jocko417

In the previous version I was able to change things in the cockpit like add barber pole stripes to the red Max Drop tank needle on the ASI, erase the pitch marks on the A/H, stuff like that. Can't with the new version. Does anybody know if it's still possible and where would I look for the instrument faces textures (Cockpit1.dds still has the instrument faces but the game doesn't show changes to the instruments themselves, only the surrounds/panel texture)?

That is entirely up to you. Having made lines and rivets layers from scratch before I know how tedious (rewarding?) it can be :) As for moving the thread, was it something we said? ;)

Oh, BTW, I mentioned in a previous post that I can't get the p-51 hard shell helmet to work in separate livery folders. Right now I've put a basic white helmet in the main F-86 textures folder as a 'one size fits all' solution so it will at least replace the default grey HGU texture. Once I finally figure out what I'm doing wrong and can get the helmet to work in each livery I plan to do squadron specific helmets, with art, if not too difficult given the mapping. For example, 421 pilots painted their helmets red. 439's were yellow with red stripes denoting rank, 441 had black and white checkers, etc. So, if anybody has been playing with the helmet textures and has them working, please PM me so I can see where I've goofed! :)

421 RCAF 23058 Canadair Sabre Mk.5 23058 of No. 421 "Red Indian" Squadron, 2 (Fighter) Wing, RCAF Station Grostenquin, France, circa 1955. Includes 421 Pilot skin: Finally got around to adding the little gun camera window in the intake "chin". Includes RCAF cockpit textures. Should be available soon on DCS site. BTW Belsimtek, how are we doing on that official template? These work horses need some dirt, as well as some paint chipping and flaking... Been holding off getting into serious weathering until I know if we're getting separate layers for lines rivets and dirt, etc. :) They may look good shiny but these Swords need some stains too :D

Oh, BTW Belsimtek, we really need a P-4 helmet, even better, how about an H-4-1 for us Canucks ;)

Still working on the cockpits, have also started to skin the pilots. Sabre Mk.6 23392 of No. 422 (Tomahawk) Squadron, 4 Fighter Wing, RCAF Station Söllingen, West Germany, circa 1955. The first 200-odd Mk.6 Sabres retained the hard edged, fenced wing of the Mk.5, after the slatted 6-3 wing was introduced on the Mk.6 the early ones were retrofitted. And here`s the pilot... RCAF grey flight coveralls, brown gloves, white bone dome with grey-green visor and 422 squadron patches. All we need is a nice green MS20001 mask... Might adjust the visor to be a bit more green. RCAF pilots in Europe wore a variety of US equipment as well as RCAF issue kit. I`ll probably mix things up a bit. Right now I can`t get the helmet to work in the livery folder, I`ve replaced the default P-51D helmet texture. Been over the syntax a billion times and it still defaults to the grey HGU from the livery folder :mad:

Yes, once I'm finished with it I'll put it up for download, and it will probably become part of future RCAF liveries. I also plan to do another version that will mimic the earlier Mk.4 Sabre cockpit as flown by the U.K. and Italy. They were completely black. I've had to use a bit of "artistic license" as period photos of RCAF Sabre cockpits are extremely rare. Any photos of surviving cockpits have to be observed with some objectivity as they only show what the cockpit looked like when the aircraft was retired. There may have been various modifications done to it, including optional equipment added over the aircraft's service life. For example, I have a 1958 version of the POI (Pilot's Operating Instuctions) for the Sabre Mk.5. At this time the Mk.5 was being used as a fighter trainer at the OTU. The cockpit layout shows certain extras like target towing controls that wouldn't have been on the aircraft when it was still a front line fighter in 1955. Also, there could be minor differences from aircraft to aircraft, ie: in some photos the armament panel is grey, in others it's black. Oh, and of course I can only modify colours and textures, can't move switches around or anything :)

Hi Catseye, Yep, the latest update added a US markings decals layer that defaults to "on". There's an easy fix until I update the older skins: Download any or all of my latest 3 skins - OTU 213, OTU 362, and/or 434 RCAF. Unzip any of them and find the file called 'empty'. Copy/paste it into each of the livery folders that have the decal issue. Next, open any of the description.lua files from the latest 3 skins. Find and copy this line: {"F86_MAIN", 3,"empty", false}, Paste it into the description for each older skin.

