Imperial Japanese Navy Pilot Skins 1941-42 and IJN'41-42 Roster Portraits

In this zip file are included 32 pilot skins depicting pilots, historically accurate dressed and equiped for the first years of the Pacific War ('41-42).  In this zip are also included 32 roster portraits with the faces of the pilots of the IJN '41-42 pack, to be used along DGen or DCG Campaigns.  (In case you don't like them back up the original DGen/JA folder.)

I highly modified my old, original paintwork, template to a new, enhanched, superdetailed one adding small details that are even hard to notice, sometimes overcoming the limitations of the 3d model, such as:

a) Super detailed  Model type 30 helmet worn normal or with ear flaps up, D-shaped ear covers,forhead brim in up or down position,
goggle straps with buttons,adjustment thin leather straps arownd the crown with buckle fasten at the rear, name tag to the rear neckline.
Two types of goggles standard brown ones or privatelly purchased, usually by officers,with beige colored velveteen cloth cushion.   
b) Reworked type 97 parachute harness with superdetailed buckle,with easy release safety pin and the generally omitted in illustrations,parachute release rip cord handle.
(Notice that some of the pilots are lacking this device and we see instead the metal,nickel-plated slot, on the upper left harness strap,where it was attached, meaning they are using their parachutes only as pillows to sit on, typically for the period). Name tag on right strap and also the green cotton quilted back pad to keep the harness sraps in place.
c) Navy float vest 1937-42 with the exact number of kapok chambers, snap pocket for pencil or watch,straps and loops and the charachteristic diaper fasten between legs.
d)Sheikosha pilot waches in two types,the standard ones for both Army and Navy and Navy issued type with small metal "sakuras" on strap,worn above flight suit.
Also Seikosha pilot's clocks, suspended arownd neck with silk parachute cord (red or white)   
e) Navy gauntlets with swede front section and leather upper section with cotton labels for name writting.
f) Summer or winter flight suits with subtie color difference,distinctive collars(rabbit fur for winter) and trousers pockets.
g) Rank insignia on flight suit.*
h) Leather flight boots in brown or black color with olive drab cotton labels.
i) And of course the most distinctive item of IJN Aviator's piece of garment the silk(made of discarted parachutes) or woolen muffler(in three colors:light gray,olive drab or navy blue) .
 
*I have splited the skins in two parts 00-15 summer suit and 16-31 winter suit and have implemented slightly different,more historical, ranks than the  PF default onesbecause the majority of the IJN active pilots were in fact NCO's with a small number of Officers.There was no strict regulation about rank insignia on flight suits in IJN, they were usually patched on the upper left arm (sometimes on the right). In this pack, NCO's are using the early 1930-41 round rank insignia (either red on navy blue or red on green) that were seen in photos worn up to the end of the War.

My major reference books were Osprey's "Japanese Navel Aviation Uniforms and Equipment" by Gary Nila and
"Imperial Japanese Navy Aces1937-45" by Henry Sakaida. So here are the ranks pilot by pilot:

Ja_00 = Sho-sa ie Lt.Cmdr                           Ja_16 = Sho-sa ie Lt.Cmdr                           
Ja_01 = Tai-i  ie Lt.                               Ja_17 = Tai-i  ie Lt.
Ja_02 = Chu-i  ie Lt.(JG)                           Ja_18 = Chu-i  ie Lt.(JG)
Ja_03 = Sho-i  ie Ensign                            Ja_19 = Sho-i  ie Ensign
Ja_04 = Sho-i  ie Ensign                            Ja_20 = Sho-i  ie Ensign
Ja_05 = Joto(Hiko)Heiso ie WO                       Ja_21 = Joto(Hiko)Heiso ie WO
Ja_06 = Itto(Hiko)Heiso ie PO1c                     Ja_22 = Itto(Hiko)Heiso ie PO1c 
Ja_07 = Itto(Hiko)Heiso ie PO1c                     Ja_23 = Itto(Hiko)Heiso ie PO1c
Ja_08 = Itto(Hiko)Heiso ie PO1c                     Ja_24 = Itto(Hiko)Heiso ie PO1c 
Ja_09 = Nito(Hiko)Heiso ie PO2c                     Ja_25 = Nito(Hiko)Heiso ie PO2c  
Ja_10 = Nito(Hiko)Heiso ie PO2c                     Ja_26 = Nito(Hiko)Heiso ie PO2c
Ja_11 = Nito(Hiko)Heiso ie PO2c                     Ja_27 = Nito(Hiko)Heiso ie PO2c  
Ja_12 = Santo(Hiko)Heiso ie PO3c                    Ja_28 = Santo(Hiko)Heiso ie PO3c
Ja_13 = Santo(Hiko)Heiso ie PO3c                    Ja_29 = Santo(Hiko)Heiso ie PO3c
Ja_14 = Santo(Hiko)Heiso ie PO3c                    Ja_30 = Santo(Hiko)Heiso ie PO3c
Ja_15 = no rank patched                             Ja_31 = Santo(Hiko)Heiso ie PO3c

Notice that this is a total of 8 ranks and PF allows only 7. I have included 2 files in order to activate these ranks in game with the exception of Sho-sa (Lt.Cmdr). DGen will place the skins randomly in Campaign creation. With Paul Lowengrin's DCG, you can customise the pilots every time you wish during Campaign, through the squadron editor (thats why you need the roster portraits too, they are linked to the pilot skins).

Installation: Back up the original JA folders in both the DGen and Campaign folders. Extract the zipped files to your root IL-2Sturmovik Forgotten Battles or Pacific Fighters directory (the directory structure is built into the zip file). Also included in this download is a second zip optional file with the revised ranks (install in your Missions\Campaign\JA directory).  Copy the dat. files (pf_messageen pf_messagefr pf_messagede) to \DGen (only one required of the language you are using - can't type Russian, sorry!).               

If you use any of these pilot skins in Campaign or virtual film-making, please give me proper credit.

Enjoy!

Patras 5/12/04
Spyros "elephant" Tsimas       
       


  
   