General Discussion

[kitbasher]

Yes I'd agree, Womby.  A possible template could be black/natural metal or black/white stripes used by some Pacific Theatre USAAF P-51s and P-47s, and additionally adopted by Mexican P-47s.

https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/Mexico/MEAF-201/index.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Air_Force#/media/File%3AP47_Escuadron_201_mexico.jpg

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/16335633632

Had I not been modding I may have taken the plunge and whiffed a Mexican P-51D

[PR19_Kit]

Had I not been modding I may have taken the plunge and whiffed a Mexican P-51D

Mods are allowed to enter Dave, I always do when I'm modding, Or try to anyway.

[kitbasher]

Had I not been modding I may have taken the plunge and whiffed a Mexican P-51D

Mods are allowed to enter Dave, I always do when I'm modding, Or try to anyway.

Oh yes Kit, I'd not overlooked that.  I've done it in the past (e.g. last year's One Week GB) but - personal choice - have come to prefer not to.

I've two Downfall-related part builds I want to finish in the background of this GB, so I'm sort of participating.

[PR19_Kit]

Reading the posts here about the Tiger Force has given me an idea, utilising a long rejected 'kit' that I have in The Loft (120 miles away from me now, ooooerr.........)

I might say that the word 'kit' here is used in its WIDEST possible terms! 

Did the term 'Tiger Force' only cover the bombers they intended to use, or fighter escorts and short range ground attack types as well?

[kitbasher]

Kit,

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Force_%28air%29

Original proposals included fighters but as the proposed force was scaled back.....

But we are in Whifworld, aren't we.

[Charlie_c67]

The Tiger force lost seems to just cover Bomber squadrons, though some of those were pathfinders, mix of Lancs and Mossies by the looks of it. That said, I'd guess some FAA presence would've made an appearance, so possibility of the Sea Hornet showing up?

[PR19_Kit]

But we are in Whifworld, aren't we.

Indeed we are. 

That's very handy Dave, thanks.

It was going to be a much bigger op that I'd ever thought about. I think my idea will fit in a treat. 

[NARSES2]

A very similar scenario would be at play over Japan during the Downfall operations, so a similar quick reference marking scheme would have been applied.

When dad finally got around to talking about his War experience, other than the beer and women  , he talked about his time as a AAA gunner on HMS Indefatigable and he always said that Kamizazes were the most frightening thing he'd ever experienced. One hit her, but the bomb it carried failed to go off and she was operating agin in 30 minutes  He said though that standard procedure for air defence against kamikaze was that the CAP would deal with them up to a certain altitude, then pull away and then it was down to the AAA.  However he said the number of times the CAP would follow then into the "danger Zone" was ridiculous, and when I asked him if that made aiming difficult he simply said "we wern't aiming as such, but putting up a barrage".

I don't think ID markings would have made much difference at sea, over land possibly/probably though.

[Old Wombat]

A very similar scenario would be at play over Japan during the Downfall operations, so a similar quick reference marking scheme would have been applied.

When dad finally got around to talking about his War experience, other than the beer and women  , he talked about his time as a AAA gunner on HMS Indefatigable and he always said that Kamizazes were the most frightening thing he'd ever experienced. One hit her, but the bomb it carried failed to go off and she was operating agin in 30 minutes  He said though that standard procedure for air defence against kamikaze was that the CAP would deal with them up to a certain altitude, then pull away and then it was down to the AAA.  However he said the number of times the CAP would follow then into the "danger Zone" was ridiculous, and when I asked him if that made aiming difficult he simply said "we wern't aiming as such, but putting up a barrage".

I don't think ID markings would have made much difference at sea, over land possibly/probably though.

Air Force Theory vs Navy Practice, I guess, to some extent.

But the markings do work over land (less kamikaze action there) & in the air.

I'm fairly sure the CAP lads pulled out pretty sharpish when the flak started popping, though. 

[Charlie_c67]

Just some ideas...

For British/Commonwealth forces
Vampire landed on an aircraft carrier in December 1945.
Sikorsky Hoverfly, 1945.
Tigercat's were trialled but rejected for the Sea Hornet, so both possible there.
Fury/Sea Fury.
Plus all the weird and wonderful ideas the denizens of this forum dream up 

[McColm]

Got most of the parts for the Douglas DC-4/C-54 Skymaster,  the C-54B went on to become the prototype for the DC-6 ( first flew on 15th February 1946 and five months later the civilian version went intoproduction), which is why I bought the Mach2 model kit for the kitbash.
The engines were changed and the fuselage was lengthened, they were considered by the British for long-range anti-submarine/ general reconnaissance back in 1942 by the Admiralty but the Americans were very reluctant due to the attack on Pearl Harbour. The C-54 would have needed some defensive armament for the MPA role but was the favourite choice for project Cadillac which went to Boeing with the B-17G finally selected, ironically Douglas had built the model G. Which was to co-ordinate the offensive air operations against the Japanese Home Islands prior to Operation Downfall.
The British Air Ministry had also considered the Douglas C-54 for the AEW as the Boeing
 PB-1W was unpressurised and cramped, with the radar fitted underneath the fuselage, although two PB-1Ws were modified to carry the radome above the fuselage which gave a better height finding and detection reading.

Sources of information are from Chris Gibson 'Nimrod's Genesis 'and  'The Air Staff and AEW '.
American Secret Projects book 2

It looks as if parts from the 1/72 Heller Humbrol Douglas DC-6B Super-Cloudmaster fits the Mach2 DC-4/C-54 Skymaster so it's back on with the
 AC--54 Skymaster and YC-112B Skymaster ACI.

[DeeBob]

I've got ideas for three models, but I've actually ordered one of them and some appropriate decals today. Now to try and find a British MK2 torpedo in 72nd without robbing from another kit or paying eight pounds for a 3d printed one on eBay.

[Sport21ing]

Invasions stripes could also be fine  - imagine Tigercats, Bearcats, Corsairs, Twin Mustangs and P-51H's with them 

[Andrew Gorman]

The stash rewards those who wait.  I have a plan! My favorite palindrome has only a tangential relation- "A man, a plan, a canal Panama!"

[TomZ]

Invasions stripes could also be fine  - imagine Tigercats, Bearcats, Corsairs, Twin Mustangs and P-51H's with them 

In Normandy they were black and white, Suez aircraft had black and yellow (I think).
So what colours would have been used in Downfall?

TomZ