370th P-38 Skins

[Jaegermeister]

So I'm working on a scripted campaign for the 370th Fighter Group flying out of Florennes. I know some of you on here have great resources when it comes to skins so I am looking for any additional information on the 485th Squadron aircraft,

 

This is basically what I have so far;

 

 

 

 

 

 

If anyone feels like giving me a hand, I could use it. I'm not great at skinning but I am trying to put together at least 8 historical skins for the squadron and maybe a few more from other squadrons in the 370th. I have pictures and info on a couple more Lightnings but I don't have ID letters to match with nose art. 

 

Any help would be appreciated, I don’t really have a deadline. I would guess at least a couple of months until the campaign is done. 

 

Edit, 12/7/19 Added 1 more...

 

Here is another new one. 

 

Lt. Col Seth McKee (later General) Deputy Commander of the 370th FG

 

 

I also revised F7 S. I have found 3 different versions where it was over painted at various times and decided to go with this one. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2019 by Jaegermeister

[pjmack11377]

What info on the planes do you have?  I love skinning 38's.  PM me please!

 

Patrick

[Poochnboo]

The 370th converted to p-51's in Feb. of '45. Are you going to carry the campaign into their Mustang time?

 

1 hour ago, Jaegermeister said:

So I'm working on a scripted campaign for the 370th Fighter Group flying out of Florennes

 

Hope this helps.

 

[DD_Fenrir]

http://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/7261

 

http://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/7260

[Raptorattacker]

4 hours ago, Poochnboo said:

Hope this helps.

Vivacious Virgin is actually coming up fast on my 'to do' list as it happens!!

Give me a shout if you want any help @Jaegermeister!

Rap

Edited November 15, 2019 by Raptorattacker

[Jaegermeister]

7 hours ago, pjmack11377 said:

What info on the planes do you have?  I love skinning 38's.  PM me please!

 

 

@pjmack11377 I have the book The 370th Fighter Group in WWII. lots of pictures. That and the Internet is where I got what I have already.

 

6 hours ago, Poochnboo said:

The 370th converted to p-51's in Feb. of '45. Are you going to carry the campaign into their Mustang time?

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

@Poochnboo I will probably not go past 1st of January, but we’ll see. They didn’t Have a lot of action with the Mustangs but it might be interesting to make the transition for a few flights anyway. If you have the book with the plate above, I would love a high resolution photo of the nose art picture of “target for tonight” I am almost done with that one and it’s on the list. If you can PM a straight on shot that would be awesome.

 

2 hours ago, Raptorattacker said:

Vivacious Virgin is actually coming up fast on my 'to do' list as it happens!!

Give me a shout if you want any help @Jaegermeister!

Rap

 

@Raptorattacker I have E6T all set except the ID letters and the nose art I have is very low resolution. I was working on cleaning it up, but if I can get a better image, that would make it much quicker. 

 

2 hours ago, DD_Fenrir said:

http://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/7261

 

http://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/7260

 

@DD_Fenrir There are some great pictures there. Thanks. I noticed on the Spirit of Oak Ridge that the engine cowl panel with the polished area to see the landing gear was put on the wrong side of the nacelle in the picture I did my skin from. It’ on the outside. I guess I will put it back on the inside where it’s supposed to be. Those darn mechanics... can’t trust ‘em... 

 

 

I'm also about to start working on this one. It was their favorite poster child besides Les Vin, Le Femmes, et Les Chansons. I'm just a bit scared of the checkered nose....

 

 

Edited November 15, 2019 by Jaegermeister

[Raptorattacker]

48 minutes ago, Jaegermeister said:

if I can get a better image, that would make it much quicker. 

I'll knock the nose art out for ya. Leave it with me. I'll PM it to you when it's done. How's that sound?

[Jaegermeister]

Just now, Raptorattacker said:

I'll knock the nose art out for ya. Leave it with me. I'll PM it to you when it's done. How's that sound?

 

Sounds awesome! I can drop in on my template. I already have the 402 base AC ready to go. I'll send you back a complete skin.

[Raptorattacker]

Okay.

Check your Inbox, there's a pressie there that might save you a few hours!!

