C-130 Hercules

[Kamikaze]

My latest modeling attempt...it is a WIP....and hopefully will be very detailed when finished

 

Michael

[oakchas]

You are already close to "very detailed"! Nice work! Can I sit in the left seat?

[Roughy]

i want the far front seat!

 

good stuff ^^

[Chad_Hunt]

very nice model!

[bentothemax]

Nice job!! even better it comes in sport red!

 

 

Ben

[patrick_j_clarke]

Very nice! Are all those windows hand cut out or boolean?

 

WIRE! WIRE!!!

 

- pjc

[Kamikaze]

Patrick,

the windows are modeled in, and (not connected) frame sections devide some of the windows .

I'll post a WF ,but it may not be until tommorrow.

 

You guys can have any seat you want, I worked on those pigs in real life, and had my fill of flying in them and run testing them.

 

I always thought they looked cool though........

 

Michael

[Rodney]

Very nice Mike!

Looks spot on.

 

I spent about 8 years guarding C130s in Japan and got to ride in more than a few.

It was like a taxi to Korea for us.

 

Good to know a fellow Hasher was one of the people keeping those things in the air.

 

Once the red primer dries are you planning any grey or green?

More importantly... are you doing this for fun or working on a secret project?

[jfirestine]

Nice! Can you post Wireframe images?

[Kamikaze]

Rodney,

 

Hummm....8 years of maintaining them for me ,2 years in Germany, 2 years Little Rock, 2.5 years Tucson,Az, the rest was schooling.(78 to 85).

 

I thought of looking to see if there was a camo (green or desert) material, possiably decals (I hate flattening) otherwise grey or two tone commercial.

 

I purchased 2 plastic c-130 models and a c-130 pictorial book to help me along with the modeling..not to mention all the pictures I could find while googleing, couldnt rely on my memory.....smile.

 

Further info:

 

The landing gear assys will retract, Flaps,rudders,elevators and ailerons will work via pose sliders (I already have the landing gears, flaps etc etc modeled in), and the engine oil cooler flaps will function too. a sprite particle emitter for each exhaust....Doors (x3) and cargo doors open and close..and of course the props will rotate and pitch. (The cargo area windows will be transparency maps at first) The crew comparment is mostly finished with panels decaled, modeled rudder pedals, flight yokes, throttle lever, prop levers,flap controls...INFO OVERLOAD..must stop here...

 

And all just for fun,even though I wanted to hold off showing it until I was finished and had it animated.

 

Michael

[thejobe]

man thats just awsome

im years away from doing modeling like that

[Rodney]

Impressive Mike. Looks like you mean business.

Your attention to detail is going to make this one a great model.

 

I think there is a Camo.mat material on the latest CD. I think it is there anyway. If not it can be found on one of the Eggington models that is available for download. I cannot recall which model but I think it might be the female sci fi girl.

Top right on this page:

http://www.eggington.net/Hash/Models/Chara...Characters.html

 

There are some camo and green materials on some of the Eggington Vehicles as well:

http://www.eggington.net/Hash/Models/Vehicles/Vehicles.html

 

It might not be quite what you want but it might be a good starting place.

[Kamikaze]

Thejobe, Thanks for the compliment,

 

Here are some Wire Frames that will reveal so so modeling technics....

[Kamikaze]

#2 swf

[Kamikaze]

WF..not sure why Im posting this one......

[thejobe]

in the last one is that one spline in the middle the hatch baydoor?

if so that rules! droped jeeps out of the back of it!

[Kamikaze]

thejobe,

I cant tell anything from the wireframe only picture...LOL.....but yes the cargo bay doors open , the top half opens up and the bottom half (ramp) opens down, so you can lapes (Low altitude parachute extraction system) drop or jump out.....

 

 

Rodney,

Thanks for the links, they do a mighty fine job on those models too.

 

Michael

[Scottj3d]

Yup that's some fine modelling. My father use to work on those in the Air Force. If he were still around he would have been impressed. Nice work!

