10th Anniversary 9/11 Tribute

[Turbine777 13]

One year ago, I did a special 9/11 Tribute paint for the newly released -8. In this topic I also made mention that I had already started working on a really special 10th Anniversary paint. Well, I kept my word and just finished it last night. This post does not need to be moved. I will post something in the -8 sub forum when my files are uploaded to the Avsim library and ready for download. This post is in two parts. One is to show the the paint and the main the focus is to ask where each of you were when you found out. What were the events for you like? I also know many people don't yet own the -8 so it would go missed by many. *All images are hosted from my own site and should not have any impact on bandwidth of this forum. If they violate in some way then please let me know and I'll repost. The paint: This particular paint would never have been possible on any other aircraft that I know of for FS(anything). I've been working on this on and off all year with the last few weeks spending several hundred hours on getting it done (the last 3 days straight). This paint has EVERY name of every individual that lost their lives during any of the tragic events that Tuesday morning, 11 September 2001. Here is the break down of names and where they can be found on the aircraft.

• The fuse is all and only World Trade Center victims. The left side has A-K and the right has - Z. The firefighters names are within those since they too died in or near the World Trade Center. I tried to color their names differently but very limited on font color and from a distance it looked horrific.
• The Pentagon names are on the Right Tail with the special memorial.
• Each aircraft has one engine side. This means it has two appearances. Again, there is absolutely nothing I could do about that and one issue that almost made me not finish.
• The names are complete and then some. There are actually a dozen or so names on the list that are still not "confirmed" to have died there. Quite tragic actually. One of these cases was a man that never again saw his wife, kids and parents yet the power to be said no. Well, these unconfirmed people made it on the aircraft.

The tail art has special night lighting as did the other original 911 Tribute paint last year. This one has been revamped a bit from last years and has slightly different lighting with shorter but more vibrant beams. I made a small FLASH file showing the transition you can see here. The right side has different work and is the Pentagon memorial (truly beautiful memorial I think they did). I did a FLASH file for it as well which can be seen here. It has been both the hardest and most rewarding paint I have ever done. The concepts were very difficult since every name of every individual that died that day, whether it be in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, the 4 aircraft, bystanders or the men and women that risked and lost their lives that tragic Tuesday morning, 11 September 2001. All have their name on this aircraft. I wanted to make a paint to honor those who died that day, but I also wanted it to be somewhat worthy to encapsulate their names. I wanted it to look as good as possible but not at the expense of making a single name illegible or in any way obstructed. With that in mind, my choices of colors and splendor were somewhat challenged to put it mildly. The year I had to work on this did me and the paint lots of good since my bump mapping was never anything to brag about. Each name is bumped in a way that gives it that engraved look to it. It's also something I just finally got to look acceptable. Earlier efforts were just too inexperienced and very hard on the system. This livery isn't for everyones comp but if you fly the 744 and the 748 then I'm sure it will run just fine. It has the most intricate bump mapping I have ever done in any other paint, it really is breathtaking. There are too many things about this paint to explain so will show you some examples. Most of it would have to be seen for yourself with installing the livery. Do not click the thumbs, click the words "Click Here" below the thumbs to see the full size screenshots (Not the thumb) I had to do it this way due to this forums bbcode limitations. It should also keep viewing this page as simple as possible on the viewers (not to mention the java script ;) ). This one is the A-K side of the World Trade Center names."Click Here" for full size. This one is a top down view."Click Here" for full size. Here is another view of the Left side."Click Here" for full size. This one is the L-Z side."Click Here" for full size. Another from the tip of the wing on the right side."Click Here" for full size. Flight 11's tribute."Click Here" for full size. Flight 175's tribute."Click Here" for full size. Flight 93's tribute."Click Here" for full size. Flight 77's tribute."Click Here" for full size. This paint is available now on my forum (as well as more screenshots), but will be uploaded to the Avsim library as soon as I know there are no more changes to make.I also plan to do a video on it which I'll post over the next few days.************************************************************************************************************************************************************* What, How & Where: Now for the second part of this topic and why it's being posted here in the General section. What were you doing at the time you heard the news? How did it effect you? Where were you? A lot of people (mostly conspiracy morons) think that 9/11 was only an "American" thing. This is the most ignorant statement there could be. Take it from the person that read each name several times over the last year; there were people from every country in the world that died in these events and we all shared this event. It's one of the many things that made it so monumental. One last thing that may at first sound offensive, but in a way, I do have one really good memory from that day. I remember we all stopped being individuals and actually looked each other in the face rather than passing each other by. I was back and forth from Boston to NY at that time and for years prior and believe me, that was a miracle in itself.

[Ioan92 63]

This is touching, may the victims of that disaster rest in peace.

