Hi all!

As you might already know from Axis&Allies home page ?advertisements? i spent the last months with working on several stuka skinpacks, mainly the Berta and Richard types this time.
The skinpacks are representing a type range from the B-1 up to the R-4 but they are made to fit the stock game and the modded spinner variants of the B-2 very well. As there are no significant differences they work as well with the (mod) R variant (droptank version) too. The skins finally are usable with the early (mod) B-1 variant too but you will notice minor issues at the exhaust stacks (the later B-1 type had the same exhaust pipes as the B-2).
If you already liked my former stuka skinpacks you will probably like these too ? they are made in the same well worn and weathered style you already know from my released skins.

Inspite of focussing more on the lesser known/rarely skinned units i preferred those which were heavily engaged in action too. The packs are covering the period of the Poland campaign, the Battles for Norway, the Western campaign, Battle of France, Battle of Britain, (earlier) Battles of Malta and Tobruk, the Balkan campaign, the Crete landings and the Eastern campaign up to early 1943. Except one skinpack of italian picchiatelli all are of the Luftwaffe. Among the latter there is one of Doras (Kommando Jungclaussen - Stalingrad cauldron defenders).

Again I have to thank especially vpmedia and emel for their wellmade (nonpublic) Berta-templates, which together with the A&A stuka template saved me a lot of time and were a solid base to start from. Complete credits are on the skins.

I regret it wasn?t always possible to place emblems/markings/camo exactly in the spots they really were and/or keep the original size of those. I can only agree to retired french skinner Pegase who once commented the 3D-model of the stuka as ?total crappy?. I. e. large parts of the nose are extremely stretched and/or warped and it isn?t possible to place anything properly there. So I had to make a lot of compromises.
Furthermore i have to thank one more time reknown expert Mr. Gerhard Stemmer (Luftwaffe book author, co-author of Jochen Prien) one more time for his great research support. With his outstanding knowledge acquired in more than thirty years of WWII Luftwaffe research he patiently gave answers where such aren?t available in any books and corrected widespread published errors (you won?t believe how many there are ? especially regarding wrong colour profiles or pic comments). In second place special thanks to Mr. Larry Hickey who is specialized in most detailed Luftwaffe knowledge covering the period 1939-1940. All the other helpful guys of the Luftwaffe Experten Message Board and 12?O Clock High Luftwaffe forums deserve being mentioned here too and finally the clerks of my local library who never get tired to search and order expensive WWII Luftwaffe expert books from other libraries all over Germany for my purposes (a service called ?distance loan? ? you have to pay the postage fee only).
Inspite of all thoroughful research (which takes much more time than the skinning work) there are still many small (sometimes bigger) mysteries or uncertainties regarding paintschemes, circumstances of altering and period of use, leaving space for speculation. The german Luftwaffe had a lot of exact rules for paintschemes and markings ? but there were as many exceptions too. Some units are well covered with contemporary pics and documents, others not. So these skins are made as close to historical paintschemes/appearances as I was able to do until release. There are some packs I had to overwork and correct three times so far ? always due to new info showing up. Therefore these skins should be considered as semihistorical.
Here are WIP screenies of what to expect about:







































































Altogether about 300 skins, inclusive blanks, generics etc.
The skinpacks will be uploaded one after another at A&A, starting most likely the forthcoming weekend.

ATB
Armin

Armin,
I made light of this pack over at M4T hinting that I was going to need a new hard drive to store all of these skins once I downloaded them.

But in all seriousness, I would just like to say, how much I appreciate the beauty of your skins, in general, and specifically, how great these look. I also appreciate your attention to detail and attempts at accuracy under not so ideal of conditions. Salute.

Armin,
I made light of this pack over at M4T hinting that I was going to need a new hard drive to store all of these skins once I downloaded them.

But in all seriousness, I would just like to say, how much I appreciate the beauty of your skins, in general, and specifically, how great these look. I also appreciate your attention to detail and attempts at accuracy under not so ideal of conditions. Salute.

RedSpade

Welcome to the hangar mate.
This is an extraordinary piece of work.
And as VPMEDIA said "probably the best Stuka skins ever made".
LINK - http://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,42602.0.html
What Armin has forgotten to say, is the personal time he spent on this amazing project,& dedication, 2nd to none I might add.
It really is a work of art.
ATB Duggy

Waiting for the release.
Tsch?ss !

Armin, you already know how much I rate your work but needless to say I'm really looking forward to these, especially the RA and Norway invasion schemes

I want a 12 or 15 in the ratings, 10 to little. Can hardly wait to get these.

Great skins cheruskerarmin , have you seen the mod from barney over at freemodding JU87_B2 Upgrade would look good in those screen shots, http://freeil2modding.free-forum.net/ju87-b2-upgrade-vt3117.html

Thanks guys!

@steven-essex
THX a lot for the link - as far as i understand the skins
would just need an adaption to the newly modded spinner right?

Unfortunately i am a total noob in modding matters and have to ask if this mod is working with my DBW 1.71 install. I don't have another mod version installed currently.

ATB
Armin

Hi A&A Paintworks, hello Armin,
Works flawless in a DBW 1.71, Spinners must be added.
Barnesy included UV-Maps.
But don't expect wonders, the mapping on the nose is as worse
as it was. At least I haven't tried on stock B-2, just speaking about this improved variant.
It shows it would need a bit overhaul/care, at least skinning related, but these things come least.
I left my Ju87 MTO Skinpack halfway due to them strechings allover, it's going allongside
the fuselage, seems like a big Puzzle. Very fuzzy work, I respect the force you spell in that manner,
can't wait to see it finally coming...
Best regards
Segfej aka Knochenlutscher

Thanks Segfej!

First pack is up:


http://www.axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/download.php?view.874

ATB
Armin