By the way, have been trying to remove the pitch markings on the A/I, and also trying to add white barber pole markings on the Max Drop Tank Speed needle on the ASI, did it before in the last version but doesn't work now?! :huh:

Ok, this will probably come back to bite me in the @$$ after the next update, but here's some new cockpit textures, mimicking how most Canadair Sabres were finished. Note - textures are based on period photos, but keep in mind no military aircraft type ever stays "standard" for long. Details could differ from aircraft to aircraft, and over time as equipment is changed/upgraded. Changed the colour of some guarded push buttons, landing gear lever (supposed to be transparent yellow plastic with red unsafe light inside) RCAF Ejection instrs. placard, radio call number matches skin, in this case, 23220 of No. 439 "Sabre-Toothed Tiger" Sqdn. Left side: Canopy switch placard Canopy De-clutch Handle Might add some other details like circuit breaker map placards on the inside of the canopy frame. New RCAF cockpit textures will be included in my RCAF Sabre skins.

Ask me to tell you a fascinating story about 2 hours of my life I'll never get back, gone forever due to not noticing the difference between a semi-colon and a comma...:music_whistling:

Correct. 0 = diffuse texture (colours, markings, etc.) 1= normal map (3D effect on panel seams, rivets, etc.) 2 = specular map (how dull or shiny or reflective the finish is) 3 = decals "False" tells the game to use the appropriate texture from the livery folder the description file is in. "True" means use the default texture from the f-86 textures folder. You can save some work by just including "false" lines about the textures you want to change, and not write out "true" lines, as the game will load default textures unless told otherwise.

I had to correct the installation instructions, they should be available again soon. :)

Try "F86_GEAR" instead of F-86 in the first half of the statement... no hyphen.

Yes. If you put new cockpit textures into your LW skin folders and add the above line to the description.lua, you will see the new cockpit texture only for the LW skins. But, if you put the new cockpit textures into the F-86F-35-CPT-TEXTURES folder, you will see the new textures for ALL skins. Hope this helps :)

:crash: So of course I screwed up the installation instructions for the latest three skins, new description being uploaded.

It will only work in the CPT Textures folder/zip if you name it the same as the original. Back up your original first. It also means EVERY skin you use will use this new texture, unless: You put it in the same livery folder as whatever skin you want to use. Just add the line {"F-86F_Texture1", 0 ,"whatever",false}, to your description.lua file, where "whatever" is the name of your new texture. The number 1 in this case refers to the main instrument panel texture.

434 RCAF and the two OTU trainer skins posted above now available for DL. :) Next up, for the Hawk One fans, another past livery of '314, from the Sabre Transition Unit, Chatham. After the Sabre OTU shut down in 1961 the STU opened, using the Sabre as a tactical lead-in aircraft for those going on to fly the new CF-104 Starfighter. Pilots gained experience with skills like gunnery, toss bombing, and (practice) tactical nuke delivery before checking out on the 104 at Cold Lake, Alberta. The Sabre soldiered on in the training role for the RCAF until the end of the 1960s. '314 sometime after Feb. 1965, as noted by the 'new' flag...

Available now :)

This should be fun, still some bugs to work out but here's the general idea - radio call placard will match serial number of aircraft flown... Canucked the left console, grey throttle and flap lever, black knobs, added fueling placard, etc. Still some stuff to change/add. :)

Works!!! :D

Black instrument panel, different placarding, grey throttle and flap lever, various other differences. :)

Whoops!!! This was supposed to be a reply to the ongoing skins thread...Mods, feel free to merge! :cry:

New RCAF Skins uploaded Three new skins uploaded to DCS, now I should really go back and update the old ones to the new version :-/ Sabre Mk.5 23187 of 434 "Bluenose" Squadron, 3 Fighter Wing, RCAF Station Zweibrücken, West Germany, circa 1955. A couple of training birds: Sabre Mk.5 23362 of Conversion Flight, No. 1 Operational Training Unit, RCAF Station Chatham, New Brunswick, Canada, circa 1957. ...and a stable mate, 23213 of Tactical Flight, 1 OTU, Chatham. Awaiting approval...

Thanks SkateZilla :) Fritz, yeah it should be doable, I just don't know the proper description.lua syntax for the appropriate files.