MiG-29S skins : Update 15/04, on 2nd Page

[D-Scythe]

Since there aren't many MiG-29S skins around, I was wondering of redo-ing the already excellent stock skins with some weathering/wear effects. I was wondering if there is any interest in such a Fulcrum pack?

 

Because of popular demand, here's a 'before' shot for comparison. Same MIG-29S skin, from Lipetsk AB:

 

 

Here's the quick preview:

 

 

 

 

Note the different camo. If this is inaccurate, please let me know and I will change it. If anyone has a another MiG-29S camoflage scheme that's interesting, please let me know. The stock ones use the same one for several different skins, but I like variety :)

 

The work is rather time-consuming, since I basically have to start out from scratch even with a template, so if there's no interest in them, I'm not going to bother continuing changing the others.

 

:)

[sida]

Oh, that would be sweet.

I end up flying Mig29 only, mostly due to Russkie+R77 Combo and noticed a lack of skins for it. There are even more skins for Mig29A and I always wondered why so few skins are available.

Many many thanks in advance.

 

Damir

[Guest ThomasDWeiss]

http://www.lomacfiles.com/index.php :wink:

[D-Scythe]

Thanks Thomas, but that first link on your webpage is a pic of the original MiG-29S paint scheme ;)

 

Again, thanks a lot. Your help is always appreciated.

[Tompax]

I ab-so-lu-te-ly love your skin :supz: ...

[Guest ThomasDWeiss]

OOOOOOOOps! :P

 

Now it is right! :D

[KuostA]

Hellz yea man! Your F-15 mod pack is one helluva package, and is one of the major factors as to why i even Bother flying the Eagle. Your weathering and quality is as good as its gunna get, and seeing more of your updated skins for any aircraft would be great.

 

BTW, can you do a more realistic, dirty, weathered skin for heavy bombers/transport aircraft like the KC-10, B-1B, and B-52? The lomac ones are pretty low in detail, and really detract from the overall feel from those gargantuam beasts.

[Fjordmonkey]

D-Scythe, that skin is.....hell, it's BRILLIANT! I just love the weathering! Looks so much more like the real thing.

[trashcanman]

sweet skin D-Sythe. :D

 

I would welcome some more Mig29S skins. She's the sexiest plane in Lock On :lol:

[SwingKid]

Nice work!

 

Eric "Flanker562" Johnson from the UbiSoft forum responded to a request I once made in this regard:

 

http://forums.ubi.com/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=400102&f=38610606&m=905001227&r=362003827

 

He prepared a couple of very nice Ukrainian skins:

 

 

 

...but unfortunately got deployed before having time to prepare the original "MiG-29S" skin at the top of the thread linked above:

 

 

Since it's basically just a weathered version of a normal MiG-29 skin + some ECM panels (and since you're inviting requests :) ), would you be interested to make one? It would be great to fly a real-looking Russian R-77-capable MiG-29S.

 

-SK

 

P.S. Out of curiosity, what do you mean you "start out from scratch even with a template"? Is that not the point of the template - to not have to start out from scratch?

[D-Scythe]

Sure. I just need two things though: one, you want both the skins above done, right? And two, which scheme do you want to be replaced by the new ones? For example, my Lipetsk skin above would replace the original Russian Lipetsk skin.

 

EDIT: When I meant start from scratch, I was talking about the weathering and camouflage - despite my 'remake' of the original skins - not the lines/objects. After the initial weathering and camo is done, I can use the new work I've done in addition to the weathering textures on the template to work new camos out of. My bad - a template is very useful, and for the most part I've been able to use ED's awesome MiG-29A template for the MiG-29S skins, with some minor modifications. Again, thanks, and the credit, goes to ED.

[SwingKid]

Sure. I just need two things though: one, you want both the skins above done, right? And two, which scheme do you want to be replaced by the new ones? For example, my Lipetsk skin above would replace the original Russian Lipetsk skin.

 

(Please note I edited my own message above so it now includes three images and a PS question)

 

(1) Actually I'm pretty happy with the blue and tan Ukrainian skins myself (at least for now - Eric said there may be room for improvement with "weathering"); mainly I'm interested in the single, simple weathered "grey" skin in this photo:

 

 

(2) Good question about which skin to swap it with - one of the Russian ones obviously, preferably with a red side number located on the engine intake instead of the tail, if such a skin exists.

 

Cheers,

 

-SK

[D-Scythe]

Wait, let me get this straight. Eric/Flanker already sent you the Ukrainian bluish-green one, so you don't need that. All you need is are the skins for the MIG-29Ss based in Kursk, which are R-77 capable.

