CH-54 / (S-64) Skycrane -- AKA my very second 3DS Max project.

[twoeleven]

I had planned to do this one the second I made it back to painting, but Boof's Space Walker tempted me and I justified a simple repaint to shake the cobwebs. I was bummed I used almost too much of his extremely well done bump maps, I felt I kinda took the easy road, but it was a means to an end. I then agreed to do one more SW as a request, this one with a completely revamped bump, as well as new color and shine, and I am almost done. In the midst of building that second bump map, I remembered how much fun normal maps are, I really enjoy creating them, and I started thinking about how much I could do with them on the Crane....everything was setting up to get me motivated, then I saw the RF6 "grapple" video and pretty much decided if I didn't get back to the Crane, people might start showing up at my house....angry people!

That was all I needed and I went to dig out my PS layers file to get back to it and it was gone. I keep all of my PS files in the same folder as my TGAs for the sim (probably not a great place for them, I know), but this one was GONE! Hours and hours of work on the interior and panel had gone missing. I looked everywhere and gave up. I was trying to think of a way to blame this loss on Uncle Twist, when late last night I remembered to check the TGA file folder for RF4.5....and there it was. I had done all of the interior work in RF5, but then transferred it back to 4.5 because it seems more stable for me on big import jobs ( known issue).

Wow, I was happy and UT won't have to be blamed after all.

211

 

[uncle twist]

BOY, that`s a big relief Now I`ll be able to sleep tonight I just might DL it so I can loose it in the future. Hmmm,I`m just wondering what I`ll rate it .On a serious note,I`ve been waiting for this one for along time 211.Hope you "get er done" soon
HEEEEY,how did I get involved here anyway.Why I oughtta!!

 

[mwilson914]

version 2 modifications

Started...

 

[mwilson914]

Maj,

I have sent you a couple emails. Your forum inbox is full!

Just like the good old days when I had more time to goof off.

*Edit
Here are a couple additional links I forgot to send in the email as well.

http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/bill_spidle3/ch-54a_68-18437/



This is a great scale model, but the cabin isn't the same. Still a great model and good reference points for us both to use.

http://r.gire.free.fr/vos maquettes/philippe dognon/ch_54_skycrane.htm

 

[Maj. Numbskully]

sorry.......... cleared now I was lost in MP

looks good , I check them links

 

[mwilson914]

Here is a picture of the new modifications to the CH-54 Tarhe design. I can remove that extra conduit and the brackets if I'm successful at creating the rounded front edges.

 

[mwilson914]

The bubble window on the pilot side is going to pose a challenge for me to eliminate, but I'll worrry about that later.

I modelled the rounded fuselage sections for the landing gears and they seperate from the rest of the model right now. This means nothing needs re-mapped.

I've also further reduced the poly count down to nearly 18,000 triangles.

 

[twoeleven]

Sweet. Major hold tight on the interior, I found a few hiccups in my panel, working on a few places where I had not updated normal map after rehabing a few of the gauges. I will send it over as soon as the pixels all line up...

Christine update: Shoulder stripes on and a few more details added.

211.

 

[twoeleven]

Panel sorted, more detail for turbines, misc details filled in.

211.

 

[Boof69]

Very cool griff. Soo detailed.

 

[mwilson914]

Those screenshots are getting me excited to see the skycrane complete.

I know personally since I've been working on the model again, I've become slightly unhappy with how a few things are modeled. I also made this model so that the CS would really complete things. The more I handle any model, the more mistakes bother me. I would love to re-create the Skycrane with all the added experience from just this year alone. However, I'm not doing that anytime soon and the current model will be what gets uploaded to the swaps.

For anyone with the current version, the new smoke in RF6 really looks like water coming out of the bottom of the tank quickly. Before it looked weak, but it is graphically smoke and not water.

 

[Maj. Numbskully]

Taste of things to come......

WIP
Been keeping this one under the radar for awhile now
This one has a hundred + parts and is probably the most labor intensive CS I've worked on to date
not shown is a pleathera of bump map work ( Reinforcement gussets etc.)
this is where I am so far ..........Be patient

 

[flexible]

That looks Bad *** G!

 

[Maj. Numbskully]

LOL I guess this think Really grapples................I tried to reel him in but he spit the hook
good thing , I don't have a valid fishing license anyhow

 

[mwilson914]

Something tells me I'm not going to have this EA ready by the end of the year.



Hopefully everything is more sound with the military CH-54 Tarhe version of the Sky Crane. I'll have to see what updating I need to do for the S-54 Erickson Air Crane for Twoeleven.

Larry, if you are reading this, don't worry about any major changes to the mapping. I only need to correct the wheel hubs and the steps on the tail if you haven't already found out. If there is anything else let me know. The wheel hubs won't change anything for you other than the right side will be in the same spot as the left on the .tga. Currently it is most likely with the rubber tire part by accident. The front part of the steps are most likely on the rear facing section of the tail by mistake.

 

[Maj. Numbskully]

Progress............................................

 

[abaser]

Maj., quit posting snapshots and post your work

 

[Maj. Numbskully]

OK ....I'll be done in a minute

 

[andy29847]

Hurry Up

I don't care much about helicopters but I want one of these!

 

[Fun2av8RC]

how long is a minute in your world

Waiting so excitedly--- will it actually be able to actually attach and lift objects?