AeroDesigner Tutorial : Creating a model of the A10 WartHog
This tutorial outlines the procedure by which a simple existing model
(the T33 Shooting Star) is made the basis of a new model (the A10). The files required are all zipped together in
ADTUT01.ZIP which is found in the PRE-Flight website.
I recommend reading of this tutorial completely and comprehensively. It
is short but contains lots of useful information. Even experienced users should read this tutorial to realize the
full potential of AeroDesigner and PRE-Flight.
Another recommended read is the AeroDesigner Help file (ADHELP.HTM)
included in the AeroDesigner zip file.
This tutorial was made with the aim of introducing the user to AeroDesigner - not to produce an accurate flight model. It is up to the user to enter the proper values in the components if it is desired to fly accurately.
Files Required:
ADTUT01.ZIP Download from:
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/atv/preflight001.htm
Programs Required.
PRE-Flight ver 1.8a or higher – this is free. Download from:
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/atv/preflight001.htm
AeroDesigner ver 1.0 or higher – this is free. Download from same place
as PRE-Flight.
Optional Programs:
REALIZE 3D Editor ver 1.5 or higher – this is free. Download from same
place as PRE-Flight.
Blender ver 2 or higher – this is free. Download from this link:
http://www.download.blender.pl/
Python ver 2 or higher – this is free. Required for proper operation of
Blender. Download from this link:
http://www.python.org/download/
Acknowledgements:
The Warthog 3d mesh file was created by Tim Hamblin using the freeware 3D editor “Blender”. His website is:
http://snow.prohosting.com/spinhors/
Preparations.
Install PRE-Flight in any convenient directory. Make a note of where you installed it. Of
course, omit this step if you already have PF.
Install the tutorial files by unzipping ADTUT01.ZIP into a new
directory under Models (under the PRE-Flight install directory). Call the new directory “ATUT” (name is not really important).
Install AeroDesigner by unzipping all its files into the PRE-Flight
directory.
Run PF and Model, Load the new model file “T33S.3DM”. Fly it around if you like. Note this model is now in the Model speed
list as “T33-Simple”.
Close down PF and run AeroDesigner (I’ll refer to it as “AD”) – note
the same model exists in the speed list.
AeroDesigner shares the same list and model menu with PF. Select “T33-Simple”. We will be using this model as a basis for a
new one for the A10 Warthog.
Navigating Around AeroDesigner.
AD will initially display the T33 model facing to the left. AD uses the Cartesian coordinate system. As you move the mouse, current coordinates are displayed in the lower, left-hand corner of the screen. Only 2 of the 3 coordinates (which define a 3D point) is displayed at any given time. X coordinates are in red, Y in green, and Z in Blue. The lower right-hand corner of the screen displays the 3D Icon whose pointers (which are color coded ) point in the positive direction of the axis. So moving the mouse to the left shows an increasing value for Z (for example).
Pressing Tab will rotate the view to looking from the front of the
model. Pressing Tab again rotates to a
bottom view, and Tab once more rotates back to the first view. Note the 3D Icon changes to reflect the
view.
The default DM view is called the Orthogonal View. To the layman, this
basically means that the effect of distance from any model part to the screen
is ignored and the user can rely on the current screen coordinates (as
displayed on the lower-left corner) as being correct. This is opposed to Perspective View which shows a more “natural”
looking view where objects farther away from the “camera” seem closer
together. Go to Perspective view (press
CntrlF11 or use menu) and hold down F7.
Note the difference in the 2 views.
Toggle back to Orthogonal view by pressing CntrlF11 again. Incidentally, Perspective view is used
exclusively in PF.
The keys F4-F9 serve to navigate around both Perspective and Orthogonal
views. Try them out.
The Grid is spaced 0.5 meters apart and is centered on 0,0,0.
You may have also noticed that the Orthogonal view of the model seems
slightly odd. This is because the model
is displayed in “ghost” mode – it looks inside-out and semi-transparent. This is to show the component balls (below)
more clearly. Ghost mode is disabled in
prespective view.
3D Sound is disabled in Orthogonal view but is present in Perspective
view.
Cloning the Model File (.3dm).
After loading the T33 model, pull down menu Models, Edit Info. Change the “Short Desc.” to “A10 Warthog” or
something appropriate. Change the
Author, Email, and Website fields to appropriate values. This serves to identify the new model in the
PF control panel. Press OK.
Then go to menu Models, SaveAs.
Name the new file A10.3dm and save it in the new directory. Pulling down Models shows the top entry as
the A10 Warthog. This model is now new
but will look, sound, and fly the same as the T33. Subsequent steps from here will transform it into the A10.
Components – General Rules.
At this point, it would be useful to have read the AD help file
(ADHELP.HTM) for information on how the components make up the model. Components are represented by different colored
balls. These components are selectively
displayed – usually one type at a time as they tend to clutter up the
scree. Pull down Components and try a
few. Be careful – do not click on the
balls at this stage as they tend to be dragged about by accident. Moving the cursor over these balls (without
clicking) displays their main attributes on the upper left-hand corner of the
window. With a few exceptions, the
following is possible with components:
1)
They can be dragged about in 3D (use the Tab key to cover all 3
dimensions) by using the left button.
2)
Right-clicking then Properties allows the user to edit the component’s
properties (including its position – an alternative to item 1 above)
3)
Right-clicking also allows deletion of a component.
4)
Right-clicking on an spot other than a component allows insertion or
creation of a new component.
5)
A newly-created component (in item 4 above) will have default values
copied from the last edited component of the same type. This feature is a facility for cloning components.
If the components are obscured by the body (3D mesh) of the model, just pull down Graphics, then click on Render Dots or Render Wireframe.
Changing the Look of a Model – the 3D Mesh File.
