RNZAF MKV SUNDERLAND FSX REBUILD

[BendyFlyer]

Re:
Norm the Pic of the cockpit came off the web, I think the chap who took is Alan Willoughby according to the copyright logo. From memory it was posted on an NZ Warbirds forum. But there are other pirated copies about without the logo when you do a web search. I hope Alan does not mind our educational use of the image.

Ian I would agree but a source code release is not going to be forthcoming I fear, can't even get JBK to answer an email on any subject!. Still the cockpit rebuild as best we can given the limitations of textures and original modelling is just about finished and it all works well. I need to fine tune some coding for the gauges and do some minor editing and then it should be available for release. Probably about two weeks from now. I need permission from a number of gauge designer/builders to use their stuff, again If one can find them or get in contact with them.

[BendyFlyer]

Quick update here is what the finished product will be like, there is a lot of manuals/documents and other stuff etc to do yet, before she is ready too go. Two views from the Captains seat and co-pilot. AB has redone the turrets. There is a freeware turret available not sure if can be bolted in. There will be no 2D panel (sorry guys). This about as good as I can get it without the model code to be able to remap the cockpit. But to my mind this looks fine and she fly's well with no vices so far.

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (BendyFlyer @ Jul 22 2013,6:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Quick update here is what the finished product will be like, there is a lot of manuals/documents and other stuff etc to do yet, before she is ready too go. Two views from the Captains seat and co-pilot. AB has redone the turrets. There is a freeware turret available not sure if can be bolted in. There will be no 2D panel (sorry guys). This about as good as I can get it without the model code to be able to remap the cockpit. But to my mind this looks fine and she fly's well with no vices so far.

Looking good Bendy , wonder how it would look with a high res photo on those radio/nav and maybe a little artwork around the gauges , be interesting to see how this grows

[Adrian Brausch]

Two new additions to the package,..not finished yet but almost there...







Unfortunately due to texture mapping limitations I cannot texture the engine nacelles as per the photos...this is out of my control..

[Ian Warren]

Looking Brilliant Adrian , i had a look at the engines myself , both Bendy's efforts and your paints are really bring this one back to life ..... gawd imagine if managed to get your hot little hands on the source file .

[Adrian Brausch]

thanks Ian,..yep tried that my emails keep bouncing back,..apparently he does not want to be contacted...

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (Adrian Brausch @ Jul 25 2013,5:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

thanks Ian,..yep tried that my emails keep bouncing back,..apparently he does not want to be contacted...

I tried many years ago myself - Guess it is a safe way to go after what some people do .. the very less honest type and gripers , think its pleasing to see all the efforts glued together still can make it a real impression .

[BendyFlyer]

Nice paints AB.

I am currently working on FE and Radio Operator/Navigator Panels to try and get them as realistic as possible. VC is finished bar some XML coding for some of the switches. Fuel system is proving difficult for number of reasons, first the Mark V had nearly 10 tanks, 5 aside with gauges for all of them, that is not so bad but JBK's original design (two a side) as per the .mdl file is proving restrictive and the extra weight has mucked about the CofG causing lateral trim issues, not a major problem but a real pain.

Quick question for all you Sunderland fans, the original Sunderland had the engine starters located at the FE position (very nautical with the engineer starting and in effect controlling the engines, electrics and fuel system) not in the cockpit as currently is the case, this can be done and would add to authenticity, every one happy with that way of doing things ? it would just mean bringing up the FE panel for start up. It will mean a big gap on the control lever pedestal in the cockpit as the pedestal is way to long and the levers too far back but I cannot change this as it was built like this by Jens and I cannot shorten the engine control pedestal. This is irksome as handling the Sunderland properly on the water and take off mean using outboard engines, assymetrically for directional control and they were advanced first for take off to avoid spray damage and water ingestion of the inboard engines, then the inboard engines opened up, this is difficult to do unless you bring up the throttle control panel and move it close to the panel. Looks crappy that's all. I have also discovered that this is critical as the original Sunderland (and the changed FSX model now as well) basically had no effective aileron control below 60 kts on take off, so like a boat you have to drive it on the engines until she gets lift and airfoil effectiveness. Well at least it feels authentic now. One compensation the rudder is very effective so get used to using your feet not your hands to control her on the water and take-off.

Feedback appreciated. Otherwise I am in the process of getting permissions from a variety of freeware gauge persons to use their gauges in the panels in a packaged release, this is proving a bit of a round robin of emails etc., and looks like taking some time. It is a simple legal issue relating to copyright even though they have been released publicly I still need permission to use them in something else otherwise they will just get pulled. Still if worse comes to worse then a special release to those in the know may be the only solution.

[Ian Warren]

Bendy I wonder if you could approach Manfred Jahn or Tom Gibson for details on the engineering station and maybe modify a DC-4 or an early Connie 2D panel ?

[BendyFlyer]

Ian, thanks for the suggestion might look at that. I am in email correspondence with both those guys at the moment. Manfred will be away for a few weeks. By the way he has just released a really nice C-117 (C-47) with a modern panel, great piece of work. Manfred Jahn's DC-3/C-47 is IMHO the best out there.

