2 replies to this topic

[James Davis]

Some random musings on organizing air stands and their tactics against land and fleet targets.I cant think of any reason to split up formations of level heavy bombers, or anything i have read that would indicate this was common. So basing them as formations should work, no floght stands needed.If they fit 4 B17 or B24 per stand.Medium bombers would usually follow the same tactics, although i have read of them attacking at realtivly low level in flights particularly against merchant ships and ships in harbor. So possibly some foight stands in addition to formation stands. So formations of four USAAF or three IJN aircraft. The IJN seems to have used their single engine level bombers in small groups at Pearl Harbor and possibly other places. AS (IIRC) these were TB. and i can see reasons to split TB formations for the atttack, I intend to mount several formation stands (3 or 4 planes ) and possibly some flight stands --one or two planes. I think that a TB attack that splits in two to attack from 90 degrees apart would best be portrayed with two formation stands. Dive bombers seem to have split up at times. The desriptions i have read of midway have squadron formations attacking more than one target. And even a sqd attack might break up leaving the target, so again several formation stands and a few single plane flight stands.Fighters split up. So i plan on a lot of stands to represent flights. I am tempted to try and have a few formation stands with 6 or 8 models, and then flight stands of either 2 or 3 models. The size of the models ( and cost ) might persaude me other wise. recon and spotter planes will be singles. IIRC Trumpeter has some USN float planes, but I dont remember seeing any for the IJN. So i may have to modify some other IJN type into its float plane varient.Jim D

[Dave Schueler]

Jim,For basing aircraft, I have mounted my aircraft on thin piano wire (available at most hobby shops) and I have bases with blue clay. When I need to create an aircraft formation, I just stick the appropriate number of aircraft into the base (although I break it up some if the base gets too crowded). This way I don't need to create a lot of stands for special purposes, I just need to have the aircraft on a wire. Dave

[James Davis]

Good idea. i was going to use the checker/poker chip apporch for the ease of indcating altitude. Some clay stuffed into the checker and a few holes drilled and I can have flexable mounting and altitude stacks.Jim. D