Rap

Edited November 15, 2019 by Raptorattacker

[Swing]

Sandot IV from the stock skins is from the 370th too 

[pjmack11377]

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/rp9kclesqnt67/

17 hours ago, Jaegermeister said:

 

@pjmack11377 I have the book The 370th Fighter Group in WWII. lots of pictures. That and the Internet is where I got what I have already.

 

 

@Poochnboo I will probably not go past 1st of January, but we’ll see. They didn’t Have a lot of action with the Mustangs but it might be interesting to make the transition for a few flights anyway. If you have the book with the plate above, I would love a high resolution photo of the nose art picture of “target for tonight” I am almost done with that one and it’s on the list. If you can PM a straight on shot that would be awesome.

 

 

@Raptorattacker I have E6T all set except the ID letters and the nose art I have is very low resolution. I was working on cleaning it up, but if I can get a better image, that would make it much quicker. 

 

 

@DD_Fenrir There are some great pictures there. Thanks. I noticed on the Spirit of Oak Ridge that the engine cowl panel with the polished area to see the landing gear was put on the wrong side of the nacelle in the picture I did my skin from. It’ on the outside. I guess I will put it back on the inside where it’s supposed to be. Those darn mechanics... can’t trust ‘em... 

 

 

I'm also about to start working on this one. It was their favorite poster child besides Les Vin, Le Femmes, et Les Chansons. I'm just a bit scared of the checkered nose....

 

 

 

I used BENJAMIN MOORE on my new paint job because it says "prevents scratches"

Edited November 16, 2019 by pjmack11377

[pjmack11377]

485th fighter sqd...370th fighter grp...USAAF..Belgium, 1944

 

http://www.lockonfiles.com/files/file/3752-il-2-p-38j25-7f-n/

Edited November 21, 2019 by pjmack11377
link for skin

[DD_Fenrir]

401st Sqn Patrick? That's odd considering it's wearing the 7F- codes of the 485th... ?

[pjmack11377]

DD,

 

 

This was my source.  What should it be?

 

Patrick

[DD_Fenrir]

Yeah, that's a widely distributed profile that's always been wrong and I knew instantly it was was the one you had referenced; 7F- is definitively 485 squadron, whether the mistake was the book author, the artist or even the source of the photograph referenced to make the profile is unknown. 

 

Ninth AF P-38 schemes have been somewhat neglected in attention historically - particularly in comparison with the 8th AF; more aces there - until fairly recently. So cross referencing sources to confirm colours, and even unit IDs, was troublesome and many a reasonable guess was made. The internet combined with the emergence of more source material has rendered many of these older profiles... well, the kindest term I can think of is, obsolete.

[pjmack11377]

Thanks DD.  I will change it.

[Jaegermeister]

The 401st had red spinners with yellow prop hub, 9D prefix and a square on the outside rudders

The 402nd had red spinners with a white prop hub, E6 prefix and a circle on the outside rudders

The 485th had red spinners with a blue prop hub, 7F prefix and a triangle on the outside rudders

They all had red oil/intercooler inlet outlines, of varying thickness and size

The OD planes which were earlier from crossing over the channel had white lettering. The newer aluminum finish planes had black letters

 

Im guessing the 7F N plane above was a misidentified 485th plane rendered from a B&W photo by someone that didn’t know what color it was.

 

 

Edited November 22, 2019 by Jaegermeister

[DD_Fenrir]

 

https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/aircrafts-2-3/p-38-lightning/p-38j-42-67780-mary-rose-ii-2lt-roy-smith-of-the-485th-fs-370th-fg-at-florennes-juzaine-airfield-a-78-belgium-november-1944/

 

Colour image of same aircraft from port forward attached.

 

 

[DD_Fenrir]

https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/aircrafts-2-3/p-38-lightning/p-38j-of-the-485th-fs-370th-fg-during-their-stay-at-florennes-juzaine-airfield-a-78-belgium/

 

 

[DD_Fenrir]

10 hours ago, Jaegermeister said:

 

The 402nd had red spinners with a white prop hub, E6 prefix and a square circle on the outside rudders

 

Hey Jaeger, spotted a Typo.

 

That a/c lower right looks familiar...

 

[pjmack11377]

3 hours ago, DD_Fenrir said:

Hey Jaeger, spotted a Typo.

 

That a/c lower right looks familiar...

