A little Shark Mouth Spitfire action - WIP

[Gambit21]

Thanks to ICDP for converting the 2K template to 4K, which I'd never have the time to tackle.

 

This is a work in progress, not sure how much more I'll noodle with it, but not quite finished yet.

I've made a few adjustments to the cowl screws, simulating lost/replaces screws which happened quite a bit in real life, and other small tweaks to the weathering/paint chipping will happen

before I release this, as well as the placement of the kill markings.

 

There's some minor UV/texture stretching just under the spinner, which I'm sure ICDP noticed, and this causes some difficulties, but this just means a bit of extra time

to get things looking right. Just FYI to anyone finding themselves painting in that region.

 

Teeth under the spinner need to adjusted...she's looking a little buck-toothed.

 

The release of the Kuban map will halt my skinning for a time since I then have to go into campaign building mode.

Until that happens however, I can crank a few skins out.

I have a few ideas, most based in La-5 schemes.

Edited July 9, 2017 by Gambit21

[Danziger]

That's pretty awesome.

[ShamrockOneFive]

NICE!

[Gambit21]

A few more tweaks and screenies.

[Gambit21]

Mouth Layer turned off, and some slightly different markings

[=EXPEND=CG_Justin]

Very nice! BIGGER TEETH PLEASE!

[Gambit21]

I had them bigger - but it looked very "Flying Tigers"

I was going for what some Russian guy might come up with never having seen those P-40's.

 

I'll do a few versions.

[Elem]

I had them bigger - but it looked very "Flying Tigers"

I was going for what some Russian guy might come up with never having seen those P-40's.

 

I'll do a few versions.

 

So is this not based on a known example Gambit?

[Finkeren]

Love the design Gambit, can't wait to have it.

[Cybermat47]

Any chance of seeing the Grey Nurse?

 

[unreasonable]

Now that is what I call a shark! Although it is not a Mk V. And the Squadron code is wrong.... I think. But why not, it looks great....

[Gambit21]

So is this not based on a known example Gambit?

Negative - just made it up.

For IL2 in the past I always enjoyed doing exact recreations when I'm inspired by the scheme (and research is available) but I also enjoy creating

"historically plausible" schemes as well - especially since so few photos exist especially of Russian aircraft.

 

At the moment I'm getting my inspiration from schemes I see on other Russian fighters and just having a bit of fun.

Edited July 9, 2017 by Gambit21

[BlitzPig_EL]

Number 23 please.

 

 

It's the tac number I have used since my SCCA competition days with real cars.

 

Really good looking Gambit.   I do admit that the Grey Nurse was what I was expecting when I saw the thread title.

Edited July 9, 2017 by BlitzPig_EL

[Gambit21]

You got it Blitz

[BlitzPig_EL]

[Gambit21]

Grey on grey - less harsh than black and white and a red eye for better balance.

[Danziger]

Damn man that looks really mean

[unreasonable]

The problem with the very small teeth is that you would have to be very close to see them.  It can look good in a close up photo, but for most purposes in flight - even flying in formation -  all anyone will see is the black gaping mouth, which will make the plane look more like a toothless granny than a shark.

[Gambit21]

You're incorrect about what it looks like from a distance, however I'll make a version with larger teeth so that if this is your preference, then you have the option.

[unreasonable]

 It was just my impression that when playing the game the ability to see detail on other aircraft clearly is pretty much proportional to a) the distance to the observed object, and 2) the size of the object observed: (and maybe 3) the colour contrast), so comment was intended as constructive feedback.

 

 Appreciate the offer - but if you think it works perhaps no need?  Either way I look forwards to trying it out.

[Gambit21]

No worries.

There's a scoop there on the side that will make for some trial and error (part of the reason for the smaller teeth)

But I'll work it out.

[LLv24_Zami]

Nice work Gambit!

[Gambit21]

Here's the larger teeth WIP - I have one more scheme I (not shark teeth) want to try and squeeze in before the map gets here.

So I'm going to wrap up the work on the teeth here soon.

 

There's some UV/texture distortion under the spinner which is a bit of a pain in the arse to deal with.

[Goanna1]

Larger teeth look better but also consider moving the whole mouth down so that the lower jaw line is just above the screw head below.

Sharks have mouths on the underside of their  head in real life and I feel that by pushing it up makes it into a 'cartoonish image' rather than an aggressive threat image.

Also it would look better with a slightly larger eye.

 

All info from an environmental scientist who sculpted and painted years ago so my sources are probably tainted by these study areas.

Gambit keep going your image and work look good already

Edited July 13, 2017 by Goanna1

[Gambit21]

Thanks Goanna.

