Boeing MH-139 HSC-28 BR-36

Available on the Market Place - CLICK HERE TO SEE!

Click images to enlarge!

ASRA KRON © EIGHT SHADES OF BLUE 2018

  

News from the Fleet! Navy paint jobs now available to all!

The "Jolly Rogers" F/A-18D AG/200 POW MIA marks the release of :: 8SB :: U.S.N. paint jobs to the public.

FROM N.A.S. MIRAMAR WEBLOG:

The "authorities" have decided to give the general public access to United States Navy liveries through our official supplier, Eight Shades of Blue ( :: 8SB :: ) that up to the release of Shana Carpool's new Hornet only supplied Second Life naval officers, in particular those serving in Third Fleet. This decision was already in the making as the Hornet was released with a VFA-25 set of liveries, hinting what was to come. However, the gift paint kit you get by purchasing Shana Carpool's Hornet, included in the aircraft box, remains special as it contains a REPLICA livery (see here). This was a one of a kind occasion - and this set is still available for 0 L$ in :: 8SB :: market place store and vendors across the grid.
The opening salvo of this new release policy belongs to ALTERNATE SERIES VFA-103 "Jolly Rogers" C and D Hornets in a POW MIA color scheme, but other U.S. naval aircraft paint jobs will be available in the future, depending on :: 8SB :: listings and work load.

SEE THE FIRST RELEASES FOLLOWING THE LINKS BELOW!

U.S. Navy VFA-103 "Jolly Rogers" POW MIA F/A-18D Hornet (in the main picture above)

U.S. Navy VFA-103 "Jolly Rogers" POW MIA F/A-18C Hornet (in the picture below)

click image to enlarge

Eight Shades of Blue will now create :: 8SB :: ALTERNATE SERIES United States Navy liveries for the market, available to all. The ALTERNATE SERIES are paint jobs inspired by real life aircraft that have served or still serve in air forces and navies across the globe. They are not replicas.

U.S. Navy paint jobs related to Third Fleet squadrons, ALTERNATE or REPLICA, are never available to naval officers serving in other fleets than those mentioned below or to the public in general.lic in general.
U.S. Navy aircraft replicas, in the :: 8SB :: REPLICA SERIES, are only available to naval officers serving in the Second Fleet, Third Fleet and Seventh Fleet in Second Life's United States Navy, with the caveat that Third Fleet, as the main procurer, has special prices. SL naval officers serving in the fleets mentioned also have access to SL active duty ALTERNATE liveries, Third Fleet ones remaining exclusive to the squadrons in the fleet. These are not accessible to all.

We hope in this manner to further spread the image of the United States Navy throughout Second Life with quality liveries now available to all aviation enthusiasts - naval aviation in particular.

GO NAVY! HOOYAH!!

CAPT. Asra "Cougar" Kron
NASMCO / TFCOM / :: 8SB ::
  

US Navy VFA-103 "Jolly Rogers" POW MIA F/A-18D Hornet

 
Available on the MP - CLICK HERE TO SEE!

Click images to enlarge!

Also available the Alternate F/A-18D from VFA-103 "Jolly Rogers" POW MIA.

Alternate Series version F/A-18C available - See here!

Also in a two pack! - See here!

 
ASRA KRON © EIGHT SHADES OF BLUE 2018

 

Boeing F/A-18C Hornet VFA-25

The stock Boeing F/A-18C and D Hornets by Shana Aircraft have been released at last and as part of this fat pack EIGHT SHADES OF BLUE is offering two liveries from the United States Navy VFA-25 "Fist of the Fleet" strike fighter squadron: a high visibility CAG aircraft (AA/400) and a low visibility standard aircraft (AA/402).

VFA-25 AA/400 CAG Hornet BuNo 164266 on the USS Carl Vinson.

