Predators & Reapers

[djnocturnal]

So I suppose I should paint some of these up. Any serials would be much appreciated

[MIKE JG]

Mark here's the basic info I worked with while doing the model:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reaper serials:

03-4005-invloved in training accident, 10/21/05, status unknown
03-4006
03-4007
03-4008
03-4009
04-4010-invovled in accident, status unkown-first in USAF inventory

04-4011-"CH" "432 WG" - solid red tailband
04-4012-
04-4013-confirmed by video, only serials, no upper tail markings//done
05-4014-
05-4015-confirmed by photo,black and white skull and cross bones on flash
05-4016-confirmed by photo
05-4017-
05-4018-Confirmed by video, just "CH" on tail with black/skull&bones//done
XX-4019-
06-4020-
XX-4021-
XX-4022-
XX-4023-
XX-4024-
XX-4025-
XX-4026-
07-4027-Assigned to Holloman AFB ????
07-4029-
07-4032-Confirmed by photo, "CH" tail code and "432WG" on tail with multicolor Creech tail flash with skull and bones
08-4038-174th ATKW NYANG//done
08-4041-confirmed on recent TV show
08-4051-confirmed by photo, CH Tail Code, Creech skull and bones tail flash
09-4066-confirmed by photos, NY Tail code, purple tails flash, ANG emblems on tail only



Italy:
IT 09-0140

CBP:
08-0113-Guardian
06-0110
06-0108
06-0104
06-0106
09-0125


United States
United States Air Force
Air Combat Command
432d Air Expeditionary Wing (Creech Air Force Base, Nevada)
19th Attack Squadron
42d Attack Squadron
49th Wing (Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico)
29th Attack Squadron
53d Wing (Eglin Air Force Base, Florida)
556th Test and Evaluation Squadron (Creech Air Force Base, Nevada)
Air Force Special Operations Command
27th Special Operations Wing
33d Special Operations Squadron (Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico)
58th Special Operations Wing
551st Special Operations Squadron
Air National Guard
174th Fighter Wing (Hancock Field, New York)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Sierra Vista, Arizona
Grand Forks, North Dakota
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your best bet is to paint ones with photos available as many of them don't carry serials at all, especially the ones that are deployed in areas that do not regularly make the news. Pretty sure they're operating in the Horn of Africa region from a couple nations that are struggling with militant groups.

Same deal with the Predators but I didn't do any serial number research because so many have crashed. That and they've been busy painting and repainting the Creech based ones. I've seen at least 3 different paint jobs on one that is assigned to Creech. The ones overseas seem to carry no markings at all.

[MIKE JG]

Flickr probably has the largest collection of recent photos for both types.

[djnocturnal]

Wow, thanks Mike! I had a few from Holloman when I was there but am not current on them.

[MIKE JG]

I just stumbled across this picture taken by Chris (Nellis Spotters) from the airshow out there last month, this is probably the most recent photo of any Reaper out there. I think this one stays stateside for training so this would be a good one to paint although that checkerboard pattern on the tail flash may be too small to replicate in PSP or PSD files.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eor1/6387196611/lightbox/

It's also a new serial number that can be confirmed. I added it to the list above.

[MIKE JG]

Pretty sure this is the one that was assigned to Holloman for their training squadron:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97609500@N00/6361558701

But I think they crashed it earlier this year. They've already crashed 2 MQ-9B's and a MQ-1B so far during "training" at Holloman...........

[DaleRFU]

God have they got little kids flying these things? they just seem to keep crashing

[jetmax]

God have they got little kids flying these things? they just seem to keep crashing

No, worse, they have Lieutenants flying them. Kids would do a better job

Has this model been released yet?

[bismarck]

God have they got little kids flying these things? they just seem to keep crashing

No, worse, they have Lieutenants flying them. Kids would do a better job

Has this model been released yet?

Check the Homepage

[jetmax]

Bismarck
I see the images of the Pred and Reapers on the homepage but I did not think these have been released yet. Am I missing something?

Cheers

Scott

[james84]

AMI's IP-05 shown here. No numbers or markings at all, only the serial number and the AMI patch.
I can try to repaint it. Is there a way to open the paintkit files with Gimp???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaU-OauWiBI

[campbeme]

Bismarck
I see the images of the Pred and Reapers on the homepage but I did not think these have been released yet. Am I missing something?

Cheers

Scott

Scott they were released on Christmas Eve, they are on the homepage as Christmas 2011. (Just above the A10c download link)

Mark

[james84]

AMI's IP-05 shown here. No numbers or markings at all, only the serial number and the AMI patch.
I can try to repaint it. Is there a way to open the paintkit files with Gimp???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaU-OauWiBI

Problem solved! Long live MS Paint!

[jetmax]

Wow, how did I miss that. Could be the fact that I am running on 4 hours of sleep (I had to be in at 4 am). Can't wait to get home.

Thanks much!

[james84]

Ando also the Reapers are in my sim...

[james84]

[MIKE JG]

James it appears from the video you linked to that the AMI versions of the Predator have a different optics sensor. Give me a few days and I will correct that for you guys.

[james84]

James it appears from the video you linked to that the AMI versions of the Predator have a different optics sensor. Give me a few days and I will correct that for you guys.

That's right! I didn't even notice it!

[james84]

Just a small question to those who made the paintkit.
After noticing that the results were not good with MS Paint I managed to open the paintkit files with Gimp and got a more acceptable result both with the serials and the roundels. I noticed there is a step between the panel lines of the frontal dome (see below in the red circle).


Is it a mistake or a feature of the real aircraft?

[MIKE JG]

Neither. Do you remember me asking in the repainters forum if it was possible to create one half of a pixel? The reason I asked back then was because the area you have circled, the panel lines are one half of a pixel width off from each other. As it turns out, there was no practical way to fix this that I could figure out.

Maybe someone out there knows how to correct for one half of a pixel width, but i've not found the answer. Since they are .5 of a pixel off, redefining the texture for that part (which can only be altered in single pixels) won't help.