SketchUp for RC Aircraft Design Tutorial #7

by JasonEricAnderson | November 16, 2013 | (19) Posted in How To

In this installment I'll show you how you can use the Flattery plugin to unwrap your sketchup model into a basic set of flat shapes. I'll be refining these in a later tutorial. 

You can download the Flattery a plugin here.  Note that I have had issues with newer versions of SketchUp not working with this plugin, that is why I use SketchUp 8. 

Update:

For another example of this approach I've been documenting these same techniques as I use them to design a P51-D. This will give you a head start on the topics that will be covered in upcoming articles in this series.

- Find this article & others like it at www.FliteTest.com -

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COMMENTS

tallflyer on November 16, 2013
Good Stuff
I use Sketchup
Gimp and another Free program called PosteRazor to make all my planes and convert them into PDF Im going to play around with the unfold plugin as I have a digital paper cutter that this would work great for.
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oneiwily on November 16, 2013
I really like this series of tutorials. I'm not the best designer. This series gives ppl who are, the easy start up they need.

Cheers for doing it.
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NoUsername on November 16, 2013
Lovng every tutorial, thanx.
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Paulobrasil on November 16, 2013
Hi Jason, Good Job!

How do you select the axis when using the rotate tool? I draw a box nearby and when a approach the cursor I just hold shift and go to my original draw, you did it directly !
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JasonEricAnderson on November 17, 2013
When I go to rotate I'll click and hold and move the mouse around. You'll see it flash the rotation symbol around the various axis. Once you release the tool will use the last highlighted axis. Ill demo this in the next installment.
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Paulobrasil on November 18, 2013
Great, works perfectly!
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Michael9865 on November 16, 2013
Awesome video/tutorial! Thank You for sharing your knowledge.
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NoUsername on November 17, 2013
Went to add ons and unable to find Flattery add on. Where is Flattery located?
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LordVader on November 17, 2013
This How-To series has been the Best. I hope to be able to put some of my plans out to give back to the community.
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JasonEricAnderson on November 17, 2013
Sorry I completely forgot to put the link to Flattery. Added it into the article.
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Blackbeltrrf on November 26, 2013
These tutorials are the greatest! I just got through with #7 and now am caught up. I am biting at the bit to see more. Thank you very much for doing these
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waldo.v on December 4, 2013
when is the next one ? i cant wait
great tutorial man thanks
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mark d on January 5, 2014
This series has been hugely helpful for what I want to do. A great big Thank You JEA!!
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jeffbuck on January 13, 2014
so i just started these tutorials last week, and just finished #7. starting to get the hang of it and everything is starting to come together and then there was nothing....i guess #8 and so on is still in the works?
Great videos by the way and very helpful.
looking forward to what comes next
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cade861 on February 5, 2014
are you going to make anymore of the videos? love the tutorial ive just had problems with getting it in pdf and making it print the right size. love to see how you do it they have been great tutorials
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JasonEricAnderson on May 1, 2014
I'm going to be doing a new one very soon. :-)
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808aerosquadron on March 7, 2014
JEA - Did you ever do your follow up video on polishing up the plans and inserting A & B folds? This video series has been great and very informative.

Thanks for all the help.
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JasonEricAnderson on May 1, 2014
I'm going to be doing another very soon.
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adergotardo on May 14, 2014
Hello… I'm using Sketchup 2014 For Mac OS and there isn't Flattery Plugin for it… So, I "downgrade" for version 8, but the Plugin - http://www.pumpkinpirate.info/flattery/ - doesn't work too… Can anyone help me?
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Kurzhaar on May 28, 2014
Here's what I did to get Flattery to work with Sketchup 8 on my Mac:

Uninstalled Sketchup 14.

I also removed the Sketchup application folder and files from the Library folder. (The Library folder is hidden. If you need to open it, click the desktop to make sure you’re in the Finder, hold down the Option key, then choose Go > Library.)

Downloaded and installed Sketchup 8 from...

http://www.sketchup.com/download/all

Created the Plugin folder in /Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp (There was no plugin folder after the Sketchup 8 installation).

It looked like this afterward...

/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/

Copied the Flattery plugin files and folder as described in the readme file included with the plugin to this newly created folder.

That was it.

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jrvalentin62 on May 27, 2014
Looking forward to seeing your OV-10 come out I've always wanted to build one. Following your series GREAT.
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lecrote on July 22, 2014
Hi JEA,
I just start my super decathlon plan using your very good tutorial.
I'm almost done except for the b and a fold.
Do you have an update on how to insert it?

Thanks and keep your good work coming

Dan
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Deric.Knight on January 26, 2015
I keep getting the same error. I unistalled the new SU2015 & installed the SU2014 for mac OS X. I have installed the plugin for flattery both ways and still no joy. I can't believe I watched all seven videos today and can't get flattery to work.... As of right now I hate my life haha.


-Deric
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danield on February 14, 2015
I've got flattery loaded in plugin folder and the extension loads. I select my (3d box) and hit "index edges" and nothing happens. any ideas?
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fbsully993 on May 28, 2015
when is the new video gonna be up oh and just finished all the videos they were great thanks for sharing
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FTprime on June 15, 2015
When is #8 going to be ready? Its only been 2 years.
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jagadishjnpr on June 16, 2020
Its been 7 years now!
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spetnazer on February 19, 2016
Hi Jason ... I have downloaded the tutorial you have and very nice. Now I want to make the best kind of airliner ie MD 87 or MD 90, but I do not know how to make the design in detail. Will you teach how to make the best design detail in the form of video such as a video tutorial you that? I thank you once if you wish ....
regards
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jagadishjnpr on June 16, 2020
Sir, still waiting for the tutorial on how to add "A & B folds" to the sketch, it would help me alot!! thanks in advance!
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JasonEricAnderson

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SketchUp for RC Aircraft Design Tutorial #7