Author Topic: Me262 White 8 (Read 1417 times)

Lord ReDhAwK · « **on:** March 24, 2007, 09:59:26 PM »

Salute Gents and Ladies,

Well, I don’t know what you've been doing waiting for the new Skin Pack but I have been working on a new skin for the "next" patch

I figured a 262 would be pretty safe and not in a CT release, so not "in the works" at HTC to be redone yet.

o 2 months (partime) work

o 2 new books [Jet Aces of the Luftwaffe, Squadron Signal Walk Around #42]

o 100+ Photos (Period pics and Museum shots from the Smithsonian.)

160 hours on her. Complete rework of the panel lines and flush rivet work. New elements added like the Brass Ejection Blister on the cover panel. Brass Ejection Ports on the Lower Fuselage. Gun Camera Access Plate. Rework and repositioning of the First-Aid Access Panel. Panel line around the Canopy Housing. Panel lines around the Wingroot Fillet. Correct Alignment of the Flaps, Ailerons, and Leading Edge Slats. Really too many things to remember since I started her

The aircraft is White 8 of Kommando Nowotny. This is the personal aircraft of Walter Nowotny himself. If you have not read anything on the man or the unit, wow what a history! Had to skin her after a squadmate turned me onto him. No period pic of White 8 herself. However, I used a series of similarly painted aircraft to make my attempt at her...main paint-scheme from White 23 of the same unit (only documented difference was the yellow paint on the forward portion of the Narcille for White 8.)

Anyway, if you've read this far, then lets throw up a couple of pics...First up, the profiles (actually found 2 profiles that did not match each other, made best attempts from the combination of the 2.)

Lord ReDhAwK · « **Reply #1 on:** March 24, 2007, 10:01:05 PM »

Profile #2

Lord ReDhAwK · « **Reply #2 on:** March 24, 2007, 10:01:46 PM »

I also used a pretty detailed model as reference for some of the markings on the Upper
Fuselage.

Lord ReDhAwK · « **Reply #3 on:** March 24, 2007, 10:02:27 PM »

Period Pic that shows White 23 (located right side of photo.) Notice how the Upper Surface Camo Pattern extends to the base of the wingroot, rather than above the wingroot reflected in the model.

Lord ReDhAwK · « **Reply #4 on:** March 24, 2007, 10:04:13 PM »

Here she is! Forward 3/4 view from the Tarmac. Notice the new elements like the Blister and the Brass Ejection Ports. Yeah baby

Lord ReDhAwK · « **Reply #5 on:** March 24, 2007, 10:04:56 PM »

Pretty happy with this part of the modeling. I finally got the Brass Ejection Ports to align with the ejection of the spent cartridges. Thats detail right there! I dont care who ya are

Lord ReDhAwK · « **Reply #6 on:** March 24, 2007, 10:05:50 PM »

Overall view of her in the air. Sexy and ready to party!

Krusty · « **Reply #7 on:** March 24, 2007, 10:06:23 PM »

Looks like you've got some good references, for sure. So, are you going to be doing all-green, green/green, or brown/green? You said you'd be taking from the references (and I do this myself, come up with the best mix), but you didn't say what you were going to settle on.

I thought about doing a 262, myself, but there's so few schemes out there.

EDIT: Never mind on that question, I posted before your screenshots showed up on screen, now they do!

Lord ReDhAwK · « **Reply #8 on:** March 24, 2007, 10:06:42 PM »

Finally, a shot of the Wing from the Cockpit. Gives a better view of the Riveting and the weathering. I did a few experimental things with the rivets to give them a more "Flush" feeling rather than the Armor Rivets

Krusty · « **Reply #9 on:** March 24, 2007, 10:08:43 PM »

I think I like it. I'd definitely fly with that skin.

I just don't like the ripple effects on the White 8, and the simmer's paintshop version of the white cross (similar ripples). I don't think they'd look like that.

Lord ReDhAwK · « **Reply #10 on:** March 24, 2007, 10:09:33 PM »

The Jpeg compression has taken away the detailing of the rivets, but you get the idea

Things I did not do on purpose before the feedback begins:

o Omitted the Work Number on the tail section. It mirrored and I would rather omit it than have it reversed on the other side.

o Omitted gunpowder staining behind the gunports. Every reference I found in the period pics did not have anything severe enough for me to tell it was stained. Any I found with any type of discoloration was on light colored aircraft. I will gladly put these in if someone can provide me a reference for a dark aircraft.

o There is a small 45 degree rectangular panel line series on the rear wing section near the cockpit that is NOT historical or accurate. This was necessary to place because of a mirroring piece on the Wingroot. I tried to make it blend with the wing construction as much as I could so it would not stand out.

o Paint Scheme on the Upper Wing Surfaces is only historic to the Left Wing. It mirrors to the right. Can’t wait for HTC to update it so I can do it more accurately.

o Finally, the paint-scheme for the canopy. It should be half RLM 81 and Half RLM 82. However, the skin model actually uses 5! yes 5! portions of the .bmp to construct the Canopy support structure. Sorry, even I will only go so far

That’s it! Please do leave feedback on anything that you feel would positively influence this skin. I tried to make her as accurate as I could with the reference materials I had, but am quite sure I have overlooked or omitted things that should be done.

Sorry the post was so long. I am quite happy this part of the project is done as you can tell

I’m tired of working on 262's lol.

Let the feedback begin!

ReDhAwK

Lord ReDhAwK · « **Reply #11 on:** March 24, 2007, 10:14:26 PM »

Heya Krusty. Man, Didnt even get everything posted before you got in here

I think the "rippled" effect you're talking about is where I erased portions of the white paint of the cross and number 8 away. I did it on purpose for weathering. Do you feel its a bit much for the weathering or are you talking about something else? I actually made the cross and 8 myself. I didnt use the Simmers Paintshop versions.

All mistakes are mine and mine alone

ReDhAwK

Krusty · « **Reply #12 on:** March 24, 2007, 10:16:45 PM »

I feel if you're going to do that on those, you have to do it on the entire aircraft. And then it would look very silly.

If you look in those photos, or any photo of a late-war LW aircraft, you see that even if they're worn out, sun-faded, they're usually relatively solid colors.

I'm all for splotches with the weathering, but I'd put the splotches on their own layer and turn the opacity down to only 5%.

You want to notice it, but you don't want it to take over the entire thing. I think right now it takes over.

EDIT: I don't mean to offend, please don't take it the wrong way. I do love the work you've got so far.

Lord ReDhAwK · « **Reply #13 on:** March 24, 2007, 10:21:44 PM »

Absolutely no offence taken bud. Feedback is exactly why I posted her. It is less than a problem to correct anything anyone feels is inaccurate.

Keep it coming.

ReDhAwK

Xasthur · « **Reply #14 on:** March 24, 2007, 11:32:43 PM »

A great job, Redhawk.

You deserve a beer or two for that effort.

It looks great to me, great attention to detail.

I have no criticism to add so this is not a useful post, just one of appreciation.

Well done.