JG54 Me109G-2

[Larry]

This is an adopted skin originally done by NrRaVeN. Flow by Hannes Trautloft CO of JG54 during the summer of '42. This is my first skin in over four years and my first AH3 skin so I'm still trying to get everything down. Still a work in progress any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Devil 505]

I like it, nice color selection.

Here are a few areas I'd change/adjust:

You need to add the small scoops to the side of the forward cowling. The bump map is great for replicating these details.

The yellow on the lower cowling did not come higher than the exhaust stacks.

This aircraft did not have the kidney shaped bulges on the tops of the wings. Also those bulges are only on G-4 and later 109's.

Change the cannon muzzle from gray/silver to black. It will improve the look of the spinner from the front.

I think the gun smoke in the MG trench is too dark.

Here's a very esoteric detail: there is no horizontal panel line on the engine cowling. It is a carry-over from the K-4 template.



Nice to see you skinning again. 

[Devil 505]

More stuff I noticed:

There should be no fuel hatch and fuel grade triangle under the canopy. Those are only found on the F model.

There should be no round hatch under the data plate. Also a F model only detail.

[lyric1]

 

[Greebo]

The skin looks great Larry. I don't know much about 109 details, but if you have any questions about the AH3 file format please ask. Its nice to see another active skinner in the game, welcome back.

[oboe]

Looks great, Larry!

[Larry]

Here is an update. Devil as for the stencils. I guess when I made this template about four years ago I copied my F4 stencils into the G2 file because they were exactly the same.

[Devil 505]

Looking good.

Now that I can see the right side there are more hatches and stencils to remove. Both oval hatches on the upper rear fuselage of the right side and their corresponding triangle stencils. Those are found on late G-6 and after.

I believe the default F-4 skin has those incorrect details, which is why they are so prevalent on the skins in AH.

Also, it looks like you removed the data plate instead of the hatch beneath it. This needed to be opposite. I referenced the data plate only to easier locate the hatch.

is there a fuel filler hatch on the left fuselage near the spine? It does not appear to be there. Should be just above where you have the triangle decal.

Another detail absent is the hole in the right cowling for the starting crank.
Here's a good pic for reference.


also note that there is a half-moon shaped indented vent just below and aft of the round hatch. It's hard to see in the photo.

[Skuzzy]

I do not know what time of day you took the shots, but it would be nice to see some showing the specular/power of the skin.  The screenshots look rather flat.  It may not be that way, but the screenshots appear that way.

[Vraciu]

You can see the reflections off the cowling, wing root, aileron, etc.

[Larry]

I do not know what time of day you took the shots, but it would be nice to see some showing the specular/power of the skin.  The screenshots look rather flat.  It may not be that way, but the screenshots appear that way.

Ill mess with the Specular and power files when I get off work and post some updates.

[Skuzzy]

Flat paints should have very spread out glare (power map lighter) and not be too bright (spec map darker) where the Sun is being reflected.

I think I said that right.

[Vraciu]

Flat paints should have very spread out glare (power map lighter) and not be too bright (spec map darker) where the Sun is being reflected.

I think I said that right.

I think so, too.

[Vraciu]

I do not know what time of day you took the shots, but it would be nice to see some showing the specular/power of the skin.  The screenshots look rather flat.  It may not be that way, but the screenshots appear that way.

You can see the reflections off the cowling, wing root, aileron, etc.

I’m an idiot.  I thought were talking about the photo.   *facepalm*

[Greebo]

Flat paints should have very spread out glare (power map lighter) and not be too bright (spec map darker) where the Sun is being reflected.

That isn't right. Flat paints should have a spread out glare but you have to make the power map darker to achieve this.

In general I have the specular map a bit lighter than the power or environment maps for matt or satin aircraft paint. On a scale of 0-256 where 0 is black the shades of grey I use are roughly 20-30 for the power and environment and 50-60 for the specular.