Hi Guys.

Just to show you how far I have to go to get a working RS model, out of Jan's original model.

This is how it started off.



After I debugged the model. The mirrored sides a not present, as at this stage it's not worth making R/H side copies.



From the above model, I can start to rebuild Jan's Gladiator, but I'm not sure how it will turn out texture wise yet, as I have to rebuild the wings in a different way to the originals.

That's plainly a lot of work. I salute you for doing it.

And not only because I have a vested interest with Gladiators on both sides in Iraq.

Moggy DCM

Heaps of work, Col....
But I´m sure the result will justify your efforts.Good success and thx for you

First bit done the upper wing L/H.



The skin is thanks to a card model I found, and adapted.

Hi Guys.

I've rebuilt the centre section and hung the bits together to see how it looks. The tail needs remapping, but it's starting to look like a real restoration project.

The Habbaniya Fighter Flight thanks you!

New tail section:

Wings are nearly ready to mirror, to make the right side.

Still some mapping to finish off, but for now I'm going to get the motor section done, so the model will only need the gear adding.

Engine nearly finished, and now it's time to add the landing gear.

Just to let you know I'm still working on this update.

I ran into a hitch when I was building the main model, which turned out to be a single node, one point out of line, causing a slightly concave element. It was driving me nuts for two days, and I almost gave up, but I'm back on track.

I've added the cannons to the wings, and I'm now adding the wires to the wings. Still more mapping to do and the wheels to add, but it's getting close to finished. I hope to have a working model in a few days.

Then it will have to go to the paint shop. I hope Peter, you have a squadron in mind for this new model?

Always nice to see another EAW aircraft being re-built.


Say, whatever happened to that P51D remake?

Was it ever finished and, if so, were can the 3dz files be D/L'd...




cheers mate
David

Hello David.

I thought I'd finished it as well as could be, and Col. Landers has it.

How about posting it on your site for the rest of us.....

You'd better wait for Nate. I'm not sure which files were the best set.

Hey Nate....."whazzzz opppp"

Now here is a perfect illustration of the frustrating side of building a 3dz.

You'll all like to see a 3D pilot in the cockpit like in the screen below.


Only one small snag, it's two 3dz's I need to join together. F.3dz 238 elements, and the Pilot head 26 elements, making 264 elements, 9 too many!

I've now got to go back to the F model and see if I can save 9 elements, or it will have to be a 2D Pilot.

Most fascinating, Col.
Inspite of having such excellent tools still so much trial and error.
Good success

Jes' model the pilot after our fearless leader over here.

He's only one dimensional.

You'll save one whole dimension.

Lucky for me I found a few elements which I can bodge safely, so I managed to add the pilot to the cockpit.


All that's left to do is a bit of mapping and the landing gear, to finish, then it will be off to the paint shop.

First test flight in game.


I have a few issues to fix, but it's looking good.

Lovely work Col,

thanks for all the time and effort


cheers,


Pobs

Wheels

I'm still busy getting the mapping finished. All the little bits take up the most time, like the pilots head.



I've also been detailing the base skin, on which the camo will be painted over, so it's important to get all the joins seamless.

I like your "progress posts", Col.

keep on with your excellent work

Model is finished, now it's a bit of mapping and then off to the paint shed.



Now, do we have any Squadrons for it?

Very nice peice of work Col.



In Iraq I have 94 Sqn (camo), the Habbaniya Fighter Flight (white) and the Iraqi AF version (also white). Profiles available.

Moggy DCM

Not much to finish off now.

Looking really nice.


Wheels

Looking most impressive, Col -
a new standard for EAW biplanes, I´d dare to say

The Beta version is now at the paint shop.

Can't wait to see it in new colours.

Great work!!

Now you just need to convert the also nice, but glide-faulty, Bi-planes from Jan to the same level.

While the Gladiator is probably the most important WWII Biplane next to the Swordfish.

Hi Mike.

I hope you have the Beta I sent you?

I've just about finished the Sea Gladiator [B.3dz] tail with working arrester hook. The one you have will be for the standard Mk II.

I've got to make a 3 prop version [P.3dz], add the exhaust pipes to the [C.3dz}, and add the steps to the F.3dz, and the external gun-sight. Tail wheel is done {A.3dz].

Apart from those bits, is there any thing else that needs doing?

Hi Ralf.

Thanks for that. A bit of back patting never does any harm.

Guys.

I'd like to convert a few others, but then I'd like Ray, FlyRight, or anyone else for that matter, to take the models and convert them into the different sub models.

If I did one other major WWI designs, perhaps they could easily be tweaked into the other versions of the same type?

It's taken me a month to unpick the Gladiator, and turn it into a good model. The good thing about these updates is I don't need to build all the other support files, just rebuild the main model, which is much easier.

