WWII Carrier Aircraft Design GB (Starts Now -- Ends November 30, 2006)

gwaihir wrote:

Oh by the way, I made the choice / mistake of changing my username with the new system. I used to be newtothegame, but it came from a site for playing chess, so I thought it was time to switch. Anyone else make this choice and loose all of their post numbers (not that it really matters.)

It esay to have one username for everything. I have 3 different (including passwords) user names for other websites and it's pain to keep up with them. I'll make the change right now to gwaihir.

gwaihir wrote:

jboutin wrote: Which reminds me, anyone doing a Japanese Carrier aircraft? I don't think I saw anyone on the first page. I'm just finishing a zero for the Pearl Harbour GB so I don't realy feel like building anouther. Jay, It is far enough off that I will probably change my mind a few times before it starts, but right now I am thinking of a type 21 zero for this build. However, I have quite a few american carrier planes that I really want to do too (catmouth hellcat, corsair, photo hellcat, martlet) So many planes, so little time... Leon

 

did someone say Martlet? 

Actually I like the F4F/Martlet too... still like the Dauntless better though.  The F4F is a tubby little thing but after building a few I appreciate the simpleness of her design.

I never really liked the looks of the WILDCAT, but you can definitely see the beginning of the grumman cats there. All the fighters including Hellcat and Bearcat had a similar appearance and you can even see it in the Avenger. The biggest similarity is the shape of the wings.....But I think they got the looks best with the Hellcat IMO.

tho9900 wrote:

did someone say Martlet?  Actually I like the F4F/Martlet too... still like the Dauntless better though.  The F4F is a tubby little thing but after building a few I appreciate the simpleness of her design.

Yes, I do also love look of the wildcat. It's short stubby look makes me think of a cartoon airplane, which makes it very cool. Is that a terrible thought?? Anyway, if you are interested in martlets, here is an article I found that may be of help when it comes to modeling one.

http://fleetairarmsig.netfirms.com/articles/martlet/scottspencer-martlet/martlet.html

Leon

I'll probably regret this later but the start date is far enough off that I think I can squeeze it in.  Sign me up but I'll have to think about what I want to build.  Lots of choices out there and I've done so few carrier planes.

As for the best looking carrier plane.  I'd have to go with the seafire.  Nothing more graceful than the spit.  The Corsair and the Zero come tied for second.  True the Gruman aircraft look cool in their own brutish down to business look but I like the more graceful look.

 razordws  to the Group Build!

Looks like there are quite a few people who like Dauntless here. I like the early SBD’s with the yellow wings and the bare mental fuselage. I also like the SBD’s that were used in the Atlantic painted with Dark Blue and Gull White. Anyone have a particular camo scheme they like for the SBD?

I like the Atlantic scheme dauntlesses. I think it is just that I really like that scheme - the wildcats, avengers, etc. I even did a what-if p-47 in that scheme. A picture for fun...

Leon

 

 

For me, it's gotta be the early pacific scheme of Blue-Grey over Light-Grey. I'm not a huge fan of the SBD in tri-colour scheme for some reason (it's the best scheme for most other aircraft though). I don't really like the Red and white stripes though. Around the Midway period is when they looked best to me.

 

After working so long on this F3F-2, I think I am beginning to like those 'tween' War aircraft more and more.  Otherwise I think the navy blue/grey over lgiht grey scheme is what I associate the SBD with most.. so that would be a second choice.  I'm itching to get an SBD-1 to put next to my F3F as soon as possible!

 

Leon - AWESOME page!  I wish you were around with this info back during the North African campaign GB... I did one of the desert Martlets from 805 sqn and obviously missed a few points... I may have to do another (correctly) because I liked the scheme so much.  As you see I missed the guns, the cowl flaps, but I did get the inner cowl scoops out..... I'll definitely have to get another copy of that decal sheet... hmmmm still have an F4F kit on the shelf... so dare I do another one for this GB?

