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Miniatures Adventure => Interwar => Topic started by: leadboy on February 23, 2022, 08:27:28 AM

Title: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: leadboy on February 23, 2022, 08:27:28 AM
A couple of bits of news (well, news to me, anyway) for VBCW air wargames -

(1). the Too Fat Lardies WW1 air wargaming set of rules, "Algernon Pulls it Off!", has been made available free (with the permission of the Lardies) by the Storm of Steel podcast site. "Algernon" has been strangely unavailable for years, and can be crossed with the still very much available "Bag the Hun" for interwar/VBCW air gaming;

(2). Warlord has entered into a commercial tie up with Airfix to produce a "Battle of Britain" boxed set with 4 x 1/72 planes (2 x Spitfires, 2 x Bf109), the "Blood Red Skies" rules (probably a 'lite' version) and seemingly all the 'gubbins' necessary to play the rules. Although this retails at an RRP of £69 ( :o), Warlord seem to be selling it themselves on Ebay for only £19( :))

I've put up a blogpost about it all, including shots of a couple of my VBCW "air fleets" created during lockdown:

http://hereford1938avbcwtng.blogspot.com/2022/02/air-war-herefordshire-algernon-pulls-it.html
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: commissarmoody on February 23, 2022, 10:12:34 AM
Nice!
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: leadboy on February 24, 2022, 08:29:05 AM
Thanks, Commissar. The Communist Air Force will be doing battle in due course!

http://hereford1938avbcwtng.blogspot.com/2021/01/lifting-off-out-of-lockdown-reds.html
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: commissarmoody on February 24, 2022, 08:35:51 AM
Yes good, the skies belong to the workers.
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on March 27, 2022, 09:37:44 PM
There is a rumour that the Japanese carrier 'Hosho' will be making a (little known) world tour during 1938 . . .

Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Roo on March 27, 2022, 10:53:28 PM
Coast of Wales included?
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on March 28, 2022, 07:16:48 AM
‘S entirely possible . . .
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: FramFramson on March 28, 2022, 05:00:01 PM
The Japanese ARE noted for their extensive Waleing operations...  ;D lol
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on March 28, 2022, 05:35:24 PM
Oooooh! I see what you did there :-)
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Doug ex-em4 on April 01, 2022, 10:50:58 PM
Gentlemen, I’ve just got a pack of the "cheep" planes on order to assist in the attack on (and defence of) Borsetshire once the rag-tag bunch of lefties massing on the border get themselves sorted out.

I have a serious and vital technical question. What did you use for cockpit canopies in your characterful conversions?

Thanks

Doug
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Fitz on April 02, 2022, 03:44:35 AM
It's been a while since I've done any interwar stuff, but I thought I'd sort out some air support for them.

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPA7r00EFZt0eCa4m-qe0rTrxQlQLMthOXmh93bMgZeSeC6lsCQ_nSZ8RQC_hxnRak9eVM2qYta6d4YJa5h5V2D7Y6SLn3Y_neGeWmB80BwmJytQ3jY4EC2bnSwCYJReY3meuN2VYRMbC7w6P2c26m9fkkI_3BAqwXPrKj301cxYFd6YQfvd6QGYtQmA/s16000/2022-04-02-HawkerHart-001.jpg)

Some time ago I designed a 1:144 scale digital model of the Hawker Hart in Blender, and from time to time I have another go at 3d printing it.

The silver one on the left is printed in FDM on my Ender 3; the STL for that one is split longitudinally and the model is printed in two halves. The resulting print is okay, but as usual with FDM the surface texture is quite striated, I end up with a lot of little nubbins where supports rest, and the struts and undercarriage are really quite rough. It will do as a wargames model, but I crave something smoother.

However, I've had very little success when it comes to printing aircraft in resin, like the one on the right. This one was also cut in half, but fore and aft this time.

Part of the issue is that resin isn't all that dimensionally stable, and warping in the curing process is fairly common. But the recurring problem, again and again, is deformation of one or more wing-tips. Even when I've supported both sides completely symmetrically, I'll often get one side failing to print properly. In the case of this print, the profile of the whole port side is screwy, and I honestly have no idea why.

I'm trying another print right now with the front half of the plane in a different orientation, but to be honest I'm getting a bit pessimistic.

[Edit, from next day]

Success at last!

I had a couple of breakages when the supports came off (one of the wing struts, and the undercarriage) but they glued back together okay with some raw resin, cured with a UV flashlight.