I appreciate your input.

 

I'm actually an accomplished marine aquarist/marine-bio geek from years back and am very familiar with sharks.

I'm not going for an anatomically correct shark, and "shark" is just a generic term anyway.

 

I want something some guy on the eastern front might make up, not something I or would wold come up with being A westerners, and B familiar with actual sharks.

All teeth on WWII aircraft are somewhat cartoon...unavoidable.

 

I'll try a larger eye - thanks! 

[Gambit21]

Now for something a bit different.

 

A few weeks ago I promised (sort of) a Spit skin based on the Hurricane below if the template was available soon enough.

WIP still...but getting there.

 

"hand painted" look intentional.

 

There's a skinning forum for this, so all future posts will be made there.

Only because of the current novelty of the Spit did I post it here the past few days.

 

With any luck the Kuban map will get here soon and I can put my skinning work on hold again until the Zero arrives.

I like skinning, but I'm most looking forward to campaign building (and flying) on that Kuban map.

 

 

P.S.

If anyone can comment on the blue of the Hurricane, and tell if that's somewhat accurate or just a poor representation of the normal green I'd appreciate it.

[=EXPEND=CG_Justin]

When can we have these Gambit? They are awesome!

[unreasonable]

By   "just a poor representation of the normal green" I assume you mean "the normal grey?"

 

To my eye the Hurricane skin is olive green + grey/blue - the blueish tint may just be the lighting. 

 

Just a thought about the Hurricanes: when Spitfire Vs were shipped in they can via Iran, so would have started with RAF desert camo, and needed overpainting. Many Hurricanes, on the other hand, came via the Arctic convoys from the UK. By 1941 the standard UK RAF camo was green and grey anyway: so I wonder if the Soviets would have bothered to repaint the base colours anyway. I would guess that they might have had standard RAF colours, except where UK markings had been painted over, unless they were painted in Soviet standard colours in the factory.

 

PS a quick search reveals this book which seems to confirm my general point, although I do not know about this specific aircraft. A keen skinner might want to get it.....

 

https://books.google.co.th/books?id=mLvvCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT157&lpg=PT157&dq=soviet+lend+lease+hurricanes+what+colour&source=bl&ots=m3DIp_Dnw0&sig=-f3Ri1Jef-mglz-BfkGomUQBdf8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiszeb9q4XVAhVFPo8KHewuDT0Q6AEIMzAD#v=onepage&q&f=false

[Gambit21]

Yes - it just looks much more blue than the default Russian grey on the template.

I was going to match this, but I'll leave it alone.

 

Justin, thank you. You'll have them soon. I need to do a few more things still.

I also wanted to create a different paint chips layer and matching alpha, but I might not have the time at this juncture.

In any case, I'll bump this thread with a skin forum link when they're ready.

[Jade_Monkey]

Grey on grey - less harsh than black and white and a red eye for better balance.

Nice! I'm digging this one.

[Missionbug]

Hello guys, the reference material I have gives the Russian Hurricane colour as Ocean Grey/Dark Green/Light Grey with a sky spinner.

 

One aircraft has a further disruptive pattern on top in Light Grey, not sure of the shade.

 

To complicate things the under side of the illustrations actually appears to match the Sky spinner.

 

Some aircraft are described as in the standard RAF camouflage: Dark Green/Dark Earth/Sky.

 

The RAF roundels were over painted in Dark Green, no shade specified.

 

One IIB is Black overall with the RAF roundels painted out in Dark Green and Soviet Stars, looks rather cool.

 

Hurrican IID aircraft were taken from RAF units in North Africa, went by sea to Basra in crates, from there they were assembled and flown via Tehran to Kirovabad.

 

There are no desert camouflaged aircraft in any of the photographs, all are of aircraft in Russia in the schemes described.  It is almost certain that the North African

Hurricanes would have been in the standard desert scheme in service but there is no mention of it on Russian aircraft, maybe they were re-painted at Basra after

assembly by the technicians there.

 

 

Hope that helps, lovely skin by the way.

 

 

Wishing you all the very best, Pete.

Edited July 13, 2017 by Missionbug

[Jason_Williams]

Please keep such topics in the skins section.

 

Jason

[9./JG27golani79]

Have you tried to just using the original camo beneath the mouth layer?

Or use one color which is also used in the camo?

 

I know - P40 / Spit look a bit different but it works kinda nicely for the P40

 

Edited July 16, 2017 by 9./JG27golani79

[Gambit21]

Please keep such topics in the skins section.

 

Jason

Was going to request that it be moved - thank you.