Will pay $150 for skin of Witchcraft

[Serenity]

You ever try Google? 

http://www.silverstatenews.com/Collings_B24_2006_Tour.jpg

http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/decals/mg/images/mg48046p1.jpg

http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/decals/mg/decal_mg48046.shtml

Yeah, but MY google didn't find that

As far as the wave, I get what you mean now. I wasn't sure whether to move it back and start where the glass ended (like on the original), or to have it start as far on the nose as it was in the original. If you think the second option is better, I will go with that.

As far as that dark patch... it won't go away. Its not on the skin itself. AFAIK its similar to the anti-glare issue on P-38s. Unless someone else knows how to get rid of it, I havn't found a way.

[Greebo]

It seems to be coming on well Serenity, there's a couple of things you might want to look at though.

First, you can keep the serial numbers on the inside of the vertical tail. The number on the left inside vertical tail panel on the file needs to be mirrored, with the RH panel left as it is.

Next, most of the panel lines on a skin represent the edges of panels that were rivetted together. The rest are things like the edges of control surfaces, hatches and doors. These sort of lines represent gaps of anything up to half an inch in some cases and on a real aircraft you can see this sort of line a lot further away than you can see the panel edges. Now on your skin all the panel lines are the same opacity. Things like the hinge lines are not anywhere near as visible as they should be IMO.

The easiest way to get round this is to make a copy of your panel line layer, call it something like "heavy panel lines". Change the colour of the lines on the copied layer to a bright colour to make them easier to edit. Then simply erase all the lines you don't want on the heavy layer. You should be left with the hinge lines of the flaps, rudders, elevators and ailerons, the bomb bay and undercarriage doors, and the engine cowling air exit flaps. Once you are happy with the editing turn these lines back to black and adjust the opacity of the layer. You want the weight of the lines to match what you would see on a photo of a real B-24 viewed at the same distance.

[Serenity]

It seems to be coming on well Serenity, there's a couple of things you might want to look at though.

First, you can keep the serial numbers on the inside of the vertical tail. The number on the left inside vertical tail panel on the file needs to be mirrored, with the RH panel left as it is.

Next, most of the panel lines on a skin represent the edges of panels that were rivetted together. The rest are things like the edges of control surfaces, hatches and doors. These sort of lines represent gaps of anything up to half an inch in some cases and on a real aircraft you can see this sort of line a lot further away than you can see the panel edges. Now on your skin all the panel lines are the same opacity. Things like the hinge lines are not anywhere near as visible as they should be IMO.

The easiest way to get round this is to make a copy of your panel line layer, call it something like "heavy panel lines". Change the colour of the lines on the copied layer to a bright colour to make them easier to edit. Then simply erase all the lines you don't want on the heavy layer. You should be left with the hinge lines of the flaps, rudders, elevators and ailerons, the bomb bay and undercarriage doors, and the engine cowling air exit flaps. Once you are happy with the editing turn these lines back to black and adjust the opacity of the layer. You want the weight of the lines to match what you would see on a photo of a real B-24 viewed at the same distance.

Thanks Greebo! Much appreciated! Today I have to take a day off from skinning, but I should be back at it after school tomorrow.

[Brooke]

With regard to the questions here:

http://www.electraforge.com/brooke/flightsims/b24_flights/questionsWitchcraft.html

I got this nice reply from Fred Holdrege, CO of the 790th (Witchcraft's squadron).  Bob DeKerf flew as flight engineer on Witchcraft.

--------------

I called Bob deKerf  to get the answers. If you write or call him he will be glad to furnish any further information.
Actually the Witch had a number of different looks since she left Rackheath.
 
The cowlings varied at time after engine changes. The cowlings were taken along with replacement engines and put on Witchcraft. They did not bother to repaint them.
 
No stripes on bomb bay doors
The grey did not continue into the cowlings
Circle with a P inside after we got overseas.   As I recall (Fred), they were the group identifiers before we got the tail markings. Not before
 
There was no grey on the underside of the cowlings
 
There were no stripes on the bomb bay doors.
 
No numbers on engines except when a reeplacement cowling had a number on it  when they replaced the engiije.
 
Fred

[Brooke]

Also, From Andy Wilkinson:

-----------------

Hi All!

