P51B-5 Skin

[bbow01]

This is my first post on the IL-2 Forum.  I am a newbie to skinning and a newbie to GIMP.  I have spent the last two weeks (2-3 hours per day) reading the GIMP User Manual, watching videos and reading skinning tutorials.  I'm getting somewhat comfortable using GIMP 3.0 and I understand the skinning basics.

I would like to create a new skin for a P51B Mustang (I have a long backstory for doing this.  I have a personal connection to the 354th FIghter Group, but I won't bore you with that.)

I downloaded the Raptorattack P51B-5 skin as a starting point.  It has an Olive Drab color selected as the default.  I want my airplane to be shiny base metal to represent the particular aircraft that I am trying to create.  The problem I am having is that I cannot successfully inject the Alpha Channel into the Color psd.  My resulting airplane is coming out a dull gray.

I have read and somewhat used the Custom Alpha Channel Tutorial put together by 6./ZG26_Stuka.

Here is the process that I have been following:

1. Downloaded the Color and Alpha psd Raptorattack skins.
2. Changed the color in the Color psd from Olive Drab to Bare Metal
3. Selected Bare Metal in the Alpha psd
4. Merged the Visible Layers in the Alpha psd
5. Deleted the default Alpha Channel in the Color psd (I assume it has shine map for the Olive Drab color)
6. Created a new Alpha Channel (and anchored it) in the Color file and Pasted in the Merged Alpha Layer
7. Exported the Color psd as a TGA file

I am using the standalone Nvidia Texture Tool.  When I pull in the tga to convert it to dds, I notice that when I select "Alpha" preview in the Nvidia tool, the thumbnail is pure white.  The Color button shows what looks like the correct Bare Metal image.

Does anyone know what I may be doing wrong?  I have done this probably a dozen or more times with no luck.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Brian

[BrotKasting]

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Edited February 1 by BrotKasting

[bbow01]

Thank you very much.  I watched the Youtube video on Alpha Channel by Megalax and made a big step forward as a result of it.  I've been using the TGA format, based on a Google GEMINI conversation.  Going forward, I'll chuck that and just export the native xcf.

If I understand you correctly, I just need to change the grayscale color to 58 in the "Bare Metal" layer only in the Raptorattacker template Alpha image.  I would leave all of the other layers alone and would not make any changes to the Color image (except for changing the "default" color from Olive Drab to Bare Metal.)

Does that sound right?

Thanks again.

 

Oh, and by the way, I'm trying to get the same finish as the P51B skin "USAAF" that is the first selection in the IL-2 Viewer.  That very much looks like the aircraft that I'm trying to duplicate.  Once I get the A/C "skin" right, I'll add my particular markings (It was the aircraft that my dad was flying when he was shot down on Oct 29, 1944.  I'm writing a book about him and wanted to include an illustration of the A/C that he was flying on that day.)

 

Brian

Edited January 18 by bbow01
Spelling

[BrotKasting]

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Edited February 1 by BrotKasting

[bbow01]

I now have a new found love and respect for skinners.  I am making some progress, albiet slowly.  I've been using the GIMP Colors > Levels settings to modify the Alpha layer for the Bare Metal.  Later today, I'm going to play around with the Brightness/Contrast settings like you mentioned.

 

[bbow01]

Just wanted to thank you for the tips.  I'm getting the finish dialed in.  Not sure if I'm being too picky.  The A/C that I'm trying to render had 30 or so combat missions in the 354th FG, so it was somewhat combat weary.  My dad flew it for it's last 5, until he was shot down and captured in one of the biggest dogfights of the war on Oct 29.

Anyways, now the fun part starts with the "art".  Next up are Squadron ID, Serial number on the tail, nickname on the nose and the 353th FS colors for late '44.  I have a couple of black and white photos of it to guide me.  Oh, and after I get the P51 ship shape, on deck is Helmut Bennemanns Bf-109G-14.  My dad was his last victim of the war.  If you Wiki Benneman you'll see this as victory #93, although that number is in dispute by some Luftwaffe and UK historians who think it should be #92, not #93.

Thanks again,

Brian

Edited January 21 by bbow01

[BrotKasting]

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Edited February 1 by BrotKasting

[bbow01]

Not sure if I want to embarass myself by posting the pic, but we'll see how it goes.  Thanks for the weathering tip.  I had already been playing with it.  I think, as no surprise to you guys, that tweaking the Alpha Channel to get good results has been the biggest challenge for me.

