F4U-1D Corsair - the neverending story :)

[Skyraider3D]

Hello folks... I guess you remember this... It started in July 2005...

http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wip01.jpg

http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wip02a.jpg

http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wip03b.jpg

http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wip04a.jpg

ANIMATION: http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_intercooler_hatch.mov

http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wip05.jpg

http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wip06a.jpg

http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wip06c.jpg

And now it's finally time for an update! :D

May 2006 (I know, it's shocking...) update:

http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wip07.jpg

This weekend is a bankholiday weekend and I am gonna try real hard to get the rest of the engine (and propeller) done!

And here's a wireframe for the sake of it :)

http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wire07.jpg

[kevjon]

Engine looks really impressive so far (so does the rest of the plane).

[zarroun]

WOW. That looks so good, even better than I remember. I love the ribs detail under the hood and in the cockpit, really nice touch! And your engine turned out great. This is just a beautiful plane.

Would you mind showing a mesh for the oil cooler (at least I guess that's what that is) on the wings? I'm very interested to see how you got those shapes from the wing.

Wonderful job, can't wait to see it with textures! (If we had a smily clapping hands, I'd insert one here)

[Skyraider3D]

Cheers guys.

Zarroun, it started off like this... but now it's a whee bit more complicated :)
http://skyraider.allaboutwarfare.com/files/modelling/F4U/F4U-1D_wire02.jpg

[zarroun]

Ah, I must have posted before you added the wire for the engine. Or maybe I was just blind. Looks impressive. Thank you for the wire. Really smart solution for that problem!

Are you planing on making the wings functional?

[Xizor]

awesome detail and renders, i really love the blooming effect you give to your renders :)

[krazycolin]

me too... and that begs the question.. exactly how do you get that bloom????

[krazycolin]

and what are you using to render? and the material?

[krazycolin]

and no... i don't want the plane... thanks.... :D :D :D :D

[krazycolin]

but i would like to know whether you solved the rotation/reaction/linkage problem?

[zarroun]

Well, I want it. Not the model, but the real plane!

[Meshfan]

Sexy detailing and model.

:)

Very nice!

[jkbon]

Very nice update, next one in April 2007 ? :lol: :p

[Spinner]

Thanks for the radiater inlet wire.
It's very helpfull, as my Whirlwind rads has been a problem area for me.
Anyone ever tell you you're very good at this?;)

[yobiko]

Nice work :)
I hope I can mine to look this nice!

[Skyraider3D]

Are you planing on making the wings functional?Not at the moment, but I have cut in the folding seams to make it easier to detach the wings if/when I do. Same goes for the landing gear. I won't make it yet, but I will cut in the wheel doors so it will just be a matter of adding them.

Very nice update, next one in April 2007 ?Take it easy, I don't do magic! ;)

Anyone ever tell you you're very good at this?Usually they tell me I am very SLOW at this, which is true! :lol:

but i would like to know whether you solved the rotation/reaction/linkage problem?Yes and no :) I just left it the way it is. It's almost as easy to select all cowling flaps and rotate them than it is to slide a slider.
I did get the whole cooling hatch system to work though, as you can see from the animation (http://skyraider.allaboutwarfare.com/files/modelling/F4U/F4U-1D_intercooler_hatch.mov). Thanks again for your help with that.

exactly how do you get that bloom????Easy 1-2-3 :)
1 - duplicate layer
2 - set layer to lighten
3 - blur
You can enhance the effect by applying a maximise filter before blurring.

and what are you using to render? and the material?E-Light of course ;) (with bug standard scanline renderer)
Material is a simple satin-gloss grey-blue Blinn with a Falloff map in the Reflection channel and a Raytrace map in the "Side" slot.

PS. One reply with all your questions would be more efficient, Colin :p

[denders]

Fantastic! It looks great! I can't wait to see the completion.

[krazycolin]

uh yeah.... but i'm not trying for efficiency... i'm trying to get out of being a soldier... :D :D :D :D....

