[WIP] Solomon 1943 V.2.0

[roger-wilco-66]

OK, this was todays work. Still some blending to do, as well as placing objects and vegetation. But it's almost done!






Good night,
Mark

[MudMarine]

I think I've been waiting for the Solomons V2 scenery as much or more than anyother FS product in a long time! It's my favorite place to fly; "The SLOT"!! Can't wait!!

[roger-wilco-66]

It's progressing nicely, Barakoma is almost done.

The AF/Navy flightline on the northern end of the runway:




VMF-214 still seem to have some old F4U1a in operation:






Maintenance work:



But the 1c Corsair is already on the field:



Ready tents and tower:




Maintenance area:








Way to go!

Cheers,
Mark

[expat]

Very nicely done Mark! Like the variety of a/c and objects. You are clearly striving for historical accuracy as well from what little I have read. This is going to be great fun.

[MudMarine]

You're killing me with those teaser shots!

[robert41]

This is looking incredible.

[expat]

Much as I love all my NavAir birds and carrirer ops, I do like flying around these islands in David Copley's P-38, however, the Lightning (Flying Dutchman) in the screenie above just looks so right for the job with some nice paint weathering etc. Which model is it?

[roger-wilco-66]

It's the FSD P-38J Lightning, the repaint is one of many gorgeous works from Jan.

See
http://aussiex.org/forum/index.php?/...ying-dutchman/



Cheers,
Mark

[roger-wilco-66]

The VMF-214 camp area Barakoma.

Note Maj. Greg Boyington discussing an upcoming raid on Kahili / South Bougainville with his boys.

[stiz]

is the N ment to be backwards?

[roger-wilco-66]

Good eyes Stiz! I wonder why I didn't notice that. I also saw now that the alpha channel around the Black Sheep sign seems to have a white edge.
Off to change it...


Mark

[trucker17]

It's the FSD P-38J Lightning, the repaint is one of many gorgeous works from Jan.

See
http://aussiex.org/forum/index.php?/...ying-dutchman/



Cheers,
Mark

Great work on the scenery..Mark.....
I also have the FSD P-38....its the best version i have found so far....

[trucker17]

I had the opertunity when i was a kid to take a trip from Santa maria island to Vella-lavella....
At 14 years old i had two hero's......1st Division 3rd Battalion Marine Corps Lieutenant: Jay Will Teague( My Father), and Major Greg "PAPPY" Boyington.
So for me walking the old base was like the holy grail....
Sadly today nothing remains of the base....There are condos across the area now....

[MudMarine]

I had the opertunity when i was a kid to take a trip from Santa maria island to Vella-lavella....
At 14 years old i had two hero's......1st Division 3rd Battalion Marine Corps Lieutenant: Jay Will Teague( My Father), and Major Greg "PAPPY" Boyington.
So for me walking the old base was like the holy grail....
Sadly today nothing remains of the base....There are condos across the area now....

I got to meet Col. Boyington in 1985. He was visiting the Marine Corps base at Quantico Va. I'll never forget the conversation we had, he was a great guy who was thrilled to be amoung his fellow Marines once again. I got to "gril"l him on the F4U and the tactics they used in the Pacific to defeat zero's.......Semper Fi Col., your are missed!

[Taco]

Hi Mud, I agree, like you I met him in California back in the 70s, and like you we had a very nice and enjoyable conversation.

Taco (Jim)

[roger-wilco-66]

Barakoma is finished now. It took a bit longer because I had to rebuild around 30 scenery objects in GMAX from scratch (still around 4 to make).
The AFCADs work with AI flights, I already chased some Bettys with the Corsair around Vella Lavella.
Next is Seghi Point and then Ondonga (VF-17 !) and then the development is frozen.
On behalf of Greg Boyington, I collected some rare photos of him in various stages of his life here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/x0skkam7x...eg%20Boyington

There are really some good images of him there. You guys are extremly lucky to have met him, I'm almost envious.
On the other hand, I knew my grandfather (Ju-88 / He-111 pilot) and met Günther Rall and talked about Erich Hartmann with him :-)

[EDIT:] Trucker, to travel to the Solomons in person has become one of my main goals for the near future. Lucky you!

Cheers,
Mark

[Roger]

Fantastic!

[MudMarine]

I really don't think I'll ever fly anywhere else once this is released! Is it going to work in P3D? Or do I have to reload FSX (God, I hope not!). TY

[roger-wilco-66]

I developed it on P3D, but it should also run on FSX fine. Didn't try it yet, though. Could be that there's a performance penalty on FSX, since P3D appears to have a better grip on large sceneries / big phototiles.

Cheers,
Mark

[MudMarine]

I developed it on P3D, but it should also run on FSX fine. Didn't try it yet, though. Could be that there's a performance penalty on FSX, since P3D appears to have a better grip on large sceneries / big phototiles.

Cheers,
Mark

Thanks Mark,

I remember that now (P3D development)....I'm getting old and my memory is starting to slip!

[roger-wilco-66]

After finishing Barakoma, I started on Seghi Point on New Georgia. More or less done now, except for some object placement and the usual AFCADs for AI traffic. GMAX is my friend now, so a lot of scenery objects keep pouring in from my own source :-) The airfield and the surrounding area on the phototile is the first that was entirely drawn from scratch in Photoshop. Not one pixel is from an aerial image. The resolution is quite high, 25cm per pixel.
Note the road grader, modeled after some old pictures. I have yet to paint the textures though, I just slabbed some colors on so it's visible.

The next and last airfield to do will Ondonga, home of the VF-17 Jolly Rogers, the famous F4U Corsair outfit.





Road grader:

[expat]

Fantastic stuff!

[Sundog]

Thanks for the update. It's really great to have some WW2 period scenery to fly warbirds from and I've really enjoyed your previous releases.

[MudMarine]

It is torture and it's name is [WIP] Solomon 1943 V.2.0!

PS is there still anywhere to get the "old" version? I should have saved it before I switched to P3D,,,,,,,,damn the luck!

[robcap]

A-MA-ZING stuff Mark, really looking forward to this!

Cheers, Rob