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuoq5bucc8JEDXAryxOU_c_nXPDtAZleB03NiPDYgg4pw8hkIZSJzwV6dEUu_0p27WRcOSwT5wPmbTYHETysvnB1wv68qO8GWNcPCjfpwF-2WtdAIZiTvI4ynsfs1J8IpLTewNEmUHTnPwHrmNKR1gUlfDFfTGktzkTWWukBdYoOf-6NhA4-a-t1rsuw/s600/2022-04-03-HawkerHart-001.jpg)

There is a little bit of sanding to be done where support nubbins exist, but it's the best result so far.

I'll print one more, and paint one in the silver peace-time livery and the other in the dark earth/dark green it would have been repainted in if it had to go to war.
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Roo on April 02, 2022, 07:14:49 AM
Not seen the planes in the flesh Soug but the coolest one half pilot models work well in the 1/48 scale.  Somewhere,  belief on LAF, I have seen somebody constructing cockpits…
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on April 02, 2022, 07:33:31 AM
Quote from: Doug ex-em4 on April 01, 2022, 10:50:58 PM
Gentlemen, I’ve just got a pack of the "cheep" planes on order to assist in the attack on (and defence of) Borsetshire once the rag-tag bunch of lefties massing on the border get themselves sorted out.

I have a serious and vital technical question. What did you use for cockpit canopies in your characterful conversions?

Thanks

Doug

It used to be a former, clear plastic packaging, and heat? Apparently Hannants will sell them to you in a variety of scales, assuming you have an ide. of what aircraft type has the most suitable canopy shape.
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: FramFramson on April 02, 2022, 08:33:01 AM
Incidentally, those toy colourful planes, combined with all the hue and cry for aircraft by so many factions, look like another market opportunity for S.H.O.D.D.Y.  lol lol lol
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on April 02, 2022, 02:17:08 PM
Never dare a fool :-)
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: FramFramson on April 02, 2022, 06:16:27 PM
Quote from: Moriarty on April 02, 2022, 02:17:08 PM
Never dare a fool :-)

He who dares, wins!  ;)
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on April 02, 2022, 07:51:55 PM
“Never whistle while you’re pissing”.
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: leadboy on April 03, 2022, 02:51:30 PM

"I have a serious and vital technical question. What did you use for cockpit canopies in your characterful conversions?"

Hi Doug, I didn't convert the existing cockpit canopies at all - just painted them. But it would be easy enough to remove the existing cockpit canopies, the fuselage is only held together with a couple of unglued pegs and divides lengthwise. Removing the existing cockpit canopies would simply leave a WW1 style pilot space into which you could pop a suitable figure. If you want to do a different type of cockpit canopy, however, I think you're probably looking at carving from balsa. 
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Doug ex-em4 on April 03, 2022, 08:10:08 PM
Quote from: leadboy on April 03, 2022, 02:51:30 PM
"I have a serious and vital technical question. What did you use for cockpit canopies in your characterful conversions?"

Hi Doug, I didn't convert the existing cockpit canopies at all - just painted them. But it would be easy enough to remove the existing cockpit canopies, the fuselage is only held together with a couple of unglued pegs and divides lengthwise. Removing the existing cockpit canopies would simply leave a WW1 style pilot space into which you could pop a suitable figure. If you want to do a different type of cockpit canopy, however, I think you're probably looking at carving from balsa.

Clive - Ahhh…I haven’t got my planes yet but I’d assumed from the photos that they didn’t have canopies. If they have - problem solved… :) I await with scarcely concealed excited anticipation…

Thanks :)
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Bearwoodman on April 04, 2022, 10:20:56 AM
Quote from: FramFramson on April 02, 2022, 08:33:01 AM
Incidentally, those toy colourful planes, combined with all the hue and cry for aircraft by so many factions, look like another market opportunity for S.H.O.D.D.Y.  lol lol lol

The various SHODDY design teams must be sorely tempted. My first thought is to leverage SHODDY's existing expertise - surely the obvious thing to do is to attach a tank turret to the fuselage behind the pilot to create something with the agility of a Gloster Gladiator with the firepower of a Blackburn Perth in the revolutionary (and futuristic for 1938!) configuration of the Boulton Paul Defiant! Instant air-superiority, or your money back (T&Cs apply).
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: FramFramson on April 04, 2022, 07:34:31 PM
Dual use as an air superiority plane or a ground based AA system!
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: AdmiralAndy on April 07, 2022, 12:16:07 PM
Quote from: Moriarty on March 27, 2022, 09:37:44 PM
There is a rumour that the Japanese carrier 'Hosho' will be making a (little known) world tour during 1938 . . .

Where did you buy these from, or can you advise of the name of the range?

Thanks in Advance :)
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on April 07, 2022, 03:54:49 PM
EBay special. Search for ‘mini vintage plastic plane’ :-)
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Doug ex-em4 on April 07, 2022, 07:11:42 PM
Quote from: AdmiralAndy on April 07, 2022, 12:16:07 PM
Where did you buy these from, or can you advise of the name of the range?