[Martocticvs]

Oh... not much chance of that, I should think! hehe

Nice work on the engine there ronnie!

[Dacattack]

Great work as usual,.....Where do you get all your sky backgrounds?

[Synthesizer]

Wow, great work Ronnie! That's great that you're coming back to this, it looks so great in the renders. Hopefully you can find some more time to work on it.

[zarroun]

Great work as usual,.....
Yeah, gosh. Why don't you post something that totally stinks for a change, to make us feel a bit better :p (That's just jealousy talking here)

[kiwi123]

STILL not finished ??? :lol:

[zarroun]

Thanks again Ronnie for the mesh on the oil cooler. I was able to use your solution to add the cooler openings to my B-17.

[digiartist]

You realise when this beauty's finished we're going to expect at least 50different renders of it in different markings! :D

[hinoon]

Really nice work on the engine. Ron. Shaping up to be a real beauty.

[Lukem]

Gulp!

This is the first time I've seen this and I'm absolutely speechless - fantastic!

[Nils]

Impressingly beautifully done ....I really love the detail work :)

[arai]

looks great, keep going. playing any il-2 lately?

[Skyraider3D]

Thanks a lot for all the replies, guys! :D


Where do you get all your sky backgrounds?I always take a camera in the plane with me when going on holiday ;) Hills are handy too, and some are simply taken from my bedroom window (such as the last Mustang one).

You realise when this beauty's finished we're going to expect at least 50different renders of it in different markings! :DWell, 25 profiles are planned, with conversions to -1, -1A, -1C, -4, -5, and -7 variants! Don't worry, you'll get bored of it before I'm done with this one! ;)

looks great, keep going. playing any il-2 lately?Yeah, Mon-Thu 12.30-13.15 PM GMT to be precise! Look out for <MM>Sky3D or <MM>Skyraider3D. I can normally be found on UK Dedicated 1.
But other than that I don't manage to fly much... too busy... :(
We could schedule an evening in the weekend though, as we've done before? :)

[giant551]

looking real fine Ronnie, i really admire your patience and eye for detail:)

[krazycolin]

i really admire my patience... for waiting on this plane is killing me... :D

[Mirko]

I remember your Corsair......!
Wonderful details Sky.

:salute:

[digiartist]

Any clues as to what your first render might be?:p

[Skyraider3D]

Any clues as to what your first render might be?:p
Yes, it'll be a post-war -1D model with orange US Navy Reserve tailband:
http://www.aikensairplanes.com/images/cfps5.JPG

[Spinner]

Interesting choice!
Not what I would've expected.

[Skyraider3D]

Choice wasn't made by me but by the author of a book about Corsairs. It's gonna be one of many, so you'll no doubt will get the usual subjects... ;)

One I personally want to do is Don Sheppard's double victory over Ki-43 Hayabusas over Sumatra on 4 January 1945. He was flying a heavily weathered, clipped-wing Royal Navy Corsair Mk.II. I'll probably be visiting the PRO (public archives) sometime soon to dig up his combat reports to get it real accurate.

[Spinner]

Got the JAAF sentai tail markings etc, if you need any.

[yobiko]

A book about Corsairs? cool, will have to keep my eyes open for that one. :)

That battle-scenario sounds like a cool idea.

[denders]

Absolutely! I'm sure Ronnie will let us know when its out. You can Never have too many books on Corsairs!:rolleyes:

Sheppard's corsair sounds like a good one.

[Larsen]

Amazing work man... very well done:eek:

[Skyraider3D]

Thanks guys!

Spinner, I've been investing in some Japanese Army Air Force reference books over the past few months and am pretty sorted on the research. A photo of a 71st IFC machine would be most welcome, but I think that's idle hope anyway... probably none exist.


I haven't been able to put much time in this project during the summer, but that should change as of now.

