I'm also a big ATF fan (ATF Gold was my first flight simulator). Coming in the future will be the F-31 family too.
I am thinking about integrating the F-20 radome into the design as a later production version of the F-29A, with the early ones using the F-5E one. I don't know what other landing gear style would work on the design though, since the wing is higher-mounted then the F-5 and I do not want to sacrifice room under it for the F-5-type gear. Right now I'm looking at two stores pylons under each wing, two on the wing tips, a centerline, and a forward centerline for LANTIRN and LITENING pods. Now as far as engines, I see this coming into service at the end of the 1980s, so the F-404 would be the only option for awhile, though the F-414 could be used as an upgrade or standard for later models. For the F-29E, the definitive model, I'm going all-out though with a F100-PW-220/220E and much enlarged intakes and rear fuselage.
I was already planning to put in the reconnaissance nose from the F-5, but I hadn't thought of the name. I'm totally using it!
And here's a preview of what I'm doing with the F-14NG. It's the VF-2 Bounty Hunters CAG bird. I'm experimenting with filling with paths as well as starting to shade.
I'm still struggling with the shading, especially how to cut it to the path so it will work with other paths as well. For example, the nose and Phoenix rails are separate paths and I'm trying to get them both to shade from the same selection. Could you explain the best way to do that part of the shading?
Alright, I think I figured that part out. I did some more shading and added a lot of the decals to the plane. All that's left is some more shading (including from the intake, wing, and horizontal tail), adding the highlighting (which I'm having problems with), and some more small details and the roundel.
I don't know what you did to figure out your shading problem, but at least in GiMP, you can use boolean operations with the paths. For example, "Add path to selection" or "Subtract path from selection". That functionality has come in very handy for me.
I've been fiddling with those kind of commands and it's worked pretty well. Now I'm working on the highlighting and still am having a bit of trouble getting it to look right. I toned it down to 30% opacity. There's only one, on the nose back to the spine here.
I had to look very hard to see the highlighting. I really only saw it where it went over the black nose & the stripes. Not quite sure what else you can do with it, since light colors won't show highlighting very well. But even if you can't see it here, at least it's there if you go with a darker color for another paint scheme!
I might increase it a bit more to show up better, but the part that I'm unsure about how it looks is on the black panel on the nose. It just seems off right there. On the other hand, I think it looks sierra hotel on the stripes.
I took a quick break from working on my F-14F painting today to work on something I've had in the back of my head for awhile. It's a new UCAV, the MQ-12 Howler, based on the airframe of my XF-34A Dreamstar. It's intended to do not only the normal UCAV strike roles and such, but to function as a robotic wingman for a manned fighter in a three-ship "shotai" formation, 1 manned and 2 unmanned. Still needs wings and a little cleanup, plus weapons, and it will be done. This has got to be one of my faster drawings.
I put all my planes to scale together and grouped them into one large comparison shot of all of them I've done so far. I forgot to put them in, but there was supposed to be placeholders for the following as well:
Here's my completed side view of the EADS/Rockwell F-31A Peregrine ultra-maneuverable lightweight fighter. There is a slimline and lightweight Mauser BK-20 single-barrel cannon mounted in a ventral pod.
Also, I updated the mass picture with all my aircraft designs.
Nice to see progress from you. I like the designs so far.
Regarding the F-29..i noted the Ring Raiders version had the F-5 style landing gear ..then again RR planes seldom spot any serious loadout For the internal gun i would go for either a single nose mounted 27mm Mauser Bk27 or the GAU-12(relocated ofcourse).
As for the F-31 EFM..Peregrine seems nice although I would also suggest Mongoose, Sparrowhawk and Adler for the Luftwaffe version.
Hmm, Sparrowhawk, I like it! *steals it and changes the F-31's name*
So far, the F-29 is using the same landing gear of the X-29, an F-5 nose gear and F-16 main gear. As far as the gun, I did consider going with a single-barreled BK, but I think for the F-29C/E, I'll use an M61 probably, mounted on the lower-right portion of the nose. A BK-27 is a possibility I'll look into.
Yeah, I'm surprised too, BJ. Ah well, it fits this plane perfectly, now I just need to somehow do a version for aerial carriage like the old F9C. Hmm, the return of dirigible aircraft carriers...
Well, after surviving my first exam, and an all-nighter writing a term paper, this evening I finally got time to draw a bit. First up is an updated F-27C Warhawk II with a new tail, paneling changes on the forward fuselage, minor corrections to the weapon scaling, and the return of the FAST pack less-observable equipment package.
Also, minor updates on the F-31A, mostly the renaming and moving the gunpod aftward to clear the nose door (a dumb mistake on my part).
Thanks, BJ. It does take a lot of work, but I'm enjoying it a lot.
EDIT: And more work done on it, all that really needs to be done now is more shading and highlighting, some minor coloring like the wing lights, and some small tweaking.
