Finnish StuG IIIG Ps.531-8 "Aili" - Released with bonus

[Hanu]

Download link in the seventh post


----------------
About 30hrs of work later the camopattern is starting to take shape. ICDP's template with "Area ID" -layer has been invaluable, but I might not have started this project had I realized HOW much work this one would need... ?. I was planning to make several of these ("Bubi", "Lea" etc, but perhaps I'll settle to "Aili" and generic version of it, because it would mean to redo that camopattern 30-50% to look somewhat correct. We'll see.

I really love the Finnish pattern visually, but making all those hard lines to match is one tedious work, especially without the help of the model viewer. (Damn with all those welding lines and hinges etc). It looks already usable, but lot of work, a lot of work is still needed...

 

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

 

The original one can be found here:

http://www.andreaslarka.net/ps531008/ps531008.html

 

Edited January 19, 2023 by Hanu

[MajorMagee]

Yes, not having a real time model viewer is limiting. I've found that the mission editor is much faster to get in and out of than doing checks in the game itself.

[CIPPOZ]

fantastic!! ?

[MajorMagee]

The before and after shots of the Stug from the 2003 restoration show a marked improvement in fidelity and color accuracy.

 

Looking at the reference link you provided brought back a conversation I had with the curator of the tank collection at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) back in the late 70s. The APG Museum Curator told me that most of the captured vehicles had been shipped back to the US for engineering test and evaluation and then were used in War Bond Drives. By the time they went into the collection the original finish had been badly degraded without any records to let them get back to the way they looked when captured. Over the years of outside storage corrosion also took its toll. With almost non-existent funding to maintain them the museum resorted to using modern house paint, and left over US Army vehicle paint to cover over the deterioration. 

 

That collection has been moved twice since then, and it is finally getting some funding for proper storage and maintenance. At this point they may never be able to properly restore them to looking as they should, but we can hope that they'll get something better than house paint to freshen them up with.

Edited January 16, 2023 by MajorMagee

[Hanu]

7 hours ago, MajorMagee said:

Yes, not having a real time model viewer is limiting. I've found that the mission editor is much faster to get in and out of than doing checks in the game itself.

I haven't thought of that... But if I create a linked entity that I can use advanced properties to be able to select the skin, for me it just shows the default skin and some missing parts?

[MajorMagee]

You're right. I was using temporary replacements for the default skins.

[Hanu]

Released!

 

A lot of work, even more should be done, but I decided that these are complete enough for relase... So far.

 

In spring of '43 Finns were allowed to buy 45 "Sturmgeschütz 40" Assault Guns, but received only 30. (30 more at '44). They were manufactured in three different factories, 10 by Alkett, 19 by MIAG and one by M.A.N. The model we have in IL-2 seems to have at least M.A.N style additional welded armor plates but not interlaced like Alkett's, Aklett-style mudguard supports and Exhaust pipes that none Finnish Sturm had. These and other disparities needed some adjustments here and there. Also the texture was re-used in different parts of 3D model (not too much, luckily, but still) thus some parts had to be faked or sometimes removed by Alpha channel. But anyway:

 

TL;DR: 2 versions of each skin, the normal and one without exhaust pipes. No textures for Armor skirts or Smoke launchers as they were not used in Finnish service.

 

Ps.531-8 "Aili", Manufactued by MIAG at July '43, Werknummer 95447
"Aili" served as command vehicle, scored 7 kills by 2 different crew during battles of '44. 5 T-34's near Leitimojärvi at 25th of June and 2 more at Vuosalmi 11th of July. Currently restored quite nicely and Located at the Reserviupseerikoulu's museum in Hamina.

 

 

Like I said earlier, our StuG's had no exhaust pipes, so these look kind of weird for my eye. That's why there are other version of the skins (*_NE.dds) where exhaust pipe is removed via Alpha-channel. It looks much better and works reasonably nice, the problem is in sunny weather where invisible parts still cast the shadow. And flame-puff's are of course out-of-place. But the markings can be used in correct place now.