Here's an update...
http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wip08.jpg (http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wip08.mov)


PS. Colin, I have figured out the animation of the cowling flaps. Linear Rotation works just fine, actually. I just made the mistake of not changing the slider before creating a new state. This is what was causing the animation to jump from one state to another. All sorted now, no more need for pivot objects. TCB Rotation works good as well for more complex, non-linear anims.

[:FI:Exec]

Yay first reply!

Wow ronnie.. look at the pr0n Gl0 g0!:lol:

looking superb mate!

[Mirko]

It is perfect as a Swiss clock.:D
Truly nice Ronnie!

[kiwi123]

So where is the gear ?

[Archetype]

woot an update

[digiartist]

Ronnie doesnt believe in landing gear ;)

[Galgot]

Cool! Thats clean...

[denders]

Looking Great Ronnie!

[Skyraider3D]

Cheers guys.

Very funny Wiek, you know exactly where it is. Who needs gear for in-flight renders and sideview profiles anyway? I will model the gear doors and may add gear later, but the Corsair doesn't look nice with wheels out anyway, so I probably won't bother.

[Evan]

Looking great Ronnie!

[kiwi123]

I think the corsair looks awesome with gears, flaps and arrestor hook out...

Cheers guys.

Very funny Wiek, you know exactly where it is. Who needs gear for in-flight renders and sideview profiles anyway? I will model the gear doors and may add gear later, but the Corsair doesn't look nice with wheels out anyway, so I probably won't bother.

[Skyraider3D]

And I think a Spitfire looks great as cutaway :lol:

[krazycolin]

I have to agree with Wiek (kiwi)... i have one of these as a plastic model and i actually prefer it with the gear down.... maybe you could animate it on the deck of a carrier about to take off?

[digiartist]

Anymore of this and you're both going to be locked in the same room and forced to build 3d flowers and fluffy bunny rabbits which should help calm the 'wheels up\wheels down' debate...and make you better people:p

[krazycolin]

HAHAHAHAHA.... yup!!! he's right.... everybody take a break.... wheels up or down... it matters not. what matters is that it look good....

[Skyraider3D]

Sanity at last :)
Thank you.

This project has been going on since July 2005 (May if you count the two false starts I made) and it's about time I round it off. Adding the landing gear (which on the Corsair is quite complex) is not going to help :)

What you prefer? Corsair with landing gear or Corsair in combat with a Ki-43 Hayabusa (Oscar)? ;)

PS. I will do landing gear on the Hayabusa, as it just looks too cool on the ground! :lol:

[Lukem]

Fluffy bunny rabbits? If you need reference, I've got one here who would be happy to pose for you!

Seriously good stuff Skyraider!

Kiwi123: So not 12 years then? :lol:

[kiwi123]

No apparently not :lol:

[pccdtk]

Looks very very nice .....Could I want more ?!!! ....Can you ( if you find time ) to anim the camera too ?!!!

[Skyraider3D]

Looks very very nice .....Could I want more ?!!! ....Can you ( if you find time ) to anim the camera too ?!!!You mean a spin-around anim? Will do once the modelling is complete.

[krazycolin]

glad to have been of service...

[pccdtk]

You mean a spin-around anim? Will do once the modelling is complete.


....that too !!!....Initially I think about a camera movement that show better animated parts ...

[Skyraider3D]

Christmas update! :)

Wingfolding works now. Was very tricky to get the seam to have the right shape as the real thing, let alone get the fold angle correct. In fact the only way to get the seam correct was to get the folding animation right, as it almost perfectly follows the airfoil shape once folded.

http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wip09_anim.jpg (http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wip09.mov)

NB. For those with sharp eyes... outer flaps are currently not installed (working on that at the moment...) and inner flaps haven't been cut out yet.


Here's a higher resolution image:

http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wip09.jpg


Merry Christmas everyone!

[songbird]

WOW! Very beautiful render~~nothing to say...
I have just read the article about F4U of Chyvalries and like this aircraft very much. Hope to see the final render of this perfect model...

