Hiya guys,

I didn't want you all to think that I had forgotten about these skins...in fact, I've been working quite a bit on them lately. Here's where I stand with the P-47:

She's done and ready to release...probably on Friday this week. The delay was due to trying to 'trace' a chipping pattern based on one of RONNCO's skins (Fiery Ginger). After several days of mucking about, I just said it doesn't need anything extra...it looks great on it's own. I messed around with the OD hue some more, and I think I got it nailed. Let me know what you think!



Now, I haven't been only working on the P47. RDDR and Rock both had sent me files a year ago for the P51 A, but I had no interest on working on the template until it became a public release via UP or HSFX. Well, when JaRink released his P51 A template and Emel shared his P51 B template...I couldn't resist mucking about with it. After about a week or two of 'playing'...here's where it's at:









RDDR will be using this version of the template for his new P51A skins...coming soon. Many thanks to JaRink and Emel for their fantastic work! If I got any technical issues wrong, please let me know ASAP. Some of you might be wondering about the warping / stress on the fuselage and underwings. Well, a couple of years ago I got to know a fantastic skinner by the name of Mr. Moonlight. His advice and contributions helped me create the F-86 template that has produced all the default skins for UP 3.4 (Many thanks to US Grant for his awesome work). However, his work on P51 skins is what got me interested. He showed me a new technique for weathering that I had never considered before. I made damn sure to include it in every skin I've made since then. If you aren't familiar with his work...then shame on you! Here's some links to a great skinner and a good friend at M4T.

http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?name=Downloads2&file=details&id=5537
http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?name=Downloads2&file=details&id=5622
http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?name=Downloads2&file=details&id=5655
http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?name=Downloads2&file=details&id=5719
http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?name=Downloads2&file=details&id=5720

Speaking of P51s...this requires a bit of backstory...

As most of you know, I learned how to skin from three of the most well known skinners from the 'old school': Jesters-Ink, FBS and Mangas. I was digging through some files and found some work that FBS had sent me years ago...and in that bunch of stuff was some NMF from the 'Excalibur' skin (which was released) and 'Satan's Child' (which was not released, as he suffered a HD crash and 80% of his work was lost). I have both versions of these NMF finishes for the P51 (and if you remember seeing the WIP pics at M4T, you know that these were superior to what was released in his public P51 template). I'm experimenting with the metal right now, fixing blending issues and what not...but damn! This metal finish is awesome! Here's 'Millie G' with what I'm calling the 'FBS: Excalibur Finish'...



The skin will be released with Emel's NMF as previously posted, but I'm thinking of adding the other metal finishes to the pack, as well as releasing 'Satan's Child'...the nose art by FBS. Honestly, it's work that is so good, it needs to be shared.

Finally, speaking of metal finishes...hehe.

I love the P38. Again, my old pal FBS sent me a copy of his WIP P38 template several years ago. I've tried over the years to finish the template, but to personally disappointing results. Even though the skins produced from it have been well received, I always felt I could do better...and it came down to the NMF. So, this past weekend...I started over from scratch and used Buhli's base metal layers for the foundation of adding FBS's awesome metal work (if you were fortunate enough to get a copy of his template...wow! You know that Buhli's work is amazing!). If you've seen the original template by Darren, you know that it is spread out all over the place and takes up a fair chunk of the template. I can only show you all this much in the following screenshots....there is still a helluva lot more work to do:





...and really, the screenshots don't do them justice. I really think that when this project is done, it will be the best NMF finish for any plane in IL-2.

As a side note, when FBS 'retired' from skinning for IL2...I became a custodian of his templates. A lot of his work has been used for my own personal use, but has never been publicly released. I hope to have some new skins created from his JU88 and B17 templates soon...as well as some skins from his Hurricane and He-162 A-2, to compliment some new Me-262 skins I'm researching.

Cheers gents,

KC

Okie-dokie...

I spent some more time messing with the P-38 metal finish...it seems to be my latest obsession, again .

Every couple of months, I put myself through the torture of trying to skin P-38s and 'fix' the NMF layers...I have no problem with getting the weathering to look right, just getting the metal the way I want it is insanely frustrating!

I decided to go back to the raw and unfinished layers by FBS and work with them from the base up...even though I love what Bhuli did with his template, I decided to finally try and complete his template once and for all (which was a WIP when he sent it to me originally).

