Skyraider3D Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 (edited) I originally posted this in the Aviation Art section, but I'd really like some feedback as I go along so please treat this as any other work-in-progress build Here's my current project, a digital 3D model of the famous "wooden wonder": the De Havilland Mosquito. This is actually my first British WW2 project since I started doing 3D some fifteen years ago! About time too, as I lived in the UK for the better part of a decade!I've started with the most common version, the FB Mk VI. The Mosquito served in no less than two dozen countries and about 60(!) pilots made ace on the Mosquito, so it's a nice and versatile subject! Some more images of its current state: Still some modelling left to do, but it's starting to look like a Mosquito! As per usual there were no "perfect" drawings available, so it's a combination of known dimensional data, scale plans, engineering drawings, manual drawings, DH fuselage lofting data generously supplied by Mark Gauntlett (many thanks Mark!), AAEE reports, NACA reports andhundreds of photographs. I.e. plenty of research! Mark's drawings are the most accurate around, by the way, and form the basis of this model, though especially on the tail, wing and engine nacelles I've deviated from them were necessary. My goal is to make this an absolutely accurate 3D Mosquito.The Mosquito will go well with the Junkers Ju 88 I made last year. These two aircraft are perfect adversaries and during the course of WW2 they fought eachother around the clock, over sea and over land, in all bomber, fighter and recce roles. Interestingly the battle between the Ju 88 and the Mosquito started even before the prototype was finished! On 3 October 1940 a well-aimed attack by a single Ju 88 flying at just 60 ft destroyed most of the jigs and killed 21 De Havilland staff, while injuring another 70. The prototype escaped major harm luckily, and as a sign of things to come, the Ju 88 was shot down by small arms fire...I should be rounding this up this month, so stay tuned! Edited February 11, 2013 by Skyraider3D 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonP Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Nice work! What CAD software do you use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev67 Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Sell your cad drawings to Airfix, then at least we can get an accurate kit, anyway Airfix needs a new 1/72 scale Mossie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Badger Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Looks good so far What program do you use for your modelling? I tend to jump between Blender and 3DSmax (then use Maya and Mudbox for texturing). TFB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlin3945 Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Great stuff. All way beyond anything I could ever produce. Often wish I had stuck in at the technical drawing side of things when I was at school and I could be doing things like this now. Only one small thing though. It all looks just a little bit too perfect at the moment. Does this change by the end of the model? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(ex)Sgtrafman Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Great stuff, I'll be watching this with interest. Yours aye Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Looks more real than a real Mossie !!!!!! Amazing skill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyraider3D Posted February 12, 2013 Author Share Posted February 12, 2013 Thanks a lot guys! Once done I will produce a six-view line drawing of my model so at last we can have a really accurate base drawing for this beautiful aircraft. As accurate as I can get it at least, but I am doing my bestest. Today I spent a fair bit of time on the various lights that litter this aircraft. I can tell you that the wing tip light cover is fixed with 18 screws, 18 hex hex nuts, 14 clips, 4 washers and a seal, and I modelled them all Jon, TFB, I'm using Max. merlin3945, you're absolutely right, I've made it a bit too neat. The cowling/nacelle is build up of several panels and it doesn't even show! I'll be adding some variation here and there, both in the geometry as in the "bump map". And of course I'll pour out a whole bucket of weathering effects over it as these birds got pretty grubby! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shalako Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 You should do a seminar or, prepare a pdf tutorial for the rest of us who either don't have a clue on how to design "things" on a 3D software or use them but not in a such high level!! I have used in the past Maya and SketchUp but, man!!! your work is surreal!! Please, help us start doing similar work! BTW, are you using a Mac or a PC? Cheers Sernak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilF92 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 (edited) Looking forward to this build . Those cannon should draw folks attention to the high degree of detail you are going for Ronnie . I hope you get the useful feed- in you need to make this as accurate a Mossie as possible. As a bystander it seems to me that Digital build has become an increasingly valuable tool in developing accurate models. The customers and critics get to see the intended product before costly moulds are cut etc. Digital in the right hands also leads on to fantastic art work in the 2D world . Edited March 16, 2013 by NeilF92 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Absolutely amazing work, it looks so real!! Can't even begin to imagine how to draw something like this up! Beautiful subject as well. Looking at the CAD pics it has really struck me what incredible skills it is to have designed an aircraft like this before the aid of computers, presumably by hand on a drawing board with a ruler and pencil! