K-74 Airship Project

Some random images follow...	NOTE: The K-74 3D model used in all these test images and animations isn't final.
	<<-- 28 MAR 08 - The U-134 in the water. This is the water that will be used in the animations. Movies soon! <<-- Click on this image and you'll get another look at the sub in a bigger image.
	<<-- 23 MAR 08 - This VII C sub has been revised to play the U-134 that the K-74 engaged in battle. Note the addition of the 'Wintergarten'. That's the 2nd rear gun deck behind the conn tower. Made a LOT of improvements to this model. When it's textured and properly lighted, it'll look even better than the previous textured render. (See image with green background below) <<-- Click on this image and you'll get another look at the sub in a bigger image.
	<<-- 23 MAR 08 - This VII C sub has been revised to play the U-134 that the K-74 engaged in battle. Note the addition of the 'Wintergarten'. That's the 2nd rear gun deck behind the conn tower. Made a LOT of improvements to this model. When it's textured and properly lighted, it'll look even better than the previous textured render. (See image with green background below) <<-- Click on this image and you'll get another look at the sub in a bigger image.
	<<-- 23 MAR 08 - This VII C sub has been revised to play the U-134 that the K-74 engaged in battle. Note the addition of the 'Wintergarten'. That's the 2nd rear gun deck behind the conn tower. Made a LOT of improvements to this model. When it's textured and properly lighted, it'll look even better than the previous textured render. (See image with green background below) <<-- Click on this image and you'll get another look at the sub in a bigger image.
	<<-- 16 MAR 08 - This VII C sub will be revised to play the U-134 that the K-74 engaged in battle. The rear of the conn tower is different and one of the guns has to removed as far as I know right now. -A.C. <<-- Click on this image and you'll get another look at the sub in a bigger image.
	<<-- 16 MAR 08 - Now it has a proper propeller. The front and rear engine cowling are new. They didn't look right. Compare the image just under this one and you'll see the difference. Still need to fix exhaust and intake and add detailing overall. <<-- Click on this image and you'll get another look at the engine in a (slightly) bigger image.
	NOTE: The K-74 3D model used in all these test images and animations isn't final. <<-- 14 MAR 08 All the piston heads in the engines are finished. The engine mounts or wings are new. This is a 'raw' rendering with no textures or lighting set up. Still need to make the proper prop assy and add detailing overall. Lights and textures will make this very nice. <<-- Click on this image and you'll get another look at the engine in a bigger image.
	NOTE: The K-74 3D model used in all these test images and animations isn't final. The gondola or 'car' is simply an approximation and the clouds and such in the backgrounds are just for help with setting up lighting. Actual details will be strictly observed in our finals. <<-- Just a shot from one of the test animations.
	<<-- A test render while working on the surface textures. Note the reflected light (this kind of light pattern is called 'caustics') underneath from the ocean surface.
	<<-- Another texture test render. Right now... these textures are some I'd made previously for one project or another. Soon, I'll make these textures absolutely specific to the K-74 and it'll look more and more like the real thing. Note the reflected light (this kind of light pattern is called 'caustics') underneath from the ocean surface.
	<<-- Another surface texture test render. Also... the prop spin FX have been added!! (Ignore the weird clouds)
	<<-- This is what the airship looks like without the textures applied.
	<<-- The ocean got frosty when I tried something new.

This website follows an in-progress endeavor whose main goal is to use digital, three dimensional visualization, to realistically portray the only well-documented and officially recognized battle between a U.S. Navy blimp (K-74) and a German U-Boat (U-134) on July 18-19, 1943 in the Florida Straits. Our goal is to depict this historic event starting with the launch of the K-74 from the Naval Air Station, Richmond, Florida through the events of the astounding battle between these two vessels, to the recovery of most of its crew from the waters of the Florida Straits. The reference and research for this project is taken from scholarly works on the subject, interviews with involved personnel and experts in the field, as well as various official records. Even with all the information available about this incident, not every detail is known and there are still questions that remain. The K-74 Airship Project hopes to bring this event to a wider audience and act as a forum about this historic and largely ignored incident of WWII. This website will build its content slowly and in stages. Visitors will first see very basic and raw renderings and animations as various components are created and perfected for the animation. Eventually, as these components are developed, more elements will be featured in this website including a message board or public feedback area, acknowledgments for those dedicated people who lived this history or keep it alive, and a bibliography of sorts. For now, contact us via e-mail at our airships e-mail address NOTE: The K-74 3D model used in all these images and animations isn't final. The gondola or 'car' is an approximation and the clouds and such in the backgrounds are just for help with lighting. Actual details will be strictly observed in our finals.
	<<-- Click Here for a slightly larger image of the Moon as it probably appeared the night the K-74 engaged the U-134. Here are the very basic times on record of the K-74 positions on July 18, 1943: - K-74 launches at 1909 from Naval Air Station Richmond. - At 2340 July 18, K-74 encountered a radar contact at Longitude 23 degrees 59 minutes North/Latitude 080 degrees 49 minutes West. - The K-74 settles into the water 2357. The battle lasted only 17 minutes from first radar contact with the U-134 to hitting the water. I'd bet those were some really lo-ong minutes for the crew. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Sun and Moon Data for The Day The K-74 Engaged the U-134 The following information is for: Richmond Heights, Dade County, Florida (longitude W80.4, latitude N25.6): Sunday: 18 July 1943, Eastern Standard Time. SUN Begin civil twilight 5:15 a.m. Sunrise 5:41 a.m. Sun transit 12:28 p.m. Sunset 7:14 p.m. End civil twilight 7:39 p.m. MOON Moonrise 7:34 p.m. on preceding day Moon transit 1:10 a.m. Moonset 6:49 a.m. Moonrise 8:29 p.m. Moonset 7:56 a.m. on following day Phase of the Moon on 18 July: waning gibbous with 98% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated. (The Full Moon was on 17 July 1943 at 7:21 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.)

	<<-- Sub U-134 Test 001 - 24 MAR 08 Rough test animation to check for flaws in the model and adjustments to the surface textures
	<<-- Ocean Test 003 - Continuing refinements to the ocean surfaces and nighttime lighting. Also... this video has been roughly, quickly, edited together with some rough audio added to make it a little more interesting.
	<<-- Test Animation 001 - Lens effects and animation test (The car is an approximation)
	<<-- Test Animation 002 - Textures and Animation test (and fun with clouds) (The car is an approximation)
	<<-- Waves Test Animation - Same weird clouds, but over animated, textured ocean water. THIS ANIMATION IS VERY ROUGH. Just a sketch.
	<<-- Waves Test OO2 - Better test of another ocean surface. We can make the ocean any way we want it to be.