WoF Squadron Paint Jobs for IL2 *Update #2*
Posted: 17 Nov 2008, 09:24
ok so after talking to the guys on Friday night, I have decided to put together some squadron paint jobs for my mission set based in the Solomon Islands (i.e. The Slot). Setting will be early '43 as the allies begin to make the push to isolate and then destroy Rabual, a.k.a. Operation Cartwheel.
We will begin our tour starting on the Russell Islands. This is the group of islands between Guadalcanal and the Gilbert Islands, where the Japanese had 3 air bases including Munda, Villa, the other name escapes me. We will be flying from the south base called Renard, which we will be sharing with 2 other Marine fighter squadrons, 1 AAF P-38 squadron, a Navy bomber sqadron, 1 Marine bomber squadron and 2 AFF light bomber squadrons. The North field is called Sunshine is more fighers than bombers based there.
I have chosen a VMF squadron for us to simulate, VMF-123 "The Flying 8-Balls". They were a minor VMF squadron that transitioned last (of the squadrons active on Guadalcanal) to Corsairs and arrived on Guadalcanal where they fought in the last phases of that battle in Wildcats. Anyway they were present around the time I am simulating and were not famous so i feel we can use them and not feel cheesy.
Ok so....I already have the templates done for the F4U-1a and the F4U-1d left over from my old squadron, even though it took me 6 hours on Sat to find them...lol. So, we will have an early skin (that is just nasty, oily, dirty etc) and a late skin (as in 2 or 3 tone skins). I figure by the time I am simulating, we are flying the -1a's not the -1's with the birdcage canopy which is a pain in the ass to see out of.
Here is what I need from those that want a set of skins.
1. any nose art you want on your plane. I have a bunch already so if you just want a girl then I'll pick one from what I have, or you can send me a pic of what you want. Go easy on me, make it something I can easily cut from the background.
2. Name of Plane or Nose Art. My plane is called Hells Belle with Betty Paige in red leather (or latex...who knows). So figure out a name and send it with the Nose Art.
3. Plane Number. My plane No. is 29. So on the early skin the plane No. will display like thus: 123-29 and Late will be a large 29 on the side. So pick a plane No.
4. Pick flight leads and section leads. Nothing to this other than tail colors and a letter. I figure we will fly at minimum is 2-four plane flights as there is typically 4-6 of us (mostly 4) so that is red lead, his wing, and Red section 2 and his wing. This gives us an AI wing to watch our butts sometimes. The consistent group seems to be Panzer, Me, Veg, Grifter and at times Jedi, Letterboy, Softball, DA, and maybe even Steel (hint...hint). So without Steel, thats 8 for 2 full flights if that happens or 9 for 3 flights. I know Red is the lead flight, I cant remember the order after that. Ok, so I'd propose putting Panzer in Red 1, Veg in Red 3. Me in 2nd Flight lead and Grifter in 2nd Flight #3...if thats ok with yall. The others will get skins to cover the holes in the 2 flights and maybe skins for 3rd and 4th flights (its easy...the assembly line is already set up, I turn on the correct layers and save...etc)
Anyway, get me that info if you can. Its going take me a little while to populate the Map for this 1st round of missions. I have our base done, will start to work on the north field, and continue to populate the Japanese bases so the AI will have something to bomb. Oh thats something else I wanted to say, until the landings on Bougainville late in 43, the Corsairs didnt carry bombs. They were primarily air interdiction and strafing targets of opportunity until someone made a make shift bomb rack on the centerline out of an old SBD bomb rack (IIRC it was someone in VF-17 that came up with this)....it wasnt until the 1d's came around that there were hard points for bombs and rockets. So most of our missions initially will be air to air.
Let me know what yall think
We will begin our tour starting on the Russell Islands. This is the group of islands between Guadalcanal and the Gilbert Islands, where the Japanese had 3 air bases including Munda, Villa, the other name escapes me. We will be flying from the south base called Renard, which we will be sharing with 2 other Marine fighter squadrons, 1 AAF P-38 squadron, a Navy bomber sqadron, 1 Marine bomber squadron and 2 AFF light bomber squadrons. The North field is called Sunshine is more fighers than bombers based there.
I have chosen a VMF squadron for us to simulate, VMF-123 "The Flying 8-Balls". They were a minor VMF squadron that transitioned last (of the squadrons active on Guadalcanal) to Corsairs and arrived on Guadalcanal where they fought in the last phases of that battle in Wildcats. Anyway they were present around the time I am simulating and were not famous so i feel we can use them and not feel cheesy.
Ok so....I already have the templates done for the F4U-1a and the F4U-1d left over from my old squadron, even though it took me 6 hours on Sat to find them...lol. So, we will have an early skin (that is just nasty, oily, dirty etc) and a late skin (as in 2 or 3 tone skins). I figure by the time I am simulating, we are flying the -1a's not the -1's with the birdcage canopy which is a pain in the ass to see out of.
Here is what I need from those that want a set of skins.
1. any nose art you want on your plane. I have a bunch already so if you just want a girl then I'll pick one from what I have, or you can send me a pic of what you want. Go easy on me, make it something I can easily cut from the background.
2. Name of Plane or Nose Art. My plane is called Hells Belle with Betty Paige in red leather (or latex...who knows). So figure out a name and send it with the Nose Art.
3. Plane Number. My plane No. is 29. So on the early skin the plane No. will display like thus: 123-29 and Late will be a large 29 on the side. So pick a plane No.
4. Pick flight leads and section leads. Nothing to this other than tail colors and a letter. I figure we will fly at minimum is 2-four plane flights as there is typically 4-6 of us (mostly 4) so that is red lead, his wing, and Red section 2 and his wing. This gives us an AI wing to watch our butts sometimes. The consistent group seems to be Panzer, Me, Veg, Grifter and at times Jedi, Letterboy, Softball, DA, and maybe even Steel (hint...hint). So without Steel, thats 8 for 2 full flights if that happens or 9 for 3 flights. I know Red is the lead flight, I cant remember the order after that. Ok, so I'd propose putting Panzer in Red 1, Veg in Red 3. Me in 2nd Flight lead and Grifter in 2nd Flight #3...if thats ok with yall. The others will get skins to cover the holes in the 2 flights and maybe skins for 3rd and 4th flights (its easy...the assembly line is already set up, I turn on the correct layers and save...etc)
Anyway, get me that info if you can. Its going take me a little while to populate the Map for this 1st round of missions. I have our base done, will start to work on the north field, and continue to populate the Japanese bases so the AI will have something to bomb. Oh thats something else I wanted to say, until the landings on Bougainville late in 43, the Corsairs didnt carry bombs. They were primarily air interdiction and strafing targets of opportunity until someone made a make shift bomb rack on the centerline out of an old SBD bomb rack (IIRC it was someone in VF-17 that came up with this)....it wasnt until the 1d's came around that there were hard points for bombs and rockets. So most of our missions initially will be air to air.
Let me know what yall think
