WW2 Aircraft.net Virtual Museum

[Catch22]

A number of months ago, interest in the modelling section was expressed at setting up a virtual museum based here, featuring a number of aircraft. At the time, I had mentioned I was willing to help out with actually building it. Now, in my college program, we have to have a 2nd year project in order to showcase our skills in an area of digital media that we want to get a career in. This 2nd year project will need to be done by the middle of April or so.

Basically where I'm going with this is this: Is there still any interest in setting something like this up? I would love to do the actual web-building. Now, here's the catch. I need to make sure it would be alright to do with web, and I need to make sure there's a way I can do any interactivity in regards to 360 views or things like that without using Flash, and just PHP, Javascript, HTML or Jquery. If there is, great. If not, I won't be able to really use it as my 2nd year project. That said, I would still be more than willing to do it, it just would take a lot longer as I wouldn't be able to use it as school work.

Also, I would need help getting the content together, as I would not have time to do it all myself. That's the big thing, and the big reason why I don't just do it myself. I'm not asking anyone to do help me with this because I need help with my second year project, I'm asking if people are still interested in this idea. If there's interest, perfect. I can't really get going on it yet, as I need to see what I can and cannot do without Flash, but I should fairly shortly.

So like I said, I'm not so much asking for help. I'm gauging interest to see if it's even feasible. Help because you want to get something like this going, not because you want to help me with the project.

 

[B-17engineer]

Oh yes, I remember that thread, what is the whole concept again if someone would be so kind as to explain

 

[Catch22]

I believe the idea was to actually make a museum that you could go into on the computer, and click on aircraft and view information about them.

 

[B-17engineer]

Ohhhh.... sounds cool.

 

[syscom3]

hmmmm ...... thats an interesting idea. Like an ongoing encyclopedia on an aircraft which can be added to as people come up with info?

 

[Catch22]

Exactly. I don't know what the hosting capabilities of this site are, but for my site for instance has a database hosting and you can add, edit, and remove entries. It could be similar to this: WWII Fighters, just hopefully more in-depth and more interactive, and more museum-like.

 

[Airframes]

That's basically it Sys, with the original idea I posted being built around high-quality models, to ensure consistency. A 'museum artefact' of, say, a FW190A would be shown, in a museum 'setting' within a 'hall', in a standard 'pose', similar to that which all such models would be displayed in. Additionally, there would then be a facility for an exterior 'walk around' of each type included as an exhibit, and, where possible, a reference photo of the actial machine. Together with a concise, but comprehensive history and data/specification 'fact sheet' for each type, or sub -tpe' displayed, this would allow viewers to quickly and easily access images and information on important avaition subjects. In addition to this, the intention was to have the facility to provide size comparison, in addition to the printed data, in order to allow viewers to appreciate what, for example, an FW190A looked like, in physical size/mass, against period, and modern day contemporaries. This would mean images of the FW190A alongside, or flanked by, say, a P51, Spitfire, and maybe a B17, the latter itself having such comparison images within it's own 'entry', probably also with a mdern-day comparison.
Now, this might all seem everday 'stuff' to us, the members of this forum. but, we 'know' our subject and, in the main, have seen, worked with, flown etc the real thing, and therefore take it for granted. But, to, say, a 16 or 20 year old, prhaps needing information for a school project, or just out of pure interest, where it's not possible to conveniently see the 'real thing' in similar circumtances, the concept of the 'virtual museum', using top-rate, consistent quality and scale models, could be, and i believe would be, very beneficial.
Cory, as before, I'm up for whatever I'm able to contribute. I'm afraid the technical side of the production of the 'programme' itself makes as much sense to me as does the way a woman's brain works, but anything on the modelling, historic, artwork or photographic sides of the concept, just shout mate!

 

[Catch22]

Ah yes, thanks for refreshing my memory on that; forgot about the comparisons! That will be tricky to do, we'll have to figure out who has comparable models in the best shape so we can actually have real comparisons, because it will be next to impossible to get images from different people the same scale, unless we have a ruler or something in the image as well so we would be able to resize the images so they're identical.

