Author Topic: Another P-51B skin  (Read 1395 times)

Offline TDeacon

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Another P-51B skin
« Reply #15 on: September 13, 2005, 12:40:42 AM »
Well here are some stripes; all I had time for tonight...

 On colors; to some degree they are relative to the rest of the model.  Look how light the hills are in the background.  

« Last Edit: September 13, 2005, 12:47:10 AM by TDeacon »

Offline SELECTOR

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Another P-51B skin
« Reply #16 on: September 13, 2005, 02:26:49 PM »
i like it.. i like the colour.. i like it all..
one thing i would try to change is the the other paint colours.. try and make them a slightly different density (i think thats what i mean)so the scheme dosn't look flat..

Offline Krusty

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Another P-51B skin
« Reply #17 on: September 13, 2005, 02:54:30 PM »
I think the letters ought to be outlined in red like the profile a couple of posts above me shows. It would add a small splash of color. I like the green camo of the -B, but agree that you might want to play around with shades and weathering to make it a non-uniform green color.

Offline TDeacon

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Another P-51B skin
« Reply #18 on: September 15, 2005, 09:21:44 AM »
I agree that the scheme is currently too "flat" (in depth, not sheen), an issue which is more likely with a "plain" scheme like this one.  Picking up on some of your suggestions, I am considering:

1)  Paint chipping.  This would include chipping on major panel fasteners around the nose, and chipping around hatches or elsewhere.  I lack detailed WWII-era pictures showing the "elsewhere"; any suggestions?  I would be willing to purchase a book or 2, if someone knows of one with good large-scale images from WWII (color a bonus).  I am not sure how realistic the "highlight all panel lines" approach used in some of our existing skins is, even though it does give more depth.  

2)  Liquid spills; limited photo coverage of this, but have 1 good picture of bottom of plane in flight showing what appears to be oil leaks from numerous places.  

3)  Some additional variation in the green/grey "paint", either in the form of a few replaced panels, repair overpainting, or some sort of panel color variation from weathering.  I would need better real photos for this though; see book request above.  

4)  Conventional 3-d effects, such as slight shading on forward edge of aelerons/elevators, and darker panel lines where frequently removed.  My limited photo collection may be barely adequate as reference for this.  

5)  Less conventional 3-d effects; note the subtle highlights/shadows at the edges of some of the panels on the following image.  Would seem to require "1-sided" gaussian blur in black on shadow side and in white on sun side of panels.  Haven't thought of a good way to do this in Photoshop yet.  I could do regular gaussian blur and erase one side, but that is mindlessly time intensive.).  

« Last Edit: September 15, 2005, 09:33:00 AM by TDeacon »

Offline TDeacon

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Another P-51B skin
« Reply #19 on: September 16, 2005, 03:23:42 AM »
Some weathering improvements have now been made.  
The underside shot has light weathering on the bottom of
the air intake, as the correct heavy weathering / oil leaks looks
too dark with the current p-51b shading bug.  The dark area
which this bug causes is visble in the 2nd image, but it looks
worse with heavy weathering.  



« Last Edit: September 16, 2005, 03:26:15 AM by TDeacon »

Offline TDeacon

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Another P-51B skin
« Reply #20 on: September 16, 2005, 12:04:24 PM »
This is what the belly looks like with the heavier weathering.  I guess I prefer this one.  Any comments?  

« Last Edit: September 16, 2005, 12:09:40 PM by TDeacon »

Offline Guppy35

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Another P-51B skin
« Reply #21 on: September 16, 2005, 12:37:36 PM »
Thought of this image when I saw the undersides of your bird.  A decent view of the weathering and streaking on the undersides of a combat 51.  Do you have navigation and ID lights?  Looks like landing light on front of left wing is missing too.





Only other thing is it seems like the star and bar and the nose red are too washed out/faded to me.  Note the red in the photos of DUane Beeson's "Boise Bee" and Don Gentile's Shangri La.

Fire engine red was the color used if memory serves.  Also note the splotchy OD on Beeson's bird.

