Nils Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 I tried to recreate a scene from the search of the fleeing Bismarck escaping the british Home fleet forces, 26 May 1941 (80 years ago!) One of the three Catalinas spottted her through the cloud cover and reported back to the search party, but was instantly peppered by the german ship, with all her barrels.. I wanted to show 209sqn Catalina WQ-Z, the second before her pilot throws the plane in an evasive turn from the glowing metal. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 Excellent work again Nils - I really like the light on the Cat....!! Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nils Posted April 11, 2021 Author Share Posted April 11, 2021 (edited) Thanks Keith I figured if I post it here, I'd be able to weed out all little errors with all the expertise is this forum.. feel free to point out your comments of correction Edited April 11, 2021 by Nils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 Sorry Nils, I'm no Catalina expert - it all looks good to me! K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 Wow - beautiful "box art" - where can I buy the kit Great artwork Nils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 Great artwork, but as you are looking to weed out errors, the roundels and fin flash on the Catalina are of the later, post May 1942, type and so they should be the earlier type. This, not terribly good photo, which looks like a still from Coastal Command' shows what I mean https://images.app.goo.gl/zDAgwL83ma7RFkGBA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nils Posted April 11, 2021 Author Share Posted April 11, 2021 (edited) Mr. T I got your point, I'll fix it right away, thanks Edited April 11, 2021 by Nils 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nils Posted April 12, 2021 Author Share Posted April 12, 2021 (edited) Here's an updated version with the earlier type fin flash and roundels Edited April 12, 2021 by Nils 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nils Posted June 11, 2021 Author Share Posted June 11, 2021 A. Edited and enlightened edition of my image, which I’m a lot more pleased with.. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted June 11, 2021 Share Posted June 11, 2021 Nice painting! Please note that in the past the Catalina WQ-Z was frequently presented as having serial W8406 and now it is known that should be AH 545. Regards J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nils Posted June 14, 2021 Author Share Posted June 14, 2021 Why has there been such confusion around what serial WQ-Z had? Shouldn’t that be in written in all reports? I used W8406 too for my work.. will need to change that if AH545 is correct. Thanks for pointing it out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted June 14, 2021 Share Posted June 14, 2021 No, the serial would not always be quoted. Would that it were. IIRC, in Coastal Command a more usual reference would have been 209/Z. More generally, often either the serial or the individual code might be quoted, depending upon the unit concerned. If at all. It is not uncommon to find a reference such as Z/8406 in pilots' log books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nils Posted June 15, 2021 Author Share Posted June 15, 2021 Thanks Graham, and Z/8406 would ( to me at least) made sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nils Posted June 15, 2021 Author Share Posted June 15, 2021 (edited) Black Knight, I know and I find it confusing... I’ve seen photos of both WQ-Z as W8406 and AH545... I know the callsigns were transferred over to new aircrafts as older were written off. My question is what s/n did WQ-Z have in late May 1941? What caused the need to have two different series of serials in the first place? (one letter, four digits and two letters, three digits) Did one type replace the other at a certain date or what? Ok, to answer my own questions, I found out that by 1940 the s/n Z9978 was reached, and it was then decided to restart the sequence with a two letter, three digit, system that still exitsts today. So then it’s a question, when was the WQ-Z, that found Bismarck built. Had it been replaced before or after the incident? some interesting read here, oddly they all list WQ-Z as s/n AH545... http://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=AH545 Edited June 15, 2021 by Nils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Head in the clouds. Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 Superb and really captures the mood of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nils Posted June 15, 2021 Author Share Posted June 15, 2021 (edited) Thank you.. I just need a little tweaking to get a more realistc look on the AA fire muzzle flashes on the Bismarck.. plus a little more work on the cloud cover.. Edited June 15, 2021 by Nils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobsyouruncle Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 Nice work again, Nils. Nice looking Catalina and certainly gives me a feeling that I wouldn't want to be hanging around there with all that firepower coming at you. Great job. Cheers Bob. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 On 4/11/2021 at 1:12 PM, Nils said: I tried to recreate a scene from the search of the fleeing Bismarck escaping the british Home fleet forces, 26 May 1941 That's so clever, but how? What did you start from? What program did you use? What questions should I be asking? I have no idea about this ... whatsoever! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nils Posted July 20, 2021 Author Share Posted July 20, 2021 Thanks or your kind words Bertie. To put it simple, I use an application called Modo for modelling, texture work and rendering and I do so called post work in Photoshop.. (painted clouds, flames and so on ) All in all it takes me about a months work to do it all.. the modelling takes the most of the time Thanks again for your interest. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 1 hour ago, Bertie Psmith said: I have no idea about this ... whatsoever! Glad I'm not the only one - I still struggle with pencil and paper....!! Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 13 minutes ago, Nils said: Thanks or your kind words Bertie. To put it simple, I use an application called Modo for modelling, texture work and rendering and I do so called post work in Photoshop.. (painted clouds, flames and so on ) All in all it takes me about a months work to do it all.. the modelling takes the most of the time Thanks again for your interest. So that’s a photo of a model? (Assume I’m an idiot and use short words😆) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 (edited) I've just had a look at the Modo website and I realise that you meant digital modelling. What I don't understand is where does the shape of the Catalina actually begin. Surely you don't draw it by hand with an iPencil? If you do, I'm even more amazed. Now I understand what my Mum went through the first time she met a 'Micowave', as she always called it. I'm getting OLD! Edited July 20, 2021 by Bertie Psmith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nils Posted July 20, 2021 Author Share Posted July 20, 2021 (edited) The Catalina is as you say a digital model, or a 3 dimensional object. Usually started out as a multi sided cylinder that’s beeind chopped an formed in a 3 dimensional room, until it resembles the shape of the fuselage.. time consuming but fun.. this is the ultra quick way of explaining it. Also check the thread here for my Me-110 wip model below.. perhaps it’s easier to see what I mean Edited July 21, 2021 by Nils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Leek Posted March 5, 2022 Share Posted March 5, 2022 Digital painting looks good Nils, although I find the extreme ‘bokeh’ - suggesting an aperture setting of about 2.8 or less - takes away the overall realism, as does the hard contrast and strong shadows on the aircraft, whilst the background has the impression of a murky, sunless day. Just offering some objective criticism… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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