Brian

[Raptorattacker]

3 hours ago, bbow01 said:

Not sure if I want to embarass myself by posting the pic, but we'll see how it goes.  Thanks for the weathering tip.  I had already been playing with it.  I think, as no surprise to you guys, that tweaking the Alpha Channel to get good results has been the biggest challenge for me.

Brian

Keep it up Brian!
The Alpha/Metal equation can be a bit of a pain, not least because it's pretty much different for each plane (a 'Plane Pain'!).
I'd be interested to see how you got on as well?
Go on, no-one's gonna embarrass you for trying, not if I've got any say in the matter! You never know, you might even get some more good tips if needed...

Rap
😉

[BrotKasting]

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Edited February 1 by BrotKasting

[Raptorattacker]

Simple fact is, if people MAKE skins then they know how difficult it can be and they were all starters once upon a time.

If they don't make skins and they are derogatory then they should shut their faces and try doing it themselves.

Quite simple really.

Rap

[bbow01]

 

11 hours ago, Raptorattacker said:

Simple fact is, if people MAKE skins then they know how difficult it can be and they were all starters once upon a time.

If they don't make skins and they are derogatory then they should shut their faces and try doing it themselves.

Quite simple really.

Rap

I wanted to do a quick shout out to you, Raptorattacker.  Looking at the level of detail in your skin template just blows me away.  Here I am, a two week old "skinner" getting tips from guys who have done this for years.  This is so cool and humbling at the same time.  I can't say thanks enough.

Brian

[Raptorattacker]

@bbow01
Thankyou.
All the reward and payment I ever want or need is right there in your message. That's all I need to make me a happy chappie!!

Rap
👍

... so let's see the skin!!

... or send it to me? I'd love to see what you've managed to do.

Edited January 21 by Raptorattacker

[bbow01]

On 1/21/2026 at 5:06 PM, Raptorattacker said:

@bbow01
Thankyou.
All the reward and payment I ever want or need is right there in your message. That's all I need to make me a happy chappie!!

Rap
👍

... so let's see the skin!!

... or send it to me? I'd love to see what you've managed to do.

So sorry you'll have to wait.  I'm the tortoise in the race.  But I'm having fun.  WIthout "dumping my purse" as they say, this is a personal journey for me.  Two years ago I put together a short book for family and friends of my dad. It's the story of his wartime experience, with the focus on his shootdown and six months as a POW.  He was very tight lipped about it for reasons I never understood until the years after his early death.  As a kid I didn't enough express interest to pry.  All of us "kids" now agree that he had PTSD over the events.  I retired a few years ago and decided to see what I history I could dig up to understand more of what he went through.  I was shocked what I found out from accessing the US National Archives, the 354th FG Association and historical documents from the Luftwaffe and sources in the UK and elsewhere.  And people we so helpful it's truly amazing!  (All us kids new was that he was a P-51 pilot in the 354th and was shot down and became a POW.  That was pretty much it.)  Wow, there was so much more to the story, as I found out.

So, I'm working on a "second edition", since some new USAAF documents fell into my hands.  I have a ton of additional detail of that fateful day on Oct 29, 1944, one of the biggest (if not the biggest) days of the war for the 354th.  I found out recently there were over 100 aircraft engaged in the dogfight on that day, Luftwaffe included.

I wanted to create a couple of illustrations for the book.  I had an idea to maybe show Bennemann's Bf-109G-14AS chasing him and firing the shots that brought him down.  I started with Midjourney but that was a dead end.  I've been using Google GEMINI a lot and it mentioned IL-2 Great Battles as a potential source.  Now there's no turning back.  That, coupled with your template, was a great find.  I've used X-Plane so i was somewhat familiar with flight sims.

Anyway, I'm very sorry for the long-winded post.  Going back about three weeks or so, I started out with Corel Paintshop Pro (which I already owned) and your template and Google GEMINI.  That proved to be another dead end.  I couldn't figure out how to inject the Alpha channel using Paintshop.  After watching the Megalax video, I decided to make the jump to GIMP.  And after a week learning my way around GIMP (still very much a rookie), my productivity soared.  The IL-2 Forum was very helpful getting started and GEMINI helped me find my way around the GIMP landscape.