[Buddy2 0]

Thank you for this tribute:I was a junior at the University of Oklahoma when we were attacked. I lived off campus in the first home that I've ever bought. My gf (at the time) and I had just woken. My routine was to turn on the news in our bedroom while we were getting ready. The news cut in after the first plane hit.... At the time I was not a licensed pilot, but I grew up around aviation and both my grandfather and dad are pilots.... I knew something wasn't right when the news cut in... The weather was too "severe clear" and any pilot would have put her down in the ocean if there was a mechanical difficulty.... About that time the 2nd plane hit live. My heart sank. I now knew we were under attack. I told the gf to get on the phone and make sure her family in NYC was ok. I jumped into my car and headed straight to my fraternity to wake up my frat brothers.... I remember being alone on the streets... It was a beautiful morning... I remember thinking how could there be so much death and destruction on such a pretty fall day? After all, everything in my immediate surroundings was just as peaceful as it was the day before. I remember playing with my new puppy that was about 3 months old... Thinking how nice it would be to not know the evil that was thrust upon us... The only class that I went to that day was my organic chemistry lab... One of the guys in that class was at the table next to me and he was in the OK nat'l guard. I'll never forget his face. It was strangely filled with determination, resolve, and sadness... all at the same time. About 3 weeks later he had withdrawn from school and I never saw him again.This event was the single biggest event of my lifetime. It transformed me from being a young rooster that was often overserved and chasing short skirts to realizing that I am as human and vulnerable as the next guy. Though many Americans have "gone back to sleep" so to speak, I'm more devoted to my country, my family, and individual freedoms and liberty than ever before. I have a bunch of friends that enlisted because of this. A few didn't come home. I realize and fully understand that unadulterated evil exists in our world... Regardless of how "nice" you are. I've realized that character matters... especially when nobody is looking and especially when nobody keeps score.Thank you again for this tribute.

[shamrockflyer 647]

Very nice paint!! Also a very respectful paint to remember all of those innocent people who lost their life's, and for the families who's life's were destroyed on that terrible day of September 11 2001!! My prayers go out to all the victims and their families! Never Forget!

[jbassue 181]

This goes to my dad, I don't know if his name on it, but thanks for taking the time out.He could of been home.The Lord works in mysterious ways.

[MarkW 1,491]

Amazing piece of art Dan and a fitting tribute. Mark.

[Tabs 2,790]

Very nice work Dan. I'm going to let this thread stay with a warning to everyone - DO NOT allow this to devolve into political debate, conspiracy theories or any of that type of garbage. Anything like that is going to be deleted without comment.

[Turbine777 13]

Thanks guys, and thanks Ryan. That would be incredibly bad. That stuff can and should stay on youtube. The events don't even need to be brought up because the point is still respecting and honoring those who died. So at least, that fact cannot change and shouldn't be disputed. I realized I forgot to say my accounts of that time. I lived in New York (up state) for a few years. I only had a small handful of friends from there and most were only stationed there with me during my years at 10th Mountain's infantry division in FT.Drum (Watertown NY). My day that day and the ones after were pretty crazy. My girlfriend at the time of 5 years had a sister who worked in the South Tower. She had a fairly cushy job and went in a little late. Traffic was just being closed in the area. She got there just after the 1st plane hit. She was there when the second plane hit and was just stepping out of the car garage which she and others jumped into when they heard the explosion of flight 175. From there she ran down the street a ways and hailed a cab to take her home (Smart move). Of course this wasn't found out until later. My girlfriend, Ali & I thought she was working for several hours to come. Cell phones were impossible that day and I just kept trying to get through to her or her dad. Me and the gf were still living together but we actually ended the relationship the day before so it was a weird situation. It kept me there for a while and eventually we went our own ways. One big thing that I remember is how clear it was and not seeing any air traffic at all. At that time I lived with her on the tip of Massachusetts, just south of KMHT and never saw it so calm. Her and I went to NY a week later for he nieces christening. We were there a few days and I guess life just stopped for everyone but her sister Ellen. She lost a ton of friends and remained cheery every second. The rest of us didn't even want to be there and wanted to give her space. It was heart wrenching to watch her stay strong for as long as she did. It was denial and just total emotional separation from reality. One of her friends started crying at one point and Ellen asked her why. I morned the loss of everyone and was still coming to grips with it myself but being around Ellen I had a constant lump in my throat. I felt soooo bad for her and what I knew she would some day soon have to let in. On a slightly different note; while I was working the list I stumbled across many names that sounds familiar. I didn't even want to look at the names sometime since so many were from my area. Luckily for me I'm terrible with names. One name I came across that raised an eyebrow was Donald Greene. My boss a few years ago use to talk about his brother Donald alllll the time. Every chance he got. He would mention him and then his gaze would just look through you while he replaced your face with his brother. He always said how proud he was of him and talked about him like he just passed on. He mentioned he died but never said how. He was a great boss and still is a good friend. I don't take Facebook that seriously but he's one of the very short few on my page. I still haven't brought it up and just don't want to, but maybe when I do the video (and of course if it comes out ok), I'll send him a link and leave it to him to bring up. It also was a little upsetting because we use to joke about it in a manner that if the boss was mad at you, just bring up his brother and he'll never remember anything else. Well, I didn't know about this and still haven't confirmed it, but it's something me and my friend Mike (former co worker) think has to be his brother. It really was one of those time stopping moments when the second plane (#175) hit. That very instant you came to that conclusion that this wasn't an accident at all and then felt that heart wrenching, tightening grip and your mind just putting it together. It was like slow motion.