 

If that's the case, you said that the MIGs use a standard camoflage. Which one?

 

 

 

Secondly, you mentioned the ECM panels were different in some way - how? I can't really tell anything's really different by those pics, besides the obvious unit markings.

 

I've already got some other MiG-29S skins completed. Here's the camo scheme I think best matches the Kursk MiG-29s. Maybe a little more weathering, replace unit markings with the appropriate ones, and then the minor details, which you've spotted but I have not.

 

 

or...

 

 

BTW, I edited my previous post as well.

[Alfa]

Hi D-Scythe,

 

Secondly, you mentioned the ECM panels were different in some way - how? I can't really tell anything's really different by those pics, besides the obvious unit markings.

 

The MiG-29S has some "lumbs" on the wingtips containing waveguides for the internal jamming station. You can of course not change the shape of the wingtips, but you can give the impression of such wingtip bulges via the texturing. If you look closely at the grey MiG-29S picture, you can see the dark radio transparent corner of the right wingtip :)

 

These ECM wingtip bulges are also present on the MiG-29K, and I hinted their presence by painting those dark spots on the wingtips....

 

 

....not perfect but it does give the right impression :)

 

Cheers,

- JJ

[SwingKid]

Wait, let me get this straight. Eric/Flanker already sent you the Ukrainian bluish-green one, so you don't need that. All you need is are the skins for the MIG-29Ss based in Kursk, which are R-77 capable.

 

Right. For now. :)

 

If that's the case, you said that the MIGs use a standard camoflage. Which one?

 

Hmm, good question. Ok, I don't think Russians really have a "standard" camouflage - at least not so well-defined that the two schemes you show above would be of noticeably different "standards". Pretty much the two shades of grey/greenish-grey, with the darker tone surrounding the cockpit. The exact pattern of the mottling seems to vary from one MiG-29 to the next in the photos I've seen.

 

If you're looking for more photo references though, I can suggest the Swifts' own forum:

 

http://www.strizhi.ru/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=pilotsphotoglance;action=display;num=1047596134

 

The only thing I'd add is to please not include the Russian tri-color flag seen on the tail fin of #24 there. I'd like to use the same skin to accurately represent as many of those MiG-29S as possible by just changing the side number, and that tricolor seems to single out only one of them.

 

Secondly, you mentioned the ECM panels were different in some way - how? I can't really tell anything's really different by those pics, besides the obvious unit markings.

 

There's a stock Lock On MiG-29S skin for Ukraine, I think the Belbek regiment that uses a gray camo, that has some (but not all) of the wingtip ECM panels highlighted in yellow. They are the same for MiG-29S as for the regular "Fulcrum C", but different from MiG-29 "Fulcrum A". They are not shown in the "9-13 Fulcrum C" color schemes you posted above, but should be. You can also see them as a bit of white at the wingtips of Eric's blue MiG-29. I'll see if I can find some good photos.

 

I've already got some other MiG-29S skins completed. Here's the camo scheme I think best matches the Kursk MiG-29s. Maybe a little more weathering, replace unit markings with the appropriate ones, and then the minor details, which you've spotted but I have not.

 

Probably just the lighting angle, but that first one looks awesome, exactly the right effect - as if the paint has faded and the sun is starting to gleam off of what is under the paint. I think it looks just like the MiG-29S photos. Also note that being based on the stock skins, neither of those is showing the correct 9.13 "Fulcrum C"-style wingtip ECM surfaces (a pet nitpick of mine as an antenna engineer, when the aircraft correctly carries or doesn't carry functional ECM in the game accordingly, and the MiG is otherwise so wonderfully detailed). Also they both have white bort numbers, but I don't think you have control over that.

 

Beautiful!

 

-SK

[SwingKid]

These ECM wingtip bulges are also present on the MiG-29K, and I hinted their presence by painting those dark spots on the wingtips....

 

Alfa is right, the ECM aerials are similar to those of MiG-29K (careful the one in the larger bottom photo is MiG-29K, the others are 9.13 "Fulcrum C"):

 

 

9.13 "Fulcrum C" also has a rearward-facing ECM aerial on the port fin:

 

Another shot of the wingtip:

 

And for comparison, a grainy photo of a 9.12 "Fulcrum A", which exhibits both a lack of wingtip aerials, and my stubborn apparent inability to make a decent scan... :x

 

-SK

[Guest ThomasDWeiss]

and my stubborn apparent inability to make a decent scan

 

look at the bright side - you managed to create some nice moire effects. :wink:

[D-Scythe]

Here's the best I can come up with for today. Gonna shut it down for the night though.

