The FSDS 2.24 and 3.5 Tutorial

[wolfi]

The first Aircraft 3
First we will build the fuselage; in general a tube with a few sections will fit our needs. So the first step will be to calculate how much sections and how much points/section did we need for the fuselage. Ok, there are 3 main sections visible at the right view, and at the front view the aircraft has 8 corners, I will build a low poly test model so I keep with the 8 corners while using 8 points but will use 4 sections. Figure out the width of the fuselage while using the Ruler (Ruler Mode) then select from the left object menu the tube (New Tube) in the Tube parameter window are a few parameter boxes Radius, length, points/section and sections, we will use following parameters radius 0.7 m, length 8.8 m points/section 8 and section 4, at last we set the “Z axis” (Picture 049). Because you created a new object you can now delete the box (Part mode, select box, -Edit, press Delete or use delete at your keyboard). Now you see the before created tube. Move the points of the tube (Point Mode, select all point’s first) at the Z axis until they fit the drawing (press constrain X and constrain Y before) - I like to keep the fuselage axis at X, Y and Z -zero. Now change back to “Part Mode” and go with your mouse to the Back/front view, press the right mouse button, select and click at the menu window “ExpandedView” (Picture 050). In the now expanded view, zoom into your object using “Zoom in” or “Zoom out” at the top toolbar. You will recognize that the tube doesn’t fit the drawing, so we had to turn tube 22.5 degrees. Therefore go to Transform and click at the popup window at “Rotate”a new popup window opens with 3 parameter boxes X, Y and Z and 3 options about what we want to rotate. We want to rotate only the vertices so we can leave it as it is; we want to rotate at the Z axis only so type in the “Z Parameter box“22.5 (Picture 051) then click “OK” now the tube fits in general the drawing. Now right click again with your mouse at the whole window and remove the check mark before “Expanded View” than zoom out until you can see the entire part also adjust the zoom at the Solid View Controls Panel.
It’s on you now to shape the tube in accordance with the Backdrop drawings, select “Point Mode” I will suggest to use the constrain X,Y and Z buttons while moving Points. A little tip, the “scale”button will be also very useful to expand points uniform, another tip select constrain Z before.

[wolfi]

I forgot to notice that the tube should fit only the main fuselage outlines (Picture 052).
By the way, I hope this tutorial is understandable for everyone who is interested.

[wolfi]

The first Aircraft 4 poly smoothing
OK, finally you should have a fuselage as shown in (Picture053). Now I like to smooth the poly’s a bit, it’s not necessary for the project in the moment, but will show you how to smooth the polys. Make sure you are in the “Part Mode”, then go to “Edit” go down at the menu list to “Part Properties” and click on it, a Popup window “Part Properties” opens, look at the right site where you see a little empty box before Polygon Smoothing, click on the box and press OK (Picture 054)

[wolfi]

The first Aircraft 5
Now it’s time for the Ruder! First you have to look at your right Backdrop drawing, how many points should the tube have to form a ruder? – We will use a tube with 6 points and 2 sections, Radius 0.5m, length 1m. Move the new tube back to the ruder (I suggest to Press Constrain X before) (Picture055)
Now go to “Point Mode” and fit the tube to the drawing, I suggest expanding the right view window and zoom in to the part. Finally you should have a tube in the right view window like (Picture 056 and Zip file "FSDS F4F Wildcat 02"). Now go to theTop View Window and expand it (a little tip, go to “view” and click on “Center on Part”), now select all points (remember selected points are Yellow) press - Constrain “Y” and “Z”-, select "scale” at the toolbar and move with your mouse left while pressing the left mouse button until the tube fits closely the drawing (Picture057). Expand the Top view and go to the Back view window, expand it and center on part, we will make the top of the ruder and tail fin a bit smaller, select the top 6 points move with your mouse left until it fit the drawing, now select the top 3 points and do the same again (Picture 058). Expand the view, go to “view” -select and click on “Center on Project”. Below the actual ZIP file "FSDS F4F Wildcat 03".

[wolfi]

The first Aircraft 6

Maybe you always noticed that the elevator looks like the Ruder, so we can use the Ruder part for it. Go to the upper toolbar click on “Copy” and on “past” now we have doubled the part. The next step is to rotate the new part, click on“Transform” then select “Rotate” make sure that at the "Options" are “vertices” selected, then write into the left “Z” box "90" (degrees) Now move the part into the right position. At last we have to correct the front part, so go to “Point Mode” select the front points (Picture 060) and move them backwards until the part fit’s the top drawing. Press Constrain “X” and “Y” before. For the right elevator “copy” and “past” the left elevator part, go again to “Transform” select “Flip” and Click on “Flip X” (Picture 061). Now go to “Edit” and go down and click on “Part Properties”, at the new window you see the "Part Properties" menu; go to “Axis Location” at the lefts side, then to the "X axis "and remove the minus before the number (Picture 062)and press “OK”. Your aircraft should look now like the one in Picture 063.

[wolfi]

The first Aircraft 7, the wings 1
Now we come to the wings, I prepared a tube made from 10 points and two sections originally length 4m, radius 2m, I moved the point’s until they fit the wing profile seen in the right view backdrop (Picture 064).
You will find the new setup in the Zip file below (FSDSF4F Wildcat 04)

[wolfi]

The first Aircraft 7 the wings 2
…Select the top view window, go to “Point Mode” and select all point’s, move the points right until the left row of points are at the centerline of the aircraft, then select the two outer point row’s, move them right until the middle row of points are at the line between the flaps and aileron, at last select the right row of points and move them until the end of the right wing (Picture 065). Now go to “Part Mode” select “Move” select also constrain X and Y. We will move the X, Y, Z axis more forward to the center of gravity, so press “shift” at your keyboard and move (only) the whole axis forward (Picture 066)