So, back to where we started...I've got the Bare Metal shine, the spinner, Anti Glare, Squadron ID and US ID Stripes the way I want them.  This morning I started on the Serial Number on the tail.  A totally new challenge with the way your template is laid out (not meant as a criticism).  I've been doing a lot of back and forth to get the seven digit serial number in the right place.  (I've created two layers, one for the first four digits on the vertical stabilizer and another for the last three on the rudder.)  That's where I'm at today, with a ways to go.  They are still mismatched and I've got some work to do.  After that I move on to the nose art, which might be my biggest "art" challenge after the SN.  So, I keep plodding along and hopefully will have something to show in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks Again,

Brian

Edited January 23 by bbow01

[bbow01]

Here's the bird that I'm trying to replicate.  I understand that she "had been around the block" a few times.  She was originally "Z for Zita" and that name stayed on the right side.  I found out that when Jack (my dad) was assigned to it, he had "Joy" painted on the left side.  Both names were still on the A/C when it went down.  There are no photographs of the left side of the A/C and I've only found two that show the "Z for Zita" side, so I have no idea of how "Joy" was painted.  I have to use my imagination on that score.  His Missing Aircrew Report stated that it was a Block 10 build, but nobody that I know will be able to tell the difference between Blocks 5 and 10, so no sweat there.  I got the original Corel Draw source files from the 354th FG Association and I edited them with what you see as the resulting A/C that Jack was flying (SN 2106701) the day he was shot down.

[Raptorattacker]

Now I LIKE that story! That really IS a great tale and WELL worth pursuing.
Good luck and all power to yer elbow and take yer time. I can take a day or two to make a skin and I've been doing it for longer than I care to remember so YOU are well in the clear!!
If I can help you in any way then don't hesitate to ask. I'd be more than happy in whatever way I can. It'd be a pleasure. I like a mission with a passion to it, they're the best ones!!

Rap

Edited January 24 by Raptorattacker

[bbow01]

On 1/23/2026 at 5:47 PM, Raptorattacker said:

Now I LIKE that story! That really IS a great tale and WELL worth pursuing.
Good luck and all power to yer elbow and take yer time. I can take a day or two to make a skin and I've been doing it for longer than I care to remember so YOU are well in the clear!!
If I can help you in any way then don't hesitate to ask. I'd be more than happy in whatever way I can. It'd be a pleasure. I like a mission with a passion to it, they're the best ones!!

Rap

Appreciate the offer.  I'm working on it a couple of hours per day.  I just finished this afternoon's session.  I've got the serial numbers all squared away and am working on the "Z for Zita" on the right side.  Fortunately, I have a good photo of that so all I had to do was import it into GIMP and trace it.

I wanted to ask you something.  I found out early on that the only way to get the Malcolm Hood was in the game options.  Is there a way to select that for the Preview app?

Regards...

Edited January 25 by bbow01

[Raptorattacker]

As far as I know, no (I'm afraid!).
The Viewer has quite a few drawbacks such as this I'm afraid. Some planes it doesn't show canopy glass at ALL.

[bbow01]

Thanks.  I'll manage.  Just a very minor inconvenience.

[bbow01]

Twenty two days later, a couple of hours per day, I've got at least something to show for the effort  (something that a good skinner could have probably knocked off in a couple of hours).  I have a "punch list" of issues to address though, before I call it baked.  This is pretty much what my father's A/C looked like the day it went down (minus the Malcolm Hood).  I pulled reams of data from pics and text from a variety of sources.  Sadly, the only info that I got from my dad before he passed on was that it was a P-51B with a Malcolm Hood.   Everthing else I pulled from the 345th FG Association (they were very helpful to me) and Steve Blakes book; "The Pioneer Mustang Group. The 354th Fighter Group in World War II".  I'm wrapping up the new text that I'll include in the 2nd edition book for Family and Friends.  Now it's on to Bennemann's 109 and then the illustrations.

Oh, I'm not too happy with my job on the spinner.  I need to work on the color and shine to make it look more realistic.  And I have this shimmer along the anti glare borders on both sides.  Any idea how I might fix that?

Thanks again for all of the help,

Brian

[BrotKasting]

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Edited February 1 by BrotKasting

[bbow01]

26 minutes ago, BrotKasting said:

Hi Brian

Thank you for posting these screenshots. They look impressive. I like your creation a lot.

The areas you want to be less shiny need to be darker in the alpha layer. Just use the free select tool, select prop hub, anti glare or any part you like and make this area darker (not completely black, it would come out transparent). And if I may suggest, check the skin in game. The viewer is good for alignment and stuff. But you might have noticed already, it looks completely different from the game. Play with the time of day and weather too. It makes a huge difference.

Viel Erfolg!

Thank you kindly for the tips.  I'll be back to work on it first thing in the morning.

b

[Raptorattacker]

On 1/28/2026 at 8:30 PM, bbow01 said:

Thank you kindly for the tips.  I'll be back to work on it first thing in the morning.

b

I can't see anything massively wrong with that my friend.
Well done to you!!