Seeing I have worked out how much I can work with in the JBK designs I am also making changes to the Shorts Sandringham to bring it up to scratch as well. Great pity is cannot do an interior with out the original model code. I did see an add-on where some one did it with one of the earlier JBK flying boats but I am not sure how that was done, might email him and ask him. I am looking at the interior again of the Sunderland as the camera views allow you to effectively go back and forth inside there but the texture mapping is a real nightmare as AB indicated with trying to get a decent paint on the Hythe, some bits just don't make sense. Still all part of the fun.

[Ian Warren]

Bendy , that is without recon and the Lockheed Family , absolutely the cream off freeware .

[BendyFlyer]

One of those oddities with PC's and systems. Looking at photos (bmps/jpegs) on the cockpit doing a blow up or magnification always gave a case of the blurries, figured it was just a pixel size thing -wrong! Needed to print up a couple while I work on some stuff using Windows Photo Viewer, decided to print the pictures so I could work away from the PC on some other stuff, hit PRINT FIT TO SCREEN and guess what PERFECT A4 pictures with no blurries - Go figure!!

PS Sunderland stuff - Gauge copyright permissions are dribbling in only one to go! All contacted very helpful and generous about use. Good to see the flight sim community at work.

[BendyFlyer]

Quick update, all good so far on most of the gauges. Stick in the wood is the radio's they used to belong to Aeroplane Heaven which is out of business. They came back to me and said they would say yes, BUT, they sold the rights to their work to guess who? JUST FLIGHT. Guess who did the terrible payware Sunderland, JUST FLIGHT. Can't see them agreeing to let this be used in a freeware that runs rings around their payware. Hmmm thinking cap on this one. The parts of the radio I can use are from MS (the old DC-3 radios) but the dials are another issue, guess I could have a go at doing one from scratch. I will see how it goes. Otherwise, all is good, FE panel has been done and I needed some Marconic style dial gauges for the Radio Operator and Navigator positions. and still lot of coding work still to be done to tidy up. Otherwise nearly there.

[AdrianPetford]

The payware Sunderland was by First Class Simulations, not Just Flight (although JF do sell some of FCS' releases through their web site) so you may well be in luck. It would certainly be worth asking at least especially if you already have approval from the Aeroplane Heaven crew. They still do contract work for JF, I believe.

Looking forward to this release, great work


Ade

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (BendyFlyer @ Aug 6 2013,12:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Quick update, all good so far on most of the gauges. Stick in the wood is the radio's they used to belong to Aeroplane Heaven which is out of business. They came back to me and said they would say yes, BUT, they sold the rights to their work to guess who? JUST FLIGHT. Guess who did the terrible payware Sunderland, JUST FLIGHT. Can't see them agreeing to let this be used in a freeware that runs rings around their payware. Hmmm thinking cap on this one. The parts of the radio I can use are from MS (the old DC-3 radios) but the dials are another issue, guess I could have a go at doing one from scratch. I will see how it goes. Otherwise, all is good, FE panel has been done and I needed some Marconic style dial gauges for the Radio Operator and Navigator positions. and still lot of coding work still to be done to tidy up. Otherwise nearly there.

I like many others brought . the the the the .. I can't even say it the Shorts Sunderland directly from FCS < won't even bother to type the company name , JUST FLIGHT crew was not involved with the package , only unfortunate to sell on FCS behalf .

[BendyFlyer]

Ah thanks Ian for correcting the confusion I had that Just Flight were merely resellers. I looked at this package and came to the conclusion that it was so awful as to be ahh dreadful. Emails on their way to correct persons, we shall see what happens.

AB - Re your current textures and the problem with the engine nacelles. I looked at the model code for the Hythe via Model Converter X. It show why your having so much trouble with the textures, the engine nacelle intake rings are modelled along with one wing only the left wing top and bottom, I guess the code flips the rest to make a full model, the interior merely comes up as a large dark cavity space with a couple of bulkheads, so it comes back to texture mapping which is truly a mystery. FSDevelopers suggest this is a shortcut method used by many to speed up model development. Hope its going well otherwise.

[BendyFlyer]

UPDATE, progress is good. Just doing the Radio Operator and Navigator Position Panels and then we are done. Copyright issues are resolved to allow release AND I have run out of time for a little while, work and Spring on the farm have intervened. Hoping for mid September. The Sunderland now has carb heat for the PW 1830's necessitated by engine power loss in icing conditions on a test flight on a wintery evening in Southern Latitudes, the Flight Engineer has to do this for you! Not sure what they did with real Sunderland MKV as the Pegasus engine varieties of the Sunderland did not have it, I presume a lot of the levers at the FE position did something like this have not seen a PW 1830 fitted aeroplane without it. I have put in a weather radar, plus another target acquisition radar and changed the GPS so you will need to get the Capt Sim Weather Radar ADDON to make this work.

[Adrian Brausch]

need to supply both panel.cfg's bud,...not everyone will have nor want to have to go and get it,...default GPS for those who 'don't' (like myself) would be a good idea..

[Ian Warren]

If you require radio face textures give us a holler .. as for the GPS i really do like the type A2A use in the Boeing Strat , more of a Nav map , wonder if that could utillised for the people with this payware ?