[Kamikaze]

Just a little update,

I modeled in the side windows (but I do have a little black artifact around one of them), and redid the front windshield frames (not quite placed correctly though) still searching for a good surface property setting for the glass. I have the main landing gear pose slider now, also built in the GTC (gas turbine compressor) door on the main landing gear cowl (the doors also open) modeled in a top hatch in the crew cabin. . ....and still alot more to do..

 

Take care,

Michael

[Kamikaze]

PS I still have a slight wave look to the fuselage but mostly at the bottom and is kinda covered up by the main landing gear cowls.

 

More pics

[Kamikaze]

And another...believe it or not I still have along way to go on the modeling, yet mostly touchups, the onto more rigging, I do have all the bones in place though.

 

Pic from the back, cargo area has most of the modeling left to do and decaled of course (bad lighting on this pic)

[Kamikaze]

Final pic for now a side wireframe,

 

Bye...

 

P.S. yes the side round windows are larger than they should be, I did this on purpose to have room for frames at some point.

[KenH]

That's turing out very well. It seems very bright though.

[Hutch]

Wow, that is great. That is very well done. Love the detail in the cockpit and all over! I agree with Ken about the color. Any particular reason it is red? Arent they usually gray?

[Stuart Rogers]

That's pretty cool.

 

I used to fly in one of those for my day job. Mine looked slightly different, as you can see here.

[Kamikaze]

Hey thanks for the look see guys, I just switched this project over to V12 from 11.1 and looks like I need to adjust the lighting in the Chor, from the settings I had in 11.1.....It's red only for modeling purposes, I seem to see the splines (in shaded mode) better that way (in the modeling window), Ill try to do a camo paint, or two tone commercial when finished....still a long way off....

 

Stuart, Now that is a different look for a 130 than Im use to, that's trippy....

 

Take care,

Michael

[ddustin]

Michael,

Excellent work!!

 

Any chance of getting my hands on the finished model (we can trade models or I can buy it out right)?

 

I love detailed mechanical models.

 

Keep up the great work.

 

David

[Zaryin]

Great detail! I can't wait to see it textured.

[Kamikaze]

No updated pictures this time, been redoing the area where the engine and wing meet, instead of a transparency map Im trying to model the hole where the exhaust pipe is....also trying to improve the the back wheel wells, thats beeing a pain in the arse to model nicely...of course having doors that will operate makes the task even harder for me....

 

David,

Mech modeling is by far my favorite, your work is always impressive and more pro than mine, when Im finished Ill make it available,I could even send you a copy when I think Im getting close to done and see what modeling etc improvements you think I could make,thats if your not to busy, still Id like to take a closer look at one of your models sometime, I believe I would probably learn a thing or two or three just by examining.....

 

Thanks for the compliments/interest, seems the more I try to improve areas the less satisfied I am....LOL

 

Take care,

 

Michael

[Kamikaze]

Trying to post an update but I keep getting this message "The requested file upload failed. This is either because it was not in the correct format, or the file size was larger than that allowed. Please check the file you wish to upload and try again." the attachement is a mov file (anr't they allowed?) and well under the 1mb limit (140k)

 

Ill try again later

 

Michael

[thejobe]

i got the same thing too when i was uploading my spider picture

finally had to put it up on my website and link

i dont think the fourms is accepting jpegs anymore. something went wrong

[Kamikaze]

Ok, attachments pose to be working now,

 

added more detail to cargo doors.

 

Cargo Doors operation:

Cargo_Door_Operation.mov

[Kamikaze]

By the way these are low rez, mov files,

 

Also reworked the nose wheel well doors/landing gear,

 

here it is in operation,

Nose_Landing_Gear.mov

[Kamikaze]

Last one,

 

 

Main landing gears and doors operation,

Main_Landing_Gear.mov

[KingSalami]

very cool. I work right on the runway on an

air force base these days, so I get to see all kinds of great planes

[Kamikaze]

Thanks Bryan , sounds like you have a cool job !

 

Now I finally started work on the camo material I have 2 going so far a green camo that Im still tweeking, attached is a render of it ,and a desert camo ,no render of it yet, Ive got a to find a better way to put the material on, right now I have the material on too may groups and it takes so long to change from one material to another, I know there is an easier way, just cant think of it so far.

