Flight Replicas Heron released...

[DaveB]

Mike..

I've found my Vanguard psd's (made by Gary Russell) and Flying Jack 'Blue' is giving 26,57,67.. taken off the fin map. Having since checked the fuse maps.. it's showing 25, 57, 67. Aim for either and you'll be close

EDIT: The results of the numbers above can be seen in this thread.. http://www.cbfsim.co.uk/cbfs_bb/viewtop ... 17&t=13209 Sorry the pictures are a little small

ATB
DaveB

[mike_cyul]

Anyway, I may not be describing it as well as I'd like, but I hope you understand my meaning (and it's just the BEA paint I'm talking of). If you look at the fin in that screenshot on your website, that is the best example, I think.

Thanks for 'listening'.

Hi JD. I hear what you're saying, and I've heard this now from others (although as usual I have to mention we've also now had several comments from users about how nicely it's done, too!) It may be a shading thing, as you say, and perhaps I'll see what I can do, but I'm beginning to think that perhaps the main problem, for those that don't own the Heron, is the lack of close-up screenshots that would show the skin detail. Perhaps smaller monitors will also make the detail hard to see (I'm looking into a 25" screen here, fairly large). I think it will be a good idea to add some of those to the screenshotpage on the FR website. I actually find the rivets a tad overdone, as they are the same size in both the external and VC, and if you sit in a passenger seat and look out over the wing, the rivets are just a little exaggerated (and dark, but otherwise they're too hard to see with just bump mapping).

Another thing that was difficult, incidentally, on the bare-metal schemes, is that De Havilland appears to have used aluminium (Birmabright? ) that was the same 'colour' over the entire skin, no variations in tone or reflectivity, or discolouration, as one finds on bare-metal B-17's and the like, and I have to say that looks somewhat strange in the sim - but that's what the photos appear to show, and so we stuck with it. But I think it looks peculiar in FSX if you're used to WWII aircraft, etc..

Once we get the VA landing lights to behave (hopefully today), I'll review the website screenshots, and also have a look at the shadowing on the exterior models. Stay tuned!

Mike

[mike_cyul]

Mike..

I've found my Vanguard psd's (made by Gary Russell) and Flying Jack 'Blue' is giving 26,57,67.. taken off the fin map. Having since checked the fuse maps.. it's showing 25, 57, 67. Aim for either and you'll be close

EDIT: The results of the numbers above can be seen in this thread.. http://www.cbfsim.co.uk/cbfs_bb/viewtop ... 17&t=13209 Sorry the pictures are a little small

ATB
DaveB

Many thanks, Dave, I will certainly check that out.

And thank you, too, (and Dale) for the continued testing for your VA landing light.

Mike

[mike_cyul]

A couple of screenshots of the Heron sporting 26,57,67 RGB. This look better? You can click on the pics to zoom in.





I've gone through the colour photos of the Heron's at Barra, and have a slightly hard time completely reconciling this blue with what's now on the model - could it be a little darker? Or is that just how colour film reacts to the contrasts.

I've also deepened the shading on the fuselage somewhat, but honestly there's not a lot on a Heron that casts shadows....

Mike

[DaveB]

Hi MIke

I'm jiggered if I can find an 'in service' shot of the Heron wearing Flying Jack (colour) but that looks right to me for a new, in-service paint. The only colour shots I can find are the ones of the Heron at Newark and I took a load myself last time I was there so I know what that one looks like It was a darned odd colour and something of a departure for BEA who'd traditionally been rather more 'low key'. If I can dig deeper into what's left of my grey matter.. the colour did darken with age.. burn if you like.. rather than fade. I've found 2 shots of ZK already on my space here so I'll try and like to them..




Note.. I've no idea what's on these but I'm presuming its ZuluKilo at Manchester I did come across the originals I took yesterday while looking for something else though where exactly, I now can't remember

In the meantime.. here are a few of the Heron (RN) taken this afternoon. The panel detail IS there but probably not as obvious as we've been used to. This sort of thing is quite often over done but this is not the case here. Re the internal shots looking at the wings.. I don't think they're over done Mike.. pretty much what you'd expect..





EDIT: Thank goodness those 2 shots turned out to be ZK and not something else Neil and what team he had were very keen to get this correct and I know what you're thinking.. very few colour shots online show FJ like this. I don't know if its one of those colours that doesn't photograph well or if some of the shots online are under-exposed or if the colour actually degraded reasonably quick


ATB
DaveB

[mike_cyul]

Thanks for those, Dave.

FSX has always been fun to try and do colours in, as not only is there the 'eye ofthe beholder' thing, but monitors can be calibrated differently, and as you say, paint can change colour over time.

Just out of interest, because it's been mentioned, some nice colour shots of the BEA Herons at Barra can be found here: https://www.flickr.com/search?sort=rele ... rra%201973

You'll have to scroll down a little.

Mike

[Dev One]

Mike, Just a thought for your comment about different shades of 'clean' aluminium, I cannot answer for DH as I was a Vickers man, but I think the Viking - Viscount, (of similar age) used what was commonly called 'Alclad' & what would now be specified as L72. L73 was the same specification core material but without the pure aluminium cladding which of course was there to retard corrosion. The Valiant I think used L73 or its earlier DTD near equivalent & was painted. Most aircraft that I was in contact with during the 50's & 60's, because my father was a Chief Inspector of many airlines, e.g. Airwork, later painted their aircraft because I think too much polishing was wearing through the cladding - Eagle certainly painted their lower fuselages a Light Sea Grey (I think that was the definition, seemed the same as the inside of TSR2 that was specified on many drawings that I produced!) Sorry I've burbled on too long - an age problem maybe!
Keith

[J0hn]

Mike, I think the BEA Heron looks far better in those screenshots you posted.

[DaveB]

Thanks for that link Mike

Agree entirely btw. The 'eye of the beholder' is often unique to them and clouded by the mists of time. Likewise, monitor colour can have a huge effect. The monitor I'm currently using is 'supposedly' setup correctly but is more than a few degrees lighter than the other two I have (all 3 being TFT's). Then, there are differences between sims. DG posts a lot from P3D and the shading looks completely different to FS9 and FSX. If anything, his shots look a little dark.. even on my 'overly light' monitor. Interesting to note that every one of those shots on Flicker showed it a different colour too
As far as the model paint goes.. I wouldn't bother replacing the one you've already included. It would be as easy to release the one above as an additional paint.. perhaps listed as a fresh, new in-service version.. if you're happy with it that is We're happy with whatever we get

I don't know the exact origin of the RGB Gary used for the PK he gave me to do the Vanguard fleet. It's possible that it was matched to display for FS9.. I really don't know. I wish he'd pop in and add his two'pennyworth but I know his access is unpredictable (at best) at the moment.
EDIT: The FS9 paints weren't done to match ZK BTW.. ZK came much later

ATB
DaveB

[mike_cyul]

Dale and Dave, please check your email inboxes (if you haven't already), the latest exterior model should be there for you to try.

Thanks!

Mike