VFA-81 CAG (CVW-17)

[Craylink]

Hello DCS Community,

 

this is my very first post on this forum here. My name is Marc, 38 years old and have been playing DCS since about 2012. Started with the A-10C Warthog and then the F/A-18C as soon as it released.

 

I've done couple of aircraft skins over the years but for some reason never considered uploading them to the file section on this website. :noexpression:

 

The image attached to this post shows a couple of WIP screenshots of a skin I would like to provide to the community. I think this was even requested somewhere on the forum.

 

There are still quite a couple of details missing. (Dirt, some weathering, couple of color corrections etc.)

 

Feel free to criticize and point out anything that seems off to you.

 

Also, if any of you have more reference material on this particular livery or information on helmet logos/design of the VFA-81 during that timeframe (2000-2003 | 2004), I would really appreciate it.

 

I'm planning on doing the Line versions and then the CAG 2004 Skin after this.

 

Thank you very much. :)

Edited June 24, 2019 by Craylink

[_mu110_]

Looking great so far! My only nitpick would be that some colors seem a bit too vibrant (the yellow and red/orange on the tail), but I'll have to wait and see what it looks like with some weathering effects. Getting colors right always takes some trial and error since you can never be quite sure how it'll look in game with all the different shaders. I think it might also be missing the little blue triangles by the stabilators, but maybe I just can't see them because of where the camera is. If you look closely on the same image you used, the helmet has a big X on the back of it.

That one is from 2002, another one here from 2004 also has some interesting text on the front that says "born to kill", and also seems to have the same X pattern on the back.

 

Very glad to hear that you're planning on releasing a whole pack of these, it's always nice to be able to have a complete squadron sitting on the deck!

[Craylink]

Hey,

 

thank you man! :-)

 

Yeah, you may be right about the colors being a bit too vibrant. I'll have to check on that. Could be the lighting conditions though. Need to do some testing.

 

The X is already on the helmet but still needs some adjustments. I would love to see the real one in more detail but images of that particular helmet are pretty hard to find. My guess is that it's a red X with a black outline for the CAG and orange for all the others? Only thing I can find on the internet is the more recent triple X design.

 

That guy in the second image with the 406 will definitely be my first Line Bird Skin :-D

[_mu110_]

I cant be 100% certain, but I believe the X is the same orange color on all of them. If you're going off the image with the three Hornets, the X looks like the same color as the artwork on the tail, but to me the colors on the whole picture seem to be different than it would look in real life or in comparison with more recent pictures taken with a modern camera.

[Craylink]

I cant be 100% certain, but I believe the X is the same orange color on all of them. If you're going off the image with the three Hornets, the X looks like the same color as the artwork on the tail, but to me the colors on the whole picture seem to be different than it would look in real life or in comparison with more recent pictures taken with a modern camera.

 

The thing with the color differences was really bugging me from the very beginning. I compared a couple of sources and then finally went with that "inferno red" type of color because they have used it in the past judging from older jets. Even on some of their more recent ones.

 

On the 2004 livery they reapplied some elements which were definitely way more in the orange section it seems. :book:

[MatsH]

It looks great!

 

How about a 1991 Operation Desert Storm pack?

 

Profiles of the whole squadron:

http://www.f-16.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=27861&start=75

[Craylink]

It looks great!

 

How about a 1991 Operation Desert Storm pack?

 

Profiles of the whole squadron:

http://www.f-16.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=27861&start=75

 

Sounds like a good idea. With the new maps coming out and all... :thumbup:

 

Aren't there some VFA-81 skins of the 90's somewhere in the User File section?

[Megalax]

Did you ever finish this?

[Razor5-1]

+1 I would really like some Sunliners too