 

Michael

[Kamikaze]

Here is the desert camo look,

 

I tried to work on the fuselage to get the creases, bumps etc. out but still not satisfied, it's especially bad around the round, modeled in windows (5 pt patches) I think I know how to get it smoother ,but it would increase the patch count ,and I dont want to do that just yet. maybe after I put in the panel lines and fuselage makings the unsmoothness won't show as bad.....

 

Ill also attach a model file of the fuselage, if anyone wants to take a look, or just to have for whatever reason....

 

take care,

Michael

 

here is the fuselage only model.

Test_Fuselage_C130.zip

[Heath_Naylor]

Well, I guess I'm not allowed to drive new models on the A:M fourms, but can I fly this one when your done with it?

[Technodandy]

Mike

 

Nice C-130 I use to be in the Air Force and watch them Taxi in. I am new in this forum. I am presently working on a Aircraft myself. I have been trying to build a B-36 Peacemaker with Truespace 6 for over a year now. So I desided to give AM a try. Maybe I can get some pointers from you. I think AM will make the task easier.

 

I will have to familarize myself better with AM in the mean time. I have to find out how to import and export *.obj files and how to speed up rendering in AM which seems much slower than Truespace on my Dell Dimension 8100. If you can share your experience or point me to some threads that will give me some pointers I would like that.

 

I think AM, once I iron out some of the wrinkles, I will be able to knock out models much more efficently.

 

Good work,

Technodandy

[Kamikaze]

Heath,

Sure you can fly it, all I need to see is your pilots license, All I have is a Run license.

 

Technodandy,

Thanks, for the post, Of course for starters you can download the above attached file of my C-130 fuselage and take a look at it, Im not the best at modeling mech or otherwise but I'm trying to get better.....I can say that it might be best to plan out your model, lets say on a plastic version of it first, that is buy a plastic model kit and start drawing splineage with a non permentent marker, dryerase or grease pencil etc....Also look at other models that are similar in type (mechanical,etc) and see how their modeled. One good thing Ive been told is to TRY to keep your patches as close as possiable in size to avoid un-smoothness, as you can tell with my fuselage model if you DL it and take a look, I did not do a good job there.

and it looks terriable around the round side windows where I used 5 pt patches to model in those windows...it looked much better when I used Transparency maps to make the window holes, could also have use boolean, it's basicaly where one shape group is boned and in the properties of the bone you turn on boolean cutter, (I think) and then use its shape to cut out a hole in another enclosed group (ie: like a box ) ..you only see the results after rendering, same with transparency maps.

Now as far as rendering time ,if you have a highly detailed model, high patch count, decals, materials, all which can help bring realism to your model, and also render settings, shadows (and type of shadows) ,reflections, depth of field, high multi pass settings,If your having a had time waiting for a render that doesnt have to be perfect, like rendering to check a models basic look, I turn multipass ON with 1 pass, no shadows ,refections DOF etc......theres probably even fast ways to do quick renders, that others can tell you.....

Dont forget ,you can also post pictures of you model to this forum, WIP section, with different views, shaded wireframe....and ask if other (including me) can take a look, Im by far not the best or near it withanypart of AM, modeling, texturing etc..but I sure enjoy doing what I do.

And Also check out the new users forum......

And do a search of the forum for "mechanical" etc

You can also PM me or send an email my way "mscossey@sbcglobal.net"

 

Did I mention AM is great for all types of modeling ,incl. mechanical

 

Well best get to work ,

 

Michael

[R Reynolds]

...creases, bumps etc. out but still not satisfied, it's especially bad around the round, modeled in windows (5 pt patches) I think I know how to get it smoother ,but it would increase the patch count...

 

I understand you're reluctance to add patches. (It still needs more detailing!)

 

I took a look at you're fuselage and my first thought was that you're hurting yourself by not having continuous splines running aroung the edge of the windows. So I took the worst case (the long thin 5 pointer aft of the third porthole and made some mods and did some more tweaking (see attached image).

 

The edge of each window is defined by four continuous splines with mags of 33 at each corner and the gammas tweaked so the splines defining the external and internal skin are aligned properly. The downside is the window edges are slightly convex.