 

[B-17engineer]

Well if were building models my skills aren't up to it

 

[Airframes]

Well, if the concept goes ahead, and we start gently, as it were, with for example, three or four aircraft types, I can, or will be able to, provide quality images, specifically produced, to cover the individual types, and the comparisons. Initial 'entries' would be to a constant 1/48th scale, but thereafter, other scales, preferably 1/48th and larger, can be used, as long as all comparisons are to the same scale if photographed 'side by side'. Obviously, as a permament feature of the forum, the 'project' would be on-going and, of course, it would be nigh on impossible, both in model procduction and photography, and computer production, to do the full 'inventory' of the 'museum' in one go.
I think that if, say, three or four subjects were chosen initially, it would not only provide the prototype and initial production 'run' for the 'museum', but could also be a good basis for your college requirements. It's also a good excuse for me to get some proper studio lighting and backdrop equipment, something I've been meaning to replace for years!!

 

[Catch22]

That sounds good. I was hoping for a bit more than 4, but I can certainly provide a number of planes myself, such as the Corsair, Hellcat, Avenger and Helldiver. I'm thinking if we do them in groups of 4 we should do them in themes, such as British fighters, or American Carrier planes. Obviously those are rather broad, but they're just examples.

 

[Catch22]

Hey guys, I got the go ahead for this project. I'm thinking of starting off with a hall of 4 planes. Any suggestions?

 

[B-17engineer]

Fw-190, Spitfire, P-51, Ki-84

hehehe

Corey I have Tamiya's Ki-84 in 1/48 in the stash, want me to send it to you? Because I have no love for Japanese planes at all....

 

[Njaco]

Why don't you go to the "Poll" section and chose the winners from The Best fighter...etc, threads. Just to start since its within the site, get the favorites of the members.

I'm gonna bring this up to the other Mods and see if we can answers to some of your questions.

 

[pbfoot]

Why are you using models as opposed to real aircraft

 

[Crimea_River]

Spitfire, Mustang, 109 and Zero

 

[Catch22]

Why are you using models as opposed to real aircraft

Because I have more control over models and can get the angles I need a lot easier.

Why don't you go to the "Poll" section and chose the winners from The Best fighter...etc, threads. Just to start since its within the site, get the favorites of the members.

I'm gonna bring this up to the other Mods and see if we can answers to some of your questions.

Good idea Chris, and thanks!

Fw-190, Spitfire, P-51, Ki-84

hehehe

Corey I have Tamiya's Ki-84 in 1/48 in the stash, want me to send it to you? Because I have no love for Japanese planes at all....

You don't have to do that Harry.

Everyone else, I will take your thoughts into consideration. What it boils down to right now is what I can get information easily for, because I'll need quite a bit.

 

[Airframes]

Here's some I could photograph and provide fairly quickly.
Spitfire MkXIV
Spitfire MkIX
Spitfire Mk1
FW190A8
Fw190D-9
P51D
P51B
Bf109G6
Bf109E4
Boston IIIA
Avenger II
Bf110G4
Beaufighter VIF (ETO)
Beaufighter VIF (MTO)
P38J
Tempest V
B26
B17G
If there are any here you'd like, let me know, with what type and angles of pic you require, and I'll make a start.

 

[Catch22]

Sounds good Terry! Why don't we start off with:

Fw 190A-8
Bf 109G-6
Spitfire Mk IX
P-51B

That way we get a mix and they all somewhat follow a theme. Thanks again! I'll start work on the framework this week.

 

[Airframes]

OK mate. I'll make a start later this week. Not that it'll make much difference to the end result, the above are all 1/32nd scale, with the exception of the P51B. I'm also about to start on a 1/48th FW190A8, so I'll see which looks better in the pics, as the 1/32nd scale one is the old Hasegawa kit, built thirty years ago!!