Jump to content

3D Modeling: Convair B-58 Hustler


Recommended Posts

Good morning!

 

I thought that I'd post some images of my 3D modeling today. All of my artwork is CG. It all begins with modeling an airplane in 3D, using 3DS Max. I planned my next artwork set around the Convair B-58 Hustler.

 

The easiest way to describe my method is that it's a lot like sculpting. I always begin with orthographic drawings of the airplane. I crop the side, top, and front views of the plane and apply those to "planes" (a 2D flat object) so I can see how the contours of the plane should be modeled. Then I usually create a "primitive" cylinder object that serves as the basic shape for my fuselage. There are several 3D modelers who use cross-section drawings to create their models. It's a great idea because the shapes are a bit more precise. They aren't always available, however. So, I just use the best, highest resolution drawings that I can find.

 

Here's an image of the Hustler after I modeled the fuselage. This was after I shaped the fuselage's contours using the top and side views of the plane, scaling the primitive cylinder object until it's properly formed. I then cut an edge into the side of the fuselage for the wing root. Next. I selected everything inside the wing root and extruded it until it fit the wingspan according to the top view of the drawings.

 

convair-b-58-hustler-3d-model-1.jpg?ssl=

 

The next thing was modeling the engines pods and support pylons. The outboard and inboard engine pods are essentially the same. But, there's a big difference in the support pylons, and those had to be extensively modified. I modeled the inboard engine and pylon first as an object that was separate from the wing. I then contoured the pylon where it attached to the wing, and after a few other steps (that aren't terribly interesting to read about...  Haha!) I "welded" the whole thing to the wing.

 

B-58-10232022.jpg?ssl=1

 

The outboard engines are clones of the inboard engines. As I mentioned, the support pylons had to be modified quite a bit, but they were welded to the wing, too, once they were finished.

 

B-58-11112022-3.jpg

 

I then modeled a couple of details to the vertical stabilizer (the fire control radar housing, and the bulge near the top of the stabilizer), in addition to the cannon in the tail.

 

B-58-11212022-4.jpg

 

I also had to model the housing for the main landing gear, which stands proud of the top and bottom of the wing...

 

B-58-11212022-2.jpg

 

I modeled some detail in to the exhaust nozzles, and I modeled the intake spikes.

 

B-58-11212022-3.jpg

 

The biggest parts of modeling the airplane are now pretty much finished. I can focus on smaller details now, like formation lights, antennas, and anything else like that. Of course, it wouldn't be a B-58 without the two-component mission pod underneath the plane. I'll be modeling that next.

 

B-58-11192022-1.jpg

 

Until next time, safe skies and Happy Thanksgiving!

Edited by John Matthews Art
Image links
Link to post
Share on other sites

Looks sharp. Very nice.

 

I imagine there are cases where the 3-view drawings look good individually but don't match up when used together while creating the 3D object. It would be interesting to do a reverse drawing after you are finished with your project. Once you have finessed it into looking "correct" as a 3D object, have the CAD program extract the side/top/end views and then compare to the original drawings you were working from to see how much finessing was needed.

 

I look forward to seeing this with the pod and additional details are added. Looks fantastic.

Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, Ol' Scrapiron said:

Looks sharp. Very nice.

 

I imagine there are cases where the 3-view drawings look good individually but don't match up when used together while creating the 3D object. It would be interesting to do a reverse drawing after you are finished with your project. Once you have finessed it into looking "correct" as a 3D object, have the CAD program extract the side/top/end views and then compare to the original drawings you were working from to see how much finessing was needed.

 

I look forward to seeing this with the pod and additional details are added. Looks fantastic.

Thank you!


Three view drawings rarely line up. So, it’s a matter of making small changes to their scale to get them to agree with one another. Sometimes you just have to accept how it is and go from there. I’m also using my 1/48 Monogram B-58 as a guide to see how to model some of the contours. At the end of the day it’s artwork, not an engineering model…. Haha!


I was working on the two-piece mission pod today. I was putting the stabilizers on it before dashing off to my in-laws for dinner. I’ll upload a couple of progress images later.

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

 

-John

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
27 minutes ago, John Matthews Art said:

Now she looks like she's ready to go somewhere...

 

... And won't be wasting time in doing that going! 😎

 

Hey, perhaps useful?

Came across this the other day while looking for more detail about the landing gear parts a Lindberg 1/64 scale B-58 is contributing to a sci-fi build,

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
19 minutes ago, southwestforests said:

 

... And won't be wasting time in doing that going! 😎

 

Hey, perhaps useful?

Came across this the other day while looking for more detail about the landing gear parts a Lindberg 1/64 scale B-58 is contributing to a sci-fi build,

 

 

Thank you! That’s a great animation. 

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...

