Hi everybody,

I'm building a new version of Lockheed-Martin's F-22 "Raptor" in 3D, using modo 601, and am nearly finished with the external geometry. There's a follow-along article on my site at http://www.mikejamesmedia.com/raptor_01.html and here are a few renders. (This is not for RC, but for the purpose of creating images and animation.) Enjoy!

I looked at your site while trying to find good pictures of the F-22 to figure out the finer details for this plane, http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1759433
I could see my skin was not quite correct, but decided I had spent enough time drawing. Also my CAD software doesn't like complex shapes, and locks up all the time (Bobcad
Nice work.

Thank you, Rob!

Hey, that's a very cool F-22 you've created. None of us will get it perfect, because the data simply isn't published, and photos, as you know, can be deceiving too, thanks to the physical shapes and the unusual coatings and paint.

That's freaky how realistic it is. That must have taken some time.

You said enjoy, so I did! Nice work, and thanks for posting.

Steve

Hi everybody!

I've built (but not detailed) the landing gear bays and weapons bays, and have rigged all the weapons bays doors to open and close. The second image shows some subtle non-square shaping in the weapons bays, showing where the jet intake ducts slightly impinge into the ducts, as on the actual aircraft. I've also added the option of carrying external fuel in wing tanks, sometimes seen when the aircraft has to be ferried a long distance.

Markings…

At this point, all of the panel lines and other detail you can see on the model are geometry. (No images used to create them.) So, onward to some markings… I've exaggerated the colors here, to help me see things clearly, and will correct them later, and for now, am concerned just with the shapes. The first thing I've added is the camouflage pattern on the top of the aircraft, and the vertical fins, along with some more subtle trim around the leading edges of all the control surfaces. I've done that with a combination of item masks and UV maps, so I can edit them at any time.

Next, all the "close-up" markings, like the USAF roundels on the wings, and all of the text warnings around the exterior. (Ejection seat symbols, rescue markings, exhaust warnings, etc.) I'll be placing squadron markings on the vertical fins, emulating the aircraft here at Elmendorf AFB, the "Arctic Warriors", and all of that should go pretty quickly. I don't often have time to do this, so it's not my field of expertise, but I'm finding that with modo 601's tools, it's going faster than I expected, and isn't so difficult after all. Fun stuff!

Added (Anchorage) squadron markings, production numbers, and the few external "warning" markings on the exterior. I'll be correcting the colors as I go, secondary to the modeling, but I'm pretty happy with the results, so far.

Thanks for posting your work. These have very complicated shapes. I keep noticing details that are hard to see in most of the pictures I have found. Also, every one I see a picture of looks different.

Thank you, Rob!

Normally, I start a follow-along article at the same time that I start the model. and post a lot of work-in-progress images. In this case, I got pretty far along on the model before I started the article, But, I'm working on the article nearly every day, and will show 3D modelers many of the things I encountered while researching and building this one.

It is a maddening aircraft to try and build accurately, due to the brilliant design team at Lockheed-Martin. The most typical problem is that some lines look straight from one angle, and like curves from another. And, as you mentioned, not all F-22's are the same. (Landing gear doors, for example, have changed from the earlier models, as well as a number of things we probably can't see. It pays to go slowly, checking everything many times, because it's easy to "paint yourself into a corner" with this one.

I'm looking forward to doing more animations with the model, too, because I've added a lot of stuff to the rig. Yesterday, for example, I added a mechanism, including a rotating jackscrew, for the opening canopy. ( http://www.mikejamesmedia.com/modo_m...anopy_open.mov ) That's a feature I don't have great photos on, but it's fun to play with, regardless. As time moves on, I'll correct errors, add more detail, etc..

The follow-along starts at http://www.mikejamesmedia.com/raptor_01.html and I'll be adding a LOT more too it, explaining how I built it, and why I did things a certain way. Have fun!

Hi everybody,

Here's a brief movie, showing the animated features of the model, as of today. (about 8 MB QuickTime)
http://www.mikejamesmedia.com/modo_m...1_features.mov