Northrop F-20 Tigershark - WIP

[Toragh]

My 3D class is all working on cars, and coming from the automotive world myself, I am absolutly sick of cars, so I picked this up (teacher doesn't mind). I wasn't able to find any good blueprints to use, so I got a friend to make some up. They're still WIP's themselves, but the project started last monday, so I just started blocking out the basics now. I'm using Max 8.

modelWIP-01 (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/Toragh1/modelWIP-01.png)
modelWIP-02 (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/Toragh1/modelWIP-02.png)
modelWIP-03 (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/Toragh1/modelWIP-03.png)
modelWIP-04 (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/Toragh1/modelWIP-04.png)

I need to increase the camber of the wings, and the air intake aso needs to be raised, regardless of NURMS.

Any C&C will be welcome, thank you.

[mrys]

Welcome on MM Forum!

What is good is, that you don't model cars (95% modelling cars. It is sick ;) ). Subject is also very good. But you are using very poor blueprint. Maybe someone here could help you with finding better.

Keep this work alive, cause Tigershark is beautiful plane:).

[Toragh]

Like I said, the blueprints are still a WIP. I just wanted to build a base model and get some details in for practice, then start again with the finished blueprints.

I don't like how I modeled the intake walls, and the flow between fuselage and wings aren't really that great. Just goes to show how much of a noob I am to aeronautics.

Here's a couple shots of the tails. I had them modeled earlier, but they weren't really all that great, but now they look a whole lot better.

modelWIP-05 (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/Toragh1/modelWIP-05.png)
modelWIP-06 (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/Toragh1/modelWIP-06.png)

[krazycolin]

i have some F-5E drawings that are almost perfect.... and thats a pretty close match for what you are making...

if you want them, please let me know...

KC

[Galgot]

Hi ! Very cool subject.
I've never seen any good complete scaleplan of that one.
Here is a good site, maybe you know it :
http://www.f20a.com/index.html
with a very complete photo gallery:
http://www.f20a.com/f20foto.htm
And specially this very interesting :
http://www.f20a.com/f20inboard.gif
As far as the model is concerned, looks like a good start, main shapes are ok...Maybe sharpen the wings leading and trailing edges, they are like razors on the real one.
Cheers

Edit: oh i can see you must know that site, your scale plan seems to be based on that last drawing ;-)

[Toragh]

First rule of modeling, get tons of reference:p Thanks for the suggestions

A bit slow on the upswing here, but things are really busy with graduation. Should have something by monday.

[Toragh]

OK, really late on the upswing here. Graduation's long over, but I got caught up trying to get a job. I found one, but that's ended and now I'm trying to find a new one :eek: But I'm also in college now, finishing off my last quarter of the 3D class I'm in. This entire quarter is up to me, and my project is a complete dogfight scene. I'm of course using the F-20, but I'm not sure what to use for the second fighter.

That being said, I'm asking for help from the experts here. I'm looking for a fighter of that time, and that includes varients of the earlier jet fighters. I've thought of using the Mig 21, but I think the Mig-29 would be a better choice since it's of the same era, and would give a better challenge. The same could be said of the Dissault Mirage 2000.

Any ideas?

[kiwi123]

well, considering the f-20 is a hypothetical scenario in a dogfight anyways you can pretty much go for anything you like of that time :)

The Mig-29 is a good choice, you could also paint it in agressor colors and have it engaging F-14/15/16/18 in a dogfight training scenario a la topgun.

[Toragh]

Nah, gonna stick to the F-20. I'm setting it up that they are escorting A-10 Thunderbolts on a raid, and are attacked enroute. I'm just not sure what what kind of agressor I want it to be. But I want to choose a craft that would seem like the right choice for that mission. Things such as turning abilities, speed, how well or not it does in a dive, ect...

[kiwi123]

I didn't mean you should get rid of the f-20 at all ! :lol:
Mig-29 seems the obvious choice, it's quite wide spread.

[Toragh]

True enough, thanks. Looks like I stick with the Mig-29 then. I'll be looking for as much info as I can on my own, but does anyone here have any leads? thanks in advance!

[CuttingEdge100]

The F-20 was one of those aircraft that seemed to pop-up and then just seemed to fade into nowhere.

I think it's a nice design and I wish you all good luck


CuttingEdge100

[Toragh]

Ok, I have some animation tests to show. They aren't long, and no camera moves in some. Far from perfect, and these scenes may or may not make it to the final cut, but I'm not really worried about that.

First off it's a couple of basic manuvers with the good ol' max tutorial jet:
Dive-n-Climb (http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/Toragh1/General/DogFight/?action=view&current=dive-vertclimb_02.flv)
Simple Climb (http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/Toragh1/General/DogFight/?action=view&current=BR-vertclimb_01.flv)


Here's a short test of a dogfight. I'm using pre-made VRML models by Soji Yamakawa. A Mig-29 as the agressor, an A-10 as the Mig's target, and an F-5 as a stand in for the F-20 that breaks off the Mig's attack.
Dogfight (http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/Toragh1/General/DogFight/?action=view&current=test-01.flv)

[VFXWest]

Hey, I saw that you are looking for an adversary for your F-20.

Here is my suggestion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jexr944Allg

It looks like it would be very easy to tweak your F-20 model to look like the "brand new" Iranian fighter. LOL - Just add an extra horizontal stabilizer.

Yeah, the Iranian people can be really proud of that unique design. What a joke.

Geee, where are we ever gonna find a plane that can mimic the flight characteristics of this "advanced figher" for the F-22 to practice shooting down?

[krazycolin]

uh,,, if you actually look at that footage... the plane's intakes are still covered with the red don't fly FOD covers... WTF?????

[Gibbage]

I saw that. I cant see if they are FLYING with them, but they are running around the runway with them on. I think what it is, is a dust cover for taxi only. Im sure, like the Mig and SU jets, they have large vents on top to draw air in, and keep fod out for taxi. This thing was designed for a desert runway.

[VFXWest]

My favorite part of that video is the Iranian pilot at the end. The 1970's Elvis sunglasses are awesome! Seems appropriate for a 30 year old fighter design. :lol:

My guess is right now the USAF is pulling a bunch of F-4 & F-5's out of storage and painting them with desert camo. Our agressor squadrons stopped using them long ago...

http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/070709-F-3646G-223.jpg

[kiwi123]

That is definitely a very interesting approach. Even the untrained eye would see the similarity with the F5 flying right next to it in the video.

Let's just add another tailplane, that will make it MUCH better. Still, I've always like the F5, good to see I am not the only one :lol:

[Toragh]

I liek the F5 aswell. It's old but still a sturdy design.

Well, I've gotten a little distracted by halloween. I'm doing last minue building on my Star Wars Jango Fett costume :lol: After that, I'll have some more stuff to show.

However, I have picked up on making it a movie, storyline and all. Setting is 2010. I'm gonna model these planes as blueprints say anyways since I'm using planes that follow designs from the 70's, yet keep being updated to modern tech (minus the f-20). Though for the F-20 I'll make it to original blueprints, then add a little blemish here and there. Maybe follow the frankenstien lead and make it a mix of f-20, mustang, and corsair :lol: