color is too light. It seems like it will glow pretty easily if it catches sunlight when banking or inverted.
Overall you're making some nice improvements with your skins. :cheers:
Edit: Here is the cowl area from my in-progress P-40N template to illustrate where I have the demarcation line.
(https://i.postimg.cc/PqmHpM9h/P-40-N-Nose-Camo.png) (https://postimages.org/)
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Thank Devil, I see all your points, and will adjust. For some reason I thought the demarcation line on the cowl was higher in this case, i just went to check and of course you are right.
I will adjust accordingly.
Cheers.
That looks really good.
Here are some areas where I think some adjustment can be made to make it even better.
1. The demarcation line for the underside color on the cowl seems too high, especially towards the front. Typically the colors change near the panel line lower on the cowling. Maybe this is something seen in Lyric's reference?
2. The demarcation of the wing camouflage colors seems to be the seam between the upper and lower wing halves on the bitmap. I would add the top colors to the leading edge of the lower wing half and blend it in to the demarcation line on the cowl. I can only see this issue inboard of the landing gear housing because you have the white ID marking outboard, but I assume it is the case for the entire length of the wing.
3. The underside color is too light. It seems like it will glow pretty easily if it catches sunlight when banking or inverted.
Overall you're making some nice improvements with your skins. :cheers:
Edit: Here is the cowl area from my in-progress P-40N template to illustrate where I have the demarcation line.
(https://i.postimg.cc/PqmHpM9h/P-40-N-Nose-Camo.png) (https://postimages.org/)
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Thank Devil, I see all your points, and will adjust. For some reason I thought the demarcation line on the cowl was higher in this case, i just went to check and of course you are right.
I will adjust accordingly.
Cheers.
Ok, cool.
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I think i've addressed Devils points. Thats belly to the sun. Is the blue still too light?
(https://i.postimg.cc/pTq2LsrS/Clipboard09.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/9Rw3xtGP)
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Yeah, I think it's still a little too light. I can see it glowing on the landing gear fairing where it catches the sunlight at the right angle.
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The belly appears to be "too clean" to me, like it was just painted. Not sure if that was what you are going for. :headscratch: To add to what Devil said, it does "jump out" to me a little as well.
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Nice job on the skin FTJR. I agree with the other coments that the underside looks too clean though. I'd expect some oil stains from the engine along the underside of the fuselage and some gun soot behind the cartridge chute holes on the wings. An overall patchy grime layer would help too, just to give it a "lived in" look.
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Well done.
A few minor tweaks won't hurt but overall a bang up job. I like it.
I still wish you could get the screenshot angle you first sent in your email. That was perfect.
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Great job FTJR!
Do you use Greebo's Ambient Occlusion technique? The shadows added with that technique would help blend the white underside of the horizontal stabilizer to the fuselage.
One might also expect to see some stains swept to the rear from the underwing shell casing ejector ports, and perhaps some windswept grease/mud aft of the wheel wells, but I don't know that for sure. I don't have any pics of the underside of a P-40.
Sharp-looking bird!
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Here are some decent pictures of P-40's with wing and belly weathering.
(https://i.postimg.cc/gJmYGG8q/Curtiss-87-A-Kittyhawk-belly-shot.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
(https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/P-40/57FG/images/Curtiss-P-40F-Warhawk-57FG66FS-White-74-1Lt-William-E-Taylor-at-LG174-Egypt-Oct-1942-01.jpg)
(https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/P-40/49FG7FS/images/Curtiss-P-40E-Warhawk-49FG7FS-Yellow-27-Dobodura-New-Guinea-May-1943.jpg)
(https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/P-40/49FG7FS/images/Curtiss-P-40N-Warhawk-49FG7FS-White-30-refueling-at-Middleburg-Isl-Dutch-New-Guinea-Sep-1944-01.jpg)
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I know this is a touch off topic, but is there a US bird that has a similar camo scheme? I think someone else did one (maybe it was you?), but sadly I cannot remember if this is so... :o You did a fan-fracking-tastic job with this gal, I'd be interested to see you tackle a US bird with a similar camo scheme. :D
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I know this is a touch off topic, but is there a US bird that has a similar camo scheme? I think someone else did one (maybe it was you?), but sadly I cannot remember if this is so... :o You did a fan-fracking-tastic job with this gal, I'd be interested to see you tackle a US bird with a similar camo scheme. :D
Similar how? White tail and wing leading edges? I made an P-40F like that "18th FG/ 44th FS" - but it's OD green as a base.
When I finish my P-40N template, there will be a U.S. scheme similar to this. It's 3rd or 4th in line for that model.
(https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/P-40/49FG7FS/images/Curtiss-P-40N-Warhawk-49FG7FS-White-7-Joel-Paris-New-Guinea-May-1944-0A.jpg)
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OK thanks guys.. I'll go back and work on it somemore... Thanks for the input.
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Similar how? White tail and wing leading edges? I made an P-40F like that "18th FG/ 44th FS" - but it's OD green as a base.
When I finish my P-40N template, there will be a U.S. scheme similar to this. It's 3rd or 4th in line for that model.
(https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/P-40/49FG7FS/images/Curtiss-P-40N-Warhawk-49FG7FS-White-7-Joel-Paris-New-Guinea-May-1944-0A.jpg)
Something like that one. :x :aok
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Updated the underside,
(https://i.postimg.cc/mDQWX3Xk/clipboard-5.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dktfDCKc)
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Nice improvement.
Is it just me or do the undersides of the horizontal stabs look like a different shade of gray from the rest of the underside?
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:aok
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Very nice improvement on the wings. :aok I have to agree with Devil, the horizontal stabilizers look to be a different shade, and to add, appears to have a bit of that "freshly painted" look. Again, not sure if that is your target though for the tail. :headscratch:
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Nice improvement.
Is it just me or do the undersides of the horizontal stabs look like a different shade of gray from the rest of the underside?
They are white, but very off white, mainly to offset the light bleaching things out, then again they should be the same as the leading edge stripes.
Thanks.
. adjusted, it appears to me the amount of surface area affects the final colour...
(https://i.postimg.cc/dtGVfpdY/clipboard-5a.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/7fY4GBms)
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Much better on the underside dirt, looks like its been in a war now.
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They are white, but very off white, mainly to offset the light bleaching things out, then again they should be the same as the leading edge stripes.
Thanks.
. adjusted, it appears to me the amount of surface area affects the final colour...
(https://i.postimg.cc/dtGVfpdY/clipboard-5a.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/7fY4GBms)
Oops, I forgot the tail was white.
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Looks great.
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Killer work!
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Thanks guys.
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Great-looking bird, FTJR!
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Great-looking bird, FTJR!
Thanks Oboe