Battle of the Coral Sea Group Build 4 May, 2017 - 8 May, 2018

It's a newer scale they are promoting. So far a Bismark, Hood, Missouri/ Iowa, Nelson/ Rodney, Arizona and a couple of other dogs and cats.

Hmmm.  It's a little big to go with the rest of the ships I've built, so I guess I'll be sticking with 1/700.

Thanks for the information, GM.

Change of plans.  Instead of a Devastator, put me down for a F4F-3 from VF-2.  Kit will be Hasegawa's F4F-4 backdated (kind of) using Quickboost's F4F-3 wing conversion.

Way to go Buddy. VF-2 is going to be my deck load.

Trumpeter's 1/200 big ships are for folks who have lots of money and display space... I have an old Nichimo 1/200 IJN destroyer in my stash and that beauty is big. I can only imagine a carrier or battlewagon. Speaking of which, Nichimo did make a 1/200 Yamato once upon a time... 

For other books that cover Coral Sea, but not exclusively, I would suggest Lundstrom's "The First Team", and look for books in Osprey Publishing's various series that cover types used their such as "TBD Units of the US Navy", "Aichi Type 99 Kanbaku Unts", or similar titles. 

Roster is updated with the change, lewbud.  I've looked at those Quickboost wings, but opted for AZ/Admiral's F4F-3.  That way I didn't have to mix media.  Wasn't sure I could get resin wings to stick securely on a plastic fuselage.  I'll be paying close attention.

 Used Butch O'Hare's markings from February, 1942.

The First Team is a great read, stik.  I've read and re-read it a couple of times.  There are a few good profiles of Wildcats in the back, too--including Butch O'Hare's.

checkmateking02

The First Team is a great read, stik.  I've read and re-read it a couple of times.  There are a few good profiles of Wildcats in the back, too--including Butch O'Hare's.

 

Yes, that is one I seriously need to add to my library. Both the original and the second volume. 

checkmateking02

Roster is updated with the change, lewbud.  I've looked at those Quickboost wings, but opted for AZ/Admiral's F4F-3.  That way I didn't have to mix media.  Wasn't sure I could get resin wings to stick securely on a plastic fuselage.  I'll be paying close attention.

 Used Butch O'Hare's markings from February, 1942.

 

 

The Quick Boost wings plus Tamiya base kit has to better than what I have in comparability and ease of conversion... I have the classic Monogram F4F kit with the not quite as old Medallion Models interior and -3 conversion kits in my stash to do an early war -3 one day. I'm gonna keep my subject selection for this GB as close to OOB as possible. (Yeah right, how many times have I said that and then disregarded those words in the past few years?)

So that narrows it down to a Fujimi A6M2, Classic Airframes A5M, Nichimo or Hasegawa B5N, Hasegawa D3A, Hasegawa or Accurate Miniatures SBD... since I already have done a Coral Sea TBD-1, and the F4F-3 is a conversion that will be a few levels more than OOB...

Nice selection to choose from, stik. 

Thanks... my Midway choices are even better

I have a 1/72 Hasegawa type 21 Zero I was going to find markings for the Zuikaku or Shokaku if possable.
Who knows, I might find a 1/700 carrier for the build anyway.

I'll add this to the roster, Steve.  If you change your mind, I'll change the roster.

Stik- my vote is the Val. Just a beautiful aircraft.

GMorrison

Stik- my vote is the Val. Just a beautiful aircraft.

 

That she is... good lines...

Checkmate

Here is my kit for this GB....will start on it soon. Thanks again for starting this GB.

Checkmate-please put me down for this one-1/48 Accurate Miniatures SBD-3

Thanks

Very nice, Hunter.  Good looking box art, too.

bobbaily:  Welcome to the GB.  Glad to have you join us.  Roster is updated.

Check,

I'm looking into the new 1/72 Airfix Kate for this. I think the box art depics the CarDiv5 Shokaku bird but not sure, so I'm checking on it. One white stripe and E1 on the tail...pretty doggone sure though.

Go ahead and put me down for that one. Once I find out for sure I'll get it sometime soon.

modelcrazy

Check,

I'm looking into the new 1/72 Airfix Kate for this. I think the box art depics the CarDiv5 Shokaku bird but not sure, so I'm checking on it. One white stripe and E1 on the tail...pretty doggone sure though.

Go ahead and put me down for that one. Once I find out for sure I'll get it sometime soon.

 

Steve, if you check the two links I posted on the first page, it confirms the one white stripe and E1 tailcode.

regards,

Jack

Roster is updated, mc.  Nice selection and it fits right in.

And thanks, Jack, for your research.  Makes me think about getting one myself.  

No probs ... and if curious as to the remaining digits and what they represent, 2 indentifies aircraft as dive bomber, while 08 is individual aircraft number.

regards,

Jack

Thanks Jack. The second link isn't working for me but the first one defiantly confirms my thinking. The second one would confirm the color.

5th Carrier Division:

Shokaku- EI tail code prefix and single white fuselage band/stripe.

Zuikaku- EII tail code prefix and two white fuselage bands/stripes. 

1 series numbers, fighters

2 series numbers, dive bombers

3 series numbers, level/torpedo bombers

yellow stripes on the vertical tail are indicative of leadership position within the squadron. One being lowest level and three the senior. Wingman aircraft displayed no yellow tail stripes.

The IJNAF tail code prefixes changed in late summer 1942 after the loss of 1st and 2nd Carrier Divisions at Midway. The system was completely revamped in 1943 by the time of the next Carrier Battles in 1944.

I love the reserch that comes with these group builds.

modelcrazy

I love the reserch that comes with these group builds.

 

Yes, there can be a LOT of knowledge of minutiae found here on various threads. As a group, us modelers can really get into the history of our subjects.

". . .us modelers can really get into the history of our subjects."

And that's one of the things I like best.

checkmateking02

". . .us modelers can really get into the history of our subjects."

And that's one of the things I like best.

 

Yes, it can turn into a true passion at times.