[krazycolin]

nice animation... perhaps another angle would better.. that way we can see what's actually happening?

[Archetype]

i quit. really.
no point in doing planes anymore
shrug

[denders]

Cant' wait 'til its done!!

[kevjon]

That looks like a awful lot of work to get that to fold correctly. Well done to work out all the variables involved.

[Evan]

Nice update!

[Hitori Kyo]

very nice indeed! keep up the fine work.

- Hitori Kyo

[Skyraider3D]

Thanks guys!


Archetype, you silly billy, get on with your Mossie/Sea Fury/Stoooka! They were all looking fab! :)

Colin, other angles in future updates... no worries, you'll be screaming "o no not another Corsair render one day" :p

Kevin, the Maru Mechanic was a life saver here. It at least gave me partial coordinates and angles of the hinge line. Not all though, so it was a bit or trial and error. Madness how much one tenth of a degree can make a difference though! :eek: Somehow miraculously it worked out in the end, the distance between the tips when folded and the total width matching up to within one cm of the given data. All linked to a slider no, so animating is easy. Gonna be fun once the flaps are hooked up, as much of the pushrods are visible when the wings are folded. And it gotto work of course! Might even link it to some controls in the cockpit... ;) I definitely will with the main flight controls! Now shall I bother animating the altimeter and speedo... hmmm...

I have just read the article about F4U of ChyvalriesWhat's that?

[digiartist]

looking good mate!

[songbird]

oh, it's just a story about the life of F4U;)

[Lukem]

Lovely render mate! I'm looking forward to seeing more - I'm greedy like that!:D

[giant551]

nice update Ronnie i like the movement of the wings very much

[Clanger]

Ah... so this is what you've been upto since I've been away.
Looking really smooth as always.

[Skyraider3D]

Been working a bit more on it since. Mainly the flap system. Real headache but getting there...
Hopefully it will all pay off in the end when I animate the lot :)
Here's a nice story about a dogfight with a Corsair, including dropping gear and flaps - see "Escape over Rabaul:
http://www.acepilots.com/usn_aces2.html
He dropped his flaps and landing gear and nosed down until he was skimming the waves; as the Zero roared over him, he pulled his Hog's nose up and opened fire.

Now all I need to do - besides finishing this bent-wing b*st*rd - is to model a Zero. Got some really nice books already for this purpose, though it isn't a high priority project.
Too much to do, too little time!


Ah... so this is what you've been upto since I've been away.Hehehe, that's what I've been up to since I can remember ;)
Good to have you back on MM. Hope you'll visit more frequently from now on :D
And where did that Spitfire true-to-life cutaway go? ;) (read: please re-post/continue! :D)

[Martocticvs]

Missed this when you posted it - great! (the work that is, not the fact that I missed it... which obviously isn't. I think. Something like that anyway.)

[krazycolin]

you may use my zero if you wish....

[Skyraider3D]

Thanks for the kind offer Colin. I'm quite keen on modelling it myself though, as I have some fantastic references for it now. But first I'll do a Ki-43 Hayabusa, which I've already started.

[Skyraider3D]

Close-up of some parts that will never been seen again! :lol:

http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wip10.jpg

[Evan]

Very nice detail!

[Zorin]

Insane sums it up quite nicely I'd say ;)

[kevjon]

No wonder it has taken you so long to finish this plane, great detail but sadly most of it will be lost/disappear in any inflight renders. So little detail shows in the renders that I don't even bother uv mapping or texturing my engines but it is important to have that suggestion of detail there (like cockpits).

[pccdtk]

Lovely details Ronnie !!! More angles pls.!!!!

[kiwi123]

Yup nice detail, but it will only haunt you forever (like my G1 with 1,5 million polys of wich 40% engines and 30% cockpitdetail that you never see)... :lol:

[digiartist]

engine looks fantastic mate! Really does...how about a virtual Corsair walkaround album when its all finished? Would be a really nice way to see all the time and effort you've put into the details like the engine.