[FrankG2625 9]

My friends in Holland indeed think it's only an "American thing," and they think there's something "fishy" about the way it went down (aka, truthers). I avoid the topic at all costs with them. I was in 5th grade, and got called out of class for what I thought was a surprise dentists appointment or something (they didn't tell us what was going on). I remember on the way home I thought it was a V1 bomb or something. I remember sitting around the TV, my mother crying, my father rushing home from his work at SSA. It's a day that will forever be in my memory. Even for the younger ones among us, 9/11 changed our lives so profusely. I can fully understand why the (now) young adults of our generation went cheering in the streets when it was announced OBL was dead. This was our "VJ-day" moment, in a way. Wow. 10 years ago, and I can still remember it like yesterday. A bit more than half of my life ago, and it's fresh in my mind. The days after, we went to a corn maze to "show the terrorists we weren't scared" (quoting my mother), and I still vividly remember all of the patriotic displays. I was never more proud to be part of America (not a citizen, mind you), a sentiment that waned in the years after for various reasons. But 9/11 was a life-changing moment for me, even at 9 years old. The patriotism then, and the way everyone helped each other in their own way (donating clothes, blood, what have you) is inspiring for everybody. Remembering everybody rallying like that is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life, and it's a very powerful memory.

[AAfan 49]

My friends in Holland indeed think it's only an "American thing," and they think there's something "fishy" about the way it went down (aka, truthers). I avoid the topic at all costs with them. I was in 5th grade, and got called out of class for what I thought was a surprise dentists appointment or something (they didn't tell us what was going on). I remember on the way home I thought it was a V1 bomb or something. I remember sitting around the TV, my mother crying, my father rushing home from his work at SSA. It's a day that will forever be in my memory. Even for the younger ones among us, 9/11 changed our lives so profusely. I can fully understand why the (now) young adults of our generation went cheering in the streets when it was announced OBL was dead. This was our "VJ-day" moment, in a way. Wow. 10 years ago, and I can still remember it like yesterday. A bit more than half of my life ago, and it's fresh in my mind. The days after, we went to a corn maze to "show the terrorists we weren't scared" (quoting my mother), and I still vividly remember all of the patriotic displays. I was never more proud to be part of America (not a citizen, mind you), a sentiment that waned in the years after for various reasons. But 9/11 was a life-changing moment for me, even at 9 years old. The patriotism then, and the way everyone helped each other in their own way (donating clothes, blood, what have you) is inspiring for everybody. Remembering everybody rallying like that is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life, and it's a very powerful memory.

I remember watching it on TV, very sad day to say the least, and it sadly changed the aviation world forever. All those who died rest in peace

[4116705510 4]

Thank You.

[pride545 30]

Dan, As you did last year, you made a beautiful trubute to the victims of 9/11. I have last years aircraft in my hanger and will certinally add this one and fly them both! I use the one from last year a lot! Again, thanks for your work on thus project and many others!

[4116705510 4]

I had waken up that morning, and went over to teh TV to watch something. I always woke up at around 5:30-6. So I had been loitering around for awhile, then I turned the TV at 6:00 and I saw on FOX News, it had been left on that channel, and I saw this close-up of a building burning; they was panic, and it was hard to tell what was in the image because it looked like a burning building (I couldn't see the second tower). I thought it was some-sort of show where they show the demolishing of buildings (maybe somethign was going wrong and that's why they screamed) or something had caught on fire. Then, for some reason, they zoomed out and I saw the second 767 slam into the second tower and my heart sunk. I had caught that image of the jet slamming into the second tower just at the second before it hit, and then I realized something had gone terribly wrong. I didn't understand at the time hwat it was all about until that moment, and I still remember that day like it was yesterday. I was watching a show on NatGeo last year about 9/11 and they showed that footage again, and it brought me back to that instant, and it was so terrible, and I just began to cry alittle.

[VirginAus737 0]

I don't really remember these attacks and been in Australia it probably did not mean as much as if I were in NYC but, whenever I see what the people on Flight 93 did, I am touched. What they did was probably the most amount of courage you can show and it definitely did show in them. To me, they are only a few, but many of the heroes of that day.

[AirbusCG 52]

Dan, this is a beautiful paint. It does great honour to the people who were involved in that day. Could you do the same paint for the 737 NGX as well I (and pretty sure many others) don't own the -8? Now my story from this day: Back then I was only 6 years old. I did not watch TV that much, neither my parents did. Not sure if my parents new about the attacks of 9/11 the day they happend. I got to know about them the day after. I remember going downstairs to watch a little TV very early in the morning. At this age I used to watch some documentations about animals and such things, but when I turned on the TV there was "something" in TV where they showed the New Yorker harbour and a few ships in it. At that time I didn't realised what this "film" was about. I just remember my mother coming down after some time and that she started crying after some time. That's all I can remember of that day/the day after 9/11.