I’ve had a suggestion from a Staff Member about a project that I think would prove popular. It’s to model the 3 variants of the F-35 Lightning II for FS9, FSX and P3Dv4.

Mark (Fishlips) and Kevin (Weescotty) produced the current FS9 F-35A, but Mark is no longer working on the scene to take it further. Kevin has gone some way to an FS9 F-35B conversion, but is dedicated to the F-16 at the moment. I don’t want to tread on toes, so I’ve corresponded with him and he has kindly given me his blessing to take on the task. He’s also given me a methodology for making the nozzle construction on the F-35B, which is the really tricky bit.

The F-35B is due to deploy to RAF Marham in the UK next year, so use could be made of my scenery for the base, tweaked as necessary. It's available in FS9 and FSX native code and should therefore be compatible with P3Dv4. Ian’s scenery of Lakenheath is also available in both sim versions for the F-35A deployments to that airfield, but not until 2021. Brent is happy to take the new models and position them in the continental USA bases as the aircraft arrive there. I’m sure others will chip in too for other country’s F-35 deployments over time.

I’ve done a little bit of research to see what’s involved and Brent has sent me a very basic set of plans. However they are not detailed enough for modelling and I haven’t yet found anything on the net that will do the job. Does anyone have a set of plans please for each of the 3 variants, ideally at least 1500 pixels wide and containing fuselage and wing cross sections? Kevin hasn’t anything current that will do all 3 unfortunately. I sometimes buy a book for a large project because it will often contain the detailed plans as well as good photo-references to the detail. I’m happy to do that for this one, but I don’t know which one to pick because I can’t see the content. Can anyone recommend an F-35 book please?

I can’t say for sure until I’m at least a week into the modelling whether I can pull this off, but it looks interesting. I’m currently about two thirds through making FSX/P3Dv4 Lockheed TR-1A’s to supplement the new A-10As for Ian’s upcoming retro RAF Alconbury, but hopefully my decks will be cleared to start the F-35s in a few week’s time. I just need the plans to get me started, so any help to find them would be much appreciated.

John

Hi John,
Just wondering if it would be worth contacting Dino Cattaneo to see if he would supply any drawings that he used for his flyable F-35 or at least point you at a source for drawings.
Regards,
Steve

What a fantastic news!!!
I don't know who's the staff member that suggested you this project, but I completely agree with him...
I was thinking to the B variant right a couple of days ago, following a landing of an F-35 at Amendola.

Can't wait, and searching for what you need.

Thanks, Giorgio

Wow John that would be a huge undertaking, much needed for sure! I've certainly thought about it but as you said Kevin and I have F-16's coming out our you know where right now, so I'm concentrating efforts on that.

I'm sure the community here would offer just about any sort of help for the research you would need.

Gawd that is a much needed model!

The numbers projected to be produced certainly make it worth the effort.

some plans of the 3 versions

http://www.jsf.mil/downloads/mediakits/7763.zip

Happy News.^ ^

You're doing great work again.

I want to give you some help.

Thank you always for your efforts.

A great choice for sure John and would be a welcome addition, certainly if all three versions are covered. With such a large number ordered by several different nations it would be a great model to have.

Good to hear John. I have been hoping for a F-35B since Kev & Mark showed some early beta’s. I had to restrain myself from asking for updates

Looking forward to seeing them in sim if this goes forward and when they are ready <G>

John, any thoughts on the C-130 re-vamp?

How about a C-17? It would be relatively easy to do. You don't need to do different weapon loads and you wouldn't have to make different airframe variations.

I think it is better for the next project to keep it secret up to its release...


Giorgio

At the moment I'm concentrating on F-35A, B and C research as the potential next project. C-130 or C-17 projects are not under consideration at this point. Hartwig has kindly sent me a large amount of F-35 information that is most useful. It includes a video of how the F-35B nozzle works for real. It frightens the life out of me animation-wise!

John

I am planning a new C-130 after the F-16 project just so everyone knows, for all versions of the sim as well.

John this website should help you and Brent
https://www.f35.com

The F-35 nozzle animation was actually easier than I thought, although I could not have worked it out without studying the real thing:



After a couple of hours playing with it, I managed to reproduce the motion in a Gmax experiment. Looks good too with the contra-rotating animation.



With the nozzle animation worked out, a wealth of information from Hartwig and some reasonable 3-views from Brent, there's no excuse not to dive into modelling the F-35 variants. I'll open a new JYAI F-35 thread when I have some progress to show......

John

Wow. Great news ! Good luck in this job, and thanks for all your work for the MAIW comunity John

Great news!

Looking great.

The Force is strong with this one!