 

Spoiler

 

 

I used about 50hrs to match this three-color camo pattern, and I have very little time in the near future so I decided that I'll make couple of more using the same camo-template, although not entirely historical. All had the same kind on camo, but everyone was unique. I wish I can return later to mitigate this, but let's see. So using "Aili"'s pattern I created 3 more skins:

 

Ps.531-10 "Bubi" Manufactued by Alkett at May '43, Werknummer 92463

 

"Bubi" was the top killer with 11 confirmed kills. 6 T-34's, 4 T-34/85's and one ISU-152. Commander Börje Brotell, gunner Olli Soimala, driver Sulo Kauppi and loader Armas Launikko. Was almost completely wasted as a target practise during '80 but was saved just in the last moment, restored to war-time paint and currently on display at garrison area in Parola.

 

The name is somewhat funny story, so I'll tell you that also... Tank crews received the permission to name their StuG's, so the driver usually named it after girlfriend or wife. If he had none, other could suggest it too. But now the driver had watched Errol Flynn's movie during his vacation and EF had been whispering "I love you Baby" to his co-star. When he came back the naming of Sturmi's were in full swing and he was asked for his girlfried name, so he said "Baby" like in the movie, but they were uncertain how to spell it as none spoke english... Finally they agreed that it must bu "Bubi" (which is a boy's name actually) You actually can imagine the the hassle if you look closely the name; "BU" are capital letters, but "bi" are not. I could guess that there has been lot of head-scratching during the painting.

 

Spoiler

 

Ps.531-6 "Liisa" Manufactued by MIAG at July '43, Werknummer 95450

"Liisa" scored 8 kills during the heated battles of '44. 4 T-34's at Portinhoikka and Vuosalmi, 3 ISU-152's at Vuosalmi and 1 unidentified. She has been later painted with 9 victory rings for some reason. My painting is when she had 5 rings.

 

"Liisa" received a hit to very top of her right shoulder armor during Kuuterselkä battles. I've added a hit-mark there but some more is needed later on. The resulting shrapnels killed the loader Armorman Paavo Havu a second after he had loaded the gun. Which in turn was used a second later to knock out the T-34, thus saving the rest of the crew. "Liisa" continued to fight on the following days with her armor broken and was later repaired for the last fights.

 

Spoiler

 

And finally the generic one with muddled register-number:

 

Spoiler

 

 

Downloads can be found below. PLEASE note that there are deliberately no textures for Armor skirts or smoke launchers, so do not use them with these skins!!!  I tried to mitigate this problem the same way with Alpha Channel like those exhaust pipes, but the shadows were too horrible.

 

Happy hunting!

 

DOWNLOAD from my OneDrive

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 19, 2023 by Hanu

[Hanu]

Small update (all skins);
-Fixed alpha channel, some pixels caused transparency on side armor (wheels area)

-Added some dirt and grime to sidearmor while there.

-Added some weathering to gun rear shield

 

Filenames stayed the same, date change only.

Edited January 23, 2023 by Hanu

[CIPPOZ]

On 1/19/2023 at 11:03 PM, Hanu said:

Released!

 

A lot of work, even more should be done, but I decided that these are complete enough for relase... So far.

 

In spring of '43 Finns were allowed to buy 45 "Sturmgeschütz 40" Assault Guns, but received only 30. (30 more at '44). They were manufactured in three different factories, 10 by Alkett, 19 by MIAG and one by M.A.N. The model we have in IL-2 seems to have at least M.A.N style additional welded armor plates but not interlaced like Alkett's, Aklett-style mudguard supports and Exhaust pipes that none Finnish Sturm had. These and other disparities needed some adjustments here and there. Also the texture was re-used in different parts of 3D model (not too much, luckily, but still) thus some parts had to be faked or sometimes removed by Alpha channel. But anyway:

 

TL;DR: 2 versions of each skin, the normal and one without exhaust pipes. No textures for Armor skirts or Smoke launchers as they were not used in Finnish service.

