Heading to Darwin

projected cover image

Well, not physically, but I believe the next scenario booklet will feature the American experience in the skies over and near Darwin during 1942. I have thirteen scenarios completely written, and perhaps will create a few more. My decision to do Darwin next is because today I received a VERY generous offer to have some planes painted gratis, and with my Blue Falcon Hobbies 49th Fighter Group decals just waiting to be used (admittedly I have to obtain the planes to use them on), this seems like the best direction for the next scenario booklet. It will still be a few months before the booklet will be ready for publication as I have to order the planes, ship them off to be painted, then play some scenarios as well as take some pictures of the scenarios in progress. The good news is I already have nine carrier based A6M2s painted, and I have five P-40Es painted for the 33rd Pursuit Squadron, both of which will be featured in the first two scenarios. The bad news is I need to paint a dozen G4M2s (after purchasing them) or use a dozen G3Ms I already have for my Wake Atoll booklet (and also need painting). Realistically I should buy nine more A6M2s and paint them properly in the 3rd Kōkūtai colors (and which I have decals for, also from Blue Falcon)....decisions, decisions!

Soooo, I went forward and ordered the P-40s and the A6M2s (yeah, like I really need nine in the proper green scheme) from Flight Deck, and while I was on my mad shopping spree ordered a desert aerial mat from Deep Cut Studio. The desert mat isn't perfect for the outback, but it will find use in many other scenarios and eras. And now...the A6M2s were painted in ame-iro...I did not need to order nine more, but at least then I can do these nine in proper 3rd Kōkūtai decals.

Back to the booklet - I have the background also written, and I just need to add my usual rules modifications, color schemes, miniatures and publication sources, and then paste the scenarios in. Sounds like a lot of work, but most of it is relatively easy. The booklet will be titled Eagles Over the Top End.

And More New Toys

As part of my new Spanish Civil War project, I ordered small batches of a few needed planes from both Flight Deck Decals and Table Top Flights. From Flight Deck came three I-15s, three Arado Ar 68s, three I-16 Type 10s, and mistakenly (because I might have been ordering while I was at work), one Tupolev Tu-2, which has nothing to do with the Iberian Peninsula! I had to double check my order for the Arado, thinking maybe I pulled another bone-head move and ordered the 1/200 scale as that plane is a beast compared to the diminutive Soviet fighters - no, the Arado is simply a beast! 

I-15

I-16 Type 10

Arado Ar 68

From Table Top I sourced three I-16 Type 5s, three Nieuport NiD-52s, three Breguet XIXs, and six Heinkel He 51s, the latter being my initial prime focus for the Legion Condor scenarios I am working up (and four appear on the Downloads page).

Breguet XIX

NiD-52

The Type 5 I-16

Heinkel!

Blue Falcon Hobbies - More Decals

Well, I have certainly spent enough money with Blue Falcon to warrant a response to my inquiries about making more decals - I used their online request form, I used direct email, and I made a comment on one of their posts. No response. That is shite service, only balanced by the good service I receive when ordering their decals. Well, the following might be the last I order from Blue Falcon since I cannot get them to respond. Why have a form on your site to request custom decals if you are not going to answer? Why have an email address if you are not going to answer? 

CR.42 decals - I have several CR.42s from my departed friend's collection but they need a bit of squadron markings added - these will do.

I had ZERO use for these (get it?) but want to add some distinct markings to my A6M2s.

Repeat after me - it is NOT called the Football War! But needed decals all the same.

These are super handy for my Darwin project.

Okay, difficult to see, but late war Hellcat markings, which I did not need!

Eventually I will have a couple of schwarms (schwarmen? schwarme?) of Bf 109G miniatures and these decals will be sued for them.

I am awaiting the 343rd Kōkūtai decals from I-94 as part of their Genda's Blade pack, but it did not hurt to buy more!

Sino-Japanese - Japanese Planes Completed

Most likely these are just the first wave of Japanese....

