posted 01-03- 09:22 AM               

Question: How do I model the hole for the cockpit? (A round hole in a cylinder like fuse) I can model the fuse a number of ways, but the shape around the cockpit hole is sooo hard. What is the best approach for this? Keep in mind that I am using AC3D, I can not do boolean subtraction

Any tips/tricks on this tough area GREATLY appreciated!

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-Sv =FC=

WWI in SDOE!

posted 01-03- 01:43 PM               

Try to use another modeller where you can do boolean and save in an AC3D supported format...

posted 01-03- 02:19 PM               

OK, is boolean the only effective way to do this? I WILL do this with AC3D LOL - there must be a way - any clever thoughts? Are there any affodable boolean 3D programs that will export to a file I can input into AC3D that can handle rectangles?

posted 01-03- 02:43 PM               

Select the upper face and make a hole. You will end up with a square hole. Add a few vertexes to change it to a round shape. Now select one of the sides and make a hole. again you will end up with a square hole. Select the vertexes of the hole and move it up to meet the sides of the upper hole. And then just shape it as you wish. You will end up with lines going across your two holes, but you shouldn't see this in Fighter Squadron.

Again, I'm not sure if this will work or not... but it's the only thing I could think of.

posted 01-04- 04:52 PM               

Or should I export the 2 shapes from OPS as an OBJ file? I guess it would have to be 2 seperate LODS - so position might be an issue... Hmmm - let me know if any of there would work.

Razer, sounds cool, but my cockpit opening is cut into a curved object, so I can not get a flat square into which I can stick a circle Imagine drilling a big hole into a cylinder - the result opening shape is a complex circle that looks like a parabola from the side... Good thoughts those guys! Thanks for the clever ideas!

posted 01-05- 08:10 AM               

let me know and i will put together a small demo to show you how easy it is.

Razer

posted 01-05- 10:12 AM               

I would not mind keeping the fuse the same shape throough the length of the cockpit hole. Thy body is a nice round oval in cross section - rare for a WWI plane. That is why this fuse model is so key on the Albatross. You can see the cockpit profile on the pics at the top in my first post.

Thanks for any help you can give me Razer - I am dying to get to modeling the more fun (easy) parts of the Albatross!

posted 01-05- 12:16 PM               

i did this in 3 mins. i could make it looks way better if i took my time, but i just did this to show you it can be done and be done fairly easy.

Enjoy!

posted 01-05- 12:47 PM               

Now let me know, how the hell did you do that!

Thanks Razer, now I am SO excited to get back to work on my Albatross- frankly I hit rock bottom after all the fast work on my SE5a...

Just let me know the basic steps in order that you did to build that - that picture is worth a million words though! Thanks so much for putting that together for me

posted 01-05- 12:52 PM               

no problem SV, you'll have to wait a few days. my grandmother pasted away Mon morning. and i'll be at the funeral tomorrow and with the family tonight, so it will be sometime FRI. before i can write up how to do it. It's really easy and you will probably kick yourself when you read it. i kicked myself after hours and hours of brainstorming on how to cut a hole in the top of the B25.

posted 01-05- 03:16 PM               

It certainly looks easy and I really thought it would be easy. I guess not! I have just spent an hour in AC3D trying to create a hole in a cylinder much like yours, using every way I thought would work, and so far nothing has. Can't wait to find out the formula.

Sorry to hear about your Grandma. I hope she had a long and happy life.

posted 01-05- 04:33 PM               

I will wait patiently for the magic secret

posted 01-05- 08:58 PM               

My condulances(sp) Razer, to you and your family.

Please do post a how to when you have the time. No hurry.

I have struggled with this to. Nothing seems to work. The "make hole" function dosnt seem to act right I've made wire frames befor, like the one you did, but when I added a surface to it, it covers the whole thing. So what I did was make the top of the fuse as a few different objects. Then added the surfaces, shaped as needed, then merged it all back together. Then after that I merged the top to the rest of the fuse. But theres got to be a better way.

Sv,
Actually that might not being a bad idea, exporting to a different 3d program to do some of the tricks that Ac3d dosnt do. I have some older ones, I might have to dig those back out.

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Zoycite {GS}
GUNSLINGERS

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