Mount Cook Airlines HS.748

[Wildbillkelso]

Sorry, folks!

Got a little "side tracked" too:
The Tinmouse 737 became very addictive and then Steve Beeny released his awesome Cranberry which deserved to get some paint smashed on...

Just by coincidence while strolling across airliners.net, I've found this amazing pic here:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-North/H...-748/1769172/M/

Note the breathtaking rivet lines!
Good template for further improvements on the metal nacelles. This repaint turned out to be more time-consuming than I thought in the first place, so please stay patient.

Cheers,
Markus.

[Ian Warren]

A goldmine off detail and lnformation in that photo , great find

[Wildbillkelso]

Well, guys - the MAAM C-47 kept me busy within the last days. But it's her birthday coming soon:
75 years since the DC-3's maiden flight, so I thought to give her some nice new clothes...

I have been receiving some mails of people not owning the MAAM Dakota yet:
Some still hesitate purchasing it, some asking if I could paint the MS stock DC-3 too.
In my eyes (and not only in mine...) the MAAM Goon is the best rendition ever built of the best aeroplane ever built!
I know 30 US$ don't sound like a nice price, but since MAAM is a non-profit organisation, all the cash raised is used for the museum's R4D to keep her alive!
I've spent some money on worse payware...

There are still two Canadian paints (both Nordair) to be released, but then the 748's nacelles (only part missing yet) will receive their final polish!
ETA: within next week!

Cheers,
Markus.

[Ian Warren]

Markus , The Best money spent many many years ago , as i,m typing this , watching Daks getting loaded and roll - the movie 'A Bridge to Far' Operation Market Garden

I have been following your MAAM works , best i reinstall it back into FS9 75 birthdays are more than a 7.48

[Charl]

Good to know it's still in the pipeline, thanks Markus.
Nice DC-3 work, by the way!

[Wildbillkelso]

Thanks, Charl!
Yep, that was fun painting the Goon once again - always a challenge...

@ Ian:
Great gathering of C-47 in that movie! No CGI, just real Skytrains.

Back to rivet counting:







With the awesome reference image mentioned above, adding those rivets wasn't too hard. The nacelle's upper surfaces were tuned a little brighter. I tried to make the wings 'blank metal' as well, but the result wasn't too nice at all: I think I'd better leave them painted this way.

Should be packed tomorrow!

Cheers,
Markus.

[Ian Warren]

Looking great Markus Not the photo i was after , you can see the contrast with darker blue , parked out at Christchurch late 70s

[Wildbillkelso]

That's an amazing pic, mate!
Thanks for digging out and sharing!
I'm completely convinced about the light blue shade now (but I've been before already... )

The issue with the blank wings got me busy, but I think this is a quite nice result:












The horizontal stabilizer of course will receive similar treatment and maybe I'll fiddle a bit more on the lower parts of the nacelles...

Cheers,
Markus.

[AlisterC]

You are such an artist. Magic work, and thank you. I'm going to have to reinstall and relearn how to fly this again I think

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (Wildbillkelso @ Dec 1 2010, 05:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm completely convinced about the light blue shade now (but I've been before already... )
The issue with the blank wings got me busy, but I think this is a quite nice result:

Looking Good Matey , It could simply be the Blue on to Blue (sky), ill let you no after the install

QUOTE (Albatross @ Dec 1 2010, 06:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You are such an artist. Magic work, and thank you. I'm going to have to reinstall and relearn how to fly this again I think

You would seen these in this older scheme on your visits to Nelson airport in you early years Alister ?

[IslandBoy77]

Awesome work - an artist, indeed. It's great to see someone paying such attention to detail. Excellent also that people like Ian & others are happy to chip in with a wealth of info / input. Community at it's best!

[Wildbillkelso]

Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging replies!

QUOTE (IslandBoy77 @ Dec 1 2010, 01:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Excellent also that people like Ian & others are happy to chip in with a wealth of info / input. Community at it's best!

That's it!
This repaint really turned into a challenge. But Rick Piper's outstanding rendition deserves nothing less than the best I could do...

One more question:

What's the thing about this particular panel?



I've noticed this area got painted in a different shade on some repaints.
My guess would be that it's made of stainless steel instead of aluminium, due to the hot exhaust area underneath. Is that right?

What about the rivets?
Did I exaggerate them?
Don't want to make the nacelles appear like a 19th century's boiler...

Cheers,
Markus.

[Ian Warren]

Markus is wish i could find that photo , but i would go with that , the photo you found previously showing the nacelle detail i would go with it .

[Wildbillkelso]

Done!

Uploads completed.
As announced before, I've included the photoreal nacelle textures in two multi-layered files (PSD and PSP) for other repainters to play with. Please let me know how this works for you.

Have fun!

Cheers,
Markus.

[Charl]

Well I was going to a Real vs Sim on Ian's photo, but NZCH has developed beyond where those planes stood!
So instead, a start out of Invercargill



and into Queenstown (there's the SS Earnshaw plying its trade)



ending up at Wellington



Great model of course, and I do enjoy this repaint, although have no way of vouching for its authenticity.
What I do know is that Markus does a great package: properly researched and wrapped, with bonuses like Shockwave Lights and smoke for the cfg file.
Much appreciated Markus, very well done, it certainly was a long haul!

[Ian Warren]

Quite typical Charl , bloody fantastic screens , Markus , vouching for its authenticity.this work is HOT!

[Wildbillkelso]

Now these are some breathtaking screenshots, Charl!
Watching them makes me think: "This was worth it!"

Now if some of you folks decide to spend some time in European skies (I know Charl sometimes does...), you may make use of this one here:










It's Dan Air's G-AYYG (former Mount Cook NZ-MCF).
Very useful templates here:
http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.sear...inct_entry=true

I love this "we've just purchased this bird and quickly pasted our fleet's insignia on her" appearance! Calling this a "hybrid livery" seems a little overdone...

I've decided to create a completely new company lettering, using a "DAN AIR" template ("London" missing) I've found on wikipedia. Creating a "L" wasnt too hard, but the "O" took some time...
Note the nacelle's lower parts overpainted (as AYYG apparently wore). The horizontal stabilizer of course still has to receive his gray paint.

Cheers,
Markus.

[Ian Warren]

I knew this would lead you to this paint , I have also a couple B/W photos , the Red Cross Jobbie that flew to Cambodia called 'Mount Cook Line' , they took 'Air' out for fear off reprisal against the company and one off the original titles when Alister Mcleod flew it into the country in 1968 .

[Charl]

You're...kidding!
They didn't even alter the Lily Script??

Good to see the independent reference shots, what a bonus for you!
Well I guess this makes a painter's life a little easier, eh, 2 (almost) for the price of 1?
You're building up quite a custom font library, Markus...

[Wildbillkelso]

Talking about authenticity:
I've just a received a kind email from Ian S. and I hope he won't mind me quoting:

QUOTE

I want to say thank you for your repaint of the 748 in the older Mount Cook color scheme. This is exactly how I remember the aircraft when I was a Mount Cook pilot between 1972 and 1982. I have many photos and logbook entries and memories of CWJ. Great job![/quote]

What else could a painter desire?
Thank you all for your support!

Cheers,
Markus.