The Boeing F/A-18C and D Hornets have been in the making for quite some time and Second Life's United States Navy Third Fleet has helped in R&D via the USNTPS and the NFDT Blue Angels, who were the first to have fully operational models in January of this year (see "New Hornets for the Fleet" and "New Hornets for the Fleet: One Year of R&D in Images"). EIGHT SHADES OF BLUE is proud to have been chosen as official Shana Aircraft livery provider, along side the work in development for the Navy Hornets.

Those who bought the aircraft before this date will have the paint kit delivered to them by Shana Aircraft but everyone has it available from the market place for free as back up, in case something goes wrong with it and a new paint kit is needed. This because the aircraft allows you to add your name as pilot and there are a few full perm items in the paint kit that may be damaged if you are not careful. Hence this back up.

High visibility livery - AA/400 CAG aircraft

Low visibility livery - AA/402 standard aircraft

You can find this paint kit on the market place following THIS LINK (click to open). If you would like me to take care of the pilot name for you, or require a unique color scheme for either the C or D model send me a note card in world (x4ten resident).

More liveries for the Hornet will be available from EIGHT SHADES OF BLUE soon, including a "what if...?" series with color schemes from air forces and navies that do not operate the Hornet in real life. Enjoy this offer and this amazing Shana Carpool aircraft, one of the finest Hornets to fly the skies of Second life.

Important note:
I do not supply or sell United States Navy liveries for customers who are not naval aviators, but the release of the Hornet has changed that policy as it is in fact the mainstay aircraft of the U.S. Navy, which led me to offer these two color schemes (both real life replicas) as part of Shana's package.
In the future, for a very high price, United States Navy squadron liveries may be available in the market place. This will allow some to have access to EIGHT SHADES OF BLUE U.S.N. color schemes while at the same time contributing to Third Fleet's maintenance costs by truly making a considerable donation to it when buying such extremely overpriced items. Privately owned Navy aircraft liveries made by EIGHT SHADES OF BLUE however will not have sequential bureau numbers and will always be stand alone aircraft - no squadron deals outside the Navy in Second Life.

ASRA KRON © EIGHT SHADES OF BLUE 2018

 

Project SH-60F Oceanhawk 2017

The Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk has been the mainstay of US Navy helicopter squadrons since practically its introduction in the service. The "Seahawk" is the naval derivative of the ubiquitous land-based UH-60 "Black Hawk" series transport helicopters. Origins of the UH-60 go as far back as the 1970s to which the helicopter recorded its first flight on November 29th, 1974 and formally entered service with the United States Army in 1979. Over 4,000 units have been delivered and serving across multiple military forces around the globe. The UH-60 was then adopted by the United States Navy in a naval form with a first flight recorded on December 12th, 1979. Formal introduction into service occurred in 1984. The SH-60 remains the primary helicopter of the United States Navy, in various roles.

As such, as squadrons honored their respective CAG or Unit CO with a special livery that usually applied a unique design to the aircraft's aft body and tail, with the paint subject as varied as location of deployment, squadron's ensign, USN special occasions and so on, multiple examples of these unique aircraft were flown.

The private NF 610 inspired SH/MH-60's are delivered at Miramar.

Two photos of NF 610, BuNo 164460 in Japan. The real one.

The choice of this particular aircraft as the first historic SH-60 of this kind was due to a private order from a close friend whom I granted the making of a US Navy livery, which Eight Shades of Blue usually creates for S.L. U.S.N. squadrons only. The conditions were several, starting with the client's agreement regarding the "semi-exclusivity" of the livery, since the historical version would be assign a place in the S.L. U.S.N.. Also, the private version is not an exact replica, being more "inspired" by the model here shown. It was given a random SDN (618) and a private serial with an Eight Shades of Blue prefix and no digits (ESBVIC). There was also no HS-14 emblem applied to it. Having agreed to the terms the project was concluded and the work on the historical model for the S.L. U.S.N. started, resulting in the work you see above and mentioned in NAS Miramar's weblog (see here). Curiously enough, the same client likes this particular tail so much she wishes to have it adapted to several other helicopter types she owns, under the exact same terms applied to the SH-60.
But only the Navy has the BuNo 164460 NF-610.