Dan/CorkyJr
8th FS "Headhunters

Offline TDeacon

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Another P-51B skin
« Reply #22 on: September 16, 2005, 12:49:52 PM »
As always, Guppy, you are a great help; thanks!!   :-)

I lighten the captured images by about 20% in case anyone has bright-limited monitors (like mine at work).  

On exact matches with old photos, given what happens to color negatives after 60 years, I consider such images to be useful guidance, but not exact matches (meaning I have some leeway; I wonder if HTC agrees with this theory when I submit the skin...).  Also, people have different settings on their PCs, so no 2 people will see exactly the same colors, especially w.r.t light/dark.  

I did the bottom weathering from that photo, but your source apparently has a larger image.  Thanks for the reminder on the lights; I will add them.  Am currently trying to remember the font I used for the codes so I can add the red outlining.  

Where did you get those color images????  I can afford to buy a few books if needed.
« Last Edit: September 16, 2005, 12:56:18 PM by TDeacon »

Offline Guppy35

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Another P-51B skin
« Reply #23 on: September 16, 2005, 01:02:30 PM »
The images are out of Jeff Ethell & Garry Fry's book  "Escort to Berlin-The 4th Fighter Group in World War II"

Not many color shots in there, but lots of B&W images of the 4th from beginning to end of the war.

If you wanted to invest a few pennies in a good book of color shots, get Jeff Ethell's  "Air Command-Fighters & Bombers of WW2"

All color shots.  

http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Jeffrey+L.+Ethell&y=7&tn=Air+Command&x=45

7 bucks on up.  It's well worth it.
Dan/CorkyJr
8th FS "Headhunters

Offline Widewing

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Another P-51B skin
« Reply #24 on: September 16, 2005, 02:15:44 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Guppy35
The images are out of Jeff Ethell & Garry Fry's book  "Escort to Berlin-The 4th Fighter Group in World War II"

Not many color shots in there, but lots of B&W images of the 4th from beginning to end of the war.

If you wanted to invest a few pennies in a good book of color shots, get Jeff Ethell's  "Air Command-Fighters & Bombers of WW2"

All color shots.  

http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Jeffrey+L.+Ethell&y=7&tn=Air+Command&x=45

7 bucks on up.  It's well worth it.


Try these, all greatly reduced at motorbooks: All essential for AH2 skinners.... I bought them all over the Labor Day weekend and got another 25% off...

WWII Fighters by Ethell and Sand, was $20, now $7.98

Bodie's Arsenal of Democracy, 1937-1942. Was $40, now $9.99

Spitfire by Stewart Wilson. Was $20, now $7.95.


My regards,

Widewing
My regards,

Widewing

YGBSM. Retired Member of Aces High Trainer Corps, Past President of the DFC, retired from flying as Tredlite.

Offline TDeacon

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Another P-51B skin
« Reply #25 on: September 16, 2005, 04:48:19 PM »
Added red outlines and lights, but have no drawing of location of landing light (assume it's that headlight-like thing?).    :-(

« Last Edit: September 16, 2005, 05:30:03 PM by TDeacon »

Offline Guppy35

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Another P-51B skin
« Reply #26 on: September 16, 2005, 05:25:15 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by TDeacon
Added lights, but have no drawing of location of landing light (assume it's that headlight-like thing?).    :-(


It's on the left wing outside of the gun ports by a bit and also outside the bomb/drop tank hardpoint.  You can see it on the image below.

Dan/CorkyJr
8th FS "Headhunters

Offline TDeacon

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Another P-51B skin
« Reply #27 on: September 16, 2005, 05:31:07 PM »
I don't suppose you have a plan fragment showing position relative to nearby panel lines...

Offline Guppy35

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Another P-51B skin
« Reply #28 on: September 16, 2005, 06:16:11 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by TDeacon
I don't suppose you have a plan fragment showing position relative to nearby panel lines...


Ye of little faith :)

Dan/CorkyJr
8th FS "Headhunters

Offline TDeacon

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Another P-51B skin
« Reply #29 on: September 17, 2005, 09:24:24 AM »
Thanks Guppy.  Added landing light, a few minor adjustments, and submitted skin.