Sooooo..... I finally got to a point where I needed to "flatten-out" the B-58 3D model. Every part of the plane had to be flattened into 2D so it could be painted in Photoshop. Here's what it looked like after being flattened:

 

UV-Unwrap-3.jpg

 

Here you see the 3D model "unwrapped" and ready to paint/texture. All of those squares help scale the parts of the plane in 2D space to minimize distortions. Keeping the squares a uniform size is what I go after. If I didn't do this part, panel lines would not be straight, and stencils and insignias would be stretched or compressed.  Not good.  Some things, like wings and stabilizers, are easy because they're essentially flat/planar. Fuselages with lots of compound curves, on the other hand, can be a bit more difficult. Anyway, here's how she's looking now...

 

B-58-Textures-01222023-1.jpg

 

B-58-Textures-01222023-3.jpg

 

B-58-Textures-01222023-2.jpg

 

B-58-Textures-01222023-4.jpg

 

Right now the panel lines, fasteners, and rivets look a bit heavy handed. When I'm finished you may just be able to see the panel lines. They'll be faint. Fasteners and rivets will be seen, but how evident they are will depend on the sun angle. They'll be toned down a lot. Once this is finished I'll start separating the texture map into a diffuse map (color), metalness (gray scale, controls how metallic the plane appears), roughness (controls roughness/gloss), and highlights. It can be a bit tedious to make all those adjustments, but it's pretty cool when it looks "just right."

 

Safe skies!

Link to post
Share on other sites
On 1/24/2023 at 7:43 PM, John Matthews Art said:

Sooooo..... I finally got to a point where I needed to "flatten-out" the B-58 3D model. Every part of the plane had to be flattened into 2D so it could be painted in Photoshop. Here's what it looked like after being flattened:

 

UV-Unwrap-3.jpg

 

Here you see the 3D model "unwrapped" and ready to paint/texture. All of those squares help scale the parts of the plane in 2D space to minimize distortions. Keeping the squares a uniform size is what I go after. If I didn't do this part, panel lines would not be straight, and stencils and insignias would be stretched or compressed.  Not good.  Some things, like wings and stabilizers, are easy because they're essentially flat/planar. Fuselages with lots of compound curves, on the other hand, can be a bit more difficult. Anyway, here's how she's looking now...

 

B-58-Textures-01222023-1.jpg

 

B-58-Textures-01222023-3.jpg

 

B-58-Textures-01222023-2.jpg

 

B-58-Textures-01222023-4.jpg

 

Right now the panel lines, fasteners, and rivets look a bit heavy handed. When I'm finished you may just be able to see the panel lines. They'll be faint. Fasteners and rivets will be seen, but how evident they are will depend on the sun angle. They'll be toned down a lot. Once this is finished I'll start separating the texture map into a diffuse map (color), metalness (gray scale, controls how metallic the plane appears), roughness (controls roughness/gloss), and highlights. It can be a bit tedious to make all those adjustments, but it's pretty cool when it looks "just right."

 

Safe skies!

 

 

Awesome and beautiful work. Please, keep it coming.

 

What would be your plan once it is finished?. Could your work be used by 3D printers to print a B-58 model?

 

Thanks for sharing your work.

 

Have a good one.

 

JFG.

Link to post
Share on other sites
On 1/31/2023 at 2:28 PM, josefgarcia69 said:

Hi Jose, thanks!

 

I haven't really thought about about that. I suppose I could make the 3D model available through someplace like Turbosquid or Shapeways. I'd have to think about it.

 

Safe skies!

 

 

Awesome and beautiful work. Please, keep it coming.

 

What would be your plan once it is finished?. Could your work be used by 3D printers to print a B-58 model?

 

Thanks for sharing your work.

 

Have a good one.

 

JFG.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

My texture work on the Hustler is nearly complete. I have a couple versions at the moment. The first is 55-0660.

 

Convair-B-58-02132023-2.jpg

 

There are a few minor changes I want to make, but this paint scheme is pretty much finished.

 

I know, this one shouldn't have a tail gun. 🙂 I have another 3D model with the correct tail. The final renders will use that model.

 

5660 also wore a nose with black and white paint, with red-trimmed engine intakes. I'll make that version, too.

 

Here's 2428...

 

Convair-B-58-02132023-1.jpg

 

She was the first B-58 to be fitted with a 20mm tail gun. Again, There are a couple things that I want to tweak just a bit, but I'm getting pretty close to finishing it.

 

 

Safe skies!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Here's the pre-production render of "Hustlers."

 

Convair-B-58A-Hustlers-John-Matthews-Art

 

The high-res, full-zoot, 24x18 inch version should be finished rendering early tomorrow evening, and then I'll upload it to my Fine Art America page.

 

I finished work on a profile for 55-0660...

 

Convair-XB-58-Hustler-55-0660-Profile-Jo

 

I've already made this available at Fine Art America.

 

Safe skies!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...