P-51 D "Manowar", Glide version - High Resolution fighter skin for European Air War.

This skin represents "Man O' War", QP-A, 414292, 65th Fighter Wing, 4th Fighter Group, 334 Squadron based at Debden.  The pilot was Lt. Col. C.H. Kinnard, June, 1944.

This skin is an update of my first ever EAW skin.  Compare the two and see how things have changed!!  Chalk and cheese I reckon....  :)

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High Resolution P-51 D Mustang 3dz's - Release version 1.00 Glide
This has been the most intensive EAW project I've ever undertaken, so please forgive the long winded readme!  I've been working on this for six months, and a lot of time and patience has gone into it, but I think the results justify the effort.  Seeing it's a new development, I wanted it to be the best I could make it, so that's why it took so long - also working with Salty has forced me to change my "rough enough is good enough" attitude!  The F.3dz has been split into six, new PCX files built, all 3dz's totally re-mapped, bugs ironed out (and some more created!), and finally a skin made to show it off.

The net result is that we now have a P-51 D Mustang with the equivalent of 512x512 textures, fully non mirrored.  As well as the higher resolution, there are also a gazillion spare points, and I have used a few of these to add a few features like :-
   - Smoothing out the lower rudder and eliminate warping on the tail.
   - Smoothed out some warping on the upper nose.
   - Widened and extened the undercarriage, more authentic gear doors and wheel bays.
   - Put up a radio wire from the cockpit to the tail.
   - Rounded the tip of the spinner.
   - Smoothed out the curve in the wingtips.

I expect that this will be just the beginning of this new 3dz, and when Alessandro releases the Auto BSP calculator and the new 3dz Studio, we will be able to take advantage of all the spare points and elements - I'm hoping to be able to add a sliding canopy and add thickness to the tail and elevators for starters.

Seeing this is a totally new 3dz, I thought I'd give a quick explaination of what all the files in this zip actually do.
Pp51dA.3dz - 3dz file for the left rear fuselage and tail.
Pp51dB.3dz - 3dz file for the right rear fuselage and tail.
Pp51dC.3dz - 3dz file for the cockpit.
Pp51dE.3dz - 3dz file for the right wing.
Pp51dF.3dz - 3dz file for the front fuselage, left and right.
Pp51dG.3dz - 3dz file for the left wing.
Pp51dH.3dz - 3dz file for the "Gunst type" transperant shadow.
Pp51dL.3dz - 3dz file for the left Torn Off Wing.
Pp51dM.3dz - 3dz file for the Medium Distance Model (actually the old Pp51df.3dz)
Pp51dP.3dz - 3dz file for the prop.
Pp51dR.3dz - 3dz file for the right Torn Off Wing.
Pp51dS.3dz - 3dz file for the Long Distance Model
*Pp51dU.3dz - 3dz file for the High res cockpit wingviews
*Pp51dV.3dz - 3dz file for the left half of the "deflection cockpit".
*Pp51dW.3dz - 3dz file for the right half of the "deflection cockpit"
Pp51dX.3dz - 3dz file for the cockpit instrument panel.
Pp51dY.3dz - 3dz file for the in cockpit Prop textures.

Pp51dfrt.pcx/tpc - texture file for F.3dz (Front fuselage)
Pp51dtex.pcx/tpc - texture file for C, H, P and Y.3dz's (c.pit, shadow, prop, cockpit prop)
Pp51dtra.pcx/tpc - transperancy info for the Pp51dtex.pcx/tpc
Pp51dlex.pcx/tpc - texture file for G.3dz (left wing), and L.3dz (Left TOW)
Pp51drex.pcx/tpc - texture file for E.3dz (right wing), and R.3dz (Right TOW)
Pp51dtll.pcx/tpc - texture file for A.3dz (left tail)
Pp51dtlr.pcx/tpc - texture file for B.3dz (right tail)
Pp51dmex.pcx/tpc - texture file for M, and S.3dz's (MDM and LDM)
Pp51dwng.pcx/tpc - texture file for U.3dz (Hires cockpit wingview)
Pp51dv.pcx/tpc   - texture file for the cockpit interior
Pp51dvtr.pcx/tpc - transperancy info for the Pp51dv.pcx/tpc (Clear gunsight mod)
Pp51dx.pcx/tpc   - texture file for the cockpit instruments

Also included are a Stabskin.ini and a preview screenshot.

Installation : -
Extract all of the files into your EAW folder, or if using Stab, SNM etc, follow their instructions.  To uninstall, just delete the files.  3dz's marked with * are not essential with the new model.  If you don't like the HR wingview or the deflection cockpit, these files can be left out, and EAW will load the default ones without any problems - the rest have to be there!!  

Bugs: -
There are a few minor bugs in the rendering sequence, but It's as good as I can make it.  The D3D 3dz set is slightly better than the Glide set in this regard.  If you can fix any of the rendering problems please let me know!

Credits: -  Big thank-you's go to -
- Jeff Salter for providing the jaw-dropping 512 x 512 textures, from which the new PCX's were built, and for being my right hand man throughout this project.  Thanks a million for all your effort Jeff!
- Alessandro Borges for his superb 3DZ Studio and Converter tools.  They are the backbone that allows EAW to still stand tall after all these years.
- Cord Hartmann, for the original F.3dz which I started with - now the M.3dz .
- Cord Hartmann for his 3DZ C.A.M. tutorial.  This was my introduction to 3dz editing.
- Migge for his cockpit/guage textures which I modified.
- Moggy for sharing his notes.  The "paste on 3dz's" info is at the core of this new 3dz, and also thanks for help solving some of the RS problems.
- Mr. Johnson, Muas and Captain Kurt for their offers of assistance.
- Mosi for his great skinning tutorials.  His techniques were used extensively.
- Captain Kurt for help with problems that arose along the way.
- Charles, Pobs and Andy for the idea of the transperant shadows.
- Peregrine for the idea of the "deflection cockpit"
- JWC 32 for his wide view cockpit.
- Salty again, for his PCX work which I used in the previous HR wingview project.
- The Community at SimHQ for encouragement, ideas, and their constant improvement of EAW.
   - Pretty much a team effort, huh?!

So there you have it!  Now that this one has been done, there is no reason why any other single F.3dz aircraft can't be given the same treatment.  All you need is the inclination, some basic 3dz knowledge, and a lot of spare time!  To make an aircraft Hires isn't that hard - it's just that you notice a lot of little things that aren't up to the new standard, and fixing them takes up the time.  If anyone has any questions or comments about this 3dz or about creating one of their own, feel free to contact me and I'll gladly help if I can.

Finally, these files are created as freeware, and you may use and abuse them as you wish.  However, If you decide to make your own HR P-51 D, just remember to give a little credit where credit is due. :)

Feel free to send me any comments, questions, hate-mail, bomb threats etc....

John "Chompy" Masters,
23/10/2002
jdmasters@ozemail.com.au
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~jdmasters/
 