---edit---  great P-47!!!!  just looked back up and saw the pic...

Sweet Martlet. Is that from the aeromaster decal sheet? I have that one and am trying to decide which one to attempt. I will probably end up going with one that requires the least amount of conversion. <img src="/FSM/CS/emoticons/icon_smile_wink.gif" alt="Wink [;)]" /> Anyway, nice work on yours; seeing it gets me even more excited to do mine.
Leon

Leon - thanks!  and yeah it's the aeromaster sheet..  If I had your article before I started this one I might have balked a little on doing it.. haha.. filling those wing fold lines with all that wing detail around it wouldn't be my idea of fun!  Actually I probably still would have because I liked the scheme so much for it...

Wooverstone, I had a thought that I am carrying over from the suggestions and feedback section http://www.finescale.com/FSM/CS/forums/542617/ShowPost.aspx

In a nutshell - Back in the BoB GB, I wanted to go back and see some finished pics of other's builds but had no idea what pages they were on.  For the Canadian GB (I am the moderator), when participants complete their build, I add a note that tells what page their pics are on.  I know some people keep their pics only for a short time on what ever digital image hosting website they use but it in the meantime it can help others view their pics (I like to keep my pics up for the duration of a build and a little bit afterward).  Just a thought?   

Thank You, Jay for your suggestion. It’s a very excellent idea because sometimes I am interested in seeing someone’s work, but have absolutely no clue what page it’s actually on. Once the build starts and we get some finish models in, I’ll make the notes in blue so they can be found easily.

Hmmmm my Favourite carrier A/C of WWII....Well my favourite fighter is the Spitfire so i'd have to say the Seafire with the Grumman Hellcat close behind, I am actually thinking of converting the Tamiya Spit V into a Seafire using the crappy Airfix Seafire tail hook assembly as a base......

that is a good idea Jay --  sometimes I'll see someone ask about a certain AC that I know of soeone building in one of the GB's I am in .. then I have to sort through 300 pages and such to find the finished build...

Jules - still not sure what I am going to do for this one.. Still in research mode.. Honestly I think those dark blue spits from Malta were pretty sexy... maybe I'll finally get to that..

That would certainly make for an interesting model Tom, those Blue Spits were the MK V right?

As for me i've done a little research on the Seafire IIIc and the old Airfix kit is almost nothing like it around the tail hook area so i'll drop the idea of using that to convert the Tamiya MK V and stick to the original Swordfish build that i planned.......

Jules - do you have a pic of what the hook on the Seafire looked like?  Maybe we can come up with a scratchbuilt or swap from another aircraft idea!

OK, all of this chatter about the best looking Carrier aircraft has me inspired to join this GB.  I will enter with a build of the most beautiful, graceful, streamlined, breathtaking aircraft that flew in WWII....Drum Roll Please ...

The one, the only, the magnificent.... Fairey FireFly Mk. I .... TA DA 

Well maybe not the most beautiful, my vote would go to the Corsair actually.  But I've had the Grand Phoenix 1/48 kit of the FireFly  sitting on the shelf ever since it was released & this will give me a good reason to actually build it.  I'll do an aircraft from 1771 Squadron, HMS Imlacable, that carried out strikes on the Japanese mainland in 1945, near the end of the war.

Regards,  Rick

 

rjkplasticmod to the Group Build!

 

Some great entries in this and the Atlantic GB Rick-- I look forward to seeing you do the Firefly-- that is one errrrrr lovely aircraft

Yeah Rick thats one seriously >>>>>cough cough<<<<<<<great looking aircraft the firefly, Should be a great build but, I'll be looking forward to seeing the finished kit

 

Tom The Seafire MK III has a real weird looking tailhook and i can't imagine any other tailhook looking like that......It is however possible with some scratchbuilding to remedy the airfix hook and fit it to the Tamiya fueselage, fitting it will be a problem mainly because the airfix offering is way oversized and much too thick to look realistic, i'll also have to add a four bladed prop and scribe the wingfold lines........

