GrimDude wrote:

> Your Sidewinders look awesome!

I'm happy you like 'em ! :)
It is funny, because I spent just about a quarter of an hour
designing them (no joke !). All I had was a small image in a book
and my great "golden thumb rule".  ;)

> I know you know this, but... the fuselage needs a tuck where the wing
> reaches maximum thickness. Perhaps the "coke bottle" look will come into
> being witht he rest of the plane?

I already thought about that....of course, the "area rule" should be
applied
correctly like on the original plane. Maybe later...?
BTW: Do you know the F-20 (F-5G) Tigershark, a further development
of its predecessor, the F-5E ?  It was an excellent aircraft but
did not reach series production. It had just one engine, but that one
was even more powerful than the two engines of the 5E. The "coke-bottle-
slender-effect" (or better "area rule") is used to reduce drag in
supersonic flight regime (for example, take a look at the Convair F-104
and F-106 !  Same thing. If you have sufficient engine
power mounted, you don't need to apply the area rule. That simplifies
construction, too !
Maybe I should convert the plane into the single-engine F-20 to avoid
application of the area rule !?  ;)

> The perspective makes the pitot tube
> appear to be too far out, but who can judge that? :)

No, it is all right there. You are positive: It is just due to the
perspective.

> I sat in one of these things (F-5 Freedom Fighter actually) at the Air
> Museum near the Seattle Space needle (a long time ago). I believe I had a
> better view then your helmet position implies ;)

Imagine there are small pilots, too !
(Even if they believe they're big...eheh !)

> Dropping the background may be going too far in future updates (reflection
> mapping will suffer). Perhaps a tad more compression on your jpeg settings?

Acknowledged, sir !  ;)))

Jens

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