Another previously started project checked off. I had much of the work already completed, but had to do a little paint touch up and then add decals before applying varnish. A fairly easy project, although painting 1/285 scale struts on the Aichis wasn't a pleasant time. And, once I started putting on the varnish, I found several spots to touch up with paint!

• Planes - Flight Deck Decals (1/285).
• Paints - Vallejo Model Air Aluminium (71.062), Army Painter Warpaint Pure Red mixed with Vallejo Model Color Carmine Red (70.908), Vallejo Model Air NATO Black (71.251), Foundry Bavarian Cornflower Blue (Shade 73C).
• Decals - Flight Deck Decals.

These planes are featured in my "Melee Over the Mausoleum" scenario, found HERE.

The North American A-36

Those Operation Torch styles roundels are pretty cool...

No, not the Apache, not the Invader, not the Screaming Helldiver - the North American A-36 Mustang. Contrary to common parlance, the official name of the A-36 was the Mustang, North American Aviation's dive bomber version of the P-51. It was North American Aviation that called the A-36 the Apache, while in the 27th Fighter Bomber Group it was known as the Invader. To add even more confusion, much like "fork-tailed devil" and "whistling death," allegedly the Axis called it the Screaming Helldiver - not certain if I buy that story even if historical accounts indicate that it made a louder screeching noise than the Junkers 87 Stuka.

Michael T. Russo

Much like the early P-51 Mustangs, the A-36, using the Allison V-1710 engine, delivered poor performance at higher altitudes, but at the altitudes that dive bombers would start their run (typically 12,000 feet or less) the Allison performed well. The top speed of the A-36 was 365 miles per hour, while in a nearly vertical dive it needed air brakes to limit the dive speed to 390 mph, otherwise speeds would become excessive and lead to the A-36 not being able to pull out of their run. Carrying up to 1,000 pounds of bombs with six .50 caliber Browning M2A2 machineguns, the A-36 packed a decent punch. The gun arrangement was unique - four guns in the wings, and two under the engine firing through the propeller. And when the A-36 was not carrying bombs, it could hold its own against enemy fighter aircraft - eighty-four kills were claimed against Axis aircraft. And the 27th FBG even produced an A-36 ace - Michael T. Russo, who shot down a variety of aircraft (including Focke-Wulf Fw 190, Messerschmitt Bf 109, Fieseler Fi 156 Storch, and even a Junkers Ju 52). Russo is called by many the first Mustang ace.

I have been able to cobble together about a dozen scenarios that mostly feature engagements in the Mediterranean, but also one action in the China-Burma-India theater. I will get a few of those into Check Your 6! format and post them in the future.

Ratings - With the Allison engine and issues with the single stage supercharger at higher altitudes, here is my take on the P-51A and the A-36 for CY6!:

Miniatures - Flight Deck Decals and Table Top Flights make the A-36 while Raiden has a P-51A which would work as a good proxy especially if the casting has the fuselage guns (most P-51As had only the wing guns). For some excellent decals that cover the A-36 specifically, check out Scale Specialties available from I-94. There is a sheet that covers early P-51s and A-36s in North Africa.

...but the red outlined star and bars add some color.

Paint schemes for North Africa and the Mediterranean are simple (and I like simple for my own painting) - Olive Drab 41 upper surfaces over Neutral Gray 43 undersides. The propeller hub was usually painted red with yellow identification stripes on the wings (and included in the decal sheet mentioned above). National insignia could be the white star on blue circle with yellow surround (Operation Torch style) or the 1943 star and bars with red outline - later the blue outlined star and bars would be used. Add in some yellow aircraft numbers and tail codes usually found in white and you have a fairly utilitarian scheme, but one with some color with the nose and national insignia outlines.

There are a few books on the A-36, but one that I would recommend for a deep dive (pun intended) is Straight Down! - The North American A-36 Dive-Bomber in Action, written by Peter C. Smith in 2000. While out of print, and on the pricey side on the aftermarket sites, it details the development and use of the A-36. Most other titles on the A-36 include sections dedicated to modeling, which I do not find useful.