The thing is i'd have to cut into the Tamiya MKV Spit fueselage to fit it and if it doesn't work it will cost me the price of a good Tamiya kit........Whadda you reckon Tom should i give it a go?.....

I reckon you should give it a go Jules. I like the sea fire in the FAA colours. Looks even better than the firefly......

rjkplasticmod wrote:

....Drum Roll Please ... The one, the only, the magnificent.... Fairey FireFly Mk. I .... TA DA  .... Regards,  Rick

 

I think we have a new leader in the 'Fringe' catagory....

Don't be so hard on the poor old Firefly.

It may not have bee too fast in a straight line, but in a dive the Firefly could show the Seafire a clean pair of heals, then that was because it weighed about the same as two seafires!

And don't forget that the Firefly went to give stirling service in Korea as a ground attack machine.

Karl

EDIT: Punctuation!

What's interesting is that the Fairely Firefly AS Mk. 5 is the 'picture of the month' on my Ghosts calendar here at work.  One of those planes that you see/hear little of out in the mainstream.  Looking forward to seeing it built Rick.

  That's one of the fun things about the GB's- I get to see (and research) a lot of little known planes....even the occasional Marlet

Hmmm i'll have to give this Seafire thing a little more thought, I must admit that i do like the FAA colour schemes, and i can't recall ever seeing a Seafire MK III built before which gives me some more motivation to do it, but on the other hand i really would like to have a Swordfish in the collection.....

Anyways here is a couple of pics which show wing folds and thr tail hook....

OK guys. I need your expertise / opinions. First off let me preface this question with the fact that I know very little about the history side of our hobby. I wish I knew more, but I really got into it because I thought the planes looked cool. I am trying to learn though. Anyway, I'm trying to say, please excuse my ignorance.

I have a dauntless sbd-1 that I am thinking about commiting to for this build. However, I'm not really sure if I want to do it in the yellow wing scheme. So I have been doing some searching to see what I can find about it's use during the war. I found the following information on a site about the Battle at Midway. Site: http://www.microworks.net/pacific/orders_of_battle/midway_usa.htm

Information located in 2nd grouping on the page:
V- 8 USS Hornet (Yorktown) -- Captian Marc A. Mitscher
VF-8 -- 27 F4F-4, Lt. Cdr. Samuel G. Mitchell (12 lost)
VB-8 -- 19 SBD-2 and -3, Lt. Cdr. Robert R. Johnson (5 lost)
VS-8 -- 18 SBD-1, -2, and -3, Lt. Cdr. Walter F. Rodee (5 lost)
VT-8 -- 15 TBD, Lt. Cdr. John C. Waldron (Killed) (All lost)

So to make this short. I am reading it as there was atleast 1 sbd-1 on the uss hornet at the battle of miday for vs-8.

1) Am I understanding this info correctly?
2) At that period of time, it wouldn't have been painted in the "prewar" scheme would it?
3) If it was a different scheme, what do you suppose that scheme would be?

Enough for now. Can you offer any help?
Thanks,
Leon

BTW, Jules, I hope you do the seafire. It looks really cool.

Leon If it was on the decks of a carrier at Midway  it would have definatly been the 2 tone Blue/grey over grey camo scheme, The red spots in the national insignia and the red stripes on the rudder would have also been overpainted.......Hope this helps

Hey Leon!!  Good to see ya here!  Jules set it out straight, it would look like any other SBD at the time.  Check out the battle of Midway GB and there are more than a few SBD's in there with the correct scheme for ya.  Does the SBD you have contain tthe small nat'l insignia for the fuselage?  |

This is a Wildcat but at least you can see the size difference:

Pre war:

During the war prior to Midway but would have been the same scale dimensions for the SBD:

 

As my esteemed colleage Jules pointed out, drybrushing shite over the red dots to hide then would set you straight!