Well, here's where it's at...I still have a lot more work to do on it, but it's much closer to being done. I just decided to not take short-cuts and 'fix' each individual layer as I went along. If you know his templates...then you know that means HUNDREDS of layers to sort through.



In game:




...I still have to sort out the overly dark under-fuselage and engine nacelles...but it's getting there. Currently it's at 50% of where it was when I started on this...


Once that is all sorted out, I then get to try and match the landing gear doors to the finish on the rest of the bird!

Yeah!

Cheers,

KC

Hi Keith,

Nice choice of color tones for the reflective effects; and the nav lights look great.. the tiny highlights give that glassy appearance, and they're not so bright that they appear to be 'on' (non-tactical). One of these days I'm going to see a psycho-analyst to determine why I'm so obsessed with nav-lights. :crazy:

I think you made a good choice to start from the 'ground' up. More work perhaps, but you should know that template inside and out before you're through, and making any minor additions will be much easier.

One quick observation if I may; I got curious about the appearance of the turbosupercharger, and found an interesting thread that may be useful; features some nice detail photos and diagrams: P-38 Turbocharger Pictures

I'm really looking forward to seeing this bird with all the details and weathering turned on; I think she's going to look great with the 'foundation' you've got there. And kudos for taking on the '38'.. IMO it's a tough nut to crack when it comes to making historical skins, what with the mapping and all, and I know a lot of skinners don't want to touch her because of it. So I'm happy to see that a skinner of your talent is giving her the attention she deserves.

Cheers mate! ~ Rudi

Loving the P-38.
Don't mean to steal your "Thunder" but check these out.
(no credit on photo)




Looking forward too the end product.
Regards Alan

Those are great captures, to bad no credits, I especially like the first shot.

Great job on the skins Keith, you are back to speed mate.

Thanks guys!

I've been super busy doing lighting/sound tech work at the theater the last couple of days...haven't had much time to jump on Skype. Hopefully my schedule will slow down a little bit in the next couple of days, and I'll be able to yack at everybody.

I did spend some time earlier today working on the P38. I've got a few issues to correct with the line set and the trailing and leading edges of the underwings are still a bit too dark, but I think it's almost 'done' (and I use that word very loosely! Nothing I do is ever completely finished ).

Some screenshots:








I think I've got the louvers next to the turbochargers in the wrong spot, I'll have to double check some books and Rudi's link to be sure though.

Onward and upward!

Cheers!

KC

interesting to see your technique on the Photoshop screenshot

Millie G I love you! Great stuff, can't wait for the releases!

Blue Skies,

-Doodle

Excellent detail on metal textures.

interesting to see your technique on the Photoshop screenshot

Boelcke

I had posted a tutorial on how to get the base metal layers set up, I just never got around to finishing up with the highlighting! As you can see from the PS shots, I used complimentary colors for the streaking...I used a combination of motion blur, gaussian blur and just good old free-hand drawing with a soft brush. Most of what you're seeing is FBS' original metal work, but I needed to touch up a few areas so I had to get my hands dirty a little bit. I really tried for a seamless blend between the various sections of the 3D model, but with the P38...yikes! It's a whole new set of challenges! I think I got it pretty close.

Millie G I love you! Great stuff, can't wait for the releases!

78thFG_Doodle

Well now...I love you too Doodle! No worries mate...the skin should be up by next weekend. I got sidetracked by a couple of other projects, but everything in this thread should be ready to release by next week. I'm constantly mucking about with templates and hardly ever skinning...I have to change that! I've got an La-5 template in the works for some skins for Schwarzehund...hopefully that will be ready by the end of August.

Excellent detail on metal textures.

Emel

Cheers mate! It's been a challenge to 'fix' the original metal layers...it's almost easier to create the stuff from scratch! However, I promised FBS that I would finish his template and actually skin with it when he 'retired' from IL2 a couple years ago. So, you can expect at least 2 or 3 new P38 J skins before the end of the month...

...as a matter of fact Coming soon :






Ignore the mirrored #s in this screenshot...it can't be helped. Unless some wonderful 3D modeler decides to fix the mapping on the P-38, this is the type of bullsh!t we skinners have to live with . Hey modders! FIX THIS SH!T!!!


Cheers!

KC