 

Port fin ECM:

 

Wing ECM (non-bulging for the moment):

 

**Seems the triangular panel cuts into the wing at too sharp an angle. I'll let you be the judge of that though. I'll tweak it a bit more for the final version.

 

Red numbers:

 

Overall:

 

If you want me to dirty up the Ukrainian blue-tan skin up a bit, just shout

 

:)

[SwingKid]

Wing ECM (non-bulging for the moment):

 

**Seems the triangular panel cuts into the wing at too sharp an angle. I'll let you be the judge of that though. I'll tweak it a bit more for the final version.

 

Yeah now that's what I'm talking about! :) The rear panel needs to be moved forward a bit so the wingtip light isn't sticking out of the dielectric, and the forward panel needs to be moved maybe inward a little or change the "cut angle" like you said. It needs to give the impression of being able to transmit ECM forward, whereas right now the forward direction looks a bit blocked by metal.

 

Here is a link to some of Eric's skins (15 MB):

 

http://www.waves.utoronto.ca/~pavacic/lomac/v1p1/migskins.zip

 

-SK

[D-Scythe]

How are these? Feel free to be as critical as possible :)

 

This Ukrainian scheme in one of the photos is the same as the 3rd Russian MiG-29S skin in Lock On. I've already been working on it, and this is how it is so far.

 

 

Others:

 

[SwingKid]

How are these? Feel free to be as critical as possible :)

 

The positioning is much improved, but the edges of the dielectric panels look better-defined in your previous work. In the new one it looks like the weathering has smudged the edges with the surrounding metal. It looks like you also improved the "cut angle" on the blue Ukrainian skin - am I right? I think it looks even better now.

 

This Ukrainian scheme in one of the photos is the same as the 3rd Russian MiG-29S skin in Lock On.

 

Agreed, I was wondering if it was the same aircraft, at some time relocated from "Termez". It doesn't seem right to have two separate skins for it, just because one is Russian and the other Ukrainian, but fixing that would probably require some MeInit.xml editing (which I always dread).

 

Looks very good with the "weathering". Don't weather the blue one too much because that was a very "fresh" paint job when I saw it in 2001. I think Eric tried to weather the fuselage but didn't get around to the wings, or something like that, because they were in a separate file. Just matching that weathering would probably achieve the most accurate look for the blue one.

 

How do you get the right color for the side numbers, just by picking the right existing skin to modify that already uses that color?

 

-SK

[D-Scythe]

The positioning is much improved, but the edges of the dielectric panels look better-defined in your previous work. In the new one it looks like the weathering has smudged the edges with the surrounding metal. It looks like you also improved the "cut angle" on the blue Ukrainian skin - am I right? I think it looks even better now.

 

Fixed :)

 

Looks very good with the "weathering". Don't weather the blue one too much because that was a very "fresh" paint job when I saw it in 2001. I think Eric tried to weather the fuselage but didn't get around to the wings, or something like that, because they were in a separate file. Just matching that weathering would probably achieve the most accurate look for the blue one.

 

How do you get the right color for the side numbers, just by picking the right existing skin to modify that already uses that color?

 

Yeah, it's basically just pick the right existing skin to modify. You can change the colours directly by modifying the files with Photoshop, but you run the risk of changing the colour of the numbers for ALL skins, including those of other aircrafts', that also use the same numbers.

 

BTW, SK, do you want all the MiG-29Ss to have the ECM panels, or just the ones that I've modified so far? I'm thinking no, but since all the MiGs in Lock On can fire R-77s... :?:

 

Anyway, here's an update for everyone else. Just some screenies, nothing really that hasn't already been shown.

 

Ukrainian MiGs:

 

Russian MiGs:

 

 

 

:)

[SwingKid]

BTW, SK, do you want all the MiG-29Ss to have the ECM panels, or just the ones that I've modified so far?

 

Technically yes, all "hump-backed" MiG-29 should have the ECM covers, regardless if they can fire R-77 or not.

 

No Ukrainian MiG-29 carries R-77, but they still have hump-backs and ECM. (Unlike the German Fulcrums and the "MiG-29A", which have none of the above.)

 

Looking good!

 

-SK

[D-Scythe]

ECM panels for all then :)

[Abanamat]

German Mig-29's also didn't have the air-ground attack mode