F-35 Variants (FS9, FSX and P3Dv4)

[John Young]

Got your zip Andrew, thank you.

I finished the LODs for the FS9 F-35A's today and the first LOD of the FSX/P3Dv4 conversion. The brake chute testing is on AF-02 at Edwards, so that will follow. Then it's 146 paints.

John

[JosefK]

Thank you so much Andrew & John! So grateful the F-35 AI is making my FSX & soon P3Dv4.

[tbump34]

Let me begin by saying your that work is absolutely amazing! The AI at Lemoore is unbelievably accurate, and it’s given new life to that scenery. However, I’m having issues getting Eglin up and running on P3D, so I wanted to try a few more times before though in the towel. I have a question about the AI F/A-18 at Lemoore. So I think I read somewhere in the manual that full functionality was only available in FSX. The F/A-18 textures in my P3D are not visible, or area single black strip with flashing lights. Is there a plan to patch the P3D version so that the AI F/A-18 display will properly? I’ve been unable to get Eglin up and running, as the scenery won’t activate properly. I’m I missing something? As a said, what you guys have been able to do is nothing short of amazing. Any recommendations on how to fix my issues is greatly appreciated.

[Woogey]

F/A-18’s for P3d4 are in work, which will get Lemoore and Iwakuni working. Eglin worked first try for me. Not sure what is preventing this in your install.

-Woog

[John Young]

You have installed "Scenery KNLC NAS Lemoore - United States USN" (Henry Street) and not the scenery in the original MAIW package? It should work in P3Dv4 straight out of the box. It has been added to the scenery library?

John

[John Young]

A chance shot of one of my F-35A's with the newly added optional external weapons load, overtaking an F-35B on the approach to my test airfield. The "B" (STOVL) uses my short ski jump runway, while the "A" (CTOL) uses the long runway:



Also completed today is the braking parachute option for potential use with Norwegian and Dutch F-35A's. Like the real thing, my test is with AF-02 from Edwards AFB, but also from a northern, cold snowy airfield:



That I think completes the modelling for "A"'s "B"'s and "C"'s for FS9/FSX and P3Dv4. Next job is to paint the "A"'s ready to go in their respective sceneries......

John

[DaleRFU]

Absolutely top draw stuff John, very impressive set.

[John Young]

Really significant progress this week.

Firstly, hats off to Steve for completing the range of FDE’s needed for the F-35 variants:

- Different take-off and landing characteristics for the “A”, “B” (conventional), land–based and carrier-based “C” models.

- Different take-off characteristics for SRVL models to accommodate a longer take-off for UK aircraft when they eventually operate over the HMS Queen Elizabeth ski jump and for USMC ship-board operations on flat decks.

- A shorter SRVL take-off for potential use with the Italian Navy B’s on the smaller carrier “Cavour” when that happens and for the ski jump at Pax River that has a short run up.

- No use of an animated lift in the SRVL models, so the aircraft remain in a traffic viewer window the whole time.

- A STOVL FDE for the “B” models that clear a ski jump in a very short run without an animated lift. That allows the aircraft to stay in a traffic viewer window until established on finals. At that point, out of visual range of the runway threshold, an “administrative” lift kicks in to raise the aircraft by 50ft in preparation for a vertical landing.

It’s taken a couple of months of intensive and sometimes tedious work, waiting for circuits to be flown in order to test landing characteristcs. My thanks to Steve for this phenomenal balancing act, not just between the models, but with flap and gear animations that are a key part of the dynamics in each.

Secondly, I’m pleased to say that in addition to the 46 “A”s at Luke AFB, I’ve also completed the 38 paints for the “International” part of the “A” package (Australia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands and Norway). These are all set up and tested in FS9. My next job is to convert these paints for FSX and P3Dv4.

The new FDE’s are with Hartwig so that he can finish his Pax River update and that will enable me to release the F-35B packages. Giorgio, Andrew and Brent are all working with the “A” models to accommodate them in their sceneries too, so hopefully they will also be out soon.

I want to tackle the F-35A’s at Hill AFB at some point, but these could follow the release of initial Luke/international “A” packages. I’m not sure what to do yet with the variety of F-35’s at Edwards AFB with the limited choices of available scenery, but I’m sure I can deliver something.

John

[bismarck]

Great news John.
A little update on my part of contribution.
IDF Nevatim AB is ready. I have to finish the FP and test if all it's OK.
Italian Amendola AB. Right this morning Mike G. sent me the new hangars. Already positioned in the right place, I have a problem with two hangars not texture. I'm going to right him. For sure I'm doing something wrong...
FP done, to be tested.

Giorgio

[clickclickdoh]

I just sent John the first draft of the FP for the Luke based jets... there are a few F-35s there now.




Giorgio, did you want to flight plan the Italian jets at Luke with your set, or should I do them?

[JosefK]

I just sent John the first draft of the FP for the Luke based jets... there are a few F-35s there now.




Giorgio, did you want to flight plan the Italian jets at Luke with your set, or should I do them?

This is incredible. The F-35s. The hangars. The AFCADs. I've got a fantasy airbase where I'd love to have this kind of parking so I'll wait patiently for your final product!

[Woogey]

I can’t wait to see what this scenery looks like, with my custom textured concrete, and all the shelter and object shadows enabled in P3d4.

-Woog

[bismarck]

Giorgio, did you want to flight plan the Italian jets at Luke with your set, or should I do them?

I'd really don't know where to send them... better if you finish the whole package for Luke, so you can test them with the scenery.

Giorgio

[bismarck]

Nevatim uploaded to the hangar.

Giorgio

[Woogey]

Giorgio, does Your Nevatim Line up well with Photoreal back drops like that offered by VRS?

[andypoppens]

Brent and John I just downloaded the Beaufort and Yuma updates and the F-35s aren't showing up i put the files in the world scenery folder but they are not showing up

[Woogey]

Andy, That’s because the F-35B’s aren’t released yet. Or are you downloading a beta test in advance of the release?

[bismarck]

Giorgio, does Your Nevatim Line up well with Photoreal back drops like that offered by VRS?

Don't know Woogey, I haven't any addon for that area. I'm on FS9

Giorgio

[John Young]

What we are doing at the moment is getting the sceneries and flight plans ready to go with the F-35A's and B's, for all 3 sim versions, as far as possible. I needed to replace the sun shelters with new models in the existing FS9 MAIW Luke scenery because of a drawing order problem that was creating both local and area anomalies. The new shelters are modelled on the real thing and are working fine in Fs9:



I've also produced the shelters in FSX/P3Dv4 native code and they are fine there too, having also converted the main object library.

So that's Luke crossed off for all 3 sim versions. I know Eglin is OK, but I'll have a look at Hill next.

John

[Woogey]

John, who was the original artist for Luke AFB, do you think that they have the intestinal fortitude to rebuild the AFCAD from scratch for FSX/P3D use? The reason I ask is illustrated in the Photos below. While the base exhibits loads of detail, and obviously took some time to place all the objects, they are largely out of position when placed upon a Photo-real base. I find that the two Runways align exactly where they should be, however, if a user has Bluesky, Megascenery, or Ultimate VFR PR installed, they will find Luke to be in error. It is impossible to recreate the splendor of the Sonoran Desert with landclass type scenery. As such I would surmise more people to lean towards the Photo-real side in this region of the US.


-Woog