Battle of Midway Aircraft Group Build

Ack!!!!!!!! My first day as GB leader and I screw up! Sorry Jeeves hahaha... Oh well, I thought I was being efficient and putting it all in notepad as I read the posts... hmmm I smell a coup forming... armed takeover is sure to come! as a deposed leader I can flee to South America I guess...


Sounds good! I need to check out that book on the SBD, where did you order it?

Well I am pondering doing one of the SBD-2's from VMSB-241 as well. I guess we need to pick our plane numbers so we don't overlap. hmm.. I bet we have enough SBD lovers to model the entire 16 aircraft detachment on the island!!!

I am saving my F4F model for the North Africa build (British Martlet Mk.III flying out of Egypt) so dont know what else I will build...

btw... here is a painting of Marauders on the attack at Midway-- I believe it was Keyworth who originally sent me this although I have no idea where from....I will leave it up for a couple days for anyone who wants to check it out...

Wow-- first to respond and I don't even get on the list

OK-- I will be building Dick Best's Dauntless....I am not sure yet if he flew the -2 or the -3....I am in the midst of Tillman's "The Dauntless Dive Bomber of WWII" so I will read through the Midway chapter and figure it out. Since the end date is open, I will also be building an Avenger-- in Ballard's book on the search for Yorktown, they had some vets on board while they were doing the search. One, Harry Ferrier, was a tunnel gunner in the only Avenger that made it back...I will try to recreate the crash scene from the picture in the National geographic book on the Yorktown search.

Tom Don't forget to add the TBF's of VT-8 to your list of aircraft. They were brand new and had just arrived on midway island.

Regarding the scheme's, Your are correct in saying that the red dots on the insignias still showed after being painted over. They often showed up as light pink dots. Some decal companies even think to show this on their decals. The squadron codes were also painted over to prevent the japs getting too much info on the aircraft.

exterior all you would need are MM Navy Blue Gray and MM Light Gray,

interior needs zinc chromate, some sort of interior tan for the control stick boots, aluminum or steel for various bits...

other than that is is all just primary colors for modeling aircraft.. flat black, yellow for the propeller tips etc. red for some switches and levers in the cockpit.

If you read the directions it should be fairly straight forward. And you've got 2 or 3 of us in here that have built multiple AM SBD's so if you come on a tough spot feel free to ask before you glue! There's one or two places it took several dry fits to figure out what they meant in the pictures haha...

Good luck!

Tom, Thanks for the quickie reviews. I think I'll try the Dauntless. I've always been partial to that plane. Plus it's nice to have all the leg work as far as markings, etc. done for you. Not that I'm averse to doing the necessary research and get the right ones, but who has the time? One other question. What colors would I need for the proper paint job. I normally use Model Master enamels. Thanks, Pete

Jay - another idea would be to make an A6M2 Model 21 and display it side by side with the Devastator.... the Devastators main natural enemy... But I like the Kate idea thing too... might be neat to do an F4F side by side with the Zero and the Kate and Devestator on a different part of the table or shelf...

hmmm I feel a new GB forming.. "Predator and Prey" ... would be kinda neat.. maybe in 2007 we could start it!

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forgot to respond to your A6M2 thing.. Tamiya makes one in 1/48 as does Hasegawa, I have the Tamiya one in my stash but haven't built it. I've heard other people say its good tough. If you are into interior detail you might wanna go aftermarket on this as it looks a bit sparse from what I see on the sprues...

QUOTE: Originally posted by pmm736 I think I'd like to try one of the Accurate Miniatures kits (either the Midway Dauntless or Vindicator) from what I can tell - with my limited aircraft experience, they look like nice kits. Has anyone had experience with them? Any word on when the Vindicator is due out? I see someone's already doing a Dauntless, so if the wait time isn't too long, I'll try the Vindicator.

Pete, I've only built the SBD series from Accurate Mini's... and have heard similar things about the other kits... the kit offers exquisite detail for an OOB build, in fact I really don't recommend anything other than an Ultracast seat if they are available for the Dauntless. Really easy to mate the seams with little or no gaps even at the wing roots. I really recommend it for anyone but total beginners. moderate to decently skilled modelers would be able to get it together no prob. Interesting thing about the kit, it offers markings for ALL 16 Dauntlesses on the island during the battle. So even if someone else is modeling it you could still do one. In fact you can model it many different ways to make yours unique. No flaps/brakes, landing flaps only, full dive brakes open. Canopy open, only pilots hood open (with a small bit of cutting) canopy closed etc.. etc.. etc.. so you could personalize it. Hmmm I didn't sound too partial tot he SBD did I????

Another recommendation for a good kit is the Tamiya F4F Wildcat... good detail, goes together with no gaps in the one I built... nice looking kit indeed! A little something on the interior would work good if you are so inclined, otherwise once you close it up you can't see a thing if you like OOB stuff more.

Good luck!

You mean a new subject like a kate, then I could have like a good guy bad guy fish flyer thing going on, oh cool I'm going to have to be on the look out for some cheap kits, I also signed up for the Pearl Harbour build and am looking for an a6m2 in 1:48.

Also, I wanted a p40 E (1:72) as there is a neat little build that was mentioned on the aircraft page about a deconstuction. I was interested in doing that one too.

...what have I got myself into...

well Jay I reckon as long as you do another aircraft just for this build, the devastator could become part of this...

And as far as Happy Acres, I saw them putting a name card with your name on it on Tweety's old room...

So Tom, about my devastator, could I finish it and call it part of this GB? I still have to find a new Canopy, new rear gun, new flaps, new decals, new torpedo, I also have to re-do the paint job. other than that it is almost finished, mainly becasue I lost the parts I mentioned. Having it packed up for many years will do that.

Jules good progress on the Ju87, can't wait to see the wings on!

