Another Scenario

Admittedly, my newest scenario has a lot in common with the "Protecting Them All" scenario in the Battles Above 1 scenario book. To be honest I used it as the basis, but, upon reviewing various historical sources, I believe some of the details of the original scenario were missing or in need of updating. Then I took my interpretation to a different level by checking the facts using AI and have created a scenario that has more of a grounding in the history of the engagement that took place on July 16, 1944 between the fighter group later known (well after World War II) as the Tuskegee Airmen and Mussolini's Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, although it is still unconfirmed the number of Italian fighters that were present.

Flight Deck Decals 3D prints painted by Misc. Minis.

On the Downloads page you will now find "Duel With the Veltro," a game ideal for four or five players. Due to damage a lone B-24, after bombing Weiner Neustadt, is making its way home, stalked by at least a pair of Macchi C.205Vs. Arriving just in time is a flight of P-51Cs from the 302nd Fighter Squadron. 

Commission Time

I am finally getting around to sending off some commission work to Miscellaneous Miniatures. While I am becoming proficient in my painting skills, my limitations are mostly solid colored aircraft, and what I am sending off to have painted are, for the most part, planes that need more brush work, or ones that go along with planes Misc. Minis has painted for me in the past and I want to keep consistency.

Vietnam - While I had bought the decals needed from Misc. Minis and Sieben Schwaben, and thought to tackle this one on my own, the amount of decals having to go on each American aircraft is something I just do not want to deal with applying so many and am completely happy allowing someone else to do that work. 

Tuskegee - I have owned the planes and the ANR decals for quite some time for a scenario in the Battles Above 1 scenario book and I think it will make a great convention game with four fighters on each side and a crippled B-24 that I could run. I am changing the scenario a bit, bringing it more inline with the historical encounter. 

Slovak-Hungarian - I have a pair of Heinkel He 70s that will allow me to bring another scenario to the table top. I think that will take care of my collection for this war.

Burma - I have a collection of Allied and Japanese planes for this ongoing project. I decided to expand upon the handful of scenarios I could host previously, so in the future more Flying Tigers games will be making an appearance on the tabletop and the blog.

Book Review - The Camouflage & Markings of the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana 1943-45

Be forewarned, I am enamored with this title....

The Camouflage & Markings of the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana 1943-45, written by Ferdinand D'Amico and Gabriele Valentini. Oversized hardback, 224 pages, color planforms and profiles, black and white photographs. Crecy Publishing, 2005. 

As mentioned in a recent post, I had this unique title on its way to me as I decided to expand my knowledge and perhaps add some ANR aircraft to the Check Your 6! collection. I am very glad I was able to pick up this title, gently used, for around $30.00. The book is heavily illustrated with numerous black and white photographs, along with color planforms and profiles, presenting the aircraft of the ANR in great detail, from a camouflage and marking perspective. The book is broken down by unit, starting with the fighter groups, but also includes details on the torpedo and transport groups, as well as the utility aircraft used by the ANR. There is a history of the ANR's creation, the takeover of Italian aircraft by the Luftwaffe, and then the creation of each group. Within each group are details as to how the group was equipped, and then numerous details as to how the aircraft were marked. For example, sixty-two pages are dedicated to the 1° Gruppo Caccia (1st Fighter Group). Within those sixty-pages are 127 black and white photographs, twenty color planforms, and twelve color profiles, to go along with squadron and other types of markings. While the 1° Gruppo Caccia has the most coverage due to its length of service and amount of activity, this impressive amount of information and visualization is carried throughout this title. The authors have done a magnificent job on detailing the various aspects of the schemes used as they did vary - moving from German markings on Italian camo, then to ANR markings, then ANR markings on German RLM 74/75/76 painted planes, to finally German and Italian marking used on German schemes. Each step is thoroughly covered.

Pictures and profiles abound

Squadron and national insignia example

One does have to find this book via aftermarket booksellers, but the title is available for somewhat reasonable prices. While may may find this amount of detail overkill, when it comes to the aircraft paint schemes and markings for the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana this is the one book to have on the bookshelf. The ANR is often overlooked but earned a favorable reputation among their German allies as well as their opponents during its year and a half existence, defending Italy from bomber raids. While this book does not offer ideas for scenarios, it is the definitive account of how the planes used by the ANR looked. Highly recommended.

Planform examples