So, now the question is, which is the next worst model that needs fixing?

Any suggestions? No lists please, just one at a time!

Swordfish??

Right now I'm trying to finish the landing gear on the Hampton after adding the three position flaps to the P-40, to say nothing of all the upgrades and fixes I needed to do to get the new DAW plane set ready.

I have to switch hats shortly to start editing the target set for DAW and I'm not much of a bi-plane fan so I think I'll bow out of this particular project.

Just an update,

John,

In theory (according to Putnams book on Gloster), all Mk II were supposed to have 3 blade props, though I suspect not all did. Certainly the Sea Glads were supposed to, and they also had a ventral dinghy pack, which I guess is the oval thing between the legs on your view above? According to the pic in the book it stuck down as a bulge. 378 Mk I, 98 Sea Glad and 270 MkII produced though quite a few were exported.

Looks good so far.

Pete

I'm feeling well enough to finish off the Gladiator, but I've hit a rather annoying snag with two exhaust pipes.

This screen shot shows the problem:


The Green part renders correctly, but the Blue section flickers.

The reason is I've run out completely of Elements in the main F model, so I added the exhausts to the C model, which has loads of free Elements, but the Blue section is out of line, where the RS joint is, so the Blue section flickers badly. Without a load of free Elements [18 in total], it's proved to be a real headache to fix, so I'm going to delete the Blue section of the pipes, so I can finish off the model.

I've had an Early War skin today from Mike, so Mike's on the ball, and I'm lagging behind.

This one is from No.112 Squadron in early 1941...

Hi Guys.

I've finished the revamp of the Gladiator, and it's now in the hands of Mike to make it look pretty.







I'm now looking at a few ideas for..............

Lob...





still a bit to do here and there.

Just a silly question.

Does anyone want a Ski version? No Gunpods version? 3 Prop Blade version? Any other versions?

Still at work on the Gladiator, it is almost finished. This will only be a single skin rather than a unit because of how EAW treats the transparencies. EAW doesn't like more than 2 tra/mra type texture panels.










Yes, I know that the shadow is not correct, that is Col. Gibbons arena.

Comgratulations mate. This is one of the best planes I've ever seen for EAW.

Hi Mike.

What's the problem with transparencies?

The TRA links to the tex.pcx for the prop, greenhouse, etc. The MRA links to the distance models in standard model layout. When a PRA is used it only links to the first skin (psp09pex.pcx), it doesn't link up to skins 01 and above as pex.pcx. They come out blank when trying to use Psp0901pra.pcx to point to Psp0901px.pcx. You need to change the names of the files to Psp01mra.pcx and Psp01mx.pcx to work. Or so it appears to me.

Go figure.

Dare I say, this project is finished?

I've finished my bit. I needed to add a cockpit with correct internal and external prop views for the 3 blade prop. How does this look now?












one or two little bits then it is off to Sandy. A Glide ready version is not yet finished.

A beautiful skin on a beautiful model - thx to all of you

Nice Skin Mike.

Before you send it to Sandy, can you check I coded the wing elements? I'm not sure if I did it or not.

That is of course a work of genious. Kudos to those involved.

Can I put in a request for 3 skins for Iraq - 94 Sqn camo, Habbaniya Training Flight white, and RIAF white with Iraqi markings.

Weren't they Silver, rather than White?

Whatever the profile shows

Send me the an illustration etc. for those skins and I'll put it into the cue.

Col., a copy is on its way.

Thanks Mike

I'm still working on the glide ready 8-bit skin. It just needs a bit more polish.





It will be done in the next day or two...

Very nice!

Mike,

looking great except the bright green cockpit flooring ???... any dark colour would look better surely ?...


cheers,


Pobs

I'll have to find the correct colour to paint the interior, but I thought it was 'lime' or chromate green.

Mike, I am not saying the colour is not strictly correct, just that looking into a cockpit from outside you would see shadowed colours mostly just dark and in eaw we need to draw the eye away from the flat plate that forms the bottom of the cockpit anyway and give a sense of 'depth' to the interior.


just my thoughts on it

cheers,


Pobs

Roger roger. Can do.

Hi Mike,

Standard RAF interior colour was a medium greyish green - US aircraft used a yellower "chromate" colour I believe.

Pete

Better



Or, not better

Well?

Much better.

Superb work Mike!

Close to perfect - the best model for EAW (3DZ + skin) we do have currently.
One big fault, though -
it´s a British plane

Would a version with skis make you happy?

Looks great Mike,

thanks mate

cheers,


Pobs

Now now Fran, I'm sure that one of our model makers will give us a WWII crate to match the Fokker Eindecker and DriDecker for the trenchfoot guys... and the P-40, and the... just ask nicely.

PS. the Gladiator files are for a skin only, they don't have the correct fm attached.