F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

[fishlips]

Hey Guy's & Girls,
I had a crack at developing the F-35 for AI use but unfortunately it got the better of me, just wondering if any other developer out there are having a go at it or thinking about having a go. It's one of the last remaining modern jets not available as freeware AI for FS2004 of FSX.

[bismarck]

On the rotator images of Dark Morelia's site (http://www.users.on.net/~dark_morelia/models/index.html), there is something that remind me to a cockpit of an F-35...
May be he can help....

Giorgio

[MIKE JG]

It's a tough shape for sure, been wanting to have a crack but some other models are on the list first.

[delbydoo]

It's a tough shape for sure, been wanting to have a crack but some other models are on the list first.

Besides, if it's anything like the real thing, you'll have to change things every couple of weeks

[fishlips]

The shape was not so much the concern over that of the amount of poly uselage to design the shape for everthing to open and shut correctly, let alone be able to animate parts into position such as the rear nossle and forward upper air intake door.
I guess the F-35 still has a way to go before we start to see it in any numbers along a flight line but it would be a good project for anybody after a real chalenge. Nick Black did a great job with the F-22, can that be equaled in F-35 form.

On the rotator images of Dark Morelia's site (http://www.users.on.net/~dark_morelia/models/index.html), there is something that remind me to a cockpit of an F-35...
May be he can help....Giorgio

Hi Giorgio,
That is the first time I've seen Andrew's website displaying his AI models and I must say it looks great. Andrew is a fab AI modeler. I'm afraid I don't know what Andrew is doing these days after he moved to a wonderful tropical town on the coast of Queensland, Australia. The nose of that aircraft on his rotator does look suspious I must admit but I was under the impression that Andrew had taken up another hobby, like you I hope not!
Cheer's,

[fishlips]

A glutten for punishment! Don't know how far it will get before this one is trashed.

[fishlips]

Ok, only took a couple of days to trash this one above. I keep finding new info that screws things up. I wish they would settle on the final design.
I'll try again with a new set of plans based off photos of the F-35B II.

[Firebird]

Mark,
Just a thought but maybe it would be better to concentrate on the F-35A first, as it has far less animation for that version. Then maybe follow that with the big wing C, and then finally the B.

This would enable you to concentrate on the shape first and by the time you get to the third version the only thing new for you would be fitting in the VTOL anims.

[MIKE JG]

Looks like a pretty good start there Mark.

[fishlips]

I've gone back to start again because of new info which put the other model out of whack. I may be able to use the wings and back barrel, plus the V-fan section but all else is not to scale and I left my self a bit short in places which is easy to fix by starting the part/s from new.

Thankfully I have better plans now and more high res photos than you can poke a stick at but as this is an AI aircraft, I still need to cut some corners and that will entail in the loss of modeling detail (most of us here understand that) but I'm also keeping in mind that one day there could be a hundred or more of these parked at a U.S Base and it will need to weigh-in poly wise around the same as Nick's F/A 18. That is my main concern and this is part of the reason why I've started with the B version, being the heaviest on poly usage.

Another reason is that it is far easier to subtract from a model than it is to add to it, 'I kind of remember Nick saying something like that once' so the A and C models will be far easier to produce.

I'm thinking this could be a term development in any case but the custom xml needed to operate the B version will be interesting to develop indeed.
The animation keyframes should be reasonably straight forward to turn the rear nossel and open doors, etc but working out the prams at which the aircraft starts its animations is going to be tricky. The FDE I guess will need to be some thing of a helo -X - jet.

Today I completed the main fuselage from the intakes forward. I used high-res photos and drawings overlaid to help keep the lines consistant. With the cockpit/canopy out of the way I can now get into the more difficult parts of the aircraft where 3D drawings can't help very much, going to be very interesting indeed with my temper.
At some later stage I might like to share the project development with somebody to help keep it ticking over. Mostly to have new eyes view it and to tinker with parts that may look odd, etc.

You know I find it incredable that no other AI development team for FS9 or FSX has come up with these models but yet if you want a commercial Boeing or Airbus, take your pick.

[MIKE JG]

Animation trigger would be easy, use throttle percentage or something similar.

[Firebird]

Makes sense, Mark. I don't know if it makes things easier or not but I was reading something the other day that said that the F-35B would use conventional landings unless absolutely necessary to save wear and tear on the VTOL equipment, which I read as when operating from land bases.