Thanks in Advance :)

I ordered some from eBay last week. £4.85 including postage. Only one downside - they haven’t arrived yet :(

Meng Model of the Lancaster is next planned buy and it’s from Amazon so shouldn’t be any delivery issues.



Doug
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: leadboy on April 12, 2022, 10:49:38 AM
All - I've put up a blogpost on the Airfix/Warlord games Blood Red Skies 1/72 crossover "Battle of Britain". Essentially an illustrated "what you get in the box" for anyone that's interested. Unfortunately, when I try to attach a photograph to this post, the machine tells me that the "files are too large", so they must be detailed!

https://hereford1938avbcwtng.blogspot.com/2022/04/vbcw-air-war-airfix-blood-red-skies.html

Doug - the vital question is clearly the choice of a Borsetshire camouflage scheme and markings! Moriarty is presumably going for the classic "Zero white/grey" look for his "Honsho" world tour air wing (??), but there are so many interwar choices:

https://hereford1938avbcwtng.blogspot.com/2020/04/aircraft-2-colourful-interwar-types.html
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on April 12, 2022, 05:01:20 PM
Yup. White/grey colour. May have experimental identification markings (for ease of identification on the table). I’m mulling over a set of rules for including them in VBCW games - nothing excessive. Basing them on the fact that an aircraft at 150mph can travel round an 8’ diameter circle at table scale speeds. So, each turn an aircraft can make one ‘pass’ over the table before joining the circle again. Add in a 60 degree ‘turn’ to alter the starting point of the ‘pass’ and you’ve got the makings.

Strangely, the records for the Hosho are reticent on its location for the whole of ‘38. S’almost prophetic .. .
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: leadboy on April 13, 2022, 09:41:12 AM
Yup, can't beat the classic Japanese paint scheme. Mind you, that possibly comes from watching Tora!Tora!Tora! too often. You could vary the classic red markings/stripes and black engine cowlings just a little to give you unobtrusive individual identification while keeping a "squadron look". With a bit of a squint (in the usual way), the "cheep Chinese" models should make pretty good Zeroes. I've got some early US "yellow wings" on the go to give them a battle in due course - if you squint in a different direction (and possibly put on some sunglasses), they make pretty good F4F-3 Wildcats? Looking forward to seeing your carrier, Moriarty!
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on April 14, 2022, 06:07:29 AM
A lot of squinting required for that :-) The thing would be about 8’ long in 1/72!

I’ve looked at the pictures online, and there seem to be enough variations in the markings to distinguish between the three fighters , though no doubt I’m playing ‘fast & loose’ with history. Again. Still. Some more.(
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: leadboy on April 26, 2022, 08:42:19 AM
Talking of markings, I've discovered some very useful roundels on Ebay, ideal for the "Cheep Chinese Planes":

https://hereford1938avbcwtng.blogspot.com/2022/04/vbcw-aircraft-stickers.html

Unfortunately no Japanese roundels, Moriarty, but a visit to WH Smith should yield sufficient "circular red stickers"!
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Doug ex-em4 on April 26, 2022, 09:45:24 AM
Quote from: leadboy on April 26, 2022, 08:42:19 AM
Talking of markings, I've discovered some very useful roundels on Ebay, ideal for the "Cheep Chinese Planes":

https://hereford1938avbcwtng.blogspot.com/2022/04/vbcw-aircraft-stickers.html

Unfortunately no Japanese roundels, Moriarty, but a visit to WH Smith should yield sufficient "circular red stickers"!

They look very useful - good spot, Sir….!

A bit of a delay in the developing Hill/Borsetshire Air Wing. I ordered a pack of "Cheep" planes, only to make the schoolboy error of actually ordering just one model (despite warnings from yourself). I did complain and got a refund - no request to return the one model I got either. Nevertheless, I can’t keep ordering singles and then demanding my money back so I’m looking for a supplier of the complete pack. In the meantime, the airforce consists of one ‘plane :o

Doug
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: leadboy on April 26, 2022, 10:56:49 AM
Morning Doug,

Yes, I've noticed that the Ebay practice now seems to be supply one plane only, instead of six as back in 2020 when we started in to this. Can't explain why, but I'd also noticed that "they" kept the original pictures on the recent "one plane" ads, so its an easy mistake to make. They've also gone up in price!!

When I last looked at this a month or so ago, there were some Ebay sellers that, while selling singly, would provide discounts for multiple purchases, i.e. 10% off if you buy 2, 15% off if you buy 4 etc etc. That seemed to get you to the original six number relatively cheaply. I haven't checked if those kind of ebay ads are still around today.

