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[Frankiek]

Following the release of a new G-50 3d https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,72896.0.html

I have been working in adapting to this model an improved G-50 cockpit close to the historical one. The closest I could find is the one used by the latest IL-2 IES that combines the stock with improved meshes high res textures and the San Giorgio sight done by WxTech.

https://www.mediafire.com/file/jtxrd5efbtwj0ze/02_G50Cockpit.zip/file

I propose this as a separate mod that will work in different game versions

If  you use it for the good old G-50 please delete the encrypted class file inside as this is specific for the new G-50 
 
Here below two pics from the original G-50 pilot manual
 

[WxTech]

I've been playing with this plane's 'pit for a few hours thus far, trying to get the 'original' (as opposed to our long-established version) to show my reticle, moved much farther forward so as to obviate the parallax suffered when the reticle is too nearby. But strangely I just cannot get it to be visible.

And so I've 'reverted' to our own cockpit (as here). But there's an issue. The cowl and body mesh residing in the cockpit folder uses the material mapping appropriate to the stocknplane's skins. This plane's skin has a very different arrangement, and so the texture mapping is pretty messed up.

My preference is to have the sight's reflector raised somewhat (the real sight facilitates this adjustment via the pair of vertical rods.) And with this comes the benefit of a slightly higher viewpoint. But the downside is better visibility of the parts of the body mesh that are currently badly mapped. This will require to map the new skin to that mesh.

[Frankiek]

I started assembling this upgrade with the stock G-50 in mind. So i would say that this is the main use. Only when I saw some wrong instruments and non historical arrangements of the new version cockpit I tried to adapt the "old" cockpit to it, well aware of some possible glitches. As I don't use Track-IR and 6dof i also prefer the current point of view. In any case feel free to make improvements as you see fit and thanks for your work.

[WxTech]

For the 'original' cockpit supplied with this plane, which unfortunately is a bit sparse (and a bit incorrect) on instruments and other details...

Got the reticle situation straightened out. Now the usual brightness control cycles through on/off; no need to cycle the sun shade control to turn the reticle on and off. In this view I'm leaning as far forward as the new expanded 6dof limit permits. The reticle mask is the correctly size circle, and my dynamicallly varying lens reflection is included. Note that I'm using the version of my sight with the reflector plate raised somewhat, which affords an even better view over the nose for shooting under positive G (when leaning closer to the sight, which too many players fail to fully exploit with their 6dof capable head trackers!).

Note that using the sight version with the reflector assembly raised means the sight body itself is at the more correct lower height. Compare this with the screenshot in an earlier post showing my sight having the fully lowered reflector; the sight as a whole is raised higher than it was mounted in reality. A minor detail, I suppose, but I can be a bit persnickety where I have any control on matters. Which is why I made (years ago) several versions of this sight where the reflector is sitting at different heights; a suitable variant can be selected as fitting for the particular cockpit




The expanded 6dof limts permit a greater range of virtual head movement. Here I'm leaning as far left and raised up as far as the limits I've set allow. The missing external hull is of course well apparent; I'll look at adding that, which involves adding a new mesh for it to the cockpit folder and hier.him.

[WxTech]

I'm taking a bit of a diverting excursion on this plane because I like early warbirds, and the G.50 is one I frequently enough strap on for a turn fight.

[stanislao]

 
 Looks like a good job dear WxTech! Come on, publish the modification to the original cockpit reticle, so we can test it! Thanks for your interest.   

[Frankiek]

Indeed on the original cockpit pics that I posted you can clearly see the difference of the instrument panel and overall cockpit arrangements of the pit imported from WT. On the other side the stock and stock derived pits are quite accurate.
WxTech I have only one remark (that you can also apply to your MC-200)  you tend to set your POV in a very advanced position. While this has a clear advantage for the user of TrackIR-6DoF it also tend to situate the pilot head too closer to the windshield in a rather unnatural position that a pilot with the harness attached would never be able to assume. But I suppose that I am getting picky and for sure each one of us has certain preferences and biases. Thanks again for spending your time and for the excellent San Giorgio sigth that I have abundantly adopted. In fact we should add it to the CR-32 pit as some of the planes used in WWII had this sight replacing the pre-war telescopic sight.

