Military AI Works

As, requested, I have produced the HH-60W. It’s based on the MH-60M Blackhawk (SOAR), but I have done some extensive re-modelling to add the new parts and to improve the profiles. This is the result:









The model is all done, including the LODs and the paint is ready for individual serial numbering. According to scramble there are 31 “Whiskey’s” operational, in 5 units:

- The 33rd RQS at Kadena (3 aircraft)

- The 41st RQS at Moody (13 aircraft)

- The 55th RQS at Davis Monthan (5 aircraft)

- The 56th RQS at Aviano (3 aircraft)

- The 512nd RQS at Kirtland (7 aircraft)[/list]

I can amend the Davis Monthan helicopter overlay and flight plan quite easily and I might be able to do the same for Kadena. Kirtland remains impractical I think, but I might be able to do something with Moody and Aviano if anyone can advise me what MAIW FSX/P3D scenery to work with.

John

Looking really good!

The only scenery I know of for Kirtland is Tropicalsim's payware scenery of Albuquerque. I remember when I used FS9 I had a scenery for Aviano, but I don't remember who made it. (I mention FS9 because there might be a FSX version you could work with)

Edit: Does Nellis have Pavehawks/Jolly Greens? I ask because Scramble Orbats list the 34th WPS at Nellis, but then when I look them up in the database it shows no results.

There's an FSX Aviano scenery on Avsim by Antoine Calleja. As a 9-er I can't vouch for how good it is though, screenies look a bit basic.

Thank you, John, for the new model.

Scramble says that the HH-60W's of 66th RQS at Nellis disbanded - in 2023 if I remember rightly.

John

You left out 2 squadrons that use the Green Giant II. The 101st RQS based at Westhampton Beach (KFOK) and the 129th RQS based at Moffett (KNUQ). The101st RQS has two helicopters (22-14535 and 22-14532). And Moffett also has two (21-14520 and 21-14522).

Thank you for that. I may leave those for users to do themselves. The airfields are joint civil/military and are in basic form in the FSX and P3D default. I don't know if there is any custom scenery available. Both units also operate HC-130s in different forms that ought to be included too, but that's just adding on more work. I'll paint the "Whiskey" serials for both units though.

John

John Stinstrom's FS9 Aviano scenery looks good in FSX after the usual adjustments.

Geoff

Thanks Geoff, I have just found the package at Avsim and downloaded it.

John

John Stinstrom also made a scenery for Moffett. It was for FS9, so I don't know if you can do anything with it.

That's useful too, thank you.

Applause John, great job on this mod to your already excellent H-60s. Most of the previous units are swapping out for W, and as mentioned Nellis is gone. A side note, Area 51 or AFTC Det 3 operates 4x HH-60Us, I just used the UH-M model with a gray Pavehawk paint.

Will the formation lights work?
Too late to add gunners?

Thanks Chris.

I have the formation lights painted on the Hstab tips, but they do not light at night. I have only made one model and that's with the doors closed. The current polygon count is around 10,000 mesh triangles and adding gunners, with an open door model of course, would push this to 11700. A bit high, but we are not dealing with large numbers of helicopters in one place.

I don't really want to do the slimes (very fiddly and time consuming), but I could make the gunner model if users really want it.

John

It will be more realistic in some scenery with the gunner and the opened doors. But if this represent too much work, it will be not necessary

I have made the alternative "Gunner" model - one either side, with an animated left main door:





Regarding the formation (slime) lights question, I have seen no evidence that the HH-60W has them from the night photos I have found so far. There are reflective tapes on the tips of the horizontal stabiliser upper surface, but I think that's to help stop vehicles driving into it at night.

I have just started numbering up the helicopters - there are 36 to do. I'll then see what I can do with scenery and flight plans.

John

Am so looking forward to these!

Jorgen

John, completely understand the additional work and glad you took the time to check out the poly count. I'm beyond happy the model exists in AI form. For the formation lights, the 60W has the standard 4 (2 stab, 1 tailrotor driveshaft cover, 1 between exhausts) like most other Black Hawks.