Desert Arrow (RAF P-40E)

[Devil 505]

Kittyhawk Mk. I (RAF spec P-40E) flown by Mike Judd of No. 250 (Sudan) Squadron RAF. Judd scored his first two victories with this plane on May 18, 1942 when he downed two Ju 52's over the the Mediterranean Sea. He would score two more victories while commanding 250 Squadron at some point before November 1942 and his fifth and final over Europe with a different squadron.

This aircraft was photographed June 6th 1942 and features camouflage colors of a seemingly lower than usual level of contrast. Starting with my usual shades for the RAF Tropical scheme (Dark Earth and Middle Stone over Azure Blue) I lightened the Dark Earth and darkened the Middle Stone. A repaired section of the rear fuselage is shown with a lighter paint shade than either camouflage color. I chose to represent this with the standard Middle Stone shade. The fuselage roundels are cropped to not extend onto the wing root fairing. A red arrow marking surrounds the engine exhaust outlets.






Also, based on comments on my last P-40 skin, I eliminated the holes in the prop spinner. Let me know what you think. I'm still on the fence.

[lyric1]

 

[Greebo]

Great looking skin Devil.

I think removing the holes in an improvement. The only time spinner holes look good is when taking a screenshot of a plane with its engine stopped. With the engine running they just ruin the illusion that the spinner is rotating.

[Vraciu]

Agree with the above.   The spinner looks much better like this. 

Great work.

[whiteman]

Great work!

[800nate800]

i like the holes but a better prop model would be better...

[Greebo]

I did once suggest to Waffle a better way of doing the spinner holes. The idea being to place a texture of the correct shape for the hole at the base of each prop blade on the spinner, with this texture then painted black on the bmp. With the engine off the holes are visible but they are made to disappear as soon as the engine is started. He actually incorporated this idea into the C.202 and C.205 models I was working on at the time but I don't think any other aircraft model made since then has it. This feature isn't something that can be done on an overall basis though, it has to be part of each individual 3D model.

As it happens I am working on a C.202 at the moment, so I'll do both engine off and on screenshots once its ready.

[800nate800]

I did once suggest to Waffle a better way of doing the spinner holes. The idea being to place a texture of the correct shape for the hole at the base of each prop blade on the spinner, with this texture then painted black on the bmp. With the engine off the holes are visible but they are made to disappear as soon as the engine is started. He actually incorporated this idea into the C.202 and C.205 models I was working on at the time but I don't think any other aircraft model made since then has it. This feature isn't something that can be done on an overall basis though, it has to be part of each individual 3D model.

As it happens I am working on a C.202 at the moment, so I'll do both engine off and on screenshots once its ready.

i could start a religion around you Greebo....

[Nefarious]

This one is absolutely amazing. Great work Devil! <S>