The technique described below is based on the default squadron markings ingame display mechanism. By applying the same principle to the faces that cover the whole aircraft and addressing them to different textures files, the program will assign those different textures to each squadron. Dedicated missions using one aircraft per each of the available squadrons will provide the desired “all different” aircraft scenario.
Up to ten individual skins can be displayed, that is the number of squads available for each side, although I recommend trying with only four, to reduce the risk of slowing down some machines.
Let´s start by selecting the desired plane to apply the mod, pick up its main 3D file, the *s.J3P file, four different texture file sets and our favoured J3 Editor.
Step 1: Rename skin texture sets.
For each of your texture skin sets rename files like this, as an example:
MARKING_FuseCtr01.bmp
MARKING_FuseAft01.bmp
MARKING_FuseAftR01.bmp
…
for use in slot number 1;
MARKING_FuseCtr02.bmp
MARKING_FuseAft02.bmp
MARKING_FuseAftR02.bmp
…
for use in slot number 2;
MARKING_FuseCtr03.bmp
MARKING_FuseAft03.bmp
MARKING_FuseAftR03.bmp
…
for use in slot number 3; and so on to all the skin sets you´ll be using.
The MARKING_ prefix isn´t mandatory for this mod to work, but it provides easy skin swapping by just placing the desired texture files in your WWII Fighters Data folder. A bonus provided by the executable as it looks in the Data folder for any bitmap commencing by MARKING_ prior to search the sqs archive. You´ll find this feature also helpful for quick visualisation when editing or testing skins.
Step 2: Locate the surface entities.
These are the ones that “cover” the airframe structure, usually spinner, the nose panels, fuselage, upper and down wings and horizontal stabilizers surfaces, including ailerons, flaps and elevators, vertical stab and rudder and gear bay doors. Latter on we can think about adding individuality to canopy frame, nose art panels, and… pilot face, if one really wants to go this far, mind you, the more faces you individualize, the heavier your 3D file will get, thus prone to slow down game fluidity.
Step 3: The doubling procedure.
Now select the first subentity to double.
We take it away from its group,
to insert the markings hierarchy…
…and then we put it back where it belongs.
Here, we used the right markings group name, Marks_US_Rgt_Grp, but we could use the left Marks_US_Lft_Grp instead, it really doesn´t matter which one to use as they both work. For the axis aircraft would be Marks_Ge_Rgt_Grp or Marks_Ge_Lft_Grp.
Now we double the marks group and address them to all ten slots, although as said before, I recommend trying with only four.
Step 4: Readdressing the new subentities.
Now readdress each doubled subentity to its texture file.
…and so on to all new subentities.
Step 5: Save the file.
Never is too much telling to save the file with a different name after this procedure.
Step 6: Return to Step 2.
Select your second subentity to double and go all the way through your surface entities till you get your visible aircraft surface fully multiplied and readdressed to each one of all your different skin texture sets.
And that´s it for the main 3D file.
Try to copy as much as you can from this file to the damage and distance files, so you don´t have to go all the way through with them.
Keep it simple. Some aircraft can do with the same texture for some parts so you don´t really need to mod them.
Take your time, and good luck.