GeeBee Beta preview

[Guest jonpoint]

Hi to all GeeBee fans!Here are some preview shots of the upcoming 'Beta' version. The entire aircraft has currently been shipped to the Steve Hess Cockpit Factory for the new cockpit and should be back for certification shortly ;)After countless hours of model editing and texturing, I think I have almost reached the limit of what can be done in FU3! Actually, when I first saw the new textures I found it hard to believe I was lookng at 256 colours! BTW, 100 more polygons and it crashes to the desktop...Meanwhile, the pix. At the parking spot. Who says wires don't work with BSP? Note the new (3D) engine!http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3e21e94815262b4e.jpgAn F4 shot. This wasn't done last time and still isn't quite finished but you get the idea. The good thing about the F4 model is that it can include any external aircraft details you want - like wires! http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3e21e97d163116df.jpgSome flying shots - yeah, that's my smilin' dial in the cockpit...http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3e21e9ad16cd930e.jpgUnderneathhttp://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3e21ea1c188b1242.jpgFlybyhttp://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3e21ea4b1a0460f7.jpgI hope you like the previews and I look forward to uploading the completed aircraft soon. My other promised releases ('racing' models and packages) should be ready about the same time. My thanks for your patience :-)Jon Point*************************(effyouthree@hotmail.com)*************************

[Guest R_Driscoll]

Love the transparent cockpit and the wires! What's the format for the wires command in an "e" file?The guy in the cockpit is very handsome. Who did you say he was?Do external lights work in your model (landing lights, strobes etc)?Do the instrument lights work?Does it kick like a mule on takeoff?Does it have an autopilot?Can the autopilot be programmed to follow the racing course?Does it have autoland? (you know that joke about autoland: pilot reports autoland a bit rough, maintenance reports autoland not installed on this aircraft).This is one exciting machine!Now you can start work on the ultimate machine (the Mazda 323 of course).Congrats !!!!!!!Rob D.

[Guest Staggerwing]

VERY nice Jon ! Much better appearance for sure :-)Best part is... now *I* don't have to paint it :-lol

[Guest jonpoint]

Rob,The 'trick' is, you cannot use the 'wire' command at all! BSP tends to ignore or cut out polygons below a certain size so a string of points with a line between just doesn't show. What I did was create square-section rods then taper the ends. Oh, and using RGB textures seems to help!The pilot is me, complete with wrap-arounds and headphones!1. Yes, the lights work but only NAV. The GeeBee simply has no others!2. Well, they will when Steve sends them back...3. Yes but not as bad. If you don't have pedals, you may prefer to switch engine torque off in FU3.4. Yep, standard FU3 AP.5. No, and it wouldn't work in the canyons either!6. Yep, just position yourself over your favourite airport and hit 'page down' until you're safely on the ground...Thanks! The Mazda is a problem, I cannot make BOTH front wheels steer! It seems FU3 only allows one steerable wheel :-grrr The other problem is the F4 view ;)Cya,Jon Point*************************(effyouthree@hotmail.com)*************************

[Guest jonpoint]

Tom,Thanks. No amount of 'painting' would have produced what you see here! The 'Alpha' was about the limit beforehand. To get all this with 256x256 textures involved remapping the entire aircraft (which then involved cleaning up the model and adding the details, then go back and apply new textures, have a look etc.). What started out as 8 textures (two visible) became a total of 21!To give some idea how many iterations it took, the efile for the Beta was named 'gbr2zzb' - the project started at 'gbr2a'...That's 54 variations all up. By comparison, the F4 cockpit model only ended up at 'n'!And the flight model was gb64.txt, I believe ;)Jon Point*************************(effyouthree@hotmail.com)*************************

[Guest R_Driscoll]

"The 'trick' is, you cannot use the 'wire' command at all! BSP tends to ignore or cut out polygons below a certain size so a string of points with a line between just doesn't show. What I did was create e-section rods then taper the ends. Oh, and using RGB textures seems to help!"I used a similar method for the aerials on top of control towers. But I thought there might have been a switch for line thickness. Doesn't matter, they look great on the GB."6. Yep, just position yourself over your favourite airport and hit 'page down' until you're safely on the ground..."You're from Sydney, aren't you?"Thanks! The Mazda is a problem, I cannot make BOTH front wheels steer! It seems FU3 only allows one steerable wheel. The other problem is the F4 view."Well we still have to have a car (to get to the airport). How about the one in Mr Bean - you know, the three wheeler?OK, ok. No cars. I'll catch a taxi. I'm too busy flying the dozens of beautiful planes in may hangar anyway (in between repairing the ones with more takeoffs than landings).Cya2.Rob D.

[Guest twsimfan]

Jon,Truly outstanding work! I was impressed with the early version... but this is remarkable. :-sun1

[Guest DLM]

Jon,Fantastic work! I can

[Guest twsimfan]

Rob,"Now you can start work on the ultimate machine (the Mazda 323 of course)."I would have to agree with you on the make of the ultimate machine... :-beerchugHowever, as the owner of a RX-7 Convertible, I would take issue on the model! ;-)

[Guest Staggerwing]

>Jon, >>Fantastic work! I can

[Guest DLM]

Ohh i was mostly thinking of the bumblebee colors... ;-) Didn

[Guest Staggerwing]

Could I interest you in a more affordable "Y" model ? :-lol(color change extra..)http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3e22db3947ef8a28.jpg

[Guest R_Driscoll]

My son would agree with you. "Dad, why did you buy this bomby car? And why is it white?" He would like a Ferrari or a Maserati I think. But an RX-7 would be pretty nice.

[Guest jonpoint]

Daniel,Top speed is supposed to be 257mph - you should see ~220kts in good conditions with the current flight model.As far as the black/yellow one goes, I don't believe there ever was one. You may be confused with the 'Z' which is black/yellow :-) That said, your prayers could be answered 'coz I've actually got a black/yellow scheme which I call the 'GeeBee Jim' version, based on a photo of Jim with an R/C GeeBee Z. I've also done one static model in black/yellow for the airshow package. It's 'tail-up' though as it's intended to be used as a flying (moving) model.Then there's the black/white one with the checkerboard tail fin...Jon Point*************************(effyouthree@hotmail.com)*************************

[Guest DLM]

"That said, your prayers could be answered 'coz I've actually got a black/yellow scheme which I call the 'GeeBee Jim' version, based on a photo of Jim with an R/C GeeBee Z."Could i have that one? ;-)// Daniel