Fuselage design

[delbydoo]

Just a quick question relating to FSDS3; I haven't experimented yet but just wanted to know......can you use the template and extrude functions to make a basic fuselage, and then manipulate points to get the fine detail? It would seem like a cheap and easy way of doing it, but not sure whether it would be practical to do it this way, or to do it "properly" with a tube.
Cheers

[miljan]

It is better to start with tube it can happen that for two similar models you have different number of points.My PC-7 has some 16 points but PC-9 is more than 20 I think and still on some places you will need to reduce or increase number of points like intake or canopy...It is all about how heavy your model will be and are you satisfied with its final look.
Also if you start with tube you can manipulate with cross sections until you connect sone points or join two parts.So when you are modeling aircraft just try not to join points and parts until you are 200% satisfied.And yes after every big change save it with another name so that you can always go one step back if you make mistake.

[delbydoo]

Thankyou Miljan, just what I was after

[MIKE JG]

Daryl that extrude/template feature while a good idea, does not lend itself very well to any sort of practical designing.

By using a tube right off the bat, you can then (as Miljan is saying) manipulate the points of the tube in either point mode or cross section mode until you get the shape you are looking for.

In cross section mode you can add or delete entire cross sections of points of your tube which is incredibly handy at times. I normally start off with a maximum of a 16 sided tube and add at least twice the number of tube cross sections that I think I will need. I can then space each cross section at a point on the z axis where the fuselage shape needs a change.

I then go to the unused cross sections and delete them using cross section mode only. This is very important because if you delete them using point mode, you will lose your ability to add a new cross section into your fuselage shape if you happen to need it.

The basic rule is don't delete points a tube with point mode until like Miljan says, you are 200% sure you have the shape you want.

You can always use point mode to move any of the points around at any time but if you join the points or delete any points, you lose the ability to manipulate the part in cross section mode.

Hope that helps.

BTW, I hope you guys like Pilatus models.....

[DaleRFU]

BTW, I hope you guys like Pilatus models.....

I certainly do love them. The PC-21 more so

[miljan]

You see Mike we prepare for them three pilatus models but they want new one PC-21,what can we do???

[delbydoo]

Thanks Mike and Miljan, I've been playing with a fairly basic fuselage shape and seeing now how easy it is to manipulate those cross sections and then do fine tuning with point work......I think this is the "easy" bit..

[DaleRFU]

You see Mike we prepare for them three pilatus models but they want new one PC-21,what can we do???

Ah I know what three they are now

[fishlips]

We are always miles ahead of what you want because we want it also!
Below is an early beta testing version getting ready for its FDE and Lods, final release date is "when its finished" you'll be the first to know.

[DaleRFU]

That looks sweeeeeeeet

[miljan]

That looks sweeeeeeeet

And more to come

[fishlips]

If everything goes to plan, we hope to release some of our new custom animations on this aircraft. There is always something new being developed for you guys & gals (girls) to sink your teeth into, so stay tuned!