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Brilliant work, I love your attention to detail, thanks for sharing it. Can't blame you moving it from the art section, but slow there at present! Colin the bike artist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyraider3D Posted March 6, 2013 Author Share Posted March 6, 2013 Thanks a lot for your replies!! Update: canopy and other transparent bits (and much more, unseen).The canopy frame was a big challenge. So many variations depending on mark, factory, country and time of production... The usual story that the only difference between a bomber and fighter Mosquito is the windshield is an ugly lie! Sernak, I'm doing this on PC. Neil, you're absolutely right. It's amazing the errors in 2D drawings that come to light once you build stuff in 3D and compare this to photos! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyraider3D Posted March 15, 2013 Author Share Posted March 15, 2013 An update!All that's left to do are the tailwheel, rudder and elevator trim links and the flap hinges. And a ton of cockpit detail that will never be seen... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev67 Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 And the pilot ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyraider3D Posted March 15, 2013 Author Share Posted March 15, 2013 There was me hoping nobody would notice! On the to-do list! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 (edited) I've been drifting in and out as this 'depiction' has developed... It is amazing work, the comments about the drawings not tieing up with photographs ring an enormous bell with me I had that issue with my latest work too I just sit back in amazement at the fruits of your talent top of the class 20/10 I love this kind of thing and just couldn't even begin to do something like it thanks for bringing it where I can see it b Edited March 16, 2013 by perdu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyraider3D Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 (edited) Thanks very much for your kind comments! Much appreciated! Yes drawings are always an issue. The beauty of 3D is that you can match up the model not only with 2D planviews but also with perspective photographs. It's very fiddly but it brings to light many interesting errors on drawings. I first discovered this doing my Mustang in 2004... so many drawings suffered from the same problem (a too short rear fuselage, if I recall correctly). Doing it in 3D is a fresh approach. I can't guarantee it's error free, but generally a lot more accurate for sure. I'll produce line drawings of my model once complete. Edited March 16, 2013 by Skyraider3D 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyraider3D Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 Progress on the camouflage: 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 WOW!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shalako Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 I'm completely out of fresh superlatives That is a real thing of beauty It doesn't hurt that the Mossie was beautiful in its own right, but what you have achieved is just wonderful. I love this... bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian M Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 WOW that is Ace. Have you ever considered a bank loan and a 3D printer..... "print" them to order in the scale required...... from 1/144 right up to 1/16. make a fortune and then sell the files with a kick back and you are on the way....... Great work. Ian M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyraider3D Posted March 30, 2013 Author Share Posted March 30, 2013 Thanks very much, I really appreciate your comments! Ian, there are great online printing services available, but at the moment the sort of quality/detail/smoothness that I'd like it not quite affordable/available yet. Undoubtedly in a few years it will be reality though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 (edited) This is beautiful (never thought I'd say that!) That view of the wingtip light is something else. How much is the software? Worth every penny in your hands whatever it is. Thanks for showing this off! On the subject of drawings. We get drawings to make the parts or assemble to,The drawings are ok until they meet the next bit in the structure/assembly.Then things are either filed,cut or hammered into the gap/space they are "designed" for.I've never got a new door,hatch,panel,fairing etc. that was cut to the correct size on any aircraft,because it needs to fit a "unique" shape.Regardless of how many aircraft of the same type they make.Then you have concessions.Where there has been a (allowable) deviation from the drawing,all quite "legal" so long as it was sanctioned by the company QA dept and DQA (RAF) on the production line.The latest aircraft having been designed using CAD and cut by CNC,drilled by CNC.Even drilled,reamed and riveted by robot. All fits as per the drawing ? Not all the time! Edited March 30, 2013 by bzn20 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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