As a wargaming butterfly, I do tend to get distracted with all the projects I have on the go. I have gone back to looking at my 1/600th aircraft for use with the Downtown game system (I have done a conversion from the Boardgame to play with miniatures).
A passing comment many years ago along the lines of "you would be mad to.." so I did. The "did" was to produce all the USN
F-4s that were credited with a Mig during the vietnam war.
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MYX6uIWkG5c/VCk07cp0a7I/AAAAAAAAFC4/NH_HmMlj6ZQ/s1600/IMG_0616.JPG)
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RF_dkxKdqx4/VAlhESQoamI/AAAAAAAAEyM/AmzSC9ETnS8/s1600/IMG_0557.JPG)
I am currently researching the 18 Dec 1972 Linebacker II first wave raid with an aim of updating the scenario which is in the rules but doesn't cover the USN at all. The later 1972 aircraft, for the USN at least, have some of the most attractive markings on any aircraft and I did go to town a little bit. There are 24 individual decals on some of these F-4s which do change what is otherwise a very simple paint job.
Problem I now have is that my printer manufacturer seems to have changed the ink formulation and I am now struggling to get decent decals printed.
Amazing!
Wow - they are very nice.
I have some Tumbling Dice models for Vietnam (I bought the Thud Ridge set and bought a few more bits) that I must do some day. Those pictures are very inspirational - thanks for posting!
Simon
These are great models and the patience needed to create the level of detail here is massive.
I have built WW2 air fleets of USAAF, Luftwaffe and RAF, but nothing like this standard.
I am still looking for a playable set of rules.
Mike
QuoteI am still looking for a playable set of rules.
The Wings at War (http://http://www.wingsatwar.com/Wings%20at%20War) sets are quite good for some simple throw down type games. It was their fault I ever started off doing 1/600th aircraft as I loved the idea of Migs V Sabres over Korea. From there it was a downward spiral
Those phantoms are wonderful. The transfers make them look even better.
martin :)
QuoteThose phantoms are wonderful. The transfers make them look even better.
Thanks. When doing these I ended up with whole production runs and ideas to try and get decals for this scale. Problem is that your own decals can't print white or you need the brightness of your paper to make them stand out. So I tried all sorts of tricks. Bit stalled at the moment because my current printer can't replicate some of the designs I originally made.
What type of stands do you use for the Phantoms during a game?
Mike
QuoteWhat type of stands do you use for the Phantoms during a game?
All my 1/600th aircraft have a 3mm neodymium magnets on the underside which mate to another one on the top of plastic rods, The actual bases are 30mm x 30mm for normal aircraft and larger models like the EB-66s are on 40mm x 40mm
They also get used to support the SA-2 Launch markers
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qfBKrCS6L8Y/VTD2PEuSxmI/AAAAAAAAGQQ/1YMJMlrNMdM/s1600/IMG_0282.JPG)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TSSzLz-UFzM/VT0j8QFtoVI/AAAAAAAAGZc/OHya5iZZpiM/s1600/IMG_0304.JPG)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--UcIF-95hGs/VT6UWmloVAI/AAAAAAAAGcs/1QV7PjNJsGc/s1600/IMG_0325.JPG)
Interesting! So, you swap the stands for different flying heights, presumably - but what do the coloured dots represent?
Simon
Great pictures! I like the SA-2 smoke trails, are they pipe cleaners? I made my stands from steel wire and large washers, with holes drilled in the underside of the planes. Not easy, and getting the right height to balance was tricky. Your clear plastic stands look more professional.
Mike
QuoteInteresting! So, you swap the stands for different flying heights, presumably - but what do the coloured dots represent?
Yes, aircraft are at one of four heights which corresponds to the same in the WAW Thud Ridge game so the stands are interchangeable.
The dots let me differentiate between flights on the master roster. While all my vietnam aircraft have BuNos and MODEX (for US Navy) or Just Wing identifier and serial for the USAF these are 1/600th and eye sight isn't what it was. Still needs careful monitoring. The colour identifier in Downtown also changes the detection status (not going to explain that bit on here !!)
One other benefit of having my aircraft on magnets is that the storage is easy. The shots of the MIG Killers has them all siting on a sheet of flexible steel basing material. My master aircraft storage is a whiteboard on the wall.
as to the SA-2 Smoke trails, yes they are pipe cleaners. When Rob Wubbenhorst was setting up "Fights On" we talked through some ideas he has for markers etc. This was his idea. Just clean off the fibres from one end and paint
Thanks for the explanation, Si. Very interesting stuff.
Simon