[MIKE JG]

No hurry Mark, they just grounded the whole fleet again this afternoon.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... ck-382665/

[fishlips]

Steve & Mike, I heard the same thing respectively.
I know the RAAF is losing / lost patience with Lockheed Martin and may cancel its involvement. The RAAF has recently ordered another 24 Super Hornet to help sure up some gaps in our aging fighter fleet. They needed 48 supers just to take up the slack of the retired F1-11 so its a good buy in my opinion.
Personally, I'd prefer a reproduction of the F1-11 made with stealthy features and avionic's. Like what does Australia need with aircraft carriers and STOVL aircraft. Where an island in the south pacific. I say 10 nuc silo's, 10 nuc subs and who going to mess with that.

[Firebird]

Mark, don't bother trying to model the cracks on the fan blades or the sticking plaster that they will cover them up with. Should save a couple of polys there.

In all seriousness how long before Boeing announces a Hornet SE with some stealthy features? Would anybody really be surprised.

This whole program is in danger of becoming more infamous than the F-111 program.

[sr01]

Mark,I have the same problems that you have with my "dark horse" project .I've been using 4 different 3 view sources and not one of them is entirely accurate . Found set # 5 which is pretty good and am now using that . Of course by the time it gets finished methinks the polygon count might be too high .Sooooooo, starting again from scratch .One question I do have is .,Do most folk start off with a cross section view as you've done ? is there any advantage to this ?
BTW , Canada also shares Australia's view on the F35 !

[fishlips]

Yes the cross section view as I've used above assures me that the aircraft alignment is correctly balanced so as to make it easier for the FDE to be produced.
It also keeps the three view drawings / photos in alignment.
Generally when I make an aircraft, I slice it up by using bulk head type walls all the way from front to back. This might consist of 15-20 bulk heads that form the shape of the aircraft as you move along the fuselage. It some times does get tricky and some what incorrect when you can't see all the detail from the canopy to the tail but that's where good photos and a touch of ad-lib comes into it. AI aircraft are simply to lite in polys to be a perfect representation so for my money, I'll settle on something that kinda looks the part when good textures are applied.
I must say, this is the most difficult AI that I have worked on as I find it hard to select two photos of the F35B that are the same fuselage.
I think I'd like to put my Number 9 right in that crack Steve. lol

Pic below shows a very early fuselage. Still some work to be done over the back and some of the extra polys to removed then onto the most difficult part, the underneath.

[campbeme]

Yes the cross section view as I've used above assures me that the aircraft alignment is correctly balanced so as to make it easier for the FDE to be produced.
It also keeps the three view drawings / photos in alignment.
Generally when I make an aircraft, I slice it up by using bulk head type walls all the way from front to back. This might consist of 15-20 bulk heads that form the shape of the aircraft as you move along the fuselage. It some times does get tricky and some what incorrect when you can't see all the detail from the canopy to the tail but that's where good photos and a touch of ad-lib comes into it. AI aircraft are simply to lite in polys to be a perfect representation so for my money, I'll settle on something that kinda looks the part when good textures are applied.
I must say, this is the most difficult AI that I have worked on as I find it hard to select two photos of the F35B that are the same fuselage.
I think I'd like to put my Number 9 right in that crack Steve. lol

Pic below shows a very early fuselage. Still some work to be done over the back and some of the extra polys to removed then onto the most difficult part, the underneath.

Mark,

Does the cross hair underneath the model not need to be in the centre line of the model? I don't know I'm just curious.

[sr01]

Yes the cross section view as I've used above assures me that the aircraft alignment is correctly balanced so as to make it easier for the FDE to be produced.
It also keeps the three view drawings / photos in alignment.
Generally when I make an aircraft, I slice it up by using bulk head type walls all the way from front to back. This might consist of 15-20 bulk heads that form the shape of the aircraft as you move along the fuselage. It some times does get tricky and some what incorrect when you can't see all the detail from the canopy to the tail but that's where good photos and a touch of ad-lib comes into it. AI aircraft are simply to lite in polys to be a perfect representation so for my money, I'll settle on something that kinda looks the part when good textures are applied.
I must say, this is the most difficult AI that I have worked on as I find it hard to select two photos of the F35B that are the same fuselage.
I think I'd like to put my Number 9 right in that crack Steve. lol

Pic below shows a very early fuselage. Still some work to be done over the back and some of the extra polys to removed then onto the most difficult part, the underneath.

Mark
Many thank's for your explanation regarding using x-sections .It makes sense, NOW .And thank's for letting me hijack the thread a bit . Did you ever try flipping the side view horizontally just to get a fresh view of something you might have been staring at for too long ?

[Dark Morelia]

Hey guys, long time no see!
That pic on my rotator is not an F-35, though it's something like a foreign ancestor to it