Bear in mind that all the planes supplied are identical - its not one of those offers where you have to chase all six to make sure you have all the different types.

As you know, these things go in cycles. They'll be back to selling six in one go at some point in the future, no doubt when "they" receive huge amounts from some Chinese factory.

Still, look on the bright side - you've got a free plane to experiment upon! :)
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on May 09, 2022, 08:25:21 AM
And so, it begins . . .

‘Planes are ‘clip together’, which makes it easier, patterns seem sprayed on, plastic is somewhere between ‘soft’ and ‘hard’.
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Doug ex-em4 on May 10, 2022, 01:22:57 PM
Quote from: Moriarty on May 09, 2022, 08:25:21 AM
And so, it begins . . .

‘Planes are ‘clip together’, which makes it easier, patterns seem sprayed on, plastic is somewhere between ‘soft’ and ‘hard’.

Did you get them from eBay?

Doug
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on May 10, 2022, 04:53:10 PM
EBay, yes, all the way from China.

The dimensions are not a million miles away from a Type 95 fighter, and I will combine two into one for a Type 92 bomber.
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Blackwolf on May 11, 2022, 12:22:01 AM
This is a jolly amusing thread; inspired me to get out my Fokker D VIII (virtually no rigging). It will probably be piloted by a fox :)
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on May 11, 2022, 08:24:58 AM
And here are the component parts. Looking at losing the ‘pilot’, cut & paster the struts int a ‘vee’ to better resemble the Type 95 and losing the ‘undercarriage’ housing. Then adding a dihedral to the upper wing, with a bit of luck!
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: leadboy on May 11, 2022, 11:23:29 AM
Looking good Moriarty! Will be interested to see how you combine two into one to make the bomber - something I thought about but the 'curves' always defeated me...
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: leadboy on May 11, 2022, 03:53:06 PM
...and Doug, as you probably already know, they're now available from Ebay seller "yanh-1869"
at £2.12 each if you buy four (or more) at the same time. Listed as:

"Mini Vintage Plastic Plane Model AircraftGlider Biplane AirplaneModel Kid Toy YH"

So that would make a "Squadron" for about a tenner....mind you, I'm sure they were even cheaper
when I got them for the 2020 Modelling Challenge!

NB. seller in China so they will take about a month to arrive (and sometimes postage isn't too reliable).

Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Doug ex-em4 on May 12, 2022, 11:03:55 AM
Quote from: leadboy on May 11, 2022, 03:53:06 PM
...and Doug, as you probably already know, they're now available from Ebay seller "yanh-1869"
at £2.12 each if you buy four (or more) at the same time. Listed as:

"Mini Vintage Plastic Plane Model AircraftGlider Biplane AirplaneModel Kid Toy YH"

So that would make a "Squadron" for about a tenner....mind you, I'm sure they were even cheaper
when I got them for the 2020 Modelling Challenge!

NB. seller in China so they will take about a month to arrive (and sometimes postage isn't too reliable).

Probably worth taking a punt. I’ve had stuff from China occasionally and for a very low value order (under a fiver) the communication was amazing - email to say "thanks" for the order; email to  say it was despatched; email to say let us know if there are any problems. And free postage. So, I think yanh-1869 will be getting my business.

Doug
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on May 16, 2022, 06:17:15 AM
OK, wings removed from one fuselage, two fuselages cut ready for joining, still working out the best way to extend the wings. To extend the nose, or not to extend the nose? That is the question.
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: leadboy on May 17, 2022, 07:23:56 AM
Nosejobs are always a personal choice....re the wings, Moriarty, aren't they simple in
comparison to the fuselage conversion? Square off the ends of one set of wings, chop
up the other to provide the extension piece, use the "underwing bevel" to insert a
suitable piece of plastic card as the stiffener/join, glue, hide with filler if you wish to?
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on June 07, 2022, 10:22:49 AM
Simple? Yes. But more simple than dealing with my ocd :-)

Anyways, gone with the nose job, and extended the fuselage. A combination of Uhu and tissue stuffed into the cavity, topped off with super glue. Still angsting over the wings, though. Have to drop the idea of producing two bay wings, and just get it done. Oh! The agonies :-)
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: leadboy on June 07, 2022, 01:53:55 PM
Whoo-hoo! And you've got the basis of a bomb bay (or torpedo attachments) already "pre-made"...
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on June 07, 2022, 09:24:20 PM
Or at least a slot for a 'flying base' :-)
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Roo on June 07, 2022, 10:31:34 PM
Very cool chap
Title: Re: VBCW Air Wars
Post by: Moriarty on June 09, 2022, 10:53:25 AM
Fie, Sir! You wilt turn my head! :-)