[Mirko]

Hi ronnie
The details are truly incredible. Congratulations, skillful job. :eek:

:salute:

[Hitori Kyo]

great work lokks stunning, i agree with "digiartist" suggestion.

- Hitori Kyo

[Galgot]

Crazy detailing :eek: But looks so good anyway... Why detailing the shaft rod so much ? Will you not do the prop ? The walkaround idea is good, just like M.Miller renders but with no cutaways, that engine is at that level of detail.

[jkbon]

Fantastic !

[Pablo_nemesis]

Woah man, this images are exelent ( after checking all the thread) , modeling is awesome, renders are totaly beautiful XD

[Skyraider3D]

Thanks guys! :)

I considered doing a 3D walkaround some years ago but never thought I'd actually build a model that would stand up to close-up renders. I guess I could give it a shot :D

Shaft rod... well exactly, one of those silly details. I just had good references for it and it was probably the easiest thing to make. Might do a maintenance scene or something? ;)

[PZL_11_C]

There's only one thing i can say: WOW

[Martocticvs]

You see the reason I build things so highly detailed is because I'm more interested in actually building it, rather than doing anything with it afterwards... so I like this!

[scrimski]

A reverse explode view would be nice, some build up, something like that was posted a few weeks here before, an engine if I remember right.

And hell yeah, impressive(as usual).

[Lukem]

Beautifull! A walk-around disc of this would be fantastic.

I do agree with Martocticus's sentiments concerning modelling detail. Are you UV mapping this as you go along? Looks like it could be a pain to do it all at the end.

More please!:D

[Skyraider3D]

Thanks guys! :)
I UV map only once everything is modelled. Nothing is worse than re-unwrapping stuff cause you had to change the model at some stage ;)

[Martocticvs]

Hmm... unwrapping... this I need to learn - and soon!

[mrys]

There's only one thing i can say: WOW

I can say two things: WOW WOW!

Fantastic work Ronnie!

[kevjon]

The good thing about this engine too is you can reuse it on quite a few planes. It is amazing detail, about the only thing missing is the cooling fins, be interested to see how it looks once you get around to texturing it.

[Skyraider3D]

The good thing about this engine too is you can reuse it on quite a few planes. It is amazing detail, about the only thing missing is the cooling fins, be interested to see how it looks once you get around to texturing it.The ironic thing is that each R-2800 engine variant is quite different from the other! I am modelling the R-2800-8W. When doing a google for this particular version you'll quickly notice the Corsair is the only aircraft on which it was used. Even worse, post-war versions use another variant of this engine (-18W) which also is different.
This is also one of the reasons why I don't model the cooling fins. I'll texture them, as the arrangement is different on the -18W. Also it will save a hell of a lot of polygons and ditto rendertime. It will probably look better too, as modelled cooling fins cause aliasing and moiré effects, which bugged me when modelling the As 10 C engine (http://skyraider.allaboutwarfare.com/files/modelling/As10C-3_wip01.jpg).

[kevjon]

Bummer you can't reuse the engine as is. You've put a lot of great detail into it so hopefully it would not be to much modification to reuse it in a P47 or Hellcat if you ever do these planes in the future. I think only mechanics of these planes would know the difference in the variants of the R2800 and they'd be getting on a bit by now.
Anyway looks cool !

[Deprite]

thats realy cool work, special love the detail masses in the close up :D
about modeling every engine in its little differents...if you have fun by doing it..why not :D

[Sky_Eagle]

Wow! Thats one very detailed engine. Could you show a wire ?

[Skyraider3D]

There's one on the first page, but here you go, an updated one:

http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wire10.jpg

[Niels]

wow! Looks very good man!:)

[kevjon]

Very neat engine Skyraider, mesh looks very efficient too.

[giant551]

very nice mesh Ronnie;)

[Martocticvs]

'ere, you haven't been chamfering all your edges! The shame!