Notes: The choice between the "Battle E" certification and the HS-14 eagle pods was not easy but I went with the pods - which I couldn't find in the "E" period photos. Also, due to the way the tail stabilizer is made it is impossible to apply a texture to it. A complete replica with "CHARGERS" painted on it would depend on Spijkers & Wingtips developing a new stabilizer.

Click on image to enlarge.

LIVERY COST:
The cost of a Spijkers & Wingtips SH-60 or MH-60 unique custom livery is 3,000 L$ with guaranteed exclusive and support for 12 months. Installation by Eight Shades required and included. Auto paint delivery system available soon. Textures permissions: no mod, copy, no transfer.

AIRCRAFT PROFILE COST:
The cost of a Spijkers & Wingtips SH-60 or MH-60 unique aircraft profile using the unique livery ordered is 500 L$. Supplied with frame. Permissions: no mod, copy, no transfer.

TIME TO COMPLETION:
48 hours from start, 72 hours with profile. Start depending on lined up and ongoing work.

AIRCRAFT INFO:
.:S&W:. SH-60 Seahawk v1.2.1
Spijkers & Wingtips SL Market Place store link (URL here). You can also find the SH-60 in a vendor at Honah Lee Trudeau (SLUR here).

Note: Similar color schemes without U.S.N.S.L. markings but using generic Navy markings are available on demand. S.L. U.S.N.. Third Fleet orders have a special discount on this type. See Third Fleet price list here!

Asra Kron
Eight Shades of Blue

Disclaimer:
All references in this entry refer only to the item illustrated. 

Project NH-90 2017

With the introduction of Spijkers & Wingtips NH Industries NH-90 in S.L. U.S.N. Third Fleet units, orders for a U.S.N. inspired livery came through and I chose the two tone gray white high visibility scheme used back in the 60's and 70's for HS squadrons, namely those equipped with Sea Kings.

The project involved two squadrons, HSC-22 and HSC-14, and asides the distinctive tail code that clearly identifies the aircraft's deployment along with the squadron insignia, I assigned a color code to the tips of tails and sponsons and the main rotor top guard to facilitate ID at first glance - a common practice when this color scheme was in use. The templates supplied by Spijkers & Wingtips do not include the texture for the main rotor guard so here is hoping Tig Spijkers will add it to the package soon. For purposes of accurate representation, the main rotor guard was painted on the HSC-14 aircraft profile (see below).

The NH-90 project will include a Navy gray and a Navy ghost livery for aircraft involved in other roles with these squadrons or others that may adopt them. Updates will be posted on this weblog when those are released.

Click on image to enlarge.

LIVERY COST:
The cost of a Spijkers & Wingtips NH-90 unique custom livery is 6,000 L$ with guaranteed exclusive and support for 12 months. Installation by Eight Shades required and included. Auto paint delivery system available soon. Textures permissions: no mod, copy, no transfer.

AIRCRAFT PROFILE COST:
The cost of a Spijkers & Wingtips NH-90 unique aircraft profile using the unique livery ordered is 1,000 L$. Supplied with frame. Permissions: no mod, copy, no transfer.

TIME TO COMPLETION:
48 hours from start, 72 hours with profile. Start depending on lined up and ongoing work.

AIRCRAFT INFO:
.:S&W:. NH-90
Spijkers & Wingtips SL Market Place store link (URL here). You can also find the NH-90 in a vendor at Honah Lee Trudeau (SLUR here).

Note: Similar color schemes without U.S.N.S.L. markings but using generic Navy markings are available on demand. U.S.N.S.L. Third Fleet orders have a special discount on this type.

Asra Kron
Eight Shades of Blue

Disclaimer:
All references in this entry refer only to the item illustrated.