Some more stuff
For those who downloaded my replacement textures for the VMF-321 F-8 Crusader by Alphasim, thank you, and I hope they look good on your screen! PLEASE comment as to how they look.. improvement.. or disaster!
For those thinking about it, I've attached a few screenshots of the finished airplane. I could probably have done more, but this works for me!
Alphasim had a strange way of connecting model files and textures.. with one common texture file for ALL the paint schemes, and models that related to individual texture bitmaps. This makes it nearly impossible to change loadouts in mdl configurations with paint schemes, so, for now at least, you are stuck with this scheme and a marine 'mud mover' bomb load!
If anyone has a way to mitigate this situation.. PLEASE.. let me know!!
I also had an issue with trying to edit the cfg. file, and add new schemes to the aircraft menu, so in the end I created a whole new airplane, with new file names in it's own folder in the main aircraft folder in FS9. I can now edit to my hearts content.
I edited the aircraft cfg. file to change the 'sit' of the aircraft (giving it weight on the mains), added the bomb load to the fuel and payload menu, adjusted the pilots viewpoint a couple of scale inches up, and since I have the Captain Sim Legendary F-104, I replaced the stock Alphasim afterburner effect with this one.
I am including the relevant lines of 'code' used to make these changes below. If you feel confident in editing the cfg file and want to try these changes, give it a go.
A caution..... you may find the changes don't work, (loadout menu won't show new payload for instance) or have other issues with the airplanes 'sit' in the original Alphasim download. It might be an issue with my system, as I've had it occur in the past when no one else seemed to.. (Milton Shupe and I scratched our heads over this for quite a while!). If this happens, contact me and I'll walk you through creating a whole new F-8!
BUT REMEMBER TO MAKE A BACKUP COPY OF THE ORIGINAL AIRCRAFT cfg file! You don't want to lose what is already working for you!
Replacement weight and balance section:
[weight_and_balance]
max_gross_weight = 34280.000
empty_weight = 17836.000
reference_datum_position = 0.000, 0.000, 0.000
empty_weight_CG_position = 0.000, 0.000, 0.000
empty_weight_pitch_MOI = 80271.000
empty_weight_roll_MOI = 26442.000
empty_weight_yaw_MOI = 56810.000
empty_weight_coupled_MOI = 0.000
// below changed to add station load
CG_forward_limit = 0.00
CG_aft_limit = 1.00
max_number_of_stations = 2
station_load.0 =200.000000, 22.100000, 0.000000, 0.000000, Station 1
station_load.1 =4400.000000, 0.000000, 0.0000, 0.00000, Station 2
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replacement contact point section:
[contact_points]
static_pitch = 4.630
static_cg_height = 4.930
tailwheel_lock = 0
gear_system_type = 1
max_number_of_points = 7
// point 1 and 2 changed to add weight to main gear tires
point.0 = 1, 16.40, 0.00, -6.40, 2000.00, 0.00, 0.70, 35.00, 0.125, 7.00, 0.85, 5.00, 7.00, 0.00, 180.00, 230.00
point.1 = 1, -1.30, -4.80, -5.325, 2500.00, 1.00, 1.10, 0.00, 0.45, 2.50, 0.80, 5.00, 7.00, 2.00, 180.00, 230.00
point.2 = 1, -1.30, 4.80, -5.325, 2500.00, 2.00, 1.10, 0.00, 0.45, 2.50, 0.80, 5.00, 7.00, 3.00, 180.00, 230.00
point.3 = 2, -8.50, -17.50, 1.30, 1500.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 5.00, 0.00, 0.00
point.4 = 2, -8.50, 17.50, 1.30, 1500.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 6.00, 0.00, 0.00
point.5 = 2, -21.62, 0.00, -1.40, 1500.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 5.00, 5.00, 9.00, 0.00, 0.00
point.6 = 2, 31.00, 0.00, 0.00, 1500.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 4.00, 0.00, 0.00
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viewpoint:
[Views]
eyepoint=22.489, 0.0, 2.6 // original eyepoint 2.401
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And if you are fortunate enough to have the Captain Sim Legendary F-104 in your hangar, this afterburner effect SHOULD be in your effects folder and you can add it to the Crusader by editing this section as well:
[lights]
//Types: 1=beacon, 2=strobe, 3=navigation, 4=cockpit, 5=landing
light.0 = 4, 23.00, 0.00, 2.00, fx_vclight
light.1 = 6, -17.00, 0.00, 0.00, fx_engine_Alpha Draken
//light.2 = 9, -22.00, 0.00, 0.00, fx_reheat_Alpha Viggen
light.2=9, -22.2, 0.0, 0.1, cs104_ab // this replaces the reheat Alpha Viggen line above
light.3 = 7, -11.46,-17.55, 1.33, fx_contrail_Alpha Viggen
light.4 = 7, -11.46, 17.55, 1.33, fx_contrail_Alpha Viggen
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I hope my new textures work as well for you as they do for me, thank you for downloading them, and all feedback is welcome!
Maybe I'll set my sights on the other schemes when I can find the time!
Cheers and happy flying
Dave
