How To Build Your Own Models

[dhk79]

Building your own aircraft for use in RealFlight is a desire that many users of the program share. This task, however, is not one to be undertaken lightly. It will require weeks of intense effort in addition to learning many new computer skills and applications (some of which may be expensive to buy).

Creating a new aircraft is a multi-step process. This process involves:
1) Creating a 3-Dimensional (3D) model using a 3D modeling application.
2) Defining pivot points and structural linkages for all the parts in the model.
3) Mapping all of the painted parts to a flat texture template.
4) Coloring (or painting) the texture template with a paint program.
5) Defining the physics which tells RealFlight how the aircraft should fly.

Some knowledge of aerodynamics is helpful here, but not essential. After all, while the Wright brothers did most of it by trial & error; you have an advantage in that you can ask someone else.

Visit the useful links thread and Knife Edge's Content Creation Toolkit page to find some of the tools you will need. Downloaded or buy whatever software you are going to use, get the manuals to go along with the programs and read them. Also work through a couple of tutorials for the program(s) to learn how to use the software itself. You need to know how to use the basic tools and be comfortable with their operation, before you can tackle a big project with them.

Also get a copy of the G4 Artists Reference PDF, which is essential for knowing how to set models up so that they work in RealFlight.

The designers here are more than willing to help someone new with RealFlight design issues, but we're not going to teach you to use the design programs themselves. For example: If you want help learning Blender, the best site is a Blender user's group.

The following links are to tutorials which go into greater detail on the various processes:

Build Tutorials:
Creating a Bounding Box (BB) and Setting 3-views
Focke-Wulf 190 D9 Development Thread
Edge 540 done with Wings3D
Blender-Deep Exploration export Tutorial
Bare Bones Startup Guide for New Modelers (unfinished)
Create a Wing, V-stab or H-stab........
need help with retracts
How do the mig 21's landing gear go up
A6M2-N Build
Skywalker FPV EPO Foam
Modeling the Beech 18; an advanced tutorial
Tutorial model from 3DS Max to RF video
Wings 3D for Dummies (unfinished)
Modeling a Propeller tutorial (attached below)

Pivots & links:
Gmax and Deep-Exploration - Export - Tutorial; Making aircraft for G3
Blender 3DS export project

Random Parts, contributed by modelers that may be used in your models:
Part Repository
Airport Object Repository

Texture Mapping & Painting Techniques:
Creating a Template map in 3D Studio Max (attached below)
How-to CS
Re-Striping Tutorial
How to make alternate maps, n and s tga's
Simmers Paint Shop
GIMP's User Guide for Color Schemes
Panel Line & Rivet Tutorial
Planar Mapping in 3DS Max (attached below)

Setting up Physics:
Physics for true-to-life performance; a Tutorial
Picking the "right" airfoil for model aircraft
Selecting the "right" prop
Attached to this thread is a spreadsheet with the airfoills included in RF.

[SKY TREND]

I try to find this for a year
but i thought it will be easy but wow
it is difficult but it doesn't matter i will try till i stuck

thanks

[apollo_13]

what kind of software do u need to create a plane or a cs...i know that you can do an av from inside rf
and where can you buy this software

[dhk79]

Read the messages the links listed above refer to. They'll tell you everything you need to know.

The cheapest is Blender.
The easiest is 3D Studio.

[gerrys]

It would seem I could morph a tail-dragger single engine (P51D Mustang)
Into another with somewhat different dimensions (SBD-2/3 Dauntless)

much more easily than creating a 3D model from scratch.

IMHO.

gerrys
retired A/C engineer with 3D modeling experience

[FASSTFLIER]

RealFlight could be a great way to experiment with aircraft modifications to existing popular models. For example: Instead of full span ailerons on a YAK-54, stop the aileron two inches from the wingtips and add winglets or tip plates. Would this result in better control at various airspeeds? How about moving the CG fore and aft to determine where it's best for your style of flying? I would like to try some basic aircraft modifications in my computer to determine if it would be worth the time and effort to try the modifications in the 'real world'. Is this a feature which could be added to RealFlight in the future?
Regards
FASSTFLIER

[Haole]

You can already do everything you mentioned with G4.

[FASSTFLIER]

Originally Posted by Haole

You can already do everything you mentioned with G4.

_________________________________________
Thanks, this is great news!
I am brand new to RealFlight.
Another question: Can we simulate 'dead stick' landings?
Say you are flying a Venus II and the engine quits in mid-flight.
Can you practice realistic dead stick landings?
FASSTFLIER

[Haole]

Yep. Read around the manual for G4 and you should find out pretty much everything you need to know. Also, this forum is full of useful information so don't be afraid to use the search function...

[jeffpn]

Hit 'k' to kill your engine.

[jim_ag3y]

Is it possible to add to the list of motors and engines that a specific plane has? Here is a wild "for instance", suppose I wanted to put a small fuel engine into the "Electro-Streak" model. Could I put a Cox .049 or a Norvell engine in place of the electrics that are listed?

Another example, I might want to scale down a larger plane and run it with a .25 or even a .15 , but that option does not show up in the list. How would I go about doing this ? Do I need a fancy CAD program, or could it be done in a simpler fashion?

How do you go about doing this?

"Inquiring minds want to know!"

Jim

[dhk79]

Yes, everything you ask may be done in RF's editor without any additional software. I suggest starting with either RF's documentation (which you'll find on your hard drive, in C:\Program Files\RealFlightG4\Documentation) or the physics tutorial listed above. If you still have questions, please ask.

[flybyrc]

Originally Posted by apollo_13

what kind of software do u need to create a plane or a cs...i know that you can do an av from inside rf
and where can you buy this software

Bunch of retards with the norris crap

[paintballer4lfe]

im a newbie to G4, how can i make a new color scheme, or edit an existing one??

[jeffpn]

http://knifeedge.com/forums/search.php?searchid=397970. (From the search function )