 

The next step was to isolate only the splines that define the 5 pointers and their immediate neighbours and view them in wireframe in a front view. It was clear that both the cps of the central vertical spline was slightly out of alignment with the fore and aft vertical spline. The adjustments I made (CP lock is perfect for this) don't produce an ideally smooth surface, then again neither is the skin of most aircraft, but you may find it good enough.

 

BTW, I tried these last tweaks without making the window splines continuous and was unable to get the same level of smoothness.

[Kamikaze]

Rodger,

 

Oh !!!Thanks a bunch!!!, that does look better, much better.....I'll do just that, and then when I add my panel lines and hopefully rivets, it should look pretty good. or close,

 

Michael

[Kamikaze]

Thanks again Rodger, your suggestion got me thinking so I made the trouble area in the round windows into frames that are not attached, just in case I want the windows to be part of a special effect like getting blown out, or whatever, it helped with the creases also.

 

Below is an attached mov file (low res) of the props chaging pitch (0-90 deg.)

I have to rework the blade positions and part of the cone to look more realistic.....

I made 1 pose slider that will work all 4 props (16 blades) at the same time and I also made individual sliders for effects durring animation.

 

Next I want to post a pic of the cockpit/crew cabin area,

 

Take care.

Michael

Prop_Pitch_Check2.mov

[Technodandy]

Thanks again Rodger, your suggestion got me thinking so I made the trouble area in the round windows into frames that are not attached, just in case I want the windows to be part of a special effect like getting blown out, or whatever, it helped with the creases also.

 

Below is an attached mov file (low res) of the props chaging pitch (0-90 deg.)

I have to rework the blade positions and part of the cone to look more realistic.....

I made 1 pose slider that will work all 4 props (16 blades) at the same time and I also made individual sliders for effects durring animation.

 

Next I want to post a pic of the cockpit/crew cabin area,

 

Take care.

Michael

 

I am building a B-36 in Truespace but I am going to attempt it here. How long did it take to get this far?

[Kamikaze]

It's taken "me" some time (a month or two or....?) to get where I'm at but I only work on it 2 to 3 times a week for a couple hours on those days and I haven't planned it out so I end up redoing and redoing...so if you have the time you can definatly go faster than I, and I'm in no rush sense I'm doing it as a hobbiest.

 

Michael

[lazz]

Wow. Hey Kamikaze, I really like the way this is turning out. Great model. Nice paint job too. its turning out great. Keep up the good work!

[Technodandy]

It's taken "me" some time (a month or two or....?) to get where I'm at but I only work on it 2 to 3 times a week for a couple hours on those days and I haven't planned it out so I end up redoing and redoing...so if you have the time you can definatly go faster than I, and I'm in no rush sense I'm doing it as a hobbiest.

 

Michael

 

 

I am also going slow on the B-36 and going down many wrong paths and had to redo and redo. I have been posting my progress on the Truespace forum Check it out.

 

http://forums.caligari.com/discus/messages...html?1120101604

 

I am going to give it a try here. It seems a bit more straight forward.

 

Technodandy.

[ddustin]

WOW B-36, in truespace, ouch.

 

I think AM will do a much better job on it, and I'm not a huge fan of Mechanical Modeling in AM.

 

David

[Mushroom]

WOW B-36, in truespace, ouch.

 

I think AM will do a much better job on it, and I'm not a huge fan of Mechanical Modeling in AM.

 

TrueSpace boasts on it's modeling features, but i think that it sucks. A:M rocks for modeling!!!!! I have shade, TS 5.2 and A:M. Animation Master is the only one that i actually use!

[Kamikaze]

OK a quick update, taking a breather on the modeling and attempting some animations of sorts....here's a prop slow spin-up ,it is a combination of 3 action files and a prop rotation expression?

 

Had my HD crash on the computer that I usually do my internetting on so until I get it fixed I'm on a purter that I cant stand, so updates my be long in comming.

 

MIchael

 

Another start up rotation without the actions,

 

Next I will be adding (hopefully) smoke via sprites and sound,

 

Michael

Slow_Start_Up_Rotation_Test_S3.mov

Start_Up_Rotation_Test_S3.mov