ISO: Certain not-so-usual WW2 bombers...

PorsimoPorsimo Posts: 359
edited May 2013 in The Commons

Ok, this is a tough one...
I'm looking for a couple of WW2 bombers which seem to be very hard to find, so I thought I'd ask here if someone has seen these somewhere...

First one is Bristol Blenheim Mk I and/or Mk IV (I already found a Sketchup version of Mk. IV, but I wouldn't mind other formats too - except .MAX).
The second one is Ilyushin DB-3f / IL-4 (which are basically the same)

I *think* I've already checked the usual suspects, including Turbosquid (although I'm not necessarily ready to pay those prices!), but search terms like "blenheim", "ilyushin", "db-3" or "il-4" don't seem to give the desired results... :down:

These are for a personal project without deadline, but any help is greatly appreciated!

Post edited by Porsimo on

Comments

  • McGyverMcGyver Posts: 7,005
    edited May 2013

    I don't know how you feel about going to a Russian website, but I think I may have come across a Ilyushin DB-3f / IL-4 a while ago, I always visually mistake them for Mitsubishi G4M (or whatever a "Betty" bomber was)... I probably found it at one of the linked sites at DMI:
    http://www.dmi-3d.net/
    On that opening page somewhere in the middle you'll see "Links" and just below it on the left side "Free Models" click on it should open up a smaller window of linked sites...
    I have no idea which one it may have been, but there is a lot of interesting stuff to find if you have the patience.
    As far as the Blenheim, that would be cool, but I don't recall seeing... I remember coming across a site full of unusual models for some of the flight simulator games... they might possibly be usable if converted... sorry no, link but maybe that was a lead you haven't looked into yet.
    Also, I have no idea what the commercial restrictions on such models may be.


    Edited to add- found these... But it seems they are only in Flight Sim format.

    http://www.surclaro.com/fsdownload-detail-19524.html

    http://www.fsdome.com/showpage.php?url=http://fscorner.de/library/cfsaircraft/2.htm

    http://www.surclaro.com/fsdownload-detail-20986.html


    And here is something that might work to convert the models within blender:
    http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8298

    Post edited by McGyver on
  • JabbaJabba Posts: 1,458
    edited May 2013

    If it's non-commercial use, Neil Wilson has some pretty cool WWII planes. Not a Blenheim, but he does have a Bristol Beaufighter, which performed similar tasks... http://www.sharecg.com/v/45027/gallery/5/3D-Model/Bristol-Beaufighter

    I'd love an IL-4 too, but haven't come across one either... maybe make do with a TU SB-2? http://www.sharecg.com/v/64965/gallery/5/3D-Model/Tupolev-SB-2-Katiuska

    Post edited by Jabba on
  • scathascatha Posts: 756
    edited December 1969

    Maybe you can entice Neil Wilson to model them, Petri, he's a definite airplane enthousiast.

  • ledheadledhead Posts: 1,586
    edited December 1969

    What's the project for out of curiosity. I collect diecast WWII aircraft. I have 5 or 6 Blenheims along with well over 200 other aircraft at 1:72 scale. Mostly Corgi collectibles, but a few others from Gemini, Skymax, Dragon and Hobby Master. I prefer Corgi because of the limited editions. I also read many books of WWII pilots.

  • ledheadledhead Posts: 1,586
    edited December 1969

    Here is a link to several aircraft if you don't already have it, but the Blenheim is not one of them.

    http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/624/

    I hope this helps for future projects

  • PorsimoPorsimo Posts: 359
    edited December 1969

    Sorry for the late answer!

    Thank you all! What I've been trying to do (for years now actually), is to re-create the Finnish Airforce and their counterparts 1939-1944. Not completely, but I hope to get the most crucial planetypes. The colorful selection of them doesn't make it any easier.
    I have even tried to find good enough blueprints to model the planes myself, but finding them seems as much of a trouble as finding the actual models...

    For anybody who's interested, here's a list of all planetypes that were used by FAF during WW2: http://www.porsimo.net/fb/info/faf_ptypes.htm
    VL -planes are domestic designs (VL = Valtion Lentokonetehdas, State's aircraft factory)

    Here's also a quick overview to FAF's regiments and squadrons and what equipments they had:
    Flight Regiment 1
    Flight Regiment 2
    Flight Regiment 3
    Flight Regiment 4
    Flight Regiment 5

    Those flight sim models are a great find! The nose of the IL-4 seems too long, but I have to check if I can get them converted anyway.

    I have several of Neil's aircrafts and he's been a savior of my "project"! But Beaufighter is out of the question as it didn't operate on the Finnish front on either sides, but that SB-2 is a PERFECT find! I definitely have use for it as both sides had it in use! Thank you very much for this!
    And thanks for reminding me of that list, Ledhead! I found few needed models with it! :)

    Good to see you, John! Haven't seen you around a while and got a little worried already :)
    Yeah, I probably need to ask Neil if he has any plans to make Blenheim or IL-4.

