Well, I promised some eye candy so here it is:

Teaser 1

How about a Buffalo for your '38 Lex?



Or maybe a Vindicator?



Finally an SBC Helldiver?



The maker is

I've got lots more photos if you are interested.

I think you oughta take the tape off and tell me who, when and how much. I am confident Ican fabricate a good looking Vindicator from a dauntlass, but a Buffaloe from a wildcat may not look as convincing....the Buff's body is just too stubby. Oh I love those bright yellow and silver color schemes and with the different colored tails...BRIGHT


Still waiting on the ship backdate kit. The brass is supposed to be ready so they are kitting them up now. Hopefully shipping shortly. Have you seen the brass set from Tom's Looks real nice...didn't put in a bunch of that super super detail pieces that only a nutcase would adore...stuck to the really good stuff like railings, radar masts, stairs, and those deck nets tha t have only been on the modern carrier sets

Well, I like them. Trying to get a decent photo that doesn't show brush strokes, etc. can be a problem. The landing gear on the Buf is nicely done. Check this out:



BTW, the planes came without their photoetch, which is still being developed. I used bits of sprue to do the SBC struts.



Here is an additional image of what I received:

Well, you are right about the F2A they entered service in either late '40 or early '41. I stand corrected.

I suspect the photo date is not correct, however. According to what I can find on the net, (my library is in NZ while I am in Kabul) the SB2U went into squadron service in April of '38. They replaced the BG-1s of VB-2. The photo shows BG-1s near the bow, and TBDs on the stern. No SB2Us.

I did not use SB2C anywhere in my posts. In both my posts I used SBC.

I was given the opportunity to take a crack at these planes by the manufacturer. Any mistake in dates or identification is mine, not his. I am not affiliated with him in any way.

If you want to pick nits, your privilege.

Hey DM,

These are 1/350th correct? IMHO, I can't see anything wrong with them. I am curious how many of the wings molded warped or are shot full of voids. How did you like working with the decals? They look pretty good to me. Just thinking out loud here, I wonder if you were to paint them as gray rather than with silver and maybe dry brush edges with silver if that would help tone down the rough look?

Like I said, they look alright to me.

Chuck:
So, they also are going to have photo etch. That'll make them look pretty darn good. How is the manufacturer planning to release them. As sets of 3 different or as sets of one type. I don't plan on using any biplanes on mine but I guess if they come with the set. Our Tom sent me a breakdown on squadrons and types of aircraft on the Lex and Sara for the 30's and early 40's. I'm going with the Buffaloe, Devastator, Vindicator which is 40's. From what I picked up, there seems to have been a time frame when there was both types in the mix....Helldivers and Devastators. I don't know about the F-3-f and Buffaloes overlapping

95B,

Yep, these are 1/350s. A few of the planes sent to me had warped wings, and one of each had a small void in the tail. Easy to fix.

There will be photoetch for these planes, but it wasn't ready when they were sent to me. Not a problem, since I had parts from some Trumpy planes to scavenge from. I made the SBC outer wing struts from sprue, and the props came from the Trumpy kits. The Vindy prop was a little more challenging, but not difficult.

Decals were also scavenged from Trumpy sets. The numbers on the fuselage were a bit of a pain, since they are actually in three pieces. They were a cast iron to apply, but I still have most of my hair left. :-)

Steve,

From my read, the Lex operated SB2Us in VB-2 and SBCs in VS-2 until re-equipped with SBDs in later '40 - early '41. In the 38-40 timeframe, VF-2 also operated one SB2U as the squadron hack.

From the manufacturer:

[quote]The basis for the selection of these specific aircraft were based on the following reasons:

1. The Trumpeter kit of the Lexington can be built without significant modification (with the exception of the turrets) back to about 1940.

2. Going back from the beginning of the war, the next substantial change of the air group were these three types of aircraft.

3. These aircraft are NOT meant to be sold as an "air group", or for a specific time period, but rather as individual sets of 6 aircraft to be purchased as needed by the modeler.

4. These aircraft were selected as comments were made of various message boards, and as such were the preference of the majority of comments.

5. These aircraft are measures of the market. If they do not sell well, no more will be produced. If they are successful, other aircraft types will be produced as the market demands.

6. Aircraft such as the F3F, F4B, BT, and other pre-war types were not mentioned as being wanted by potential customers, but are to be considered as possible subjects in the future

7. Ease of manufacturing was not a consideration in the selection of these subjects because it's just as easy to produce two biplanes as it is to produce one. Market demand and the restrictions of the kit were the primary decision factors.[quote]

Hope this helps people understand how the decision to make these planes was made

Chuck:

I'm not sure that folks realize that only you and I are undertaking this specific project and that we have already done extensive research into what we are going to do and what we need. Most of the folks doing this project reside on the Modelwarship and steelnavy websites...as ther modeling focus is on ships. Here ships are a sideline > I for one love tanks...I have known Chuck for 30 years...we attended VMI together (he's a year ahead)and were both members of the Tanker PLatoon. Tom Hathaway is the 3rd member of our little group He is class of 72. Chuck is not trying to sell anything to anybody...in fact the pictures he is showing are meant for me. My timefrome is the Lexington in late 1940 so that means Buffaloes, Vindicators, and Devastators in yellow and silver on a mahogany deck Lexington with the 8" guns. Yankee Modelworks is releasing a ship backdate kit and somebody is doing these planes. We are rejoycing over this occurance.

