Glossy aircraft?

[J G 927]

I am repainting a Gazelle helicopter and have some problems with the gloss effect on the aircraft skin.

 

The Gazelle comes with two aircraft types; A civil aircraft with a fantastic shine to it and a military version with a nice eggshell finish.

 

My problem is that I want to do a repaint that shows the aircraft in Royal Marines colours.  This aircraft will have to be a repaint of the civil aircraft as the French military aircraft has an engine filter that the UK versions never had.

 

I have compared all of the files in the textures directories and there seems to be no difference except around the pilot and the filter. The skins for these two differenced are easily identified as they have textures that are totally unique to the object they cover.

 

Both models contain Bump files for the outside skin of the aircraft as separate files and where there are Alpha Channels they appear to be the same.

 

So my question to those of you with immense skill in repainting is; what causes the degree of shine on a skin. As I can find no difference in the structure of the files for either aircraft type what should I be looking for?  I use the GIMP for my repaints and am able to see all layers in the paint kits file.

 

[brett 2,316]

I believe a darker grey on the Alpha Channel gives it more shine but you have to make the paint darker too so it doesn't become transparent. Not a re-painter but that's what I have heard.

[J G 927]

Thanks Brett. There seems to be no alpha channel on the main surface files. I still have the shine but a darker paint makes things better. Is there another way to make a paint shine?

[brett 2,316]

Just because the files look the same doesn't mean they are, the alpha channels might only be slightly different and you need to only make them slight darker to add different levels of shine. Have you done this and see how it affects the paint. 

Edited April 25, 2018 by brett

[brett 2,316]

You can also try PMing members that are active painters and ask them to check out this thread in case they haven't visited in a few days.