 

DD, can you please supply me with info on 80th ftr sqd, 8th fighter grp?  I am working on Miss Mecca.

 

Thank you,

 

Patrick

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

 

Thanks

 

14 hours ago, Jaegermeister said:

The 401st had red spinners with yellow prop hub, 9D prefix and a square on the outside rudders

The 402nd had red spinners with a white prop hub, E6 prefix and a square on the outside rudders

The 485th had red spinners with a blue prop hub, 7F prefix and a triangle on the outside rudders

They all had red oil/intercooler inlet outlines, of varying thickness and size

The OD planes which were earlier from crossing over the channel had white lettering. The newer aluminum finish planes had black letters

 

Im guessing the 7F N plane above was a misidentified 485th plane rendered from a B&W photo by someone that didn’t know what color it was. 

Dearest Jeag,

 

I am seeking any color info on the 80th ftr sqd, 8th ftr grp.  Thanks

 

I am working on Miss Mecca

Edited November 22, 2019 by pjmack11377

[Jaegermeister]

6 hours ago, DD_Fenrir said:

Hey Jaeger, spotted a Typo.

 

That a/c lower right looks familiar...

 

 

@DD_Fenrir Thanks for catching the typo, I corrected above.

 

Also yes, that's California Cutie with the checkered nose on the right in that photo. Unfortunately I can't see what the nose art on that side looks like in that picture and I don't have another one. It's "Peggy" and I am almost done with it after getting the checkering taken care of. When I search for California Cutie, I get the one from the 20th FG of the 8th AF. I may just leave the left side bare for the moment.

Apparently the AC taxiing down the runway ran into the one on the left right after that picture was taken.

 

Also thanks to everyone for all the info. I have more to go on now. I have 3 different Red and White Checker nose planes including 7F N detailed above and I am going to try and do "Mutt" for another OD plane. I also have info and tail letters for a few other planes in the squadron. Those shouldn't take as long.

 

Raptorattacker has finished the nose art for Vivacious Virgin so I will post that up in the very near future, and since it's not in the 485th, I guess I can post that one for DL.

[Jaegermeister]

OK, so these are done now. I have 1 small error to find and eliminate before I can post anything for DL. 3 More historically correct 370th skins. 

 

 

With credit to Raptorattacker for the artwork on this one...

 

It's late. I'll post more tomorrow.

[pjmack11377]

Beautiful.  My research is lacking. I will do better.

[Raptorattacker]

Lookin' HOT!! 

[DD_Fenrir]

Jaeger, Raptor you just made my new favourite ride - stunning work gents. My thanks in advance.

[Jaegermeister]

So here is the other side of "Peggy" to the best of my ability to figure out with a magnifying glass and a slightly better copy of the photo above ...

 

 

 

Also here is a copy of Vivacious Virgin for you guys. Thanks for helping out.  http://www.mediafire.com/file/uqquu0uz6f6b38q/P38J25_E6_T.zip/file

 

 

 

 

[FurphyForum]

Great coalition and excellent collective work Jaeger and Raptor. 

[smink1701]

Voonda - Bar!

[DD_Fenrir]

Jaeger, those wheel hubs look odd to me - are you aware of the alpha channel work around that gives you the spoked hubs rather than the flat plate hub cap?

[Jaegermeister]

 

7 hours ago, DD_Fenrir said:

Jaeger, those wheel hubs look odd to me - are you aware of the alpha channel work around that gives you the spoked hubs rather than the flat plate hub cap?

 

Were there not spoked hubs on that skin? Check the runway screen posted above. Maybe I loaded the wrong alpha mask. I’ll check it. I need to upload a new file with the ribbon highlights on the VV artwork anyway. Raptorattacker sent me an updated file.

 

Edit...

 

I checked the posted file and here is what I see in the viewer, I haven't looked in-game yet. It does look like I need to edit the Alpha layer and make the gaps a bit smaller so the framework doesn't show, but it looks to me like the spokes are there at least.

 

 

Edited November 24, 2019 by Jaegermeister

[DD_Fenrir]

Hi Jaeger

 

So, what I think is happening is that you are attempting to replicate the spoked wheel hubs by applying pure black areas onto the essentially 2D hub-cap texture... ? It's a good effort but because the hubs in reality were concave, and yours are essentially 2D, it looks a little off

 

As I understand it, the wheel hub is modelled in a true concave form and both it and the flat hub cap have separate areas of the template reserved for them.

