WWI Historic Warplane - Fokker DR.I - Manfred von Richthofen Version - WIP

I have started a new project, and it is huge! I am building a replica of a Fokker DR.I tri-plane, used in WWI as a German Fighter. This is going to be a massive project, so any input, expert or otherwise, will be welcome.

Read about the aircraft here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker_Dr.I

So, why am I doing this project? I am, among my many other things, and aeronautical enthusiast, and a Civil Air Patrol cadet ( http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/ ). One of the main missions of the program is aerospace education, and I thought, what better way to learn about aerospace than studying and building an airplane, even if it is only virtually? Part of this project will be educational, studying the various aeronautical technologies of the day, the fighter tactics, and some of the period history that shaped the aircraft.

CURRENT PROGRESS:


UPDATE: This is what I have accomplished this afternoon. I have finished editing the top wing frame, and also the middle one. Tomorrow I should finish the bottom one and move on to something else. Here is a 50% render:


Nice modeling, it makes justice to the Fokker DR.I of it’s beautiful and elegant design. Now the only thing I can see that is bothering me a bit is there’s some sort of weird artifact or distortion in the struts, can’t see if it’s on purpose or not.

Thanks!

I’m not quite sure what you mean. Is it a geometry artifact or a material issue? I have re UV-unwrapped the struts and so the elongated lines at the bracketed section are now removed, just not sure if you saw something else.

Thanks for the input!

UPDATE: Wing frames are completed, and the fuselage has been begun. Keeping it in scale is tough . . .


I envy your skill :expressionless:

Thanks man! It’s all practice, and a gift from above!

P.S. I really like your signature, He sure does!

Good work!
I would suggest to use a more matte shader - these wings were made of wood (ribs - plywood, spars - from enhanced wood).
Yours look like made of metal.
The fuselage frame seems to have improper shape (see this photo - the longeron tubes have no such fancy roundings around the cockpit, as in your model). What kind of drawings do you use? Maybe photos from this reconstruction will be helpful? Note that the pars were a simple “box” of four sides, they had no rounded corners as in your model.
Have you seen this model of Dr. I? It was made in Blender (rendered in Modo)

Quick UPDATE:



Here is a full HD render for more in depth critique, I have also added the engine, prop and landing gear. My ThinkPad is starting to complain, so I may have to move my work to my other machine, with GPU for rendering. We’ll see . . .

Thank you so much! As a 9-month user, this input is absolutely invaluable, as well as the links! Makes sense too, they didn’t really start using light-weight metals and metal tubing for those parts for quite a while . . . I’ll get to work!

BTW, I am planning on re-doing the fuselage next, it is really just a quick sketch with a wireframe modifier ;).

Thank you again!

UPDATE:



I have made some serious progress on the engine this afternoon, and am starting to get to the point where I think it is time to move on. A newbie can do only so much ;). I may re-visit it later on, especially if someone points something out that should be fixed.

UPDATE: The main frame for the body has been re-sketched with a bezier curve, for easy editing, and I will finish that and fix the materials tomorrow, hopefully.


Awesome man! :smiley: And Thanks! :smiley: God Bless! :smiley:

UPDATE: I have done some work on the frame, and edited the materials. I have also added the aileron controls, and the updated engine.


I guess the front end details and the two 7.92-mm LMG 08/15 machine guns are next in line . . . might finish the the back landing gear (just a skid, right?) and control surfaces first.

UPDATE: I ended adding the front wing skins for now, and although they still need some tweaking, I think it is looking good so far. The tail is next!




Any ideas for scenes to put this machine in? I am thinking of making it a museum piece, but that might be too hard . . . A sky shot is soooo much easier :wink:

UPDATE: High-res test render. Any hints on how to make it look even more true to the original, as far as shape?
DELETED IMAGE

NEW RENDER:


is this in cycle?
not that nice looking
what happen to it ?

happy cl

Whatcha mean? I did screw a few of the materials up a tad (red paint, tire), but this is not finished, hardly even close. Are they what you meant? if so, what exactly is the issue? Or is it the excess lighting on the bottom? I’d really like a few more details so I can fix the issues!

And yes, it is in Cycles. View the full-sized version, if you haven’t already for some more detail . . .

Thanks

sorry did not want to push you here !

well color is very matte
could add a little glossy would look a lot better I think

a better light set up would also make it look a lot better I think
and with more 3D look
right now looks more 2D then 3D

may be add some grey wall floor around !

wood texture is not looking good
can you show nodes set up
too much bump or normal may be !

I did some old plane like the Blerio and another one

looking forward to see what you come up with

happy cl

I have been looking at it again, and I totally agree. I screwed up my light setup somehow, and my paint shader got whacked . . .

Here is what I’ve go so far, hope it is in the right direction! I will look into the wood texture. I am trying to go for something that is a little more weathered, but I may have to get a better texture and decrease normals to get it just right. Thank you for the input!


don’t know what material it uses
so check what it is then I can suggest some nodes set up if needed

I know that the blerio had some cloth for the wing!

but getting better

happy cl