XRaiderV1.7226I have absolutely no ideaPosts: 1,074Member
I got a bit more done today, biggest change was the switchover to more realistic and subdued colors, in this case one of the FS595 blues. I have the next couple of days off since I just finished exams and hopefully I'll get some VF-4s done sometime very soon.
Yeah, I think so too. I was originally trying to replicate the anime look before I decided to go the realistic route. The biggest change is with Milia's plane, which is now painted in overall FS 11136 Insignia Red. Max's is painted right now in a slightly different tone then Insignia Blue, I can't recall the FS number off the top of my head.
Well, I got some more done, though not as much as I wanted to. However, I did fiddle with some more color schemes and variations for the plane and thought you all might enjoy seeing the WiPs. I'm posting one in Max's blue with white stripes and beige radome, Milia's red with black stripes and white radome (Based on her Macross 7 VF-1J), and Hikaru's white with red stripes and white radome. I'm planning to have the following all done together:
Max's
Blue with white stripes and beige radome
Blue with white stripes and white radome
Blue with black stripes and white radome
Milia's
Red with white stripes and beige radome
Red with white stripes and white radome
Red with black stripes and white radome
I've pretty much finished the base paints for these. There's still some small things I'll go back and tweak later, but they're overall 99%. First three posted now, others and background text to follow later.
Posts
I'm also a big ATF fan (ATF Gold was my first flight simulator). Coming in the future will be the F-31 family too.
I am thinking about integrating the F-20 radome into the design as a later production version of the F-29A, with the early ones using the F-5E one. I don't know what other landing gear style would work on the design though, since the wing is higher-mounted then the F-5 and I do not want to sacrifice room under it for the F-5-type gear. Right now I'm looking at two stores pylons under each wing, two on the wing tips, a centerline, and a forward centerline for LANTIRN and LITENING pods. Now as far as engines, I see this coming into service at the end of the 1980s, so the F-404 would be the only option for awhile, though the F-414 could be used as an upgrade or standard for later models. For the F-29E, the definitive model, I'm going all-out though with a F100-PW-220/220E and much enlarged intakes and rear fuselage.
I was already planning to put in the reconnaissance nose from the F-5, but I hadn't thought of the name. I'm totally using it!
EDIT: Updated pic
I'm still struggling with the shading, especially how to cut it to the path so it will work with other paths as well. For example, the nose and Phoenix rails are separate paths and I'm trying to get them both to shade from the same selection. Could you explain the best way to do that part of the shading?
Anyway, more updates!
VF-4A/B/C "Siren" FAST pack page
These image is contained "MUSASIHA Ltd. 1/72 resin VF-4A kit" drawn by Shoji-Kawamori.
(Above image)
Kit instructions related to FAST pack
(Below image)
Atmosphere light configuration / Arnament & propellant FASTpack
My main URL is Robotech Banner
F-27B/D Warhawk II
F-34C Dreamstar
F-29B/D/E/F Lynx/Super Lynx
RF-29A Lynxeye
F-31A/C Peregrine
Panavia Tempest
Also, I updated the mass picture with all my aircraft designs.
Regarding the F-29..i noted the Ring Raiders version had the F-5 style landing gear ..then again RR planes seldom spot any serious loadout For the internal gun i would go for either a single nose mounted 27mm Mauser Bk27 or the GAU-12(relocated ofcourse).
As for the F-31 EFM..Peregrine seems nice although I would also suggest Mongoose, Sparrowhawk and Adler for the Luftwaffe version.
So far, the F-29 is using the same landing gear of the X-29, an F-5 nose gear and F-16 main gear. As far as the gun, I did consider going with a single-barreled BK, but I think for the F-29C/E, I'll use an M61 probably, mounted on the lower-right portion of the nose. A BK-27 is a possibility I'll look into.
Well, after surviving my first exam, and an all-nighter writing a term paper, this evening I finally got time to draw a bit. First up is an updated F-27C Warhawk II with a new tail, paneling changes on the forward fuselage, minor corrections to the weapon scaling, and the return of the FAST pack less-observable equipment package.
Also, minor updates on the F-31A, mostly the renaming and moving the gunpod aftward to clear the nose door (a dumb mistake on my part).
EDIT: Updated
EDIT: Max's VF-4 updated with a lot of work done to the engines and wings. The changes will filter down to Milia's plane later.
EDIT: And more work done on it, all that really needs to be done now is more shading and highlighting, some minor coloring like the wing lights, and some small tweaking.
I got a bit more done today, biggest change was the switchover to more realistic and subdued colors, in this case one of the FS595 blues. I have the next couple of days off since I just finished exams and hopefully I'll get some VF-4s done sometime very soon.
Max's
Blue with white stripes and beige radome
Blue with white stripes and white radome
Blue with black stripes and white radome
Milia's
Red with white stripes and beige radome
Red with white stripes and white radome
Red with black stripes and white radome
Hikaru's