 

So if you find the right spots you can Alpha out the hub cap, and place the spokes wheel texture where it will actually follow the concave form of the model.

 

Raptor seems to be better clued in regards this:

 

 

Maybe worth pinging him a PM.

 

 

 

Edited November 27, 2019 by DD_Fenrir

[Raptorattacker]

No need to PM. It's easy. There's even a dedicated layer on the Photoshop Alpha called 'Hub Caps'... 

[DD_Fenrir]

On 11/22/2019 at 11:52 AM, DD_Fenrir said:

https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/aircrafts-2-3/p-38-lightning/p-38j-42-67780-mary-rose-ii-2lt-roy-smith-of-the-485th-fs-370th-fg-at-florennes-juzaine-airfield-a-78-belgium-november-1944/

 

Colour image of same aircraft from port forward attached.

 

 

 

Was trawling through some of my P-38 literature last night and found a further reasonable profile of this a/c:

 

Now we at least know the a/c ID letter! And what the script on the left nacelle says.

The patterned oil cooler doors are an interesting touch. Just wish I knew what those two yellow and red emblems to the lower left of the name are....

 

Found another new 485th P-38 too! I present 'Jimmy III' for your delectation:

 

 

Edited November 27, 2019 by DD_Fenrir

[Jaegermeister]

On 11/27/2019 at 5:45 AM, DD_Fenrir said:

As I understand it, the wheel hub is modelled in a true concave form and both it and the flat hub cap have separate areas of the template reserved for them.

So if you find the right spots you can Alpha out the hub cap, and place the spokes wheel texture where it will actually follow the concave form of the model.

 

On 11/27/2019 at 6:16 AM, Raptorattacker said:

No need to PM. It's easy. There's even a dedicated layer on the Photoshop Alpha called 'Hub Caps'... 

 

 

OK, got it. That is a huge improvement. Thanks for the tip. I have updated the Vivacious Virgin skin in the DL file with the revised artwork and fixed wheel hubs. If you guys find anything else wrong with it, let me know as the fix will be incorporated in all the 485th skins.

 

@DD_Fenrir Thanks for the picture and info on the additional planes. Looks like I can do Mary Rose II and Jimmy III now. 

 

I had to take a break for a few days because of work and I got a new Rift S I had to get set up, which took a little while. I also made 2 more Campaign missions that need some more adjusting. Thanks for the input, It is a big help. 

 

Updated VV skin link... http://www.mediafire.com/file/z15z4hnirnp7wrf/P38J25_402nd_E6_T.zip/file

 

[DD_Fenrir]

Thanks Jaeger, looks great!

[Jaegermeister]

So I did Mary Rose...

 

All I am missing is the tail letters... I'm going with those are train kill markings on the lower left by the ID numbers

 

And I have been working on a special encounter in one of the missions... Really happened!

 

 

[Jaegermeister]

On 11/27/2019 at 7:45 AM, DD_Fenrir said:

 

Found another new 485th P-38 too! I present 'Jimmy III' for your delectation:

 

 

 

Interesting story about that picture... The pilot in the picture is named Jim Kunkle, but that's not his plane that has Jimmy II on the nose and a K ID letter. The plane is from the 485th and he was in the 401st. 

 

I still need to put the mission markers on the side of the cockpit.

 

 

[Indigene]

On 11/30/2019 at 8:14 PM, Jaegermeister said:

So I did Mary Rose...

 

All I am missing is the tail letters... I'm going with those are train kill markings on the lower left by the ID numbers

 

And I have been working on a special encounter in one of the missions... Really happened!

 

 

Is Mary Rose done yet? She looks wonderful! ?

[Jaegermeister]

All the ones posted above are done except adding pilot names on the black fuselage panels. I will be releasing them as a set when my campaign is done. I don't believe they will be included in the Scripted Campaign download due to size. The 4K skins will be optional as an add-on, but it certainly improves immersion.

 

I posted Vivacioous Virgin for DL because it's not in the 485th. I'm not even sure I will use it, but I will probably work it in as part of an AI flight somewhere.