I am quite sure as Mr Turner can verify that this era (1938-1942) is quite confusing. The makeup of the squadons on the Lexington and Saratoga changed frequently as the era of biplanes was ending and the monoplanes were replacing them. There are deck changes, armament changes, and color schemes to aircraft changed. Extensive research is required to get it right. I get most of my info from Tom Hathaway who has some marvelous books. For those of you that have an interest in this era, you might want to contact him to get the names of his books and go to library or purchase them.

Steve is right. The era from about 1936-1940 saw a lot of change, and there is some disagreement in several of the references about exactly when certain changes were made. I know that based on what I've found in my references, (which include Fahey's "Ships and Aircraft" a pretty reliable source) that a late 1940 Lexington air group would have had the aircraft he's planning.

If I were going to do this kit (and as much as I'd love to I've got too many other projects going on now), I'd opt for an earlier period, probably 1938, and the composition of the group would be different.

Tom

I disagree with you on that Tom. (Taylor). I think they are trying to fill a void, and like a company making an investment are seeing how big the demand is. The intiial kits of the ship are expensive ($100+), then the aftermarket conversions to the kit come in at another $40 and now you've got to buy aircraft that are not readily available. It's not a project a whole lot of people are going to undertake. So they've run several research polls to see what the majority of us want. I participated in those polls which were on the modelwarship web.

Tom they haven't advertised anything yet. Though Chuck didn't say the name of the compnay manufacturing these aircraft, I'm pretty sure it is Yankee Model works. Knowing them, all they are going to do is package these planes in packages of 6 and advertise what type of aircraft they are. They are not targeting a date nor have they targeted a specific date in the backdate kits they are presently doing. I think Chuck made a general statement about dates and went back too far in what he said

Sorry for the delay in responding. I was back in the States for a few days to attend my 30th Reunion. Rah Virginia Mil! '75,'75, '75, HEY!!

The '38 comment was my mistake, not the manufacturers. At least they add a dimension to doing more with the Lex than making her in Coral Sea rig. I do hope someone does a good set of decals so I don't have to cut and paste the numbers on like I did on those three. That took, on average, over a half hour per plane, and my stubby 50 something fingers aren't up to doing a whole airgroup. Nor does the idea of having to buy multiples of the Hornet and Lexington kits just to get enough decal sets.

After the comments received from one manufacturer over on Steel Navy, I'll probably do mine using the Tom's PE set, and scratchbuilding the other parts I need. I certainly won't take abuse from one prominent manufacturer who regularly posts over there. That place is getting to be no fun.

The manufacturer added a disclaimer to the historical accuracy or potential inaccuracy of their selection of planes?



This is still a hobby...right?

30 years...Getting rid of your happy butts and my class taking over...and looming summer camp, Buck Buchannon threatening to make me an officer. Other than a quick pass through on my way to McGuire AFB to catch my ride to Germany, I have't been back. The closest thing I got was attending a get together here in Dallas to watch the VMI-Citadel game on TV at some sports bar about 10 years ago.

Squadron was/is offering the Tom's PE set for around $30. We have scalefest in 3 weeks where Squadron opens its doors and lets us come in so I'll pick one up then and save the shipping cost.

Even though I come from a VMI family (dad and uncle) I was pretty bitter about the place when I graduated and had nothing to do with the Institute while I was in Germany on Active Duty.

Then within a week after I came back, we had our 5th reunion, and I said, why not. When I got there I realized, that it wasn't the place that was important, it was my BRs. They were what got you through, and they made it all worthwhile. Haven't missed a reunion since, and won't in the future.

Not to mention the fact that NOW I appreciate that had I not chosen the "path less travelled", things would not have turned out as they have, and there are NO regrets.

TC

I had a couple of BRF's that I still have GREAT resentment for. I have mellowed the past couple of years because the class agent I was friends with and I do post emails every few months and actually see my name in print. I think one of the things I hated about the place was the "jock" mentality. I was a "tweener so I was pretty much left alone. But there were 4 or 5 guys that were picked on constantly and the behavior of one guy was encouraged by too many that enabled him to constantly bait and torment these guys. I spent two wonderful years at Alabama where everyone had their little niche and the "jocks" didn't mess with the geeks and brainiacs....you know the high school antics that were so present at the "I". I am very proud that I was in the 48% of my matriculation group that graduated on time. VMI definitely was of value to me. I don't think I could have survived these past 5 years of my life if I hadn't gone through the VMI experience. I probably would have gone to my 25th if I hadnt been going through what I have been dealing with the past 5 years......a divorce, and chronic unemployment problems due to my age and chosen field.

Having read the previous post makes me sound real bitter. Actually right after graduation I had a several month delay prior to entering active duty. My dad was at Ft McClellan Alabama about 4 hours from Benning. I had a BR who came up every weekend to stay with me and my family until he started his AOB at Knox in September. In Germany there was another who I hung with quite a bit....he was in Half Arty too ! So a lot of the non attendence is more due to timing and distance rather than hatred of the "I" or my BR's.

Interesting. I'm sure there's very little chance I knew him but it would be interesting to know who it was. I left the Bn in Aug of 75, but didn't leave Baumholder until late April of 77. I suspect there was some overlap of our Baumholder time, right?

TC

I didn't hit Baumholder until May of 77 as I got selected for Motor Officer right after my AOB. Bob Gleason went to Half Arty that year, but when he got there I don't know