[Skyraider3D]

'ere, you haven't been chamfering all your edges! The shame!Hehehe. I figured I won't bother if the chamfer will be smaller than a pixel in the final render ;)
(actually, I could claim I did, but the chamfers are smaller than a pixel so you don't see them :lol:)

[chrisken]

Bummer you can't reuse the engine as is. You've put a lot of great detail into it so hopefully it would not be to much modification to reuse it in a P47 or Hellcat if you ever do these planes in the future. I think only mechanics of these planes would know the difference in the variants of the R2800 and they'd be getting on a bit by now.
Anyway looks cool !

It would not be that hard because the major features of the engine are not different. The cylinders are the same as are ignition harness. Magneto drives and distributor are picked off at different locations as are scavange pumps .Cousair , P47 and Hellcat all use PW R 2800 B Series. My overhaul manual is a copy of Royal Navy Manual 1831 Sqn. I also have the overhaul manual for R 1830. The only difference in cylinders is that the R2800 has deeper fins of the same layout as R 1830. F4U used -8/-8w,-14w,-18/18w and -32w Hellcat used -10/10w Major differences were that 8w was updraft carburetion and 10w was downdraft. Info on models is laid out well in Graham White's Allied Aircraft Piston Engines of WW2

[Demons7th_Delta]

Most awesome work for one of my favorite aircraft :)

[Skyraider3D]

Thanks for the info, Chrisken! I'm working from wartime FAA drawings of the R-2800B, as well as photographs and other drawings I found.


Cheers D7D :)

[Peter Ewbank]

By-the-way chrisken, the P&W R-2800 B engine overhaul manaul you pictured is my manual that I bought in England in 2004. I scanned it and put it on CD and sell it at a reasonable price so that members can get access to source material without having to pay USD 200 - 400 to get the info they need. I also have the wall chart for this. I've since sold the manual to the Grandson of the former Commander of 1831 Sqdn and the original now resides on the Isle of Wight - hope I spelt it wight, couldn't resist :-( Anyway, me does hope you guys are not buying from pirates. I do hope you are all supporting the people who actually do the work - me and only one or two others. Another note, the B within 6 months of publication became an 8 from what I gather and so this manual is good for the P&W R-2800 8 as well.

[chrisken]

By-the-way chrisken, the P&W R-2800 B engine overhaul manaul you pictured is my manual that I bought in England in 2004. I scanned it and put it on CD and sell it at a reasonable price so that members can get access to source material without having to pay USD 200 - 400 to get the info they need. I also have the wall chart for this. I've since sold the manual to the Grandson of the former Commander of 1831 Sqdn and the original now resides on the Isle of Wight - hope I spelt it wight, couldn't resist :-( Anyway, me does hope you guys are not buying from pirates. I do hope you are all supporting the people who actually do the work - me and only one or two others. Another note, the B within 6 months of publication became an 8 from what I gather and so this manual is good for the P&W R-2800 8 as well.

I know that peter ,I only showed the cover in case skyraider may be intrested in aquiring your manual. I quite often direct people to your site.I am a good customer of yours by the way (grog50au) and I have no intrest in supplying what I buy to anybody else. Just one question as the Devils Advocate ? P&W own the copyright on all their technical publications . Their customers buy a copy to service their product. Are they allowed to copy it?

[Peter Ewbank]

Thanks Chris, the answer may surprise you. Customers of P&W are able to buy my P&W R-2800 B (8) in digital format, but they are not allowed to copy it without my permission, except under fair use provisions. But if the licensing authority for the P&W brand demanded that I withdraw my product then I would have to oblige. Just like the model manufacturers and publishers. In fact the manual on CD is a published product, in every sense a digital book. By-the-way, I love your work on the Hurricane and am going to start doing some 3D soon too. As you may have gathered, we're having a protracted "tussle" with some people who think nothing of stealing people's products, claiming them as their own and then lying about it. And then lying about it some more and creating a smoke screen and so on. Thanks for your support, it is truly appreciated.