    The models I already have:
    Brewster B-239, Me Bf-109-G2/6, Lysander, Hurricane, Ju-88, SB-2, I-15bis, I-16, MiG-3, La-5 (and La-7 I think), Yak-9 (not problem-free though), IL-2, Spitfire

    What I'd like to still find:
    Fokker D.XXI, Morane-Saulnier 406 / 410, Curtiss Hawk 75 (P-36), Fiat G.50, Blenheim Mk. I / IV, LaGG-3, Pe-2, DB-3 (pre- F-model), DB-3f/IL-4
    So, if any of you ever come across with any of these, I'd really appreciate to get a hint!

  • PorsimoPorsimo Posts: 359
    edited December 1969


    I got the import scripts to work - kind of -, but they can't recognize the models as they're for Combat FS and not Flight Simulator X (the scripts are for FSX models). Apparently there's some difference in the MDL format between these two flight sims. So, no luck so far, but thank you anyway :)
  • McGyverMcGyver Posts: 7,005
    edited December 1969

    Sorry about that...
    I found this at 3d Warehouse:

    http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=a8c98625178137f698b8c800ae001b66&prevstart=0

    You can download & install SketchUp and then export the model in COLLADA to Blender to clean it up and tweak it... If you have any issues I could help, most of my models are made in SketchUp and exported to Blender, so I am familiar with the process.

  • PorsimoPorsimo Posts: 359
    edited December 1969

    Sorry about that...
    I found this at 3d Warehouse:

    http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=a8c98625178137f698b8c800ae001b66&prevstart=0

    You can download & install SketchUp and then export the model in COLLADA to Blender to clean it up and tweak it... If you have any issues I could help, most of my models are made in SketchUp and exported to Blender, so I am familiar with the process.


    No reason to be sorry! CFS series is quite far from FSX so the result was actually expected. :)

    That's the same model I found, but I haven't had time to try the conversion yet. Is SketchUp Pro still needed to export models? It's been a while since I've fiddled with it (I think the version was 6 back then)...
    Thanks for the offer! I'll see what I can get done. If I have to work in Blender, I will need your help, lol! But if I can export the model right away from Blender to another program, I think I can handle it. :)

  • McGyverMcGyver Posts: 7,005
    edited December 1969

    Porsimo said:
    Sorry about that...
    I found this at 3d Warehouse:

    http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=a8c98625178137f698b8c800ae001b66&prevstart=0

    You can download & install SketchUp and then export the model in COLLADA to Blender to clean it up and tweak it... If you have any issues I could help, most of my models are made in SketchUp and exported to Blender, so I am familiar with the process.


    No reason to be sorry! CFS series is quite far from FSX so the result was actually expected. :)

    That's the same model I found, but I haven't had time to try the conversion yet. Is SketchUp Pro still needed to export models? It's been a while since I've fiddled with it (I think the version was 6 back then)...
    Thanks for the offer! I'll see what I can get done. If I have to work in Blender, I will need your help, lol! But if I can export the model right away from Blender to another program, I think I can handle it. :)

    Two things about SketchUp:

    1- You can DL the Pro Version... It remains "Pro" for an 8 hour trial period.... But... That is for Eight hour of USE... So if you use it for 10 minutes this year, next year you'll still have 7 hour 50 minutes left! Great if you use it ONLY as an exporter...
    What you can do is download Version 8 pro and install it AND then install Version 7 Basic, to do any work in. With the Pro version you get Native OBJ and 3DS export.

    2- As of Version 8 SketchUp (free-Basic version) can export DAE (Collada) files with textures (7 and below required Pro version for that).
    so you don't actually need the Pro version trial if you prefer DAE files.

    3- About two years ago a very talented plugin creator named TIG created an excellent free OBJ exporter.
    You can find it here:
    http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=33448&sid=6a552f065174c0f6a77a8fedb0eff52c
    or here:
    http://rhin.crai.archi.fr/rld/plugin_details.php?id=790
    The First site requires registration to Download from, but it is worth it because the Plugins there are always the latest versions.

    4- SketchUp is no longer owned by Google, it now belongs to Trimble, but as far as I know the "part 1" of what I just wrote is still accurate and they should have kept the pro version trial the same.

    Separate from that... I down loaded the model of the Blenheim from 3D warehouse and examined it... It has a lot of reversed normals... correctable with some work- best done within SketchUp... You can see for yourself by Selecting: View> Face Style> Monochrome

    Front faces appear White, Back faces appear light Purple or Grey (depending on version or user settings).... this model has quite a few reversed face... they can be reverse by clicking on the offending face and selecting Edit> Face> Reverse Face.

    This sort of reversed face thing is very common in models that are imported into SketchUp from elsewhere.

