Convair B-36 "Peacemaker"

[Technodandy]

Well, I actually started making this project with Truespace 6. I am still in the middle of it but Animation Master is easy to model with and I am not having problems with system crashes as I did with TS Nurbs. The spline base form of modeling seems to work much like I expected TS Nurbs should have worked. They are not the same but I think some of the approaches to this project I could apply in TS too. If I cannot figure out how to do something in TS I can quickly make it in A.M. and export it.

 

So far though, I have been able to model the B-36 in A. M. without any system crashes distracting me from my task. Mainly because I think this application is so well thought-out. So I am starting a new string in this forum and resume my quest of making the B-36 in A. M.

 

If anyone wants to know the struggles I have had with this project in Truespace, go to their forum and look at my threads there. I will be still posting things there too.

 

I like the rotoscope way of tracing a model; Truespace is not as easy to set up.

 

Here is where I am starting in A. M. The following images shows my progress.

 

The first image is the model being traced from a rotoscope. [attachmentid=12395]

 

The second image is the shaded bird’s eye view. [attachmentid=12396]

 

If anyone would like to give me some pointers I am all ears. I am still green with A. M.

 

Technodandy

[KenH]

I hear you on AM's rotoscoping ability. It's so easy. In another package I tried, you have to make a plane and material with the image and place the material on the plane. AM's method is just so much easier and it seems to be out there on it's own.

The B36 looks fine. Though it would be easier to critique with a shaded wireframe image. It looks like you're about ready to texture now.

[Eric2575]

I'm not familiar with that plane. What are those three bumps on each wing, some kind of air intake? In any case, should those bumps contine to the top of the wings?

[Technodandy]

OK, I got a shaded wire frame image for you Ken.

 

 

[attachmentid=12401]

 

Hi Eric,

 

I saw this aircraft on display at Chanute AFB in Ill. I use to march by it in the morning going to the USAF fire protection training school there in 1969. By that time it was no longer being used it was obsolete. But the size was so impressive. It was bigger than the B-52. I remembered it from the movie “Strategic Air Command” starring Jimmy Stewart.

 

There are six 28 cylinder air-cooled engines driving 19-foot diameter propellers in the pusher configuration. I am now trying to figure how to mate the engine with the wings right now. Besides the air intakes you see in the wings right now, there are others under the wing, rapped around directing the air to the engines.

 

You can see two out riggers; they are the housings for 4 more jet engines added to later model modifications.

 

Technodandy

[Eric2575]

Thanks for the info...I was wondering how it compared to the B-52. That plane look gigantic. Your model does a good job to convey size.

[Technodandy]

Hi all,

 

I am having a problem smoothing out the dimples at the Control Points. The Bias Handles seem to be limited to one plane. Alpha and Beta direction do not seem to cover every direction. Can someone l clear me up on why this is so?

 

[attachmentid=12711]

 

Technodandy

[Kamikaze]

Technodandy

 

I honestly cant tell much from the pic, if you dont get an answer from someone else, Id have to see a higher resolution pic or two from differing angles and / or a wireframe with just the offending area with the rest hidden...

or post a model file of just the surrounding area and the offending area..

 

My eyesight is going on me in my old age...

Michael,

[nf1nk]

Hi all,

 

I am having a problem smoothing out the dimples at the Control Points. The Bias Handles seem to be limited to one plane. Alpha and Beta direction do not seem to cover every direction. Can someone l clear me up on why this is so?

 

[attachmentid=12711]

 

Technodandy

Those are creases they are the bane of my animation master experiance, the only way (that I know) to avoid them is to make sure only 2 splines intersect at a control point this will mean you need to use the dreaded five pint patch at least four times for every engine. This means at the point where you curently have 3 splines come together you need to split that into two control points, figuring out how you are going to do that is part of the art. Good luck

[R Reynolds]

I agree with Michael that I could use a few more views from different angles to get a handle on the shapes you are trying to model. But my feeling is that you're getting caught up in keeping a low patch count and are asking for way, WAY too much deformation of the patches; especially the five pointers (which can be challenging at the best of times). I use bias tweaks for just that, minor shape adjustments; they're not sledge hammers.

