Books about Reference Drawings and 3D Modelling

[Witold Jaworski]

I have just published a new book on preparing aircraft reference drawings. It is already available in the web shops. This is the first volume of the new (fourth) edition of the “Virtual Airplane” guide:
 

It contains some materials from my two threads from this forum, related to:

• P-40B;
• SBD Dauntless;

as well as many additional information. In this guide I am not only writing what to do, but also how to do it.

Here is the link to this project page. Below you can see a screenshot of two pages from this book:

A longer preview, including the detailed table of contents, is available in Google Books. You can also skim the free Polish edition of this guide.

“Preparations” describes how to compile accurate reference drawings from available sources: scale plans, photos, general arrangement diagrams, and even the original factory blueprints. (In the last years documentation of some most popular aircraft became available on the Internet). It discusses typical issues, which you can encounter using these materials.
 

Quote

I suppose that this guide can be also useful, as a book on its own, for all those who work with reference drawings. In particular: the classic modelers and the authors of the scale plans.

 

Edited April 16, 2023 by Witold Jaworski

[Bozothenutter]

This looks awesome!

Very useful  as I'm teaching myself Fusion360 atm.

[Witold Jaworski]

My new book on modeling historical aircraft is already available in the web shops. This is the second volume of the new (fourth) edition of the “Virtual Airplane” guide:

 

 

Here is the link to this project page. Below you can see a screenshot of two sample pages from this book:

 

 

A longer preview, including the detailed table of contents, is available in Google Books. You can also skim the free Polish edition of this guide.

 

“Modeling” describes how to create accurate computer model of a historical aircraft, on the example of the Curtiss P-40B fighter. It uses for this purpose free Open Source tool: Blender 3D. It addresses various typical issues, which you can encounter during this process.

 

I suppose that this guide can be also useful, as a book on its own, for all those who would like to learn Blender 3D (especially its “hard-surface” modeling tools).

[bootneck]

Hello Witold,

 

can i ask a question?  Do these books teach you how to draw/make a model that can be 3D printed with resin, or is it the method that gamers use to make screen renders etc?

 

cheers,
Mike

[Bozothenutter]

The principle is the same.

For games it is usually a shell/shape, and a lot of detail is added by using tricks like bumpmapping etc.

They both create 3D objects.

(No expert, just dabble with Fusion 360 )

 

[Witold Jaworski]

4 hours ago, bootneck said:

...  Do these books teach you how to draw/make a model that can be 3D printed with resin, or is it the method that gamers use to make screen renders etc?

 

Indeed, the general methods are the same, but you have be more careful with the 3D printed models: meshes of their parts must be "watertight" (i.e. no they must be solids), and you have also prepare auxiliary structures for supporting these elements during printing. (Something similar to the frames in the plastic kits).

Model, described in this book, is for computer visualizations, so it is much closer to the game assets.