I believe we put pretty much the same questions to Ray Betcher  (Witchcraft mechanic)  when he was with us in England  earlier this year. The current Collings guise of Witchcraft doesn't seem correct with those bright red  engine cowlings and I rather fancy they were either  grey, silver , or white. Perhaps Ray can add some clarification.

Cheers - Andy

[Brooke]

I will post more on the cowling colors as that part gets sorted out.

[Serenity]

So... other than the lack of the P, she looks correct so far?

[Brooke]

So... other than the lack of the P, she looks correct so far?

I'd go for modification of the period and amplitude of the gray waves as well as addition of the circle P.

Also, it's not clear about the cowling colors, as discussed above.  Might be that they all are white or gray as more typical.  I'll post more information once I have it.

We'll have to see if the deicing boots can be made more black and if the antiglare dark patch in front of the windshield can be gotten rid of.

Then, it's just on to the fine points (wear, seams, etc.), I suppose.

Also, any hope of having an "Audre" on the front?  If not, any way to do it so we have "Au--re" or whatever doesn't cause the smearing?

[Serenity]

I'd go for modification of the period and amplitude of the gray waves as well as addition of the circle P.

Also, it's not clear about the cowling colors, as discussed above.  Might be that they all are white or gray as more typical.  I'll post more information once I have it.

We'll have to see if the deicing boots can be made more black and if the antiglare dark patch in front of the windshield can be gotten rid of.

Then, it's just on to the fine points (wear, seams, etc.), I suppose.

Also, any hope of having an "Audre" on the front?  If not, any way to do it so we have "Au--re" or whatever doesn't cause the smearing?

The cowling colors alternating between red and white match the black and white photo you posted, unless you think the red was from a different 'era'.

As far as the anti-glare on the nose, theres no getting rid of it. All OD skins in the game are stuck with it.

Already fixed the de-icing boots, so thats not a worry.

As far as Audre, unless I remove the 'd' (And possibly the 'u' and 'r') what you saw posted above is the best we can get.

Also, could you clarify for me "period and amplitude of the gray waves"? You mean have them start earlier?

[mensa180]

He means make it look like it does in the picture.

[Serenity]

He means make it look like it does in the picture.

Um... It can't. It cannot look exactly like the picture because a mirroring issue occurs if I lower thhe OD any more than it is already, and we have a different model with a different nose, so... it cannot look exactly like the picture. Obviously, he knows how he wants me to make up for that, so I was hoping he could explain it.

[Brooke]

The cowling colors alternating between red and white match the black and white photo you posted, unless you think the red was from a different 'era'.

I'm just going by the information posted above by the guys who flew Witchcraft -- see above.  I'll post more info on cowling colors when I get it.

As far as the anti-glare on the nose, theres no getting rid of it. All OD skins in the game are stuck with it.

CC.

Already fixed the de-icing boots, so thats not a worry.

Excellent.

As far as Audre, unless I remove the 'd' (And possibly the 'u' and 'r') what you saw posted above is the best we can get.

OK.  We might not get "Audre" on the front, but probably something (even "Ae") is better than none at all.  Guess we'd have to see it to know.

Also, could you clarify for me "period and amplitude of the gray waves"? You mean have them start earlier?

Sort of like this if possible:

[Brooke]

By the way, if the above waves can't be done, that's OK -- I understand there are limitations.

One minor thing, the boundary between the gray and green on Witchcraft seems to be sharp and not fuzzy.

[Serenity]

I'm just going by the information posted above by the guys who flew Witchcraft -- see above.  I'll post more info on cowling colors when I get it.

OK.  We might not get "Audre" on the front, but probably something (even "Ae") is better than none at all.  Guess we'd have to see it to know.

Sort of like this if possible:
(Image removed from quote.)

Yeah, I just went by the black-and-white period image, but if you would rather the other option (all white) that would be a possibility I guess.

As far as the 'Ae' I personally think it should be all or none, but I will let you decide in the end.

That wave is definately possible, and won't be a problem!

[Serenity]

Just wanted to let you know she hasn't gotten lost, I just got hit with about 4 research papers this weekend, so I will finally have some free time tomorrow afternoon.