Kittyhawk Take-Off

[Skyraider3D]

The model and textures look very nice, Adrian! I do notice a few minor glitches, but they in no way distract from the overall image. I'll point them out anyway:

- there should be an ever so slight gap between the spinner and the nose; they look nearly welded now;
- the inside of the flaps should have strengthening ribs;
- the cowling flaps float; they need actuation rods;
- the "bump" under the fuselage/wing is shaped differently on the real thing;
- wingtips look a bit flattened with a sharp edge on the side; they should be rounder and only be sharp at the rear;
- you've got the ring but you seem to have forgotten the bead (a simple verticle rod placed ahead of the ring) in the gunsight;
- some of the cockpit detail looks strange (instrument panel, lower bit of seat/armour plate);
- your sharkmouth (including the eye) appears to be of an American variety. Desert Air Force 112 Squadron sharkmouths on P-40s were usually outlined in black, not red, and simpler in the way they cuved (like a half-moon) and the teeth were nearly touching eachother througout. Also the black of the sharkmouth is a bit faint/bright. Have a look at this profile picture for a good reference of the shape of the sharkmouth:
http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/photos/profile_112sqn_07.gif
In the profile image the artist forgot to add the black upper-tongue bit though;
- Squadron codes should be in bright blue (this is done wrongly in the profile image too);
- wing leading edges should be coloured yellow (from the guns to the tips);
- exhausts appear rather light coloured;
- exhaust stain is missing; although the low level of weathering works just fine for me (I'm not a person who screams "make it dirty!" all the time :D) I do feel there should be an exhaust stain, Even brand new aircraft have them once the engine has been run. On the Kittyhawk this mostly appeard as a light grey curved smudge;
- the darker brown colour is slightly off. It needs to be a bit darker and desaturated;
- last but not least... this machine operated in the desert and your background picture seems rather green! :D

Lots of tiny things, none of them really important though, except perhaps the makings inaccuracies and backdrop. Have you used a restored warbird for reference by any chance? They're usually not the most reliable source (nor are profiles, as illustrated above! ;))


More importantly, you might want to spend more time post-editing your renders in Photoshop to make them look more convincing. The black and white one looks just like a desaturated version of the colour one and for me at least is not convincing at all. The colour ones look better, but can be improved.

I have played a bit with the images (I hope you don't mind) and tried to achieve a bit more authentic look - both wartime colour and black&white. I've added blur, grain, lens vignette effect and played a lot with the colours (overlays/gradients/hue-sat/etc.). I hope you like the effect.

http://skyraider3d.military-meshes.com/temp/AdrianCherKittyhawkEdit.jpg

So overall, great model/texture, some minor glitches, but play a bit more with your renders! :) Good stuff, though! :thumbsup:

Now show us that animation!!! :bounce:


PS. I happen to have a wartime colour photo showing this machine. Would you like me to scan it for you?

[erikN]

nice renders but agree with Skyraiders thoughts about them. Really nice photoshop work there Skyraider ;)

[CodeFather]

Nice model and textures.You can improve the textures more by adding a little dirt to some parts of the airplane .

[ChrisDNT]

Beautiful!

Some wireframes, please!!!

[neu]

Wow! Really impressive. With the post processing it's simply belivable!

Greetings, neu

[MailboxHead]

No photographer from this time would have a picture that precise! Pull/push a stop or give it some nice lense blur. The background his too much contrast compared to the foreground which helps the eye seperate them and then give it an unrealistic look. I do like the bw better, but I would definately play more with adding grain/defocusing and pushing/pulling a stop or two in order to give it that more realistic bw feel. You have a great model here, and bw would definately complement it.

[Lotus7]

adrien nice worjk there!! looking realli nice! and skyraider3d awesome work there!!

[AdrianCher]

Nice job on the renders Skyraider! Thanks a million for the feedback, really good crits from you.
Will move the spinner forward, definitely will add the flap rib details, thought i could get away without the actuating rods in the inner cowling :P, and most of the details you've spotted.

The shark mouth is actually from the P40E, don't really like the original Kittyhawk one :)
Forgot the yellow strip for the guns, will also add more weathering, a spec and displace map are on the way.

You nailed those renders man! Pity you cropped them, would make a nice Screen saver.


ChrisDNT, got some wires for you. Notice most of it's low poly, trying to cut down on render time. Cheers!

http://pachome1.pacific.net.sg/~matrox/P40_Wires.jpg

[ChrisDNT]

Thanks a lot :)

[evan]

Another nice one Chris, I'm impressed. Dinosaurs and Warbirds, my two favourite subjects :D


Really nice work with the modelling especially, I'm impressed with the way you have kept the polygon mesh low without having to generate a high res mesh, and have added all that detail. Nice work. I modelled a P40N around a year ago but I have to say after looking at yours, mine is terrible. Great stuff Chris, I'll be watching this thread carefully!

Cheers
Evan

[Skyraider3D]

I modelled a P40N around a year ago but I have to say after looking at yours, mine is terrible.That's nonsense, mate! :D As I remember it, it was pretty accurate and good looking too. Nice choice of colours, especially! :applause:
If anything, you could've made some more renders of it. ;)

[FitArtistSF]

If I am not mistaken, they were known as P-40 Warhawks, not Kittyhawks. Kittyhawk was where the Wright brothers first flew.....

[Skyraider3D]

If I am not mistaken, they were known as P-40 Warhawks, not Kittyhawks. Kittyhawk was where the Wright brothers first flew.....You're only half mistaken though :)

It depends on the operator, you see. The American air force called them P-40 Warhawks, while the British (and Australians) called them Tomahawks (up to P-40C models) and Kittyhawks (P-40D and further). And the French called them Hawk-81.

Since the illustrated aircraft is a RAAF one, it's a Kittyhawk.

[FitArtistSF]

Thanks Skyraider, I didn't realize that the RAF had P40s. I thought the USAAF wasn't an entity unto itself until after WWII, ca. 1948? I knew the AAC existed before the war. Also, wasn't the P40 obsolete by Dec '41? I know there were some on Pearl Harbor and Wake Is. then, but there were other more powerful craft out by then. I love WWII history, but I am sketchy on certain aircraft. I am more a Nautical history buff.

[tundra]

Information some pictures plane serials and codes about RAF 112 Sqn can be found at http://www.geocities.com/raf_112_sqdn/



Hope this is a help to some of you fantastic work on the modeling and if any of you have picyures or information that could help me with the Tribute site it would be appreciated.

Thanks Rob Brown

[tundra]

Further information on RAF 11 Sqn Tomahawk and Kittyhawks if this is a repeat post please forgive me as i am new at forums.


http://www.geocities.com/raf_112_sqdn/



Thanks Rob

[Skyraider3D]

You're forgiven as it's quite an interesting link you found! ;) Thanks! :)

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