If you have clicked on any Menu Components item, clear out all types by
Menu Components, Uncheck All. Select
Menu Components, 3D Meshes. There will
appear 2 component balls – one magenta and one orange. Dragging the magenta ball moves the visible part of the model –
the 3D mesh - about with it. Dragging
the orange one (left or right only) scales the mesh. Right click on the magenta ball and select Properties. Press the Browse button
to select the mesh file. Select the file "A10.3df" and hit Open. Type in
the value 0.15 on all X,Y,Z values of Scale then hit OK. The Warthog mesh should
appear but will be facing right. Right click on the magenta ball again and enter
0.0 in the Y Rotation field then OK.
At this point the A10 will be facing the left and is about the right size.
Select Menu Components, Masses. Drag the mesh (magenta ball) up and down until
the Yellow ball is about center in the mesh body. Press tab twice to get the
bottom view and drag the mesh until the yellow ball is just aft of the wing leading
edge and is centered. Hit menu Components and Uncheck All.
This completes the 3D mesh component.
Changing Components – The Flight Physics. You'll find that you need another tail fin (the A10 has 2). Right click on the
existing tail fin then press OK. This "copies" the component. Right click on
where you want the new component to appear then select Insert. Select Masses,
then OK. You may want to change the name of the new component or just leave it
before pressing OK. Do the same for the engine - the A10 has 2. Don't forget
to readjust the CG by moving the battery, servos, etc. afer adding the new engine.
Uncheck the Masses in Components. Check the Forces item.
Duplicate the Jetforce component and locate the 2 forces in the center of the engine nacelles
Uncheck the Forces and check the Airfoils item.
Move the components to their places in the new model. This concludes the basic physics of the new model.
Uncheck all components.
Changing Components – Other Stuff.
Hit menu Components and Contacts. Contacts represent the 4 points where the
model is allowed to touch the ground. Drag the contacts to their proper positions, making
sure that any normal motion of the model will not allow contact with fragile components
like wingtips and tail assemblies. Since this model is initially gear-less (for simplicity),
and is hand-launched, array the contacts under the fuselage as you would long skids - protecting the body and wings.
Note that the contacts are linked together to ensure a co-planar arrangement at all times.
Also make sure the contacts are wide enough so the model does not tip over and catch its
wings in a crosswind.
Uncheck all components.
Hit menu Components and Colliders. Colliders are activated when they hit the ground or other
colliders (not belonging to this model). When colliders activate, the simulation is terminated,
the controls are frozen, and the message associated with the collider is displayed. Place
the components and adjust the Radius parameter if required.
Uncheck all components.
Skip the Winds components - there are none in this model. Check the Views components. You can
create your own views by specifying a direction and an "Up" vector which describes the "up" side
of the camera.
Check the Sounds components. Right click, Properties on the black component. Browse for a
new .wav file and select the jets.wav file. The click OK.
Previewing the Model – the Perspective View. Press Cntrl-F11 or Menu View, Perspective View. Rotate the view, zoom in and out and look
around the model using the navigation keys F4 – F9 or Menu View. Increase the throttle (controls are same as
PF). Note the 3D effect of sound
(including Doppler as you zoom in and out).
Press F11 (or Menu View, Cycle Aircraft View) and note the views that
were defined previously. Finishing Touches – Thumbnail. The thumbnail is a preview of what the model looks like. One possible way to get a preview is to
simply use AD, go to Perspective view.
Use the view keys F4-F9 to get a good view then press the “PrintScreen” button
on the keyboard. This puts the image on
your monitor in Window’s cut&paste buffer.
Open Window’s Paint program (under Accessories) and paste the image. Use Paint to crop the image to a 100x100
pixel size then save as a 24-bit BMP file called (say) “A10THUMB.BMP” in the
new directory (ATUT). Bring up AD, Menu
Model, Edit Info and set the thumbnail file.
Bring up PF’s control panel and load the new model. Admire the new thumbnail. You can use PrintScreen’s from PF or even from AD’s Orthogonal view –
maybe combine 3 views (top, side,front) into the thumbnail. Congratulations on your first custom-designed PRE-Flight Model –
courtesy of AeroDesigner!
By the way, the solution to this exercise is in the file "Solution.3dm".
When distributing your work – make sure you fill in the author, email,
and website fields to get proper credit.
Zip up all the files in your new model’s directory and it’s ready to
distribute. Also include a readme.txt
file with instructions on how to install it and of course, where to get
PRE-Flight to fly it (a sample readme.txt file is included in the ADTUT01.ZIP). Note: The Warthog 3d mesh file was created by
Tim Hamblin using the freeware 3D editor “Blender”. His website is: http://snow.prohosting.com/spinhors/ Flying the Model in PRE-Flight. Since AD shares the same Model list with
PF, just start PF. Bring up the Control
Panel and admire your new thumbnail.
Fly the model. Exercise one – Landing Gear. I leave it to the user to create 3 wheels of a landing gear using the
3D graphics objects in Aerodesigner. Hints: 1)
Use a squashed (unevenly scaled) sphere for the hub. 2)
Be sure and color the components 3)
Don’t forget to adjust the Contact components 4)
Locate the wing wheels just AFT of
the CG. Exercise two – Missiles. Static missiles can be made of cylinders with an elongated sphere as
the nose. Missles that actually fire on
command and generate smoke trails are left to the advanced user (they ARE
possible in PRE-Flight!). Where To Go From Here – 3D Meshes. Below is a link to a Blender tutorial on how to make a simple space
ship: http://www.elysiun.com/tutorials.php Blender is a mature and powerful general-purpose 3D modeler. It will soon be made open-source and will continue to be enhanced. An below is a link to SpinningHorse’s site to obtain his utility to
export .dxf files: http://snow.prohosting.com/spinhors/