Dragons and Ducks

[mikeblaze]

This is two things. It is a near-finished Draken beta model, and this is an FSX-native model compilation. You might see some flight test pictures from both sims from now on.

[John Young]

Brilliant Mike - you have managed the settings for reflective glass in FSX. I know you have applied .dds textures too. The animation and viz tags should be straight forward, if not a bit tedious.

Well done.

John

[ricktk]

Excellent!

[Fastair]

Very excited about these !!!!

Thank you so much, outstanding

[mikeblaze]

The FSX models aren't going to happen on the same pace as the FS9 models. I still can't get the animations to work (even with FSX-default-named parts), and it's going to take some time to figure it out. I am not going to entrench myself trying to sort out the FSX modeling, and not move forward on the FS9 models, which will work in FSX for now.

That being said, the Draken single-LOD beta models are done, the first-pass FDE is done, and the real testing begins this next week. Here is the core model manifest:

J-35A(Kort): Adam Kort, the short-tail initial production
J-35A(Lange): Adam Lange, the extended-tail with the tailwheel assembly
J-35B/D: the early signature production series, the models are identical to the Adam Lange, just will have progressively modern armament.
J-35F/J: late production series, only one cannon, and added the IRST under the cockpit (a la Phantom....)
J-35OE: Austrian J-35D mod with some extra antenna
J-35XD: Late Danish mod with the optics nose for air-to-ground role
S-35E: Recce variant with essentially the same-shape optics nose as the Danish mods, but with extra cameras all around
SK-35C: Two-seater modded from Adam Kort frames, non-combat-capable
TF-35XD: Danish two-seat mod with optics nose, combat-capable for air-to-ground role

Pictures are forthcoming.....

[RKE]

*blink*

Who on god's green earth convinced the RDAF that they'd ever fulfill an air-to-ground role during the Cold War? Unless invading Sweden (for the umpteenth time) suddenly became an interesting prospect

[mikeblaze]

I would think that in 1985, when the Soviets could muster around 11,000 tanks, that every little bit would help........

[RKE]

I always figured that RAFG, USAFE, and the Luftwaffe would be the ones going directly head to head with the Soviet tanks in such a scenario

Then again, declassified docs from the era shows that at a certain point prior to outbreak of direct hostilities, NATO would most likely have assumed tactical command of the Danish forces.

[mikeblaze]

It would seem that the Danish aircraft were specifically modified for the anti-ship role, with AGM-12 Bullpup missiles, so this might be the sole air-to-ground variant I will do for the RDAF. Everybody else used the Draken as a pure interceptor aircraft.

[RKE]

Ah, that makes a heck of a lot more sense

[mikeblaze]

Here are updated pix of Drakens and Viggens deep in beta-testing. A very unique and interesting note on the Viggen, it has a thrust reverser, most unusual for a high-performance tactical aircraft. This means no drogue chute, and shorter takeoff/landing rolls on the FDE. I include a cool video link here as well. Trying to get both of these hammered out and published before July is over, and I will be really close to my promised quota for the entire year just seven months into it.




Video Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IaWn7kX4Es

[Garysb]

Swedish Historic flight Viggen and Draken both flying at Waddington this weekend
Even a full 360 on the runway using reverse thrust for the viggen

Beautiful









Gary

[jimrodger]

Most things we could slow down enough to make life difficult.
We'd big problems with this guy!!!!

Happy days, from a few years ago now.

[mikeblaze]

Draken and Viggen are right on track for end-of-July, I did the multi-LOD models for everything this weekend, this week is for making a whole new family of Swedish ordnance and recce pod models (nearly all for Viggen), then I can start cranking out packages in short within two weeks or earlier. Viggen should be one package, Draken will be one or two depending on paint count.

[mikeblaze]

Deploying for a wildland fire assignment in the morning, back in two or three weeks. All projects on hold for now, and of course, I will be safe (if I do my job right, lol).....

[petebramley]

Be careful !!

[VulcanDriver]

Be safe out there

[mikeblaze]

I'm back....... pre-release pix of the first three Draken packages. In a twist, I am releasing the exports first (Austria, Denmark, Finland), with full serial paint runs.

[mikeblaze]

... and more.....

[Chrisb]

Glad your back and okay. You were beginning to be conspicuously absent.

Chris