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*  Boeing 737-200 *
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***By FlightFX with help from some outside painters and Jonathan Stewart***

***OVERVIEW***

This is my 737-200, modelled in GMax and so on...

Well, this project basically began in 2001 after the 737 CEP collapsed. It was originally an FS2000 project since FS2002 didn't exist back then. The aircraft was designed in FSDS until one pivotal moment arrived - FS2002 was released and if you wanted anything to have the new things everyone wanted, it had to be GMax. So after a few months of learning GMax, we decided it might be a good idea to start the 737 again. And so I did, starting with the -500. Eventually, the -200 was the first to reach the beta stage, at which point I made an interesting discovery.

The fuselage sucked!

And so I went back into GMax and completely redid the fuselage and engines. No minor task but when it was done we found it was well worth it. The new model features everything people have come to expect, visible (barely) cockpit crew, working doors (we'll texture the inside eventually :P), wing views, dynamic shine, you name it, we put it on. And so things were good. That is, unless you counted my HORRIBLE lightmaps. Let us face it. I am not a texture artist, and the paints that come with this aircraft (with the exception of Canadian Proud Wings) are mine so don't expect much. Well, Shane Strong (who also did the Proud Wings livery, thanks by the way) graciously made me some lightmaps, and with approval from Jorge Oppenheimer (We're not worthy! We're not worthy! We're scum! We suck! Thanks Jorge!) for the FDE, we finally got things rolling, and some of our painters (and some outside contractors) got some liveries rollin' in, those will be available soon. I'm working on some sounds (recorded from C-GWJU and Ship One, we're proud of that :P ), but I can't really think of a good panel. I suppose you could look around or use the Dreamfleet or Ariane panels (both payware, don't ask where you can get them...;-) ), but there should be some decent freeware ones. Anywho, after all that was sorted we decided it might be good to release it.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!

I sound like Monty Hall here. Well, one night I had a thought (and not a dirty one) , and unlike most of mine, this one actually meant something! I had asked Gary Carlson months ago if I could redo his 727 in GMax sometime but had never gotten around to it, and I figured...with the 732 fuselage, and my pal Jon's 727 engines....well, we have a possibility here. So, I fired up GMax and spent a couple days in it, and came out with a completed 727-200. It's not the best, but it's fun to play with and serves the job well as a companion aircraft. Don't ask for hushkits or winglets. You'll find those on the Super27 when that's released. I only included a couple liveries with the 727. I suppose third party painters will take care of that. Mike Baumann made the FDE and we're confident in it. Very confident. So please...refrain from emails telling us our FDE is wrong because it doesn't fly like everyone else's, I think after a butt-load of sim hours and being a mechanic on the real thing, Mike knows what he's doing. Please note that you will find yourself speeding away if you taxi like with other FS jets. We're gonna incorporate this into our 737 somewhere along the line too.

INSTALLATION

If you don't know how to install FS jets by now, you need help...but seriously, it's basic. Extract to your aircraft folder. Move the SMOKE_JT8D.fx file to your fs2002/effects folder. This is our JT8D smoke effect, and unlike most doesn't look like an F-104 vomiting hellfire. You will find ours to be the correct colour and density (light brown and thin). Thanks to Jon for making that, by the way, we needed that. Also, the 727 has some efefcts for it too and those are installed the same way. If you want some sounds for the 727, search for Cantu here at fs.com, you'll find my set...;-)

CREDITS:

The long list of credits...

OK, first and foremost Jorge Oppenheimer for his invaluable help. And FDE.

Jonathan Stewart for the 727 engines and effects

Shane Strong for the lightmaps and Proud Wings paint

Ayu for some repaints while will be released soon

Our painters for some more to be released soon

Mike Baumann for the 727 FDE and configs

Adam Stanger for beta testing

Derek Beal for the WestJet photos, and recordings!

Tiberiu Brasov for the airstairs

Foo Fighters for the CD One-By-One, which was almost constantly running while I was designing this thing...;-)

Anthrax for the song 'Madhouse', which I also played a lot while designing this, as it describes most of us designers quite well...

Gary Carlson and Kevin Trinkle for the original 727 source files which I used to make my 727, you guys ROCK!

LEGAL:

This is freeware. FREE-WARE. This is not to be packaged in any payware project of any kind, don't even ask, there will be no exceptions. 

Repaints are fine. I even included a paint kit. All we ask is you credit us and this goes for the 727 too.