Phlock of Phreaking Phantoms Phorever

[Chrisb]

What can I say Mike?

'Thank you' sounds so inadequate.

Chris

[mikeblaze]

I'll post the paint kits for these after I do the F-4E/F/Gs. There are a few small changes from Nick's original kit, nothing huge, but the old kit won't work with my new models.

[Firebird]

Awesome. Well worth the wait. Once completed this will definitely be the most phabulous collection.

[mikeblaze]

I found a small accuarcy glitch, and will clean it up with the export package. If you understand the difference between leading-edge slats and leading-edge flaps, you can understand this. The Block 40/50 RF-4Cs are modeled with slats when they should have been modeled with flaps. The early RF-4Es had flaps as well, and the late model RF-4Es had slats.

My glitch does not in any way affect model functionality, only the visual accuracy, and I'm sure one of my phaithful phans would have pointed it out sooner or later, lol. My RF-4Bs are modeled appropriate to variant, so no worries there.

[phantomfreak]

Thanks Mike! Now we can have a true RF-4B/C. Looking forward to the paintkits.

[mikeblaze]

Just a quick note, I am re-tooling, so to speak. I just got a new desktop last week and am getting it all set up as I write this, I should have modeling back up and running by next weekend. I also had to get a new laptop at the same time, unfortunately it worked out that way. No data lost, just two tired and well-used CPUs and GPUs that were over five years old. I custom-spec'ed my systems, so they still have Windows 7. This means I will be able to continue to support FS9 for at least the next five years or so, but I think its run will be over sometime in that period. I am flying FSX exclusively now except for modeling checks, and will be starting P3D this year.

I was in the middle of separating updated RF-4C models and true RF-4E models when this happened, and that is where I will pick right back up. All my original NBAI source PSD paints will work with the new NMAI models (with a couple of little adds), so painting will actually go much faster for the export models. I am going to try and push, and at least have all RF-4s and a majority of the F-4E stuff out by the end of the year. I have a couple of MAIW project obligations to sort out, one or two little stand-alone projects I still want to do, and then I am going to go dormant for a little while in early 2015 and really focus on putting out FSX-native models which will be P3D-compatible (with FS9 counterparts, of course, for the time being). I learned about half of what I need in Gmax/3dsMax a few years ago before I got frustrated and learned FSDS, maybe its time to learn the rest and put out some serious work, lol.

More as it comes.....

[Don H]

Wow, Mike. Looks like things are really going to be cooking over your way. Looking forward to the FSX/P3D updates, as I too have moved up. P3D v2 just puts it out there in terms of visuals and smoothness. Your reformatted models will only help make it more realistic. Looking forward to them.

The updated packages for the F-4/RF-4s will be much appreciated. Especially with some Vietnam Era paints.

On a side note, and not trying to be pushy or anything, I was wondering if the last paint package for the F-100 you hinted at for the airshow birds and some other special paints are still hiding on your hard disk somewhere?

Looking forward to whatever comes from your magnificent hanger.
Don

[mikeblaze]

I still owe Thunderbirds and the precursory Skyblazers team paints for the Hun.

[Don H]

Great. Looking forward to all your updates and whatever you have planned.

[mikeblaze]

I just uploaded a service pack for the RF-4B/C Phantoms, it fixes a bunch of little things. I was rushing this project because of a dying CPU and swapping out of computers. This fixes the slats vs. flaps thing, the aircraft config issue Steve mentioned, and some antenna which were either missing or where they weren't supposed to be. Subsequent export user RF-4Cs will have these fixes incorporated with the release packages.

[Firebird]

Appreciated, as always, Mike.

[mikeblaze]

Here is the upcoming JASDF F-4E/RF-4E package, the first true F-4E done to the 'version 2' standard. I never published an NMAI F-4E series, so these are not really v2, but the upgrades match what I did for the F-4 early nose series. This one is five variants, 15 models, and 92 repaints representing early and Kai-upgraded JASDF Phantoms, some of which are still very much in service.

[mikeblaze]

... and the early ones.....

[Chrisb]

Thanks Mike.

Chris

[Jonjon]

So Many phantoms! Many thanks Mike

Fred

[mikeblaze]

Just uploaded these to AVSIM. A cautionary note, these are not quite as radically different from Nick's originals, I really only changed about five things (so don't expect too much, lol). They won't be so noticeable as a different nose on the early Phantoms, but the little changes are there.

Next stop, the Luftwaffe, Martin will be so happy......

[swp53]

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the JASDF Phantoms.
One question the RF-4E and RF-4E Kai have the same texture sets?
Regards,
Steve

[mikeblaze]

I shamelessly used the same serial list for both aircraft, but far from the same textures. The aircraft in late use were obviously used early on before the Kai upgrade, so this is how it played out. All utilized serials have corresponding pictures for reference, so it's not like I just randomized the serials, all paints from both generations of aircraft are accurate per photos. I just re-checked my own upload source, out of paranoia since I did a couple of last-minute texture fixes, but I verified that what I intended is what wound up in the zip file.

Hope this clears things up.

[swp53]

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the clarification.
Steve

[Victory103]

And the dedication to these models. Great timing as 2 payware Phantoms are on the assembly lines now (in FSX/P3D).