|
Author
|
Topic: A Flying Zepplin! (first pics)
|
Pete Hawk
Pilot
|
posted 01-27- 06:50 AM
   
Dang do I have some time on my hands or what? (uh, yeah I do  ). I spent the last 5 hours working on a Zepplin that I just built from scratch in Max and AC3D. Here are some things I've found. I suck at editing FMs and hope someone can find a nice helium setting (ok, hydrogen will work too but is very dangerous). This Zepp is a made over B-17 and honestly has to fly around 120 to stay airborne. I tried making it 1 lb and all heck broke loose. But anyhow, the cool thing is that it does fly, and if slow to moderate power is applied it looks darn cool flying! So we could set an online standard of say no faster than 140 when flying it, that way it's close (as it can be) to being an airship until more OP breakthroughs occur.I'm gonna texture it up real nice and release it ASAP. Since this was an evening diversion from the F-14, tomorrow it's back to the F-14. Plus I don't plan on doing a cockpit for it (at least not right now). I'll get this out to you guys first though because it's neat to see flying in the game. Oh, it can't start on the ground without the gears collapsing, but you can fly it and then land it ok (and even take off again). So that's cool. Hopefully someone will fix the gear problem. I tried putting the tail wheel in the front (under the cabin) but it refused to cooperate, so back to the back it went. There are two invisble main gears up front. (hey, whatever works :P ). Here are the pics. Enjoy. And look for it soon!
http://members.xoom.com/hawkersop/images/vehicles IP: Logged |
Spanky the Mad Dog
Pilot
|
posted 01-27- 06:58 AM
Spanky here... K i don't know why your having problems making it fly slow. Me and mad dog used to have a ball flying the VTOL lanc at around 20-30mph It was hard and you had to be light on it but it was so cool floating over buildings trying to land and stuff IF you need a copy of it so you can look at it i'll see if i can find it or bug Razor747 cause he made it. IP: Logged |
Pete Hawk
Pilot
|
posted 01-27- 07:28 AM
Well I haven't tried turning the engines vertical yet. Sure, if you can find it, send it to pthawk@castles.com I wanted to keep it real looking with the forward facing engines, but maybe I could add like four more (invisible ones) that act as helicopter engines. I'll tinker with it more. Ok, it's an hour later and I've gotten not much done in the way of getting it to rise vertically in anyway. I'm not an FM guy. My interest is in building this stuff. SO, could someone get this thing to have "floating" like behavior like a balloon? Even if it's using engines? I just setup a mission with the Zepp where it was flying into Woolrich AB, England. I sat in the tower and watched him come in from over the water. It (thinking it's still a B-17) proceeded to do a nice slow pattern, and WOW! Against the nice overcast sky it was simply breathtaking! It was really gorgeous... and the amazing thing is it's not even textured yet (but will be later today). I can't wait to see what you guys think. This thing has got me all fired up right now. Oh man, if I could make it's docking tower and be able to pull up to it and park, wouldn't that be killer? [This message has been edited by Pete Hawk (edited 01-27-2000).] IP: Logged |
Sv
Pilot
|
posted 01-27- 09:33 AM
I want this to happen. Also WWI observation balloons! Is the zep to scale? Is it modeled after a real zep? Floating we can do. But how can you ever teather it? The Zep sounds cool to fly around, but WWI observation balloons were just launched on a rope like a kite... I an not think of any way to do this  ------------------
-Sv =FC=
WWI in SDOE!
IP: Logged |
Pete Hawk
Pilot
|
posted 01-27- 09:49 AM
Ok, my first model Zepplin was around 90 feet long. I was just going by guessing. It looked really good in the game. Then I did another test version to scale with a whopping 775 foot length and 100 foot radius. It's SOOO HUGE that it looks silly in the game. I may stick with the smaller one. What do you guys think?[This message has been edited by Pete Hawk (edited 01-27-2000).] IP: Logged |
Raider
Pilot
|
posted 01-27- 09:50 AM
I can't wait to put some damage on it. With about 1000000 explosives. Big fireball.Give it some extra lods to put smoke and fire on when it blows up and watch them float to the ground. With this big heap of burning smoking mass. OK enough destructive thoughts for today.
