I'm hoping someone here can help me please?

I've been doing some 1/350 LCACs and vehicle as a fun build between my more normal 1/35 build. Details can be found here

I'm now starting to visualise an A4 size diorama of a Marine landing exercise and need some advise.

I know the LHDs can carry 3 LCACs and each LCAC can cary one of the following loads:
12 HMMWVs per sortie
4 LAVs per sortie
2 AAVs per sortie
1 M1A1 per sortie
4 M923 per sortie
2 M923 5-Ton Trucks,2 M198 Howitzers, and 2 HMMWVs per sortie

So far I 2 LCACs and the follwoing vehicles


I'm going to order a 2nd LCAC set and more vehicles but my real question is how I should compose my diorama to show some vehicles on the beach and a 2nd wave been brought in. I know the AAV7s are amphibious but what vehicles would have come in the first wave and what on the second run? Also, if I get the HB Marine Air Group which ones might be seen with under-slung vehicles? And would that be limited to the lighter Humvees and howitzers?



Any help, advise or suggestions would be appreciated.

Cheers
Sean

Sean,

The AAVs and the LAVs would be in the first wave for sure. Both carry troops and provide mobile fire support. You are correct about helos carrying the howitzers although I don't know how quickly they would come in because of air superiority issues. I would imagine the trucks and howitzers would come in the later waves, once the beachhead is secured. Also, the landing craft wouldn't be limited to LCACs. There would also be LCUs that could possibly launch LAVs closer to the beach without having to land. I guess the loads would depend on getting the most there the fastest.

Kenny

Thanks for that Kenny. While close to my own thinking it's very helpful.

Unfortunatly can't find LCUs on their own, just as part of the bigger kits....

Well, I got back to this project with some planes:





Will do the second in wheels down/hellicopter config. Have to add another pair of LCACs and order more Abrams & AAV7s
as well as Cobras & Harriers for air support.

The one thing i can't get seperatly is any LCUs. So, has anyone done any of the recent LHDs that came with LCUs, but didn't actually use hte LCU? If you have one (or 2) that you would be willing to sell or trade please let me know.

Thanks
Sean

The modern amphibious landing is predicated on several things. The first being that one is bringing 5-7 dedicated landing ships (depending upon whether the landing is battalion, regimental, or brigade sized).

Ideally, the landing would be on a protected, unopposed, beach, allowing the landing fleet to stand only 5-6 miles offshore. To assist in this, you use our aviation assets to leap-frog the beach and seize an airhead some distance ashore (the concept is called 'vertical envelopment' in the trade).

And, while AHD and LHD can carry 3 LCAC, there are not always enough LCAC to go around. So, the unused capacity is taken up with LCU(L). This can actually work out better, as there are a number of times when the LCAC are too fast for their own good. (This is counter-intuitive, but is akin to how often one needs a 200mph freight train locomotive.)

The Landing Operations Officer starts with a tally of every landing vehicle available, and sorts them by type, then gets to decide what number of those will actually be mechanically available at H-hour of D-Day. The logistical needs of the Landing Force are then sorted by their on-the-beach priority, and the wreight of the lift (which sets ship-to-shore timing). The Landing Ops team then burns midnight oil tabulating and charting all of this data out. They then interact when there are shortfalls in what the Landing Force wants ashore, and what can be brought ashore.

Since, ideally, the beach head is unopposed, it's not uncommon that the first few waves are 'administrative'--they are bringing transport vehicles, and expendables ashore first, then the troops and gear which will advance off the beach. In which case, the LCAC will often change roves in subsequent waves to carry the AFVs needed to punch through to the airhead.

A given beach head, with a modern landing, is divided up into separate areas for landing ammo, POL, food, and medical supplies; there is typically a lane declared for vehicular access through the beach head it self. These are marked out with banners and lights, and are set quite aways apart from each other--which makes for poor beach dioramas.

Hope that helps.