    I hope this is helpful and not written higgly piggly, I'm quite distracted at the moment, as there is a huge vehicle making a huge hole in my yard and a problem just developed... sorry but I gotta run... bye.

  • FSMCDesignsFSMCDesigns Posts: 12,563
    edited December 1969

    Porsimo said:
    Sorry about that...
    I found this at 3d Warehouse:

    http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=a8c98625178137f698b8c800ae001b66&prevstart=0

    You can download & install SketchUp and then export the model in COLLADA to Blender to clean it up and tweak it... If you have any issues I could help, most of my models are made in SketchUp and exported to Blender, so I am familiar with the process.


    No reason to be sorry! CFS series is quite far from FSX so the result was actually expected. :)

    That's the same model I found, but I haven't had time to try the conversion yet. Is SketchUp Pro still needed to export models? It's been a while since I've fiddled with it (I think the version was 6 back then)...
    Thanks for the offer! I'll see what I can get done. If I have to work in Blender, I will need your help, lol! But if I can export the model right away from Blender to another program, I think I can handle it. :)

    You'll need the pro version to export to any model format other than Collada, which the free version exports to.
    good luck with the search. I develop for the FS community and tried a couple of other methods to convert the CFS aircraft, no luck though.
    For $12.50 though, you might be able to convert this one for personal use.
    http://www.fspilotshop.com/virtavia-bristol-blenheim-p-2848.html

  • PorsimoPorsimo Posts: 359
    edited May 2013

    Two things about SketchUp:

    1- You can DL the Pro Version... It remains "Pro" for an 8 hour trial period.... But... That is for Eight hour of USE... So if you use it for 10 minutes this year, next year you'll still have 7 hour 50 minutes left! Great if you use it ONLY as an exporter...
    What you can do is download Version 8 pro and install it AND then install Version 7 Basic, to do any work in. With the Pro version you get Native OBJ and 3DS export.

    2- As of Version 8 SketchUp (free-Basic version) can export DAE (Collada) files with textures (7 and below required Pro version for that).
    so you don't actually need the Pro version trial if you prefer DAE files.

    3- About two years ago a very talented plugin creator named TIG created an excellent free OBJ exporter.
    You can find it here:
    http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=33448&sid=6a552f065174c0f6a77a8fedb0eff52c
    or here:
    http://rhin.crai.archi.fr/rld/plugin_details.php?id=790
    The First site requires registration to Download from, but it is worth it because the Plugins there are always the latest versions.

    4- SketchUp is no longer owned by Google, it now belongs to Trimble, but as far as I know the "part 1" of what I just wrote is still accurate and they should have kept the pro version trial the same.

    Separate from that... I down loaded the model of the Blenheim from 3D warehouse and examined it... It has a lot of reversed normals... correctable with some work- best done within SketchUp... You can see for yourself by Selecting: View> Face Style> Monochrome

    Front faces appear White, Back faces appear light Purple or Grey (depending on version or user settings).... this model has quite a few reversed face... they can be reverse by clicking on the offending face and selecting Edit> Face> Reverse Face.

    This sort of reversed face thing is very common in models that are imported into SketchUp from elsewhere.

    I hope this is helpful and not written higgly piggly, I'm quite distracted at the moment, as there is a huge vehicle making a huge hole in my yard and a problem just developed... sorry but I gotta run... bye.
    Thank you for the tips and your time! Much appreciated and really helpful! All I've ever done in SketchUp is to convert a couple of models using a trial pro version and that was years ago... I'm going to look at that model anyway as flipping the normals doesn't *sound* too overwhelming task :)

    You'll need the pro version to export to any model format other than Collada, which the free version exports to.
    good luck with the search. I develop for the FS community and tried a couple of other methods to convert the CFS aircraft, no luck though.
    For $12.50 though, you might be able to convert this one for personal use.
    http://www.fspilotshop.com/virtavia-bristol-blenheim-p-2848.html


    With this price it was really worth a try, especially as it comes with both models (!) - and it works like a charm! :cheese:
    Even the polycount is close to a Poser model level (on the lower side though, but still much higher than I expected)!

    Thank you for pointing this out!

    Edit: Plus it works with FS2004 too - which I do have -, so I think it's a win-win situation :)

    Post edited by Porsimo on
  • kiwi_ggkiwi_gg Posts: 198
    edited December 1969

    Found this one if its of any use, sketch-up file I think. Bristol Blenheim, appears to be a free d/load of 7MB.
    http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=a8c98625178137f698b8c800ae001b66

    Cheers
    GG

  • PorsimoPorsimo Posts: 359
    edited December 1969

    kiwi_gg said:
    Found this one if its of any use, sketch-up file I think. Bristol Blenheim, appears to be a free d/load of 7MB.
    http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=a8c98625178137f698b8c800ae001b66

    Cheers
    GG


    That's the model I already have, but thank you anyway :)
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