 

Ps.531-8 "Aili", Manufactued by MIAG at July '43, Werknummer 95447
"Aili" served as command vehicle, scored 7 kills by 2 different crew during battles of '44. 5 T-34's near Leitimojärvi at 25th of June and 2 more at Vuosalmi 11th of July. Currently restored quite nicely and Located at the Reserviupseerikoulu's museum in Hamina.

 

 

Like I said earlier, our StuG's had no exhaust pipes, so these look kind of weird for my eye. That's why there are other version of the skins (*_NE.dds) where exhaust pipe is removed via Alpha-channel. It looks much better and works reasonably nice, the problem is in sunny weather where invisible parts still cast the shadow. And flame-puff's are of course out-of-place. But the markings can be used in correct place now.

 

  Hide contents

 

 

I used about 50hrs to match this three-color camo pattern, and I have very little time in the near future so I decided that I'll make couple of more using the same camo-template, although not entirely historical. All had the same kind on camo, but everyone was unique. I wish I can return later to mitigate this, but let's see. So using "Aili"'s pattern I created 3 more skins:

 

Ps.531-10 "Bubi" Manufactued by Alkett at May '43, Werknummer 92463

 

"Bubi" was the top killer with 11 confirmed kills. 6 T-34's, 4 T-34/85's and one ISU-152. Commander Börje Brotell, gunner Olli Soimala, driver Sulo Kauppi and loader Armas Launikko. Was almost completely wasted as a target practise during '80 but was saved just in the last moment, restored to war-time paint and currently on display at garrison area in Parola.

 

The name is somewhat funny story, so I'll tell you that also... Tank crews received the permission to name their StuG's, so the driver usually named it after girlfriend or wife. If he had none, other could suggest it too. But now the driver had watched Errol Flynn's movie during his vacation and EF had been whispering "I love you Baby" to his co-star. When he came back the naming of Sturmi's were in full swing and he was asked for his girlfried name, so he said "Baby" like in the movie, but they were uncertain how to spell it as none spoke english... Finally they agreed that it must bu "Bubi" (which is a boy's name actually) You actually can imagine the the hassle if you look closely the name; "BU" are capital letters, but "bi" are not. I could guess that there has been lot of head-scratching during the painting.

 

  Hide contents

 

Ps.531-6 "Liisa" Manufactued by MIAG at July '43, Werknummer 95450

"Liisa" scored 8 kills during the heated battles of '44. 4 T-34's at Portinhoikka and Vuosalmi, 3 ISU-152's at Vuosalmi and 1 unidentified. She has been later painted with 9 victory rings for some reason. My painting is when she had 5 rings.

 

"Liisa" received a hit to very top of her right shoulder armor during Kuuterselkä battles. I've added a hit-mark there but some more is needed later on. The resulting shrapnels killed the loader Armorman Paavo Havu a second after he had loaded the gun. Which in turn was used a second later to knock out the T-34, thus saving the rest of the crew. "Liisa" continued to fight on the following days with her armor broken and was later repaired for the last fights.

 

  Hide contents

 

And finally the generic one with muddled register-number:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

Downloads can be found below. PLEASE note that there are deliberately no textures for Armor skirts or smoke launchers, so do not use them with these skins!!!  I tried to mitigate this problem the same way with Alpha Channel like those exhaust pipes, but the shadows were too horrible.

 

Happy hunting!

 

DOWNLOAD from my OneDrive

 

 

 

thanks a lot, it's really well done, sorry but have you done other skins in the past, if you can have them? i love these skins. thank you

 

 

 

[Hanu]

1 hour ago, CIPPOZ said:

thanks a lot, it's really well done, sorry but have you done other skins in the past, if you can have them? i love these skins. thank you

Thank you for the kind words. Sadly no other tanks I would publish as they are quick mock-ups, though planning on historical Finnish T-34/76 and KV-1 when I have time. But missing models in model viewer really slows down the job and actually mostly stops it in the starting line.

But for Finnish Air Force I've done quite extensive pack strictly historical skins:

 

Edited January 23, 2023 by Hanu