[Skyraider3D]

No update yet (though I have been working on this lately and will have an update soon), but I decided to write down the procedure of animating objects using the Reaction Manager:
http://www.military-meshes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1378

I hope it's of interest to some :)

[JackSkieczius]

wow, really nice stuff there. i always loved the Corsair.

[Akio]

How's going Ronnie?

I really looking fword to this fantastic project!

[Skyraider3D]

I've stopped working on it and binned the project.




Only joking :)
I'm still working on it but progress is a bit slow. The Corsair now has working flaps though, but I need to finish a few smaller details before I'm ready to show it. Currently the model is cut up in small pieces and I need to finish all the small details and mirror them and then stitch it all up again :)

[kiwi123]

but progress is a bit slow

:eek::eek::lol::lol:

Understatement of the year (and last)

hehehe.

[Skyraider3D]

It's still alive... really...

http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/images/F4U/F4U-1D_wip11.jpg

Most new additions (flaps system) can't actually be seen in this view, but that area isn't completely done yet so I am saving that for later.

I recently found a great set of factory drawings for the Corsair (in one of the Corsair's 1000-page maintenance manuals), which has given this project a new boost. It's a case of two steps forward, one step back though as I have also found a number of errors on my model, which need to be rectified. The worst being the cross section of the forward fuselage and width of the cockpit area... that could be tricky to fix, but I will fix it!

[Deetz]

Nice engine detail, looks like a nice clean model there. Get that baby finished :D

[Evan]

Looks good from this angle Ronnie. So what has been worked on that can be seen... the engine? Engine detail looks nice....

Good to see the project is still progressing!

[denders]

Wow!!:eek: Go Ronnie Go! Looks fabulous. I want to grab the mouse, press the control keys and spin it around to have a better look.:rolleyes:

[kevjon]

Good to see you got those flaps done. Nice start on finishing the rest of the engine.

[pccdtk]

It's still alive... really...

!

....I really enjoy that ....looks "terrible" from this angle....

[Nils]

With all this lovely details, a render scene would probably not do it justice, what are you plans with it?

[falcon012]

A gorgeous looking model. It will be a real triumph when you get her done.

[digiartist]

Nice to see the update! Looking good.

[Mirko]

Superb mate - the angle looks so fantastic!!!

:salute:

[macmullin]

Hi Skyraider,

The F4U model looks fantastic - those details will not go to waste! What texture scheme /airforce markings or Corsair Ace's plane are you planning for your creation?

[Lukem]

Great to see an update on this mate! The engine really looks superb.

[Skyraider3D]

Thanks guys. There's been a bit more work on the engine since last time, a lot of tweaking of the mesh throughout, mainly to sort out mesh flow problems and I've subdivided the nose some more as some polygons were visible around the windshield edge, but most work went into the very complex flap system. When that's all done I'll post the next update.


Macmullin, I have a whole list of plans/ideas, starting with a bunch of profile renders for a book. Other subjects include British Corsairs fighting Japanese fighters over Sumatra, US Corsairs being bounced by N1K2-Js of the 343rd Kokutai (JNAF), Honduran Corsairs fighting El Salvador Mustangs(!), Korean nightfighter and Marine Corps birdcage variants. The first render (besides the profiles that is) will be something totally different though... you'll see... hopefully this lifetime! ;)

With all this lovely details, a render scene would probably not do it justice, what are you plans with it?Well as you can see... lost of renders to cover all angles! And I plan to double the texture resolution compared to my Mustang, so I can do close-ups as well.

[mcebas]

Your F4U model looks amazing, very good job!!
Ronnie, I think that you are the master on it... :lol:
I wait to see the texturing of your model, because your another model look real!!

[rsvette12]

Incredible job Sir, wow thanks for sharing. :D

Regards, Rich