IP: Logged |
Spanky the Mad Dog
Pilot
|
posted 01-27- 09:54 AM
Sorry pete looks like i lost it. Razor should still have it or could probly slap it together in 5 mins like he did last time. Why can't you put HUGE like 300 foot long wings on it to give it great lift even at 10mph? and an engine way out on a a boom out the back to keep the back up? IP: Logged |
Lector
General
|
posted 01-27- 11:33 AM
Nice work Pete!One thing: most Zeppelins had pusher engine, means backwards facing propellor. See the "Graf Zeppelin" site at: http://www.ciderpresspottery.com/ZLA/greatzeps/german/GrafZeppelin.html These had pusher propellors:
Hindenburg
Graf Zeppelin The Graf Zeppelin II had forward facing ones... no rule without an exception...hehe the american blimps had:
ZR1 "Shenandoah" pusher
ZRS 4 & 5 Akron & Macon pusher, and holded multiple planes! etc. This site tells good stories about the german and american zeppelins:
http://www.ciderpresspottery.com/ZLA/greatzeps/Great_Zepps.html C-ya! Lector IP: Logged |
Pete Hawk
Pilot
|
posted 01-27- 05:19 PM
Thanks Lector! I'll fix it ASAP. So would you guys care if I go with my 90 foot version instead of the 775 ft HUGE jumbo one? It gives you the same idea and looks really nice in the sim. The big one just looks out of place.Let me know. As long as the texturing goes good I'll get this out for you all tonight. IP: Logged |
Stark
Pilot
|
posted 01-27- 08:28 PM
I don't know Pete, a really big sucker sounds like it would be intresting to fly around and dogfight around - I think it would be neat to come in for a close pass and get a real sense of how massive these things were...Just my .02 -Stark IP: Logged |
Diego Lozano
Pilot
|
posted 01-27- 08:49 PM
It gives me that menacing feeling like when that Flying Saucer creeps in over the White House. Yes, go with what ever is most accurate![This message has been edited by Diego Lozano (edited 01-27-2000).] IP: Logged |
jedi
Pilot
|
posted 01-27- 09:21 PM
To go slower, try removing propeller blades from the engine properties.I changed the blade count from 4 to three on the Corsair without increasing the prop diameter, and I could barely get off the ground, and she wouldn't hold more than about 250 in level flight, and took forever to get there. Then I put the Typhoon prop-erties on it and it can take off with 30% throttle! If the Zeppelin has B-17 engines on it, try changing em to 2-blade props. Prop blades can do some interesting things 
------------------
--jedi-- IP: Logged |
Pete Hawk
Pilot
|
posted 01-27- 10:09 PM
Ok, thanks for the advice guys. One thing that is a plus to the huge size is this, because of it's massiveness even at around 100 knots it looks like it's going at scale speed! (ie, slow) [This message has been edited by Pete Hawk (edited 01-27-2000).] IP: Logged |
Zoycite
JAG
|
posted 01-28- 02:54 AM
Pete, just had a look, wow! when do I get play with it?? ------------------
Zoycite {GS}
GUNSLINGERS  visit The War Paint Factory IP: Logged |
Pete Hawk
Pilot
|
posted 01-28- 03:55 AM
Well VERY soon! I had to redo all the fins and control surfaces and that took some time. I'm doing up a texture map now, will map the textures, and then release! I really would like to do a cockpit for it (eventually) but it's too cool not to let you guys have later today I was wrong, BIG IS BEAUTIFUL! It looks great and very majestic/eerie. IP: Logged |
FSIC Messageboard
UBBFriend: Email This Page to Someone! 
