Subject: Re: FIFI B-29 feature by Konley Kelley (a B-29-sized article...smile)
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Konley Kelley" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2011 09:37:57 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
ARC Air - Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.arcair.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Konley Kelley 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2011 12:09 PM
  Subject: FIFI B-29 feature by Konley Kelley (a B-29-sized article...smile)

  Steve:

  Sent this article to you in early December last year.  Haven't seen it so I am wondering if it ever made it.  You wrote back in mid-December and said some of the e-mails in your inbox were lost and to resend but I haven't seen it so I am sending again just to be double/triple sure it made it.  

  So much has happened to me since joining this CAF B-29/B-24 Squadron (including a training flight in the B-24) but we can save that for a future article.  There is some stuff coming up that is going to be fun to share with the ARC.  

  Check out the FIFI article on my website and the article about flying on Ol'927.

  http://www.dfwserver.com/09/B29FIFIfeature.html

  http://www.dfwserver.com/09/B24Ol927Flight.html

  FIFI ARTICLE FOR ARC

  "FIFI”

  B-29 Superfortress in plastic, 3D and the real thing

  by "Konley Kelley"
  --------------------

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  Summer of 2010, I found out FIFI was coming. FIFI is the only flying B-29 left in the world. After a generous donation by Jim Cavanaugh from the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, the world famous Commemorative Air Force B-29 “FIFI” was coming to stay at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Texas.

  I began following stories about FIFI on the web. Jim Cavanaugh’s donation equipped her with brand new engines.  I made it to FIFI's second public appearance after taking to the skies again.  I met FIFI at the Alliance Air Show in North Texas on October 30, 2010.

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  But I felt like I already knew FIFI.  When I discovered she was going to come to the Cavanaugh, I began researching her for a scale model/3D model project.  I dug an Airfix 1:72 B-29 kit out of my stash. Although the kit quality was pretty harsh, I saw it as an opportunity to experiment with making decals as well as a visual reference for the construction of the 3D model.

  I began assembling the scale model kit but took a breather to make FIFI’s nose art in Photoshop for the scale model decals.  I also knew this task would provide me art for my 3D model texture maps.  

  The Photoshop work came out so good I abandoned the scale model to begin the 3D model.  Pretty soon parts and subassemblies from the scale model lay scattered around my Mac as the 3D construction progressed.  I also used the excellent Squadron B-29 Walk Around book for reference.

  When FIFI’s nose section came together, I realized I had it. As I built her piece by piece, probably the hardest part was getting the shape of the wings right.  I built the ribs and skinned the wings but it took several tries to get the shape right.  I felt like an aeronautical engineer.

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  Making FIFI also gave me the opportunity to swap out nose art texture maps to create some other famous B-29’s in 3D.

  After meeting FIFI at the airshow, I came back with “fixes” including the addition of the CAF logo to the tail.  I also finished the scale model.

  What follows are images of the scale model, 3D model and FIFI.  I got some good shots of FIFI at the airshow and a few weeks later at a CAF meeting at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum.  I climbed inside FIFI and got some pics of the interior.  Very cool.

  Next up – I am joining the B-29/B-24 CAF Squadron now based at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Texas. If I do fly in FIFI, look for shots on ARC or my Facebook group “Modeling History in Digital Diorama.”  I have posted images of FIFI and all of my scale/3D work to my website at www.shortfuse3d.com

  I also found another artist on Facebook who happened to be creating a 3D B-29 at the same time.  His name is Dave Collins and he gave me permission to submit an image of his excellent work.

  Check out the CAF on the internet and look for FIFI at an airshow near you soon!  If you are ever in the Dallas area, seeing the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Texas is a must.  Call ahead to make sure FIFI is there!

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  FIFI Scale Model

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  FIFI 3D Model

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  FIFI at the Alliance Airshow and Cavanaugh Flight Museum

  Alliance Air Show

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  Cavanaugh Flight Museum

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  Dave Collins 3D B-29

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  Links to very interesting videos about FIFI, B-29 vets' stories, the CAF B-29/B-24 Squadron, and the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Texas.

  http://vimeo.com/17388627          FIFI's first flight 

  http://vimeo.com/16645257          A flight with Charles Chauncey...  a 35 mission B-29 pilot

  http://vimeo.com/16748536          Hero's of the B-29

  CAF B-29/B-24 Squadron
  http://www.rideb29.com/

  Cavanaugh Flight Museum
  http://www.cavanaughflightmuseum.com/

  Thanks!

  "KonleyKelley"

  [email-masked]