3DVir Inter Astrum Reboot

bbzwbbzw

After a looong break and hardcore burnout, I'm getting back into the hobby. I've decided to go back and redo everything with, what I hope, is much better models and artwork. Here are a couple things I'm working on.




Here is a comparison of the original model I did a few years ago and the new one. I'll be spending much less time in photoshop now.

It's good to be back!

BolianAdmiral

Very nice... I love the Jolly Rogers color scheme.

spacefighter

nice craft, the skull and crossbones on the tail reminds me of the colour scheme on some f 14s .

bbzwbbzw

spacefighter wrote: »

nice craft, the skull and crossbones on the tail reminds me of the colour scheme on some f 14s .

Yeah, all the markings are cold war era squadrons. here is a quickie render of the finished corsair in a vf-213 color scheme;

BolianAdmiral

The skull and crossbones, as well as the yellow/black colors are specific to the Jolly Rogers squadron, AFAIK, although variations of those patterns are also used on other squadrons.

bbzwbbzw

Different squadrons have inherited the name Jolly Rogers over the years. It was originally VF-17 in WWII, flying corsairs in the pacific. When that squadron was deactivated the identity was adopted by VF-61, and so on to VF-84 and currently it is VF-103.

cavebear

It's really nice to see you back :thumb::D:thumb:. Hope your batteries are recharged! Are you still using SU for the models or have you upgraded?

bbzwbbzw

Hey cavebear, it's good to be back, and yes, fully recharged. Still using sketchup, I think I'm getting better with it and having a computer that's not from the 20th century helps too! Here is an update on the corsair;

cavebear

bbzwbbzw wrote: »

Hey cavebear, it's good to be back, and yes, fully recharged. Still using sketchup, I think I'm getting better with it and having a computer that's not from the 20th century helps too! Here is an update on the corsair;

Great to hear! So what program are you using for the renders now that you are trying to do more of it outside of Photoshop?
BTW, the corsair is HOT!:D It does look better than the original :thumb:

spacefighter

bbzwbbzw wrote: »

very nice,how did you do that, what software are you using.

Tombo

Welcome back. Looks good so far :thumb:

bbzwbbzw

Glad you like old friend!
And in answer to starfighter I use ketchup for the model and raylection for the render.

bbzwbbzw

Update on another one;

Tombo

Ah, the Wildcat. My favourite US fighter. Looks like you're mixing the later style fuselage with an older style engine pod. Looks good.

Coolhand

bbzwbbzw wrote: »

Hey cavebear, it's good to be back, and yes, fully recharged. Still using sketchup, I think I'm getting better with it and having a computer that's not from the 20th century helps too! Here is an update on the corsair;

you actually *can* make nice models with sketchup, i can hardly believe it.;) Awesome looking fighter... only thing I don't like is the transition from the square-ish nacelle to the round nozzle.

spacefighter

bbzwbbzw wrote: »

Update on another one;

i think it looks too much like an aeroplane, well atleast it has not got tail planes. the wing shape is nice though. being a sketchup user myself i am forced to agree with coolhand that nice models *can* be made with sketchup.

Tombo

I've just noticed over at Wolf's Shipyard that you're thinking of making the Wildcat the USSN primary strike fighter, giving the Crusader to the USASF and designing a totally new multi-role fighter for the USSN. If you tweaked the scaling you could increase the Wildcat to around 15m (instead of 9.7m) and even possibly make it a 3-seater (pilot, WSO, EWO) (or a 2-seater with plenty of leg room )

bbzwbbzw

Thanks for the comments!

@Coolhand; Looking at it I can see what you mean.
@starfighter; Well, it's supposed to be transatmospheric, so that makes sense. I know the aerodynamics are probably farcical, but it looks like it could fly in air to a layman.
@Tombo; That's pretty much what I was thinking! It's right at 14m and I tried it with a third crewmember but it looked a little too much like a WWII torpedo bomber to me.

colbmista

any shape or form can fly nowadays as long as its computer assisted honestly

bbzwbbzw

Here is an update;
Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Knight26

Wow I can't believe that's done in sketchup, almost makes me consider switching over from ACAD.
I do love your designs, very nice, consistent style, and just the right amount of transatmo design elements, especially the big engines, almost sort of retro future 60/70s feel to them.

Borkless

These are crazy awesome! They have that so-ugly-it's-beautiful look that so many 70's fighters have. The pait schemes especially are pure win!

BolianAdmiral

I cannot believe this is done in Sketchup... now I'm REALLY impressed.

wminsing

huzzah, bbzwbbzw and VIA are back! And the models are better than ever. This made my morning.

Now where did I put the link for that wiki....

Re: giving the Crusader to the USASF, my only *very minor* objection is that the Crusader is not a traditional air force name, though the fighter could always be renamed.

The Wildcat as a strike fighter makes sense, it definitely already has a bit of 'bomb truck' look to it already! You could always design a bigger 3-seat craft for EWACS/deep space rescue/etc work.

-Will

Tombo

wminsing wrote: »

Now where did I put the link for that wiki....
-Will

http://via.wikia.com/wiki/Vir_Inter_Astrum_Wiki

spacefighter

bbzwbbzw wrote: »

Here is an update;
Uploaded with ImageShack.us

not keen on the shape(as i said too much like a normal aircrfat) but the quality of the model and the render look excellent. how did you manage that sort of panel lines effect, did you use textures and then carefully position them?

maybe ad some forefins(canards) and add some pipework and "stuff" around the engines such as thrust vectoring nozzles on the back.

Tombo

It looks like an ordinary aircraft because it's a trans-atmospheric fighter. The wings are needed for lift and for fuel storage (the fuselage is mostly weapons bays).

Knight26

It looks that way because it is a retro-future styling, almost a what if we kept going at the 60s space race pace, where would be now, kind of look. It really works for that, and while not 100% realistic it is a dang sight better then some peoples work on here where even when people offer sound design insight they continue to ignore it, lambaste it, use bad design elements. At least the Vir-Inter-Astrum--verse stuff looks plausible, and cool.

bbzwbbzw

spacefighter wrote: »

how did you manage that sort of panel lines effect, did you use textures and then carefully position them?.

Once the shape of the fuselage is done, you make a rectangle, push/pull it out a bit (it's going to represent the panel line), move the rectangle over the fuselage and intersect it. Erase the rectangle and you should have the panel line on the fuselage.

bbzwbbzw

Here is an update on an imperial fighter, I like the more angular look on it than the original;

Elowan

I like where this is going