[WxTech]

A first assessment of the feasibility of adding the external hull skin to be seen from inside the cockpit. This is both the original 'pit and the mesh taken from the plane's CF_D0.msh. There is a notable discordance in fit. Making the necessary adjustments, as well as removing the inside surfaces, would be a real heavy workload using a spreadsheet due to the great number of vertices in this detailed model.

I'll look at the MUCH simpler stock G.50 model, for which adjustments should involve MUCH less work. In this case here, the fact of the hull portion being a single mesh already some distance back on the empennage is handy. I suspect I might need to combine two (or more?) meshes in order to obtain the same extent of hull coverage. With my expanded 6dof limits, one can lean far enough to see the aft exterior of the body, and so it would be really nice to have at least a portion of that skinned...

[WxTech]

Here's an inside look at the same situation shown in my previous post, with this WT plane's hull in a rough position. There are numerous discrepancies in the fit. And of course the canopy frame and the interior surfaces would have to be removed.




To show the fore-aft range of motion with the expanded 6dof limits, here are views from the farthest back and farthest forward positions one can achieve. One's virtual head can go from almost touching the headrest to just about as far forward as the canopy frame arch.

My approach in POV placement is thus. For players not having head tracking, the 'default' CAMERA hook, in the generally farther forward placement I give it, will typically offer a better view aft. The common default position which puts the virtual head practically smooshed hard into the headrest makes for a lousy view to the rear. Furthermore, the sight picture is improved at least somewhat. For players having 6dof capable head tracking, I strive for the optimum combination of CAMERA hook and 6dof limits, to permit a fuller range of motion within which to see outside and around such obstructors as the canopy framing.

Additionally, some planes have the CAMERA hook so far back that with 6dof one can lean back and put his virtual BEHIND the headreast/seat/bulkhead/armored plate! That's really bad.

To appreciate my thinking on this matter, compare the old stock pilot placement as seen from outside with the new pilots offered by, e.g., Barnesy. Then compare these with actual photos of pilots seated in their rides. The old stock pilots are given a reclining repose I half-jokingly call--indeed, sneeringly ridicule--as the East L.A. lowrider lie down. Perhaps this was done to disguise the old practice of putting the PoV back and low as a means to hide the frequent gaps in wings and cowl. But I can't abide it because the supremacy of situational awareness, and the real disposition of pilots, goes against it. I'd rather suffer the visibility of hull gaps if my view of the outside world is improved. Besides, I'm avoiding as much as possible any 'cheating' where the PoV can push beyond where it's physically possible. Lastly, we must realize that cockpits are for the most part (in fighters particularly) mightily cramped offices. It's not hard for a pilot to put his head into many areas within. Recall that in a forced landing/crash his head can bang into the sight even when strapped in. And so having the ability to lean close to the sight--if located within such reach--at will should be available to us players.

[WxTech]

Here's a quick fitting of the hull mesh from the stock G.50, which is very much simpler due to a far smaller vertex/poly count. It does cover the forward half of the empennage, meaning a contiguous hull from aft of the engine to halfway back along the tail, which is good. The work of having the canopy frame and interior surfaces is already accomplished, of course--yay!. Adjusting key vertices so as to better fit the cockpit perimeter will be not too involved a task. But I'll have to completely redo the skin mapping because of the significant differences.

[stanislao]

   Very very interesting complementary project!
I follow you with great interest!

[TXZCJSP]

Here's a quick fitting of the hull mesh from the stock G.50, which is very much simpler due to a far smaller vertex/poly count. It does cover the forward half of the empennage, meaning a contiguous hull from aft of the engine to halfway back along the tail, which is good. The work of having the canopy frame and interior surfaces is already accomplished, of course--yay!. Adjusting key vertices so as to better fit the cockpit perimeter will be not too involved a task. But I'll have to completely redo the skin mapping because of the significant differences.

I can't wait for the finished product.