Lynn and Bill Lyons 1937 Stinson SR-9C Reliant

[thindog]

Hi I am very new to this site and I only found it thanks to the read me on the Reliants. I and several freinds have this aircraft and all of us have the same problem. When we load the Reliant (Any version including repaints) there are large grey patches on the wing where the registration should be. I have studied the read me and see mention is made to being able to repaint this section or to place a generic patch of some sort on these patches. However none of us can work out how. Can anyone help?

[windrunner]

Hi thindog! welcome to the TOH. I'm sorry I didn't noticed your post yesterday.

If I remember well, what you see there is just the place where the "registration" should go. Make sure the plane has a registration number (check the ATC ID entry). If that does not solve your problem, a custom texture can be easily done to fix it.

[Tom Constantine]

Are you trying to use it in FSX? Those patches are the N-Number gauge and they are not compatible with FSX.

[thindog]

Thanks guys no I am trying to use it in FS2004 one of my mates is trying to use it in FS2002 and in both cases we are stumped there are some others who are also stuck as we are all members of Peerhoven VA a virtual airline that flies anything with a leaning toward the classic old props. If I can sort this out I will be doing a Peerhoven repaint. I will give the ATC ID trick a try out and report back what happens. Once again thanks. I like what I see here as I am a lover of older aircraft myself particularly the C46 C47 Brabazon and the like.

[thindog]

I did as you sugested and checked the CFG but all aircraft have regestration numbers in place however as follows:
[fltsim.1]
title=Stinson Reliant Black
sim=stinr1
model=
panel=
sound=
texture=1
prop_anim_ratio=0.9
kb_checklists=stinson_check
kb_reference=
atc_id=NC-LB13
atc_id_color=0xffffffff
ui_manufacturer=Stinson
ui_type=Reliant Black
ui_variation=

I am hoping its a simple matter of changing the following:
atc_id_color=0xffffffff
If so to what?

Alternatively how can I paint a patch and how do I place it so that it covers the area?

Attachments:

[Tom Constantine]

There is no fix because nothing is broken. In the airplane menu view shown, some people (depending on video card) will always have the rectangle. It's the nature of the beast. This is true for most of Bill's planes. BUT in the sim (either FS2004 or FS2002 it should NOT be visible. Instead you should see the N Number. Painting will not cover it because it is a gauge. If the rectangle is visible in the sim, please list all of your settings and we'll see if we can see anything that needs changing.

And are you using the latest version available only on our download page? Much easier to repaint too, by the way.

[windrunner]

I did some paints for the Cub amd the Goose in the past, and If my memory is not failing, there is a way to make it "invisible": you have to find the bmp file that "covers" that area and give it a plain black alpha channel (sorry if it is too technical); I don't have the stinson at hand right now so I cannot guarantee it will work like that, but basically that is the trick.

edit: I've just loaded the stinson and it worked like it should. I don't have that grey square on the wings with the default repaints. I checked the bmps in the foldes and anything I tried worked to make the ID registration invisible. I am not sure what you can do, I am short of ideas now.

[thindog]

Well the problem may be that I am using the one I got from Flightsim.com I will download the one you suggested Tom, If it is a guage is there no way to disable it? In the folder I have there are a couple of BMP's that are unidentified if nothing works with the download from this site I will try blacking the bitmaps one at a time and see what happens windrunner and no its not technical I understand compleately.

[thindog]

PS sorry I forgot what might be vital info I dont have a fancy screencard I am using the onboard graphics on a Pentium 4 (Yes it is outdated but here in darkest Africa its the best I can do:^) )

[Tom Constantine]

OK, that answers the question. The video is the problem. Now here's the fix. It will remove the N-Number completely, but you can paint one on.
In each of the 3 panel folders you will find a Custom.cab. Unzip the contents into a sub folder called Custom. (Rename Custom.cab to Custom.bak)
In the new Custom folder (you will need to do this in all 3 panel folders) rename nnumber.bmp to nnumber.bak and Nstinson.xml to Nstinson.bak

You should now have no rectangles or n-numbers

If you should happen to still have the rectangle, go into the panel.cfg and under [Vcockpit01] find the line gauge01=custom!nstinson, 128,128,128,40
put a double slash after the =sign like this: gauge01=//custom!nstinson, 128,128,128,40
You will need to do that in all 3 panel folders

That should do it or I am out of ideas.

[thindog]

Outstanding I will give that a try I assumed it would be those custom guages as I never saw them in other aircraft panels but I didnt want to start changing things until I got pointers. I will pass this info to the other guys and hopefully soon Peerhoven pilots will be filling the skies with Stinsons. Thanks you guys have been so helpfull. I will be thin on the ground as I am repainting a very tricky Tu 114 and it will take at least a week. I will check in again next saturday and let you know how the guage set up for the Stinson worked out, once again thank you so much.

[windrunner]

Thanks you Tom! nver thought it could a hardware issue.

Thindog, let us know how it goes. Good luck!

[kenwig0556]

I found this forum/thread with a Google search and hope I might get some guidance here. I've got the Lyon's Stinson SR-9C up and running nicely in FSX, except for one problem: I can't figure out how to make the nomenclature plate appear. The OEM .zip comes with a .bmp named "stinplate" - a 256x256 with the plate on the lower half of the bitmap. OEM instructions are sketchy and allude to the autoinstaller loading these into the FS main "Texture" folder. I've tried that, tried loading them into the individual texture folders, tried both, tried cutting the bitmap down to just a 256x128 of just the plate, etc. I would appreciate any quidance the board might offer, including the proper FS9 install. (I think if I had that certain, I could work from there.

Many thanks,
Ken

[kenwig0556]

Not to worry. I got it fixed by working from some install notes from other Lyons aircraft. Here, simply cut the image down to the nomenclature plate only and saved it as an extended bitmap in DXT5 format.