You probably know how we like to work for our ‘internal’ aircraft projects. We deliver a solid basic version and then we tune and tweak for a while using the feedback we get from customers and testers to get to what we normally call the 1.50 version. The version we created with the customers, using their input and fixing open issues while doing so. With the Catalina we go one step further and we like to invite you to get a lot of input on how we should even take this first step. The model shown is done by Andrey Tsivirenko (sibwings) who has done a lot of our best selling models. It is 100% high end with gauges inserted in the MDL etc, so we got frames to burn with a VC that is detailed and very smooth.
Below you see images of what we have now (images as always done by Nick Churchill, the only person who can make a early alpha of a product looks stunning). What we got is a basic early version PBY-5A with a smooth nose. A lot of versions had this nose job sometimes because it makes the aircraft faster and a lot easier to land. The pilot can actually SEE where he lands. If you want to see more of this aircraft;
http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.se…inct_entry=true
Now we are NOT going back in time, so we are not going to do earlier versions, but we are listening to any ideas on later versions and different liveries. Depending on how complex, we’ll do 2 or 3 versions with a good number of liveries. For the systems you see we got now a VFR version (even with the GPS system it is only VFR licensed) that is a pretty good ‘modern’ cockpit and represents a lot of the models that are restored and are still flying around. But we acknowledge the fact a lot of people like to see a more original model so we plan one of those as well. Show us the images and we’ll discuss it.
So feel free to pitch in, send your images (if you are not sure about copyrights, send the link and not the image) and let us know what we need to do. Things will move fast from now on, so stay alert. To help you along I added a schematic of all the important version after the 5A, if you are looking for another model, please use the model name as shown on that image (as always with older aircraft, names and types are messed up in documents).