Oh yeah Happy Valentines day everybody (I've always wanted to use this happy face but just couldn't find the proper moment) uh-oh now you really think I'm wierd, Im goning to have to keep an eye out for the happy acres collection bus!

Kinda caught me too Dave, here is the site I got it from, from the description they were brand spanking new and in the torpedo configuration which they were never good at...

http://www.centuryinter.net/midway/air_battle.html

Jay - yeah it seems mixed about even with those who are glad to have not gone and those who always regreted not going. I think it was more the idea of being onboard ship that had him wanting to go... when I was on the USS Guam I got a letter per week from him. Almost seemed he was living his shipboard life vicariously through me...

to everyone: the GB starts immediately and ends ??? so there is no pressure on when to get done... I realize there are so many GB's going on it's almost impossible to start another one! (personal experience haha)

Also if you haven't noticed I posted a partieal list of aircraft that saw action in my first post so there are plenty to build already... more as we read more into the history I am sure!

B-26 Marauder at Midway? Really? That really surprises me.

No! No!...........must resist...............!..................already signed on to Pearl Harbor GB..........!

I think I'd like to try one of the Accurate Miniatures kits (either the Midway Dauntless or Vindicator) from what I can tell - with my limited aircraft experience, they look like nice kits. Has anyone had experience with them? Any word on when the Vindicator is due out? I see someone's already doing a Dauntless, so if the wait time isn't too long, I'll try the Vindicator.

Hey Tom, I was reading about your uncle being a gunnery trainer and regretting not going to war. My Grandfather trained as a tail gunner in a liberator (Canadian) but he wasn't very good and was posted to a construction unit making airfields on the west coast. He was glad he never saw combat. The funny thing is he still carries his service papers in his wallet!
BTW too many GBs! I would love to get in on this one. I have a devastator that is almost finished I am missing some peices. would that count as incentive to finish it? if not I'll hav to try a wildcat ot kate, I dunno yet. I hope the dead line is a long way off.

Tom-I know that sometimes I become too focused on the details & accuracy and don't enjoy the process. After all, it is a hobby...

ok I just posted a partial list of aircraft used in the engagement in my original post for this... if yall are looking for something to build. Where known, I included squadron numbers

Bob - good to know! oh well, I added the shoulder hanresses to mine... too late to get them off haha...

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 ... pretty good idea how AM researches their planes too! Thanks!

I agree-after reviewing the instructions, I noticed that the decal sheet only contained lap belts-no shoulder belts. I sent an e-mail to AM questioning that and received a reply stating that the SBD-2's did not have shoulder belts. Hard to beat that kind of service. Already planning on doing their recon Mustang for the North Africa build when that on kicks off...

Oh no, not another gb build, I cant pass on this one but I have knoe idea what to build. Jules, Darren are you guys following me from gb to gb? or maybe Im following you.

Thad

I know it Bob! I'm like a kid in a candyshop lately!!! so many to pick from, so little time!!

thanks for the link, I do remember seeing that on the AM site before but you jogged my memory... pretty good idea how AM researches their planes too! Thanks!

re: Midway Marine squadron VMSB-241

http://www.accurate-miniatures.com/research/dauntless.htm

Probably already aware of that site, but if not....

Open end date is a good idea-a lot of good GB's going on now-getting tough to pick & choose.

ok... just to get better participation, and because I like yall... let's just have an open end date on this... I understand about the amount of builds etc... heck I dont even have an idea what I am going to build for this one!!!

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Daniel, you are absolutly right about the scheme there. The only thing that you might try is (at least the Marine squadron based at Midway VMSB-241) had blue and aircraft grey stripes on the rudder they had painted over the red and white, also the decals for the SBD-2 noted the red circles might show through a bit on the insignias as they were hand painted over with white. The squadron code itself had also been painted over leaving just the aircraft number on the fuselage. I'll check around and see if I can find some reference for you.

I'm in-AM SBD-2.

Tom-enjoyed the brief history about your uncle. I regret not spending more time with some great uncles that served in both Europe (w/Patton) and in the Pacific.

Jules There weren't any aircraft flying during midway that carried the tri-colour scheme. The tri colour scheme wasn't introduced until early 1943. The only scheme that would have been used was the blue-grey over light grey one. The red and white rudder stripes and red insignia dots were also deleted after the coral sea battle. The insignia's would have been in all six positions in the white star in blue circle format.

That's probably more info than you needed, but I hope it helps anyway.

Ahh Daniel i knew you would be in on this, you just can't resist an A/C that flies off a deck eh

So here's the first question, were there any A/C in the US Navy during Midway that carried the tri scheme

Good idea for a GB. Midway is probably the event that holds the most interest for me from WW2.

If it starts straight away, I'll enter my AM SBD-3 dauntless. I will have to do some research to find a suitable scheme. Out of the box it is a SBD from the battle of Coral sea, so I'll get rid of the rudder stripes and insignia circles, and I should be pretty close. I'll just need some squadron codes.

I'll start building as soon as I finish my Aussie GB build, and my RC211V (shouldn't be too long away). Then I'll only have this build, the BoB build and the F-14 GB to deal with (if I don't go entering any others that is).

Ok Tom you already know i'm in on this one put me down for an Avenger or Wildcat, not sure yet but whatever one i choose it'll definatly be from the Yorktown.......

Hmmm i guess i should start thinking about a tag eh.....

I would be interested in joining. I've always been interested in this subject. I usually reside over on the dark side, but I'm doing a ship for the Pearl Harbor build, so what the hey. Only problem is I currently have a ton on my plate build-wise. Either pushing the whole thing back or an extension of the end date would be real helpful, in order to clear a few things out, do a little research and pick up a kit. If it's not feasible, thats OK.