 

I think you're going to have to rethink the splinage in the areas I've circled in blue. Draw at least another spline ring around your opening (you may need more than that depending upon your personal tolerance to creasing) and reduce the area of your patches through the convoluted surfaces.

 

Having said that I don't know the construction of the B-36 at all but I wouldn't be surprised if this fuselage dimple is something that is a separate assembly riveted to an otherwise cylindrical fuselage. If that's the case, by building it like the real prototype you could avoid the whole problem and achieve more realism in the bargain.

[Technodandy]

I have been hacking away at this for a few weeks. I guess I will have to change my geometry radically again. This is the closest I got to the way it actually looks but these creases would not smooth out. I have to find that good starting. Maybe I should make two models and place them together.

 

Technodandy

[heyvern]

If it is just that one spot... I would add the 5 point patches on the "corners" as suggested previously. Add a few "extra" rings of splines using extrude so you can push the 5 point patches up into a "flatter" area.

 

Then use hooks to connect that piece into the model along the fuselage.

 

5 point patches will be smoother than what you are doing currently.

 

Look for any info or tutorials for 5 point patches. Learn how they work... they are very helpful and in some cases required to avoid those "dimples".

 

Vernon "!" Zehr

[DanCBradbury]

like vern said use 5 point patches to fix the dimples. i included a pic to show you what that would look like.

[MMZ_TimeLord]

Technodandy,

 

First off, if you are only going by drawings such as this. Then you are never going to get that intake correct.

 

I would reference better photos, such as these.

 

 

 

 

That said, I would like to offer the following idea for fixing your problem area. (See attachement)

 

This is just my thought, let me know if it's not clear enough (barring my shaky mouse brush ).

[DanCBradbury]

interesting pictures jody... but i dont believe that will solve his creasing problem.

 

That's an odd looking airplane. I've never seen an engine like that before.

[MMZ_TimeLord]

Main thing to remember is that those are turbo props and not jet engines. (Only the outboard add-on engines are turbine jets)

 

Those openings on the front of the wings are for the turbo and cooling air to the turboprop engines.

 

I may try and duplicate the problem and post a better picture. I believe that most if not all the creasing can be eliminated by using a single spline across the top (yellow) and then short spline (green) to make the opening.

 

Again, I'll try it before I call it gospel.

[Ed Doyle]

This picture may help add to the explanation of the B-36 engines.

 

Ed

[Technodandy]

Thanks Guys,

 

These pictures do help with my sense of proportion. I will have some more updates soon.

 

Technodandy

[Technodandy]

Well I have be working right along off and on since my last post. I have two question maybe someone can help me with.

 

1. Is there a simple way to set a Control Point's manipulators arms to a default or neutral state so I can reset one or many control points a smooth unbiased state. I need a good starting point to clear surface ambiguities ware there are unwanted right angles and cusps.

 

2. I some how lost my main "File Edit Veiw Tools Help" on the top of my project window. I can not find the option or preperence to get i back. When I open a newly installed AM program it is there.

[KenH]

1. In the properties, you have to set the bias alpha and gamma to 0,0,100,100 respectively. If you select a spline and hit the , key then you can alter all the cps that are selected at the one time. Also, v13 now has Setbias that might help. Remember to save a version of your model before you attempt anything.

 

2. Not sure. Mine's gone too.

[Technodandy]

I am back in business. I fix the Menu bar.

 

Follow this thread.

 

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20381

[Technodandy]

Hi All,

 

With a better knowledge of the behavior of CP that people in the forum gave me, I was able to knock out this Forward area of the B-36 today.

 

I pinched in Corel Paint to make a front view photo that TimeLord posted for me more orthogonal.

 

l

[attachmentid=15285]

 

I added a side view of a photo in a book I have.

 

[attachmentid=15286]

 

This was the result;

 

[attachmentid=15287]

 

I have to clean it up but it easier now.

 

 

Thanks Everybody.

 

Technodandy

[Technodandy]

I got a little more done on today.

 

[attachmentid=15429]