FGMM [Aircraft] T-6 Texan "Spanish Sahara"

[Mauri]

Hi all,
My entry for this contest will be a heavily modified T-6 to appear as those operated from 1957 to 1975 in the Spanish Sahara during the decolonization process.

With the information I could gather from various sources, I created the following color profile as reference:

Spain's "Ejercito del Aire" converted Trainer's into Combat version by adding various elements:

• 7.7mm Breda-Safat MGs (x2): One Mg on each wing, from the large stocks still existing since the Spanish Civil War from 30 years earlier.
• Ammo case depot: Bulbous depots under the MGs to collect spent cases.
• Radiogoniometer
• Spinner
• 80mm Oerlikon rockets: 3 supports under each wing, with 2 rockets each (total 12 rockets)
• Other minor details...

Here is a picture to help you (and me!) get the idea of the parts needed to convert the standard FG Texan to the spanish COIN plane I want to portrait:

More to come soon...

Warm regards and thanks for reading this !
- Mauri -

[cjwalas]

This looks like a great subject for your conversion. I really like the camo scheme as well.
I look forward to you build!
Chris

[rockpaperscissor]

Nice recolor. I'm looking forward to watching this one unfold.

[Alcides]

Magnifico Mauri. Really I looking ahead for this mod on the good Texan from FG

[cmdr199212]

YOU HAD BETTER SUBMIT THIS TO CHIP!! LOL, I'd love to build it. Oh, btw if ur going to mod it, you might want to fiddle around with the canopy, its a little misshapen :grin:

[Mauri]

I will think about submitting it to Chip just after completing it! In Spain we say "Don't sell the bear's skin before hunting it" :D

About the canopy... well, we all know that most FG models have their issues, but who cares... when I want a super perfect model I visit Dr. Zarkov

Best regards,
- Mauri -

[Mauri]

Dear friends,

While I prepare my source material for the necessary 3D work to add the new elements to convert my T-6D Texan, I would like to share with you some some of my tricks for the artwork side of designing or redesigning models. Hopefully this might be helpful to someone...

First of all I start with a complete redrawing of the original model. I do this mainly to be able to gain total control over the outline of the model. I achieve this goal by grouping the outlines in 3 main groups: Parts / Panel lines & ribets / Tabs.

With this division of types of lines I can apply different graphic styling to them, therefore quickly achieving a nice relistic result. Let me show you an example I have prepared with one wing of our Texan:

1/With our favourite art software (Photoshop in my case), we prepare different layers that will help us organize the parts and apply the styles.

2/ We throw some color and we have a basic artwork that would already do the job, but let me show you a couple of tricks that really add a touch to it.

3/ We duplicate the Panel lines & Ribbets layer and set one to be “shadow” and the other be “light”... to get this, the “light” one gets white fill so the line is bright, and gets a “Soft light” effect sith whatever layer oppacity you find to look nicer. The “shadow” one gets a similar effect to the layer.Then, just move this last layer a couple of pixels down and left, so both "shadow" and "light" lines stand together... they create a nice effect!

4/ Now let’s go for some general shadowing... we select all the area, an fill it with black. Then, keeping our selection active, we modify it by “contracting” 30px and adding a 10px Feather. We delete the selection and apply an Overlay effect + 40% oppacity to the layer and ... voilà!

A couple touches here and there, and we have finished our wing!


Thanks for reading... more to come soon!
Best regards,
- Mauri -

[birder]

Very nice Mauri! Looks great!

[Mauri]

Hi Glen!
How great to hear from you again... what have you been up to? Any new model on the oven?

Best regards,
- Mauri -

[cjwalas]

Mauri,
Thanks for the lesson in redrawing/recoloring! It's helped me understand a lot. I can't wait to see how this one comes together. It looks like it's going to be a real winner!
Chris