Pacific Carrier War GB

[KarlW]

Someone planted this idea in my head on the latest acquisitions page after I posted a Corsair, well the suggestion was just a straight up Corsair GB but it got me thinking.
We missed the opportunity to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Midway this year, I think the Falklands conflict overshadows it now as they both ended in June only 40 years (And one week.) apart.
So my idea is simple, any carrier or carrier based aircraft involved in the War in the Pacific 1941-1945, Battle of the Coral Sea was in May 1942 so I'm going to suggest May-July 2023. (Battle of Miday was in June.)

 

[Tim Marlow]

Someone planted this idea in my head on the latest acquisitions page after I posted a Corsair, well the suggestion was just a straight up Corsair GB but it got me thinking.
We missed the opportunity to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Midway this year, I think the Falklands conflict overshadows it now as they both ended in June only 40 years (And one week.) apart.
So my idea is simple, any carrier or carrier based aircraft involved in the War in the Pacific 1941-1945, Battle of the Coral Sea was in May 1942 so I'm going to suggest May-July 2023. (Battle of Miday was in June.)

Sounds good to me. I have a FAA Tarpon in the stash that may suit…….

 

[The Smythe Meister]

I'm definitely in ....
Got a few candidates in the stash,just gotta make my mind up which one to do for this GB.(My Corsair was going to be next plane build anyway. )

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Sounds good to me. I have a FAA Tarpon in the stash that may suit…….

Tim... Is that the same as the Avenger?....

 

[KarlW]

Tim... Is that the same as the Avenger?....

Sort of, no stars on it though.......

 

[Tim Marlow]

Tim... Is that the same as the Avenger?....

Pretty much, yes……says Tarpon on the box though….

 

[KarlW]

Not to be confused with the Tarpon in the Biggles books........

 

[Tim Marlow]

Not to be confused with the Tarpon in the Biggles books........

Got me on that one…….haven’t read biggles for well over fifty years….

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Got me on that one…….haven’t read biggles for well over fifty years….

Never read one at all myself !

 

[Geoffers]

Yep, I’d be in for this one

Geoff.

 

[adt70hk]

Will sit this one out but will follow with interest.

 

[Valeron]

I'd be up for this GB

Mike

 

[KarlW]

Well it's been a week since suggesting this and have ganered the interest of:
Myself
@Tim Marlow
@The Smythe Meister
@Geoffers
@Valeron

So far short of the ten needed to get going @Ian M

 

[langy71]

oooo I might be tempted to jump in on this as GB as well, always wanted to build an Avenger or an SBD-5

 

[Lee Drennen]

Karl I have several candidates and aftermarket decals for Midway I was going to use one of these days so count me in.

 

[Ian M]

Early days yet Karl. Give it time and add me to the list. Sure I can find a victim for this one...

 

[KarlW]

So now we have;
Myself
@Tim Marlow
@The Smythe Meister
@Geoffers
@Valeron
@langy71
@Lee Drennen
@Ian M

Hoping for some floaty thing to sail in, I suspect it's all aircraft so far.

 

[stillp]

Would a P47D qualify?
Pete

 

[KarlW]

Would a P47D qualify?
Pete

While I love the Jug they didn't fly off carriers.

 

[KarlW]

Would a P47D qualify?
Pete

Actually, some were being ferried on the USS Manilla bay and 4 were used to defend the ship when attacked off Saipan, so yes, but I would say it would have to carry the appropriate markings.

After loading 37 Army Republic P-47 Thunderbolts of the Army Air Forces' 73rd Fighter Squadron, 318th Fighter Group, Manila Bay sailed on 5 June for the Mariana Islands. Steaming via Eniwetok, she reached the eastern approaches to Saipan on 19 June. During the next 4 days, she remained east of the embattled island as ships and planes of the Fast Carrier Task Force repulsed the Japanese Fleet in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and inflicted staggering losses on the enemy, crippling the Imperial Navy’s air strength permanently.

On 23 June, Manila Bay came under enemy air attack during refueling operations east of Saipan. Four Aichi D3A Val dive bombers attacked her from dead ahead, dropping their bombs which exploded wide to port. As a precautionary and rather unusual move which Raymond A. Spruance later characterized as "commendable initiative", Manila Bay launched four of the P-47 Thunderbolts she was ferrying to fly protective CAP until radar screens were clear of contacts. The Army fighters then flew to Saipan, their intended destination. Manila Bay launched the remaining planes the next day and returned to Eniwetok, arriving on 27 June. After embarking 207 wounded troops, she departed on 1 July, touched Pearl Harbor on the 8th, and reached San Diego on 16 July.